United Group Insurance

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!

Harlan Police report, 11/16/21

News

November 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Harlan, Iowa) – The Harlan Police Department reports two recent arrests. On Monday (11/15), 30-year-old Justin Van Carver, of Harlan, was arrested for Possession of Drug paraphernalia. And, on Nov. 9th, 52-year-old Marlene Eleanor Anderson, of Ralston, IA, was arrested on an active Carroll County warrant.

Cedar Rapids agency wins bid to create statewide English Language Learners plan

News

November 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A refugee resettlement agency has won the bid to create the statewide plan for English Language Learners through the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement. Sara Zejnic is the director of refugee and immigrant services at the Catherine McAuley Center in Cedar Rapids. She says the plan will not only focus on students, it will also include recommendations for teachers and parents.

Zejnic says, “I think it’s also shown us the importance of equity and the importance of making sure that districts across the state schools across the state have the resources necessary to welcome and support refugees and immigrants in their communities.” Zejnic says an effective plan is especially important now that hundreds of Afghan refugees will soon be arriving in Iowa. The E-L-L plan will target students in the K-through-12 system and it’s mainly geared toward refugees, humanitarian parolees and survivors of human trafficking.

Anne Dugger, the center’s director of education services, says others will also benefit.  Dugger says, “So, when you look at ‘Hey, we’re making a state plan for refugees,’ the collateral beneficiaries are immigrants, any other ELL — English language learners in the school population.” It’s estimated the new E-L-L plan will go into effect at the beginning of next school year.

(reporting by Kassidy Arena, Iowa Public Radio)

Thieves steal from central Iowa organization preparing cheer boxes for families

News

November 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(UPDATE 11/18/21: Urbandale Police says two vehicles and several items taken from the Every Step organization on Tuesday have been found in Des Moines.  No arrests have been made in connection with the burglary.)

(Radio Iowa) – Thieves have struck a central Iowa organization just as it was gearing up to deliver cheer to those who are facing the holidays without a loved one. EveryStep C-E-O Tray Wade, says they were preparing their annual Cheer Boxes that go out to those who have lost a loved one. “Every year we partner with a local business and have volunteers come in and wrap and prepare the boxes — over 600 boxes to be delivered throughout the state and beyond. This year we were partnering with a company in Urbandale, and when we came in this morning we realized the space that we were utilizing had been broken into,” Wade says.

He says the thieves loaded up and left. “They took a number of items out of the boxes — items such as games — they targeted our design keychains that have a special message and out EveryStep information on them. But then they also took some larger items. They stole our delivery truck and our delivery van that we use to deliver the boxes out to the community,” according to Wade. Electronic and audio visual devices the group uses are also stolen.

Stolen EveryStep truck

“They actually ended up even taking the treats and the pop and the coffee that we had set aside for the volunteers who come in and give up their time putting these together,” he says. Urbandale police are investigating the thefts. Wade says EveryStep is moving forward with plans to complete the deliveries at the end of this month. “We have a resilient team, and I am incredibly proud of how the team has pulled together and said it might take a little bit of extra work and a lot of time and effort be we’re definitely getting these cheer boxes out to people who need them, who have experienced the loss who are going to go through a really tough holiday season,” he says.

“We don’t quite know how yet — but we are going to make it happen some way.” Wade says anyone who wants to help them recover and move forward can do so by donating. (as said)”Right now we could really use to be quite honest, just cash donations. If they want to participate and want to support this program, they can go to EveryStep.org if they wanted to donate,” Wade says. He says they may also need some more volunteers to help them catch up in getting the new cheer boxes ready.

Pleasantville policeman charged with sexually abusing a minor

News

November 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A 24-year-old central Iowa man has been arrested and charged with sexually abusing a 15 year old. On Friday, the Pleasantville Police Department asked state agents to investigate allegations that a Pleasantville policeman had sexual contact with a 15-year-old. On Monday, Alec Veatch was arrested at his home in Norwalk. Veatch has been charged with third degree sexual abuse, enticing a minor and lascivious acts with a minor.

