United Group Insurance

Creston Police report (3 arrests) – 12/31/18

News

December 31st, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Police in Creston arrested three people over the past few days. Sunday night, 59-year old Teresa Vivian Vaca, of Creston, was arrested at the Wal-Mart Store, for Theft in the 5th Degree. Vaca was cited and released at the scene. Saturday afternoon, 44-year old Cory McKinney, of Lorimor, was arrested in Creston for Driving While Barred. He was also cited for Fraudulent Use of Registration and Failure to Provide Proof of Financial Liability (Vehicle insurance). McKinney was released from the Union County Jail on a $2,000 cash or surety bond. And, late Friday morning, 26-year old Tina Louise Perrigo, of Creston, was arrested at the Fareway store in Creston, for Theft in the 5th Degree. She was released on a Promise to Appear in court.

(7-a.m. News)

Prairie City boy is Hawkeyes’ ‘Kid Captain’ for Outback Bowl

News, Sports

December 31st, 2018 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — A Prairie City boy will celebrate his 14th birthday tomorrow (Tuesday) by serving as “Kid Captain” for the Iowa football team as the Hawkeyes play Mississippi State in the Outback Bowl. Gabe Graber’s mother, Emily, says her son was born on January 1, 2005 with a rare birth defect. “Gabe’s congenital heart defect is called double-inlet left ventricle, which means that his right ventricle never fully developed, and his left ventricle is responsible for handling the whole function of his heart,” Emily said.

Gabe Graber

Gabe had two heart surgeries before his third birthday. During his second surgery, Gabe suffered a stroke that left him paralyzed on his left side. But within two months, he was walking again. His father, Darin, says a third major surgery followed a seizure in 2015. “After the surgery or since, he’s been like a changed person. He has a lot more confidence. He’s more engaging with people,” Darin said. Emily added, “Gabe has taught me the definition of resilience. He continues to fight no matter what obstacles he’s faced.”

Gabe’s parents made their comments in a video produced by the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital. This marks the 10th year for the UI Kid Captain program. The Outback Bowl in Tampa, Florida kicks-off tomorrow (Tuesday) at 11 a.m., Iowa time.

Nebraska man gets 10 years for stealing copper wire in Iowa

News

December 31st, 2018 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for stealing copper wire in western Iowa that was soon tracked to his Nebraska home. The Daily Nonpareil reports that 39-year-old Brian Cave was sentenced Thursday in Council Bluffs after he pleaded guilty to theft. The judge says the sentence will run the same time as a theft sentence Cave is serving in Nebraska.

Court records say some wire was stolen in May from a Union Pacific yard in south Council Bluffs. Police put a GPS tracking unit inside another spool of the wire at the yard. It was soon stolen as well. Authorities say the GPS attached to the spool showed its new location as Cave’s home in Omaha.

New Year’s Fireworks rules in Atlantic

News

December 31st, 2018 by Ric Hanson

A reminder, fireworks may be used in Atlantic to celebrate the coming of the New Year, but there are restrictions on when they may be used. City Code says fireworks are permissible “New Year’s Eve starting at 6 p.m. and ending on New Year’s Day at 12:15 a.m.” Also, “No fireworks of any type shall be discharged within 300 ft. of any Public school building, assisted living facility, or hospital.”

Penalties for violating the Ordinance is as follows:

A. “Any person who violates the provisions of the fireworks discharging ordinance or without reckless intent causes injury, property damage or a fire shall be guilty of a scheduled municipal infraction punishable by a $250 fine in addition to established court costs.

B. Persons who violates the discharging fireworks ordinance after having been found guilty of a previous municipal infraction involving fireworks shall be cited for a municipal infraction with a fine of $600 plus associated court costs.”

For other cities in the area, contact your local City Hall or look online for their posted ordinances, as available.

MICHAEL “Mick” THOMPSON, 73, of Exira (Celebration of Life 1/4/2019)

Obituaries

December 31st, 2018 by Ric Hanson

MICHAEL “Mick” THOMPSON, 73, of Exira, died Dec. 26th, at Loyola University Medical Center, in Maywood, IL. Celebration of Life Memorial services for MICK THOMPSON will be held 10-a.m. Friday, Jan. 4th, at the Kessler Funeral Home, in Exira.

Friends may call at the funeral home, where the family visitation is at 5-p.m. Thursday, Jan. 3rd.

Burial will be held in the Lamar Cemetery near Elmo, MO.

MICHAEL “Mick” THOMPSON is survived by:

Wife – Judy Thompson, of Exira.

His son – Zachary (Kelli) Thompson, of Austin, TX.

His brothers – Nolan (Sue) Thompson, of Burlington Junction, MO., and Aaron (Sylvia) Thompson, of Marion (IA).

2 grandchildren, 2 step-grandchildren, other relatives and friends.

Red Oak woman arrested for OWI/drugged Sunday night

News

December 31st, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Red Oak Police arrested a woman Sunday night, for Operating a vehicle While Intoxicated (OWI) – drug related. 26-year old Joslin Nicole Davies, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 9:35-p.m. following a traffic stop at the intersection of 3rd and Oak Streets, in Red Oak. Davies was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $1,000 bond. Sheriff’s Deputies from Cass and Montgomery Counties assisted Red Oak Police during the incident.

