712 Digital Group - top

Iowa early News Headlines: Thu., July 16 2015

News

July 16th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Dubuque residents who depend on a program that delivers hot meals to their home have had to switch to frozen dinners because of a dispute over mileage reimbursement that prompted some volunteers to quit the program. The Telegraph Herald reports that the Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging informed residents participating in the Mobile Meals program of the frozen meals in a letter last week. The agency says it contracted its program through a hospital until July 1st.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Mason City man accused of using a hammer to beat his dog has pleaded not guilty to animal torture. The Globe Gazette reports that a Cerro Gordo County jury trial has been set for September 22nd for 63-year-old George Harrington.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A former lottery security chief testifying at his ex-coworker’s fraud trial over a Hot Lotto winning ticket says the top threat to any lottery’s integrity can be its own employees. The Des Moines Register reports Ed Stefan, a former chief security officer for the Urbandale-based Multi-State Lottery Association, says expert information technology employees with ill intentions can be dangerous. Stefan spoke Wednesday during the trial of 52-year-old Eddie Tipton, who faces two counts of fraud.

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (AP) — A Rock Island County judge is weighing the case of an Illinois man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend whose body was found in a Minnesota field. The Moline Dispatch reports that Judge F. Michael Meersman’s verdict in Tim McVay’s bench trial will come either Friday afternoon or Monday morning.

 

Posted in News |

Flash Flood Warning for Page County until 6:30-a.m. (7/16)

Weather

July 16th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

337 AM CDT THU JUL 16 2015

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 AM CDT FOR PAGE COUNTY…AT 336 AM CDT…DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED MORE SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. FLASH FLOODING IS LIKELY.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE… CLARINDA…SHENANDOAH…ESSEX…COIN…COLLEGE SPRINGS…SHAMBAUGH… YORKTOWN…NORTHBORO…HEPBURN AND PIERCE RECREATION AREA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE DANGERS OF FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE INTO FLOODED AREAS.

 

Posted in Weather |

T-storm warning update for Pottawattamie/Montgomery/Mills

Weather

July 16th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

335 AM CDT THU JUL 16 2015

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 AM CDT FOR SOUTHEASTERN POTTAWATTAMIE…MONTGOMERY AND EASTERN MILLS COUNTIES…

AT 334 AM CDT…SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES EAST OF OAKLAND TO NEAR RED OAK…MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

HAZARD…70 MPH WIND GUSTS.

IMPACT…EXPECT CONSIDERABLE TREE DAMAGE. DAMAGE IS LIKELY TO MOBILE HOMES…ROOFS AND OUTBUILDINGS.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE…

RED OAK…TREYNOR…CARSON…STANTON…EMERSON…ELLIOTT… MACEDONIA…HENDERSON…HASTINGS…GRANT…FARM CREEK PUBLIC WILDLIFE AREA…OLD TOWN PARK AND VIKING LAKE STATE PARK.

 

 

Posted in Weather |

Wanna buy a western IA mall? You can…August 3rd

News

July 16th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

If you’ve ever wanted to make an investment in commercial property, an opportunity awaits you in Council Bluffs, where the Mall of the Bluffs in Council Bluffs will go up for auction, Aug. 3rd. According to the Omaha World-Herald, the nearly 500,000-square-foot enclosed shopping center near Interstate 80 and Madison Avenue is listed on Auction.com with bidding to start at $1.5 million. Listing agent Kevin Crowley of Iowa Realty Commercial said the online auction will run through Aug. 5th.

Whether the shopping center, which opened in 1986, will be demolished or revitalized is up to the buyer. Namdar Realty Group of Great Neck, New York, bought the struggling mall in 2013 for about $8.5 million with the goal of finding new tenants and maintaining the retail center. The occupancy rate at the time was 75 per cent.

Property records indicate the mall is still owned by Namdar, aside from the Dillard’s store, which is owned by Dillard’s. Property manager Andrea Leinen said that Namdar still owns the mall and that it is for sale but that she had no additional information.

The Mall of the Bluffs lost two of its anchors to newer developments when J.C. Penney moved to the Marketplace in 2008 and Target moved to Metro Crossing in 2009. Barnes & Noble closed its location at Mall of the Bluffs in 2011. Current occupancy is listed at 35 percent. In addition to Dillard’s, current tenants include a Planet Fitness, which opened in the former Barnes & Noble space in 2013, and Victoria’s Secret.

Posted in News |

DOT signs feature reminder about not leaving kids in hot cars

News

July 16th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The electronic billboard signs on Iowa interstates are including the message “Where’s Baby? Look Before you Lock” this week to remind people to not leave kids in hot cars. Iowa Department of Transportation spokesperson, Andrea Henry, says the campaign comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: “This week’s message is an important one, especially given the high heat this week. We want to make sure that people are paying attention when they leave their vehicles,” Henry says. She says children die of heatstroke across the country every year after being left in locked vehicles.

“Any time one child dies in a situation like this it’s tragic so if we can prevent even one death or one child getting sick because they left their child for a small amount of time I think it’s worth it,” according to Henry. Henry says the billboard message was planned even before this week’s high temperatures.

The federal government reports that on average nearly 40 children die of heatstroke each year, and more than half were left in vehicles unintentionally.