According to the Iowa Department of Public Safety, state agents continue to investigate and additional charges will be filed. The agency’s news release described Veatch as a former officer, but did not say whether Veatch resigned or was fired from his job in Pleasantville.

City council records from Pleasantville indicate Veatch is a certified E-M-T and a combat medic with the Iowa National Guard. He was hired in May to fill a full-time vacancy in the Pleasantville Police Department.

Shenandoah man arrested for Public Intox when he shows up to serve an OWI sentence

News

November 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Clarinda, Iowa) – A Shenandoah man showed up at the Page County Jail Tuesday (today) to serve a jail sentence on a previous conviction for OWI/2nd Offense. While being booked, authorities noticed 39-year-old Jonathan Lynn Gray, appeared to be intoxicated.

Jonathan Gray

Through a series of tests, the Deputy determined that Gray was indeed intoxicated. He was then arrested for Public Intoxication and booked into the County Jail on the Public Intoxication and the court ordered sentence.

Reynolds calls ruling on state taxing authority a major victory

News

November 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says a ruling from a federal judge makes it clear accepting federal pandemic relief didn’t prohibit lawmakers from cutting taxes at the state level this year and won’t stand in the way of more tax cuts in 2022. Last March, Reynolds signed onto a lawsuit challenging a provision in the American Rescue Plan that said states could not use the pandemic relief to directly or indirectly offset tax cuts. A federal judge in Alabama has ruled that’s a vague condition for federal funding and congress exceeded its authority. Reynolds says the Biden Administration was trying to punish fiscally responsible states and she says the ruling is a major victory for Iowa taxpayers.

Reynolds already approved a series of tax cuts in June. That was three months after the Biden Administration announced there was no blanket prohibition on cutting taxes at the state level, as long as federal pandemic funds weren’t used to pay for tax cuts.

Union County man arrested following theft of a vehicle in Adair County

News

November 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports a Union County man was arrested over the weekend, following the theft of a pickup truck from the rural Orient, area. The Sheriff’s Office says they received a report at around 10:48-a.m., Saturday, about a Ford F-150 that was stolen. At around 1:15-p.m., an Adair County Deputy ran the VIN of a 2009 Dodge 3500 pickup that was in a roadside ditch, east of Zion. The pickup was reported stolen a day earlier, to the West Des Moines Police Department.

At around 3:47-p.m., Saturday, while still on the scene with the stolen Dodge, the Deputy saw the stolen Ford pickup drive by. He activated his emergency lights, but the driver of the vehicle failed to yield, which resulted in a pursuit. The chase went south into Union County for about 15-minutes, before the driver of the pickup stopped, and took off on foot. Deputies with the Union and Madison County Sheriff’s Offices, Iowa DNR law enforcement personnel and the Iowa State Patrol assisted in the search for the suspect.

A call from a concerned citizen led to the suspect being located about one-mile from the location where he originally fled on foot. 27-year-old Wyatt Robert Schamp, of Creston, was taken into custody and faces two counts of Theft in the 2nd Degree, for allegedly taking both pickup trucks. He remains held in the Adair County Jail on a $10,000 bond.  Schamp told authorities he fell asleep at the wheel of the Dodge before it went into the ditch, and then found the Ford pickup with the keys in it, before taking the vehicle.

In an unrelated note, 45-year-old Scott William Richard Funke, of Grimes, was arrested Nov. 12th at the Polk County Jail, on an Adair County felony warrant  for domestic abuse offender in possession or control of a firearm/weapon and possession of a controlled substance/1st offense. His bond was set at $5,000.

Adams County Sheriff’s report (11/16/21)

News

November 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Corning, Iowa) – The Adams County Sheriff’s Office has released a report on arrests and incidents that took place between Oct. 16th and Nov. 11th. On Nov. 11th, Deputies arrested 35-year-old Michael Ray Simpson for Domestic Abuse Assault/2nd offense. He was transported to the Adams County Jail, and held without bond. On the 10th of November, Deputies responded to a disturbance call at the Cenex gas station, and upon further investigation issued a Juvenile Referral to a 16-year old male, for OWI/1st offense, Minor in Possession of Alcohol and Open Container. The teen was then released to the custody of his parents.

