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Iowa early News Headlines: Mon., Jan. 25th 2016

News

January 25th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

NEWTON, Iowa (AP) — An inmate who escaped a minimum security facility in Newton has been apprehended. 28- year old Edward Nathaniel Shorter was found at a Des Moines residence and was taken into custody without incident around 9:30 p.m. Sunday. Iowa State Patrol and the Jasper, Polk and Marion County sheriff’s departments began a public search after Shorter didn’t report for a routine count at the Newton Correctional Release Center around 1:50 p.m. Saturday. Shorter is serving a 20-year sentence for two counts of possession of a controlled substance and two counts of prohibited acts-controlled substance in Polk County.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Companies trying to expand high-speed Internet in Iowa say a key part of Governor Terry Branstad’s new broadband law is not formally in effect, and that could hinder their future projects in the state. At the heart of the 2015 law is a 10-year property tax exemption for service providers who build new broadband infrastructure in limited areas. More than six months later, those companies are waiting for the Iowa Department of Revenue to write rules to apply for the exemption.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Only a week remains before the Iowa caucuses — the first contest in a tumultuous presidential campaign that has challenged long-held political assumptions. The Republican race in Iowa is Donald Trump’s or Texas Senator Ted Cruz’s to lose on the night of February 1st. The Democratic race has evolved into a surprisingly heated contest between Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders.

MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) — It’s the second-to-last Sunday before the Iowa caucuses, and you could find Donald Trump in a fifth row pew for the service at the First Presbyterian Church in Muscatine. The caucuses are February 1st, and Trump’s main challenger is Ted Cruz. The Texas senator is the son of an evangelical preacher and has made deep inroads with evangelical voters in Iowa.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines Police are investigating after finding a 71-year-old woman dead inside her home. Police said officers were sent to check on the welfare of the woman around 4:30 a.m. Sunday when they found Norma Jean McNeeley dead.

 

Posted in News |

Winter Weather Advisory continues for parts of far west/southwest IA until 3-p.m. today

Weather

January 25th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

(update 3:07-a.m.) AREA COUNTIES: MONONA-HARRISON-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE AND SHELBY….A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM TODAY

* LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE OR FREEZING RAIN MAY DEVELOP IN SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA AND SOUTHWEST IOWA THROUGH THE MORNING AS LOWER CLOUDS DEVELOP. LIGHT SNOW WILL MIX IN BY LATE MORNING AND A PERIOD OF LIGHT SNOW IS EXPECTED INTO EARLY AFTERNOON.

* ICE ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BE VERY LIGHT…BUT SLICK SPOTS COULD DEVELOP ON SOME ROADS…BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES…AND SIDEWALKS AND PARKING LOTS.

* LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE…WITH AMOUNTS UNDER ONE HALF INCH EXPECTED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES…AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING. THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS FOR THE STATE YOU ARE CALLING FROM CAN BE OBTAINED BY CALLING 5 1 1.

Posted in Weather |

Winter Weather Advisory for west central & n.w. IA Monday morning

Weather

January 24th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

SAC-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-CASS COUNITES…317 PM CST SUN JAN 24 2016
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR FREEZING DRIZZLE AND SNOW IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM MONDAY TO MIDNIGHT CST MONDAY NIGHT.

* TIMING…FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL BEGIN AROUND SUNRISE MONDAY AND MAY CAUSE ICY ROADS DURING THE MORNING COMMUTE. MIXED LIGHT PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY…THEN CHANGE TO LIGHT SNOW DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING.124-2

* STORM TOTAL SNOW/ICE ACCUMULATIONS…ICE AMOUNTS OF A FEW HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH. SNOW AMOUNTS OF AROUND AN INCH OR LESS.

* WINDS/VISIBILITY…WINDS WILL TURN TO NORTHWEST AND INCREASE TO 15 TO 20 MPH AND GUSTY BY LATE IN THE DAY. VISIBILITY MAY BE REDUCED TO A MILE OR LESS AT TIMES WHILE SNOW IS FALLING.

* IMPACTS…ROADS WILL BECOME SLICK IN THE MORNING…PARTICULARLY WHERE NOT TREATED…CAUSING HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. ROAD CONDITIONS MAY IMPROVE FOR A TIME AROUND MIDDAY BUT THEN DETERIORATE AS SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW BEGIN IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW…SLEET…OR FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES…AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

Posted in Weather |

Winter Weather Advisory for southwest IA on Monday

Weather

January 24th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT AND PAGE COUNTIES….(310 PM CST SUN JAN 24 2016)

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR FREEZING DRIZZLE AND LIGHT SNOW IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 3 PM CST MONDAY

* LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL DEVELOP IN SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA AND SOUTHWEST IOWA NEAR OR AFTER 3 AM. THIS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. A PERIOD OF SOME LIGHT FREEZING RAIN IS ALSO POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY DURING THE EARLY MORNING MONDAY. LIGHT SNOW WILL MIX IN BY LATE MORNING AND A PERIOD OF LIGHT SNOW IS EXPECTED INTO EARLY AFTERNOON.

Winter Weather Advisory Monday for counties in purple.

Winter Weather Advisory Monday for counties in purple.

* ICE ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BE LIGHT…LESS THAN A COUPLE HUNDRETHS OF A TENTH.

* LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE…WITH AMOUNTS UNDER ONE INCH EXPECTED.

* THE ICE WILL RESULT IN VERY SLIPPERY CONDITIONS ON SIDEWALKS…ROADS AND BRIDGES…INCLUDING DURING THE MORNING COMMUTE ON MONDAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES…AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING. THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS FOR THE STATE YOU ARE CALLING FROM CAN BE OBTAINED BY CALLING 5 1 1.

