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Freezing rain causes power outages and minor accidents

News

November 27th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Rain that transitioned to freezing rain over parts of western Iowa Thursday afternoon into early Friday morning, caused minor accidents and in at least one community, a power outage that lasted for more than 2-hours. The National Weather Service said this (Friday) morning, Rockwell City was without power after rain froze on power lines, which were then whipped by the winds and knocked down.

Late Thursday night in Menlo, social media reports indicated trees were cracking under the weight of one-quarter inch of ice, and power surges were being noticed. In Cass County, there were reports of at least three accidents, none of which resulted in injury, except to say that rescue was dispatched for man who was involved in an accident on I-80 near exit 54. The man was not injured, but was suffering from chest pain following the crash. Additional information is not currently available.

Shenandoah Officer resigns before investigation into policy violation is complete

News

November 27th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

A Shenandoah Police Officer in the midst of a civil lawsuit, along with the Shenandoah Police Department and City of Shenandoah, resigned effective immediately, this past Wednesday. The Daily NonPareil says according to City Administrator Jim Davey, Officer Derek Baier, a member of the Shenandoah Police Department since December 2013, resigned because an investigation into a possible administrative policy violation was underway, and Baier chose to resign before that investigation was complete.

Baier will be eligible for unemployment, and it would be up to the city to approve or appeal that request. Davey said the process to find Baier’s replacement will begin soon.

The lawsuit involving Baier, the City of Shenandoah and its Police Department, is against Drew Bayless. In January 2014, the then 20-year-old Bayless was stopped by Baier for allegedly running a stop sign. Once Bayless stopped his vehicle, he alleges that he was thrown to the ground by Baier. Two weeks prior to the incident, Bayless had lumbar disc surgery. A second surgery was then needed to repair the damage done by Baier throwing him to the ground.

The date of Aug. 16, 2016, has been set for the start of the civil trial.

Road conditions report (from 511ia.org) as of 5:30-a.m. 11/27

Weather

November 27th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Road report

Click on the map to enlarge

Stanton man arrested Friday morning on burglary & other charges

News

November 27th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department reports a Stanton man was arrested early Friday morning on Burglary and other charges. 26-year old Mykel Allen Thoren was taken into custody at around 1:45-a.m. for Burglary in the 3rd Degree and Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree. The charges stem from an incident that took place Wednesday (11/25) in the 400 block of Highland Avenue, in Red Oak.

Thoren was also arrested on a valid Cass County warrant for Theft in the 5th Degree. He was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $5,000 cash bond.

Altercation in Red Oak Thursday – no arrests

News

November 27th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Two men suffered minor injuries during an altercation Thursday, in Red Oak, but no charges were filed. Authorities say that’s because all persons involved were intoxicated, and there were contradictory stories from victims and suspects. Persons involved in the incident were identified as Michael Vaughn Cox, Kevin Leon Simmons, and Shelby Joan Olivares.

NWS forecast for Cass & area Counties in IA, 11/27/15

Weather

November 27th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

346 AM CST FRI NOV 27 2015

EARLY THIS MORNING…CLOUDY…COLDER. NORTH WIND AROUND 15 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH.

TODAY…CLOUDY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 20S. NORTH WIND AROUND 15 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOW 15 TO 20. NORTHEAST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH.

SATURDAY…PARTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE MID 30S. NORTHEAST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

SUNDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY. A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF LIGHT SLEET IN THE MORNING. HIGH IN THE UPPER 30S. NORTHEAST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

SUNDAY NIGHT…CLOUDY WITH A 50 PERCENT CHANCE OF LIGHT FREEZING RAIN AND LIGHT SNOW. LOW IN THE UPPER 20S.

MONDAY…LIGHT RAIN AND LIGHT SNOW. HIGH IN THE MID 30S. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 80 PERCENT.

 

Iowa Medicaid costs for Alzheimer’s patients projected to skyrocket

News

November 27th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

A new report projects the expense to Medicaid for people afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease in Iowa and nationwide will increase dramatically over the next decade. Melissa Kramer, spokeswoman for the Greater Iowa Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, says the costs will have a tremendous impact on the thousands of patients in Iowa who are living with the memory-robbing disease.

“The current budget for Medicaid here in Iowa, we spend about $576-million on Medicaid and 14% of that is actually spent on people with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias.” Symptoms usually develop slowly and get worse over time, becoming severe enough to interfere with daily tasks. Alzheimer’s accounts for 60- to 80-percent of dementia cases. A majority of people with Alzheimer’s are 65 years old and older, but early onset can strike someone in their 40s or 50s.

