Worker finds body of Calif. man missing from train

September 22nd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

HAIGLER, Neb. (AP) – A retired California firefighter who disappeared from a Chicago-bound train has been found dead in western Nebraska. The family of 69-year-old Charlie Dowd said Friday night that his body was spotted by a railway worker in Haigler, NE, an area where investigators had focused their search. Dowd was last seen Sept. 13 on an Amtrak train traveling from California. Reports from passengers who saw him had investigators thinking he may have fallen off the train in eastern Colorado or western Nebraska.

In a statement on the family’s Facebook page, relatives say they’re devastated but thankful to those who helped search. Family member Sheila Stevens confirmed the information in an interview, saying details would be released later. Dowd was from San Mateo, Calif.

Posted in News |

Parts of Iowa, Nebraska under freeze warning

News, Weather

September 22nd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Break out the blankets and hot cocoa. The National Weather Service has issued a freeze warning for parts of Iowa and Nebraska. A freeze warning is in effect from 1-a.m. Sunday through about 9-a.m., for most of the KJAN listening area, as well as eastern and north-central Nebraska.

In Iowa, overnight lows are expected to dip to as low as 26 degrees in the freeze-warning areas. In Nebraska, lows are expected to be mainly in the lower 30s, but could drop to the upper 20s in the north-central and northeast areas. The Weather Service expects temperatures to rise into the upper 50s in the western and central Iowa, and into the 60s in eastern Nebraska.

Posted in News, Weather |

FLOSSIE MURRAY ZIMMERLINE, 83, of Greenfield (Svcs. 9-27-12)

Obituaries

September 22nd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

FLOSSIE MURRAY ZIMMERLINE, 83, of Greenfield, died Sat., Sept. 22nd, at the Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. Funeral services for FLOSSIE ZIMMERLINE will be held 11-a.m. Thu., Sept. 27th, at the Greenfield United Methodist Church. Steen Funeral Home in Greenfield has the arrangements.

The family will visit with friends from 5-to 8pm Wed. at the funeral home. Online condolences may be left to the family at www.steenfunerals.com. Memorials: To the Flossie Murray Zimmerline Memorial Fund to be established by the family.

Burial will be in the Greenfield Cemetery.

FLOSSIE ZIMMERLINE is survived by:

Her daughter – Tamara (Robert) McCann, of Omaha.

Her son – Bradley (Stasha) Murray, of LaGuna Niguel, CA

Her stepson – Ronny Zimmerline of Creston.

Her brother – Gerald (Arlene) Gabrielson, of Ellenton, FL.

Her sisters – Geynell Clark, of Story City, and Dorothy (Donald) Anderson, of Starbuck, MN.

1 grandson. Her in-laws, other relatives, & friends.

Posted in Obituaries |

SARAH MERRITT, 70, of Griswold (Svcs. 9-25-12)

Obituaries

September 22nd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

SARAH MERRITT, 70, of Griswold, died Sat., Sept. 22nd, at her home in Griswold. Funeral services for SARAH MERRITT will be held 11-a.m. Tue., Sept. 25th, at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Griswold. Duhn Funeral Home in Griswold has the arrangements.

A Prayer service will be held at the funeral home on Monday (9/24), beginning at 6-p.m., followed by visitation with the family until 8-p.m.

A Memorial fund has been established.

Burial will be in the Griswold Cemetery.

SARAH MERRITT is survived by:

Her sons and step-children: David (Laurie) Doty, of Joplin, MO; Jerry (Betty) Doty, of Griswold; Michael (Sallie) Merritt, of Preston, MN; Vicki (Al) Peterson, of Omaha, & Denise (Dan) Bladow, of Battle Lake, MN.

Her sisters – Cathy (Kreg) Gallup, & Rose (Grant) Kirchhoff, all of Council Bluffs.

Her brother – Fred (Pat) Christina, of Saginaw, MI.

17 grandchildren & 9 great-grandchildren, other relatives & friends.

Posted in Obituaries |

Woman seriously injured in Fremont Co. rollover accident

News

September 22nd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Authorities in Fremont County investigated a reported car-versus-train accident early Saturday morning. Sheriff’s officials said 20-year old Marissa Ann Robinson (no address given) was ejected from the 2002 Chevy Cavalier she was driving, when it rolled several times after she lost control of the vehicle, as it was traveling south on Main Street, just south of the intersection with Washington Street. The woman was not wearing a seat belt. The car came to rest near the railroad tracks, adjacent to the road. The accident at around 2-a.m.

Officials say they were notified by about the accident by Burlington Northern Sante Fe Railway employees, at around 2:08-a.m. When deputies arrived they determined the train was NOT involved in the crash. BNSF employees advised that a white pickup truck was parked nearby. As deputies approach the truck, the vehicle took off.

Robinson was transported by Hamburg Rescue to Grape Community Hospital and later flown by LifeNet helicopter to the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Authorities said alcohol and speed were contributing factors in the crash. The accident remains under investigation by the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office. Anyone with information about the case, or any information on any possible witnesses, is asked to call 712-374-2424.

Posted in News |

BETTY TRACY, 81, of Greenfield (Svcs. 9-26-12)

Obituaries

September 22nd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

BETTY TRACY, 81, of Greenfield, died Sat., Sept. 22nd, 2012, at the Adair County Memorial Hospital in Greenfield. Funeral Services for BETTY TRACY will be held 10-a.m. Wed., Sept. 26th, at the Cornerstone Fellowship Church in Greenfield.

The family will greet friends on Tuesday, September 25 th, at the Steen Funeral Home in Greenfield from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Online condolences may be left to the family at www.steenfunerals.com.

Memorials may be directed To the Cornerstone Fellowship Church.

Burial will be in the St. John’s Catholic Cemetery, at Casey, Iowa.

Posted in Obituaries |

Tide shifting toward Obama in battleground states

News

September 22nd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Republican officials say it’s too early to count him out, but recent polls suggest the electoral map is getting difficult for Mitt Romney. With Election Day about six weeks off, it appears Romney’s recent miscues are costing him in the states expected to be the most competitive this November. Romney has fallen behind President Barack Obama in polls in Virginia and Ohio, and his ability to close in on Obama in Iowa and Wisconsin is now in doubt.

A Washington Post poll of likely Virginia voters shows President Barack Obama leading by 8 percentage points. In the race for Florida’s 29 electoral votes, polls of likely voters by Fox News and NBC each show Obama leading 49 percent to 44 percent. The Fox News poll shows Obama with a 7-point lead in Ohio.

Still, Republican campaign strategist Chris LaCivita of Virginia says the polls seem to be projecting a larger Democratic turnout than he believes will materialize. He says his data “continues to show an extremely competitive race.” Obama is campaigning in Wisconsin today, while Romney plans to attend fundraisers in California.

Posted in News |