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Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
The Glenwood Police Department reports a Glenwood woman was arrested last Friday on OWI/2nd offense, and Child Endangerment, charges. 33-year old Kelly Roker was arrested after authorities investigated multiple calls about an impaired driver who was walking on the road in an allegedly impaired state, after the van she was driving struck a curb, shredding the tire. The vehicle also hit several mailboxes and a stop sign before coming to rest. The damage was estimated at $1,500 altogether.
When officers arrived, they found Roker’s children running around on the street as cars were approaching, and they were running through yards. One of her children put the van in gear while the officer was nearby, and began honking the horn.
A preliminary breath test showed no sign of alcohol in the woman’s system. Roker was overheard saying at the Mills County Jail, that she had taken “Too much Ambien,” and that her kids got the van’s sliding door open while she was speaking to a friend.
Tests were conducted for evidence of other forms of impairment. The results of those tests are not yet available.
Despite concerns by neighbors over noise and truck traffic, the Cass County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday, approved a recommendation by the County Zoning Commission, to rezone a parcel of land in rural Griswold from General Agricultural, to Light Industrial. Rich Hansen, Cass County Zoning Commissioner, explained the request to rezone the land was made by business owner Kyle Kirchhoff.
Kirchhoff started his business in 2011 in a machine shed on his property. Kirchhoff builds skid loader attachments, grain-hopper loaders for railroad cars, and other specialty items. He built a new addition to expand his business. One of the questions the Zoning Commission asked Kirchhoff, was with regard to traffic flow. Hansen said the gravel road he’s on is a Farm to Market road. Kirchhoff told the Commission trucks bring in one load of steel a week, and three or four partial loads leave the facility each week.
A neighbor to the west was concerned about noise, especially by a fork lift, which has a loud “back-up” alarm. Hansen says Kirchhoff assured the Board that and other such annoyances would be reduced by the move into the new building. A neighbor, who lives very close by, spoke up during the hearing, complaining about the machine and truck noise, along with truck traffic and blocking of the road. He suggested there be restrictions placed on the amount of traffic coming to and from the business.
The neighbor said the property should be termed “Heavy Industrial” instead of “Light Industrial,” because of the weight of equipment running on the road. Rich Hansen said since most of the business is inside the building, it qualifies as Light Industrial. The neighbor also suggested a noise reducing “buffer zone” be placed between the properties. There are a couple of grain bins between the buildings, according to Hansen, but no other buffers have been considered.
Officials with the Harlan Police Dept. said Wednesday, two people were arrested on separate charges, recently. On Thursday, September 3rd, 43-year old Pedro Duran, of Waterloo, was taken into custody when the police were notified that there may be a missing, runaway, or endangered juvenile in an 2006 Toyota. The vehicle was located, parked, in the 2200 block of Lincoln Avenue. Duran had exited the car prior to officers making contact with him. The possible missing/endangered juvenile was not in the vehicle. Duran was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with intoxication in public and was issued a citation for open container.
And on Saturday, Sept. 5th, 27-year old Charlie Hadfield, of Earling, was arrested in Harlan, following a traffic stop. Hadfield was charged with driving while suspended. He was cited for the offense, and released.
An accident in rural, northeastern Pottawattamie County Tuesday night, happened when the driver of a pickup apparently fell asleep as he was texting. The Pott. County Sheriff’s Dept. says 18-year old Zaine Klahn, of rural Avoca, was traveling west on Highway 83 at around 11-p.m., when his 2002 Chevy Avalanche left the road and rolled several times before coming to rest in the south ditch, upside down.
Klahn, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected during the crash and was found beneath the vehicle when deputies arrived. He was transported by Walnut Rescue to Myrtue Memorial Hospital in Harlan for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.
The incident remains under investigation, and charges are possible.
A group of concerned citizens packed the Cass County Board of Supervisor’s Board Room Wednesday morning, to express their disappointment in the Board’s vote with regard to the re-appointment of Cass County Assessor Brenda Nelson. The Board was one of three governing agencies (The School Board and Mayors, being the others), to vote 2-1 against re-appointing Nelson as Cass County Assessor for a six-year term beginning January, 2016. The vote not to reappoint her was held during the Conference Board’s meeting last Thursday night.
