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Toddler found unresponsive in Council Bluffs fire dies

News

January 13th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a 2-year-old girl found unresponsive along with her mother in a Council Bluffs apartment fire has died. The Omaha World-Herald reports that A’Nyia Patton died Friday night at Children’s Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska, where she was taken after being found by firefighters in the burning apartment Wednesday morning. An autopsy has been ordered.

The girl’s mother, 37-year-old Michelle Patton, remained in critical condition at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. Firefighters were sent to the blaze 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. Within minutes, they had the fire under control and found the mother and child in a bedroom. At the time, neither had a pulse and CPR was started to revive them.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Des Moines parking meters now to charge nights, weekends

News

January 13th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Those parking at some downtown Des Moines meters will soon have to pay for extended hours. The Des Moines Register reports that parking meters in downtown Des Moines’ Court Avenue entertainment district will begin charging on nights and Saturdays starting Wednesday. With the change, meters will charge for parking from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Currently, the meters stop charging at 6 p.m. on weekdays. There is no charge for weekend parking. Free on-street parking on Sundays will remain.

The change is part of the city’s Park Downtown Des Moines program intended to move long-term parkers into parking garages. As part of the program, Des Moines will lower the hourly rate it charges at city-owned parking garages by $1.

Iowa woman sentenced for false invoices overcharging state

News

January 13th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — An officer for a contractor who admitted falsifying and submitting invoices that resulted in nearly $808,000 in overcharges to the Iowa Transportation Department has been sentenced to supervised release. Federal prosecutors say 31-year-old Jenna Wilson, of Sergeant Bluff, was sentence Friday in Sioux City’s federal courthouse. In addition to two years’ supervised release, she was ordered to pay a nearly $34,500 fine.

Court records say Wilson raised the per-unit price on expanded polystyrene fill used in the 2016 reconstruction of the Interstate 29 interchange at Salix. The polystyrene fill was properly invoiced by its original supplier. Wilson pleaded guilty in August to making false statements.

(Podcast) KJAN 8-a.m. News, 1/13/2018

News, Podcasts

January 13th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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RUTH NORMAN, 96, of Atlantic (Committal Svcs.@ a later date )

Obituaries

January 13th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

RUTH NORMAN, 96, of Atlantic, died Saturday, Jan. 13th, at the Heritage House. Cremation has taken place and a Committal service for RUTH NORMAN will be held at a later date in the Sunnyside Cemetery in Milton, Iowa. Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic has the arrangements.

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

RUTH NORMAN is survived by:

Her niece – Jo (Jack) Wagner, of Atlantic.

Iowa DNR to hold meetings on water quality standards

Ag/Outdoor, News

January 13th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Department of Natural Resources wants to know residents’ thoughts on improving water quality in the state. The DNR is conducting its triennial review of water quality standards. Iowa residents can attend one of three meetings across the state. The meetings allow Iowans the opportunity to provide the DNR with information to help in setting the goals for streams and rivers.

The meetings are set for 4 p.m. on Jan. 23 in Urbandale, Jan. 24 in Washington and Jan. 25 in Harlan. The public can also submit written comments by mail to Matthew Dvorak with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources or by email at matthew.dvorak@dnr.iowa.gov .

(Podcast) KJAN Morning Sports report, 1/13/2018

Podcasts, Sports

January 13th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast w/Ric Hanson.

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(Podcast) KJAN Morning News & funeral report, 1/13/2018

News, Podcasts

January 13th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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Cover crop study shows higher yields to corn and soybeans

Ag/Outdoor

January 13th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

A nine-year study of cereal rye as a cover crop shows it can lead to higher soybean and corn yields. Iowa Learning Farms and Practical Farmers of Iowa compared strips of fields planted with cereal rye in the fall and those without it. The rye helps keep nutrients and soil in place, and also keeps down some weeds. Plus, in areas with multiple years of the cover crop, some farmers reported harvesting slightly more soybeans and corn than in areas without it. Liz Juchems, of Iowa Learning Farms says the only downside is that farmers are dropping out of the study.

“Once we got past the first couple of years of using cover crops, some of our producers said, ‘I don’t need to be convinced anymore, I’m going to use cover crops. I don’t want to have these no cover strips left in my field’,” Juchems says.

She says the yield bump is just a bonus on top of the rye’s environmental benefits. “It will go dormant during this time of the year and once it warms up in the spring, it’ll start growing again. So it helps us bridge those brown months when we don’t have corn or soybeans growing in our fields, so it can be retaining the soil, and then the nutrients through the plant uptake,” Juchems explains.

Juchems says these farmers will become role models and resources for their neighbors who are still weighing whether to invest in cover crops.

(Radio Iowa)

Skyscan Forecast & weather data for Atlantic: 1/13/18

Weather

January 13th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Today: Partly sunny. High 11. N @ 5-10. Wind chill as low as -10.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy w/a 30% chance of snow late. Low 4. S @ 5-10. Wind chill -5.

Tomorrow: A 30% chance of snow through mid-morning. High 27. S/SW @ 10-20. Less than 1/2” of snow is expected altogether.

Sunday night: Cldy w/light snow early. (around 1/2-1”). Low 3.

Monday: Mo. Sunny. High 6.

Tuesday: Mo. Sunny. High 5.

Friday’s High in Atlantic was 10. Our 24 hour Low (ending at 7-a.m.) will be -4 (at 6-a.m. It was 6 degrees above zero). Last year on this date our High was 28 and the Low was 10. The all-time record High in Atlantic on this date was 62 in 1987, and the Low was -24 in 1916.