The National Weather Service in Des Moines says it seems like a lot of people are focusing only on the snow amounts with the storm system that is expected to hit Wednesday and Thursday. Officials say with the fresh snow pack, regardless of the amounts, wind gusts over 35 mph beginning early Thursday morning will create the potential for blizzard conditions throughout the day Thursday.

Be prepared for blizzard-like conditions Wednesday night and Thursday!

A Winter Storm Watch will be in effect beginning from Wednesday afternoon through Thursday afternoon for the KJAN listening area. The latest computer models show snowfall amounts will range from 5-to 8-inches across western Iowa, with some locations receiving up to 10-inches.

Of more concern to the Weather Service and Emergency Management Officials, is the winds. The Weather Service says winds will become very strong Wednesday nights from the north-to northwest, with sustained wind speeds of 20-to 30-miles per hour expected, along with occasional gusts to over 35. The strongest winds are expected at around daybreak, Thursday. Blizzard or near blizzard conditions are possible at that time, with visibilities reduced to less than one-quarter of a mile.

Very dangerous conditions are expected to develop Wednesday night into Thursday morning. Be prepared for very difficult travel and near blizzard conditions. Keep a weather radio handy, and if you plan on traveling, keep a winter weather survival kit in your vehicle. The weather service has a list of items you should keep in your kit, along with other tips on how to prepare and survive a Winter Storm in your home or vehicle, at http://www.crh.noaa.gov/dmx/?n=preparewintersafety.

A Council Bluffs man was sentenced Wednesday to one-year in prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Judge James Gritzner also ordered 21-year old Dakota Allen Culbertson to serve a three year term of supervised release following his incarceration. In February of 2010, Culbertson was convicted of a felony offense of burglary in Pottawattamie CountyDistrict Court. On February 9th, 2012, during a visit by Iowa Probation Officers, Culbertson was found in possession of a .410 gauge shotgun.

The investigation which led to his arrest was conducted by the Council Bluffs Police Department, the Iowa Fourth Judicial District Probation Office, the Pottawattamie County Attorney’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

AREA COUNTIES: SAC-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-CASS-ADAIR- MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD- http://www.crh.noaa.gov/dmx/

401 PM CST MON DEC 17 2012 …WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON.

* TIMING…PRECIPITATION WILL OVERSPREAD CENTRAL IOWA ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. SNOW IS EXPECTED ALONG AND NORTH OF AN ATLANTIC THROUGH BOONE TO WATERLOO LINE. RAIN IS EXPECTED IN SOUTHERN IOWA SOUTH OF A BEDFORD TO OSKALOOSA LINE. IN BETWEEN…A RAIN AND SNOW MIX IS EXPECTED. THIS PRECIPITATION WILL CHANGE TO ALL SNOW ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT BEFORE ENDING ON THURSDAY MORNING.

* STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATION…5 TO 8 INCHES OF SNOW IS EXPECTED IN THE WATCH AREA. LOCAL AMOUNTS OF UP TO 10 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE.

* WINDS/VISIBILITY…WINDS WILL BECOME VERY STRONG ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT FROM THE NORTH TO NORTHWEST. SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH GUSTS OVER 35 MPH POSSIBLE. THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED AROUND DAYBREAK ON THURSDAY WITH NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS POSSIBLE WITH VISIBILITIES REDUCED BELOW ONE QUARTER OF A MILE FROM TIME TO TIME.

* IMPACTS…VERY DANGEROUS CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING. BE PREPARED FOR VERY DIFFICULT TRAVEL AND NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW…SLEET…OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.

COUNTIES IN WESTERN IOWA: MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE-331 PM CST MON DEC 17 2012

…WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA/VALLEY HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT. SNOW WILL BEGIN BY AROUND MIDDAY ON WEDNESDAY IN EASTERN NEBRASKA…SPREADING INTO WESTERN IOWA BY MID AFTERNOON. PRECIPITATION MAY BEGIN AS A WINTRY MIX ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80…BUT ALL AREAS SHOULD CHANGE TO SNOW THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EARLY WEDNESDAY EVENING.

SNOWFALL OF NEAR OR ABOVE SIX INCHES IS POSSIBLE IN THE HEAVIEST BAND…THOUGH THE LOCATION AND POTENTIAL HIGHEST AMOUNTS MAY CHANGE AS THE RAIN-SNOW LINE FLUCTUATES. GUSTY NORTH WINDS WILL CREATE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW ON WEDNESDAY EVENING AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT…WITH WHITEOUT CONDITIONS POSSIBLE.

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW…SLEET…OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.

The parents of three children who were kidnapped, then murdered in Iowa met with Governor Branstad today (Monday) to talk about reinstating capital punishment in Iowa. Drew Collins is the father of Elizabeth Collins, the girl who went missing this summer in Evansdale. Her body was found by hunters earlier this month. “Every time it happens, we hear it on the news and we just go, ‘Oh, that’s too bad. That’s terrible,’ but we’ve done nothing to change what’s happening,” Collins says. “To me, it’s criminal that we don’t protect our children. I mean, if we don’t protect our children, I mean, what are we as a society?” Collins says he’s always supported the death penalty. His wife, Heather, used to oppose capital punishment, but her daughter’s brutal death has changed her mind.

