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Iowa State could lose thousands on sale of president’s plane

News

February 14th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Iowa State University expects to lose tens of thousands of dollars unloading an airplane it purchased 2 1/2 years ago for his President Steven Leath’s travel. A notice seeking a broker to handle the sale says Iowa State will likely list the 2011 Cirrus between $429,000 and $480,000, and is willing to negotiate to have it sold within 90 days.

That range is less than what a university statement called the “exceptional price” of $498,000 it paid in 2014 – before the broker gets paid a likely five-figure fee. Such depreciation wouldn’t be unusual. But Leath told reporters in December that he expected to make money or break even on the planned sale, announced the day an audit found he used it for a mix of official and personal business.

Atlantic City Council to hold public hearing on a business matter & adopt FY 2018 budget

News

February 14th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday evening, has a full agenda to work through. They’ll start out at 5:30-p.m. in their chambers at City Hall, with a Public Hearing with regard to signage for a local roofing and siding company whose office is at 700 Walnut Street. Business owner Scott Prociw, on Feb. 1st, requested a hearing about issues he has with the City requiring him to remove four large signs on his property, that just happen to be blocking the view of a building to the south, where Mayor Dave Jones has his insurance office. Three other businesses are also located in the same building as Jones’ office.

The issue is whether the signs are legal under the City Zoning Ordinance. The City claims no permit was submitted prior to the signs being erected, that the minimum elevation does not meet 10-feet, and that there is a limit of two signs on the property. Prociw obtained a permit in January for a sign currently exists on the building itself. Under the Code, at least three of the other signs must be removed. City Administrator John Lund is expected to recommend the Council take no action on the matter, and instead allow Prociw to request a meeting of the Board of Adjustment, at a cost to him of $150. He could also request multiple variances costing $200 each, according to Lund. If Prociw does not want to state his case in front of the BoA, Lund will recommend the signs in the parking lot be removed.

In other business, the Council will act on an order to Adopt the Proposed FY 2018 City of Atlantic Budget, and set the date/time for a Public Hearing on Budget as March 1st, 2017, at 5:30-p.m.  The final budget must be submitted to the State of Iowa by March 15th. The proposed budget amounts to just under $12.5-million, which is a decrease over the FY 2017 budget of 14.78%, or more than $1.847-million.

The Budget calls for a property tax increase of 1.48-percent.

Cass County Supervisors to discuss Health Insurance & appoint weed commissioner

News

February 14th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday, will hear from a representative with Wellmark Insurance, with regard to the FY2016 Group Health program, and act on renewal of the program for FY2018. The Board will also act on appointing a Weed Commissioner for March 2017 through February 2018, and set the date for a Public Hearing on the FY-2017-18 Cass County Budget. The meeting begins 8:30-a.m. Wednesday in the Supervisors’ Board Room at the Cass County Courthouse.

In Greenfield, the Adair County Board of Supervisors meeting gets underway at 9:30-a.m. (which is 1/2 hour later than normal), in the Court Room at the Adair County Courthouse. During their session, the Board will discuss and/or act on Township Clerk wages, receive follow-up correspondence from/with the DNR, with regard to Solid Waste, and hear from Wellmark representative Lacie Litton, with regard to Health Insurance Renewal.

Backyard & Beyond 2-14-2017

Backyard and Beyond, Podcasts

February 14th, 2017 by Jim Field

LaVon Eblen visits about the individual soldier in World War I and the program at the Atlantic Armory this Sunday afternoon.

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Walker talks with Iowa Republicans before union vote

News

February 14th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker says he spoke with Republicans in neighboring Iowa as they prepared to vote on a bill that would eliminate most collective bargaining rights for public workers there. Walker’s signature achievement as governor was signing a similar bill into law in Wisconsin six years ago. Walker tweeted on Monday night that he had spoken via Skype with Iowa Republicans and offered encouraging words to them in advance of a vote Tuesday on the proposal.

Walker’s spokesman Tom Evenson says that Walker discussed how Republicans overcame protests to pass Wisconsin’s law, known as Act 10. Evenson says Walker also showed photos from the protests on the call with the Iowa Senate and House Republican caucuses. Evenson says Iowa Senate Republicans initiated the contact with Walker.

