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Former NW IA City Clerk wanted on Theft & Ongoing Criminal Conduct charges

News

October 3rd, 2023 by Ric Hanson

DANBURY, Iowa (KCAU) — A state investigation has led to an arrest warrant being issued in Woodbury County. According to the Iowa State Auditor’s Office, more than $177,000 of improper disbursements were made by former Danbury City Clerk Stacy Rockdaschel, between March 1, 2020, and May 31, 2022. Following the release of State Auditor Rob Sand’s investigation, Woodbury County authorities issued an arrest warrant for Rockdaschel on charges of ongoing criminal conduct and first-degree theft.

Rochdaschel resigned from her position as city clerk on May 15, 2022. The auditor’s report outlines hundreds of improper disbursements for clothing and accessories, as well as thousands of dollars in improper charges involving PayPal, social media vendors, Venmo, and Amazon. Sand also identified $26,500 of estimated undeposited collections. The auditorsaid reform is needed in order to deter people from stealing from local governments.

Stacy-Rockdaschel-Booking-photo

Right now, there’s no mandatory minimum for officials who embezzle funds from city or county coffers. Additionally, Sand is recommending the city implement procedures to ensure the city’s internal controls are strengthened.

Posted in News |

Ft. Dodge Police ID Sunday night shooting victim

News

October 3rd, 2023 by Ric Hanson

FORT DODGE, Iowa — Fort Dodge Police have released the name of the man who was shot and killed on Sunday. At around 8:42 p.m. officers responded to a report of a shooting in the 200 block of 3rd Ave. NW. When officers arrived on scene they discovered 44-year-old Jason A. Ruffridge unresponsive with multiple gunshot wounds. Despite live-saving measures, Ruffridge died from his injuries at the scene.

No suspects or arrests have been made in the case. Fort Dodge Police are asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact them at (515)573-7788 or contact Webster County Crime Stoppers at (515)573-1444 or online.

Posted in News |

Last week of September bumped up state temperature average

News, Weather

October 3rd, 2023 by Ric Hanson

State Climatologist Justin Glisan says the month that just ended will be one of the warmer Septembers in the state weather book. “So we’re about 67 degrees as the average temperature for the state, and that’s almost four degrees above average,” Glisan says. “So looking at the preliminary record going back 151 years, looks like we’ll be in the top 20 warmest September’s on record.” Glisan says the final week of September really impacted the final number. “The last seven days we averaged almost 10 degrees above average,” he says. Glisan says September’s precipitation total didn’t do a lot to help pull the state out of the drought.

“We’re about one-point-four-two (1.42) inches below average on the precipitation side. Typically we’re about three and a half inches and we were about two inches over the last 30 days,” he says. Glisan says the short-term forecasts are signaling continued dry weather. “And then with that warmer temperature signal, a dry signal as well for the first half of the month. Looking at the overall climate prediction center outlooks, we see above average chances for warmer conditions for the entire month — but equal chances — we’re right in between wetter chances to our west and very dry conditions possible in the eastern part of the Corn Belt, right in the middle. So equal chances of above below or near average,” Glisan says.

He says that outlook is for the next seven to ten days.

Posted in News, Weather |

Red Oak man arrested on theft & other charges Mon. afternoon

News

October 3rd, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A man arrested Monday afternoon in Red Oak faces charges that include Theft in the 5th Degree, 3rd Degree Harassment, Disorderly Conduct and Assault in Violation of [an] Individuals rights. Red Oak Police say 46-year-old Ronald Gordon Bingham, Jr., of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 3:36-p.m. in the 500 block of High Street. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $1,000 cash bond.

Posted in News |

Nunn Announces October Mobile Office Hours to Serve Iowans in Their Communities

News

October 3rd, 2023 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES — U.S. Representative Zach Nunn (IA-03) has announced his October mobile office hours across Iowa’s Third District to assist constituents who may not be able to travel to one of the Third District Congressional offices in Creston, Des Moines, and Ottumwa. Iowans will be able to attend these mobile office hours to get help from their Congressional office with Social Security, Medicare, passports, visas, veterans’ benefits, military records, tax returns, and other issues with federal government agencies.

“My top priority is providing excellent constituent services to Iowans,” said Rep. Nunn. “Our mobile office hours are an opportunity for Iowans to get help from their representative in their hometowns.”

The (area) schedule for October Mobile Office Hours is as follow:

Union County 
Afton City Hall 
115 East Kansas Street, Afton, IA 50836
Wednesday, October 4, 2023
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Guthrie County 
Bayard Public Library
315 Main Street, Bayard, IA 50029
Wednesday, October 11, 2023
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
 
Cass County 
Atlantic Public Library 
507 Poplar St, Atlantic, IA 50022
Thursday, October 12, 2023
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Montgomery County 
Stanton Community Center 
501 Elliot St, Stanton, IA 51573
Friday, October 13, 2023
10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Posted in News |

Skyscan Forecast for Atlantic & the Nishna Valley: Tue., Oct. 3, 2023

Weather

October 3rd, 2023 by Ric Hanson

Today: Partly sunny & windy, w/a slight chance of showers & thunderstorms late this afternoon. High 82. S @ 10-20 w/gusts to near 30 mph.
Tonight: Cloudy w/showers & thunderstorms after midnight. Low around 59. S/SW @ 10-20 w/gusts to near 30.New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Tomorrow: Mostly sunny, with a high near 72. W/NW winds 10 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 71.
Friday: Mo. Sunny & windy w/a slight chance of showers. High near 55.

