SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Officials have apprehended a man accused of escaping from a work release facility in Iowa. The state Department of Corrections says 29-year-old Justin Lee Miller was back in custody Monday. He is being held at the Polk County Jail.

Officials say Miller was placed on escape status from a Sioux City work release program in August, after an unexcused absence. Additional information about Miller’s return is not available. He is serving time for convictions of willful injury, assault and escape. He was transferred to the work release program in June.

A public hearing will be held Wednesday morning in Atlantic, with regard to an amendment of the Fiscal Year 2015 Cass County Budget. On Nov. 19th, the Board of Supervisors discussed the budget and scheduled the hearing for 8:30-a.m. Wednesday, in the Supervisor’s Board Room at the Courthouse.

During last month’s meeting, Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman explained the amendment is NOT related to a shortage of funds. In fact, he said, the “Jumpstart Program” was allowed to continue, which means the flow-through funds may be four-million dollars more than what was expected. The amendment allows the funds to be spent.

The funds are administered through SWIPCO (The Southwest Iowa Planning Council), are paid to contractors for work on disaster recovery and housing assistance. The funds can also be used to assist local governments in the areas of Public Safety and Communications.

In other business, the Board will hear from a representative with West Central Community Action (WCCA), with regard to a request for continued, matching funding. WCCA will also deliver its annual report. And, Cass County Weed Commission Larry Randel will present his annual weed control report to the Board.

Sheriff’s officials in Union County say an Adair County woman was transported to the hospital in Creston following a single-vehicle rollover accident Monday afternoon. 18-year old Alison Metzger, of Orient, was traveling north on Highway 25 at around 2-p.m., when she came over a hill and saw another vehicle passing a vehicle as both of those vehicles were traveling southbound.

Metzger said she had no choice but to swerve onto the shoulder to avoid a collision. When she took evasive action, the 1998 Plymouth Neon she was driving went into the east ditch, and rolled onto its top. Metzger was transported by private vehicle to the Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston, to be checked for possible injuries.

The car sustained $5,000 damage. No citations were issued.

The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education, Monday, approved the District’s participation in a Financial Planning Program (FPP). Superintendent Mike Amstein told KJAN News the action came after the Board heard from FPP advisor Gary Sinclair. He says based on that presentation, the Board thought the FPP would be beneficial in preparing budgets and formulating budget scenarios for the upcoming year, as well as up to the next five-years.)

The Board authorized the purchase of the full FPP package in the amount $10,000, of which the District is responsible for $5,700. The cost will likely be paid for through the Capital Projects because it’s non-instructional software. Amstein says the FPP will be greatly beneficial in determining the outcome of specific financial scenarios, especially with regard to the amount of money the District receives from the State in the form of Supplemental Aid.

He says it allows them to project what their income will be regardless of whether the State aid is zero percent or as much as five-percent, and it takes into consideration student enrollment. It helps in determining the tax rate, where there staffing needs are the greatest and other costs. Last year, school districts were forced to try and determine their budgets for the upcoming year without having known for certain the amount of Supplemental Aid they would be receiving, because the legislature took so long in reaching a decision on the matter.

Amstein said instead of “Being in a position where you have to sit on your hands a little bit, we can be a little more proactive in taking a look at the different scenarios that might come into play so we’re not having to wait for the last minute to go ahead and start punching in the numbers.”

In other business, the Board discussed the possibility of hosting a Legislative meeting for local legislators to come and visit with Atlantic School Board members, as well as those in Griswold and CAM. The details are still being worked out, but the tentative plan is for the week of January 5th. Additional information will be released once all the facets of the meeting are hammered out.

With Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.4MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Temperatures have warmed up and that might make you want to head out to try some ice fishing. Army Corps of Engineers Natural Resource Specialist, Phillip Rustad, says that’s one activity that should be still be put on hold until further notice. “Until we get some more consistent cold weather to create good ice, I would recommend nobody probably go out on the ice or wander out on the ice we have out there because it’s just not very safe. There’s a lot of open spots on a lot of the lakes,” Rustad says.

Rustad says you should always wear some sort of life preserver whether you’re in a boat or just near the water.  “They have inflatables now that aren’t very bulky at all, you can wear em under your coat, you can wear em on top,” Rustad says. “They are just little packs that can go around your waist, there’s a lot of options for people.”

Rustad says if you fall into the water, don’t panic. Remember the 1-10-1 rule. Cold shock will pass in about one minute: in the next ten minutes; you will have effective use of your fingers, arms and legs. And it could take up to an hour before you become unconscious due to hypothermia. Rustad says it will take several days of sub freezing temperatures before the ice will be safe again.

(Radio Iowa)

State officials are drafting plans for digital driver’s licenses, so you could show your photo I-D by pulling out your smart phone. Iowa Department of Transportation director Paul Trombino showed a mock-up to the governor and his aides on Monday. “This is a digitally-encoded drivers license. It’s on your cellphone, so you can carry it around with you,” Trombino said. “It has as much, if not more, digital encoding than the one in your wallet.”

Trombino says it could be used at a traffic stop, at the airport or anywhere else you’re asked to show identification.  “It really opens up the doorway, I think, for a lot of different types of transactions,” Trombino says.

Trombino expects the digital license would be available to motorists in addition to that small, plastic version for your wallet, at no additional charge. Some motorists are already showing proof of insurance with an app on their smart phones.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Creston, Monday, arrested a woman from Adams County on a Union County warrant for Probation Violation. Authorities say 30-year old Tara Anne Squibb, of Corning, was arrested at around 9:40-p.m. and was being held in the Ringgold County Jail, pending an appearance before a magistrate.

A podcast of the 7:07-a.m. Newscast with KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.1MB)

Subscribe: RSS

A traffic stop late Monday evening in Adams County resulted in the arrest of a Colorado man. Sheriff’s officials say 51-year old Jeffrey Wayne Armstrong, of Loveland, CO, was pulled over at around 5:30-p.m. near the intersection of Highway 34 and Loomis Avenue. A deputy smelled alcohol coming from Armstrong, who failed Field Sobriety Tests and was placed under arrest for OWI/1st Offense. His bond was set at $1,000.