The Adair/Guthrie County Emergency Management Agency reported at mid-day today (Thursday), that Highway 44 east of Panora was closed due to drifting snow, and a stranded vehicle. Travel is not advised due to drifts and blowing snow. Conditions should improve later this afternoon, until then please stay off the roads so clearing them is easier.

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, approved entering into a contract with Snyder and Associates Engineers, for design, and construction engineering services associated with the City’s 2013 Street Improvement Program. City Administrator Doug Harris said the Design Services will be for a lump sum of $88,800. Bid services will cost $2,500, and construction engineering services will be billed hourly, but not to exceed $78,450. The grand total for the contract package amounts to $169,750. Harris says that represents 9.6% of the estimated construction costs.

Mayor Dave Jones explained why the City didn’t follow the normal course of action, and call for bids on the services needed. He said “Generally, engineering fees are 15-to 18-percent” of the total project cost. Snyder and Associates has agreed to keep their fees at 9.6-percent, which results in a savings to the City for the $2-million dollar street project over the next two-years. He said also low interest rates make this the prime time to get some good bids through Snyders for those projects.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council discussed and agreed to refer for further review to the Community Development Committee, the offering of Tax Abatements and/or rebate programs as a means to inspire home owners to rehabilitate their properties, and revitalize neighborhoods in the City. Mayor Jones said there would be a cap on amount of the abatements, which are designed for the average citizen, and not developers. He says the City has a Minimum Maintenance Code which requires homeowners to fix their properties up, and this is a tool designed to help them do just that, while at the same time getting a break on their taxes “down the road.”

Jones said he’d like to get the process underway in January so the Council has something to approve by April. Councilman Steve Livengood said the City’s bonding attorney answered a lot of questions the Council had about putting together a policy on Tax Abatements, and, Councilman Shaun Shouse said what’s being discussed now is consistent with what the City’s TIF Task Force has recommended.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol and Missouri Department of Transportation have closed Interstate 29 from its junction with I-229 (mile marker 56) in St. Joseph, Mo., to the Iowa State Line. Drivers on I-29 should exit the highway at the next exit where they can find shelter. Continued travel in the area is dangerous.

MoDOT also states that travel in the Northwest Missouri and Kansas City areas is not advised due to severe conditions from this season’s first major winter storm. Because of continuing heavy snowfall in the area, motorists are urged not to travel unless absolutely necessary.

MoDOT crews are out in full force plowing snow off of major highways. Regardless, MoDOT says the winter weather makes travel hazardous and urges motorists stay put until the snow stops and roads are clear.

(This message provided by the Iowa Dept. of Transportation as a courtesy to MoDot and motorists)

The Iowa State Patrol says the visibility on Iowa’s roads remains low due to high winds from the blizzard continuing its trek across Iowa.

25-vehicle pile-up on I-35 this morning. (ISP Photo)

Limited visibility paired with roadways completely covered in snow and ice, create dangerous driving conditions for motorists. The Patrol continues to urge Iowans to avoid travel.

At major interchanges and intersections across Iowa’s highways and interstates, traffic is becoming increasingly backed up. Roadways are being blocked by stalled and stuck vehicles. In some instances semis have jack-knifed, derailing traffic for hours.

Late this morning, the Iowa State Patrol was responding to a 25 car crash at the 150 mile marker along the southbound lanes of Interstate 35. Preliminary information indicates that due to near zero visibility, drivers were unable to see vehicles that had either slowed or stopped on the Interstate. A chain reaction of crashes then ensued. So far one person has died as a result of the crash. The roadway remains blocked and Troopers will work this investigation for several hours.

Additionally, the Iowa State Patrol is just now responding to a crash involving several semi-tractor trailers along I-80 by Grinnell. Eastbound lanes are completely blocked. Visibility in northern Iowa and along many other rural roadways is near zero.

