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Multiple injuries after drive-by shooting in Ames, suspects jailed

News

February 20th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Four men are jailed after a drive-by shooting in the Campustown area of Ames. Officers were called to the area at 1:30 a.m. Sunday morning in reference to a fight. A short time later, a red passenger car stopped in the 200 block of Welch Avenue. Shots were fired into the crowd from the vehicle. Officers responded by firing into the suspect vehicle. The assailants then fled northbound on Welch Avenue and then west on Lincoln Way.

Three victims were treated for gunshot wounds at the scene. One of the victims was taken to a Des Moines hospital and the other two to Mary Greeley Medical Center for treatment. It is believed that none of the injuries were life threatening. The names of those wounded have not been released.

In a news release, Ames Police reported that 20-year-old Terrion Maxfield and 19-year-old Desmon Siner. both of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. were arrested by Fort Dodge Police for attempted murder. Both men were located at a Fort Dodge hospital with the suspect vehicle also located in Fort Dodge. Two other men, 20-year-old Charles Smith and 21-year-old Traveion D. Henry, both of Milwaukee were also arrested in Fort Dodge and charged with attempted murder-aiding and abetting. All four men are in the Story County Jail in Nevada.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is assisting the Ames Police Department in the investigation. The officers involved in the shooting will be placed on administrative leave pending a review by Ames Police.

(Radio Iowa)

BEULAH M. CARLSON, 84, of Panora (Svcs. 2/21/17)

Obituaries

February 20th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

BEULAH M. CARLSON, 84, of Panora, died Saturday, Feb. 18th, at Panora Specialty Care. Funeral services for BEULAH CARLSON will be held 10:30-a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21st, at the Panora United Methodist Church. Twigg Funeral Home in Panora has the arrangements.

Friends may call at the funeral home today (Monday, 2/20), from 4-until 7-p.m.

Burial will be in the Lyons Cemetery at Lyons, NE., 2:30-p.m. Wednesday.

BEULAH CARLSON is survived by:

Her daughters – Nancy Leonard, of Panora; Jane Petersen, of Ida Grove, and Gayle (Kurt) Shackelford, of Panora.

Her sons – Stanley Hightree, of San Jose, CA; Tom Hightree, of Virginia.

Her step-children: David (Sheri) Carlson, and Deb Carlson.

10 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

1 arrested in Red Oak Monday morning; 2 arrested Sunday night

News

February 20th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Red Oak Police report the arrest just after 1-a.m. today (Monday), of 28-year old Zachary Charles Burkes, of Red Oak, on a charge of Domestic Abuse Assault, a simple misdemeanor, and Obstruction of Emergency Communications. Burkes was being held in the Montgomery County Jail without bond, pending an appearance before the magistrate.

At around 9-p.m., Sunday, Red Oak Police arrested 38-year old Tina Marie Shavers, of Red Oak, on charges of Aiding and Abetting a Theft in the 3rd Degree, an aggravated misdemeanor. Shavers was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $2,000 bond.

And, at around 5:45-p.m., Sunday, 32-year old Robert Benjamin Harris, of Red Oak, was arrested by Red Oak Police, for Theft in the 3rd Degree, and Trespass. Harris was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

Skyscan forecast for Atlantic & the area, 2/20/2017

Weather

February 20th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

(Updated 4:45-a.m.)

Today (Washington’s Birthday): Cloudy w/Showers & thunderstorms High 67. S winds 10-20 becoming westerly this afternoon.

Tonight: Showers and light rain ending early. Becoming P/Cldy. Low 34. W @ 10.

Tuesday: Sunny. High near 70. W @10-15 w/gusts to near 25.

Wednesday: P/Cldy. High near 70.

Thursday: Mo. Cldy w/a chance of light rain. High near 47.

Sunday’s High in Atlantic of 71 degrees broke the record High of 66 set in 1930. We received .25” of an inch of rain overnight until 7-a.m. today. Our 24-hour Low ending today at 7-a.m., was 32. Last year on this date, our High in Atlantic was 53 and the low was 29. The Record High in Atlantic on this date was 65 in 1925. The Record Low was -19 in 1978.

Pension reform may be next target for lawmakers

News

February 20th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

One of Governor Branstad’s former budget directors says she hopes Iowa lawmakers tackle pension reform soon. Gretchen Tegeler, who served as Branstad’s budget director in the 1990’s, says “I hope they are teeing up the look at what we have. Is it the best thing going forward for new employees? We need to do some things different.”Tegeler is now president of the Taxpayers Association of Central Iowa.

Branstad has indicated he wants Tegeler to be part of a review of public worker pensions. “Pension reform means lots of different things,” Tegeler says. “It’s very important to understand that our approach is about retirement security. The people that are in these plans now, if we don’t do something different for future employees and we continue to compound the risk that is in these plans, then everybody in these plans now is at much greater risk.”

