712 Digital Group - top

KJAN News

KJAN News can be heard at five minutes after every hour right after Fox News 24 hours a day!
Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa,  Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!

NE teen missing for over 3 weeks may be in western IA

News

May 29th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is seeking the public’s assistance in locating missing teen, Hayley Pelley.  The 17-year-old teen from Bellevue, NE, went missing from her home on May 4, 2024. Authorities believe that Hayley may be in Omaha, Nebraska or travel to Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Hayley Pelley is described as being Five-feet tall, and weighing approximately 90-lbs. She has blue eyes and brown hair but may currently have dyed blonde hair.

Hayley Pelley (Credit: NCMEC)

If you have any information about Hayley or her disappearance, please contact NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or the Bellevue Police Department (Nebraska) at 1-402-593-4111.

Commission is interviewing 18 who applied for Iowa Court of Appeals vacancy: Carroll County Asst. Atty. on the list

News

May 29th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Eighteen Iowans were interviewed May 29th for a vacancy on the Iowa Court of Appeals. Thomas Bower of Cedar Falls, the chief judge on the Iowa Court of Appeals since 2019, will retire in June. The 17-member State Judicial Nominating Commission began in-person interviews with 10 judges and eight attorneys who applied to join the Court of Appeals.

Among those interviewed, was:

  • Aaron Ahrendsen, Attorney, Eich Werden Steger & Ahrendsen PC, Assistant Carroll County Attorney, from Manning.
  • John Gish, Chief, Victim Assistance Section, Iowa Attorney General’s Office, in Adel
  • Maura Sailer, Attorney, Lohman, Reitz, Sailer, Ullrich & Blazek, in Denison

The commission will submit five nominees to Governor Reynolds and she’ll have 30 days to decide which one of the nominees to appoint — or she has the authority to ask the commission to reconvene and come up with a new slate of nominees.

The chief attorney for the Victims Assistance section of the Iowa Attorney General’s Office and the legal counsel for the Iowa Department of Education are among the applicants for the slot on the Iowa Court of Appeals.

(Update) – Authorities identify teen killed in a central IA UTV accident Friday

News

May 29th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Guernsey, Iowa) – In an update to our report last weekend, the Iowa State Patrol has released the names of two juveniles, one of whom died, during a UTV accident that occurred Friday evening (May 24th). The operator of the UTV, 11-year-old Sam Schaeffer, was flown to the UIHC, where a report on his condition is not available. His passenger, 13-year-old Nolan Bayer died from his injuries, when the 2016 Polaris Ranger Crew went out of control southeast of Guernsey, in rural Poweshiek County, as the machine was rounding a curve in the road. The UTV rolled onto the driver’s side. The accident happened at around 5:20-p.m., Friday. The Patrol’s report did not indicate where the youth were from.

The accident remains under investigation.

Minnesota sends specialist team to Iowa after Greenfield tornado

News

May 29th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Eight members of Minnesota’s Incident Management Team are in the tornado-tossed southwest Iowa town of Greenfield, at the request of Iowa officials through a multi-state emergency aid compact. Jacob Beauregard, with Minnesota Homeland Security and Emergency Management says they definitely feel for the people in Greenfield, where four people were killed by the E-F-4 twister last Tuesday. Another 35 people were hurt and dozens of homes were destroyed.

“As you know, we’re no strangers to severe weather and tornadoes,” Beauregard says, “so our hearts go out to those folks and we’re certainly happy to help.” Beauregard says when neighbors are in need, you have to respond.

“When the call comes in, we’re certainly more than willing to step up and help our neighbors,” he says, “and especially the folks in Iowa.” Beauregard says the Minnesota group will assist with managing volunteer resources, cleanup logistics and the disaster declaration process. He expects they’ll be in Iowa for about two weeks.

Atlantic man injured in a Tuesday motorcycle accident

News

May 29th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – (Clarification*) – A man from Atlantic was transported by Lifeflight helicopter to the UNMC in Omaha, Tuesday, following a motorcycle accident near 560th Street and Highland Road. According to Cass County Chief Deputy Sheriff Jon Westering, 33-year-old Joseph Schelle suffered severe injuries, when his 2005 Kawasaki motorcycle, for reasons unknown, left Highland Road and entered the south ditch, just west of 560th Street. The accident happened a little before 5-p.m., on Atlantic’s west side.

Westering said Schelle was leading a group of three motorcycles eastbound on Highland Road when he lost control*, left the road, and entered the ditch. Schelle’s motorcycle  flipped end-over-end about three-t0 four-times, causing Schelle to be ejected from the machine.

Agency personnel on the scene following the crash included those from the Atlantic Fire Department, Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Atlantic Police Department, Cass EMS, and Unity Point Lifeflight.

2 from Creston arrested on Child Endangerment charges

News

May 29th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports two people were arrested early this (Wednesday) morning on warrants for Child Endangerment. Authorities say 41-year-old Chasidy Leann Roberts and 47-year-old Scott Earl Eblen, both of Creston, were arrested at around 6-a.m. at a residence in the 900 block of N. Division Street, in Creston. Both face charges that include four-counts each, of Child Endangerment.

