DES MOINES – Senator Jason Schultz, R-Schleswig, has Harlan resident Brody Larson as his legislative clerk for the 2018 session. Larson is 20 years old and is attending Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) studying political science. “My family has a lot of political involvement and a significant history of law and politics in the family,” said Larson. “During my time as a clerk in the Senate, I hope to learn more about the legislative process.”

“I am so pleased to have someone from my district with me for the legislative session,” said Senator Schultz. “I look forward to introducing Brody to the legislative process in the Senate, to my colleagues, and to many of the constituents who visit me at the Iowa Capitol this year.”

As we reported earlier this morning, an accident between Shelby and Minden had traffic at a standstill. It’s moving now, but expect delays. The right lane of Interstate 80 westbound is still closed, due to the crash (DOT Update 11:12-a.m.).  The affected lane is between Exit 34 (County road M16) and Exit 29 (County road L66), near Minden.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Plans for an $88 million high-rise apartment tower in downtown Des Moines are uncertain after the developer announced a property swap with an insurance company. The Des Moines Register reports that Blackbird Investments announced on Wednesday plans to sell the property of its highly anticipated high-rise project to EMC Insurance Companies. In exchange, the developer would acquire the eastern half of an aging food court and mall owned by the insurance company, known as the Kaleidoscope at the Hub.

Blackbird and EMC announced the deal in a joint press release, but did not provide further comment on property plans. Assistant City Manager Matt Anderson says the exchange caught city officials off guard. Anderson says they’ll be meeting with Blackbird to discuss next steps in their development agreement with the city.

The blowing and drifting of snow makes retrieving stuck vehicles in ditches and medians extremely dangerous, especially with the reduced visibility. Tow bans are currently in effect for Cass, Adair, Shelby, Pottawattamie, Mills, Fremont and Dallas Counties in the KJAN listening area. That means tow services will not be able to help your vehicle until Friday, at the earliest, unless otherwise mentioned. Travel is not advised in Shelby and other area counties today unless absolutely necessary.

AVOCA, Iowa (AP) — A man convicted twice for killing a woman at his western Iowa home has been given 50 years in prison. The Daily Nonpareil reports that 67-year-old Robert Reynolds was sentenced Wednesday, in Avoca. Reynolds was first convicted in November 2014 of first-degree murder for the April 2014 of killing 64-year-old Patricia Kinkade-Dorsey after a night of drinking at his and his wife’s Oakland home. Kinkade-Dorsey was a friend of his wife.

The Iowa Appeals Court later ordered a new trial, ruling that the trial judge erroneously changed the first trial’s location. Reynolds has said he hallucinated while intoxicated and thought Kinkaid-Dorsey was a demon when he shot her.

Deputies with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, Wednesday, conducted an investigation into a Sex Offender Registration Violation that occurred in Sidney. They determined 22-year old Nathan Mulhausen, of Elliott, had been living in Sidney within 2000 feet of a school, since mid-December 2017,, in violation of his registry requirements. Mulhausen was arrested for Sex Offender Residency violation, 2nd or Subsequent Offense, a class D felony. He was being held at the Fremont County Jail pending initial appearance with a Magistrate. Other charges are pending.

Mulhausen

AMES, Iowa – Jan. 11, 2018 – The Iowa Department of Transportation will hold a public information meeting Tuesday, Jan. 23rd, to discuss two Missouri Valley bypass corridor study areas. The northern study area extends along Harrison County Road F-50 from Interstate 29 to U.S. 30. The southern study area includes an area south of Missouri Valley and extends along U.S. 30 from I-29 to 280th Street.

All interested persons are invited to attend this meeting anytime between 4 and 6 p.m. at the Rand Community Center, 100 S. Fourth St., in Missouri Valley. The meeting will be conducted utilizing an open forum format. Iowa DOT staff will be present to informally discuss the proposed improvements. No formal presentation will be made.

The meeting space is accessible for persons with disabilities. However, if you require special accommodations at the meeting, please notify by no later than Jan.19th: Scott Suhr, transportation planner, Iowa DOT District 4 Office, 2210 E. Seventh St., Atlantic, Iowa 50022, phone 712-243-3355 or 800-289-4368, email scott.suhr@iowadot.us.  Scott Suhr can also be contacted for general project information.

The push to prepare more nurses to fill a growing shortage in Iowa is bringing an educational collaboration between two private colleges in Des Moines. A partnership between Drake University and Mercy College of Health Sciences will enable students to earn two bachelor degrees in four years. Nancy Kertz, dean of Mercy’s School of Nursing, says the accelerated program will help fill a significant number of job openings in nursing. Kertz says, “The opportunity of increasing the number of nurses into the Des Moines and Iowa community is so important during this critical nursing shortage.”

Students in the program will come away with a B-S degree in Health Sciences from Drake and a B-S in Nursing from Mercy. The U-S Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the nursing profession is growing by 15-percent a year. Kertz says the goal is to quickly start tackling the shortage of nurses in Iowa. Kertz says, “An accelerated program allows us to produce high-quality registered nurses for not only the Des Moines area, but the rural areas of Iowa.”

Drake is entering a similar arrangement with Allen College in Waterloo. Des Moines Area Community College has agreements with the University of Iowa, Iowa Wesleyan and Iowa State University aimed at educating more nurses.

(Radio Iowa, w/Thanks to Rob Dillard, Iowa Public Radio)

The Atlantic School Board is still kicking around ideas about what to do with the district’s athletic facilities. More specifically, improving the current Trojan Bowl to make it safer and ADA compliant, or updating the High School Soccer field, making it a multi-purpose (including football), field. The answer may come next month. A Master Planning Committee submitted its recommendation following several meetings over the past couple of years, after an architect was hired to conduct an athletics facility study, and the Board, Wednesday agreed they need to get the ball rolling again. The board will continue their discussion at the January 24^th work session with a goal to decide at the February 14^th board meeting.

School Board President Alison Bruckner said safety should be the main factor in making their decision which direction they should go, next. Problem areas around the Trojan Bowl include: An insufficient playing area size meet the current safety requirements; the cinder track around the field is difficult to deal with during inclement weather, as it becomes muddy and creates problems for anyone using it, including cheerleaders, the band, and transport vehicles; and, there is erosion of padding around the retaining walls taking place.

The facilities study showed also, that the bleachers on the visitor side are not ADA compliant.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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