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Patrol: 2 men die in wrong-way driver crash on interstate

News

December 12th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

Authorities say a wrong-way driver and the driver of a vehicle he struck in northern Iowa have both died. The collision was reported around 9:45 a.m. Wednesday on Interstate 35, just north of Clear Lake. The Iowa State Patrol says 30-year-old Henry Robinson, of Newnan, Georgia, was driving south in the northbound lanes when his minivan hit a pickup truck driven by 52-year-old Bryon Hendricks, of West Des Moines. Both men died. The patrol says the driver of a third vehicle wasn’t injured when it clipped Hendricks’ pickup.

Iowa farmland values increase

Ag/Outdoor, News

December 12th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — The annual Iowa State University survey shows the statewide value of an acre of farmland increased by two-point-three percent and now is estimated at seven-thousand-432 dollars. Wendong Zhang conducts the survey and doesn’t think it’s a sign of any big upward trend.”It is an increase — which is encouraging — but I wouldn’t hail this as a solid rebound of the market, ” he says, “because the magnitude is still quite modest. It just exceeded the pace of inflation.”

That increase means an acre of farm ground is worth 168 dollars more than the year before. He says low commodity prices and low interest rates both helped keep the values from going up much more. Zhang, who is an assistant professor of economics, doesn’t think values are dropping off either. “All the eight districts –except for northeast Iowa — showed modest growth. Especially in central Iowa, we see some growth at a level of five percent. In general I think shows a stabilizing land market,” Zhang says.

Zhang says low dairy prices hurt the land values in the northeast district. The northwest district reported the highest overall land values at nine-thousand-352 dollars ($9,352) an acre. The south-central district reported the lowest overall land values at 44-hundred-87 dollars ($4,487) an acre. Scott County reported the highest land values at 10-thousand-837 dollars an acre. Decatur County reported the lowest at three-thousand-586 dollars an acre. It’s the seventh straight year Scott and Decatur have been the top and bottom county. Low-quality land statewide now saw an increase of three-point-three percent — more than the higher quality soils.

Zhang says the general economy is still strong and that tens leads to more recreational demand for land and that brings up the price of the lower quality land. He says the demand for urban development help bring up the land in the central Iowa district. Zhang says there are two things he is watching that could impact the land values in the coming year. He says one is whether we will have a trade deals and the details of those deals — while the other is whether or not the Fed Reserve cuts the interest rates again or stay with the original plan to gradually increase the interest rates.

Zhang says the rate cut would be more positive news for landowners. “In general lower interest rates tend to support land values,” Zhang says. The I-S-U Land Value Survey started in 1941. Zhang has been overseeing the survey for the last five years.

Reynolds says UI doctors to examine patients at Glenwood Resource Center

News

December 12th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — Governor Kim Reynolds says physicians from the University of Iowa Hospitals will visit the state-run Glenwood Resource Center today (Thursday) “To do a review of the patients, look at the charts and just make sure their health is okay,” Reynolds says. The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the facility, which provides care for about 250 Iowans with profound intellectual disabilities. STATE officials have placed the center’s superintendent on administrative leave. FEDERAL investigators are examining an allegation of human experimentation on residents at Glenwood. In 2017, five Glenwood staffers pleaded guilty to wanton neglect and eight others were fired or resigned after an investigation. Reynolds says there’s been “continuous review” of Glenwood’s operations since she took office in May of 2017.

“We had brought people in, we’d asked them to do an assessment, they’d laid out what they thought was being done, they thought it was appropriate. And you know what? It’s not,” Reynolds says, “and so based on the information that we just received, based on the new leadership at the Department of Human Services…we are making changes.” Reynolds fired the D-H-S director this summer and her new director started this fall. A letter federal officials sent Governor Reynolds in November indicates a host of issues have been raised about care at Glenwood, including inadequate nutrition and physical injuries to patients.

Last spring, The Des Moines Register reported current and former staffers at the Glenwood Resource Center raised concerns after an alarming number of patient deaths. Reynolds says a new team of outside experts are being assembled to dig into Glenwood’s operations. The governor indicates changes will be made in all the institutions managed by the Department of Human Services. “There are so many opportunities for us to do a better job of serving Iowans and really supporting the employees there. We have hardworking employees that, you know, deal with significant, tough issues and they have not had, I think, the resources, the tools and the leadership and the support that they need to do their job,” Reynolds told reporters. “We can do better and we are going to do better.”

Federal officials are also investigating whether the 180 intellectually disabled children and adults who are patients at the state-run Resource Center in Woodward are being cared for in the most appropriate setting.

MELVIN ENFIELD, 72, of Atlantic (Svcs. pending)

Obituaries

December 12th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

MELVIN ENFIELD, 72, of Atlantic, died Wed., Dec. 11th, at home. Services for MELVIN ENFIELD are currently pending at the Hockenberry Funeral Home in Atlantic.

Fire chief says 1 person hospitalized after condo blaze

News

December 12th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

Authorities say one person was hospitalized after a fire broke out at a condominium in the Cedar Rapids suburb of Marion. Firefighters dispatched around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday found smoke pouring from the building’s upper level. A fire official says the blaze started in one unit and spread into the building attic. The name of the injured person and the extent of his or her injuries haven’t been released. The fire cause is being investigated.

