United Group Insurance

Chinese man charged in seed thefts pleads innocent

Ag/Outdoor

February 1st, 2014 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — One of the six men from China charged with conspiring to steal patented seed corn from two of the nation’s leading seed developers has appeared in federal court in Des Moines. Mo Hailong, also known as Robert Mo, appeared Thursday before Magistrate Judge Ross Walters. He entered a plea of not guilty to one count of conspiracy to steal trade secrets. Walters set a trial date for March 31 and ordered Mo held until trial.

A lawyer based in Beijing was approved to represent Mo.  Mo was arrested in Miami on Dec. 11. FBI investigators say highly valuable seed corn owned by Pioneer Hybrid and Monsanto was being taken from test fields.

Construction worker causes lockdown at C. Bluffs Google facility

News

February 1st, 2014 by Ric Hanson

A construction worker at the Google Data Center on the south side of Council Bluffs was cited Friday for 3rd degree Harassment, following an investigation into threats that caused the facility to be locked down for nearly an hour. Sgt. Chad Meyers with the Council Bluffs Police Department told the Daily NonPareil that authorities were called to the Data Center at around 9 a.m., Friday.

Meyers said an argument between 21-year-old Dontell Rowland, who was working construction at the location, and other construction employees was initially thought to have escalated to the point that Rowland threatened someone with a gun. Roland left the site and was pulled over by police, who searched his vehicle and home – per Rowland’s consent – and found no weapon.

Meyers said police later learned that Rowland had not threatened to use a weapon, but had threatened physical violence.

NWS forecast for Atlantic & the KJAN listening area: Sat., 2/1/14

Weather

February 1st, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Today: Snow, mainly before 11am. High near 28. Wind chill values as low as 10. Light north northeast wind becoming north northwest 10 to 15 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 0. Wind chill values as low as -15. North northwest wind 8 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 21. Wind chill values as low as -15. Northwest wind around 7 mph becoming south southwest in the afternoon.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 6. South southwest wind around 7 mph.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 28.
Monday Night: Snow likely, mainly after midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 15. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Tuesday: Snow likely. Cloudy, with a high near 20. Blustery. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Boys Basketball Scores from Fri., Jan. 31st 2014

Sports

February 1st, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Hawkeye 10:

  • Atlantic 54, Red Oak 35
  • Creston 70, Shenandoah 68
  • Kuemper Catholic 45, Harlan 39

Western Iowa:

  • IKM-Manning 70, Griswold 55
  • Missouri Valley 58, Audubon 30
  • Treynor 67, Riverside 29
  • Underwood 67, Tri-Center 45

Rolling Valley:

  • Ar-We-Va 65, CAM 44
  • Coon Rapids-Bayard 59, Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton 34
  • West Harrison 70, Charter Oak-Ute 52
  • Woodbine 49, Adair-Casey 40

Others:

  • Carroll 76, Perry 57
  • Central Decatur 67, Bedford 62 (2OT)
  • Clarinda Academy 79, Nishnabotna 75 (OT)
  • CB Abraham Lincoln 55, Sioux City West 27
  • Des Moines Christian 67, Guthrie Center 31
  • East Mills 49, Sidney 33
  • Essex 69, South Page 58
  • Interstate 35 60, Southwest Valley 55
  • Ogden 48, West Central Valley 41
  • Pleasantville 50, Lenox 45
  • Stanton 74, Fremont Mills 72

Iowa early News Headlines: Sat., Feb. 1st 2014

News

February 1st, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press….

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A top manager at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources says he was asked to resign from his job. Chuck Corell, head of the conservation and recreation division, tells the Des Moines Register he was asked to submit his resignation Wednesday by Bruce Trautman, the agency’s deputy director. DNR confirmed Friday it had received resignations from Corell and Cindy Axne, head of the management services division.

MARION, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in Linn County are looking for a man they say posed as a law enforcement officer and robbed a woman. The Linn County Sheriff’s Office says the robbery Thursday night involved a driver on Highway 13 near Marion.

