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Sex abuse trial for Council Bluffs man delayed again

News

August 12th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The second trial for a Pottawattamie County man charged in the sexual abuse of a teenager, has been delayed again. The Daily NonPareil reports trial for 47-year old John Osborn, of Council Bluffs, was put off, pending an appeal by the Iowa Attorney General’s Office.

In May, Fourth District Court Judge Richard Davidson granted Osborn a new sexual abuse trial. After a March bench trial, Davidson had found Osborn guilty of four counts of third-degree sexual abuse in connection to alleged sexual conduct with a 14-year-old girl last summer. Defense attorney Jordan Glaser filed a motion for a new trial or judgment of acquittal, citing new evidence. Davidson granted the motion for a new trial.

The attorney general’s office filed an appeal of that decision shortly thereafter, arguing that the original verdict should stand. The second trial had been scheduled to start on Aug. 4, but Fourth District Court Judge James Heckerman issued a stay of the trial pending the appeal. The attorney general’s office explained that its attorneys would file a legal brief in the coming days, with the defense then allowed 30 days to file a rebuttal.

The Iowa Supreme Court will review the case and either decide to hear it or send it to the Iowa Court of Appeals. Either way, the appeal will be heard in a Des Moines courtroom. Once a decision has been made, the matter will return to Pottawattamie County court. If the appeal is denied, a new trial will begin. If the court rules in favor of the state, the case would go to sentencing, pending a possible appeal by the defense.

MYRNA LAUREE PETERS, 75, of Walnut (Svcs. 8/14/15)

Obituaries

August 12th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

MYRNA LAUREE PETERS, 75, of Walnut, died Mon., Aug. 10th, at the Elm Crest Retirement Community, in Harlan. Funeral services for MYRNA PETERS will be held 2-p.m. Fri., Aug. 14th, at the Altamont Baptist Church in Harlan. Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Harlan has the arrangements.

Visitation at the funeral home is on Thu., from 8-am until 9-pm, with the family greeting friends from 6-until 8-pm, and a Prayer service set for 7-p.m., Thursday.

Burial will be in the Cuppy’s Grove Cemetery in rural Harlan.

MYRNA PETERS is survived by:

Her husband – Kenneth Peters, of Walnut.

Her sister – Ardella Rold, of Harlan.

Her sister- and brother- in laws, other relatives, and friends.

Shoplifter arrested in Red Oak

News

August 12th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Red Oak Police say an investigation into an alleged shoplifting incident Tuesday afternoon at a grocery store, resulted in the arrest of a 51-year old man from Red Oak. Officials say Glen West Otis was taken into custody for Theft in the 5th degree, at around 12:35-p.m. Otis was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 cash bond.

Singer Meghan Trainor cancels state fair grandstand show

News

August 12th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa State Fair has been left with a big hole in its grandstand entertainment schedule because pop singer Meghan Trainor says she can’t complete her tour due to a vocal cord problem that requires surgery. Trainor, a popular 21-year-old who scored a No. 1 hit last year with “All About That Bass,” says she’s devastated. Fair spokeswoman Mindy Williamson says the fair must find a replacement to fill a key Saturday night grandstand slot on Aug. 22. Trainor’s show had sold 8,500 tickets.

Rockers Def Leppard and country artist Carrie Underwood have sold-out shows. Williamson says shows selling at least 10,000 tickets are considered sold out. Country singer Reba McEntire’s show on Aug. 16 has sold nearly 9,800 tickets so far.

KJAN listening area forecast, 8/12/15

Weather

August 12th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

400 AM CDT WED AUG 12 2015

EARLY THIS MORNING…CLEAR. PATCHY FOG. SOUTHWEST WIND NEAR 5 MPH.

TODAY…SUNNY. PATCHY FOG THROUGH MID MORNING. HIGH IN THE MID 80’S.SOUTHWEST WIND NEAR 5 MPH.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE LOWER 60’S. SOUTH WIND AROUND 5 MPH.

THURSDAY…SUNNY. HIGH IN THE MID 80S. SOUTHWEST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

FRIDAY…SUNNY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 80S. SOUTHWEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

SATURDAY…SUNNY. HIGH IN THE MID 80S.

SUNDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE MID 80S.

Teen accepts plea bargain in connection w/I-29 pursuit & shots fired

News

August 12th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

A 17-year-old from northwest Iowa plead guilty this week to two charges associated with a chase earlier this year, during which he fired at the vehicle of an Iowa Department of Transportation officer. The Omaha World-Herald reports Chauncy Jewett of Sioux City plead guilty Monday to a charge of intimidation with a dangerous weapon and to carrying weapons in the May pursuit on Interstate 29 near Missouri Valley. Derek Floerchinger, a motor vehicle enforcement officer whose vehicle was fired at during the pursuit, was uninjured during the incident.