While some public worker pension systems in other states are teetering toward insolvency, Iowa’s system was recently ranked as the 10th best positioned pension system in the country. There are four main systems for public worker pensions in Iowa, but by far the largest is the Iowa Public Employees Retirement System, commonly called IPERS. It covers more than 325-thousand current, former and retired employees of the state, counties, cities and school districts.

Critics say new workers should no long be promised a defined pension, but instead should invest money in accounts similar to the 401-K programs in the private sector. The Republican leader in the Iowa Senate expressed support for that move three years ago. Tegeler made her comments during an appearance on Iowa Public Televisions’s “Iowa Press” program.

(Radio Iowa)

Iowa early News Headlines: Monday, Feb. 20th 2017

News

February 20th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — After decades as the crossroads of prairie populists and checkbook conservatives, Iowa has suddenly become solidly Republican like many of its Midwestern neighbors. It was one of four states _ along with Kentucky, Missouri and North Carolina _ that flipped to complete GOP control since the November election, but Iowa’s rush of new legislation has been the most intense. In an all-night session last week, the Legislature voted strip long-held collective bargaining rights.

ATLANTA (AP) — A bustling city street filled with cars, buses, bicyclists and college students in the heart of Atlanta is being eyed as a real-world proving ground for self-driving vehicles. It’s one of several communities nationwide vying to be test sites for the emerging technology. Atlanta would become one of the largest urban areas for testing self-driving vehicles if its plans for a vehicle demonstration this summer can be accomplished.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — As House Republicans push for a bill that would prevent local governments from determining minimum hourly wages, workers in some Iowa counties are expressing bewilderment over the potential loss of raises that have improved their lives. The Iowa House is ready to debate the bill, which would prohibit Iowa’s counties and cities from increasing their local minimum hourly wages above the state standard of $7.25 and cancel higher wages already approved in Polk, Linn, Johnson and Wapello counties.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A new lawsuit seeks to stop the city of Des Moines from garnishing the state income tax refunds of people it says owe traffic camera violation fines. The Des Moines Register report that the city has seized refunds for such fines for three years. The lawsuit asks that Des Moines be ordered to immediately stop the practice and for the court to declare it illegal.

Rollover accident in Atlantic when driver swerves to miss a cat

News

February 19th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

No injuries were reported following a rollover accident Sunday night just west of 5th and Poplar Streets, in Atlantic. According to Atlantic Police Lt. Devin Hogue, the teenage female driver of a 2015 Chevy Sonic was westbound on 5th Street at around 8:40-p.m., when she swerved to miss a cat on the road. She overcorrected, causing the vehicle to jump the curb and strike a tree, before the car flipped onto its top.

Lawsuit: Des Moines wrong to seize tax returns to pay fines

News

February 19th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A new lawsuit seeks to stop the city of Des Moines from garnishing the state income tax refunds to pay traffic camera violation fines. The Des Moines Register reports the city has seized refunds for such fines for three years. Attorney Jim Larew, of Iowa City, said in the lawsuit filed last week that officials are misusing the program.

Jason Fett, of Guthrie Center, is one of the plaintiffs. He says Des Moines sent him a notice in December threatening to seize part of his return if his fine wasn’t paid by Jan. 13. But Fett says he successfully challenged the citation in Polk County District Court in May 2015. The lawsuit asks for the practice to be stopped immediately and for the court to declare it illegal.

Wendell, No. 25 Drake women beat Loyola-Chicago 86-42

Sports

February 19th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

CHICAGO (AP) – Lizzy Wendell rebounded from a sub-par outing to score 19 points with seven assists and lead No. 25 Drake to an 86-42 victory over Loyola-Chicago on Sunday that tied the school record of 16 consecutive wins.

Wendell had her nation-leading string of 102 games with at least 10 points end with a five-point effort in a victory over Indiana State on Friday. Against the Ramblers (2-23, 1-13 Missouri Valley), she was 7-of-14 shooting. Sammie Bachrodt added 17 points and Becca Hittner 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Katie Salmon scored 14 points and Kaitlyn Williams 10 for Loyola, which has lost 11 in a row. The victory for Drake (22-24, 15-0), which last Monday made its first appearance in the rankings since 2001, tied its 1996-97 team for the longest win streak. The game was tied once, at 3-3, but Drake quickly took off to lead by 15 after the first quarter and 34 at halftime. The lead reached a high of 45 late in the game.

JoDEE LAVON [DAVIS] KERN, 54, of Altoona (Svcs. at a later date)

Obituaries

February 19th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

JoDEE LAVON [DAVIS] KERN, 54, of Altoona, died Saturday, Feb. 18th, at Iowa Methodist Hospital, in Des Moines. Per her wishes, cremation has taken place, and services will be held at a later date. Johnson Family Funeral Home handled the arrangements for JoDEE KERN.