United Group Insurance

N.W. IA call center adding 400 jobs

News

June 11th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

A company which operates a call center at the Pioneer Mall in Sergeant Bluff is expanding and adding 400 new jobs. Barry Belcher is the site director of the facility. “We’re really excited, we recently entered into a partnership with a leading national wireless provider, and as a result of that partnership, we’ll be increasing the team here,” Belcher says. He says they have 80 people already in training at the facility and they hope to fill the rest of the jobs by the end of the year.

“It’s inbound customer support — taking care of our wireless customers — and then along with that we need staff and leadership to help manage the business,” Belcher says. “We’ll have about 350 of those positions will be entry-level positions, taking care of customers, and the rest of the positions will make up our training and our leadership and our staff positions.” Sergeant Bluff Mayor Jon Winkel help found the facility when it was owned by Long Lines Wireless.

He says there are a lot of employees left from the original company, but he says it is also like having new life breathed into it with the expansion. Winkel says both Sergeant Bluff and the Siouxland area will benefit from the expansion.

(Radio Iowa)

Backyard and Beyond 06-11-2015

Backyard and Beyond, Podcasts

June 11th, 2015 by admin

Lavon Eblen speaks with Jolene Smith with the local chapter of Royal Neighbors of America about a chance to decorate a cake to support the Cass County Relay for Life.

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FLASH FLOOD WATCH CANCELLED for far parts of western IA

Weather

June 11th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

1013 AM CDT THU JUN 11 2015
MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTIESFLASH FLOOD WATCH IS CANCELLED.

HEAVY RAIN LINGERING IN SOUTHWEST IOWA BUT EXITING ELSEWHERE. PROLONGED PERIODS OF HEAVY RAINFALL ASSOCIATED WITH THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN IOWA MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING THROUGH MIDDAY. ELSEWHERE…THE THREAT OF HEAVY RAINFALL HAS DIMINISHED THROUGH MIDDAY.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1-P.M. TODAY FOR MONTGOMERY, FREMONT AND PAGE COUNTIES, AND UNTIL LATE TONIGHT FOR CASS, ADAIR, ADAMS, AUDUBON, GUTHRIE, MADISON, SAC, CRAWFORD, CARROLL, RINGGOLD, TAYLOR AND UNION COUNTIES in the KJAN listening area.

Urban & Small Stream Flood Advisory for Page & Fremont Counties

Weather

June 11th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

936 AM CDT THU JUN 11 2015

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA HAS ISSUED AN URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR…PAGE COUNTY and FREMONT COUNTY IN SOUTHWESTERN IOWA UNTIL 1230 PM CDT

* AT 934 AM CDT…DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED HEAVY RAIN DUE TO
THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH THE AREA. THIS IS IN AN AREA THAT
RECEIVED VERY HEAVY RAINFALL YESTERDAY EVENING. THIS MAY CAUSE
URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING IN THE ADVISORY AREA.

* SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE…
CLARINDA…SHENANDOAH…HAMBURG…SIDNEY…ESSEX…FARRAGUT…
RIVERTON…COIN…TABOR…THURMAN…COLLEGE SPRINGS…SHAMBAUGH…
RANDOLPH…BRADDYVILLE…YORKTOWN…IMOGENE…NORTHBORO…
BLANCHARD…HEPBURN AND PIERCE RECREATION AREA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE PONDING OF WATER IN URBAN AREAS…HIGHWAYS…STREETS AND UNDERPASSES AS WELL AS OTHER POOR DRAINAGE AREAS AND LOW LYING SPOTS. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRAVEL ACROSS FLOODED ROADS. FIND ALTERNATE ROUTES.
EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL MAY CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL  CREEKS AND STREAMS…AS WELL AS FARM AND COUNTRY ROADS. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRAVEL ACROSS FLOODED ROADS. FIND ALTERNATE ROUTES.

