Bills on body cameras in Iowa showcase looming challenges

February 21st, 2016 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Measures that would address the growing use of body cameras in Iowa are not expected to impact law enforcement agencies this year, but their introduction this session showcases looming challenges for state officials.

Several lawmakers agree legislative action is needed soon as more Iowa authorities use body cameras to counter allegations of excessive force and public mistrust. In Iowa and around the country, legislators are scrutinizing existing laws and using task forces to figure out the storage, public inspection and confidentiality of body camera footage.

In Iowa, a bill that would have specified storage requirements for body camera footage did not move past a procedural deadline. The focus now turns to a separate bill that includes the creation of an interim legislative committee to investigate the issue.

Posted in News |

Dispute over Sioux City casino reaches Iowa Appeals Court

News

February 21st, 2016 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Court of Appeals will hear an appeal filed by the former operator of the Argosy riverboat casino in Sioux City this week. The Sioux City Journal reports the case challenging decisions the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission made will be heard Tuesday.

Bell of Sioux City, which is a subsidiary of Penn National Gaming Co., argues that regulators were wrong to grant a license for what has become the land-based Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City. Previous rulings in the case have supported regulators. Brian Ohorilko with the state commission says regulators believe they acted in accordance with state law in their casino decisions.

Mark Monson with the local nonprofit that has worked with both casino operators says he hopes the case is resolved soon.

Posted in News |

GORDON “Skip” MEYER, 84, of Atlantic (Svcs. 2/24/16)

Obituaries

February 21st, 2016 by Ric Hanson

GORDON “Skip” MEYER, 84, of Atlantic, died Sat., Feb. 20th, at the Cass County Memorial Hospital, in Atlantic. Funeral services for GORDON “Skip” MEYER will be held 1-p.m. Wed., Feb. 24th, at the Roland Funeral Home, in Atlantic.

Visitation is open at the funeral home from 8-a.m. Tuesday until the time of family visitation from 6-until 8-pm., Tuesday. Online condolences may be left to the family at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.

Burial, with Military Honors by the Atlantic Color Guard, will be at the Atlantic Cemetery.

GORDON “Skip” MEYER is survived by:

His sons – Randy F. Meyer & wife Lori, of Fremont, NE., and Duane M. Meyer and wife Monna, of Lohrville.

His daughters – Suzanne, and Ruth Meyer, of Atlantic.

4 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

Posted in Obituaries |

NWS forecast for Atlantic & the area: Sun., Feb. 21st 2016

Weather

February 21st, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Today: Mostly cloudy w/mixed precip. (rain/snow or sleet) this morning. High near 48. North northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 29. North wind 5 mph.
Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 46. E/NE wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Monday Night: Mo. Cldy w/a 30% chance of rain after midnight. Low around 33.
Tuesday: Cloudy w/a 50% chance of rain and snow before 9am, then a chance of rain. High near 46.
Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 27.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 41.

Saturday’s High in Atlantic was 53. Our low this morning (as of 7-a.m.) was 29. We received a Trace of rain overnight through 7-a.m. today, and some snow pellets, at KJAN. Last year on this date, our High was 32 and the Low 8. The All-time record High for this date in Atlantic was 65 in 1977. The record Low was -19 in 1894.

Posted in Weather |

Area Girls High School Basketball Scores from Sat., 2/20/16

Sports

February 21st, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Class 3A Region 8
Regional Final
Pocahontas Area Community(PAC)/Laurens-Marathoon 73, Shenandoah 44
Class 4A Region 1
Regional Semifinal
Harlan 59, Bishop Heelan Catholic, Sioux City 32
Spencer 55, LeMars 44
Class 4A Region 8
Regional Semifinal
ADM, Adel 39, Dallas Center-Grimes 38
Lewis Central 49, Glenwood 33
Class 5A Region 7
Regional Semifinal
Indianola 96, Council Bluffs, Abraham Lincoln 40
Valley, West Des Moines 80, Des Moines, Lincoln 60

State Championship Schedule – Class 3A

Tue., March 1st – Quarterfinals:

PAC (24-0) vs. Mt. Vernon (16-8), 11:45-a.m.

Cherokee (22-2) vs. Osage (21-3), 1:30-p.m.

Center Point-Urbana (23-1) vs. Mid-Prairie (16-8), 3:15-p.m.

Nevada (21-3) vs. Sioux Center (20-4), 5:00-p.m.

Posted in Sports |

Niang scores 27 as No. 13 Iowa State holds off TCU, 92-83

Sports

February 21st, 2016 by Ric Hanson

AMES, Iowa (AP) – Georges Niang scored 27 points, Abdel Nader had 24 and 13th-ranked Iowa State held off TCU 92-83 on Saturday night to move within a victory of its fifth straight 20-win season. Deonte Burton set season highs with 23 points and 14 rebounds for the Cyclones (19-8, 8-6 Big 12), who never trailed despite playing without center Jameel McKay.

