Two people traveling in a single vehicle were injured during a rollover accident Saturday evening, in Mills County. The Mills County Sheriff’s Office says 32-year old Steven Bilek, of Bellevue, NE, was driving a 2000 Ford southbound on 221st Street at around 5:45-p.m., Saturday, when the vehicle began to fish-tail due to the slippery road conditions.

The vehicle left the road and entered a ditch, where it rolled several times into a field and came to rest upright, about 100-feet from where it left the road.  Bilek and his passenger, 33-year old Catherine Bilek, were transported by rescue units to the University of Nebraska Medical Center, in Omaha.

Oak Township Fire and Glenwood Rescue assisted at the scene.

The Iowa Democratic Party’s leadership is authorizing a “deep dive” to figure out why Democrats had such a “devastating” 2016. Congressman Dave Loebsack of Iowa City — the only Democrat in Iowa’s congressional delegation — is helping to raise the money for the research.

Loebsack says Democrats “have an opportunity in 2018” if the party goes to where people “live, work and play” and have a “two way conversation” with Iowans. Loeback made his comments Saturday during the Iowa Democratic Party’s State Central Committee meeting.

The next Iowa Democratic Party chair will be elected in late January.

(Radio Iowa)

OMAHA, Neb. (Dec. 19, 2016) — As freezing temperatures and harsh weather grip much of the nation, the American Red Cross urges eligible donors to make an appointment to give blood or platelets to help meet the constant need for blood this winter. Millions of people are expected to take to the roads, rail and air to celebrate the season, which can cause fewer donors to be available and lead to a decline in blood and platelet donations.

In addition, severe winter weather and seasonal illnesses can temporarily prevent some from giving. Donors with all blood types are needed now to help patients. As a special thank you for taking the time to donate, those who come out to give Dec. 22 through Jan. 8 will receive a long-sleeved Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last.

Nick Gehrig, communications director, Red Cross Blood Services, says “Many of us celebrate this time of year with loved ones, but patients may spend the holidays and ring in the new year from a hospital room. Blood and platelet donors can bring joy to patients and their families by giving blood or platelets to help ensure patients receive the lifesaving treatments they need.”

Here are some upcoming blood donation opportunities:

Adair County:  Orient – 1/11/2017: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Orient-Macksburg High School, 201 School Street.
Audubon County:  Audubon – 12/28/2016: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., St. Patrick’s Parish Center, 2050 Hwy 71 N
Cass County:  Atlantic – 12/22/2016: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Cass County Memorial Hospital, 1501 E. 10th Street; 1/12/2017: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Atlantic YMCA, 1100 Maple Street. Griswold– 1/10/2017: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Griswold High School, 20 Madison.
Pottawattamie County:  Avoca – 12/27/2016: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., American Legion, 309 1/2 Elm; Carson – 1/3/2017: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Carson Community Center, 316 South Commercial St.
Shelby County:  Elk Horn – 1/10/2017: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Elk Horn Lutheran Church, 4313 Main Street.

How to donate blood

Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood donors can now save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, prior to arriving at the blood drive. To get started and learn more, visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Six Iowa residents will take part in the Electoral College vote as the nation elects the next president and vice president. The half-dozen people will cast ballots this (Monday) afternoon at the state Capitol. The process is expected to take about a half hour.

The Electoral College system was devised more than two centuries ago. While people around the country individually vote for the presidential ticket, the winners are technically selected by a “college” of 538 electors from the states. The general premise is to ensure one state doesn’t have outsized influence in the election.

Some of the electors say they’ve been lobbied to change their expected votes for Donald Trump, who won easily in Iowa. The Iowa electors told The Associated Press they intend to vote for Trump.

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

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The Atlantic City Council will meet in a regular session Wednesday evening at City Hall, beginning at 5:30. On their agenda, is a call-in presentation from Carlos Galo, of SeeClickFix, with regard to the proposed Community Support and Service software, which Mayor Dave Jones says is part of his goal to make City Government more effective in its communication and follow-through with the public. The program has no up-front cost, but does require a $7,485 annual fee, which would be paid for out of the City’s General Fund.

The Council will also recognize Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green for his 30-years of service to the community, and making Atlantic one of the 25 safest communities in Iowa, according to Iowa Living Magazine. Green is retiring at the end of the month, and will be succeeded by Lt. Dave Erickson. The Council is also expected to act on an order appointing Barb Barrick as City Clerk, effective Feb. 25th, 2017. Barb will succeed Deb Wheatley-Field, who is retiring after serving the City for more than 35 years as City Clerk. Barrick is currently the Community Development Specialist for SWIPCO, and has previously served as the City Clerk/Finance Director for the City of Fort Dodge, and Financial Manager for the City of Marengo.

