COUNTIES: MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS
1019 AM CDT WED OCT 17 2012

A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CDT THIS EVENING

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA/VALLEY HAS ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CDT THIS EVENING. WINDS WILL INCREASE THIS MORNING AND CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE DAY. NORTHWEST WINDS AVERAGING 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS OVER 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED.

THE STRONG WINDS WILL MAKING DRIVING DIFFICULT,  ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. THE WINDS MAY ALSO
CREATE SOME BLOWING DUST AND ELEVATED FIRE DANGER. USE EXTRA CAUTION.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors have approved the vacating of a road near ‘The Valley” (Highway 71/I-80 interchange), and the sale of a bridge over a small stream along that road. Their action came during the Board’s meeting this (Wednesday) morning, following a public hearing, during which there was a letter of support for the move, and no objections.

Cass County Engineer Charles Marker said a request had been made in writing by the manager of a the Neumann Family Trust to the County Engineer’s Office, to vacate a portion of 662^nd Lane in Benton Township Section 7, that had originally been established in 1895. A person in charge of the Trust who owns the property, wrote the letter in support of the Board’s action. The reasons given were that trespassers and poachers had used the lane to park and engage in illegal activity on the land.

The nearly one-quarter of a mile stretch of road is off Boston Road, just east of “The Valley.” Marker said because there is a bridge on the road, and according to an opinion by the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, the County had to choose between demolishing the bridge, or selling it to an adjoining property owner for a minimal price. Either way, it had to be removed from the County’s bridge inventory.

The Board accepted a proposal from Dale Pauley to purchase the bridge for the sum of One-dollar. Pauley said he would block access to the bridge, because it is unsafe, and because the gulley underneath it is being used as a “garbage dump,” by some unscrupulous individuals.

An Atlantic man was arrested this (Wednesday) morning, on an assault charge. The Atlantic Police Department reports 26-year old Christopher Castillo was taken into custody early in the morning. Castillo was booked into the Cass County Jail.

w/ Chris Parks

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.6MB)

Subscribe: RSS

w/ Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (7.8MB)

Subscribe: RSS

KILLEEN, Texas (AP) – Central Texas police say a person detained after the fatal shooting of a Fort Hood soldier during a fight has been released with no charges filed.  Killeen police on Tuesday announced prosecutors have reviewed the Oct. 4 case involving shots fired outside a home. The gunfire killed Spc. Jamie Lee Schnider of Carter Lake, Iowa, and wounded another soldier.

Police say a person initially taken into custody has been released with no charges as the investigation continues. Authorities declined to release further details on the individual.

Police in Red Oak report one person suffered minor, accidental gunshot wound injuries, Tuesday night. Officials say 32-year-old Luke Daniel Rinehart, of Red Oak, was treated at the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital, for a .22-caliber gunshot wound to his left bicep area. An investigation into the incident determined Rinehart was at home and attempting to load a rifle, when a round became lodged in the barrel of the gun. During his attempt to dislodge the bullet, the rifle discharged and the bullet struck him in the arm. The bullet passed through his arm.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A homecoming celebration is planned for 30 members of the Iowa Air National Guard returning home from a tour of duty in Southeast Asia.

F-16C Fighting Falcon, Iowa Air National Guard

The guard says the airmen from the 132nd Fighter Wing in De Moines are scheduled to return to Des Moines Wednesday morning.  The airmen have been in Southeast Asia for the past six months.

Most of Iowa got a good soaking last weekend, but it didn’t go far in terms of making up for the drought. State Climatologist Harry Hillaker says far northwest Iowa didn’t receive any rain, while the heaviest downpours were scattered around the state. Areas of northeast Iowa, around New Hampton and Decorah, received three-and-a-half to four inches of rain. Similar rainfall totals were reported around Red Oak, Greenfield and Winterset in southwest Iowa, and near Centerville, Albia and Oskaloosa in southeast Iowa. In Atlantic, we received 1.93-inches of rain over the weekend.

Statewide, on average, the weekend system dumped one-and-a-half inches of rain. It marked the single biggest rainfall event in Iowa since early May. “This one event over the weekend was almost as big as what we had for the whole month of September,” Hillaker said. Despite the downpour, Hillaker notes we’re a long way from bringing an end to the 2012 drought.

“We’re still roughly eight-and-a-half inches below normal for the year to date, as far as statewide average,” Hillaker said. “We did trim about an inch off the deficit we had going before this last rain event. So, it’s not a huge impact as far as reducing our deficit, but it will have quite a positive impact on soil moisture levels.”

(Radio Iowa)

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say they’re looking for a 28-year-old Iowa inmate who’s been listed as escaped from a work release facility in Sioux City.  The Iowa Corrections Department says Justin Miller didn’t return to the facility as scheduled on Friday. Miller was transferred to work release last month. He originally was sentenced to a maximum of 15 years following assault convictions in Woodbury County.  Miller began his prison term in April 2009.