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(Updated) NWS forecast for Atlantic & the KJAN listening area, 4/23/15

Weather

April 23rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

**Freeze Warning in effect until 8-a.m. for Cass, Adair, Adams, Madision, Ringgold, Taylor & Union Counties**

Today: Patchy frost before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 61. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 8 mph in the morning.

Tonight: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 4am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 46. South southeast wind 9 to 13 mph. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7am, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 7am and 1pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 55. Breezy, with a southeast wind 14 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday Night: Showers likely, with thunderstorms also possible after 1am. Cloudy, with a low around 47. East southeast wind 8 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Saturday: A chance of showers, mainly before 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 54. North northeast wind 9 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.

Ticket sales brisk for Drake Relays

Sports

April 23rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Brisk ticket sales could lead to a new attendance mark at this week’s Drake Relays. The all-time attendance mark of 45 thousand 838 was set two years ago. Dave Haskin is an associate athletic director at Drake. He says they’re very encouraged with how people have been responding to the event and they look forward to a great end to the Relays week. Haskin says the biggest growth in ticket sales has been for the Friday night session which was first added to the schedule back in 2006.

There are still tickets to the Saturday session available right now but Haskin says they are on pace for a 50th straight sellout, and fans shouldn’t wait until the last minute to purchase their tickets. Haskin says tickets for the first session in the stadium today (Thursday), are five dollars.

(Learfield Sports)

Deep ball will be more of a threat for Iowa

Sports

April 23rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Iowa offensive coordinator Greg Davis says the Hawkeye offense won’t change with new starting quarterback C.J. Beathard but they will take advantage of his strengths. After two seasons as the backup to Jake Rudock Beathard was named Iowa’s starting quarterback just days after a Taxslayer Bowl loss to Tennessee.

He says they have done some things different in the passing game that they think fit Beathard, in terms of trying to stretch the field, so there will likely be more of those kinds of things. Davis says they will try to take advantage of Beathard’s arm by stetching the field more in the passing game.

He says he hopes the threat of the deep ball will help out a run game that struggled for much of last season. Davis says Beathard does a good job of reading defenses and will have no trouble changing the play at the line of scrimmage when needed.

The Hawkeyes close out spring drills with an open practice on Saturday.

(Learfield Sports)

Wong’s tiebreaking double in 8th helps Cardinals top Nats

Sports

April 23rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kolten Wong homered and drove in the tiebreaking run with a double in the eighth inning to lift the St. Louis Cardinals to a 7-5 victory over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday night. Wong finished 3 for 4 with three RBIs. He had a two-run homer in the second inning and a single in the fourth.

Jon Jay drew a one-out walk off Blake Treinen (0-2) in the eighth and moved to third on Yadier Molina’s single. Wong then sliced a double down the left-field line, scoring Jay to break a 5-5 tie. Matt Adams added a solo homer in the ninth off Rafael Martin to close the scoring.

Kevin Siegrist (1-0) pitched 1 1-3 scoreless innings and Trevor Rosenthal got the last three outs for his fifth save. St. Louis won for the sixth time in seven games.

 

Treynor teens seriously injured during accident on the South Expressway in Council Bluffs

News

April 23rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Police in Council Bluffs reported late Wednesday night that two people were seriously injured during a crash earlier that evening on the South Expressway. Bluffs Police Sgt. Darren Budd says just before 7-p.m., a 1998 Ford Mustang driven by MacKenzie Jones, of Council Bluffs, was traveling southbound and was preparing to turn left onto 35th Avenue. A 2007 Chevy Tahoe driven by 33-year old Lynsi Perkins, of Council Bluffs, was traveling northbound on the South Expressway.

Several witnesses and Perkins said both drivers had a green light. There is a protected left turn arrow for southbound traffic, but the arrow was not active according to witnesses. The SUV hit the passenger side of the Mustang with such force, that two passengers in the vehicle, 16-year old Ellen Campbell and 13-year old Jane Campbell, both of Treynor, suffered serious injuries, with Ellen Campbell’s injuries deemed to be critical.

Both teens required extrication by the Council Bluffs Fire Department. They were transported to the UNMC for treatment. Mackenzie Jones was uninjured. Lynsi Perkins suffered minor injuries during the crash, and her minor passengers were not believed to be injured.

Officials say there appears to have been NO indications speed or impairment contributed to the crash. Jones, however, was cited for Improper Turning Movements. The Council Bluffs Police Traffic Unit will be conducting a follow up investigation into the crash.

(Updated 4/23) – Injury accident on Hwy 92

News

April 23rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

(Updated at 6:22-a.m. to clarify 4 injuries as earlier reported)

The Iowa State Patrol early this (Thursday) morning, updated information concerning a crash Wednesday evening on Highway 92 in Adair County, that injured four people.  Officials say several eastbound vehicles in a line of traffic were stopped in a construction zone at around 6-p.m., waiting for the Pilot car to return, when a 2004 Buick Park Avenue driven by 34-year old Brian Jorge Ford, of Creston, rear-ended a 2013 Ford F-150 pickup, driven by 43-year old Todd Nothwehr, of Clarinda. His wife, 42-year old Lara Nothwehr, was a passenger in the vehicle.

Photos submitted to KJAN. Click on photo to enlarge

Photos submitted to KJAN. Click on photo to enlarge

The force of the impact caused the pickup to rear-end a 2012 Ford F-150, driven by 31-year old Danielle Buresh, of Bridgewater, which rear-ended another vehicle.  All four vehicles came to rest on the road, blocking traffic in both directions for several hours.