Donnisha Hill of Waterloo was kidnapped and murderd in 2006. Her father, Adonnis (uh-DON-iss) Hill, says he wants to try to save other parents from the pain he’s gone through. “I have those pictures of my daughter etched in my brain and the brutality of it is overwhelming,” Hill says. Andrew Christie’s daughter, Evelyn Miller, was kidnapped from her home near Floyd — in north central Iowa — and killed in 2005. Authorities this fall arrested a suspect. Christie sees the death penalty as justice.

Noreen Goschis the mother of Johnny Gosch, a 12-year-old West Des Moines paper boy who was kidnapped in 1982 and has never been found. She joined the other parents in talking with Branstad, then talking with reporters. “I have been in support of the death penalty, but we’re now going to be calling it capital justice,” Gosch said. State Senator Kent Sorenson, a Republican from Milo, has pledged to be the primary sponsor of a bill that would impose the death penalty in cases of kidnapping and murder, plus impose new restrictions on sex offenders.

“From the short period of June of 2012 to October of 2012, there was 42 attempted abductions in Iowa. That’s just insane that we’re living in a society like that,” Sorenson says. ” Obviously, what we’re doing in the state is not working. We need to look at legislation to improve the quality of life for our children, their safety and I’m willing to have that fight. I’m willing to have that discussion.” Sorenson plans to hold another news conference in January, with the families, to announce details of the legislation once it’s drafted. Sorenson acknowledges it will be an “uphill fight” to even get the bill considered in the senate.

Senator Rob Hogg, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, will lead the Senate Judiciary Committee in January and Hogg does not plan to bring a death penalty bill up for debate. “Unfortunely right now in the case of the two, Lyric Cook and Elizabeth Collins, I think it’s a real distraction to be having this debate about the death penalty when the perpetrator or the perpetrators of those murders have not even been caught yet,” Hogg says. “Every resource of state government should be deployed on catching the perpetrator of those murders.” Hogg opposes the death penalty.

Senate Democratic Leader Mike Gronstal of Council Bluffs, the man who decides which bills will be debated in the senate, will not bring a death penalty bill up for debate. “Every time there’s a particularly tragic and heinous murder, people come back and start talking about the death penalty,” Gronstal said today during an interview with Radio Iowa. “I think the death penalty’s immoral. I’m not going to move a death penalty bill in the senate.” For about 30 years Governor Branstad has supported reinstating a limited form of capital punishment in Iowa, applicable in cases of kidnapping and murder, but Branstad acknowledges the “political reality” is the bill won’t pass the senate.

(Radio Iowa)

Authorities in Cass County say two people were arrested recently on separate charges. According to the Sheriff’s Department, 22-year old Michael Jay Sherman, of Atlantic, was arrested last Friday, on a District Court Warrant for Probation Violation. Sherman was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was being held on $5000 bond.

And, last Tuesday (Dec. 11^th), deputies in Cass County arrested 42-year old Michael Maurice Croghan, of Atlantic, on a charge of Public Intoxication. Croghan was taken to the Cass County Jail, plead guilty to the charge, and was released the following day.

Sheriff’s officials in Audubon County report the arrest early Sunday morning, of 58-year old Bernard Dean Beach, of Atlantic. Beach was taken into custody at around 1-a.m. on a charge of OWI/1st offense. The charge was the result of a traffic stop in Kimballton. Beach was brought to the Audubon County Jail and later released, after appearing before the magistrate. A preliminary hearing on the charge was set for January 3rd.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The family of world’s oldest person Dina Manfredini says the woman from Johnston, Iowa, has died at age 115.  Manfredini’s granddaughter Lori Logli says she died early Monday. She had lived at a care center in Johnston, just north of Des Moines. Guinness World Records had confirmed Manfredini inherited the title of world’s oldest living person less than two weeks ago.  Guinness spokesman Robert Young says a Japanese man, Jiroemon Kimura, now holds the title. He is just 15 days younger than Manfredin.

For many years the bronze sculpture of the Little Mermaid sitting in a fountain on Main Street has been the pride and joy of Kimballton residents. the statue depicts the well-known fairy tale of Denmark’s famous storyteller, Hans Christian Andersen.  Now, an “Iowa Great Places Grant” has allowed Kimballton to consider adding more sculptures as part of their Park Improvement Project.

“Thumbelina” print, one of 6 sketches to be turned into a 3-D bronze sculpture.

Troy Muller, the Art Director of New Geneses Art Studio in Kimballton, is prepared to work with the town to provide 10 smaller bronze sculptures depicting other Andersen fairy tales for the park.  The Little Mermaid Trail Committee is providing an opportunity for donors to dedicate individual sculptures for their loved ones.  The artist has presented six sketches that will be turned into three-dimensional bronze statues.

Current sketches include: Thumbelina, The Ugly Duckling, The Emperor’s New Clothes, Little Match Girl, Steadfast Tin Soldier, Princess and the Pea.  These sketches are available to view at the New Century Art Guild annex, formerly Mama Bear’s, on Kimballton’s Main Street. Each sculpture will measure approximately 18” tall and sit on a concrete pedestal with a speaker so visitors may hear the story.  A bronze plaque will recognize a specific donor. Madsen says they are collecting $1,000 donations for anyone who would like to commemorate their loved ones with one of the six statues.  She says they prefer to have one family name per sculpture.

For more information please contact Pat Crosley, tcrosley@metc.net, or Jill Madsen at jill@metc.net