PELLA, Iowa (AP) – A tire company has paid 25 mechanics at six retail locations in Iowa nearly $217,000 in back wages after regulators found violations of federal overtime law.  The U.S. Department of Labor said Wednesday that DJR Holding Corp. made the payments to mechanics at Heartland Tire and Auto Center locations in Ankeny, Creston, Boone, and Waukee; Raceway Tire and Exhaust in Knoxville; and Muscatine Tire in Muscatine.

The Labor Department says its investigation determined that DJR Holding paid mechanics a weekly salary, but cut their pay when hours fell below 40 per week.  Regulators say the company did not increase their pay, however, when their hours exceeded 40 per week, which was required under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

The Boy Scout motto is “Be Prepared,” but it’s a slogan all Iowans would be wise to adopt as a major winter storm is about the whack the state. Liz Dorland, spokeswoman for the Red Cross chapter in Omaha/Council Bluffs, says all motorists should have an emergency kit in their vehicles, especially when a travel advisory is issued — like today.  Dorland says the kit should include: blankets, clothing, waterproof boots, socks, hats, gloves and sand or non-clumping kitty litter for traction. You might also toss in a shovel.

Iowans who are staying at home would be smart to have another emergency kit assembled for the house, including many of the items in the vehicle’s kit. “Make sure you have extra food, bottled water, flashlights, extra batteries, a battery-powered radio would be great to have,” she says. Also, make sure to have a cell phone charger handy.

She says the agency is ready to open emergency shelters across Iowa in case of power outages or other emergencies as the storm nears.

(Radio Iowa)

The Atlantic Police Department reports the arrest on Wednesday, of 35-year old Robert Atkinson. The Atlantic man was taken into custody on a charge of Theft in the 5th degree (Shoplifting), in association with the alleged theft of clothing from a local hardware store, and on an Adair County warrant for Forgery. Atkinson was booked into the Cass County Jail and held pending a court appearance.

Three Harlan residents were arrested February 15th in connection with a burglary that occurred on February 3rd, as well as drug-related charges, following the execution of a search warrant at 301 Hill Street, in Harlan. The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office says 39-year old Chad Darrow, 41-year old Michael Arnold, and 31-year old Nicole Andersen, all of Harlan, were taken into custody after deputies recovered several pieces of evidence believed to be narcotics related.

Chad Darrow (Shelby County Sheriff’s Office photo)

Darrow faces varying degrees of misdemeanor charges that include Possession of Burglary Tools, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine, and a felony charge of Burglary in the 3rd degree. He was being held in the Shelby County Jail on $5,000 bond, and is scheduled to make his initial appearance in court on February 26th.

Nicole Andersen (Shelby Co. S/O photo)

Michael Arnold (Shelby Co. S/O photo)

Arnold faces a felony charge of Burglary in the 3rd degree. He was released from custody today (Thursday), on $,5000 bond.  And, Andersen was released on $2,000 bond Tuesday. She faces varying degrees of misdemeanor charges that include Possession of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs.  Andersen made her initial appearance in court this (Thursday) morning.

Montgomery County Emergency Management Coordinator Brian Hamman reports the Midwest Regional Dive Team recently received a donation from the family of a man whose body they recovered last Summer, from a lake in Nebraska.

Pat and Connie Palmerton back row center, standing with members from Midwest Regional Dive Team that were at the recovery in July. (Photo courtesy Brian Hamman, Montgomery Co. EMA)

Members of the Michael D. Hartsook family presented the team with a check for $2,500 on Sunday, January 27th. The team also received a plaque showing the families’  appreciation for the support and closure they received on July 3rd, 2012 at Hansen Lake #3 in Sarpy County, NE.

Members of the Midwest Regional Dive Team were requested by the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office for a dive recovery for a possible drowning victim from July 1st, 2012, that hadn’t been located by other local dive teams and was still missing. The Dive Team responded on July 3rd and battled 100 degree weather for nearly 10 hours. A systematic grid search was done and after 96,000 square feet was searched, the body of Michael Hartsook was recovered.