“Alzheimer’s is a triple threat,” she says. “It’s soaring in prevalence, it’s lack of treatment and it has enormous costs associated that really no one can afford. This is an expensive disease and if we don’t do something now, down the road, it will bankrupt America.” There is no cure for Alzheimer’s. Last year in Iowa, it was estimated there were 62,000 people statewide who’d been diagnosed with the disease.

(Radio Iowa)

Iowans are warned about phone scam involving “computer doctors”

News

November 27th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

If you haven’t already received an unsolicited call from someone offering to help you and your “ailing” computer, you still might, but Jim Hegarty, with the Better Business Bureau, is warning Iowans that it’s a scam, often involving con artists claiming to be with a company called Team Viewer.  “Somebody that claims to be representing Microsoft, they’ve detected malware on your computer, they need to log on remotely so you give them access to your system so they can analyze the situation,” Hegarty says. “People will give them this access, which is mistake number one.”

The next mistake, he says, is giving them permission to fix something on your computer that’s not really broken. “Once they’re in your system, they’ll say they’ve identified the problem and it’ll be like $399 to get it cleaned up,” Hegarty says. “Of course, you’re always able to put that on a major credit card.” No matter how good the story may sound, he says not to believe it and certainly don’t give them any personal financial information or computer passwords.

“Not only have you allowed them remote access into your system and Lord knows what they’ve done when they’re in there, you’ve also given them access to your credit card information,” Hegarty says. “Very typically, we’ll almost immediately begin to see unauthorized charges being made with those cards that people have given to them.”

Hegarty says if you get one of these calls, the BBB wants to hear about it. You can log on to www.bbb.org to report the scam or call it in. He says they have “first responders” ready to help.

(Radio Iowa)

ISU professor warns terrorists using sex trade to finance their activities

News

November 27th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

An Iowa State University sociology professor says the world is at a “tipping point” when it comes to human trafficking. Professor Teresa Downing-Matibag is a volunteer with the Network Against Human Trafficking. “This is an issue of national security in many, many ways. Terrorist organizations such as the Islamic State are using human trafficking to fund their activities,” she says. “Gangs and criminal syndicates operating both intrastate and interstate are using human trafficking to fund their activities.”

The International Labor Organization estimates 27 million people around the world are either enslaved in the sex trade or have been sold into forced labor. “It is the second-fastest growing crime in the world, next to drug trafficking,” Downing-Matibag says. “If we do not break up the highly-organized networks through which this crime operates, they will become a permanent part of our landscape and no one will be safe in any community or in any home.”

The Iowa-based Network Against Human Trafficking recently conducted a training session for staff at the state prison for female inmates. Downing-Matibag says prison staff tell her there are women in the Mitchellville prison who’ve been trafficked. “This is an issue for them,” Downing-Matibag says. “It is also an issue for their children who are also at risk while they are incarcerated.” The network is providing training for Iowa foster care parents as well as employees in hotels and motels in how best to respond to victims of human trafficking. Downing-Matibag says it’s time to discuss this issue in the open rather than sweep it under the rug.

“And figure out very targeted and strategic ways to serve victims and identify this activity,” Downing-Matibag says. Downing-Matibag’s testified at a statehouse hearing earlier this month and recommended changes in state law to target the buyers. She says it’s time to force those arrested for paying for sex to notify their spouse or partner, so they can be tested for sexually transmitted diseases. In addition, she says the courts should be allowed to seize property to pay any fines assesses against those arrested for trying to buy sex.

(Radio Iowa)

Cooke scores 22, Dayton tops Iowa 82-77

Sports

November 27th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Charles Cooke scored 22 points to lead Dayton past Iowa 82-77 in the first round of the AdvoCare Invitational on Thursday night. Cooke connected on two free throws to give Dayton a 78-77 lead with 50 seconds left. Scoochie Smith’s layup extended the lead to 80-77 with 11 seconds to go.

Cooke secured the win by hitting two more free throw with 4 seconds remaining. He played the final few minutes of the game with four fouls. Dayton (4-0) also got 16 points from both Kendall Pollard and Kyle Davis. Jarrod Uthoff had 18 points for Iowa (3-1)

Iowa used a 16-2 run to take a 75-71 lead with 3 minutes to play. Mike Gesell’s long-range jumper ended the surge. Davis ended a 7-0 run with a slam during the first minute of the second half that put Dayton ahead 52-39.