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Travel was difficult in western Iowa Thursday due to heavy snow

News

March 25th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Some sunshine Thursday afternoon helped snow plow drivers and motorists in western and northwest Iowa deal with the big snowfall there, but the heavy wet snow has made progress slow going on hard surface roads. Woodbury County Deputy, Lieutenant Tony Wingert, says it took crews much longer to deal with what was 15 inches of snow that had drifted. “It’s such a heavy snow, it has taken them a lot more passes to get it wider — because they just can’t push that much weight off to the shoulder. But with every pass, the roads are getting a little wider and a little better,” Wingert says.

Wingert says some of the county’s roads are still in rough shape, and it may take some time for them to recover. “They were soft prior to this because of the frost going out and everything, and now you put this much moisture on them. A lot of those, they may be impassible for days,” according to Wingert. He says it made it tough for emergency vehicles to get to rural areas.

Wingert says in one case they had to call in the helicopter to go to a call because the Correctionville Ambulance wasn’t able to get there. “If you are on a main thoroughfare we should be okay. But if you are on a gravel, it may take emergency vehicles a while to get to you,” Wingert says. At least one county snowplow got stuck. Wingert says travel conditions should improve today (Friday) as crews have more time to clear snow and make the roads safer.

(Radio Iowa)

Despite the snow, Pony Express riders are hitting the Iowa trail today

News

March 25th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Some 300 riders on horseback are taking part in an Easter weekend tradition in Iowa today (Friday) as the 49th annual Pony Express Ride for Camp Sunnyside gets underway. Tim Allen of Whittemore is president-elect of the Pony Express Riders who are all headed for the Easter Seals facility in Ankeny, just north of Des Moines. “There’s rides all over Iowa from northeast to southeast to southwest to northwest,” Allen says. “We all start off in our designated counties and we all end up at Easter Seals down at Camp Sunnyside.”

The riders are bringing with them money from dances, toll roads and other fundraising activities to present to Easter Seals. They’re all due at the camp on Saturday afternoon and that night, there will be a dance at Lake Robbins Ballroom near Woodward. “All of the Pony Express riders are volunteers,” Allen says. “We do this out of the kindness of our hearts. None of us get any kickback out of it other than the joy from the kids and adults that benefit from what we do throughout the year at Camp Sunnyside.”

In recent years, the riders have brought in a quarter-million dollars or more to help with the camp that’s been in operation more than 80 years. The ride has been held every year since 1968. Learn more at: www.ponyexpressridersofiowa.org.

(Radio Iowa)

Iowa early News Headlines: Friday, March 25th 2016

News

March 25th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A fourth suspect charged in a conspiracy to ship weapons from Iowa to Lebanon has pleaded guilty. Thirty one-year-old Bassem Herz entered his plea on Thursday in a federal court in Cedar Rapids. Herz, along with three family members, was arrested in May 2015 after agents intercepted shipping containers headed from Cedar Rapids to Beirut that had many guns and rounds of ammunition hidden inside construction equipment.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Republican House leaders plan to introduce legislation that would fund water quality initiatives without using a sales tax set aside for education infrastructure. The announcement Thursday indicates Gov. Terry Branstad’s proposal to merge the two efforts is dead this session. House lawmakers say their proposal would use other revenue sources, which could include money that typically goes to the general fund or dollars from a separate infrastructure fund.

CORALVILLE, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa man who had long been suspected in the 1985 slaying of his wife’s lover was charged in the death after investigators took a fresh look at the case. Anthony Burtch, 57, was arrested at his Iowa City home and charged with first-degree murder in the death of 22-year-old Lance Lee DeWoody.

SHELLSBURG, Iowa (AP) — An eastern Iowa man has been charged in the death of a woman whose body was found near a stolen truck. The Iowa Department of Public Safety says Thursday that 32-year-old David Miller has been charged with first-degree murder in the October 2015 death of 25-year-old Sabrina Hustad. An autopsy showed she died of multiple stab wounds and strangulation. Police found her body when they arrived at Miller’s residence in Shellsburg. Her body was near a stolen truck.

(Update): 2 new candidates file for Cass County offices, Thursday

News

March 24th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman reports two candidates filed nomination papers Thursday to run for County Offices in advance of the March 30th deadline for the June 7th Primary election in Cass County.

