Less than four months after the Eaton Corporation in Shenandoah announced it would permanently lay-off 71 workers on its third-shift manufacturing line by Dec. 2015, the company delivered another blow to the community this (Thursday) morning. Officials  said 250 hourly and salaried positions will be lost, due to the elimination of the company’s transmission assembly, gear and shaft machining operations.

Operations currently being done in Shenandoah will be moved to either Kings Mountain, North Carolina, or San Luis Potosi, Mexico. The company says it will retain manufacturing of some components for final assembly of the transmissions. Approximately 85 positions will be retained to support ongoing operations. The move is part of a change in the company’s manufacturing strategy. Employees at the plant received the news this (Thursday) morning.

Employees will receive 60 days notice about when their specific positions will be eliminated. Company officials say they will receive full severance packages, outplacement services, and those displaced employees are encouraged to seek out other positions within Eaton.

The company, which has existed in Shenandoah for more than 44 years, says it will work to help those displaced by the change. Eaton’s other Iowa plants are located in Belmond and Spencer.

Following last weekend’s deaths of two ice fishermen who fell through the ice and into a frigid lake in southern Iowa’s Decatur County, Iowans are being warned to be extremely cautious on the ice. Ed Rotert, training officer for the Mount Ayr and Midwest Regional Dive Team, says this is a particularly bad time to be risking your life by walking onto a frozen lake or pond. “Right now, the ice looks thick but it’s rotted ice,” Rotert says. “We were breaking ice out there that was close to 4″ thick and it wouldn’t even hold us up.”

Forecasters call for high temperatures across parts of southern Iowa on Sunday in the low 40s. Rotert says the ice -may- be thick enough to be considered safe in some areas of Iowa, but certainly not all of them. “It’ll be different, lake to lake, depending on the size of the lake and whether it’s spring-fed or not,” he says. “Right now, with the warm weather we’ve been having, I would suggest nobody goes out on the ice.”

Should you decide to venture onto the ice, Rotert suggests you bring along a couple of ice picks, so if you do fall in, you can use the picks to pull yourself up and out.  “Ice fishermen can buy floatation coveralls,” he says. “Most importantly, if you’re going to walk out on the ice, take a one-inch pole, closet rod, anything like that, and as you walk, slam it into the ice. If it breaks through or fractures and starts to go through the ice, that ice is completely unsafe.”

Another tip, he says the darker the ice appears, the more thin it is likely to be. The bodies of the father and son were recovered at Little River Lake on Sunday after several hours of searching. Sixty-three-year-old David Adair and 33-year-old Joe Adair were both from Missouri. They were about 200 feet from the shore when the ice broke.

(Radio Iowa)

(Update 8:56-a.m.)

Firefighters from Menlo, Casey and Stuart were called to the scene of a structure fire early this morning, in Menlo. Menlo Fire Chief Ben Gilman told KJAN News crews were alerted to the fire in the vicinity of 506 Sherman Street, just before midnight (11:54-p.m., Wednesday). He said when they arrived, the narrow, two-story structure was fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters were on the scene for more than 8-hours.

The building, which houses a commercial cabinet finishing building owned by Roy Sargent, collapsed and was a complete loss. Gilman said Sargent had gotten most of his products out of the structure, but some machines and supplies, including flammables like paint, were lost. The cause of the blaze was not immediately known.

Two firefighters, one from Menlo, the other from Stuart, suffered minor injuries when they slipped on the ice. They were treated for their injuries at the hospital, and released. In addition to the three fire departments, Stuart Rescue, deputies from Guthrie and Adair County, and an Iowa State Patrol Trooper assisted at the scene.

From the “Menlo -Our Hometown” Facebook page.

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

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Cooking healthy, family-friendly meals on a budget can be a challenge. From planning to shopping to finding the time to cook and eat as a family, there are always things that seem to get in the way. If you and your family are looking to have some fun while learning skills to make family meal planning and preparation easier- welcome to Food, Family and Fun!

Food, Family and Fun is a five session course, held once a month, where families will come together to have a little fun while learning how to cook and eat good food! Cass County ISU Extension and Boost 4 Families are excited to offer this program in two locations in Cass County beginning mid-February. On Mondays, starting February 15th, the class will meet once a month at the Anita High School through June. A second location, at the Atlantic High School, starts Tuesday February 16th. Both programs will utilize the Family and Consumer Science classrooms at the schools so participants can get hands-on practice in a kitchen environment. Open to any family interested in improving their skills in family meal-planning and preparation, this program is geared towards families with children aged 5-18.

At each monthly session, families will get together with class leaders to prepare healthy meals through hands-on cooking experience. Families will make TWO meals at each session- one to enjoy during the class, and a second meal to take home and freeze or eat later in the week. Families will also participate in activities on communication, teamwork, meal-planning, and health and nutrition.