Colonel David Garrison said, “It’s time to listen to warnings and get off the road. Iowa’s highways and interstates remain in poor condition for travel. Troopers will continue to assist motorists who become stranded in this dangerous weather. But your safest bet is to avoid travel altogether. If you don’t travel, you can’t become stranded.”

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says a Villisca man was arrested Wednesday afternoon on a theft charge. 20-year old Cecil McCuen the 3rd was charged with 5th degree theft, for allegedly takig an item from the Casey’s General Store in Villisca. McCuen was released from custody after posting a $300 bond.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Several major highways in Iowa have been partially closed due to poor road conditions from a major overnight snow storm.  The state Department of Transportation says on its website that several locations along Interstate 80 remain closed Thursday morning. They include an exit near Council Bluffs by the Nebraska state line, and exits near mile markers in central Iowa.

On Interstate 35, roads are blocked along exits near Williams and Coulter in north Iowa. The agency says many of the closures or blockages are due to numerous road accidents. State officials have warned drivers to stay off the road because of whiteout conditions in some areas.

The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for parts of Iowa through this (Thursday) evening. In the KJAN listening area, the warning expires at noon, unless extended later this morning.

AMES, Iowa – Dec. 20, 2012: 8:30 a.m. – Due to life-threatening blizzard conditions, the Iowa Department of Transportation’s “No Travel” advisory remains in effect throughout Thursday.

The Iowa DOT’s road and aviation weather system is currently reporting sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph, with gusts over 50 mph in some locations. The very strong winds are likely to continue until midnight with whiteout conditions at times and significant drifting.

The National Weather Services is forecasting 6 to 14 inches of snow by this afternoon, with the higher totals expected along an axis from just east of Atlantic to Des Moines to Waterloo. Snow is currently falling at a rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour.

If you must travel, bring your mobile phone and winter survival supplies. If you become stranded, STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE and call 911. For the latest road condition report, go to www.511ia.org. or call 511 (in Iowa).

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Schools, services and businesses in much of eastern Nebraska and western Iowa have closed as the states hunker down in the wake of the season’s first major snow storm.

Nearly all schools and child care services were closed Thursday in Omaha, Neb., and Des Moines, Iowa, and their surrounding areas. Scores of businesses – from banks to grocery stores – also closed their doors as a blizzard that began Wednesday night dumped nearly a foot of snow in some areas. Even as the snow tapered off early Thursday in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa, high winds and blowing snow have made travel nearly impossible.

The National Weather Service says winds were expected to die down later Thursday. But the snow cover means freezing temperatures will stick around until next week.

w/ Ric Hanson

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Heavy snow’s already on the ground from the first major snowstorm of the season. Several counties in central Iowa report more than a foot of snow while a cluster of counties in northeast Iowa have nearly 11 inches. In Atlantic, we received 7-inches of snow outside the KJAN studios from 3-pm Wednesday through 7-a.m. today (Thursday).

National Weather Service meteorologist Kevin Skow says the blizzard is beginning to ease.  “At this point, the storm is starting to pull slowly away from the state but we still have widespread snow across most of Iowa,” Skow says. “That should slowly taper off during the mid-to-late morning hours from west to east.” If you think you heard thunder last night — you did, and there was lightning, too. That’s “thundersnow,” according to Skow.

“Thundersnow is not terribly uncommon with these very strong systems,” he says. “And you have very strong winds. It’s a very strong system and that’s what led to that thundersnow.” While the snow is starting to lessen in western and central Iowa, Skow says another threat will remain through this afternoon.

“The big story today will be the winds,” he says. “We’re expecting strong winds, 30-40 miles per hour or even 50 to 60 mph wind gusts which will blow that snow around and create hazardous travel conditions.” Snowfall totals show three deep areas in the state — near Council Bluffs, around Des Moines, and between Dubuque and Waterloo. The deepest report is 13-point-1 inches, just north of Des Moines.

(Radio Iowa)