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Marshalltown man arrested, charged with voter fraud

News

September 21st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) -A 42-year-old Marshalltown man has been charged with voter fraud for registering to vote and casting a ballot in a special election in July. According to the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, 42-year-old Jorge Oscar Sanchez-Vasquez is a legal resident of the U-S, but not a citizen and he’s been charged with two counts of election misconduct. Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate — the state’s top election official — says the law says very clearly you have to be a U-S citizen to vote.

“We have voted ID, so we are establishing a baseline. You have to prove who you are,” Pate says. “We also are working with our partners. We work with the court system. There are various folks who help us identify those folks who are here legally, but not U.S. citizens.” Pate says the role of election workers is to make sure only eligible voters vote.

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate (RI file photo)

“Even one, two, five, 100 — whatever the number is not acceptable, so we’ll keep trying to make sure we’re protecting and keeping that away,” Pate says. “I don’t believe in Iowa we have any of those types of massive voter fraud. I think the bad boys and girls, the really serious illegals are not looking to be recognized for anything. They’re here just to stay under the radar, so I don’t think we’ll see a lot of it at this time in Iowa.”

Pate made his comments during taping of the Iowa P-B-S program “Iowa Press” — a few hours before the charges against the Marshalltown man were announced.

[UPDATED] Fatal motorcycle accident in eastern IA Saturday morning

News

September 21st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

happened a little after 11-a.m. at the intersection of Taylor Avenue and 325 Street in Cedar County just northeast of Wilton.

When the driver of a 2014 Nissan Altima reportedly ignored traffic control devices and entered Taylor Avenue into the path of the oncoming 2018 Harley Davidson motorcycle, the cycle struck the passenger side of the car. The motorcyclist – 56-year-old James Harold Huston, of Wilton – died at the scene. The driver of the car – 21-year-old Austin Lane Mizer, of  Wilton – was injured, but a report on his condition was not being released.

PATTY ARTERBURN, 90, of Greenfield (Funeral Svcs. 9/28/24)

Obituaries

September 21st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

PATTY ARTERBURN, 90, of Greenfield, died Saturday, September 21, 2024.  Funeral services for PATTY ARTERBURN will be held 10-a.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, at the Greenfield United Methodist Church. Lamb Funeral Home in Greenfield has the arrangements.

Visitation at the funeral home is on Friday, Sept. 27th from 2-until 7-p.m., with the family greeting friends from 5-until 7-p.m.

Burial is in the Greenfield Cemetery.  A luncheon will be held at the church following the burial.

The family will send memorial donations to the St. Jude’s Hospital.

PATTY ARTERBURN is survived by:

Her sons – Doug (Lynn) Arterburn, and Craig (Treasa) Arterburn.

Her daughter – Rebecca (Steve) McCann.

Her brothers  – Virgil Stuva, and Dick (Donna) Stuva.

Many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, her brother- and sister-in-laws, and other relatives.

Online condolences may be left to the family at www.lambfuneralhomes.com.

Area High School Football Scores from Sept. 20, 2024

Sports

September 21st, 2024 by Christian Adams

IOWA CLASS 8-PLAYER  

Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton 46 Sidney 32

Fremont-Mills 63 Griswold 20

East Mills 64 Stanton-Essex 28

Audubon 44 St. Edmond, Fort Dodge 22

Lenox 65 Mormon Trail 0

Bedford 63 East Union 0 

Ar-We-Va 63 West Harrison 0

Woodbine 74 Siouxland Christian 0

St. Mary’s, Remsen 44 Boyer Valley 12

CAM 62 Coon Rapids-Bayard 6

IOWA CLASS A  

Mount Ayr 54 Central Decatur 14 

Riverside 28 IKM-Manning 20

ACGC 28 South Central Calhoun 14

Earlham 41 Southwest Valley 6

Tri-Center 58 Westwood 12

St. Albert 35 Kingsley-Pierson 12

Logan-Magnolia 49 West Monona 12

 CLASS 1A 

AHSTW 26 Underwood 21

Shenandoah 48 Missouri Valley 6

Treynor 41 Red Oak 8

Woodward-Granger 48 Nodaway Valley 8

South Hamilton 30 West Central Valley 7

 CLASS 2A  

Kuemper Catholic 22 Roland-Story 14 (OT)