IA employer plans to build new facility & bring jobs to Kentucky

News

December 31st, 2018 by Ric Hanson

MAYSVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin says more manufacturing jobs are coming to his State. Bevin said in a statement that Pella, Iowa-based Precision Pulley and Idler plans to locate a $10.8 million manufacturing and distributing operation in an existing 105,000-square-foot building in Maysville and will hire 134 full-time employees over the next 10 years. The company supplies idlers, pulleys, bearings and other products.

PPI President and CEO Roger Brown said the Maysville facility allows additional capacity to meet the company’s growing demands. The company operates 12 facilities in the U.S. and also has locations in Canada and Chile. Bevin says the jobs will benefit the economy in northeastern Kentucky.

Skyscan Forecast for Atlantic & the area (12/31/2018)

Weather

December 31st, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Today: Cloudy w/light snow this morning mixed with light rain later. High 34. SE-N @ 10-20.

Tonight: Cldy w/light snow ending. Low 6. N @ 15-30. (Less than 1” snow total)

Tomorrow (New Year’s Day): P/Cldy. High 18. N @ 15-25.

Wednesday: Mo. Sunny. High around 32.

Thursday: Mo. Cldy. High 36.

Yesterday’s High in Atlantic was 39. Our Low was 21. Last year on this date our High was -4 and the Low was -26. The record High in Atlantic on this date was 60 in 1891. The Record Low was -26 in 2017.

Party prep work underway for 2020 Iowa Caucuses

News

December 31st, 2018 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — The 2020 Iowa Caucuses are 399 days away, but the leaders of Iowa’s two major political parties say it’s already “Caucus season” in Iowa. The next Iowa Caucuses are scheduled for February 3rd, 2020, but a couple of dozen potential Democratic presidential candidates and two declared candidates have made their way through Iowa already. On the Republican side, Donald Trump has held three campaign-style rallies here since he was elected president in 2016.

The priority for the party leaders who are hosting the 2020 Caucuses? Make sure the voting goes smoothly on both sides. “This is the one, strong bipartisan part of the job that, quite frankly, I rather enjoy,” says Iowa G-O-P chairman Jeff Kaufmann. He was the party’s chairman during the 2016 Iowa Caucuses. That’s when Microsoft developed the reporting system for Caucus results from both parties. Troy Price has been the Iowa Democratic Party’s chairman since July of 2017 and he was just reelected to another two-year term in the job.

“Whatever system we end up using, we always do a lot of testing around it and we always have back-ups in case it doesn’t work,” Price says. The Iowa Caucuses are party events, so the two parties have to raise money privately for all the expenses. Iowa Democrats will have NEW expenses this time around, as NATIONAL party leaders have imposed new requirements, like allowing absentee participation.

“As well as some of the other mandates, too, in terms of like making sure we can re-canvas, recreate what happened on Caucus Night, so we know there is going to be additional expense,” Price says. “We just don’t know the final tally of that, but we are planning it’s going to cost more than what it has in the past and we are prepared to raise the resources to make sure we run a caucus that’s going to be accessible to everyone.”

In 2019, Iowa Democrats will host their presidential candidates at two annual party fundraisers — one in the summer and one in the fall. Kaufmann says the Iowa G-O-P’s leadership hasn’t yet decided when Republican party fundraisers will be held in 2019.   “I will tell you that I’m not going to provide a platform by which people, on our dime, can beat up on our Republican president,” Kaufmann says.

He says “legitimate” Republican challengers to Trump may emerge in 2019 and Kaufmann says they’ll be welcome at G-O-P events if they avoid “mud-slinging” and focus on their policy differences with the president.

Midwest Sports Headlines: 12/31/2018

Sports

December 31st, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Nia Clouden scored 27 points, Jenna Allen had 17 rebounds, both career highs, and No. 20 Michigan State pulled away from No. 16 Iowa in the second half for an 84-70 win in the Big Ten Conference opener. The one-two punch for the Spartans (11-1) offset a 30-point, 14-rebound outing for Megan Gustafson, who became the all-time leading scorer for the Hawkeyes (9-3).

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Emmanuel Nzekwesi had 28 points on 12-of-19 shooting and 14 rebounds, D.J. Weaver made seven 3-pointers and scored 21 and Oral Roberts beat Omaha 87-84. Kevin Obanor made two free throws with 29 seconds left to give ORU an 87-83 lead.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs clinched their third consecutive AFC West title and the No. 1 seed in the playoffs with a 35-3 whitewash of the Oakland Raiders. Patrick Mahomes threw for 281 yards and two touchdowns, making him the second quarterback in NFL history with at least 5,000 yards passing and 50 TDs in a season. The Raiders never gave themselves a shot after turning the ball over on their first four possessions.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Missouri’s Drew Lock wants to make sure he ends his college career with a positive memory as the No. 24 Tigers face Oklahoma State in the Liberty Bowl. Lock didn’t follow the example of other NFL prospects who skipped bowl games to begin draft preparations. The senior quarterback instead wanted to join his college teammates one last time.