Monday’s High in Atlantic was 88. The Low was 62. Last year on this date, the High in Atlantic was 79 and the Low was 43. The Record High for Oct. 3rd in Atlantic was 95 in 1997, and the Record Low was 23, in 2010. Sunrise is at 7:18. Sunset at 7:00.

Posted in Weather |

Harvest moves ahead with dry weather

Ag/Outdoor, News

October 3rd, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Dry weather gave farmers almost a full week of field time and the latest corn and soybean harvest numbers show the result. The U-S-D-A report show 16 percent of corn was out of the fields by the end of last week. That is up nine percent from the previous week and the corn harvest is now four days ahead of last year and the five-year average. Corn condition improved slightly to 51 percent good to excellent.

The soybeans harvested more than doubled — hitting 24 percent — up from 11 percent the week before. Beans are right about on schedule, just one day ahead of last year, and equal to the average. Soybean condition improved two percentage points so 49 percent are rated in good to excellent condition.

Combine harvesting corn. (ISU Extension photo)

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

Woodbine Dominates at home during the Woodbine XC/Rolling Valley Meet

Sports

October 2nd, 2023 by Asa Lucas

The Rolling Valley Conference championship was dominated by the Woodbine cross country team Monday night. Landon Bendgen was the top runner of the day on the boys side taking first place with only one point. Woodbine would win the conference championship with a total time of 1:34:58.69 and an average time of 18:59.74. At just the invitational, Woodbine still took first place, but Missouri Valley came in second for the boys.

Varsity Results + Rolling Valley Conference Results 5000 Run
1 V-Woodbine (22)
Total Time: 1:34:58.69
Average: 18:59.74
2 V-Missouri Valley (37)
Total Time: 1:44:00.24
Average: 20:48.05

For the girls side of the Rolling Valley conference championship and the Woodbine Invitational, the Woodbine girls won. However, they had tough competition with Boyer Valley who came in second, and Extra-EHK in third. Michelle Wilson a freshman runner from Exira-EHK earned the individual title.

Rolling Valley Conference Results 5000 Run
1 V-Woodbine (28)
Total Time: 2:01:16.06
Average: 24:15.22
2 V-Boyer Valley (40)
Total Time: 2:05:56.71
Average: 25:11.35
3 V-Exira-Elk-Horn-Kimballton (58)
Total Time: 2:27:34.90
Average: 29:30.98

Posted in Sports |

Iowa’s Fran McCaffery previews the basketball season

Sports

October 2nd, 2023 by admin

Balance will be a key as the Iowa basketball team looks for a fifth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Hawkeyes have a solid nucleus returning from last year’s team that finished 19-14 but for the first time in several years don’t have a go-to scorer after Kris Murray left early for the NBA.

Iowa coach Fran McCaffery. With the star power gone so are the expectations. The Hawkeyes have been picked by many to finish in the lower half of the Big Ten.

Six newcomers are on the roster. including four freshmen who McCaffery expects to play significant minutes.

Iowa opens at home on November seventh against North Dakota.

Posted in Sports |

Hawkeyes Wrap Up at Fighting Irish Classic

Sports

October 2nd, 2023 by admin

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Iowa men’s golf team wrapped up play at the Fighting Irish Classic on Monday afternoon. Iowa tied for 11th, finishing 27-over par after 54 holes at Warren Golf Course. 

Fifth-year Mac McClear was the low scorer for the Hawkeyes in the final round of the tournament. McClear shot 1-under par (69) on Monday to move up 20 spots in the standings and tie for Iowa’s best finish for the tournament. McClear led the team in birdies on Monday, finishing with four. McClear ended in a tie for 36th at 6-over par. 

Freshman Max Tjoa also shot 6-over. Tjoa carded a 72 (+2) in each round to tie with McClear as the low Iowa finisher. 

Tennessee won the tournament at 10-under par. Ethan Tseng of Northwestern was the individual medalist with 202 strokes (-8).  

IOWA SCORECARD 

T11  Team  286  284  297  +27  867 
T36  Mac McClear  72  75  69  +6  216 
T36  Max Tjoa  72  72  72  +6  216 
T48  Callum Macfie  74  68  76  +8  218 
T61  Josh Lundmark  68  75  80  +13  223 
T66  Noah Kent  76  69  80  +15  225 

HAWKEYE NOTABLES 

  • Tjoa’s par 5 average of 4.50 (-3) finished tied for 10th in the tournament. 
  • Tjoa, McClear, and Callum Macfie each had 35 pars a piece which tied for 16th best in the tournament. 

UP NEXT 

The Hawkeyes will travel to Biloxi, Miss. to compete in the Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational in their last tournament of the fall season. The tournament will take place Oct. 15th – Oct. 17th.

Posted in Sports |