w/ Ric Hanson

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A podcast of the latest area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson…

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The time for gift shopping is quickly coming to an end, but parents are reminded that it still pays to be cautious when buying toys, to avoid those that are dangerous or toxic. According to Shaina Shay, spokeswoman for the Public Interest Research Group, one main concern are those toys with high levels of lead.She cited “the Marvel Superhero Squad Soft Shield that contains 2,900 parts per million of lead, which violates the standard by 29 times. Also the Ninja Turtles pencil case.”

Shay also urged parents to stay away from toys that could present a choking hazard for young children, which – if you want to check on your own – is generally any product that would fit through a toilet paper roll. Another consideration in toy buying is, how loud is it? The maximum suggested noise for toys that are held within an inch of the ear is 65 decibels, but Shay said one they found goes well beyond that. “The Leapfrog Count and Chat Smartphone, which is clearly intended to be held up to the ear, exceeds not only the 65-decibel range but prolonged periods of 90 decibels.”

You can find this year’s entire “Trouble in Toyland” report online at the USPIRG website.

(Iowa News Service)

 Time is running out to find the perfect gift for everyone on the “nice” list this year, but experts say it’s critical to protect yourself and your purchases in the midst of the last-minute rush.According to Michelle Corey of the Better Business Bureau, the recent data breach that affected an estimated 40 million Target customers should serve as a wake-up call for shoppers everywhere.

“If you’re using your credit card or your debit card on a regular basis during the holiday shopping season, go online to your bank and check your checking account statements or your credit card statements to see if there are unauthorized charges,” she suggested. Corey also recommended that at least once per quarter consumers check their credit reports with one of the three credit-reporting agencies to see if any unauthorized accounts have been opened or there’s any suspicious activity. 

Corey said many people look at gift cards as an easy option in these final shopping days, but she offered caution there too, as some gift cards come with transaction fees, processing fees, inactivity fees, or other issues. “Millions of gift cards every year, they go unused because people either lose them, they’re stolen, they forget about them or they just don’t want to do business at the stores,” she said.

Target data breach information is at tgt.biz/JMn9Td.

(Iowa News Service)

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports a Glenwood man was cited Sunday night for driving with a suspended license. Nicholas Allen Hall was stopped at the Highway’s 71 and 34 interchange for a traffic violation. Upon further investigation, it was determined Hall was operating a motor vehicle with a suspended driver’s license. Hall was cited for the offense and released on a citation, with instructions to appear in court at a later date.

Two Iowa deer hunters sustained non-life threatening injuries during the final weekend of the shotgun deer season. Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources officials say 50-year old Michael Otto, of Madrid, was treated after sustaining an injury to his elbow while deer hunting southwest of Madrid in Dallas County on Saturday. Otto was hit in the elbow by another hunter who was shooting at a running deer at approximately 11 a.m. Saturday. He was treated at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines.

21-year old Holden Hillegas, of Charles City, suffered a flesh wound to his upper back when he was struck by a deer slug fired from approximately 200 yards away by another hunter in his party shortly after 3 p.m. on Saturday while hunting near Floyd. He was treated at Floyd County Medical Center in Charles City.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Travel conditions are likely to remain hazardous in Iowa through Monday morning as strong winds create snow drifts and glazed roads. The latest road conditions are available online at http://511ia.org or by calling 511 when in Iowa.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines police officer is facing sanctions after department officials determined that he acted improperly when he shot out a van tire during an October pursuit. Sergeant Jason Halifax tells the Register that Sergeant Greg Wessels’ actions violated the department’s policy on using deadly force. Wessels remains on duty. His commanders will decide what punishment to impose.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Two deer hunters have been injured during the last weekend of shotgun season. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources said yesterday that a Madrid man was shot in his elbow by a hunter who was shooting at a deer in Dallas County on Saturday. Fifty-year-old Michael Otto was treated at a Des Moines hospital. Twenty-one-year-old Holden Hillegas of Charles City also was accidentally shot Saturday near Floyd.

HONOLULU (AP) — Georges Niang scored 22 points and Number 17 Iowa State beat George Mason 79-67 yesterday in the first round of the Diamond Head Classic. The Cyclones had their second-lowest scoring game of the season but still managed to extend their winning streak.

Police in Red Oak arrested a local man  Sunday after he allegedly used a vehicle to cause several thousand dollars worth of damage to a building. 23-year old Michael T. Archer, of Red Oak, was charged with Criminal Mischief in the 2nd degree.

Authorities say the charge stems from an incident at the office building of Dr. Wyatt at 1905 E. Summit in Red Oak, where a vehicle damaged a fence and wooden handicap ramp.

Archer was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $5,000 cash bond.

The Iowa State Patrol says a woman from California was injured during an accident Sunday morning on Interstate 80 in Pottawattamie County. Officials say 28-year old Dalia De La Cruz-Suarez, of Salinas, CA, suffered from neck pain, and was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic, by Walnut Rescue.

De La Cruz-Suarez was traveling eastbound in the right lane of I-80 in a 2012 Chevy Cruze, as a 1999 Chevy S-10 pickup driven by Mark W. Nielsen, of Cedar Rapids, was traveling east in the left lane. As Nielsen made an abrupt lane change to exit onto a rest area off-ramp, he hit the left front side of De La Cruz’ vehicle. Both vehicles came to rest in the rest area parking lot. The accident happened near the 44-mile marker, at around 6:50-a.m.

Roads around western Iowa are reported to be completely covered with snow early this (Sunday) morning. The Iowa Dept. of Transportation’s website at 511ia.org, shows all roads south of Highway 30 and east of the Interstate 80/680 split, down to the Missouri border, are covered with snow. Blowing snow was also a factor in the morning commute to church or work. Towing services are prohibited today in Cass and Adair Counties…meaning if your vehicle goes into the ditch or median, towing companies are not allowed to pull you out until the weather improves.

Some roads in far western Pottawattamie County were partially covered with snow, including I-29 from the I-80 split, south, and portions of Highways 6 and 92. North of I-80 in far western and northwest Iowa, where there was less snow, the roads are in mostly normal driving condition.

Here in Atlantic, we had received 2.5-inches of snow, as of 6-a.m., and roads were 100-percent snow covered, with blowing and some drifting of snow.