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Previewing US Ag Sec Perdue’s visit to Iowa

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 5th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

The new U.S. Secretary of Agriculture will spend much of today (Friday) in Iowa. According to the U.S.D.A., Sonny Perdue will deliver his first “major farm policy speech” as the nation’s ag secretary during a mid-morning event at a cattle farm near Nevada. IOWA Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey will be there.

“Certainly in his second week in the job, it’s a great thing to be to have him here,” Northey says. “I think Iowans are going to like him a lot. He’s going to feel very much like a regular down-to-earth, Iowa farmer almost — with a little bit of a twang.”

Perdue is the former governor of Georgia, but — as Governor Terry Branstad notes — Perdue has extensive roots in agriculture. “He’s been involved in the elevator business and, of course, he’s a veterinarian,” Branstad says. Branstad and Perdue had dinner in April when Branstad was in Washington, D.C. “That’s when he told me…’I might be from Georgia, but I don’t raise peanuts or cotton on my farm. I raise corn and soybeans,'” Branstad says.

Northey says there’s an ethanol plant near Perdue’s farming operation and Perdue has sold corn to the plant. Northey is rumored as under consideration for a job in the U.S.D.A. Northey says he hasn’t had an interview and hasn’t been told he’ll have one today (Friday) while Perdue’s in Iowa.

(Radio Iowa)

Hawkeyes set to visit Michigan State

Sports

May 5th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Hawkeyes baseball team opens the stretch run of the Big Ten season this  afternoon (Friday), by opening on three game series at Michigan State. At 9-6, the Hawks are part of a four-way logjam in third place. A strong finish will require the Hawkeyes to start finding a way to win on the road.

At 7-8, Michigan State is 8th in the league race. The top eight teams play in the Big Ten Tournament. Iowa is 27-16 overall. The action in East Lansing gets underway at 2:05-p.m.

(Learfield Sports)

Skyscan forecast & weather data for Atlantic: 5/5/17

Weather

May 5th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Today: Mostly Sunny. High 74. NW @ 5-10.

Tonight: Mostly clear. Low 50. W/NW @ 5-10.

Tomorrow: Mostly Sunny. High 71. N/NE @ 5-10.

Sunday: Mo. Sunny. High near 69.

Monday: Partly cloudy w/spotty afternoon showers. High 74.

Tuesday: P/Cldy. High 81.

Thursday’s High in Atlantic was 71. Our Low this morning was 36. Last year on this date, the High in Atlantic was 74 and the low was 36. The Record High in Atlantic on this date was 96 in 1909. The Record Low was 29 in 1935.

Red Oak man arrested for vehicle burglary

News

May 5th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Police in Red Oak late Thursday night, arrested a man who allegedly broke into an unoccupied vehicle. 26-year old Cody Keen Blystone, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 11:07-p.m. in the Red Oak Hy-Vee parking lot, on a charge of 3rd Degree Burglary.

Officials noted Blystone has prior convictions for motor vehicle burglary, making this most recent charge a Class-D felony. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $5,000 cash bond.

ANDREW “ANDY” FREDRICKSON, 66, of Atlantic (Celebration of Life 5/19 & 5/22)

Obituaries

May 5th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

ANDREW “ANDY” FREDRICKSON, 66, of Atlantic, died Thursday, May 4th, at home. Two gatherings to Celebrate the Life of ANDY FREDRICKSON will be held: One will be the “going away” party that Andy planned at the Elbow Room from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Friday, May 19th, 2017. The second one will be the celebration of his life that his wife Nancy is planning at the Nishna Hills Golf Club from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Monday, May 22, 2017. Both take place in Atlantic. Hockenberry Family Care funeral home in Atlantic is assisting with the arrangements.

ANDY FREDRICKSON is survived by:

His wife of over 45 years – Nancy Fredrickson of Atlantic.

His son – Thomas Fredrickson of Atlantic.

His sisters – Janele Leeson of Aiken, SC and Pamela (Gary) Lundberg of Aurora, CO.

Mother-in-law: Jean Gearheart of Atlantic.

Brothers-in-law: Rob (Shannon) Gearheart of Atlantic. Dave (Lori) Gearheart of Atlantic. Tim Gearheart of Gulfport, MS.

1 Grandson, other relatives and many friends.

NW IA officer involved fatal shooting (UPDATE)

News

May 5th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Safety, early this (Friday) morning, issued an update with regard to an officer involved fatal shooting in northwest Iowa this past weekend. Authorities say Milford Police Officer Jesse Hoss has been identified as the Officer who fired his weapon after he and another Police Officer from the Arnold’s Park Police Department responded to a call about a domestic situation at 26 Westview Dr. in Milford.

The shooting occurred around 9:00PM Sunday April 30, 2017.  Officers Hoss and the Arnolds Park Police Officer approached the residence of 26 Westview Dr., when a male subject inside the residence who has since been identified as 52-year old Robert Brunner, pointed a handgun at the two officers.  Shots were exchanged between Brunner and Officer Hoss. Both officers retreated to safety and requested more backup.

Law Enforcement attempted to make contact with Mr. Brunner for several hours in effort to resolve the situation in a peaceful manner.  No contact was ever made with Mr. Brunner.  Law Enforcement made entry to the residence around midnight Sunday and located Mr. Brunner deceased.

