w/ Ric Hanson

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The Atlantic Police Dept. reports two people were arrested, Friday. 34-year old Heather Christensen, of Atlantic, was arrested on a warrant out of Storm Lake for Possession of a Controlled Substance, and, 19-year old Brooklyn Terry, of Atlantic, was arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of a Controlled Substance. Terry and Christensen were booked into the Cass County Jail.

With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The experts are keeping a close eye on Missouri River conditions as they try to predict whether water levels will be high or low in the coming months. Jody Farhat is chief of the Missouri River Water Management Office of the U-S Army Corps of Engineers. Farhat, who’s based in Omaha, says low river levels and above-normal runoff may balance each other out.
“The drought situation in the basin is much improved from a year ago, however, the main stem reservoirs remain drawn down five to 11 feet as result of the 2012 drought,” Farhat says. “Soil moistures going into the winter were quite wet across much of the upper basin, which creates the potential for above-normal runoff this spring, even if precipitation is normal.”

From one point of view, it’s fortunate that river levels are still quite low since the drought, or else significant flooding might be in the forecast. Bill Doan, an engineer in the Corps’ water management office, says they expect higher-than-normal runoff along the upper end of the Missouri River basin. “The 2014 calendar year runoff forecast is 26.7-million acre feet above Sioux City. This is 106% of normal,” Doan says. “Above Gavins Point Dam, we’re forecasting 24.3-million acre feet. This is, again, 106% of normal.” The figures represent an increase since the January forecast due to several factors: a greater than expected January runoff, a higher precipitation forecast for February and slight increases in the runoff forecast for May through July.

(Radio Iowa)

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A 54-year-old registered Iowa sex offender has been given nearly 30 years in prison for child pornography and enticing a child into sexual activity.  Timothy Koenck, of Fenton, was given 355 months earlier this month after pleading guilty to several charges in September. He was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Sioux City.

Koenck also was convicted in 2002 of enticement of a minor and possession of child pornography. Koenck must serve 10 years of supervised release after leaving custody.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A program that assigns a volunteer to speak on behalf of a child in Iowa’s foster care system is looking for more participants. Organizers behind the Court Appointed Special Advocate program say they currently have 460 volunteers advocating for more than 900 children in the system. They want to double the number of volunteers over the next two years.

Jim Hennessey, an administrator who helps oversee the program, says judges and service providers believe an increase in volunteers would benefit the children. The volunteer’s main job would be to represent the interest of a child during any judicial proceeding. A volunteer will complete a 30-hour training course and spend an average of 10 hours per month getting to know the child and his or her circumstances.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Daycare oversight in Iowa is under review at the Capitol, as lawmakers in the state House ponder legislation that would expand reporting requirements for in-home child care providers. Under the legislation approved by a subcommittee last week, all home-based daycares in Iowa would have to register with the state, with some exemptions for family members providing care. Currently, home-based daycares with five or less children do not have to register.

EVANSDALE, Iowa (AP) — Residents of several Iowa cities are being forced to boil their water because of water main breaks. Officials in Evansdale, Brighton, Wilton and Bondurant have all ordered residents to boil their water as a precaution. Boil orders are typically in place for at least several days until tests show the water is safe to consume.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa law that allows retired health care professionals to return to work part time has helped to head off a nurse shortage, but it’s due to expire this summer. The Sioux City Journal reports that some groups argue the law is no longer needed, but Iowa hospitals want the exception extended.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — Students in Marshalltown are going to be getting pedometers as part of their physical education classes thanks to a federal grant. The Times-Republican reports the Marshalltown Community School District bought 4,200 pedometers to encourage students to be more active. The district plans to spend $80,000 on the pedometers.

Police in Red Oak report the arrest of a local man on a sexual abuse charge. 19-year-old Zachery Daulton Brower, of Red Oak, was taken into custody Saturday at a residence on E. Coolbaugh Street, in Red Oak. Brower was brought to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center where he was charged with 3rd degree sexual abuse. His bond was set at $10,000.

A trio of area school district Boards of Education will hold their regular, separate meetings Monday evening. The CAM School Board will gather at 5:30-p.m. in the High School Media Center in Anita. Discussion and/or action items on their agenda include: Setting the times & dates for public hearings on an Early Start Date for the 2014-2015 School Year and 2014-2015 Budget; Drivers Ed contract and fees; and approval of the Washington, D-C trip for 2015. The CAM School Board will enter into a closed session for negotiations, prior to adjourning for the evening.

Members of the Griswold School Board will gather in the Central Office Board Room at the Middle School/High School building, beginning at 5:45-p.m., Monday. Under New Business, the Board will act on Auditor and Chemical Application bids, as well as the School Calendar and Early Start waiver. They’ll also act on approving the second reading of 903 series Board Policies and receive an update on various district construction/renovation projects.

And the Elk Horn-Kimballton School Board will meet at 7-pm in the Family and Consumer Science Room at the High School in Elk Horn. During their session, the Board will act on staff contracts, with regard to Junior High Track. They’ll also discuss the results of the Feb. 4th Revenue Purpose Statement vote, and the 2014-2015 School Calendar (180 days worth of education vs. 1,080 hours).  The Board will then enter into a closed session for negotiations, prior to adjournment.

The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Dept. Board of Directors will meet Monday evening at the Senior Citizen Center on Walnut Street, next to the City Hall/Police Dept. Building. The Board is slated to: discuss the Senior Activities Area and receive a rough draft of the layout; Receive a letter from Cass County Community Health Tobacco Prevention Coordinator Karla Akers, with regard to the City Council’s decision on Jan. 22nd vote down the 1st reading of an ordinance for a Tobacco Free policy for Sunnyside Park; and discuss recommendation for the 2014 Summer Recreation Program, after hearing a report about last year’s programs. They’ll also discuss the Nishna Valley YMCA management fee.

In other business, the Atlantic Parks and Rec Board will discuss a Sunnyside Park Tree Replacement Plan, which has drawn interest from the public as far as helping replanting efforts with memorials and other gifts and labor, and, they’ll discuss Spring and Summer Capital Improvement Projects, including renovation and refurbishing of the Camblin and Kiddie Korral at Sunnyside Park, the Senior Activity Area, and more.

The meeting at the Atlantic Senior Citizen Center begins at 5:15-p.m., Monday.