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Memorial Weekend campsites soon available for reservation

Ag/Outdoor, News

February 22nd, 2017 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports the three-month window to reserve a state park campsite for a Friday arrival on Memorial Day weekend opens this Sunday, Feb. 26. More than a few campers will plan their arrival for the weekend before Memorial Day and stay through the holiday, which means their window is open now.

Todd Coffelt, chief of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources State Parks Bureau, says “Campers can make reservations for sites three months ahead of their first night stay. And we have a flurry of reservations from campers who begin their stay prior to the Memorial Day weekend.”

Lake Wapello, Lake Keomah state parks and Fairport State Recreation Area all underwent campground renovations last year and are anxious for visitors to check things out. Red Haw State Park’s campground will be open to walk-in camping only starting on April 17 due to the final phase of its renovation. Advanced reservations will be accepted starting on June 22. And Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area’s campground #1 will be closed through June 30 for an electrical upgrade.

Most parks will have nonelectric sites available for the Memorial Day weekend. Not every campsite is available on the reservation system. Parks maintain 25 percent or more of the electric and nonelectric sites as non-reservation sites, available for walk-up camping.

Information on Iowa’s state parks is available online at www.iowadnr.gov/parks
including the link to reservations. Campers can also log on directly to http://iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com; enter their preferred amenities and requirements, dates and/or parks to see what sites are available and make a reservation.

Campers are encouraged to note closures when making their reservations. Some campgrounds may be closed Memorial Day. Weather will play an important role in how soon projects will be completed and a how soon campgrounds will be back online.
Closure information is current on the DNR website and reservation system. Closure information can be found at www.iowadnr.gov/Places-to-Go/State-Parks-Rec-Areas/Closure-Information and on individual park webpages.

High Fire Danger across western IA/eastern NE today

Ag/Outdoor, Weather

February 22nd, 2017 by Ric Hanson

MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE COUNTIES…Wed Feb 22 2017

Very high fire danger is expected this afternoon across the area, with low humidity and strong winds creating dry conditions in fields and grassy areas. Residents are urged to avoid using motorized vehicles in fields or grassy areas, where hot exhaust pipes can spark fires. Avoid outdoor burning, and don’t carelessly discard smoking materials.

Iowa State women roll at Kansas

Sports

February 22nd, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Meredith Burkhall led five Iowa State players in double figures with 20 points and added eight rebounds as the Cyclones cruised to a 90-75 victory at Texas. Seanna  Johnson added 18 points and nine boards as the Cyclones won their third straight game to move to 7-9 in the league race. Iowa State is 16-11 overall and next up visits sixth ranked Texas on Friday.

(Learfield Sports)

MARLENE ELSIE BUTHMANN, 77, of Harlan (Svcs. 2/24/17)

Obituaries

February 22nd, 2017 by Ric Hanson

MARLENE ELSIE BUTHMANN, 77, of Harlan, died Tuesday, Feb. 21st, at Myrtue Medical Center, in Harlan. Funeral services for MARLENE BUTHMANN will be held 10-a.m. Friday, Feb. 24th, at the Pauley-Jones Funeral Home, in Harlan.

Friends may call at the funeral home on Thursday (2/23), from 3-until 8-p.m., with the family greeting friends from 5-until 8-p.m., Thursday.

Burial will be in the Oak Hill Cemetery at Irwin.

MARLENE BUTHMANN is survived by:

Her husband – Merlin Buthmann, of Harlan.

Her son – George (Robin) Buthmann, of Indianola.

Her daughters – Marla Jean (John Hassell) Rimington, of Omaha, and Marcia Buthmann, of Harlan.

and 5 grandchildren and her daughter-in-law.

Skyscan forecast & weather data for Atlantic: 2/22/17

Weather

February 22nd, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Today: Partly cloudy. High near 72.SW winds becoming NW @ 10-20.

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Low 38. NW @ 5-10.

Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy w/light rain. High 49. NE @ 10-20.

Friday: Mo. Cldy & colder w/light rain and/or snow. High 36.

Saturday: P/Cldy. High around 34.

Tuesday’s High in Atlantic of 66 broke the old record of 65 set in 1977. Our 24-hour ending today at 7-a.m. will be 30 (At 5-a.m., it was 49). Last year on this date, our High in Atlantic was 41 and the low was 27. The Record High in Atlantic on this date was 68 in 1995. The Record Low was -14 in 1894.

Montgomery County Sheriff’s report (2/22/17)

News

February 22nd, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Sheriff’s Deputies in Montgomery County report the arrest this (Wednesday) morning, of 43-year old Tiffany Lea Palmer, of Red Oak. Palmer was taken into custody following an incident in the 1800 block of Highway 48, north of Red Oak. She was charged with Simple Assault and was being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail.