Posted in Weather |

No. 9 Iowa rolls past No. 22 Purdue 83-71

Sports

January 24th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Jarrod Uthoff scored 13 of his 22 points in the first half and ninth-ranked Iowa toppled No. 22 Purdue 83-71 Sunday for its ninth straight win. Adam Woodbury added 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Hawkeyes (16-3, 7-0 Big Ten), who’ve beaten four ranked teams since late December ahead of Thursday’s meeting at No. 7 Maryland.

Iowa broke open a tight game with a 23-6 run to start the second half, getting baskets from seven different players during that stretch. Vince Edwards had 19 points and P.J. Thompson had 16 for Purdue (17-4, 5-3), which has split its last six games after a 14-1 start.

Posted in Sports |

DARLENE JORGENSEN, 86, of Atlantic (Svcs. 1/27/16)

Obituaries

January 24th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

DARLENE JORGENSEN, 86, of Atlantic, died Sat., Jan. 23rd, at the Taylor Hospice House, in Des Moines. Funeral services for DARLENE JORGENSEN will be held 10:30-a.m. Wed., Jan. 27th, at the 1st Baptist Church, in Brayton, with a luncheon to follow at the church. Roland Funeral Service in Atlantic has the arrangements.

Friends may call at the funeral home from 6-until 8-pm Tuesday (1/25). Online condolences may be left to the family at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.

The family suggests memorials be directed to Darlene’s caregiver, Kim Petersen.

Burial will be in the Exira Cemetery.

DARLENE JORGENSEN is survived by:

Her sons – Michael (Rhonda) Jorgensen, of Prescott, IA., & Mark (Zeeta) Jorgensen, of Exira.

Her daughter – Roxy (Rick) Wheatley, of Adair.

9 grandchildren & 9 great-grandchildren.

Posted in Obituaries |

RAGBRAI to run across southern IA this summer

News

January 24th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Organizers with RAGBRAI (the Des Moines Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa), announced Saturday the route and overnight towns for the 2016 ride. The 44th annual event, which spans about 420 miles this year, is set to take place July 23-30 in southern Iowa.

According to the paper, this year’s ride/social gathering begins July 23 in Glenwood and ends July 30 in Muscatine. Overnight communities include Shenandoah and Creston, in southwest Iowa. Leon and Centerville in south central Iowa, and in southeastern Iowa, overnight stops will include the towns of Ottumwa and Washington.

Estimates have shown RAGBRAI can bring in $3 million a day to local economies. That’s everything from gas to meals to sodas. For more information, go to ragbrai.com.

Ragbrai 2016 map (from Ragbrai.com)

Ragbrai 2016 map (from Ragbrai.com)

Posted in News |

Area basketball scores from Sat., 1/23/16

Sports

January 24th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

BOYS BASKETBALL
Sioux City, North 76, Council Bluffs, Thomas Jefferson 53
West Monona, Onawa 64, Riverside, Oakland 39
Winterset 69, Creston 55

Bluegrass ConferenceTournament
First Round
Diagonal 66, Moravia 57
Iowa Christian Academy 59, Orient-Macksburg 37
Mormon Trail, Garden Grove 55, Moulton-Udell 29
Corner Conference Tournament
Third Place
East Mills 55, Essex 32
Championship
Stanton 48, Fremont Mills, Tabor 44

GIRLS BASKETBALL
Ames 78, Council Bluffs, Abraham Lincoln 49
Sioux City, North 67, Council Bluffs, Thomas Jefferson 51

Bluegrass Conference Tournament
First Round
Mormon Trail, Garden Grove 57, Orient-Macksburg 14
Seymour 64, Melcher-Dallas 20

Nebraska Frontier Conference Tournament
First Round
Boys Town, Neb. 62, Whiting 57

Posted in Sports |

Companies say there’s a hold up on Iowa broadband law

News

January 24th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Companies trying to expand high-speed Internet in Iowa say a key part of Gov. Terry Branstad’s new broadband law is not formally in effect, and that could hinder their future projects in the state. At the heart of the 2015 law is a 10-year property tax exemption for service providers who build new broadband infrastructure in limited areas. More than six months later, those companies are waiting for the Iowa Department of Revenue to write rules to apply for the exemption.

The law specifies an annual Feb. 1 deadline for applications to be submitted, though there is some flexibility for seeking tax relief up to two years later. Department spokeswoman Victoria Daniels says the agency hopes to provide a draft of the rules soon, but the process may take months.

Posted in News |

Iowa News Headlines: Sunday, 1/24/16

News

January 24th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are shadowing each other across eastern Iowa, eager to carve out an advantage in a race that’s deadlocked with just over a week until the state’s lead-off caucuses. The candidates planned events in the towns of Clinton and Davenport within hours of each other Saturday.

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump says his supporters are so loyal they would stick with him even if he stood in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shot somebody. Trump made the remark while addressing a rally Saturday at a Christian school, Dordt College, in Sioux Center. Several Republican contenders are in the state this weekend, with just nine days to go before Iowa’s caucuses open voting in the 2016 campaign.

KNOXVILLE, Iowa (AP) — A construction worker is recovering after falling from a southern Iowa bridge and being trapped under ice. The Des Moines Register reports that the 57-year-old man was injured while working on the Asa Marshall Bridge south of Knoxville, Iowa around 9 a.m. Friday.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa City nonprofit dedicated to rehabilitating injured and sick birds has had a busy first month. Cedar Rapids television station KCRG reports that volunteers with the Raptor Advocacy Rehabilitation and Education Group, which goes by RARE, has helped 20 birds, most of them raptors. The group formed in late November and operates in a donated space inside Iowa City’s Gentle Heart Pet Clinic.

 

Posted in News |