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Central Iowa teacher pleads Not Guilty to having an alleged inappropriate relationship w/a student

News

April 11th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

ANKENY, Iowa — A teacher from central accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student is pleading not guilty. KCCI reports 34-year-old Rachel Whiteside, who was also a coach for the Ankeny Community School District, was arrested in February for sex abuse, lascivious conduct, and sexual exploitation by a school employee. Court documents show she pleaded not guilty to those charges Wednesday (April 10th). Whiteside is no longer listed on the school district’s website.

According to police, the investigation started when the victim reported their relationship to the district. That victim told investigators Whiteside had kissed them when they were 14 years old and initiated sexual intercourse with them. Court filings allege this happened at Northview Middle School after school hours starting in 2015.

Whiteside is expected back in court for a hearing early next month. Her trial is set for the start of June.

Road resurfacing project begins Monday in Audubon County

News

April 11th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Audubon, Iowa) – The Audubon County Engineer & Secondary Roads Department, reports that on Monday, April 15th, a resurfacing project will begin on County Highway M66 (Bluebird Ave); 5 miles from Co. Hwy. F24 (150th St.) to the Audubon/Carroll County line (100th St.). M66 will be under construction. Construction is anticipated to be complete by the end of May, weather pending.
The project involves milling the existing road surface, widening and paving the four-foot shoulders, and resurfacing the 22-foot wide roadway, with asphalt. The roadway will be open to traffic during construction. Traffic Control consist of lane closures with flaggers and pilot cars. Audubon County ask travelers to plan accordingly and anticipate travel delays. Please abide the traffic control signage and reduce speed through the construction area.
Click on the link below for more info about this project.

Fatal accident near Hamlin, Wednesday afternoon

News

April 11th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Audubon County, Iowa) – The Iowa State Patrol today (Thursday), released information about a fatal crash that occurred Wednesday afternoon, in Audubon County. The Patrol reports the crash happened at around 2:15-p.m. at 220th Street and Highway 71, near Hamlin. Authorities say a 1998 Buick Century driven by 73-year-old Sheryl Zinke, of Audubon, was traveling west on 220th. A semi driven by 42-year-old Ross Miller, of Carroll, was traveling north on Highway 71.

When Zinke failed to stop at the intersection, her car was struck by the semi. Sheryl Zinke died at the scene. The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office handled the accident scene.

Remnants of Sunday’s grain elevator fire are still burning in Hamilton County

News

April 11th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The fire that destroyed a decades-old wooden grain elevator in north-central Iowa last weekend is still smoldering, and a huge pile of soybeans remains to be cleaned up. Nick Willwerth is a spokesman for the United Co-op in Stonega, in northern Hamilton County. “We have cleanup crews on site working on spreading out that pile and suppressing the fires,” Willwerth says, “and then once the fire is suppressed, we’ll be in the process of screening those soybeans to haul to a location to sort out at that point what’s salvageable, what’s not salvageable and go from there.”

Fire destroyed a grain facility near Stonega Sunday. (KQWC photo)

The elevator facility was built in 1954. Willwerth says the Blairsburg Fire Department is working with the State Fire Marshal’s Office to determine the fire’s cause. A dozen fire departments from four counties responded to the Sunday blaze. No one was hurt.

Heartbeat Today 4-11-2024

Heartbeat Today, Podcasts

April 11th, 2024 by Jim Field

Jim Field visits with Wendy Richter of the Cass County Child Abuse Prevention Council about Child Abuse Prevention Month in April.

Play

Hawkeyes Top St. Thomas, 17-11

Sports

April 11th, 2024 by admin

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa baseball team defeated St. Thomas, 17-11, on Wednesday night at Duane Banks Field.

The Hawkeyes trailed 5-0 through two innings but a six run third inning gave them the lead. St. Thomas retook the lead in the fourth and led 8-7 after five. Iowa had its second six run inning in the sixth and led for the remainder of the contest scoring two in the seventh and eighth.

Four Hawkeyes had three RBIs in the game: Raider Tello (1-for-4), Davis Cop (2-for-5), Kyle Huckstorf (4-for-5) and Gable Mitchell (2-for-5).

Reese Moore and Connor Hennings each added an RBI for Iowa.

“I thought the offense was good,” said head coach Rick Heller. really. And I was happy with the bottom part of the order. They kind of got us going today. Maybe not so much with a lot of hits, but the Seeger’s was on base four times and scored four times. Will Mulflur did a good job. Gable and Connor Hennings both had good games. I was happy to see those guys spark us a little bit.”

