With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.5MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Residents in some parts of the KJAN listening area, especially those to the north, may see an unusual combination of aircraft flying across the sky in Iowa today (Thursday).

A-7 Corsair

The Iowa National Guard plans to transport an A-7 Corsair jet from the 185th Air Refueling Wing in Sioux City via a Chinook helicopter to the Goldstar Museum at Camp Dodge in Johnston. The two-seater jet has been in storage in Sioux City for 15 years.

The jet was flown by the 185th in 1977 through 1991 when it was still a fighter wing. Technicians in Sioux City gave the jet a makeover to honor the memory of Tech Sergeant Bruce Johnson and Captain Andy Erickson, who once flew and maintained the aircraft. The helicopter will take off carrying the jet around 7:30 in the morning and arrive at Camp Dodge sometime after 11:30. The jet will then become part of the outdoor equipment display at the museum.

(Radio Iowa)

The first significant rainfall in over a month and a-half fell overnight here in Atlantic. As of 7-a.m., we had received .81″ (81 hundredths) of an inch of rain for the past 24-hours (the rain began early this morning). The last time was received well over one-half inch of rain here at the KJAN studios (The Official National Weather Service reporting site for Atlantic), was on June 22nd, when we received .93″ of an inch.

The forecast calls for rain and a few thunderstorms to continue, through late this afternoon.

(Update 8:45-a.m: Total rainfall in Atlantic 1.04″ [.23″ since 7-a.m., the 24-hour cut-off time])

Police in Red Oak report two arrests, Wednesday. 52-year-old Rhonda Darlene Hawn, of Malvern, was arrested on a warrant out of Pottawattamie County for Failure to Appear, following a traffic stop Wednesday afternoon. Hawn was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and later turned over to authorities in Pott. County.

And, 40-year-old Jason Christopher Sipes, of Red Oak, was arrested Wednesday evening in Red Oak, on a warrant for Failure to Appear issued in Missouri. Sipes was taken to the jail and held without bond pending extradition to Missouri.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

(Update to story posted just before 3-a.m.)

Two truck drivers from Wisconsin were injured when the semi they were in rolled over early this (Thursday) morning on Interstate 80, in Cass County.

Accident scene photo courtesy Mike Kennon, Cass Co. EMA

The Iowa State Patrol says the driver of the 2008 Peterbilt, 65-year old Bettie Dettberner (who was wearing her seat belt), and her husband, 62-year old Larry Dettberner (who was in the sleeper portion of the cab), both of Montello, WI, were transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital by Medivac and Anita Ambulance.

Officials say the semi, which was hauling produce, was traveling east on I-80 at around 2:45-a.m. near the 68.1-mile marker, when the rig drifted off onto the edge of the road. When Dettburner was unable to get the semi back onto the road, the vehicle rolled into the south ditch, landing on its right side. The couple was trapped in the cab until rescue crews arrived and were able to free them.

Responding to the scene, was Anita Rescue, Wiota 1st Responders, Medivac Ambulance, deputies with the Cass and Audubon County Sheriff’s Departments, and Iowa State Patrol. The accident remains under investigation.

Members of the Atlantic Area Chamber Ambassadors recently took a tour of another new business in town. Upholstery Creations, is located at 209 Walnut Street.

Pictured are Connie Wailes, Debbie Leistad, Sue Muri, Dawn Edwards, Lana Westphalen, Michelle Thomas, Dale Wright, Britney Weirich, Nedra Perry, JoAnn Runyan, Bill Saluk, Sara Nelson, Jolene Roecker, Kathy Sweeney, Rich Perry, Darrell Hockenberry, Carole Schuler, Jim
Kickland, Keith Leonard, Diane Harris, Dolly Bergmann, Tyler Mosier, Gerald Brink, Doug Harris, Chris Blake, Lucas Mosier and Kristi Ladd.

Officials say Dale Wright, Dawn Edwards and Michelle Thomas work on a wide variety of items including home furniture, automotive, boats, vehicle headliners, motorcycles and many more items. Edwards and Thomas said the materials can be brought in or ordered in many varieties and patterns to suit the style of their customer.

In an update to a story we reported on earlier, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office tells KJAN News a local teenager was injured during a single-vehicle rollover accident south of Atlantic, Wednesday evening. 17-year old Ashley Shinn was in a 2002 Oldsmbile that rolled over and landed on its top about two-miles south of Atlantic near 60122 620th Street, at around 6:25-p.m.

Shinn who reportedly suffered from shoulder pain and other, possibly unknown injuries, was transported to the Cass County Memorial hospital by Medivac Ambulance. The accident remains under investigation.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Atlantic P-D, Atlantic Fire and Rescue, and Medivac Ambulance responded to the scene.

The details are still sketchy as to when work will begin, but officials with the Iowa Department of Transportation have indicated to Cass County Engineer Charles Marker, they have a construction project planned for the County Road M-56 bridge over Interstate 80 (north of Marne), which is expected to create heavier traffic flow on nearby roads. Marker says the DOT will be refurbishing the bridge deck. He says he doesn’t know if they will be closing the entrance and exit ramps to accomplish the work, but if the do, it will have a major effect on traffic in the area.

He says if the entrance and exits ramps are left open, it could mean heavier traffic on Boston Road. Marker says traffic would likely travel on Boston Road, one-mile east, under I-80 and coming back on the county-line road north, if they wish to travel to Omaha.

Marker says when a numbered State route is closed, the Elk Horn road (Highway 173), or Highway 83 west to Omaha, could be major thoroughfares when work begins. No time frame has been established as of yet, so it’s unclear how soon traffic in the area will be disrupted, or to what extent.

Firefighters from Lenox, Clearfield, Corning and Creston were called to the scene of a blaze Tuesday night at CMC-Dalton Ag Products, in Lenox. Also assisting at the scene were officials with Taylor County Ambulance, Adams County Emergency Management, Lenox Police and the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office. Officials say the fire was reported at around 10:36-p.m. The cause of the fire and amount of damage is undetermined at this time. The State Fire Marshall’s Office has been contacted to conduct further investigation. CMC-Dalton Ag Products manufactures fertilizer application equipment, such as tool bars, dry spreaders, liquid applicators and running gear for related equipment.