LECLAIRE, Iowa (AP) — The photographers who line up at a Mississippi River lock to snap images of eagles are getting help from a man with a giant slingshot that flings dead fish into the open water. Ken Kester, who built the contraption, calls it a “fish launcher.” Kester sets up the slingshot at Lock and Dam 14 in Le Claire, Iowa. He tells the Quad-City Times it can toss fish a couple hundred feet into the channel, where the water is calmer and eagles feel comfortable snatching up the meals.

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — The Number 23 Oklahoma Sooners are on the road today at Number 16 Iowa State in Big 12 basketball. OU and ISU are scheduled to tip off at 3 p.m. in Ames.

FAY EBLEN, 73, of ATLANTIC (Svcs. Tues. Feb. 4th)

Obituaries

January 31st, 2014 by admin

FAY EBLEN, 73, of ATLANTIC died Thur., Jan. 30th at his home. Memorial services for FAY EBLEN will be held Tues., Feb 4th at 1:30pm at the Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic. The Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic is in charge of the arrangements.

Visitation with the family will be Monday evening from 5pm-7pm at the funeral home.

Condolences may be left at www.rolandfeuneralservice.com.

The family suggests that memorials be given for the American Legion Memorial Bldg.

FAY EBLEN is survived by his wife LaVon, several cousins and other family members.

County attorney says trooper won’t face charges

News

January 31st, 2014 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — The Pottawattamie County attorney says a state trooper won’t face criminal charges in connection with the shooting of a man last December. The Omaha World-Herald reports county attorney Matt Wilber announced Friday that trooper Tim Sieleman wouldn’t be charged in connection with the Dec. 1 shooting.

Sieleman shot 28-year-old Michael Lee, of Carter Lake, after an incident that began when the trooper stopped the man for not having license plates on a truck later determined to have been stolen.

After a chase, Sieleman rammed the pickup truck Lee was driving. Later, Sieleman was on foot when he shot at Lee as his pickup was coming toward the trooper. Lee suffered an arm wound. Lee has pleaded not guilty to interference with official acts and assaulting a police officer.

Iowa DNR: Men illegally harvested channel catfish

News

January 31st, 2014 by Ric Hanson

SIDNEY, Iowa (AP) — Five men have been charged with illegally harvesting channel catfish in southwest Iowa. The state Department of Natural Resources says the men were seen on Jan. 19 loading catch onto a truck. Officials say it’s illegal to keep game fish from the Missouri River on a commercial fishing license.

They are each charged with 18 counts of illegal method of take. They each face thousands of dollars in fines. The men are 18-year-old Larkin Achenbach, of Pacific Junction; 57-year-old Lester Achenbach, of Thurman; 54-year-old Leland Achenbach, of Thurman; 50-year-old Frankie “Lyle” Achenbach, of Riverton; and 79-year-old James Achenbach, of Thurman.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission assisted in the investigation. A court date has been scheduled on Feb. 18.

February 2014

Birthday Club

January 31st, 2014 by admin

February 1st:

  • Donald Williams of Casey (Winner)
  • Margaret Slepsky of Atlantic

February 2nd:

  • Conner & Kyle Alff of Anita (Winners)
  • Jim Field of Atlantic

February 3rd:

  • Mardell Sorsensen of Exira (Winner)
  • Lola Hodge of Walnut
  • Ronda Butcher of Atlantic
  • Robin Peterson of Atlantic

February 4th:

  • Brylee Jean Lamp of Atlantic (Winner)
  • Kellen Koll of Atlantic
  • Hannah Madsen of Harlan

February 5th:

  • no birthdays

February 6th:

  • Brenda Brown of Atlantic (Winner)
  • Delmar Gries of Elk Horn
  • Amelia Teegerstrom of Elk Horn

February 7th:

  • Barbara Harris of Atlantic (Winner)
  • Denise Stein of Griswold
  • Mary Nichols Olsen

February 8th:

  • Kayla Mendenhall of Atlantic (Winner)
  • Shawna Burmeister
  • Shannon Gearheart of Atlantic
  • John Schultes of Exira

February 9th:

  • Marilyn Freund of Atlantic (Winner)
  • Randy LaFoy of Audubon
  • Britni Hays of Adair
  • Deanna Cooper of Atlantic
  • Jean Miller of Atlantic
  • Betty Knight of Atlantic