12 different pitchers saw action in the midweek matchup. Jack Young, Reese Beuter and Chas Wheatley each had two strikeouts in the contest.

Aaron Savary threw 1 1/3 innings of hitless baseball and tallied one strikeout to earn the win. He improved to 3-0 on the season.

“Well, it was a rough start obviously,” said Heller. “We had some guys step up and slow things down, which was good to see. Beuter was good, Savary was good, Watts was good. It’s great to see Brant Hogue back out there. and he was confident, you could tell, and threw with good intent, and had a quality inning for us. Then Ben DeTaeye was good in a tough situation. But mixed in there were some really, rough ones, you know. And it’s kind of the way it’s gone at times this year. I’m really pleased with how the offense handled it when it fell behind us. There was no pressing.”

Iowa returns to action on Friday to start a three-game series in Columbus, Ohio, against Ohio State.

2 arrested in Creston recently

News

April 11th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Creston, Iowa) – Police in Creston report two recent arrests. Wednesday evening, 58-year-old Scott Bradley Spurrier, of Creston, was arrested for Driving While License Suspended. Spurrier was cited and released on a Promise to Appear. And, Tuesday evening, Creston Police arrested 45-year-old Brady Gale Richert, of Creston, for Public Intoxication. Richert was seen by Judge and then released on his own recognizance.

Pott. County man arrested by police in NE for allegedly impersonating sheriff’s deputy

News

April 11th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

A man from Iowa was arrested by Ralston, Nebraska Police, last week, for allegedly impersonating a Washington County, NE, sheriff’s deputy. KETV reports on April 3rd, Ralston police officers arrested 60-year-old Anthony Robison, of Council Bluffs, at the Wildewood Commons apartments. Police say Robison was wearing a law enforcement uniform suggesting that he was a deputy sheriff with Washington County, including uniform shoulder patches, name plate and a badge, at the time of his arrest. Investigators confirmed through the Washington County Sheriff’s Office that Robison is not a sworn deputy with the department.

According to court documents, Robison was terminated from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in the 1990s due to a felony conviction. Robison also had other law enforcement gear and attire, as well as “numerous fake ID’s and name plates from local and federal agencies,”according to Ralston Police.

Robison was taken into custody for possession of a gun by a prohibited person, identity theft, impersonation of a police officer and false reporting. He is scheduled to appear in court on May 13. His bond was set at $21,000.

City of Atlantic recognized at a “Tree City USA” recipient

Ag/Outdoor, News

April 11th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES – Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources report, the City of Atlantic was recently honored with the 2023 Tree City USA Award at the 33rd Annual Community Forestry Awards Luncheon in Ankeny. The award was presented by the Arbor Day Foundation and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources April 4th at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny. 

 

State Forester Jeff Goerndt says “The Tree City USA award is a symbol for communities who have made a commitment to the management of public trees. Your community has provided an outstanding example for other Iowa communities by enhancing our forest resources and demonstrating the great value of trees in providing multiple benefits for future generations.”

In the photo (from left to right): State Forester Jeff Goerndt, Atlantic Trees Forever representative Dolly Bergmann; and Kayla Lyon, Director of the Department of Natural Resources.

 

Atlantic was one of 74 Iowa communities to qualify for Tree City USA status. To receive the award, a city must, at a minimum, have either a city forester or an active city tree board; have a tree ordinance; spend at least $2 per capita annually for its community forestry program; and have a tree planting and maintenance plan. 

Western Iowa city hires an investigator, re: Complaints about a councilperson

News

April 11th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

The City of Carter Lake is hiring an investigator to look into complaints surrounding city council member Jackie Wahl, who faces a fine, suspension, or removal. According to KETV, four city employees accuse Wahl of creating a hostile work environment. Grievances allege Wahl offered a city employee’s hours to another worker, shared details about pay and workplace concerns, offered an occupied job, and contacted police in retaliation against an outspoken worker.

The council member faced accusers at the packed public meeting. The city employees who filed the complaints read prepared statements to council members and the mayor. Carter Lake city policy says council members should never express concern about the performance of a city employee in public, to the employee director, or to the employee’s supervisor. Mayor Ron Cumberledge said two other city employees quit their jobs due to the council member. Wahl was the subject of a 2022 complaint, according to the mayor, who says it resulted in an improvement plan and verbal reprimand.

Wahl, a six-year member of the council, said she is fixed on challenging the allegations. The city says it’s training employees to prevent a similar situation in the future.