Before opening up the public comment portion of the Board of Supervisor’s meeting, Board Chair Frank Waters…who is also chair of the Conference Board…announced he would not take comments with regard to the Assessor’s reappointment. That left the audience frustrated, but the discussion still turned toward the Assessor’s matter. One of those who spoke was Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones, who called for another meeting of the Conference Board because he wasn’t able to attend Thursday’s meeting. Waters told Jones in essence, he should have been there, and Supervisor Mark Wedemeyer agreed.
One of those in attendance was upset the Supervisors would not take comments on the Nelson matter, and questioned their reasoning. Waters explained they are two separate Boards. He said those comments can be taken at the next Conference Board meeting, which is typically held twice a year and has not yet been rescheduled.
Waters said the Conference Board can hold a special meeting before Nov. 1st, if there are enough written comments to the Board Chair (Waters) requesting the meeting. One of the comments from local realtor Melissa Ihnen, was with regard to the posting of notice about the Conference Board meeting, so members of the public can attend. Wedemeyer explained the notice is posted by Nelson in the entryway to the courthouse, but not made available to the local media unless it is specifically requested.
Afterward, each member of the local newspaper and radio stations, including KJAN, went on record and requested Conference Board Chair Water provide notification of those meetings. If and when another meeting of the Conference Board is scheduled in the near future, we will let you know, here on KJAN.
More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.
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Nearly 400 Iowans took their own lives last year and all Iowans are being encouraged to take an active role in preventing further deaths. Pat McGovern, the suicide prevention coordinator for the Iowa Department of Public Health, says it starts with trying to reduce the stigma of mental illness and reaching out to those who may be in trouble.
“It is okay to ask someone, ‘Are you suicidal?,'” McGovern says. “A lot of times, that gives a sense of relief to the person who is. They may not have even called it suicide in their own mind, but it’s thinking of suicide as an option. It allows them to know that someone does care, that there is someone who notices me, who sees me for whom I am and is concerned enough to have that conversation or to ask.”
This is Suicide Prevention Week. Last year, 392 Iowans died by suicide, making it the 10th leading cause of death in the state. Since many people know someone who has taken their own life, McGovern says the tragedy is a public health issue. “One risk with suicide is something called contagion, where someone in your social circle or your near community dies by suicide, it puts others at more risk,” McGovern says. “For some reason, we see that, we know about it and it affects us all in different ways.”
Warning signs that someone might be considering suicide include: someone talking about dying, hopelessness or taking their own life, pill hoarding, buying firearms, and dramatic life changes like the loss of a job, a loved one or a move to a new community. Learn more at the website Your-Life-Iowa-dot-org or call toll-free 855-581-8111.
(Radio Iowa)
Police in Creston report two arrests on Tuesday. 14-year old Georjiarain McKown, of Creston, was referred to Juvenile Authorities on a charge of Disorderly Conduct. The teen was released to the custody of Juvenile Authorities. And, 28-year old Amber Buchanen, of Creston, was arrested on a 4th degree Theft charge. She was later released from the Union County Jail on $1,000 bond.
Creston Police said also, a resident in the 1100 block of Hillcrest Drive reported a Stihl chainsaw was taken from a garage on his property sometime on Friday, Sept. 4th. The loss was estimated at $299.
The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson
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Multiple law enforcement agencies were involved in a pursuit early this (Wednesday) morning, in western Iowa. According to authorities in Cass County, the pursuit of a black Ford Escort began at around 2:30-a.m. in Pottawattamie County and made its way into Cass County on Boston Road.
Stop sticks were deployed at 560th and Boston Road in Cass County, but the suspect vehicle managed to make it back into Pottawattamie County. The chase ended between Marne and Walnut at around 2:47-a.m., near 530th and Westgate Road.
Information about the name of the suspect, why he was being pursued, and the charges filed against him, are currently not available. Deputies from Cass, Audubon, Shelby and Pottawattamie County were involved in the pursuit.