OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Regulators will hold the first public meeting on the Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant since it restarted late last year. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission plans to hold the meeting in Blair, NE., on Feb. 27th.  Fort Calhoun, which sits across from Iowa on the Missouri River about 20 miles north of Omaha, had been offline from April 2011 until last December.

Fort Calhoun initially shut down for routine maintenance, but significant flooding in 2011, a small fire and a series of safety violations forced it to remain closed for more than two years. The meeting will be held from 6-9 p.m. next Thursday at the Midland University campus in Blair.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors have appointed an interim Director of Mental Health and General Assistance.

Deb Schuler

Debbie Schuler was named to the position, and has accepted the job. Schuler will serve as the MH/GA Director and Central Point Coordinator (CPC), following last week’s termination of long-time director Teresa Kanning for what was termed “Work related items.” Schuler, who has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology, has worked in various capacities for 25-years in the Cass County Mental Health system, and built the day program for the chronically mentally ill at Partnership for Progress. She started in the Cass County Courthouse in 2009.

The Board also took action on the vacating of certain roads. Last week, they heard concerns from Guthrie County REC line crew foreman Elden Wolfe, with regard to how the REC’s easement would be affected on the portion of 700th St between Sec 2 & 3, Benton Township. Action was tabled on the matter last week, but during today’s (Wednesday’s) meeting, the Board voted to vacate that section of road, after receiving necessary information and discussing the County’s role in an easement agreement.

A hearing was also held on the vacating of a portion of 740th St. lying between sections 4 & 5, Lincoln Township. After much discussion, the Board voted to leave the road open, but reclassify it as a Class C road, which the County will maintain or repair as needed.

A hearing took place on the closure of a portion of 540th Lane lying between section 30-76-37, Cass County and section 25-76-38, in Pottawattamie County (referred to as Juniper Road). Since a portion of the road is in Pottawattamie County (referred to as Juniper Lane), a conference call was held with the Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors. The Cass County Supervisors voted to close the road, and while the Pott. County Board was not opposed to it, they could not vote to approve it because action to do so was not on their agenda. They are expected to approve it at their next meeting.

During a public hearing on the vacating of a portion of Liberty Lane lying in section 34, Washington Township, Cass County Supervisors received a request to place a “Private Drive” sign near the end of the road nearest public access, and voted to approve the sign before agreeing to vacate the road. In other action, the Supervisors voted to leave that portion of 756th Lane lying in section 3, Grant Township as is (A Class B road), after receiving both written and oral comment opposed to the closure.  And, that opted to leave that portion of Quebec Lane lying in section 27, Massena Township, as is. The move followed both written and oral objections to closing Quebec Lane.

The County looks at roads best suited for vacating every 5-years, or as requests are received. Vacating certain, little used roads saves the County money by not having to maintain them, but it can also affect property owners who have a stake in getting to their crops, various structures and/or pasture land.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Court of Appeals says a man who fell on an icy sidewalk outside the Shenandoah Medical Center in 2010 is entitled to some compensation for the pain he suffered.  A jury last year had awarded Zachary Robinson just over $4,300 for his medical bills but nothing for pain. He appealed.

The appeals court found the jury’s verdict inconsistent because it identified an injury and pain caused by the fall which it found the hospital partially liable for but failed to compensate Robinson for the pain stemming from the injury.

The court says the case should be sent back to Page County district court for a new determination of damages that includes compensation for pain.

w/ Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.8MB)

Subscribe: RSS

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS EXPANDED THURSDAY’S BLIZZARD   WATCH TO INCLUDE SAC-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-AND AUDUBON COUNTIES. THE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ADAIR, GUTHRIE AND DALLAS COUNTIES AS WELL, FROM 6-A.M. THURSDAY TO 6-P.M. FRIDAY.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD
WATCH…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH LATE
THURSDAY NIGHT.

* TIMING…A WINTRY MIX IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVERNIGHT TONIGHT
AND TRANSITION TO SNOW THURSDAY MORNING. THE SNOW MAY BECOME
HEAVY AT TIMES DURING THE DAY THURSDAY. STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS
ARE FORECAST TO DEVELOP THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND PERSIST INTO THE
EVENING HOURS…POTENTIALLY CREATING BLIZZARD CONDITIONS.
HOWEVER…WITH THE LOWER SNOW AMOUNTS AND LITTLE TO NO SNOW
CURRENTLY ON THE GROUND…CONFIDENCE IS LOWER FOR WIDESPREAD
BLIZZARD CONDITIONS OVER WEST CENTRAL IOWA.

* STORM TOTAL SNOW/ICE ACCUMULATIONS…3 TO 7 INCHES OF SNOW IS
EXPECTED. MINOR ICE AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS MAY ALSO OCCUR.

* WINDS/VISIBILITY…WINDS WILL SHIFT NORTHWEST AND QUICKLY
STRENGTHEN TO 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO NEAR 50 MPH POSSIBLE BY
THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

* IMPACTS…THE BAND OF WET AND HEAVY SNOW AND VERY STRONG WINDS
MAY LEAD TO VERY LOW VISIBILITY AND AS WELL AS QUICKLY COVER
ROADS MAKING TRAVEL HAZARDOUS TO NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE AT TIMES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A BLIZZARD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FALLING AND/OR
BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS AND EXTREMELY POOR VISIBILITIES.
THIS CAN LEAD TO WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AND MAKE TRAVEL VERY
DANGEROUS.

w/ Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.7MB)

Subscribe: RSS

The National Weather Service in Des Moines has released its projection of expected snowfall for Thursday. Officials say Central to northern Iowa will receive the most, with the worst blizzard conditions Thursday afternoon into the evening. Areas from Atlantic on north, can expect 3-to 6-inches of snow, with 2- to 3-inches possible to our southeast. One-to two-inches are possible to our west and southwest. A Blizzard Watch remains in effect from 6-a.m. Thursday until 6-a.m. Friday, for Adair, Guthrie and Dallas Counties in the listening area. And a Blizzard Watch is in effect from 9-a.m. Thursday until 6-a.m. Friday for Audubon, Carroll, Crawford and Sac Counties.

An Audubon man arrested on drugs and a firearms charge in April 2013, pled guilty to the charges Monday, and faces sentencing on April 14th. 45-year old Joel Corey Brannon agreed to plead guilty to amended felony charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance (2 counts) Marijuana and Methamphetamine, Conspiracy to Deliver a controlled substance/Methamphetamine, and Possession of a Firearm as a Felon. A 4^th charge of Habitual Offender was dismissed.

Brannon and 23-year old Desiray Elliott, also of Audubon, were taken into custody on April 19^th, 2013, after a search warrant was executed at a residence in the 1100 block of North Division Street, in Audubon.  A pre-trial conference for Elliott will take place March 31^st, with trial set for April 15^th.

Police in Red Oak are investigating the theft of personal items reported stolen from an apartment. Authorities say a Red Oak woman reported Tuesday afternoon a person or persons entered her unlocked apartment on north 7th Street and took prescription drugs Aderall, Alprazolam, and some miscellaneous jewelry, out of her purse. The items were valued at a little more than $100.

Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call Red Oak Police.

The Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday, voted to approve new security measures at the courthouse in Council Bluffs. The Omaha World-Herald reports three metal detectors and one X-ray machine will be placed in the middle of the main lobby.Anyone coming into the Pottawattamie County Courthouse will eventually have to go through metal detectors and, if necessary, X-ray machines in the building lobby before continuing onto their destination.

The County Board voted 3-2 to approve the new security measures, which had support from law enforcement and judicial officials. The new equipment will initially cost $387,050.