Prosecutors had initially charged Jewett with attempted murder. As part of a plea agreement, Scott Brown, an assistant attorney general who helped prosecute the case, said they are seeking a 12-year sentence — 10 years for the intimidation charge and two for the carrying weapons charge.

According to the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Floerchinger found a white Buick Regal parked alongside the southbound lanes of Interstate 29 in Harrison County near Mondamin about 12:35 p.m. on May 18th. He spoke to Jewett, who produced a false Iowa driver’s license. As Floerchinger questioned him, the teen put the Buick in gear and sped off.

Floerchinger pursued the car along with several other agencies. The chase topped 100 mph at times. The State Patrol says shots were fired from Jewett’s car, one of which hit Floerchinger’s vehicle. The chase ended at a rest area north of Missouri Valley, where the Buick crashed. Jewett ran into the woods behind the rest area and was arrested by Missouri Valley police

A passenger in the car, 20-year old Sydney Swanson, has been charged with second-degree theft and interference with official acts in connection with the incident. She has pleaded not guilty. Sentencing for Jewett is scheduled for Sept. 14th. In a separate case, he faces burglary charges in Woodbury County. He has pleaded not guilty in that case.

 

IGHSAU needs new officials

Sports

August 12th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union is weighing options in the hopes of attracting new officials for the various sports. Lisa Brinkmeyer of the girls’ union says over the last five or six years they have lost more than 400 officials.

Brinkmeyer says “It used to be that colleges offered an officiating class and credits. Well, those kind of fell by the wayside, although our officials coordinator Joe Oswald is working with some of the colleges trying to get that started up again. And also mentoring. We’ve got so many great officials out there. We talk to them a lot about ‘find some young guy or young gal in your community, to get them interested in it.'”

Brinkmeyer says there have also been discussions about the possibility of offering credits to high school students who officiate junior high contests. She says a national study showed that one in ten new officials don’t return for a second year.

(Radio Iowa)

Hawkeye women head to Italy

Sports

August 12th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa women’s basketball team is headed to Italy where the Hawkeyes will play three exhibition games. Coach Lisa Bluder’s team is coming off a 26-8 season in which they made it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Bluder says with a young nucleus of four sophomores and four freshmen the Hawkeyes will beneft from the trip.

The Hawkeyes play their first game on Friday.

Martinez goes 8 strong, Cardinals edge Pirates 4-3

Sports

August 12th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Carlos Martinez was strongest at the end of his eight innings and Jason Heyward had two hits and two RBIs, helping the St. Louis Cardinals edge the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 on Tuesday night in a matchup of the National League’s top two teams.

Yadier Molina tied it with a sacrifice fly and rookie Stephen Piscotty singled in the go-ahead run on consecutive at-bats off Jeff Locke (6-7) in the fifth inning. Kolten Wong singled twice for his first multihit game of the month and Piscotty had three hits.

Trevor Rosenthal struck out the side in the ninth for his 34th save in 36 chances. The Cardinals lead the Pirates by six games in the NL Central and are 6-5 in the season series with seven of the games decided by one run and five in the final at-bat.

St. Louis is 72-40 overall, at 32 over .500 it matches the season’s high water mark, and 41-16 at home — both major league bests.

 

Iowa early News Headlines: Wed., Aug. 12th 2015

News

August 12th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A new wind energy project in Iowa is still awaiting final approval from the Iowa Utilities Board. The board met to review a proposed settlement agreement for the project from Des Moines-based MidAmerican Energy. No decision was made. MidAmerican filed plans earlier this year to build wind farms on two new sites, with a total cost of about $900 million. If approved, the company would start construction in spring of 2016 and conclude by the end of the year.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A judge is upholding a warrant allowing investigators to search the email account of an indicted political operative who has worked for Rand Paul, Ron Paul and Mitch McConnell. Magistrate Judge Helen Adams rejected a request by Jesse Benton to quash a warrant ordering Google Inc. to turn over the contents of his Gmail account. The decision means the government will get access to thousands of emails that Benton sent and received dating back to 2011.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad is marking his record time in office with the publication of a book about his life. Branstad says the authorized biography will be available before the end of the year and coincides with his status this December as the nation’s longest serving governor. Branstad says an Iowa foundation will handle proceeds from the book, and the money will be distributed to causes that Branstad says focus on historic preservation efforts.

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — An Iowa man accused of robbing a downtown Fargo motel at gunpoint has pleaded not guilty in federal court. Thirty-year-old Eric Webb, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is charged with five counts, including armed robbery, use of a firearm during a crime of violence, and possession a firearm by a convicted felon. Webb was shot by a Fargo police officer shortly after the June 4 holdup.