The Republican-controlled Iowa Legislature is moving to approve a bill that would cut most collective bargaining rights for public sector employees. The bill is scheduled for floor debate today (Tuesday) in the House and Senate, one week after it was made public. Republican lawmakers fast-tracked the legislation amid growing protests at the state Capitol. Hundreds turned out Monday night for a public hearing.

Procedural moves in both legislative chambers could take hours. Iowa’s collective bargaining law currently ensures roughly 180,000 public workers such as teachers, nurses and correctional officers can negotiate over issues including health insurance, extra pay and grievances. The bill would specifically prohibit those discussions, though a key GOP lawmaker says there may be changes to the bill.

Republicans say the legislation will give local officials more flexibility with budgets.

SUV hits 2 parked vehicles and Subway store in Glenwood

News

February 14th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

The driver of a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee escaped injury Monday morning, when he stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake, causing the SUV to strike a pickup and a Subway sandwich shop, in Glenwood. According to Glenwood Police, the accident happened at around 10:40-a.m., Monday. 65-year old Paul Alan Krietemyer, of Glenwood, was driving the SUV when the incident occurred.

The Jeep struck a legally parked 2012 Dodge Ram pickup, which in-turn hit a legally parked unoccupied 2013 Dodge Dart. After striking the unoccupied pickup, the Jeep continued moving forward before striking the building, causing a brick external wall to crack. Damage to the building was estimated at $5,000. The vehicles sustained a combined $11,500 damage. No citations were issued.

And, the Mills County Sheriff’s Office today (Tuesday) reports two recent arrests. 55-year old Terry Wayne Lewis, of Malvern, was arrested at around 2:10-a.m. today (Tuesday), for OWI/1st offense, and Carrying a Weapon. His bond was set at $3,000. Monday evening, 23-year old Rocky Alan James Runyon, of Glenwood, was arrested following a traffic stop, for Possession of a Controlled Substance, and on a warrant for Probation Violation. His bond was also set at $3,000.

Sen. Grassley reacts to Mexico’s threat to stop buying US corn

Ag/Outdoor

February 14th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

In response to Trump administration policies, a Mexican senator plans to introduce a bill directing that nation to stop buying American corn in favor of corn from Brazil and Argentina. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says U-S farmers should be concerned about the threat and he plans to discuss the situation today (Tuesday) in a White House meeting with the head of the National Trade Council. Grassley says, “That’s one of the points I’m going to make, that you’ve got to be pretty cautious about these renegotiations of trade pacts that we don’t get retaliation against agriculture.”

Of the three key economic categories of manufacturing, agriculture and services, Grassley says agriculture is the only one where the U-S has a surplus, or more exports than imports. The North American Free Trade Agreement was agreed upon in 1994 by the U-S, Mexico and Canada, an agreement President Trump referred to as a “disaster” during the campaign. Grassley suggests when NAFTA was ratified, there may’ve been a different sentiment about America’s strengths. “The United States is the #1 economy in the world,” Grassley says. “We can give a little more than we get, and maybe what Trump is up to is modifying that so the United States isn’t so much a giver nation now than it was.”

President Trump met Monday in Washington with Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Trump said he wants only small changes in NAFTA in regards to Canada, adding, the bigger issues will be with Mexico. “We already had a free trade agreement with Canada before we negotiated the three-way NAFTA agreement,” Grassley says. “We have pretty good trading relationships with Canada and I’m not sure we can do much better.”

Iowa is the nation’s top corn producer and Mexico is one of the top buyers of American corn. In 2015, Mexico bought nearly two-and-a-half BILLION dollars worth of U-S corn. Compared to 20 years before, just after NAFTA was signed, Mexico bought 391-MILLION dollars worth of U-S corn in 1995.

(Radio Iowa)

Final Girls Basketball Rankings 02/13/2017

Sports

February 14th, 2017 by admin

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union released their final rankings for the season on Monday for all classes.