Mr. Brunner was transported to the Iowa Office of State Medical Examiner in Ankeny Iowa.  On Thursday May 4, 2017, Dr. Jon Thompson, a pathologist at the Iowa Office of State Medical Examiner conducted a forensic autopsy.  Initial autopsy results show that Mr. Brunner sustained a fatal self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head and another gunshot wound to his torso.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is actively conducting their investigation and no other details are being released at this time.  Once the DCI investigation has been completed it will be turned over to Dickinson County Attorney Jon Martin for his review.

Iowa early News Headlines: Friday, May 5th 2017

News

May 5th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A jury has ruled that former University of Iowa athletic administrator Jane Meyer was the victim of discrimination, retaliation and unequal pay and awarded her $1.4 million in total damages. Judge Michael D. Huppert says the eight-person jury found in favor of Meyer on all five counts. Meyer alleged she suffered discrimination as a gay woman in a relationship with field hockey coach Tracey Griesbaum.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A powerful Iowa regulator has mixed her state job with a personal law practice she runs, inadvertently using her government email for some private business and claiming sick leave on a day when she participated in a court hearing. Documents obtained by The Associated Press reveal that Iowa Utilities Board chairwoman Geri Huser used her state account to send messages to her law colleagues. A board spokesman says the messages were mistakenly sent through the wrong account.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A county judge will allow a mandatory 72-hour waiting period to go into effect for abortions in Iowa. The ruling by Polk County Judge Jeffrey Farrell was prompted by Gov. Terry Branstad’s announcement that he will sign a bill into law Friday that includes the waiting period.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A former businessman already convicted for failing to pay employment taxes now faces new federal charges of mail and wire fraud, money laundering and theft. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Cedar Rapids said in a written release Thursday that 61-year-old Darrell Smith was indicted last month on the charges. That followed Smith’s 13-month prison sentence in December for payroll tax fraud.

Aguilar’s 1st HR, in 100th AB, lifts Brewers over Cards 5-4

Sports

May 5th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jesus Aguilar’s first major league home run broke a seventh-inning tie, leading the Milwaukee Brewers over the banged-up St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 on Thursday night.

Cardinals right fielder Stephen Piscotty left the game after the second inning with a strained right hamstring and center fielder Dexter Fowler came out following the third with a strained right shoulder. Randal Grichuk moved from left to center and Aledmys Diaz shifted from shortstop to left in the first outfield appearance of his professional career.

Piscotty pulled up with a strained right hamstring after crossing first base on his grounder to third base that ended the second. Fowler was hurt in an unsuccessful attempt for a diving catch on Hernan Perez’s third-inning drive.

 

Senator Ernst talks about Health Care Bill/Paul Ryan on Iowa health care

News

May 4th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says she’ll do a full review of the health care bill that passed the U-S House today (Thursday). “We will take a thorough look at whatever comes to us and whatever that package may look like. Again, stressing the fact that we need to take a look at it and make sure it is the right way to move,” Ernst says. The Republican from Red Oak says it’s an issue that impacts many Iowans.

“What I am seeing occurring in Iowa right now with many of our insurance companies deciding that they won’t provide individual policies, that is concerning to me,” Ernst says, “and knowing that we could very shortly have many families that have absolutely no options.” Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Aetna are planning to stop providing individual policies through the state’s insurance exchange in 2018. The remaining provider, Medica, is considering withdrawing, as well. Ernst says Iowa is an example of why there needs to be a change.

“We know we need to have to address it. And that means addressing it sooner rather than later,” according to Ernst. “But again, we can’t just rush something through. We do have to move in a thoughtful many and make sure that it is the right way forward.” President Donald Trump signed an executive order on “religious liberty” today (Thursday). Ernst says she hasn’t had time to fully review it.

“That text was not released to use ahead of time, so I do need to go through it,” Ernst says. “But I do know he is very intent on protecting those religious liberties. So, I’ll have to review the text, but I know where he stands on that issue. He has been very clear about that throughout his campaign, and I applaud him for taking a look at that issue.”

(Radio Iowa)

King, Blum, Young vote for GOP’s health care bill

News

May 4th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Iowa’s three Republican congressman today (Thursday) voted for the health care bill that cleared the U.S. House. Congressman Steve King invited FORMER Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachman onto the House floor. King says that means the two of them were able to press the “yes” button together.

King and Bachmann were the first Republicans in congress to introduce bills seven years ago that called for repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Republican Congressmen Rod Blum of Dubuque and David Young of Van Meter also voted for the G-O-P’s health care law, designed to replace “ObamaCare.”

Democrats were quick to criticize, saying the G-O-P’s replacement is a “scam” that will hurt millions. Republican groups praised the action, saying it shows the G-O-P is following through on its campaign promises.

The lone Democrat in Iowa’s congressional delegation voted against the bill today (Thursday). Congressman Dave Loebsack of Iowa City says the legislation put more than 171-thousand Iowans “in jeopardy” of losing their health insurance coverage. Loebsack also says the bill “opens the door to eliminating the guarantee” that Americans cannot be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition.

(Radio Iowa)