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WAYNE LEO RAASCH, 94, of Harlan (Svcs. 7/16/23)

Obituaries

July 13th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

WAYNE LEO RAASCH, 94, of Harlan, died Wednesday, July 12, 2023, in Harlan. Funeral services for WAYNE RAASCH will be held 3-p.m. Sunday, July 16, 2023, at the Burmeister-Johannsen Funeral Home in Harlan.

Friends may call at the funeral home on Sunday, from 1-until 3-p.m.

Burial is in the Harlan Cemetery.

WAYNE RAASCH is survived by:

His wife – Vera Raasch, of Harlan.

His step-son: Dan (Ruth) Heilig, of Elk Horn (IA)

4 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren, other relatives and friends.

Online condolences may be left at www.burmeisterjohannsen.com.

Council Bluffs teen missing since Tuesday night

News

July 13th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – The Council Bluffs Police Department (CBPD) is asking for the public’s help in locating 16 year old Nicholas Dalton Tarin. The teen was last seen at around midnight, Tuesday, near 901 North 35th Street in Council Bluffs.

Nicholas was last seen wearing a black t-shirt, black sweat pants and black crocks. He’s 5-feet 9-inches tall, has brown hair and blue eyes, a tattoo on his right arm, and weighs about 195 pounds. Nicholas takes daily medication and his family and the police department are concerned that he has now been without that medication for several days.

Nicholas Tarin

If you know the whereabouts of Nicholas please call 911 or the Pottawattamie County Communications Center at 712-328-5737.

Center Even Brauns on his transfer to Iowa

Sports

July 13th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

Even Brauns is enjoying his return to Iowa City. The former Iowa City West standout transferred to Iowa after averaging seven points and nearly five and-a-half rebounds as the center at Belmont last season. He looks to help a Hawkeye team that lost its top two scorers from last year’s team that finished 19-14.

Brauns says the chance to return home was one of the factors in his decision.

Brauns is one of two new Hawkeyes who played in the Missouri Valley last season. Ben Krikke (crick-E) led the Valley in scoring at Valparaiso.

DNR has more money this fiscal year for park repairs

Ag/Outdoor, News

July 13th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources received an increase in this year’s budget from two million dollars to five million for infrastructure repairs at state parks. D-N-R director, Kayla Lyon, was asked at today’s (Thursday) Natural Resources Commission meeting how the money will be spent.

“We have a five-year capital plan for all of our infrastructure projects and so when we get increased funding we just chip away further at that at that capital plan,” Lyon says. Lyon says they talk with lawmakers about their needs during the budget process.

“We talk about all of the projects that we need to do, people don’t think about how we have to do wastewater treatment upgrades in addition to all of our regular infrastructure, so we do have conversations with the legislature,” she says. She was asked how much of an impact the additional dollars will have on the infrastructure needs and what will remain afterward.

“It’s very hard to answer that question with a number,” Lyon says. Lyon told the commission they can get some more information for them on infrastructure needs. She says it is okay for commissioners to talk with legislators about what they think is needed in the budget.

Woman found dead in burning northwest Iowa home this morning

News

July 13th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Fire officials have confirmed a body was found inside a burning Milford home this (Thursday) morning. Milford Fire Chief Jim Carpenter says a neighbor reported smoke coming from a home, just a few blocks from Highway 71 on the west side of town, shortly before 7:30.

Once on scene, firefighters found flames in the living room area of the two story structure, the same area where the unidentified deceased female was found.

The Iowa State Fire Marshal’s Office has taken the lead on the investigation in hopes of finding the cause of that blaze.

Storm Lake Police say teenager stabbed in fight, three teens charged with felonies

News

July 13th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Three teenagers have been charged in connection with an alleged stabbing incident in Storm Lake. According to the Storm Lake Police Department, officers were called to the site of a fight at around 8:40 Tuesday night and they found a 15-year-old male was suffering from a stab wound. He was initially transported to the hospital in Storm Lake, but was subsequently airlifted to another hospital.

Police say several of the suspects involved had fled the scene before officers arrived. A 15-year-old male has been arrested on three felony charges. Another 15-year-old male and a 17-year-old male each face one felony charge. All three teenagers are from Storm Lake. The investigation is ongoing and more arrests are anticipated.

Storm Lake’s Assistant Police Chief estimates that between ten and 15 people were involved in the fight.

