United Group Insurance

E-15 gas returning to the Iowa market

Ag/Outdoor, News

September 16th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

A blend of fuel that’s been off the market in Iowa during the summer driving season is returning today (Friday). Gasoline that has 15 percent ethanol blended in it is now available again. Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) Executive Director Monte Shaw says federal regulations are to blame as the newer E-15 fuel blend wasn’t given the same summer driving allowance that the commonly used E-10 blend was given 30 years ago.

“As a result of that, you actually have to have two different types of gasoline to blend — one for E-10 and one for E-15. Oil companies use this quirk in federal regulations and only supply Iowa with the blendstock that is suitable for E-10, thereby freezing E-15 out of the market for three-and-a-half months,” Shaw explains. Shaw says the E-15 can be used on a majority of vehicles on the roads. “It’s approved for use in all 2001 or newer vehicles. It is not approved for smaller off-road engines. But if you have a 2001 or newer vehicle, you can use E-15 and you are going to be getting a cleaner product, a higher octane product, and it’s going to cost you less while providing the same mileage and probably a little bit of increased power,” according to Shaw.

He says the inability to sell E-15 year round has kept some retailers from selling the blend, but he says they’ve been working to increase it’s availability. Shaw says 69 stations now offer E-15 across the state, which is a big jump from last year. Shaw says retailers have to stop selling E-15 on June 1st when the so-called summer driving season starts. “We are going to be working very hard between now and next June to try to get the E-P-A to fix this or Congress to fix this. We need one of those two entities to step up and say ‘this is ridiculous,’ there is no scientific basis for treating these fuels differently. It is preventing a legal fuel from being available in the marketplace,” Shaw says.

He says the oil companies want to block anything that will cause more renewable corn-based ethanol and less oil to be used. Shaw says another tactic used by those who are against ethanol use is to say that drivers won’t be able to decide which fuel to use if there are too many choices at the pump. “Somehow you’re smart enough to drive a car 80-miles-an-hour down the interstate, but you’re not smart enough to choose between more than two fuel options,” Shaw says, “I just don’t buy into that.”

He says you can go to a restaurant and choose between thousands of different kinds of flavor mixes for you pop and that doesn’t cause any problems for customers. Shaw says having choices is a good thing. “We support consumer options and consumer choices. No one is forced to buy E-15. In fact in most of Iowa no one is even forced to buy E-10. You can pay quite a bit more money and get a non-ethanol blend,” Shaw says. “I think you are silly if you do — but it’s there. So, we like the fact that consumers can choose E-10, E-15 and in some stations they can choose an E-30 and E-85 if they are driving a flex fuel vehicle.”

Shaw believes E-15 would be a top choice of drivers if they all had access to it. “If we could make this universally available and consumers said ‘hey yeah I’d like to save five or ten cents a gallon, I’m gonna use E-15,’ it could make up 80 percent of our fuel market,” Shaw says. “Now that is going to take some time. Right now what we’re seeing is that it generally makes up anywhere from 15 to 25 percent of the sales of the stations that actually offer it.”

Shaw says stations in Minnesota that offer E-15 have seen it move to 50 percent of their sales. Retailers in the Des Moines and surrounding metro areas are selling the E-15 for one dollar, 15 cents a gallon at times today (Friday) to promote its return to the market. You can find a station that sells E-15 by going to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association website http://iowarfa.org/

(Radio Iowa)

Texans different team than in playoff loss to Chiefs

Sports

September 16th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

HOUSTON (AP) – The Houston Texans certainly aren’t dwelling on their 30-0 wild-card playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs as they prepare to face them again Sunday. However, it’s impossible to forget the embarrassing home defeat in January in their first playoff game since 2012.

“When that was our last loss of last season, it’s a tough one,” Houston’s J.J. Watt said. “It’s definitely a little bit on your mind, but I think it’s a new year, new season. We’re really excited about this one.”

Though that game wasn’t very long ago, a lot has changed for the Texans since. The biggest difference is an upgrade at quarterback in Brock Osweiler after Brian Hoyer had five turnovers in the playoff loss. Houston also added running back Lamar Miller and drafted receiver Will Fuller in the first round to add more weapons to an offense featuring DeAndre Hopkins.

“They’re a better football team now than when we played them the last time, and they are healthier,” Kansas City coach Andy Reid said. “They’ve added some new additions, so I think we’re going up against a better football team.”

This will be the third time these teams have met in just more than a year after they opened the season against each other in 2015. The fact that all three games have been in Houston adds to the oddity.

You can hear the game beginning at Noon Sunday, here on KJAN.

Area Rainfall report (9/16/16)

Weather

September 16th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

(12-hour rainfall as of 4:30-a.m.)

Atlantic (KJAN) 2.48 inches

Adair 3.20 in
Coon Rapids 2.80 in
Adair Casey Elementary 2.79 in
Panora 2.56 in
Stuart 2.45 in
Fontanelle 2.36 in
Greenfield 2.20 in

Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varying equipment and exposures. Not all data listed are considered official.

Flash Flood Watch/Warning update (4:12-a.m., 9/16)

Weather

September 16th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The Flash Flood Watch that was in effect until 5-a.m. for Monona, Harrison and Shelby Counties, has been cancelled. Many parts of those counties received in excess of 5-inches of rain overnight, but the threat for heavy rain has ended. A Flash Flood Watch that was in effect until 7-a.m. today  for Guthrie, Cass, Adair, Madison, Adams, Union, Taylor and Ringgold Counties, was also cancelled.