In other business, City Code Enforcement Officer Kris Erickson will present her annual report, especially with regard to Nuisance Abatement, Abandoned Properties and Minimum Maintenance Issues. Erickson wrote-up an Ordinance that’s expected to be added to the current Code, with regard to residences without working sewers or water systems. The Ordinance, which will receive its second reading, Wednesday, will address the issue of persons using means other than a sanitary sewer to dispose of human waste.

The Council will also act on the third and final reading of an Ordinance providing for the establishment of a TIF (Tax Increment Financing) District for the Old Whitney Hotel project, which is being financed through multiple cash streams, including private investors, commercial loans, as well as State and Federal Tax Credits. The Ordinance calls for the property owner to pay their taxes as normal, but the County Treasurer would not break the funding into separate taxing authorities (City, County and School), and would wait until the City sends an amount of Certified Liability to the Auditor, to be captured. The captured value would be the amount of total taxes the City has the right to retain (Minus the portions of the City and School District’s debt service) into a TIF Fund. The taxes in that fund would be collected and the City would rebate them back to the property owner. In the early years of the project, taxes paid and rebated will be nearly 90%. The percentage will decline over the life of the TIF and as the property value appreciates.

On a related note, the Council is expected to set the date of a Public Hearing on the proposed Development Agreement between the City and The Whitney Group, LLC, as Jan. 4th, 2017.

Police in Creston arrested three people on separate charges over the past few days. At around 8:30-p.m. Sunday, 23-year old Jordan Hibbs, of Creston, was arrested for Public Intoxication. Hibbs was later released from custody on a Promise to Appear in court. Saturday afternoon, Creston Police arrested 23-year old Jami Michael, of Creston, for 5th Degree Theft. She was also released from the Union County Jail on a Promise to Appear. And, Friday afternoon, 38-year old James Smizer, of Creston, was arrested at the Union County Jail on a charge of Simple Domestic Assault. He was later released on $300 bond.

The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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The impact of wind turbines on the state’s energy production is well documented, and now an Iowa State University study is trying to determine the impact they may have on  Iowa’s crops.  I-S-U Distinguished Professor of agronomy, Gene Takle set out to find out if the relatively new giant rotating blades made an impact on a variety of conditions in nearby farm fields.

“Differences in micrometeorlogical conditions, differences in temperature, wind speed, wind direction humidity,  carbon dioxide levels — these are some of the things that we measure up wind and down wind of turbines,” Takle explains. ” And the simple answer is yes, we can measure some differences.”

While the early research shows some changes, Takle says it’s only a small part of the research right now. “The more complicated question as to whether these have an impact on biomass production, plant size, plant yield, those are more difficult and we haven’t found anything out about those yet,” Takle says.

He says they set up a tower to measure the changes in the air over the fields “We found that in general the landscape downwind of the turbines is slightly warmer at night and slightly cooler during the day. The amount of that is maybe a one-degree warming at night, and maybe a  half-degree celsius cooling during the day — so it isn’t a large effect,” according to Takle.

One result of the changes could be less dew forming on the plants. “Which would be generally a good thing because dew promotes growth of fungus and mold and some pathogens that crops are generally affected by,” Takle says. He says they found the turbines slowed the wind over the fields. “And this in meteorological terms that leads to a surface convergence. And that means that by laws of physics that there must be an upward motion over the windfarm,” Takle says.   “..and it could have significance in that it could affect fog and cloudiness or rainfall if it is on a large enough scale.”

The research was done behind a couple of rows of turbines. “We have not gone to look at the regional scale say of 150 or 200 turbines, the impact that might have,” Takle says. “But that is an very interesting question and one that we are pursuing, because it could have some significance.”

He says it’s going to  be much harder to find those answers because of all the other factors at play in a field — such as variations in soil quality or precipitation. It was announced earlier this year that from July of 2015 to July of 2016 35-point-eight percent of Iowa’s electricity was generated by wind.

(Radio Iowa)

A man wanted in connection with numerous burglaries and a previous narcotics investigation in Fremont County, was arrested early this (Monday) morning in Hamburg after a scuffle with Deputies. Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports 48-year old John Tracy Miller, of Hamburg, was arrested after an altercation with Deputies who served a search and arrest warrant on Miller at his home located in the 1500 block of Washington Street.

Miller faces charges that include Delivery of Methamphetamine and Interference with Official Acts. He also has pending Burglary and Theft charges.  He was transported to the Fremont County Jail and held on a $50,000 cash bond.

John Tracy Miller