Former Ottumwa elementary teacher pleading guilty to providing obscene material to student

News

July 13th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A former Ottumwa teacher has pleaded guilty to a sexual abuse case from five years ago. According to court records filed last week, 40-year-old Zachary Barr entered a guilty plea to the charges of enticing a child under 16, sexual exploitation by a school employee, and dissemination of obscene material to a minor. According to his attorney, Barr will be seeking probation.

The outlined sentencing details include 11 years of probation and a suspended prison sentence. Additionally, Barr must register as a sex offender. Prosecutors reportedly will not resist the potential sentence. Barr was a sixth-grade teacher at Evans Middle School in Ottumwa in 2018 when authorities say the mother of a 13-year-old girl, who was a former student of Barr’s, said her daughter received inappropriate messages sent by Barr via social media.

As part of the investigation, officers took control of the girl’s social media accounts. Their conversations with Barr became overtly sexual, prompting his arrest.

Residential electronics recycling coming to METC customers in Exira, Walnut & Minden next week

News

July 13th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Elk Horn, Iowa) – Customers of Marne-Elk Horn Telephone Company (METC) are being offered a chance to recycle residential electronics next week, at locations in Exira, Walnut and Minden. Businesses should contact your METC office for your recycling needs.

The locations, dates and time frames are as follows:

  • Exira – Exira Ball Fields on South Florence Street on Tuesday, July 18 2-6pm.
  • Walnut – Marne Elk Horn Shed (1501 Antique City Drive) on Wednesday, July 19th 2-6pm.
  • Minden – Lot across from City Hall onThursday, July 20th 2-6pm.

Accepted Items Include:

Personal Computers; Monitors; Keyboards & Mice; Printers; Copiers & Scanners; Networking Hardware; Disk Drives; Servers & Mainframes; Audio/Visual Equipment; Computer Manuals; Software; Telephones; Televisions; VCRs; Fax Machines; Circuit Boards; Cable & Satellite Equipment; Computer Cables & Wires including Christmas Tree Lights; Misc. Electronic Equipment.

Not Accepted – Appliances, Microwaves, Lighting Fixtures, Projection TVs, Laser Printers, etc. $15 fee for Old ‘Tube-Like’, Plasma & LCD TVs and Cracked Screens.

All Other Items Recycled FREE! Again, this service is for customers of Marne-Elk Horn Telephone Company, only.

Lane closures on U.S. 59 south of Avoca begin on Monday, July 24

News

July 13th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

CRESTON, Iowa – July 13, 2023 – If you are driving on U.S. 59 one mile south of Avoca in the coming weeks you need to be aware of a lane closure that may slow down your trip.

Crews will begin replacing the bridge on U.S. 59 one half at a time beginning on Monday, July 24, weather permitting. The roadway will be reduced to one lane with a lane width of 9-feet-6-inches. Trucks with wide loads traveling north of the work zone will be directed to use Iowa 83 and trucks with wide loads traveling south of the work zone will be directed to use U.S. 6. You will be directed across the bridge with temporary signal lights.

(UPDATE) Early Morning Storm Causes Damage in Cass County

News, Weather

July 13th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – A severe thunderstorm moved through the area early yesterday (Wednesday) morning. Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon says although there were no reported injuries, widespread damages were evident. Winds in excess of 70 mph knocked down trees, large limbs and created some property damages with power outages. Strong winds also laid down field corn in areas.

While performing Damage Assessments, Kennon noticed that some damages were more severe, very concentrated and seemed to run in a line. A drone was deployed and found that his suspicions were correct. There is a clear path of damage that runs along 4th Street in Marne to a cattle feeding operation at 580th and Eastland Road and ends southeast of the intersection of Eastland Road and 590th. This line is nearly 3 miles long. Similar damage was also noticed in the City of Cumberland and in a couple of other rural locations in Cass County.

Drone picture taken by Cass County Sheriff’s Deputy, Ben Bartholomew.

Mike Kennon was interested in what the National Weather Service thought of this, so he submitted pictures and the drone video footage for their evaluation. Rod Donovan of the NWS-Des Moines said, “ It certainly appears there may have been some spin up circulations along the leading edge of the storm. Likely the radar beam started overshooting these features, so they were quite shallow features.”

The National Weather Service does not currently plan to perform a preliminary storm survey at this time.