February 10th:

  • Darlene Eggers of Avoca (Winner)
  • Heather Newman of Atlantic
  • Patty Williams of Atlantic
  • Amanda Doherty of Anita

February 11th:

  • Devon Fischer of Atlantic (Winner)
  • Dorothy Bates of Atlantic
  • HeatherKaufman of Adair

February 12th:

  • Hazel Bengard of Exira (Winner)
  • Bruce Camblin of Atlantic
  • Lois Andersen of Atlantic
  • Helen Wendt of Atlantic
  • Terrie Jensen of Kimballton
  • Jon Hays of Hamlin
  • Cheryl Watson of Anita

February 13th:

  • Corky Brown of Atlantic (Winner)
  • Judy Madden of Atlantic

February 14th:

  • Evonna Billings of Lewis (Winner)
  • Teresa Comers of Lewis
  • Eimly Nowatzke of Kimballton
  • Cookie Conn of Lewis
  • Bill Stockwell of Elk Horn

February 15th:

  • Debbie Briles of Lewis (Winner)
  • Sarah Christensen of Audubon
  • Shirley Arn of Denison

Febraury 16th:

  • Kathie Rose of Atlantic (Winner)
  • Norma Brix of Atlantic

February 17th:

  • Nicholas Terwilleger of Kimballton (Winner)
  • Donald Spoo of Atlantic
  • Joyce Rochholz of Casey
  • Nancy Farley of Anita

February 18th:

  • Carol Wright of Atlantic (Winner)
  • Michael Piken of Atlantic
  • Wilma Bowman of Audubon

February 19th:

  • Kathy7 Butler of Atlantic (Winner)
  • Austin Conrad of Atlantic
  • Shirley Mattheis of Atlantic
  • Ariel Soll of Kimballton
  • Dallas Munch of Exira
  • Rick Thompson of Exira

February 20th:

  • Jerry A. Jensen of Hamlin (Winner)
  • Illeen Furne of Atlantic
  • Nancy Asekland of Atlantic
  • Shirley Schroeter of Atlantic

February 21st:

  • Theresa Hensley of Massena (Winner)
  • Megan Reimer of Marne
  • Joyce Hart of Atlantic
  • Joan Templeman of Atlantic
  • Ann Carroll of Avoca
  • Trent Partridge of Elk Horn

February 22nd:

  • Bea Sherman of Atlantic (Winner)
  • Doug Eckles of Griswold
  • Dorothy Burnett of Atlantic
  • Jason Christensen of Audubon
  • Barbara Jean Funke of Fontanelle
  • Cindy Humphrey of Atlantic
  • Doc Jessen of Anita

February 23rd:

  • Beverly Walter of Atlantic (Winner)
  • Don Jensen of Kimbalton
  • Myrna Eckles
  • Jane Kite of Marne
  • Clare Christensen of Audubon

February 24th:

  • Luann Olson of Exira (Winner)
  • Tanner Winther of Anita
  • Bob Evans of Elliott
  • Shirley McDermott
  • Millie Nelson of Atlantic
  • Sarah Darling of Atlantic
  • Nolan Parker

February 25th:

  • no birthdays

February 26th:

  • Kaloni Brown of Atlantic (Winner)
  • David Woltmann of Harlan
  • Debi McCurdy of Atlantic

February 27th:

  • Alicia Blake of Walnut (Winner)

February 28th:

  • Mary Boege of Anita (Winner)
  • Randy Fiebelkorn of Exira

 

 

Lenox School restricts student activity due to a “Situation”

News

January 31st, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Police in Lenox report the Lenox Community Schools were asked not to let students outside for about an hour this (Friday) afternoon. In a press release, authorities said “For a short time today around noon, the police department was dealing with a situation about 2 blocks north of the school. We were looking for an individual as part of our investigation. We did not believe this person presented any threat to the school at any time. However in order to ensure the highest degree of safety for our students, we asked the school to not allow the students outside the building for approximately one hour while we conducted our search.”

Officials say when authorities determined no threat existed, the school was immediately notified and resumed normal function. Police did not describe the precautions as a “lockdown” of the school.