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Iowa News Headlines: Sun., March 11, 2012

News

March 11th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An education reform bill will likely come before the Iowa House next week, and most expect lawmakers to approve a measure including new student tests and tougher teacher standards. Republican Representative Greg Forristall, chairman of the House Education Committee, says he expects the House to pass a bill supported by Governor Terry Branstad.

CARSON, Iowa (AP) — The Riverside School District in Carson, Iowa is making a desperate plea to local voters for a new high school. School officials tell Omaha television station KETV that the current high school is falling apart, but two bond measures to fund a new building have failed. In February, 55 percent of Riverside patrons said yes to a new school, but the initiative needed 60 percent to pass.

NEW HAMPTON, Iowa (AP) — A Charles City man is dead following a crash in northeastern Iowa’s Chickasaw County. The Iowa State Patrol says that 77-year-old Duane Vick was driving in New Hampton when he veered into a ditch and his van caught fire around 4 a.m. Thursday.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Sioux City woman is alive after police pulled her from a burning home. Michelle Bock thought her 4-year-old and 18-month-old granddaughters were still inside a second-floor bedroom when she ran back inside her burning home on Friday. Emergency responders found Bock unconscious at the top of the stairs and took her to a hospital. Everyone else made it out of the burning home unhurt.

Iowa school pleads with voters for new school

News

March 10th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

CARSON, Iowa (AP) — The Riverside School District in Carson, is making a desperate plea to local voters for a new high school. School officials tell Omaha, Neb., television station KETV that the current high school is falling apart, but two bond measures to fund a new building have failed. In February, 55 percent of Riverside patrons said yes to a new school, but the initiative needed 60 percent to pass. Some patrons have said it would be cheaper to renovate the current building, but district Superintendent Jim Sutton says putting more money into such an outdated building would be a waste. The bond that failed in February would have raised $13 million. District officials say building a new school would cost $21 million.

Iowa Health Dept. says RSV cases on the rise

News

March 10th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Department of Health says cases of respiratory syncytial virus, commonly known as RSV, are on the rise in central Iowa. Department media relations specialist Amy Varcoe tells Des Moines television station KCCI that her infant has even had the virus. RSV doesn’t cause serious problems for older children and adults, but it can cause life-threatening respiratory infections in some infants. For children under a year, it’s the most common cause of pneumonia and an inflammation of the small airways.

Special Weather Statement for West Central/Central IA

News, Weather

March 10th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

(issued 9:54-a.m. Sat., March 10 2012)

The National Weather Service in Des Moines says there is a very high fire danger today across parts of west central/central and south central Iowa. In our area, this includes: Crawford, Carroll, Audubon, Guthrie, Cass, Adair, Adams, Madison, Dallas, Union, Taylor and Ringgold Counties.

Officials say the combination of strong gusty winds, warm temperatures and low humidity, along with already dry vegetation, will result in a very high fire danger today. That means fires can quickly get out of control and spread rapidly.

Avoid burning outdoors if at all possible, today. If you must burn, notify your local fire department, manage fires very closely and do not leave fires unattended. When finished with your intended burn, make sure the fire is completely out, to avoid the possibility of smoldering embers reigniting a blaze.

As a reminder, the Grassland Fire Danger Index for Monona, Harrison, Shelby, Pottawattamie, Mills, Montgomery, Fremont and Page Counties, is in the EXTREME category today.

Meeting to be held Monday in South Sioux City, NE, on MO River Flooding

News

March 10th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Western Iowa Republican Congressman Steve King and other officials will hold a Town Hall meeting Monday afternoon in South Sioux City, NE, to discuss last year’s flooding on the Missouri River, and legislation King has proposed which affects the Army Corps of Engineers. The meeting, which is open to the public, takes place 2-p.m. Monday, in the Cardinal Room at the Marina Inn Conference Center (385 E. 4th St.). 

Joining King for the town hall meeting, is South Sioux City, Nebraska Mayor William McLarty. A bill proposed by King would require the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to increase the amount of storage space in the Missouri River’s Reservoir System that’s dedicated to flood control. If passed and enacted into law, King says the bill would provide protection against future episodes of significant downstream flooding. 

The flooding in 2011 caused significant damage throughout the Missouri River basin. The Congressman from Kiron says his legislation is intended to prevent a repeat in the future of the widespread and costly destruction experienced last year.

Shenandoah teen arrested on drug charge

News

March 10th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Police in Shenandoah say a Shenandoah teen was arrested Friday on a drug charge, following a reported disturbance in the 900 block of West Summit Street. Officials say 18-year-old Trent Brammer faces a Possession of drug paraphernalia charge. Brammer was cited into court, posted bond, and released.

(Podcast) 8-a.m. Local/State News (3-10-12)

News, Podcasts

March 10th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

More local and State news with KJAN News Director Ric Hanson….

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(Podcast) Sat. 7-a.m. News (3-10-12)

News, Podcasts

March 10th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Local and State News with KJAN News Director Ric Hanson….

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Audubon Couple claims equity company owes them $500k

News

March 10th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

A lawsuit filed Monday in Polk County District Court by an Audubon couple claims an equity company owes them $500,000 in defaulted loans. The Des Moines Register reports in today’s (Saturday’s) edition, that the suit was filed by Gary and Marlene Stearns. It accuses Ladco Capital, Inc. of failing to make payments on nine loans provided by the Stearnses to the company, from December 2006 until January 2011.

Last month a Minnesota bank filed for foreclosure against Ladco-affiliated companies, including Ladco Capital, claiming the company defaulted on three loans amounting to $4.6-million. The banks’ lawsuit asks for foreclosure and sheriff’s sale on a Ladco-owned property and judgement for principal and interest in the amount of $5.5-million. An attorney for Ladco said persons who loaned money to the company have formed a committee to determine how much money if any, can be salvaged from the company. The couple from Audubon have decided not to join that committee, hoping instead to recover their losses through their separate lawsuit.

The Stearnses filed for personal liquidation of their debts last December, and a bankruptcy judge discharged those debts last month. But that hasn’t stopped creditors of the various Ladco companies from filing against the Audubon couple.

Set clocks ahead 1-hour tonight (Saturday) “Spring Forward”

News

March 10th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

As if you weren’t already sleep deprived, you’ll get an hour less shuteye Saturday night no matter what time you turn out the lights.  At 2 a.m. local time Sunday, Daylight Saving Time (DST), that harbinger of spring, arrives with the promise of longer, light-filled days well into the evening.  Turn that clock ahead – remember, spring forward – before heading to bed tonight (Saturday) to avoid the panic of rising later than you think. 
 
Not every place makes the switch, though. Hawaii, Arizona outside the Navajo Indian territories, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Marianas stay on standard time, which returns for the rest of us Nov. 4th , two days before election time.

Atlantic Fire Department 2nd Assistant Fire Chief Tim Cappel reminds area residents the switch to Daylight Saving Time is also a good time to change the batteries in your smoke detector.

(Associated Press/Ric Hanson-KJAN)