Flood Warnings issued for Nishnabotna River at Hancock, Randolph & Red Oak

Weather

June 11th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The National Weather Service in Valley, NE., has issued a FLOOD WARNING for the West Nishnabotna River at Hancock, affecting Pottawattamie County, and the West Nish at Randolph, affecting Fremont County.  A FLOOD WARNING is also in effect for the East Nishnabotna River, at Red Oak.

For the East Nishnabotna River At Red Oak: the warning is in effect from this evening to late Saturday night…or until the warning is cancelled.
* At 9:00 AM Thursday the stage was 8.7 feet…or 9.3 feet below flood stage.* Flood stage is 18.0 feet.* Moderate flooding is forecast.
* Forecast…rise above flood stage by tonight and continue to rise  to near 23.2 feet by tomorrow evening the river will fall below  flood stage by late Saturday morning.
* Impact…at 23.0 feet…Flooding begins east of the intersection of Highway 34 and G Avenue.

Flood Warning for The West Nishnabotna River At Hancock from this evening to Friday evening…or until the warning is cancelled.
* At 9:00 AM Thursday the stage was 4.2 feet…or 9.8 feet below flood stage.
* Flood stage is 14.0 feet.* Minor flooding is forecast.
* Forecast…rise above flood stage by tonight and continue to rise
to near 15.7 feet by after midnight tomorrow the river will fall
below flood stage by early tomorrow.
* Impact…at 16.0 feet…The approach to the gage floods from the left bank.

For the West Nishnabotna River At Randolph: from late tonight to Saturday afternoon…or until the warning is cancelled.
* At 9:00 AM Thursday the stage was 10.4 feet…or 8.6 feet below flood stage.
* Flood stage is 19.0 feet.* Minor flooding is forecast.
* Forecast…rise above flood stage by early tomorrow and continue to rise to near 20.6 feet by early tomorrow afternoon the river will  fall below flood stage by late tomorrow evening.
* Impact…at 22.0 feet…County Road L-68 located 5 miles south of Randolph begins to flood.

Ernst announces new office location in D.C

News

June 11th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Iowa Republican Senator Joni Ernst has announced her U-S Senate office in Washington, D-C, has a new location. Correspondence to her office can be addressed to:

Sen. Joni Ernst

111 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, D.C 20510

Her phone numbers are: 1-202-224-3254; Fax – 1-202-224-9369.

Ernst also has an office in Council Bluffs located at 221 Federal Building, 8 South Sixth Street, Council Bluffs, IA, 51501.  Ph: 712-352-1167; Fax: 712-352-0087.

Former Clarinda M.S Teacher hired as Treynor H.S. Principal

News

June 11th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Officials with the Treynor Community School District have announced the hiring of Gary McNeal their next High School Principal.

Mr. Gary McNeal (Photo from the Treynor School District website)

Mr. Gary McNeal (Photo from the Treynor School District website)

According to the district’s website, McNeal has been serving as the principal at Clarinda Middle School for the last six years, and has also served as a high school principal in Texas.

Gary McNeal will take over as High School Principal in Treynor, effective July 1st. In addition to his principal experience, Mr. McNeal has worked as an assistant principal, dean of students, activities director, classroom science teacher (chemistry, physics, etc.) and served in a variety of coaching roles throughout his career.

McNeal earned a Bachelor’s degree from Wartburg College and later earned a Master’s degree from the University of Houston.  His wife Tammi, is also an educator and has been teaching science at Clarinda for the last six years. Mrs. McNeal has accepted the Middle School Science position at Treynor Community Schools and brings with her 20+ years of teaching experience in the science content area.

Together they have three grown children that all reside within a few hours of Treynor.

(Podcast) KJAN News, 6/11/2015

News, Podcasts

June 11th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

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

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Heartbeat Today 06-11-2015

Heartbeat Today, Podcasts

June 11th, 2015 by admin

Chris Parks talks a little about Produce in the Park and Jim Field provides an update from the 2015 KJAN Branson Trip.

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(Podcast) KJAN Morning Sports report, 6/11/2015

Podcasts, Sports

June 11th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast w/Chris Parks.

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