Due to space restriction in the classrooms, these class sizes will be limited and may fill up quickly- register TODAY! A small fee of $40 per family, to help with food expenses, applies but can be paid in $10 installments at the first four classes. For a family of 5 this costs less than $1 per meal! In addition, families completing at least 4 of the 5 classes will receive a kitchen “supply kit” full of kitchen essentials to put those new skills to use at home. To allow planning for food and materials, registrations are requested by Friday, February 12th.

To register, or for more information on class content, dates, etc.- find a brochure and registration form on the Cass County Extension website at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass, call the Cass County Extension office at 712-243-1132 or email xcass@iastate.edu.

(Press Release)

The Creston Police Department issued a very short report this (Thursday) morning. In it, authorities said 21-year old Kevin Harden, of Creston, was arrested today (Thursday) at around 3:30-a.m., for Driving While Suspended. Harden was later released from the Union County Jail on a $300 bond.

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

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The Atlantic City Council Wednesday, set the date for a public hearing on a Resolution that would approve or deny the Voluntary Annexation of a property at 56988 635th Street (Outfitters Plus). The hearing will be held 5:30-p.m. March 2nd.

Mayor Dave Jones explained the hearing is merely a formality, as the infrastructure is for the Atlantic Wastewater Treatment Plant is already in place. Jones said Outfitters Plus/A-Plus Designs at 56988 635th Street hooked-up to the City’s sewer system after the businesses’ septic system failed, and they requested the annexation take place. If the change is approved, the City could collect the extra penny sales tax for both the land mentioned and any future, adjacent annexations in the same area. The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday also approved a Resolution accepting work for the 2015 Street Improvements to close-out the contract for all of the street projects completed over the summer, that were funded through 2015 Local Option Sales Tax revenue bonds. The final contract price was 1-million, 25-thousand 144-dollars and 69-cents. ($1,025,144.69).

In other business, City Administrator John Lund, with the Council’s approval, set the schedule for completing the Fiscal year 2017 budget. Budget proposals will be sent to members of the Council February 12th, and during the Council’s regular meeting February 17th, they’ll deal with any questions and hammer out the details in a related budget work session, before making any agreed upon changes to the budget.

If there are changes, a revised/summary proposed budget will be sent to the Council February 19th. A special Council meeting will take place Feb. 24th to form a consensus on the budget. On March 9th, a Special Council meeting will be held to approve the final budget, which is the last step in the process.

Mayor Jones also announced the Community Development Committee will be discussing during their next meeting, the enclosure of Bull Creek from 14th to 17th Streets, and from 9th Street to the VFW building. Jones, and Snyder and Associates Engineer Dave Sturm cited safety and erosion issues as reasons for wanting to enclose the creek in those areas. Of special concern, is the area near the Harl-Holt Park.

Councilperson Kathy Somers made it clear during the meeting she was opposed to the plan over concerns about the effect it would have on flooding in the neighborhoods nearby. The Community Development Committee will make its recommendation to the Council with regard to the project, at a later date.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 19-year-old from Nebraska has been charged with motor vehicle homicide in connection with an Omaha crash that killed a Council Bluffs woman. Prosecutors say Eswin Mejia, of Omaha, was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving early Sunday. Police say his pickup truck slammed into the back of 21-year-old Sarah Root‘s car. Root was taken to a hospital with critical injuries and later died.

After her death, prosecutors upgraded the charge against Mejia to motor vehicle homicide. Mejia was treated at the Nebraska Medical Center for a leg injury and then booked into the Douglas County Jail.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Legislation that would legalize the sale of fireworks in Iowa is once again advancing through the Iowa Legislature, though it may face some challenges from lawmakers. The Senate State Government Committee voted 10-5 Wednesday in support of the bill, which would allow the sale and use of consumer fireworks such as firecrackers and roman candles. Current law allows the sale of novelties like sparklers.

CORALVILLE, Iowa (AP) — An inmate serving a 50 year sentence for second-degree murder has died in a Coralville prison. The Iowa Department of Corrections announced Wednesday that 42-year-old Matthew John Irving died of natural causes.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A former Anamosa correctional officer has been sentenced in U.S. District Court to over four years in prison for smuggling contraband and being a drug user while possessing a firearm on duty. U.S. Attorney Kevin W. Techau announced Wednesday that 29-year-old Garrett Barton received a 57-month prison term. He received the sentence after pleading guilty in October to accepting bribes to smuggle contraband into the Anamosa State Penitentiary.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) —Donald Trump is continuing to dispute his second-place finish in Iowa’s kickoff caucuses earlier this week. Trump told a crowd of thousands in Little Rock, Arkansas Wednesday night, “Actually, I think I came in first.” Trump is taking issue with false rumors, allegedly circulated by backers of rival Ted Cruz on caucus night, that Ben Carson had decided to drop out of the race.