A Flash Flood Warning remains in effect until 4:45-a.m.,. for Shelby, Harrison, northeastern Pottawattamie and southeastern Monona Counties, where 2-to 3 inches of rain had fallen earlier this morning.

 

Rural Essex man arrested for OWI & a drug charge Friday morning

News

September 16th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

A traffic stop northwest of Coburg early this (Friday) morning in Montgomery County, resulted in an arrest. The Sheriff’s Department reports 59-year old Micheal Dean Ohnmacht, of rural Essex, was charged with OWI/1st offense, and Possession of a Controlled Substance, after his vehicle was pulled over at around midnight, near the intersection of 250th Street and Evergreen Avenue. Ohnmacht was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond.

3 vehicles involved in Creston accident Thu. morning – no injuries

News

September 16th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Creston Police say no injuries were reported following an accident late Thursday morning. Officials say a 2004 Acura RSX driven by 21-year old Brittany Ann Taylor, of Creston, was traveling south on Elm Street at around 11:30-a.m.  A 2011 Ford Edge driven by 80-year old Roberta Arlene Sobotka, of Diagonal, was traveling eastbound on Adams, and had pulled up to and stopped at, the intersection of Elm and W. Adams Streets. When Sobotka proceeded into the intersection, her SUV hit the car.

Sobotka then panicked and backed up, causing her SUV hit an eastbound 2006 Chevy Uplander driven by 35-year old Amie Jo Jackson, of Creston. Sobotka was issued a warning for Failure to Yield the right of Way. Damage from the collisions amounted to $5,000.

Red Oak woman cited following Thu. evening collision

News

September 16th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Police in Red Oak say no injuries were reported following an accident that happened at around 6-p.m., Thursday. Authorities say 35-year old Jessica Danielle Blocker, of Red Oak, was cited for Driving While Suspended and Failure to hold insurance. The crash happened at the intersection of Cherry and Broadway Streets, when  a 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan driven by 45-year old Carrie Sue Gray, of Red Oak, was rear-ended by a 2004 Dodge Dakota pickup driven by Blocker. Damage from the collision amounted to $3,100.

Iowa early News Headlines: Friday, Sept. 16th 2016

News

September 16th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) — A prosecutor in the case of an Iowa teen who was given a suspended 10-year prison sentence for molesting a 1-year-old girl says the teen was duped into the act by child pornographers posing online as a teenage girl. The suspended sentence for 19-year-old Kraigen Grooms issued Monday has stirred outrage on social media and led to an online petition calling for an Iowa judge’s removal.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An attorney for the family of a woman mistakenly killed by an Iowa police officer is lashing out at the Iowa Public Information Board for “unconscionable” delays and errors in her case. Adam Klein, an attorney for Autumn Steele’s family, accused board members of mishandling complaints alleging that police have illegally withheld public records in her January 2015 shooting. Klein said their actions were hurting a grieving family.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Law enforcement officials have revealed the identities of two Cedar Rapids police officers who fatally shot a man earlier this week who was suspected of stabbing his children’s mother. The Iowa Department of Public Safety said Thursday in a news release that Officers Jeremiah White and Ashleigh Steil fired their weapons Monday, killing 25-year-old Markell Bivins. Hiring records show both joined the Cedar Rapids force in June 2008.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Thirty protesters arrested last month at a central Iowa petroleum pipeline construction site have appeared in court on a trespassing charge. All but one protester took responsibility for the action and will pay just over $270 in fines and fees.

2 women arrested on charges associated w/a stolen vehicle

News

September 16th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports two women were arrested Thursday in association with the theft of a motor vehicle. At around 8:20-p.m., deputies arrested 37-year old Tamara Lynn McCoy, of Villisca, on an Adams County warrant for Theft of a Motor Vehicle. McCoy was being held in the Adams County Jail on $5,000 bond. And, at around 7:40-p.m., 27-year old Katherine Coleman, of Corning, was arrested for Possession of a Stolen vehicle.

Her arrest stems from an investigation into a vehicle stolen out of Villisca. At around 3:40-a.m., Thursday, Coleman was cited for Driving While Suspended and the vehicle was impounded. Later that day, the Mongtomery County Sheriff’s Office informed Adams County authorities the same vehicle had been reported stolen from Villisca.

Coleman was being held in the Adams County Jail on $5,000 bond.

Significant Weather Advisory for parts of s.w. IA until 3-a.m.

Weather

September 16th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

FREMONT IA-PAGE IA-POTTAWATTAMIE IA-MONTGOMERY IA

212 AM CDT FRI SEP 16 2016

AT 212 AM CDT…DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG  THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM NEAR VILLISCA TO 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CLARINDA. MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 45 MPH. WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE…

RED OAK…CLARINDA…SHENANDOAH…VILLISCA…ESSEX…STANTON… ELLIOTT…COIN…COLLEGE SPRINGS…SHAMBAUGH…BRADDYVILLE…GRANT… YORKTOWN…NORTHBORO…COBURG…BLANCHARD… HEPBURN AND VIKING LAKE STATE PARK.

THIS INCLUDES HIGHWAY 34 IN IOWA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 33 AND 51.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS…AND MAY LEAD TO LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS.