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!

Court upholds unreasonable search protections in pot case

News

January 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court has upheld a longstanding right to privacy by throwing out the marijuana possession conviction of a woman whose purse was searched during a drug raid at a house she was visiting.

Danielle Brown was smoking methamphetamine with several other people at a Des Moines home in October 2015 when a SWAT team burst in with a search warrant. Brown was not named on the warrant but police searched her purse and found pot. She appealed her conviction saying the purse search violated her constitutional right against unreasonable search and seizure.

A majority of four justices on Friday agreed saying since she was only a visitor in the house and wasn’t named in the warrant she had an expectation of privacy. Three members of the court disagreed saying Brown wasn’t an innocent bystander and police had ample authority to search her purse.

Some federal tax law provisions could give Iowa more revenue

News

January 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa is still analyzing the full impact of the federal tax overhaul law on state revenues, but some provisions are expected to create a windfall.

The Iowa Department of Revenue provided preliminary data Friday showing the state expects to collect about $16 million more in individual income taxes for the current budget year because of changes to how residents will deduct federal taxes. That’s estimated to increase to about $106 million in the budget year that goes into effect next summer and by $138 million the following budget year.

A department spokeswoman cautioned other aspects of the $1.5 trillion law, like changes to property tax deductions, could reduce state revenue. Republicans with majorities in the Iowa Legislature want to change the state tax code this year, including through cuts. Details have not been shared publicly.

Iowa auditor: No irregularities in Iowa budgeting

News

January 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s top auditor says she found no evidence of irregularities in Iowa’s budgeting when tax revenues came in higher than expected last year. Auditor Mary Mosiman provided the information in a letter made public Friday, after Democratic Rep. Chris Hall requested a review of the state’s books for the budget year that ended in June.

Data at one point showed incoming revenue for Iowa’s roughly $7.2 billion state budget could end up below projections by about $100 million, requiring a special session. Revenue officials later said final tax collections greatly reduced the estimated shortfall. Hall challenged those figures.

Gov. Kim Reynolds later transferred $13 million from an emergency fund and avoided a special session. Hall has separately challenged the legality of the transfer in a lawsuit, which Reynolds says is politically motivated. Hall says he’s reviewing Mosiman’s analysis.

$450 million Mega Millions winning ticket sold in Florida

News

January 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The winning ticket in the latest Mega Millions drawing was sold in Florida. One ticket matched all six numbers in Friday night’s drawing and will claim a $450 million grand prize. The Florida Lottery says the winning ticket was bought at a 7-Eleven convenience store in Port Richey. The winning numbers to claim the nation’s 10th-largest jackpot were 28-30-39-59-70-10.

Lottery officials also increased the jackpot of Powerball, the other national lottery game, to $570 million. That drawing is tonight (Saturday night). The jackpots refer to the annuity options for both games, in which payments are made over 29 years. Most winners opt for cash options, which would be $281 million for Mega Millions and $358.5 million for Powerball.

The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are one in 302.5 million. Powerball odds are one in 292.2 million.

Influenza is active in Cass County

News

January 6th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Cass County Health System officials said Friday, that there have been multiple cases of influenza (flu) positively identified in community members over the last few days, bringing the total to 34 cases of Influenza A and two cases of Influenza B identified over the past two weeks. Affected patients range from 0 to 99 years of age. CCHS staff are encouraging everyone to exercise precautions to avoid contracting influenza and to contact their medical provider immediately if they experience symptoms.

Dr. Todd Bean, Chief Medical Officer with CCHS, says “Influenza is a serious respiratory illness that can progress rapidly. It is important to use good hygiene practices to avoid contracting influenza if possible, and to seek medical treatment if you think you may have the flu.”