Van Meter 45 Clarinda 0

11-PLAYER NON-DISTRICT 

Winterset 21 Atlantic 7

Glenwood 35 Denison-Schleswig 14

Lewis Central 24 Bondurant-Farrar 14

Sergeant Bluff-Luton 42 Harlan 0

Carroll 50 Creston 7

Wayne 38 Panorama 12

Abraham Lincon 42 Thomas Jefferson 6

1 dead, seven injured in four separate crashes Friday, in Iowa

News

September 21st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Statewide) – The Iowa State Patrol reports one person died and seven others were injured in four separate crashes around the state, Friday.

The Patrol says 35-year-old Dustin B. West, of Hedrick died when his motorcycle struck a pickup truck just before 2-p.m. Friday, in Wapello County. The accident happened when the pickup truck, driven by 75-year-old Billy L. Skinner, of Ottumwa, turned in front of the motorcycle near Ottumwa. West died at the scene. Skinner was injured in the crash and transported to the hospital in Ottumwa.

Two men were injured in a crash that occurred at around 1:20-p.m. Friday, in Wayne County. The Patrol reports 79-year-old’s Roger Stroud and Danny Stubbs, both of Clio, were transported to the hospital in Corydon, after their SUV’s collided and rolled over into a ditch. The accident happened on a curve, when Stroud failed to yield half of the roadway.

A man from Manchester was injured at around 5-p.m. Friday in Delaware County, when his motorcycle failed to negotiate a curve near Hopkinton, and drove off the road and into a ditch. 51-year-old Lonnie Gene Deitrick was flown by helicopter from the scene to the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics.

And, at around 6:20-p.m., Friday, a man on a motorcycle and his passenger were injured in Warren County, when a car turned in front of the motorcycle on Highway G-58/Hwy 65 at 160th Avenue. The operator of the motorcycle, 34-year-old Levi Woldt, and his passenger, 29-year-old Shelby Wambold, both of Lacona, were ejected from the cycle and flown by helicopter to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. The driver of the car, 22-year-old Finnegan Ritchie, of Traverse City, Michigan, was transported by Milo EMS to Mercy Hospital.

All four crashes remain under investigation.

Skyscan Forecast for Atlantic & the KJAN listening area: Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024

Weather

September 21st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Today: Partly cloudy to cloudy w/a chance of showers & thunderstorms, mainly after 4pm. High near 88. South winds 10-20 mph.
Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Low around 54. North winds 10-20 mph.
Sunday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 63. N/NE winds 15-20 mph.
Sun. Night: A chance of showers late. Low around 49.
Monday: A slight chance of showers, otherwise mostly sunny, with a high near 67.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 45.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 70.

Friday’s High in Atlantic was 93. Our Low was 50. Last year on this date, the high in Atlantic was 81 and the Low was 54. The Record High in Atlantic on Sept. 21st was 96 in 1937, and the Record Low was 29 in 1918 & 1999. Sunrise: 7:06-a.m.; Sunset: 7:20-p.m.

Trojans fall to Huskies in Winterset

Sports

September 20th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

The Atlantic Trojans football team fell short against the Winterset Huskies losing 21-7 on the road. The matchup between these two focused heavily on the run game and with how quickly time went by in the first quarter it showed. On the Trojans opening drive senior quarterback Tristan Hayes threw an interception down on the goal line to give the ball to the Huskies as they started on their own two. Atlantic did force a punt getting the ball back but would end up stalling on their drive as they headed into the second the quarter tied at 0-0.