Both were later released from the Union County Jail on $8,000 bond (cash or surety), each.

Cass County (IA) Auditor’s Office Open Saturday for 2024 Primary Election Voting

News

May 29th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) –  The Cass County Auditor’s Office is reminding voters that they will be open this Saturday, June 1, 2024, ahead of the June 4, 2024 Primary Election. The Auditor’s Office will be open on Saturday, June 1, 2024, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. The office will be open for absentee voting and any other election business. The Auditor’s Office would also like to remind voters that they can vote absentee at the office during regular business hours through Monday, June 3, 2024, for the Primary Election.

The Auditor’s Office encourages those who have received mailed ballots to make arrangements to have them returned to the Cass County Auditor’s Office. Due to recent legislation, absentee ballots must be in the Auditor’s Office before polls close at 8:00 p.m. on June 4, 2024 to be counted.

Vote Early

For more information about the 2024 Primary Election contact the Cass County Auditor’s office at 712-243-4570. More information can be found on the Cass County elections website at https://www.casscountyia.gov/county-government/elections/primary-elections/.

Work release escape of Andrew Nielsen

News

May 29th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

FORT DODGE, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Corrections, Tuesday, reported 47-year-old Andrew James Nielsen, who was convicted in Webster County on charges of Burglary 1st Degree in Webster County, Prohibited Acts — Manufacture, Delivery, Possession in Fayette County, and Voluntary Absence (Escape) in Polk and Webster counties, failed to report back to the Fort Dodge Residential Center as required, Monday.

Nielsen is a 5-feet nine-inch tall, 172-pound white male. He was admitted to the work release facility on March 6, 2024. Persons with information on Nielsen’s whereabouts should contact local police.

Andrew J. Nielsen (Iowa DOC photo)

Nunn Announces 2024 Congressional Art Competition Winners from Griswold, Bondurant, and Centerville

News

May 29th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES — U.S. Representative Zach Nunn (IA-03) has announced the winners of the Iowa Third Congressional District Art Competition. The top three vote receivers from the public voting option will have their art on display in each of the Iowa Third Congressional District offices, and the winner selected by a panel of three art judges will have their art on display in the U.S. Capitol.  The Overall Winner was Blake Foster, with the Griswold High School, for his piece entitled “Through My Eyes,” which will be on display at the United States Capital. Griswold High School Student Kailey Swain was a People’s Choice Award recipient, for her piece entitled “A Walk Through Show Season,” which will be on display at Nunn’s Creston Field Office.

Through My Eyes (Blake Foster)

(Other Art Competition winners are listed below)

Rep. Nunn said “I’m so impressed by the talent displayed in this year’s art competition. In each of the more than sixty submissions, students showcased creativity and perspective. Thank you to every student who participated in this year’s competition. Iowa is a special place, and these amazing students are just some of the many reasons why.”

Other recipients:

Student: Addisyn Marvin 
School: Bondurant-Farrar 
Location of Display: Des Moines Field Office
Name of Artwork: “Iowa’s Daughters”

Student: Noelle Craver 
School: Centerville High School 
Location of Display: Ottumwa Field Office
Name of Artwork: “Circle of Life”

State opens more than 60 summer meal sites for kids

News

May 29th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Iowa Capital Dispatch) – School districts and community groups in Iowa will establish over 60 new meal sites to feed children during the summer, paid for by about $900,000 in grants, the Iowa Department of Education announced In southwest Iowa, the meal sites include those in Bedford, Clarinda, Council Bluffs, Riverside, Carson and Shenandoah.

Growing the Summer Meal Program Expansion Grant is an alternative to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children program, also known as summer EBT, which Gov. Kim Reynolds declined to join.

Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow said in a statement, “We commend the awardees for their leadership in growing the reach and impact of these programs, providing children with no-cost, healthy meal options in enriching environments this summer and beyond.” State officials said the USDA’s program was not the best way to address food insecurity in the state, citing the estimated $2.2 million price tag in administrative costs for the state and lack of nutritional focus.

In April, Governor Reynolds said “With the Summer Meal Program Expansion Grant, we will expand these well-established programs across our state to ensure Iowa’s youth have meals that are healthy and use local community farms and vendors when possible.” Some Democratic lawmakers and food assistance activists argue more could have been done if Iowa was in the USDA’s program. Luke Elzinga, board chair of the Iowa Hunger Coalition said the program falls flat given the budget surplus and the amount of money summer EBT offered.

(Photo by Amanda Mills/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Around half of the new sites will be at schools with the other half located in libraries, parks, apartments and more. Depending on the site, kids are required to either eat the food there, take it to go or a hybrid of the two. Not all rural areas have a nearby meal site, which presents a barrier to families who don’t have time to drive to meal sites every day, critics point out. Under summer EBT, a parent would receive an EBT card worth $40 per month per child for food assistance at participating stores during the summer.

Officials have yet to release how many of last year’s 500-plus meal sites will return for 2024. Elzinga said that based on the number of sites last year and the new sites this year, he expects about half of school districts will still not have a meal site.