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Grassley recommends 2 to fill openings on federal bench

News

April 15th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The office of U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley says he’s recommending a U.S. magistrate and a state district court judge to fill two openings on the federal bench in Iowa.

U.S. Magistrate Leonard Strand, of Sioux City, is being nominated to replace U.S. District Judge Mark Bennett for the Northern District of Iowa. State Judge Rebecca Ebinger, of Polk County, is being nominated to replace U.S. District Judge James Gritzner for the Southern District of Iowa.

Bennett and Gritzner are going on senior status.

Strand graduated from the University of Iowa law school and had a private practice before becoming a magistrate judge in 2012.

Ebinger, of Des Moines, has been a state judge since 2012. Ebinger has served as an assistant U.S. attorney in both of Iowa’s federal districts.

2 arrested on warrants in Atlantic

News

April 15th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Atlantic Police arrested two people wanted on warrants, Tuesday. 45-year old Trena Vahle, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Criminal Trespass. And, 24-year old Damien Sopcich, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Willful Injury and Criminal Mischief. Both of the individuals were booked into the Cass County Jail and later released on bond.

And, the A-PD reports 29-year old Mallory Marsh, of Anita, was arrested Tuesday on a charge of 5th Degree Theft (Shoplifting). Marsh was booked into the Cass County Jail.

“Every 15 minutes” mock collision this afternoon at CAM

News

April 15th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

An educational program involving a mock collision will be held this (Wednesday) afternoon, at the CAM High School, in Anita. Judi Nelson, Coordinator of the Cass County “Every 15 Minutes” program, says the event is not open to the public, and residents are asked to avoid the area between 1-and 3-p.m., so as to not interfere with Emergency Vehicles. No Parking will be allowed in the area near the High School, in preparation for the event.

“Every 15 Minutes,” is a nationally recognized program that serves to educate, demonstrate, and personalize the consequences of impaired and distracted driving, the habits of which often begin in the teen years.

The program has been held three times in the Atlantic and Griswold School Districts, and was deemed a success by students, parents, teachers and members of the public who were involved in it.

In today’s scenario, a drunk driver, played by Trace Ticknor, loses control of his vehicle on a county road and rolled into the ditch. A passenger in the vehicle, 16-year old Mark Stender, will be “pronounced dead” at the scene. Another passenger, Tierney Sothman, will be flown to the Cass County Memorial Hospital, where she will also “die” from her injuries. Two other students actors who are passengers in the Ticknor vehicle will be treated at CCMH for their “Injuries.”

As events continue to unfold, Ticknor will be administered a “Field Sobriety” test and taken into custody before being transported to the Cass County Courthouse to await his “sentencing.” The “Living Dead,” including the actors involved in the crash, will be transported to the Courthouse to view the proceedings in front of Judge Susan Christensen, which includes a 25-year sentence on two counts of vehicular homicide.

There’s much more to the program, but again we remind you, that this is only an educational event, so if you hear on your scanner about an accident in Anita or drive by the High School and wonder what’s going on, it is NOT Real, but you should stay away from the area between 1- and 3-p.m., while the exercise is underway.

(Podcast) 8-a.m. KJAN News, 4/15/2015

News, Podcasts

April 15th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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1 arrest, 2 thefts in Creston

News

April 15th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

One person was arrested and two thefts were investigated recently, in Creston. Police say 60-year old Jeff E. Mendenhall, of Corning, was arrested just after 6-a.m. today (Wednesday), on charges of Driving While Revoked and Driving While Barred. Mendenhall was taken into custody at 806 Laurel St. in Creston and brought to the Union County Jail, where he was being held on $2,000 bond.

Creston Police say a woman who resides on N. Oak Street reported Monday, that someone had taken her Utility Cart from 401 W. Adams Street. The cart, valued at $100, was stolen sometime between 2-pm and 2:45-p.m., Sunday. And, a woman on W. Howard St. in Creston reported Monday, that someone had taken her Dell laptop computer with a charger, that was in a black computer case on her back porch. The computer was stolen sometime over the past couple of days. The loss was estimated at $230.