As each team committed to the run game, the clock continually dwindled until a wild snap over the head of Hayes forced the Trojan quarterback to fall on the ball back near midfield on a crucial third down and thirteen. That mistake did set up a drive for Winterset which they would get their first score on the evening from a twenty-yard dart throw from senior quarterback Hunter Lyon to his tight end Jadyn Cooper in the middle of the endzone to make it a 7-0 score heading into half. The third quarter brought more excitement as Atlantic’s defensive back senior Jarrett Hansen snagged an interception out of the air midway through the third quarter to give the Trojans the ball at their own 35-yard line.

Even with the interception Atlantic’s offense still seemed to be stuck and gave the ball back to the Huskies that used their next drive to score with another touchdown throw from Lyon to his wide receiver Conner Vaughn from 22 yards out. The ball game changed into a 14-0 lead for Winterset and the home fans took notice. Atlantic did have a response of their own creating a drive which developed a 57-yard touchdown run for junior tight end Brock Goodrich helping Atlantic stay in the game at 14-7. When the Huskies received the ball back in the fourth quarter, they took their time moving down the field continually pounding their run game and gaining first downs. Eventually on a second and goal senior running back Hank Wilmes took a handoff from the nine-yard line zig zagging his way into the end zone. Winterset gave themself another 14-point cushion with a score of 21-7.

The Trojans offense did their best looking to Gavin McLaren for success in the run game but due to a few unfortunate penalties Atlantic was forced to punt towards the end of the fourth quarter. There was a spark of hope with three minutes left in the game as the Trojans forced a turnover inside Winterset territory. The new drive would gain a first down but then end with Hayes scrambling towards the first down marker but being tackled well short. With the turnover on downs, the Huskies took the victory formation and kneeled until the clock expired.

Atlantic head coach Joe Brummer noted that the run game for Atlantic was efficient, but costly penalties made the difference on Friday night.

Another component of the Trojans defeat was the issue of turnovers and how the passing game could never get settled.

In order to improve for next week coach Brummer hopes his players will keep their heads high and get ready to go back to work.

The loss gives Atlantic a 4-1 record and they return home to face Knoxville next Friday. Winterset improves to 3-1 with the win and stay at home next Friday to take on Norwalk.

Clarinda manufacturing plant to close in early 2025

News

September 20th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Clarinda, Iowa) – Officials with a precision ball bearing manufacturer based in Japan, have announced their facility in Clarinda will be closing at the end of March, 2025. Thursday’s news about the closing of the NSKAKS plant means the loss of 54 jobs associated with the plant, according to the state’s Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, or WARN, website.

Clarinda’s AKS plant primarily manufactures ball bearing components for the automotive and industrial markets. Company officials say many of the markets served by AKS have moved offshore, thereby reducing the manufacturing demand for domestically-produced products.

Clarinda NKS plant (Photo from the company’s website)

Shenandoah Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Receipt of Child Pornography

News

September 20th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Shenandoah man was sentenced today to seven years in federal prison for receipt of child pornography.

According to public court documents, 34-year-old Evaristo Hernandez Flores Carnes uploaded images and videos containing child sex abuse material to a social media application. Law enforcement executed search warrant at Carnes’s residence and seized a cell phone that was later found to contain images and videos of child sex abuse material.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Carnes will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), DCI Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Shenandoah Police Department, and Federal Bureau of Investigations.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.

Two Council Bluffs Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine

News

September 20th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Two Council Bluffs men were sentenced for their roles in conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Council Bluffs metropolitan area:

  • Douglas Marqueis Louis, 45, was sentenced on August 28, 2024, to a 210-month prison term; and
  • Nikolas Alan Koebel, 27, was sentenced on September 20, 2024, to a 100-month prison term.

According to public court documents, in December 2023 during a search warrant a Louis’s Council Bluffs residence, law enforcement located more than three pounds of methamphetamine, more than one pound of marijuana, more than an ounce and a half of cocaine, and more than $13,000 cash. Some of the cash at Louis’s residence came from a controlled purchase of fentanyl that law enforcement made from Koebel. In total, law enforcement arranged six controlled purchases of fentanyl from Koebel.

After completing their terms of imprisonment, Louis and Koebel will each be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.