United Group Insurance

Boy rescued after jumping off trail bridge in Le Mars, Iowa

News

June 15th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

LE MARS, Iowa (AP) – A boy has been rescued after injuring his leg while jumping off a trail bridge into water with friends in Le Mars. The Le Mars Daily Sentinel reports firefighters were called Sunday afternoon to an area behind the old Department of Transportation building. According to a Le Mars police officer, the victim had jumped into a shallow area of a river and his friends helped him out of the water, but couldn’t get him up the riverbank. Firefighters rescued the boy, and he was transported to a hospital for treatment.

Informational meeting in Atlantic today on river restoration benefits and practices

Ag/Outdoor, News

June 15th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Iowa Rivers Revival is collaborating with Golden Hills RC&D to host a series of meetings across Southwest Iowa that will provide an introduction to natural river restoration benefits and practices.

Nishnabotna River

Nishnabotna River

Landowners, farmers, conservationists, educators, and the public are invited to the free informational meetings. The presentations will focus on the West Nishnabotna River, but will have relevant information for other streams in the region.  One of the presentations takes place today (Monday) in Atlantic, beginning at 2-pm. The event will be held at the Iowa Western Community College/Cass County Campus – 705 Walnut St.

John Thomas, Project Director of the Hungry Canyons Alliance, will lead the presentations.  The meetings and Q&A will last approximately one hour. Natural river restoration provides many benefits to landowners and surrounding community.  It:

* Offers affordable and sustainable options to reduce streambank erosion.
* Improves water quality by reducing sediment and nutrient loading into the stream.
* Reduces flooding and flood effects.
* Protects local infrastructure such as bridges and roads from erosion and flooding, and reduces taxpayer expense to repair, replace and maintain.
* Enhances aquatic and riparian wildlife habitat and ecosystem.
* Improves river recreation, fishing, and hunting – boosting local economies and providing public health and quality of life.

Iowa now lacks the resources and expertise to offer natural river restoration opportunities to landowners and communities across Iowa.  An Iowa River Restoration Program (comparable to the Iowa Lakes Restoration Program) would provide guidelines, criteria, funding, training, and expertise necessary to offer cost-share opportunities for protecting Iowa’s landscape, streambanks and riverways.

The Southwest Iowa meetings provide an opportunity to learn and discuss the benefits and techniques of natural river restoration.  More information about the meetings can be found at www.westnishwatertrail.weebly.com/river-restoration.

Hazardous Weather Outlook for the KJAN listening area

Weather

June 15th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

552 AM CDT MON JUN 15 2015

TODAY AND TONIGHT:
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH TONIGHT. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL OF 1 TO 2 INCHES TODAY. LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE TODAY ESPECIALLY OVER AREAS THAT RECEIVE ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL ON TOP OF LAST NIGHTS RAINFALL. A FEW STORMS MAY BE SEVERE THIS AFTERNOON SOUTHEAST OF A CRESTON TO TAMA LINE WITH WIND BEING THE MAIN THREAT.

TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY:
ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. AT THIS TIME THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER REMAINS LOW THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS RETURN FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. THERE WILL BE AN INCREASED RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LATE IN THE WEEK AND WEEKEND WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINFALL SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT…

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME BUT RAINFALL
REPORTS ARE APPRECIATED.

Summer’s coming and heat can kill. Take precautions.

News, Weather

June 15th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Summer will arrive this coming weekend and along with the fun in the sun many Iowans have planned, they’re reminded heat kills more Americans each year than hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes and floods combined. Meteorologist Kelsey Angle, the warning coordinator at the National Weather Service office in Johnston, says it’s been cooler lately, but don’t be fooled. Angle says, “Temperatures will be increasing as well as the humidity and with that does come the danger if people don’t take the necessary precautions.”

It’s unfortunate, but every summer there are many Iowans hospitalized — or killed — by heat-related illnesses. “I just want to make sure people are drinking plenty of water, wearing light-colored and loose-fitting clothing if they’re going to be working outside during the hot summer months,” Angle says, “and if they’re starting to feel the impact from the heat, that they’re taking frequent breaks.”

When it’s really hot and humid, evaporation doesn’t take place and the body can’t cool well. Your body temperature can increase to a potentially-fatal 106 degrees in as little as ten minutes and then, heat stroke can strike. Most animals are just as susceptible.

Angle says, “It’s important to remember pets during the hot summer months, that we’re providing them shade as well as plenty of water so that they can cool their bodies efficiently and effectively.” Learn more about the heat and humidity at www.weather.gov/dmx

(Radio Iowa)

TCU takes advantage of LSU starter’s struggles in 10-3 win

Sports

June 15th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Preston Morrison limited LSU to five hits and a run in seven innings, and TCU capitalized on LSU starter Jared Poche’s stunning middle-inning struggles in a 10-3 victory at the College World Series on Sunday. The Horned Frogs (50-13), in the CWS for the second straight year and third time overall, will play a Bracket 2 winners game against Cal State Fullerton or Vanderbilt on Tuesday night. The Tigers (53-11) meet one of those teams in an elimination game that afternoon.