Nick Hensley, of Cumberland, has filed to run on the Republican ticket for the District 4 Board of Supervisor’s seat. Hensley joins fellow Republicans Steve Baier and Barry Moore, both from Griswold, and Todd Hansen, of Atlantic, in seeking the seat being vacated at the end of the year by Chuck Rieken. No democrats have filed nomination papers in any of the races in Cass County.

And, with regard to the District 5 seat on the Cass County Board of Supervisors, Bernard Pettinger, a Republican from Anita, has filed to run against fellow Republicans: (incumbent) Frank Waters, of Cumberland, and J. Ford Lillard, of Wiota. No Democrats have filed for the seat.

Council Bluffs Woman Sentenced to Prison for Drug User in Possession of a Firearm Charge

News

March 24th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports a woman from Pottawattamie County was sentenced to prison Thursday (Today) on a weapons charge. United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey sentenced 35-year old
Sarah D. Long, of Council Bluffs, to 30 months (nearly 2 1/2 years) in prison. Long was also sentenced to three years of supervised release to follow her prison term.

The woman pled guilty to being a drug user in possession of a firearm on December 3rd, 2015. Long admitted that on or about August 11th, 2015, she was arrested by the Council Bluffs Police Department for operating a stolen vehicle. At the time of her arrest, she was found to be in possession of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and a loaded 9 mm handgun.

The investigation was conducted by the Council Bluffs Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

Clarinda man arrested for Probation Violation

News

March 24th, 2016 by Jim Field

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of a Clarinda man on Thursday.  At approximately 2:15pm deputies arrested 31-year-old Mark A. Achterberg of Clarinda on a valid Montgomery County bench warrant for Violation of Probation on the original charge of Theft 2nd Degree.  Achterberg was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $5,000 bond.

Iowa 196 in Sac County to close April 4 for reconstruction

News

March 24th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Department of Transportation’s Cherokee construction office reports the reconstruction of Iowa 196 in Sac County requires closing the roadway and detouring traffic beginning at 9 a.m. Monday, April 4th, until Monday, May 9th, weather permitting.

Iowa 196 traffic will be routed around the construction area using U.S. 71, Sac County Road M-54, and U.S. 20. Peterson Contractors Inc., of Reinbeck, and Godbersen-Smith Construction Co., of Ida Grove, were awarded the $25.3 million roadway reconstruction project.

Another candidate files for Cass County Supervisor seat

News

March 24th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman reports another candidate has filed nomination papers to run for the June 7th Primary election, in Cass County. Nick Hensley, of Cumberland, has filed to run on the Republican ticket for the District 4 Board of Supervisor’s seat.

Hensley joins Steve Baier and Barry Moore, both from Griswold, and Todd Hansen, of Atlantic, in seeking the seat being vacated at the end of the year by Chuck Rieken. Baier, Moore and Hansen are all Republicans. No democrats have filed nomination in any of the races in Cass County.

The deadline to file certified papers with the required number of petitioned signatures, is March 30th.

New Deputy on Guthrie County Sheriff’s force

News

March 24th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office has hired a new Deputy. Officials say Nathan Grove will begin his new position on April 1st. Grove will be trained with experienced Deputies for a month before starting work at the overnight shift. He’s a certified officer, and before taking the job with Guthrie County, he worked as a Police Officer in the City of Manning since May, 2015.

Grove holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Grandview University, and did an internship with the West Des Moines Police Department while getting his degree. He will be taking the position of Guthrie County Deputy as part of the 28E agreement with the City of Guthrie Center.

Shelby County Fire Danger remains High

Ag/Outdoor, News, Weather

March 24th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Officials with the Shelby County Emergency Management Agency, today (Thursday), said the Fire Danger index in the County will remain HIGH for the next few days, at least. Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Seivert says even with the recent rain, drying will occur rapidly with any sunshine. Winds will continue to dry out the vegetation. High fire danger

Seivert warns that any field or grassland fires that get out of control, may be difficult for heavy fire apparatus to reach, due to the soft soil. Fire departments and business with Fire Danger signs in their windows, are asked to keep those indicators set to “HIGH” this weekend.

Authorities therefore are asking anyone who plans to conduct controlled burns to contact their local fire chief, first. Be sure and call 755-2124 also, with the location of your burn, so dispatchers can gather logistical data. The next “Fire Danger” update will be on Monday, March 28th.