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NWS Forecast for Cass & area Counties in IA: 4/24/2014

Weather

April 24th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

346 AM CDT THU APR 24 2014

EARLY THIS MORNING…OCCASIONAL SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. SOUTHEAST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 90 PERCENT.

TODAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY. BREEZY. OCCASIONAL SHOWERS IN THE MORNING. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE DAY. SCATTERED SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGH IN THE LOWER 60S. SOUTHWEST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH SHIFTING TO THE NORTHWEST 15 TO 20 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON. GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 90 PERCENT.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. COLDER. LOW IN THE UPPER 30S. NORTHWEST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 25 MPH SHIFTING TO THE WEST AROUND 5 MPH AFTER MIDNIGHT.

FRIDAY…SUNNY…WARMER. HIGH IN THE MID 70S. SOUTHWEST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

FRIDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE UPPER 40S. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 10 MPH SHIFTING TO THE EAST AFTER MIDNIGHT.

SATURDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. BREEZY. HIGH IN THE MID 70S. SOUTHEAST WIND 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH.

SATURDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 50 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. BREEZY. LOW IN THE MID 50S.

SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT…THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY. BREEZY. HIGH IN THE MID 60S. LOW 51 TO 56. CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS 70 PERCENT.

Malvern Community Center receives $1-million committment

News

April 24th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Officials with the Charles E. Lakin Foundation announced Wednesday they are willing to commit $1 million for a planned community center located at the Mills County Fairgrounds in Malvern. According to the Daily NonPareil, the 16,000-square-foot building to house the Mills County Extension and Outreach offices, and it will serve as a center for the county and region. The building, with a maximum seating capacity for 400 people, is the first climate-controlled facility on the fairgrounds.

Chad McCollester, a board member for the Mills County Fairgrounds who serves on the project’s building committee, said the community center will cost $2.5 million to $2.8 million. McCollester said officials will finalize project specifications once they acquire remaining funds. They plan to raise the rest of the money by the end of the year. The facility will feature a full kitchen, storage areas, a utility room and bathrooms with showers.

Mets cut down tying run, hold off Cardinals 3-2

Sports

April 24th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

NEW YORK (AP) — Lucas Duda hit a long home run and the New York Mets threw out the potential tying run at the plate in the ninth inning to hold off the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 Wednesday night with a stiff wind whipping through Citi Field. Jonathon Niese earned his first win of the season, and shortstop Ruben Tejada cut down Matt Carpenter for the second out of the ninth on a strong relay from center fielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis.

St. Louis manager Mike Matheny challenged the call, which was upheld following a replay review of 1 minute, 20 seconds that showed catcher Travis d’Arnaud nicked Carpenter with a sweep tag near his armpit. Cardinals right-hander Michael Wacha set career highs with 10 strikeouts and five walks in the shortest of his 14 regular-season starts in the majors. A bizarre outing if ever there was one — but it was that sort of night.

Chiefs to open season Sept. 7 vs Tennessee

Sports

April 24th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs will have to get used to playing away from Arrowhead Stadium. Kansas City opens the season at home against Tennessee on Sept. 7, and then has just one more home game over the first seven weeks — the Patriots visit on Sept. 29. Otherwise, the Chiefs will be taking trips to Denver, Miami, San Francisco and San Diego along with having a week off during the first half of the season. The NFL announced the schedules for all teams Wednesday night.

If the Chiefs can navigate their early road swing, they’ll have an opportunity to finish strong at home. They welcome cross-state rival St. Louis on Oct. 26, and play home games against Seattle, Denver and Oakland before wrapping the regular season against San Diego on Dec. 28.

PETA seeks OK from Iowa DOT for turkey memorial

News

April 24th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has asked Iowa transportation officials for permission to build a temporary memorial tombstone that they say will honor hundreds of turkeys killed in a recent truck crash. Ankeny resident and PETA member Alex Moore says in a letter dated Tuesday that he wants to erect the 10-foot structure in remembrance of more than 500 turkeys killed in a crash April 12th in Sioux City. The truck transporting the animals overturned.