Morrison (12-2) earned his first win in nine career starts in the NCAA tournament. The Chicago Cubs’ eighth-round draft pick struck out five, walked none and retired the last 12 batters he faced.

Fullerton leads Vandy 3-0 in CWS game suspended by weather

Sports

June 15th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Heavy rain and lightning forced the suspension of the Cal State Fullerton-Vanderbilt game at the College World Series on Sunday night. Play will resume at 11:05-a.m. Central Time today (Monday) with the Titans leading the defending national champion Commodores 3-0 with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

The weather disrupted a magnificent performance in progress by Cal State Fullerton ace Thomas Eshelman. Eshelman was on the mound when the teams were pulled off the field because of lightning near TD Ameritrade Park. The two-time Big West pitcher of the year had allowed four hits, walked none and struck out eight.

Fullerton scored against Vandy’s Carson Fulmer on Taylor Bryant’s RBI single in the third and on a wild pitch and Josh Vargas’ base hit in the fifth.

Red Oak man arrested Sun. night for Public Intox

News

June 15th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Police in Red Oak arrested 28-year old Justin Brance Wilson, of Red Oak, late Sunday night. Wilson was taken into custody at around 11:30-p.m in the 100 block of N. 2nd Street, on a charge of Public Intoxication. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail Monday morning on $300 bond.

Nat’l. Weather Service forecast for Cass and area Counties in IA, 6/15/15

Weather

June 15th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Today: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 75. Light and variable wind becoming north northeast 6 to 11 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. North northeast wind 6 to 10 mph.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 78. North northeast wind 7 to 10 mph becoming east southeast in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. East southeast wind 5 to 9 mph.

Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. South southeast wind 6 to 10 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Wednesday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 64.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 82.

Iowa early News Headlines: Mon., June 15th 2015

News

June 15th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa continued to add people to its do-not-rehire list over the past year despite the concerns raised by some representatives of public employees and at least one lawmaker. The Des Moines Register reports public documents show 67 people have been added to the list that now includes 943 people ineligible to work in state government. Since the state first released the list in April 2014, there have been government oversight hearings and a lawsuit on behalf of three former workers.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton is trying to build an organizational edge in Iowa as some of her lesser-known Democratic rivals clamor for attention in the state that tripped up her first presidential campaign. Clinton flew to Iowa after her high-profile campaign kickoff Saturday in New York. She appeared at a Sioux City house party Saturday night, telling supporters that “everybody has a role to play.”

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A new Miss Iowa has been chosen to represent the state. Twenty-one-year-old Taylor Wiebers of Clinton won the title Saturday night at the pageant in Davenport. Wiebers was Miss Clinton County going into the state competition. She will now represent Iowa in the Miss America pageant in September. The first runner-up is Miss Muscatine County Kristen One. The 23-year-old is from Vernon Hills, Illinois.

CUSHING, Iowa (AP) — Since the Droegmiller family lost their home and belongings to a fire in March, they have been overwhelmed by help from others. The Sioux City Journal reports that when Elaine Droegmiller explained why she was buying eight pairs of shoes, another customer volunteered to pay for them. After the fire in Cushing that likely started with an electrical problem friends and classmates helped replace the autographed team balls and the River Valley letter jacket that high school senior Jordan Droegmiller lost in the fire. Donations from people in the community helped the family replace Jordan’s senior pictures. The Droegmillers are planning to buy a modular home for their farm that they will move into later this year. Until then, the family is renting a home in Cushing.

Special Weather Statement: Heavy rain & ponding of water on roads

Weather

June 15th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

SAC-CALHOUN-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-CASS COUNTIES

POCKETS OF HEAVY RAIN OVER WEST CENTRAL IOWA… POCKETS OF MODERATE TO LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN OVER WEST CENTRAL IOWA WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. RAINFALL RATES LOOK TO RANGE FROM 1 TO 3 INCHES PER HOUR AND WITH THE COMBINATION OF STORMS THAT DROPPED HEAVY RAIN ACROSS THIS AREA SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING…THIS WILL LIKELY LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT RUNOFF AT TIMES THROUGH 5 AM CDT.

DRIVERS SHOULD USE EXTRA CAUTION WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT IN HEAVY RAIN AND SHOULD NOT DRIVE THROUGH ANY WATER OVER ROADWAYS. PLEASE TURN AROUND DONT DROWN.