CHARLES “Bill” HUTCHINS, 88, of Ankeny & formerly of Audubon (Celebration of Life 12/13/19)

Obituaries

December 12th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

CHARLES “Bill” HUTCHINS, 88, of Ankeny (& formerly of Audubon), died Sunday, Dec. 8th, at Mercy One Hospice in Johnston. A Celebration of Life for BILL HUTCHINS will be held 11-a.m. Friday, Dec. 13th, at the First United Methodist Church, in Audubon. Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon has the arrangements.

Friends may call at the 1st UMC from 9-a.m. until the time of service, Friday. The family wishes to invite everyone to the church fellowship hall for a time of food and fellowship following the Memorial service.

Burial is in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Audubon.

Memorials may be sent to the Charles W. Hutchins Memorial Fund, which will fund the American Legion and the Iowa Donor Network.

CHARLES “Bill” HUTCHINS is survived by:

His wife – Marlene Hutchins, of Ankeny.

his daughters – Jan (Jeff) George, of McHenry, IL; Susan Cameron (Ronald) Daemen of Polk City; Tammie Christiansen (and fiance Doug Moyer) of Cedar Rapids; and Lisa (Dave) Torgerson, of Ankeny;

Marlene’s daughters – Leslie Hissam, of Rochester, MN, and Dawn (George) Mountin, of Saint Paul, MN.

His brothers – Frank Hutchins, of Norwalk, and Gary (Rhonda) Hutchins, of Roswell, New Mexico.

5 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren, his sister-in-law Carma Hutchin,s of Exira, and a large extended family, including nieces and nephews, as well as countless friends.

CARRIE M. JENSEN, 89, of Exira (Svcs. 12/13/19)

Obituaries

December 12th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

CARRIE M. JENSEN, 89, of Exira, died Monday, Dec. 9th, at the Exira Care Center. Funeral services for CARRIE JENSEN will be held 2-p.m. Friday, Dec. 13th, at the Exira Lutheran Church. Kessler Funeral Home in Exira has the arrangements.

Friends may call at the Exira Lutheran Church from 1-p.m. Friday until the time of service, with the family present.

Burial is in the Exira Cemetery.

CARRIE JENSEN is survived by:

Her sons – Greg (Chris) Jensen, of Hamlin, and Mark (Tracy) Jensen, of Moorhead, MN.

3 grandchildren; her sisters-in-law and brother-in-law, other relatives and friends.

ROGER MALMBERG, 80, of Audubon (Mass of Christian Burial 12/14/19)

Obituaries

December 12th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

ROGER MALMBERG, 80, of Audubon, died Tue., Dec. 10th, at the Exira Care Center. A Mass of Christian Burial for ROGER MALMBERG will be held 10:30-a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14th, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, in Audubon. Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon has the arrangements.

Friends may call at the funeral home, where the family visitation is from 5-until 7-p.m. Friday, Dec. 13th.

Burial is in the St. Patrick’s Catholic Cemetery, in Audubon.

ROGER MALMBERGis survived by:

His wife – Judy Malmberg, of Audubon

His daughters – Kimberly (Alan) Vonnahme, of Villisca; Jody (Lonn) Kiehne, of Urbandale,; Jen (T.J.) Paustian, of Grimes, and Missy (Adam) Welch, of Waukee.

His brothers – Glenn (Sandy) Malmberg, of Jacksonville, Florida; Darrell Malmberg, of Bellevue, Nebraska; and David and Dana Malmberg of Papillion, Nebraska.

6 grandchildren and many nieces and nephews, relatives and friends.

KIMBERLY (Stein) CLEMONS, 52, of Atlantic (Graveside Svcs. 12/16/19)

Obituaries

December 12th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

KIMBERLY (Stein) CLEMONS, 52, of Atlantic, died Wednesday, Dec. 11th, at home. Graveside services for KIMBERLY (Stein) CLEMONS will be held 3-p.m. Monday, Dec. 16th, in the Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Cemetery in Atlantic. Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic has the arrangements.

Visitation with the family will be held at the funeral home, one-hour prior to the graveside service, Monday.; Online condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.

KIM CLEMONS is survived by:

Her Mother – Roberta Stein, of Atlantic.

Her brother – Jeff Stein (& very special friend Calvin Krause), of Atlantic.

Skyscan Forecast – Thursday Dec. 12, 2019

Weather

December 12th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

Today: Partly cloudy to cloudy. High 42. S-NW@ 10-20.

Tonight: P/Cldy. Low 22. NW @ 5-10.

Tomorrow: P/Cldy to Cldy w/a chance of sprinkl3es or flurries. High near 40.

Saturday: P/Cldy to Cldy w/morning flurries. High 25.

Sunday: Mo. Cldy w/flurries. High 25.

Out 24-hour High in Atlantic (as of 5:20-a.m. today) was 37 (Temps rose overnight). Our Low was 20. Last year on this date, the High in Atlantic was 38 and the Low was 22. The record High for Dec. 12th in Atlantic, was 62 1921 & 1968. The Record Low was -20 in 1932.