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Strong storms with high wind, large hail hit northwest Iowa

News, Weather

June 11th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

SPENCER, Iowa (AP) — Residents in northwest Iowa are cleaning up this weekend after a series of strong thunderstorms knocked down tree limbs and caused power outages Friday night. The Sioux City Journal reports Sioux, Osceola, Dickinson, O’Brien, Cherokee and Clay counties are among the areas hit by high wind gusts and large hail.

The sheriff’s offices in Dickinson and Osceola counties reported down tree limbs and power outages. Alex Ferguson with the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls says wind gusts sometimes exceeding 60 mph were recorded in several counties. The highest, at 67 mph, was recorded at 9:14 p.m. at the Spencer Airport.

Ferguson says golf-ball-sized hail was reported around 8 p.m. in Dickinson County.

Jury convicts Council Bluffs man of child sex abuse

News

June 11th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A jury has found Council Bluffs man guilty of four counts of second-degree sexual abuse involving a child. The Daily Nonpareil reports  47-year-old Michael Wineinger was found guilty Friday in Pottawattamie County District Court.

Prosecutors say Wineinger abused a girl under the age of 12 several times in 2013 and 2014. Wineinger faces up to 25 years on each conviction when he’s sentenced on Aug. 24. He’ll be held in the Pottawattamie County Jail until his sentencing.

Audubon Police Dept. arrest report ( issued 6/11/16)

News

June 11th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Audubon Police Chief Matt Starmer reports four arrests over the past couple of weeks.

On June 10th, 22-year old Daylan Gene Kleen, of Audubon, was arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was cited and released on a promise to appear later, in court.

On June 7th, 34-year old Juan Manuel Anaya Mendez, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County warrant. Mendez turned over to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office.

On May 24th, Audubon Police arrested 33-year old Jason Schumann, of Audubon, for Domestic Abuse Assault with intent to inflict serious injury, and 50-year old Scott Gerard Koppold, of Harlan, for Public Intoxication. Koppold pled guilty and was released the following day. Schumann was taken to the Audubon County Jail and held pending a court appearance.

Audubon woman arrested on drug, child endangerment & other charges

News

June 11th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Audubon Police Chief Matt Starmer, Saturday, said that after a lengthy investigation, the Audubon Police Department has arrested 36-year old Angel Marie Siepker, of Audubon. Siepker faces multiple charges, including:

  • Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Deliver within 1000 feet of a school – a Class D Felony
  • Ongoing Criminal Conduct – a Class B Felony
  • 3 counts of Child Endangerment – an Aggravated Misdemeanor
  • Failure to Affix Drug Tax Stamp – a Class D Felony
  • Gathering Where Illegal Substances are being used – a Serious Misdemeanor
  • Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – a Simple Misdemeanor

Siepker remains in the Audubon County Jail on $25,000 cash bond. An investigation into her case remains open. The Audubon Police Department was assisted in executing the search warrant of her home, by Audubon Sheriff’s Deputy Tibbets and K-9 Axle, as well as the Iowa State Patrol.

ACT exams canceled in South Korea, Hong Kong over breach

News

June 11th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – The Iowa-based operators of the ACT college entrance exams in South Korea and Hong Kong say they had to cancel today (Saturday), after finding out the tests had been breached.  ACT spokesman Edward Colby said Saturday the cancellation affected about 5,500 test takers who will receive refunds of test fees. Colby says that the exams will be administrated in South Korea and Hong Kong again in September.

South Korea has struggled to clamp down on cheating on standardized English and college admission tests and similar problems have been reported in China.

(Podcast) KJAN 8-a.m. News, 6/11/2016

News, Podcasts

June 11th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Podcast) KJAN Morning Sports report, 6/11/2016

Podcasts, Sports

June 11th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast w/Ric Hanson.

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(Podcast) KJAN morning News & funeral report, 6/11/16

News, Podcasts

June 11th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

(Podcast) KJAN Morning News & funeral report, 6/11/2016

The area’s top news at 7:05-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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Charcoal grill blamed for early morning fire near Atlantic

News

June 11th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Briquettes from a charcoal grill getting onto a wooden deck are to blame for a fire early this (Saturday) morning, north of Atlantic. Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees told KJAN News a neighbor of Jake Smith, who resides at 54393 Buck Creek Road, was up at around 4-a.m. and noticed smoke before calling 9-1-1.

Photo courtesy Cass County EMA Coordinator Mike Kennon

Photo courtesy Cass County EMA Coordinator Mike Kennon

McNees said when they arrived on scene, the deck and side of an attached portion of a home was on fire. Crews were able to get a quick knockdown of the flames. Still, about half the deck was lost, and the home sustained some smoke damage.The Chief said Smith had been barbecuing on the deck and threw water on the flames at around 12:30-a.m., but it appears some charcoal might have slipped through the bottom of the grill or blown out, onto the deck, according to McNees.

Firefighters remained on the scene until about 5:30. No injuries were reported.

EPA proposes strict limit on popular farm pesticide, upsetting corn farmers

Ag/Outdoor, News

June 11th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Iowa corn growers could face higher input costs if a federal agency moves forward with efforts to strictly limit the use of a popular pesticide. An E-P-A report on Atrazine shows the agency has concerns with the chemical’s impact on birds, mammals and fish. Scott Merritt, a spokesman for the agriculture industry’s Triazine  Network, says growers know to follow the guidelines on atrazine carefully.

“We think the label is sufficient the way it is. You can’t use it around water,” Merritt says. “There are setbacks in the application of it, have been for a decade, and we think those are very reasonable.” The E-P-A suggests farmers should only be allowed to use eight ounces of the chemical per acre, when they typically will use two pounds for that much ground. Merritt says the proposed change could be a financial detriment to Iowa growers.

“It could increase by having to change products or limitations on his application or just his ability to grow a crop and not compete with weeds,” Merritt says. “We’re seeing numbers almost up to $60 an acre would be the added cost to the farmer.” Environmental groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, have spent years urging the EPA to ban the use of Atrazine. The public comment period is open until August 5th.

(Radio Iowa)