Lara and Todd Nothwehr were treated at the Cass County Memorial hospital and have since been released. There was no word on the conditions of the other two victims, but authorities had said late Wednesday evening, that the injuries did not appear to be life threatening, and that all occupants had been wearing their seat belts. Airbags also deployed in the vehicles, limiting the extent of injuries.

Assisting at the scene were deputies with the Cass and Adair County Sheriff’s Offices.

(Update) 4 injured in Hwy 92 crash

News

April 22nd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Four people were injured in a crash on Highway 92 Wednesday evening, just across the Cass-Adair County line, in Adair County. Emergency crews were dispatched to the scene at around 6:18-p.m.

Photos submitted to KJAN. Click on photo to enlarge

Photos submitted to KJAN. (Click on photos to enlarge)

One person was reportedly trapped in a vehicle. Three people were transported by two separate ambulances, to the Cass County Memorial Hospital. One other person was flown by LifeNet helicopter in Clarinda to the hospital. According to authorities, the injuries did not appear to have been life threatening. The victims wore their seat belts, and airbags deployed in the vehicles.
The road was completely blocked while crews removed the injured and the wreckage. Additional details are currently unavailable.

Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling signs Letter of Intent to expand its territory

News

April 22nd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company today (Wednesday), announced that it has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with The Coca-Cola Company for expanded territory rights. The bottler will assume territories in Iowa and southern Minnesota.  Expected transition dates are subject to the parties reaching Definitive Agreements. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Kirk Tyler, President, Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company, said in a press release “We look forward to completing the transition work with The Coca-Cola Company.  Leveraging the new operating model will enable us to continue serving the needs of our consumers and customers effectively.”

Sandy Douglas, President Coca-Cola North America at the Coca Cola Company, says “We have made significant progress toward the implementation of our 21st Century Beverage Partnership Model in the U.S., which continues to strengthen our franchise system. As we continue to evolve our partnership model for growth Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company brings deep local knowledge and has demonstrated both outstanding commercial capabilities and consistent, sustainable success within their communities. Together we continue to transform our U.S. business and move closer to achieving our 2020 Vision.”

Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company and The Coca-Cola Company will work collaboratively to implement key elements of the 21st Century Beverage Partnership Model including:

  • More rational and contiguous operating territories
  • A grant of exclusive territory rights and the sale by Coca-Cola Refreshments (CCR) of distribution assets and cold drink equipment
  • An improved, more integrated information technology platform
  • A new beverage agreement that supports the evolving operating model.

Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company has been in business for over 100 years, producing and delivering Coca-Cola brands to Central and Southwest Iowa.  Owned and operated by the Tyler family, and headquartered in Atlantic, the company has a distribution center in Waukee.  Together, the two facilities employ over 180 individuals

Atlantic employee receives award for many years of service

News

April 22nd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

A woman who has been an employee of the City of Atlantic for slightly more than  25-years, was recognized for her service during a Special City Council meeting, Wednesday evening. Chris Dvorak was presented with an award for her service by Mayor Dave Jones. In acknowledging her work in the Police Department as an Administrative Assistant/dispatcher, Jones said Dvorak was always a professional in “Coordinating with law enforcement to keep the people of Atlantic and our  officers safe from harm.”

Chris Dvorak receives a 25-year service award from Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones.

Chris Dvorak receives a 25-year service award from Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones.

Jones said what she does, essentially keeps the City from being sued, by making sure when officers write a ticket or make an arrest, the paperwork is filled-out and turned in correctly.

According to the Atlantic Police Department’s website, Dvorak began working for the department in 1990. Prior to working for the City, she was a sale clerk and stay at home mom. She and her husband, John, have two children that are grown and have left the area.

Citizens of Atlantic neighborhood voice concerns over storm water runoff

News

April 22nd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

About 20 residents living in the vicinity of the Heritage House in Atlantic, voiced their concerns during a special City Council meeting Wednesday evening, over how a 6,800-square foot addition for a Commons Area at the retirement home, will affect storm water runoff. The residents affected by the runoff live primarily in an area north and west of the Heritage House, along or near Roosevelt Drive.

Dave Sturm with Snyder and Associates Engineers in Atlantic, spent the past week evaluating the drainage areas on the site, as well as existing building and drainage conditions. Ryan Hardisty, project engineer with Civil Design Advantage in Grimes said he agrees with Sturm that enlarging the existing detention basin located south of the existing building, and constructing a new, smaller basin, to the north, to catch any additional runoff from the proposed addition, will serve to alleviate many of the residents’ concerns about more water flowing into their basements during heavy rainfall.

Dr. Keith Leonard explained the residents of Roosevelt Drive showed up in force at the meeting, because they “Already have plenty of water, a lot more water than we want.” He said at least four houses from 14th Street north on the east side of Roosevelt, all have sump pumps that are constantly running. Leonard said “Whatever retention pond is there, is not doing anything or is filled-up…and is totally unusable.”

Atlantic businessman Rich Perry also lives in the area. He said no one is against Heritage House expanding, “Because they are a real asset to our community.” He said they wanted the Council to know there is a problem though, with storm water runoff, and that the addition might worsen the situation. Mayor Dave Jones said the City had been trying to deal with the Bull Creek issue over the years by installing detention basins and slowing down erosion.

Sturm said the storm water runoff is caught by a swale and directs it to 13th and 11th Streets, and Brookridge Circle, all of which are dead ends, down Roosevelt and into Bull Creek. Hardisty said they’ve analyzed the 11th Street drainage basin, and there are 24 acres that contribute water flow, not just the 13 acres occupied by the Heritage House. Single-family housing upstream he said, also contributes to runoff in the area.

After hearing from residents in the area, the Atlantic City Council approved the Heritage House addition site plans with the contingencies that the existing drainage basin be enlarged and a second basin created.