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

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.8MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Atlantic firefighters were called to the parking lot of Mahle Engine Components early this morning, for a car fire. Fire Chief Mark McNees told KJAN News the 2002 Chevy Impala was completely engulfed in flames when they arrived shortly after 5:15-a.m.  McNees said a Mahle employee had gone inside to work. Another employee apparently noticed the fire and called 911. The fire began in the engine compartment, near the battery, according to McNees. The car was a total loss. No injuries were reported. Firefighters remained on the scene for about 45-minutes.

PERRY, Iowa (AP) – City officials in the Dallas County city of Perry are considering a growth incentive: No property taxes for 10 years on new homes. The Des Moines Register reports city leaders hope the plan will lure builders and potential residents to Perry, which sits within commuting distance of the Des Moines metropolitan area.

City Administrator Sven Peterson says Perry hasn’t fully recovered from the recession and is losing residents to Adel, Waukee and other cities. City leaders are expected to approve the plan Tuesday. Another Dallas County town, Adel, implemented its tax abatement program in 2011. It has seen 327 new homes built since then, compared with 82 homes in the six years prior to the program.

The City Council in Atlantic will meet during a regular session Wednesday, beginning at 5:30-p.m. in their chambers at City Hall.

On the agenda is an order to appoint Gerald Brink to a vacant, At-Large City Council seat. Public notice was filed earlier with regard to the the City’s intention to fill the seat left vacant by the resignation of former Councilman Bob Cord, who has moved from the area. And, the City’s Personnel and Finance Committee has recommended Brink be appointed to the seat. If the Council approves the appointment, Wednesday, the public may file a petition to hold a special election, but that action must be taken within 14-days of the Council’s decision.

The Council, Wednesday, will also hold a Public Hearing on the plans, specifications and Form of Contract for the Bull Creek culvert replacement project, followed by a resolution approving the project, which will serve to replace the collapsed portion of the culvert located just southeast of the 8th & Walnut Street intersection. Cost estimates for the project exceed $200,000, and will be funded from bond monies issued for the Bull Creek project.

“Pumba,” the pot bellied pig.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will hear a request from resident Darci Coatney, with regard to her being allowed to keep a pot bellied pig at 805 Chesnut Street. During their meeting Aug. 17th, the City’s Community Protection Committee met and heard from Coatney’s neighbor, who complained of the smell and issues with flies at her home, which she said she could not sell, because of the odor coming from the home where the pig is located. Following the Aug. 17th hearing, the CPC determined the current ordinance was sufficient to deal with the issue, and referred the matter back to the Council.

Coatney has written a letter to the City, stating Police came to her home twice since they got the pig named “Pumba,” at around this same time last year. The visits were with regard to complaints about the animal. The first time was in Oct. 2015, the second on Aug. 10th, 2016. She questions why she wasn’t told she wasn’t allowed to have a pot bellied pig at her residence (in accordance with City Code), during the first visit by Police. Her records show the animal has been neutered, and is current on its vaccinations.

And finally, the Council, Wednesday, will act on an order to temporarily close designated City streets this Friday, Sept. 9th, for the purpose of holding a Homecoming Parade. The route is from 10th & Linn west on 10th & Chestnut, north on Chestnut to 2nd Street, east on 2nd to Walnut, and then south on Walnut to 6th Street. The streets will be closed beginning at 2:30-p.m.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports several people were arrested Sunday evening on Burglary and other charges. At around 7:15-p.m., deputies noticed two vehicles parked at Blacktop Services, in Mt. Etna. Six people were inside the building. Inside the vehicles, authorities found political signs taken from yards in Corning, and a marijuana pipe with a marijuana grinder.

25-year old Michael Sickels, 22-year old Blade Fox, 19-year old Kendra Wilkinson, and 18-year old’s Sydney Dimmler, Cheyenne Goodnight and Aaron Comstock, were all arrested on Burglary charges. Wilkinson and Goodnight face additional charges of Theft, while Fox was also charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. The suspects live in Adams, Taylor and Union Counties.

They were booked into the Adams County Jail and held on $5,000 bond, each. (updated bond amount 11-a.m. 9/6/16)

Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton is promising to “say no” to ANTI-union proposals if she’s elected president — and that includes rejecting a “Right to Work” law at the national level.   “Unions not only raise incomes and provide benefits for union members, but because of unions everybody is better off,” Clinton said, to applause. “And that’s a message I’m going to talk about every single day in this campaign.” Clinton was the closing speaker at the annual Labor Day “Salute to Labor” in the Quad Cities.

She touted the 256-page policy book she and her running mate Tim Kaine are released today (Tuesday). “I’ll tell you why we did this book,” Clinton said. “I think if you run for president, you ought to tell people what you want to do. Right? And what I’ve tried to do in this book…is to lay out a blueprint for America’s future.” The book’s title is “Stronger Together.” That was the theme of the Democratic National Convention in July and is the name of Clinton’s campaign plane.

Several times during her speech yesterday, Clinton stressed the need to unify the country. “We’re going to run a campaign of issues, not insults,” Clinton said, to applause. Clinton made a brief pitch on behalf of Iowa Democrats who’re on the General Election ballot and offered a list of proposals she’d advance as president, like raising the national minimum wage. She also drew cheers by promising to reject “unfair trade deals” like the Trans Pacific Partnership.