Moore says in the letter that the tombstone, which would be up for a month, would promote a meat-free diet as well as safe driving. The tombstone would be provided by PETA. The letter is addressed to Highway Division Director John Adam.

Bill to end dog racing surfaces in Senate

News

April 24th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A bill that would end greyhound racing in Council Bluffs but permits racing to continue in Dubuque is scheduled to be considered this (Thursday) morning by a Senate subcommittee. A bill was introduced late Wednesday that would pay out $72 million to the industry over seven years. Mystique Casino in Dubuque would pay $7 million over seven years and Horseshoe Casino in Council Bluffs casino would pay $65 million over seven years. The bill would end live racing in Council Bluffs on December 31st, 2015.

The Iowa Greyhound Association would be allowed to negotiate a five-year lease to manage racing at the Dubuque track but Cedar Falls Democratic Senator Jeff Danielson says racing would end there too if it’s not profitable. He says the bill has broad bipartisan support.

Iowa early News Headlines: Thu., April 24th 2014

News

April 24th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa House and Senate have approved an education budget that should let higher education officials freeze tuition for a second-straight year. The Des Moines Register reports both chambers approved a $986.1 budget last night and sent the measure to Governor Terry Branstad.

CHARLES CITY, Iowa (AP) — Floyd County officials have revoked the appointments of two members of its veterans affairs commission. The Floyd County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to remove Ron Munshower and Sandra Paul from the Floyd County Veterans Affairs Commission because of alleged violations to the state’s open meetings law. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports a former commissioner filed a complaint about Munshower and Paul in March to the Iowa Public Information Board.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — Police in Marshalltown are investigating the use of a BB gun near an elementary school. Captain Brian Batterson with the Marshalltown Police Department tells KCCI an unidentified person shot a BB gun yesterday morning that hit the window of a street sweeper. The driver of the vehicle was not injured.

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — A principal says two middle school students in Burlington were suspended for writing song lyrics in class that included references to gangs and killing people. The Hawk Eye reports police were sent to Aldo Leopold Middle School April 7th after a teacher discovered two 13-year-old students’ lyrics. Local police say they took no action because a crime had not been committed.

Taylor County Death Investigation

News

April 23rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Authorities in southwest Iowa are investigating the circumstances surrounding a death in Taylor County. The Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI) says on Wednesday (April 23rd), the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call indicating a shooting had occurred. Authorities arrived on scene and identified the body of an adult male who had suffered an apparent gunshot wound. The individual was transported to Heartland Medical Hospital in St. Joseph, Missouri where he died.

An investigation into the shooting death is ongoing by the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. Identification of the individual is being withheld pending family notification. An autopsy is pending at the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner in Ankeny.

Senate renews effort to legalize medical marijuana

News

April 23rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A renewed effort to legalize the use of marijuana to treat chronic epilepsy has won the support of a legislative panel. A three-member subcommittee unanimously approved a measure Wednesday that would allow the use of oil derived from marijuana medically as a last-resort treatment for chronic epilepsy. It now goes to the Ways and Means Committee.

The form of marijuana that would be legalized cannot be smoked and doesn’t create a high, and it would have to be obtained in another state that produces the oil.

Efforts by women who have children with epilepsy changed some lawmakers’ views on the issue and sparked a revival of a bill previously believed to be dead. New policy measures cannot be brought up late in the session unless legislative leaders sponsor them.

Authorities say human skull found in western Iowa

News

April 23rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

ANKENY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities are investigating the discovery of a human skull in western Iowa. The state Division of Criminal Investigation says the skull was found Monday in Mills County. The Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny will determine details like the gender, race and age of the skull.

Investigators have not released additional information about where the skull was found or the circumstances of its discovery. Special Agent Mitch Mortvedt tells the Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil that officials don’t believe the skull was from a recent death.