2017 FINAL Iowa Girls High School Basketball Rankings
Compiled by the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union
Thursday, February 13

Class 5A

School Record LW
1 Indianola 21-0 1
2 West Des Moines Valley 19-2 2
3 Iowa City West 18-3 4
4 Iowa City High 20-1 5
5 Cedar Falls 19-2 3
6 Waukee 16-4 6
7 Dowling Catholic 17-4 7
8 Johnston 17-4 8
9 Ankeny Centennial 16-5 11
10 Pleasant Valley 18-3 10
11 Davenport North 17-4 9
12 Ames 14-7 13
13 Southeast Polk 13-8 12
14 Bettendorf 14-6 14
15 Dubuque Hempstead 14-7 15

Dropped Out None

Class 4A

School Record LW
1 Marion 20-1 1
2 Nevada 20-1 2
3 Grinnell 17-4 3
4 Pella 17-4 4
5 Lewis Central 20-1 5
6 Cedar Rapids Xavier 15-6 6
7 Western Dubuque 20-1 7
8 North Scott 16-5 8
9 Dallas Center-Grimes 12-9 9
10 Le Mars 18-3 12
11 Carlisle 17-4 13
12 Ballard 15-5 14
13 Waverly-Shell Rock 15-6 10
14 Boone 17-5 11
15 Fairfield 16-5 15

Dropped out: None

Class 3A

School Record LW
1 Sioux Center 21-0 1
2 Pocahontas Area 21-1 2
3 Center Point-Urbana 18-3 4
4 Crestwood 18-1 3
5 Cherokee 17-3 5
6 Union 19-2 6
7 Davenport Assumption 12-7 7
8 Clear Lake 18-3 8
9 Shenandoah 19-2 10
10 Mount Vernon 15-6 11
11 PCM 16-3 12
12 Mid-Prairie 15-6 14
13 Algona 17-4 15
14 West Marshall 18-3 9
15 North Polk 15-6 NR

Dropped Out: Humboldt (13)

Class 2A

1 Iowa City Regina 22-0 1
2 Treynor 22-0 2
3 Central Decatur 21-0 3
4 Western Christian 19-2 5
5 North Linn 21-1 4
6 Panorama 20-1 7
7 Pella Christian 12-8 6
8 Cascade 19-2 8
9 West Sioux 20-1 9
10 Van Meter 17-3 10
11 Mount Ayr 19-2 13
12 Logan-Magnolia 18-3 11
13 West Lyon 17-4 12
14 Maquoketa Valley 18-4 14
15 IKM-Manning 16-4 15

Dropped Out: None

Class 1A

School Record LW
1 Springville 19-2 1
2 Turkey Valley 18-2 2
3 Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton 19-1 3
4 Newell-Fonda 18-3 6
5 Kee 14-4 5
6 Marquette Catholic 18-3 7
7 Kingsley-Pierson 20-1 8
8 Sidney 19-1 9
9 Janesville 21-0 10
10 Glidden-Ralston 17-3 4
11 West Hancock 18-3 13
12 Burlington Notre Dame 16-6 14
13 Westwood 15-6 15
14 AGWSR 16-4 NR
15 Lynnville-Sully 19-2 11

Dropped Out: Colo-Nesco (12)

Former Ringgold County jailer charged with having sex with inmates

News

February 14th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

A former jailer and dispatcher for the Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office has been charged with three counts of sexual misconduct with an inmate. The charges come after an investigation headed up by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. Iowa D-C-I Special Agent in-charge Michael Motsinger says the Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office called in the state almost immediately. He says the sheriff’s department felt there was a conflict of interest if they investigated, so they called the D-C-I.

Motsinger says the allegations against the jailer began last summer. Motsinger says they looked into the July allegation and then more information was found in September and they looked at the case again and that led to charges being filed.

Court documents show that Scott Derscheid of Mount Ayr is alleged to have engaged in three sexual acts with two women while they were in custody at the Ringgold County Jail. One incident reportedly occurred in July, the other two in September.

Derscheid resigned from his jailer/dispatcher position at the Ringgold County Jail in October. Derscheid was arrested last month and charged with three counts of sexual misconduct with an offender. Derscheid went before a judge and pleaded not guilty and bond was set at two-thousand dollars cash.

(Radio Iowa)

Heartbeat Today 2-14-2017

Heartbeat Today, Podcasts

February 14th, 2017 by Jim Field

Jim Field visits with Katie Olthoff of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association as they begin the search for Iowa’s Best Burger.

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