People most at risk to develop complications from influenza include children under age 2, those over age 65, pregnant women and people with multiple health conditions or suppressed immune systems. Dr. Bean notes that true influenza is different than what people often refer to as stomach flu. Influenza is a respiratory illness caused by a virus. Antibiotics will be ineffective unless a secondary infection such as pneumonia develops as a consequence of contracting influenza. Influenza symptoms usually come on very quickly and may include fever, headache, extreme tiredness, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, and body aches.

Dr. Bean notes that it is important to seek medical treatment quickly if you experience a sudden onset of influenza symptoms. He said “The good news is that we have medications that can reduce both the symptoms and the length of an influenza illness. However, it is most effective if the medications are started with 48 hours from when a patient begins to feel ill.”

Of course, prevention is always the best medicine. Flu vaccine is available at Atlantic Medical Center, and there is still time for it to be effective this year. No appointment is necessary. The vaccine is available in the Atlantic Medical Center Immunization Room from 8:30 – 11:00 am and 1:30 – 4 pm Monday – Friday, and 8:30 am – 11:00 am Saturday. Vaccination helps to protect not just those who are vaccinated, but also the babies under 6 months of age and others who are medically unable to receive the vaccine.

People with the flu or flu-like symptoms should not go to work, school, or other public places, including visiting hospitals and nursing homes. Everyone should practice good health habits: wash your hands frequently with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; cover coughs and sneezes; avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with your hands; and avoid close contact with people that are sick.

Cass County Health System limits visitors to inpatients during flu season, asking anyone with flu-like symptoms to stay home. Parents are asked to not bring young children and infants to visit hospital patients throughout the flu season, typically until the end of March.

According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, there were four influenza-related deaths in Iowa reported on January 5, making a total of six deaths since October 2017. The average age of those individuals was 86; three were reported to have had underlying conditions or other contributing factors.

Iowa DNR to hold meeting on tree harvest at state park

Ag/Outdoor, News

January 6th, 2018 by admin

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will hold an informational meeting in West Des Moines to discuss a planned tree harvest from a central Iowa state park campground site.

The meeting will be held from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Walnut Woods State Park Lodge.

The public is invited to the meeting to discuss 13 hazard trees located in Walnut Woods’ campground. The DNR hopes to sell the trees to a timber buyer rather than paying to have them removed.

Officials say any questions about the plan can be directed to the Walnut Woods park manager, Tim Gedler, at 515-285-4502, or district forester Aaron Wright at 515-993-4133.

 

Fareway bans tobacco use by employees on company property

News

January 6th, 2018 by admin

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A major Iowa grocery retailer has announced it will no longer allow its employees to use tobacco products on company property, including stores in Nebraska.

Des Moines television station KCCI reports that Fareway Food Stores implemented the policy, effective Monday. Under the new policy, smoking and the use of any other tobacco or tobacco-like products such as electronic cigarettes and chewing tobacco is banned on all company property.

Store officials say employees will only be allowed to use FDA-approved nicotine products aimed to help smokers quit.

Caitlyn Ferin, a member of Fareway’s Corporate Wellness Team, says it’s important to the company to “create a healthy work environment for our employees.”

Fareway operates more than 100 stores in Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, Illinois and Minnesota.

7AM Newscast 01/06/2018

News, Podcasts

January 6th, 2018 by admin

w/ Chris Parks

Play

Man arrested in Red Oak Friday for Public Intoxication

News

January 6th, 2018 by admin

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of 44-year-old James Reed Mitroff II on Friday at 10:10pm for Public Intoxication. He was arrested in the 800 block of East Reed Street in Red Oak. Mitroff II was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 bond.

Milford man dies in snowmobile crash in northwestern Iowa

News

January 5th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

WEBB, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in northwestern Iowa say a 39-year-old Milford man has died in a snowmobile crash. The Sioux City Journal reports that Justin Robert Stahly died Thursday night after the snowmobile he was driving north along the Little Sioux River crashed into a tree.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office says first responders were sent to the crash site shortly after 8 p.m. Thursday. Officials say efforts were made to save Stahly, but he died at the scene near the town of Webb.