On Nov. 9th, Adams County Deputies arrested 57-year-old Edwin Nelson Thomas, for Violation of a No Contact Order. He later posted bond, and was released. On Oct. 26th, 34-year-old Daniel Reyes was arrested following a traffic stop on Highway 34 at Tulip Avenue. Reyes was charged with Driving While Revoked. He was being held in the Adams County Jail on $2,000 bond.

On the 17th, a traffic stop at Highway 25 and 250th Street in Adams County resulted in the arrest of 32-year-old Sarah Ann Bennett, for Domestic Abuse Assault and three counts of Child Endangerment. She was being held without bond in the Adams County Jail. And, on Oct. 16th, Adams County Deputies arrested 31-year-old Eric Alan Vannausdle for OWI/1st offense. He was held until making an appearance before the magistrate.

Audubon School Board approves sale of bonds: receives a low interest rate

News

November 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Audubon, Iowa) – The Audubon School Board met Monday night and passed a Resolution approving the sale of Sales Tax (SAVE) Bonds, for their school facilities building project. Superintendent Eric Trager says they got a very low interest rate on the bonds, which will save the District a good deal of money.

Trager says with the sale of the bonds, the District kept its promise to their patrons.

With the financing now in-place, Mr. Trager said they can forward with the building project and see demolition take place in early May.

In other business, the Audubon School Board re-elected Mark Nissen as Board President, with Sarah Asmus elected Vice President.

Cass County Supervisors take no action on vacating 570th Street under I-80; Approve ISICS agreement w/Motorola

News

November 16th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors, today (Tuesday) took no action on a Resolution that would have resulted in the vacating of 500-feet of 570th Street under Interstate 80, in the State of Iowa Right-Of-Way. The matter essentially died, but could be brought up for discussion in the future if needed. The Iowa DOT requested the road vacation and provided the County with a financial incentive to do so.

During a public hearing late last month, the DOT’s Scott Suhr explained that about six years ago the Department conducted a study of Interstate 80 from the Nebraska border to the Illinois border in advance of widening the road to six lanes – three in each direction instead of the current two lanes. As part of that study, they looked for a low volume of traffic on those roaddways both over and under the Interstate that could be closed, rather than constructing a new bridge.

During today’s (Tuesday’s) meeting, Supervisor Steve Green said he and County Engineer Trent Wolken met with three real estate agents to discuss what impact closing the road would have on property values.

Green said he met with the three affected property owners this (Tuesday) morning, one of whom made it clear they would pursue legal action if the Board agreed to close 570th.

Green said no one in his district supports the measure, even though the County could use the bridge money. The Supervisors also acted to set compensation for precinct election officials at $15 per hour, effective Jan. 1st, 2022. Those officials currently earn $9 per hour. And, they acted to pay any additional Medical Examiner’s expenses, sThe ME’s Office is currently paid a flat fee of $200 per call to fatal incidents and/or questionable deaths and to reimburse for expenses incurred, such as as travel, room and boarding, when it comes to training and conferences, as they come in, and within reasonable expectation. The Board will revisit the matter in the next couple of months.

In other business, the Board approved a contract with Motorola for Chair Steve Baier to sign, with regard to ISICS (The Statewide Interoperability Communications System), and establishing a Debt Service Fund for the ISICS Project. The contract carries a price tag of $1,757,514. The Supervisors also agreed to set-up (separately), a Cass County Economic Development Fund for reducing unemployment in Cass County, as part of the disillusionment of CABEDA and the former I-80/Valley Business Park development project. The land near I-80 and Highway 71 was put up for sale in mid-October. Cass and Audubon Counties had been working to try and develop the business park, which contains 156 acres of property.

The Supervisors also approved the use of American Rescue Plan funding for the Cass County Community Building, because it served as a site for COVID vaccinations, recent jury selection and the Food Pantry. The Cass County Ag/Education Association requested $23,205 to help recover the costs of past and current other pandemic-related service expenses, which are also covered under ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) rules. (Dale Sunderman)

The County has so far received about half of the funds it is expecting from the Government, as part of pandemic relief.