(Podcast) KJAN News & funeral report, 4/15/2015

News, Podcasts

April 15th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The 7:06-a.m. report w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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Treynor Superintendent’s ethics case still on-hold

News

April 15th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

A decision on two alleged ethics violations by Treynor Community School District Superintendent Kevin Elwood may not happen until sometime this summer. The Iowa Board of Educational Examiners is reviewing a proposed decision in Elwood’s case. The Daily NonPareil reports a final order is expected at the Board’s May, June or August meetings.

Elwood has been charged with two violations of Iowa Administrative Code:

• “Failing to make reasonable effort to protect the health and safety of the student or creating conditions harmful to student learning”

• “Conducting professional business in such a way that the practitioner repeatedly exposes students or other practitioners to unnecessary embarrassment or disparagement.”

A hearing earlier this year before an administrative law judge resulted in an order being passed on to the Board of Educational Examiners, which has jurisdiction in the case, according to Dave Werning, the public information officer for the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals. Although the Board has final say in the matter, its decision can be challenged in district court. Possible consequences range from a letter of reprimand to the permanent revocation of Elwood’s license.

The Iowa State Board of Education and Iowa Department of Education are not directly involved, although the director of the state department also serves as a member of the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners. The case has been active for more than a year.

A complaint was received Jan. 15, 2014, according to BOEE records. The BOEE ordered a probable cause hearing at its June 14, 2014, meeting. The case came to the public’s attention in December after a Nov. 4 notice of hearing. Elwood is accused of hiring a summer employee that he allegedly was aware had sexually assaulted a Treynor student earlier that year. A hearing was held in January, with a series of briefs scheduled after the oral arguments.

Red Oak man arrested on warrant for probation violation

News

April 15th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

One person was taken into custody Tuesday afternoon in Red Oak, for probation violation. Red Oak Police say 26-year old Kyle Wayne Pack, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 4:45-p.m. at Cubby’s in Red Oak, on an active warrant for allegedly violating the terms of his probation. Pack was on probation related to his original charges of OWI and Careless Driving. Pack was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $250 bond.

Later in the evening, a Nebraska man was arrested in Red Oak, also on a Montgomery County warrant for Violation of Probation. 39-year old Floyd Robert Johnson, Jr., of Omaha, was taken into custody at around 8:20-p.m. at 106 W. Coolbaugh Street. Johnson was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $10,000 bond.

Red Oak woman arrested for assault; 4 cited on drug charges

News

April 15th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

A call to a residence in Red Oak Tuesday afternoon resulted in one person being arrested on an assault charge, and four individuals cited on a drug-related charge. According to Red Oak Police, officers went to 111 E. Prospect Street at around 4-p.m., to investigate a reported incident of domestic abuse. During the investigation, police arrested 24-year old Eylissa Rose Strange, of Red Oak, on a charge of Domestic Abuse/Simple Assault. The woman was transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where she was being held without bond, pending an appearance before the magistrate.

While on the scene, officers cited four people for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia: 28-year old David Andrew Strange, of Red Oak; 19-year old Robert Mitchell Farley; 22-year old Dale Monroe Reich, Jr.; and 21-year old Jazmine Raeanne Putnam. The four were released after receiving their citations, and ordered to appear in court at a future date.

Bluffs man hurt in a crash near Macedonia, Tuesday

News

April 15th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Authorities in Pottawattamie County say one person was injured during a single-vehicle rollover accident late Tuesday morning, near Macedonia. The Daily NonPareil reports 45-year old Troy Shields, of Council Bluffs, lost control of the vehicle he was driving, which hit a cement bridge, crossed the road and entered a ditch before rolling several times. The accident happened at around 11:40-a.m., as Shields’ 1994 Chevy pickup truck was traveling west on Pioneer Trail, near 385th Street, just west of Macedonia.

A passenger in the pickup, 46-year-old Randy Robinson, of Council Bluffs, suffered a broken arm and head injury in the wreck. Authorities say both men were enroute to Council Bluffs in a private vehicle after the accident, before being pulled over by a Sheriff’s deputy for speeding on U.S. Highway 6, just east of Council Bluffs.

Robinson and Shields explained they had been in a wreck and that Robinson was injured. From there, Underwood Rescue transported Robinson to Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital for treatment.