“I hope you will get involved in this campaign for these last two months,” Clinton said. “…We need everybody involved. There has never been a more important, consequential election in our lifetimes.” Clinton spoke with reporters on her campaign plane as she flew into the Quad Cities. Clinton answered questions about how she handled email during her tenure as secretary of state. Clinton also raised concerns about Russian cyberattacks that might interfere with the U.S. election.

A spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee called Clinton “dishonest” and accused Clinton of the “reckless mishandling of classified information” with the email set-up she used as secretary of state.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:00 a.m. CDT

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A Davenport man faces a first-degree murder charge after authorities say he killed his girlfriend during an argument. The Quad-City Times reports that 55-year-old Thomas James Lopez was charged following the woman’s death Sunday afternoon. Davenport police say Lopez assaulted 37-year-old Melissa Lewis at their home on Aug. 31. According to an affidavit, Lopez slapped, choked and pushed her, causing her to fall back and hit her head on a window sill.

CLIVE, Iowa (AP) — An overnight shooting at an event center in Clive has killed two people and injured two others. Authorities say 29-year-old Johnny Lee Ollie Jackson of Des Moines died outside of 7 Flags Event Center. Another victim, 44-year-old Kevin Lee Hall of Des Moines, died on the way to a local hospital. Authorities say 31-year-old William Dale Celander and 25-year-old Kelly Christopher Love Jr. suffered non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.

FORT MADISON, Iowa (AP) — A group plans to ask Lee County officials to create a task force to study the impact of increasing the county’s minimum wage. The Fort Madison Daily Democrat reports that county supervisors will discuss the issue at their meeting Tuesday. The request came from a group calling itself the Lee County Raise the Wage Coalition.

VENTURA, Iowa (AP) — A herd of 40 goats is helping to clear nuisance vegetation at an Iowa state park. The Globe Gazette in Mason City reports that the goats will graze on non-native honeysuckle, buckthorn and other plants that have crowded out native vegetation. The goats belong to “Goats On The Go” in Ames.

Anita Rescue and Wiota 1st Responder personnel along with Medivac Ambulance, were called to the scene of a rollover accident Monday evening on Interstate 80, in Cass County. The accident happened near the 66 mile marker of I-80 eastbound, at around 6:15-p.m. According to dispatch reports, two occupants of a Mazda were out of the vehicle when law enforcement arrived. The pair did not request transport to the hospital.

No additional details are currently available.

The governor has signed a proclamation declaring this week (September 5th through 11th) as Suicide Prevention Week. Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), Suicide Prevention Program coordinator Pat McGovern says there’s a simple goal. “Really just wanting to raise awareness that suicide is an issue that affects many, many Iowans, many more than I think most people understand or believe,” McGovern says.

Health Department statistics show suicide is the tenth leading cause of death for all Iowans and the second leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year-olds and those ages 25 to 44. McGovern says you can help prevent a suicide by reaching out to friends, family and co-workers. He says it’s not always easy. “It really depends on your relationship, it’is different if a really good friend or a family member who you are really comfortable with — as compared to someone who you might work with and might socialize with at work — but not be friends with outside of work. So, it really does depend on the relationship,” according to McGovern.

He says it is important to take action regardless of the relationship. “The really bottom line is that it’s okay to ask someone how they are doing. It’s even okay to say ‘are you thinking about suicide, are you thinking about taking your own life?,'” McGovern says. “Again, that’s not a comfortable thing, that’s not something that comes naturally to most people. I am in that group. But it is okay to ask that. If someone is suicidal, asking them that question is not going to make them more suicidal.”

McGovern says asking someone about the issue could start a conversation that lets them know there is help available. He says if you addressing thoughts of suicide it isn’t something you have to tackle on your own. You can call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800- 273-TALK or go to www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org. You may also contact Your Life Iowa by calling (855)-581-8111, texting (855)-895-8398 (2:00 to 10 p.m. Central) or visiting www.yourlifeiowa.org.

McGovern says there are often signs that someone is considering suicide. “There are, and normally it’s not just one thing. We all have ups and downs, some days we are happier than others and that can be caused by any number of variables,” he says, “and feeling suicidal is the same way. It’s not just one thing in a vacuum. It’s normally a constellation of events or feelings or experiences.”

For more information about how to help someone, visit the Iowa Department of Public Health’s website at: idph.iowa.gov.

(Radio Iowa)

CLIVE, Iowa (AP) – An overnight shooting at an event center in Clive has killed two people and injured two others. Authorities say 29-year-old Johnny Lee Ollie Jackson of Des Moines died at the scene of the shooting outside of 7 Flags Event Center. Another victim, 44-year-old Kevin Lee Hall of Des Moines, died on the way to a local hospital.

Authorities say 31-year-old William Dale Celander and 25-year-old Kelly Christopher Love Jr. were hospitalized with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. Clive Chief Michael Venema says the shooting involved a personal dispute, and the public is not in danger. As many as 60 people were in the parking lot at the time of the shooting.

Authorities say the center had been hosting an event, and security staff had removed several people.