A little after 10-p.m., Tuesday, the Montgomery County Communications Center received a call regarding a single-vehicle, rollover accident on 270th Street, west of Coburg, Upon arrival, Deputies, assisted by the Iowa State Patrol, determined a 1997 Pontiac Grand Am, owned and operated by 19-year old Dillion Cole Baldwin, of Shenandoah, was traveling eastbound on 270th near Dogwood Avenue, when Baldwin swerved to miss a deer. The car entered the south ditch and rolled over, coming to rest on its top. Baldwin was transported by private vehicle to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital, for treatment of possible/minor injuries. He was subsequently cited for Failure to Maintain Control. Damage to the car was estimated at $4,000.

And, just before 9-p.m., Tuesday, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 50-year old Shawn Allen Graham, of Villisca, for Driving While Barred, Failure to have SR-22 insurance on file, operating an ATV on a public roadway, and operating an ATV without headlights. The charges are the result of an incident that occurred at 5th Avenue and 2nd Street, in Villisca. Graham was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $2,000 bond.

NE man arrested on drug charge Wed. morning in Red Oak

News

February 22nd, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Police in Red Oak this (Wednesday) morning, arrested 22-year old David Wesley Williams III, of Bellevue, Nebraska. Williams was taken into custody at around 1-a.m. at the intersection of G Avenue and Highway 34 in Red Oak, for Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana. He was being held at the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center on a $1,000 cash bond.

Missing N.W. IA woman found dead in creek

News

February 22nd, 2017 by Ric Hanson

A woman from northwest Iowa who had been missing since Sunday evening, was found dead Tuesday morning in a local creek. On Sunday evening at about 10:30 the Kingsley Police Department was notified about the missing woman. Josh Derby advised that his mother, 57-year old Lisa Derby, of Kingsley, had been missing since about 5:00 p-m. Sunday. Family and friends had been searching for Lisa, but were unable to locate her.

Just after 8-a.m. Tuesday, the Plymouth County Communications Center received a call from a man who said he was checking an unnamed creek close to his residence and found an unresponsive female in the creek. The woman was identified as Lisa Derby.

(Radio Iowa)

Rare moment of unity at Grassley town hall meeting in Iowa Falls

News

February 22nd, 2017 by Ric Hanson

A man from Afghanistan who’s applied for political asylum in the U.S. went to Senator Grassley’s town hall meeting in Iowa Falls Tuesday to ask for help. Zalmay Niazy has been living in Iowa Falls and he got universal applause from the partisan crowd when he announced he had “proudly” served as an interpreter for the U.S. military.

Niazy told Grassley he’d been shot twice and survived a roadside bombing, too. A man in the crowd interjected: “Not here” and Niazy concluded: “Nobody care about me.” Many in the crowd then yelled, “We do!” Niazy told Grassley he applied for political asylum two years and four months ago, but is still waiting for the paperwork to be processed.

Niazy choked back tears as Grassley promised to review his case.

Grassley’s hour-long town hall meeting had been rowdy, with partisan sniping in the crowd, but this was the rare moment of unity. The entire crowd applauded.

(Radio Iowa)

Grassley & Ernst greeted by raucous town hall crowds

News

February 22nd, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Iowa’s two U.S. senators, both Republicans, held town hall meetings Tuesday and were met by large crowds ready to voice their opposition to President Trump and G-O-P priorities. Senator Joni Ernst convened a veterans forum in Maquoketa. The crowd chanted “your last term” as Ernst entered the room. The event ended about 45 minutes later. The Iowa Starting Line blog captured video of the crowd erupting in chants of “do your job” and “shame on you.”

Yesterday (Tuesday), Senator Chuck Grassley held forums in Iowa Falls and Garner. About 200 people crowded into the Iowa Falls fire station Tuesday morning for what turned out to be a rowdy town hall meeting with Senator Grassley. Chris Petersen, a farmer from Clear Lake, drew cheers when he urged Grassley not to repeal ObamaCare.

Marion Cooper of Ackley brought up Grassley’s refusal to consider President Obama’s nominee to the Supreme Court.

Grassley fielded commentary and questions on a wide variety of topics, from President Trump’s trade policies to the fitness of Trump’s education secretary. Don Jones of Iowa Falls asked a question about the national debt. Grassley said reducing the debt will be difficult because of President Trump’s pledge not to make changes in Social Security and Medicare, then a woman in the crowd said she gladly pays taxes for those things — and this eruption followed.

Grassley has town hall events scheduled for Thursday morning in Charles City and Friday in Parkersburg.

(Radio Iowa)