Iowa State went on a 15-6 run to open the second half and weathered a few Horned Frogs runs for its 12th home win this season. McKay, averaging 11.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, didn’t play because of what the Cyclones said was a coach’s decision. Freshman forward JD Miller had 19 points and 11 rebounds for TCU (11-16, 2-12), which remained winless in Big 12 road games. Malique Trent scored 17.

Posted in Sports |

Northern Iowa fends off Illinois State 75-66

Sports

February 21st, 2016 by Ric Hanson

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) – Wes Washpun scored 18 points, Jeremy Morgan added 13, and all five Northern Iowa starters scored in double figures in a 75-66 win over Illinois State Saturday. Paul Jesperson had 12 points while Bennett Koch and Matt Bohannon added 10 apiece for Northern Iowa (16-12, 8-7 Missouri Valley), which bounced back after its six-game win streak was snapped in a loss to Loyola of Chicago on Wednesday.

Northern Iowa led by 14 at halftime but started the second half cold, making 2 of 9 from the field and allowing Illinois State to pull within three, 49-46, with 10:25 left. The Panthers closed with makes on 10 of 13 attempts to stave off a Redbirds comeback in Cedar Falls.

Posted in Sports |

Lisbon’s Happel wins fourth state championship

Sports

February 21st, 2016 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Lisbon’s Carter Happel achieved the ultimate goal for a high school wrestler on the eve of his 19th birthday.Happel became Iowa’s 25th four-time state champion when he beat Dike-New Hartford’s Trent Johnson 7-1 Saturday night to capture the Class 1A title at 145 pounds.

Happel, who will wrestle for the Hawkeyes next year, outmaneuvered the once-unbeaten Johnson after coasting through the first three rounds with two technical falls and a pin. Johnson never had any clean shots, and there was never a doubt Happel would prevail.

The title capped a 52-0 season for Happel, who won his final 169 matches and went 209-1 in his career. Only one Iowa wrestler, Max Thomsen of LaPorte City Union with 210, finished with more victories.

Posted in Sports |

Central IA woman cited after Montgomery rollover accident

News

February 21st, 2016 by Ric Hanson

A woman from south central Iowa was cited for Possessing an open container of alcohol, and failure to have insurance-accident related, following a rollover accident early this (Sunday) morning, about a mile west of Red Oak. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says 24-year old Angela Kier, of Indianola, was driving a 2002 Ford Explorer westbound on Highway 34 at around 12:35-a.m., when the SUV drifted onto the north shoulder of the road.

Kier over-corrected back onto the roadway, causing the SUV to go out of control. The vehicle rolled over, landing on its top in the eastbound lane of Highway 34. Kier was not injured. Her vehicle was a total loss.

Posted in News |

Atlantic/CAM Wrestling places four, Creston O-M wins team title

Sports

February 21st, 2016 by admin

Southwest Iowa and Hawkeye 10 wrestling showed very well at the 2016 Iowa High School Wrestling Championships. Out of the wrestlers we were following in the KJAN listening area there were 4 State Champions, 6 Runner-Ups, and 25 Place-winners. Champions were: 3A-152 Colton Clingenpeel of Council Bluffs-Thomas Jefferson, 2A-152 Matt Malcom of Glenwood, 2A-170 Chase Shiltz of Creston/Orient-Macksburg, and 1A-126 Alex Thomsen of Underwood.

The Atlantic/CAM Wrestling team had a very good showing by tying a school record with 4 place-winners in one tournament. Carter Cox led the way with a Runner-Up finish at 113. Kole Hansen placed 5th at 106. Zac Stork finished 8th at 182 and John McConkey was also 8th at 285. All Atlantic/CAM wrestlers that came to the tournament made it past day one with Chase McLaren and Keagan Hosfelt also reprenting the team and coming up short on day 2. All of Atlantic/CAM’s State Qualifiers aside from Hosfelt will be back on a very strong squad next season.

The Creston Orient-Macksburg Panthers wrestling team took advantage of a deep, strong team and took the Class 2A team title. Aside from Shiltz winning a title at 170 the Panthers also had two Runner-Ups in Seth Maitlen at 195 and Wyatt Thompson at 138. They finished with 90.5 team points and edged out Clarion-Goldfield-Dows by 8 points in the final standings. Glenwood finished 4th and Atlantic/CAM was 14th.

Also locally McGwire Midkiff of Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson was Runner-Up at 113 pounds in Class 3A. Nathan Haynes of Missouri Valley was Runner-Up at 160 in Class 1A. Tim Barr of AHSTW was Runner-Up at 170 in Class 3A.