Cass County Sheriff’s Deputy Ben Bartholomew has been a member of the MRDT for three-years. He told KJAN News their training really pays-off in preparing them for the variable conditions they face when searching for a victim. He says when they train for rescue and recovery efforts, they’re in little-to zero-visibility water, that can range in temperature from the high 30’s to low 40’s.

Even though the family met with the members of the dive team six-months after the tragedy, it brought them one step closer to closure as it was Michael’s birthday, and they wanted to share it with those that were able to recover him from the lake that day. The Dive Team helped to recover three drowning victims in July 2012. On July 4th, they located the body of a 31-year old Lewis woman who drowned while swimming in the Nishnabotna River, in the “Rock Cuts” area of Cold Springs State Park near Lewis, and only July 24th, they helped search for the body of a 25-year old man who died after jumping in to save a girl at Lake Red Rock near Pella. Bartholomew says efforts to recover victims can wear emotionally on the volunteer team. He says it can be “taxing,” especially with the back-to-back searches, but it can be rewarding, as well, especially when it brings closure to the family. He said also it’s nice to be appreciated by those families, because that’s who they’re doing it for.

The Midwest Regional Dive Team consists of divers and support staff ranging in age from the early 20’s to mid-50’s. Some of the older members have decades worth of diving experience. The come from the Red Oak Fire Dept, Clarinda Fire Dept, Ringgold County Water Emergency Team, Adams County EMS, and Cass County, IA Sheriff’s Office. The dive team responds to any requests within a 200 mile radius of Clarinda, Iowa. In 2012, the team responded to a total of four dive recoveries in Iowa and Nebraska.

w/ Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (2.3MB)

Subscribe: RSS

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A federal judge has refused to reinstate a verdict that favored the city of Council Bluffs and two former police detectives sued in a wrongful conviction lawsuit that ended in a mistrial. Terry Harrington and Curtis McGhee, both of Omaha, sued the city and the retired officers in 2005, claiming the officers coerced witnesses and hid evidence during their 1978 trials.  Harrington and McGhee went to prison but were released in 2003 after the courts found their constitutional rights were violated.

A jury returned Dec. 14 with a verdict favoring the city and the officers but three jurors indicated they did not agree with it. Judge Robert Pratt declared mistrial because the verdict wasn’t unanimous.  Attorneys for the city and officers asked Pratt to reinstate the verdict. In a ruling Wednesday, he declined.

Much of Iowa is under a Winter Storm Warning and by this afternoon, much of the state will also be under a half-foot of snow, with some areas expecting much more. National Weather Service meteorologist Miles Schumacher says the storm will arrive in southwest Iowa later this morning. Schumacher’s estimate for snowfall in inches: “Six to nine will be pretty common across the state, a little less in the far northwest, maybe three or four inches,” he says.

The Iowa DOT has issued a travel advisory as strong winds may whip up the snow and cause white-out conditions and deep drifts. At the peak of the storm this afternoon, snow may fall at the rate of two inches an hour. Schumacher says a second storm system is developing.  “We’re watching another one and it could bring another significant round of snow to the state, either Monday or Tuesday, as it comes through,” he says. “It has quite a lot of similarities to this one. On the plus side, we definitely need the moisture so it’s good we’re getting at least something.”

Forecasters say today’s snow will start in southwest Iowa a bit later this morning, it should reach central Iowa by midday and eastern Iowa later in the afternoon.

(Radio Iowa)

w/ Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (8.9MB)

Subscribe: RSS

A strong winter storm is forecast to lift from northeast New Mexico northeastward across the central US later this afternoon into Friday.

48-hour Projected snowfall totals (ending 6-a.m. Sat., Feb. 23rd) – as of 5:30-a.m. Thursday. (NWS/Des Moines)

A band of moderate to heavy snow developing ahead of the low pressure system will spread across the state today into this evening. Snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour can be expected during the late afternoon and evening hours, with much of the expected snowfall expected snowfall to occur in six hours or less. Strong east winds at 15 to 25 mph with higher gusts to around 30 mph are also expected. The winds will combine with the heavy snowfall to create widespread visibility of less than one quarter of a mile by later this afternoon into the evening. Dangerous travel conditions are expected this afternoon through much of tonight. The storms will likely have a significant impact on rush hour traffic.