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Adair and Guthrie County Primary candidate lists released

News

March 30th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The Adair and Guthrie County Auditor’s Offices have released the names and positions sought, by candidates for the June Primary.

In Adair County the candidates are:

  • Democrat Steven Shelley, of Stuart is the lone candidate for Supervisor, District 2 northeast
  • Democrat Jodie Hoadley, of Orient, is unopposed for Supervisor in District 4 southeast
  • Republican Clint Hight faces no challenger for Adair County Attorney
  • County Treasurer candidates include Republicans Brenda L. Wallace, and Kim Crosswhite Perkins, both of Greenfield.
  • And, Republican Janelle Schneider, of Greenfield, is unopposed for the County Recorder’s job during the June Primary.

In Guthrie County, the candidates include:

  • Republicans J.D. Kuster and Dana Tews – Supervisor District 4
  • Republicans Everett Grasty, Scott Calmer, Randy Sparks, Joel Hester, and Democrat Kevin Wirt –  Supervisor District 3
  • Republicans Rick Kness and Clifford Carney – Supervisor District 2
  • Republican Tristen Richard for Recorder
  • Republican Brenna Bird for Attorney
  • and Republican Marci Schreck for Treasurer.

Cass County ULED Resolution passes

News

March 30th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Friday (today), approved a Resolution to enter into a 28-E contract and agreement for law enforcement services with the Unified Law Enforcement District that includes the cities of Cumberland, Lewis, Marne, Massena and Wiota. Auditor Dale Sunderman said the 10-year agreement will begin July 1st, 2018.

The increased cost to each city has yet to be finalized, but the total dollar amount will be discussed with those cities, but is based on population. The Board also approved a Resolution to enter into agreement to abate the tax and assign a tax sale Certificate on a County-held parcel in Marne, as well as the abatement of tax for a parcel in the City of Cumberland.

And the Supervisors agreed to appoint Brenda Nelson, of Atlantic, to the Southern Iowa Regional Housing Authority, to fill a vacancy term that expires April 9th, 2020.

Drawing nears for $502M Mega Millions estimated jackpot

News

March 30th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A giant lottery jackpot is awaiting players willing to shrug off miserable odds for a chance at immense wealth. The drawing for the estimated $502 million Mega Millions prize will be held Friday night. It’s the nation’s 10th largest lottery jackpot. No one has matched all six numbers drawn since January. It costs $2 to play the game and a willingness to ignore the fact that you’ll almost certainly lose.

The odds of winning the jackpot are one in 302 million, though odds of winning smaller prizes are better. The $502 million figure refers to the annuity option, in which payments are made over 29 years. The cash option would pay $301 million. Mega Millions is played in 44 states plus Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Iowa superintendent seeks funds for school security jobs

News

March 30th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — The Davenport schools superintendent is asking the Legislature to allow reserve funds to be spent on security enhancements and additional staff in the wake of a deadly school shooting in Florida. Art Tate is the superintendent of the Davenport Community School District. He tells the Quad-City Times that the hopes to add a district-level security and safety specialist, school resources officers, security guards and a permanent mental health coordinator. He estimates the additional positions will cost $1.5 million.

Tate has reached out to some lawmakers to tap into the district’s more than $30 million in reserve funds. Legislators hope to end the session April 17. The district is using money from the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education fund to add cameras and swipe card entry access at school entries. The fund doesn’t cover the addition of personnel.

Prosecutor: Officer acted correctly in shooting armed man

News

March 30th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Scott County’s top prosecutor says a Davenport police officer acted correctly in shooting an armed man earlier this month. County Attorney Mike Walton said in a news release Thursday that Officer Brandon Askew’s use of force March 13 was “reasonable under the circumstances.” Authorities have said Askew shot 43-year-old John Hess approached Hess as Hess walked toward a home so he could confront a woman there who’d sought a restraining order on him. Police say Hess produced a gun, and Askew drew his service weapon and fired, striking Hess in an ankle.

Walton says Hess didn’t fire but has admitted pointing his handgun at the officer. Hess faces several charges, including assault on a police officer.

(Podcast) KJAN 8-a.m. News, 3/30/2018

News, Podcasts

March 30th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Podcast) KJAN Morning News & funeral report, 3/30/2018

News, Podcasts

March 30th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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Nebraska man pleads not guilty to Iowa sex assault charges

News

March 30th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A convicted Nebraska sex offender has pleaded not guilty to Iowa accusations that he sexually assaulted two women in Sioux City. Court records say 30-year-old Zachary Person entered a written plea Thursday to six charges, including sexual abuse by a habitual offender, assault with intent to commit sexual abuse, serious assault and other crimes. No trial date has been set.

The records say he assaulted a woman at Morningside College on Feb. 12, 2017, and another woman the same night at a motel. Nebraska records say Person, from Norfolk, was sentenced in October to 15 to 20 years for trying to assault a woman in Omaha. The Nebraska Sex Offender Registry says he’s also been convicted of sex crimes in 2012 in Dawson County and 2016 in Dodge County.

Northeast Iowa college boosts security following complaints

News

March 30th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

WAVERLY, Iowa (AP) — A northeast Iowa college has begun bolstering security following reports that a man entered unlocked dorms and bathrooms and harassed female students. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that no charges have been filed against the man. The complaints say he entered dorm rooms and bathrooms at Wartburg College in Waverly in February, touched students without their permission and stole money. Police say charges are likely when an investigation is finished.

Security cameras have been installed in 11 new spots in addition to 30 already located around campus. Locks also will be installed on bathrooms, and motion-sensor light switches will be changed so bathroom lights are always on.

Head’s Up! The sky isn’t falling but a Chinese space station may be headed for Iowa

News

March 30th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

An empty Chinese space station is expected to fall back to earth as soon as today (Friday) and it’s possible pieces of it that survive the fiery reentry may fall on Iowa. Allison Jaynes, a professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Iowa, says Tiangong One will likely come down between now and Monday and there’s a wide path of possible landing spots, including us. “Most of North America, most of the latitudes where people are living are in the path,” Jaynes says, “but that doesn’t mean that you’re going to get hit by any of these pieces because, of course, that chance is extremely small.”

There are many unknowns as to when and where the space station will fall, but Jaynes notes, since 71-percent of the Earth’s surface is water, the odds are better than seven in ten it won’t hit land. “We’re not sure exactly where in its orbit it’s going to start to reenter but the more important thing to look for is if you’re going to be in the path of visibility to see the piece when it comes through the atmosphere,” Jaynes says. “It will glow. You’ll likely be able to see it, even during the day, if you’re in the right spot on the world.”

Launched in 2011, Tiangong — which means “Heavenly Palace” in Chinese — is roughly the size of a school bus and weighs about nine-and-a-half tons. It’s 34-feet long and is filled with all sorts of equipment, large oxygen tanks, two beds and some exercise gear, as well as two large solar arrays or wings. “Most of it will burn up. You might end up with fist-sized chunks coming in to land somewhere on earth,” Jaynes says. “This is one of the biggest things that has reentered the atmosphere so we don’t have a whole lot of data points on this, but from what we know, most of it does get burned up.”

So how should Iowans be conducting themselves over the next few days? Should we be wearing helmets if we dare to go outside? Jaynes says, “You have many thousands of times better chance of winning the lottery in the next few days than you do getting hit by anything coming from space.” The American space station, Skylab, fell in 1979. It was much larger than Tiangong — Skylab was 85 tons or about nine-times heavier — and some large pieces did strike land in Australia. A small town there famously tried to charge NASA a fine of $400 for littering.

(Radio Iowa)