(Radio Iowa)

Posted in News |

Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Montgomery/Page/Fremont Counties

Weather

July 16th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

322 AM CDT THU JUL 16 2015

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…SOUTHERN MONTGOMERY COUNTY IN SOUTHWESTERN IOWA…PAGE COUNTY IN SOUTHWESTERN IOWA…EASTERN FREMONT COUNTY IN SOUTHWESTERN IOWA…UNTIL 415 AM CDT

* AT 322 AM CDT…SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF ESSEX TO NEAR  FARRAGUT…MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

HAZARD…60 MPH WIND GUSTS AND PENNY SIZE HAIL.

SOURCE…RADAR INDICATED.

IMPACT…EXPECT DAMAGE TO ROOFS…SIDING AND TREES.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE…

CLARINDA…SHENANDOAH…VILLISCA…ESSEX…FARRAGUT…COIN…COLLEGE SPRINGS…SHAMBAUGH…BRADDYVILLE…YORKTOWN…NORTHBORO…COBURG…BLANCHARD…HEPBURN AND PIERCE RECREATION AREA.

THIS INCLUDES HIGHWAY 59 IN IOWA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 1 AND 22.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A BUILDING. TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS…AND MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS.

 

Posted in Weather |

Flash Flood Watch in effect until 10-a.m. Thursday (7/16)

Weather

July 16th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

AREA COUNTIES: AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS–CASS-ADAIR-MADISON– MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE–ADAMS-UNION–TAYLOR-RINGGOLD

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 10 AM CDT THURSDAY

* SUCCESSIVE ROUNDS OF THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS SOUTHERN IOWA DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF THURSDAY. THESE STORMS WILL HAVE VERY HIGH RAINFALL RATES FROM TIME TO TIME WHICH MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING.

IN ADDITION…THE INITIAL ROUNDS OF THUNDERSTORMS MAY SATURATE THE GROUND WITH SUBSEQUENT THUNDERSTORMS ALSO PRODUCING FLASH FLOODING.

* BE ESPECIALLY AWARE AT NIGHT IF FLASH FLOODING IS OCCURRING. MOST DEATHS FROM FLASH FLOODING OCCUR AT NIGHT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.

Posted in Weather |

Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Pottawattamie/Mills/Montgomery Counties

Weather

July 16th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

306 AM CDT THU JUL 16 2015

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…SOUTHEASTERN POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY IN SOUTHWESTERN IOWA…MONTGOMERY COUNTY IN SOUTHWESTERN IOWA…EASTERN MILLS COUNTY IN SOUTHWESTERN IOWA… * UNTIL 400 AM CDT

* AT 305 AM CDT…SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM NEAR TREYNOR TO 6 MILES SOUTH OF MALVERN…MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

HAZARD…60 MPH WIND GUSTS.

SOURCE…RADAR INDICATED.

IMPACT…EXPECT DAMAGE TO ROOFS…SIDING AND TREES.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE…RED OAK…MALVERN…TREYNOR…CARSON…STANTON…EMERSON…ELLIOTT…MACEDONIA…SILVER CITY…HENDERSON…HASTINGS…GRANT…FARM CREEK PUBLIC WILDLIFE AREA…OLD TOWN PARK AND VIKING LAKE STATE PARK.

THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS…

HIGHWAY 34 IN IOWA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 14 AND 51.

HIGHWAY 59 IN IOWA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 25 AND 48.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A BUILDING.

Posted in Weather |

Significant Weather Advisory for s.w. Montgomery County

Weather

July 15th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

943 PM CDT WED JUL 15 2015

FREMONT IA-PAGE IA-MILLS IA-MONTGOMERY IA-

…SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWESTERN MONTGOMERY…

SOUTHEASTERN MILLS…PAGE AND NORTHEASTERN FREMONT COUNTIES UNTIL 1015 PM CDT…

AT 943 PM CDT…DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES SOUTH OF MALVERN TO NEAR CLARINDA…AND MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

DIME SIZE HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE… CLARINDA…SHENANDOAH…ESSEX…COIN…TABOR…COLLEGE SPRINGS… SHAMBAUGH…RANDOLPH…YORKTOWN…IMOGENE…COBURG…BLANCHARD AND PIERCE RECREATION AREA.

THIS INCLUDES HIGHWAY 59 IN IOWA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 7 AND 28.

Posted in Weather |

Sioux City man busted in Omaha area for fencing stolen camera gear on Craigslist

News

July 15th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

A northwest Iowa man is jailed in the Omaha area on a charge of selling several thousand dollars worth of stolen camera equipment through the website Craigslist. La Vista (Nebraska) Police Chief Bob Lausten (LAW-stun) says it’s an open-and-shutter case.  “Back in May, we had a photographer from California that was staying at the Courtyard Marriott,” Chief Lausten says. “When he checked in with all of his equipment, one of his bags didn’t make it up to his room and he reported it lost or stolen. On July 4th, he sent me an email that said he’d seen a Craigslist ad that had what he believed was his equipment for sale by somebody from Sioux City.” La Vista police detectives posed as buyers and contacted the seller.

“Detectives had an idea this might be our victim’s property and asked the suspect to send us the serial numbers so we could make sure it wasn’t stolen,” Lauston says. “He sent us the serial numbers, we verified it was the stolen property. The suspect still wanted to come down and make the sale. He showed up in La Vista with the stolen camera equipment and he was taken into custody.” The suspect is identified as Keegan Ingram of Sioux City and the chief says Ingram has his version of events.

“His story was that he’d bought that from somebody else, so this may’ve been the second or third time this property had been sold,” Lauston says. “We don’t know exactly who stole it but we know who had possession of it.” The camera equipment is valued at four-thousand dollars.

(Radio Iowa)

Posted in News |