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Roads turn dangerous and deadly Thursday afternoon

News

November 22nd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Road conditions that quickly deteriorated Thursday afternoon with the arrival of freezing rain and sleet caused numerous accidents in western Iowa, including one that claimed the life of a Wisconsin man. The Iowa State Patrol reports 64-year old Ronald Wahl, of Edgerton, WI., died in the crash that happened at around Noon on westbound Interstate 80 in Pottawattamie County, just south of the -680 split. Officials say after Wahl lost control of the 1999 Chevy Silverado pickup he was driving, the pickup entered the ditch and rolled several times. Wahl, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene.
Accidents in Cass County prompted officials from both the City of Atlantic and Cass County Emergency Management to warn people to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary. During the noon hour, there was a report of an accident east of Atlantic on the Highway 6 bridge involving a pickup and trailer, and a multiple vehicle accident on Interstate 80 at the 60-mile marker westbound. No injuries were reported in connection with the Highway 6 accident, and none were immediately reported in association with the I-80 crash, but a woman staying at a motel near the Highway 71/I-80 interchange later reported she was suffering from chest pain as a result of air bag deployment, several hours after the crash.Another accident was reported on Highway 83 at 12:30-p.m. A vehicle rolled into the ditch at a location two-miles west of Marne. Dispatch reports said one person was trapped in the vehicle at the time. Accident also were reported on I-80 westbound near the Shelby exit, I-80 eastbound north of Atlantic at the Olive Street exit, and I-80 eastbound near Avoca. Those incidents caused the roadways to be blocked for several hours. Highway 34 near Creston was blocked for several hours in both directions, due to a jackknifed semi. Another accident had traffic blocked on Interstate 29 near Council Bluffs at around exit 52.

Winter weather advisories were issued for southwest and western Iowa between 11:30-a.m. and Noon on Thursday, just before the accident reports starting piling up. Area school districts, including CAM, Griswold,  Council Bluffs, Lewis Central, Treynor, Underwood and Riverside dismissed classes early or  canceled some or all their after-school activities..

The Iowa Department of Roads said it is important for motorists to evaluate whether trips during poor driving conditions are necessary before heading out on the roads.

Second year of Farm Bill failure looms

Ag/Outdoor, News

November 22nd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

An informal, end-of-this-week deadline to get a Farm Bill draft approved by a team of congressional negotiators will not be met, throwing into question whether the Farm Bill can be be passed in the House by year’s end. U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says congress can act quickly “when there’s a will and there’s a way.” “We have to have a clear indication from congress that this is going to get done,” Vilsack says. “Obviously there are some who are skeptical about that given the fact that we have already seen one year with inaction.”

A Farm Bill was due to be passed by this time last year, but congress passed a one-year extension. Vilsack says inaction again this year means his agency will begin instituting the federal farm policies of the 1940s — which are far more costly.”No one wants to do that,” Vilsack says, “and the best and simplest way to avoid it having to be done — at whatever point in time — is to have congress finish its work by the end of the year.” After this week, congress will be in recess for the Thanksgiving holiday. In December, the House will be in session for just two weeks and the Senate for slightly longer before adjourning for the year. Without passage of a five-year Farm Bill, Vilsack says farmers and ranchers are delaying key decisions.

“Doesn’t know how to decide whether to expand, to buy an additional piece of equipment because he or she does not know what the programs are going to be,” Vilsack says. “There is no question that farmers have taken a ‘wait and see’ attitude to further decisions that could help spur not only their own operation, but spur the economy generally.” According to a report released Thursday by the White House Council on Economic Advisors, agriculture accounts for nearly five percent of the Gross Domestic Product and one in 12 jobs in the U.S. are in agriculture.

“A compelling report that makes the argument on a multitude of levels why it’s important for the rest of the country and all of America to see congress finish its work (on the Farm Bill),” Vilsack says. The chairman of the House Ag Committee emerged from a meeting on Thursday saying anything is possible, but it “will be challenging” for Farm Bill negotiators to wrap up their work and have a bill ready for a vote in the House by December 13th.

There are no plans for the House-Senate conference commitee working out the details of a hoped-for Farm Bill compromise to meet today (Friday). Senator Tom Harkin and Congressman Steve King serve on the committee, but neither was involved in this week’s negotiations between the four top lawmakers on the panel.

(Radio Iowa)

KJAN listening area forecast from the NWS: 11/22/13

Weather

November 22nd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

341 AM CST FRI NOV 22 2013

TODAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY THROUGH MID MORNING THEN BECOMING MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH AROUND 30. NORTHWEST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. BREEZY. LOW 10 TO 15. WEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 20 MPH INCREASING TO NORTHWEST 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH AFTER MIDNIGHT.

SATURDAY…SUNNY…BREEZY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 20S. NORTH WIND 10 TO 20 MPH.

SATURDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW 5 TO 10 ABOVE. NORTHWEST WIND NEAR 5 MPH SHIFTING TO THE SOUTHWEST AFTER MIDNIGHT.

SUNDAY…SUNNY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 30S. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 25 MPH.

SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE LOWER 20S. HIGH 31 TO 38.

Chiefs’ suspect offensive line also banged up

Sports

November 22nd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Donald Stephenson and Geoff Schwartz might as well consider themselves quasi starters the way the two Chiefs offensive linemen have been pressed into service this season. In an ideal world, Stephenson is supposed to be the backup offensive tackle, Schwartz the reserve offensive guard. But injuries to just about everybody on the Chiefs’ already suspect offensive has resulted in each of them playing in every game this season. They could be pressed into service Sunday against San Diego, too.

Right tackle Eric Fisher has been dealing with a shoulder injury and right guard Jon Asamoah some calf spasms and a shoulder injury of his own. If either of them can’t start, it will be up to Stephenson and Schwartz to fill the void.

Iowa News Headlines: Fri., Nov. 22nd 2013

News

November 22nd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from the Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Officials are investigating a wastewater discharge into an unnamed tributary of the Raccoon River in central Iowa. The state Department of Natural Resources says the discharge was verified Thursday following a report the day before. It’s unknown how long the discharge has been going on. DNR officials say the discharge is less than two miles from where the stream enters the Raccoon River. That’s also close to Des Moines Water Works. The property owners have been instructed to hire a contractor to the stop the discharge, which DNR officials estimate is between 5 to 10 gallons per minute.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — A judge has dismissed exploitation charges against a former Waterloo teacher accused of engaging in inappropriate behavior with students. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports a short trial this week for 56-year-old Larry Twigg concluded Thursday after Judge James Coil ruled that the alleged actions did not amount to a criminal offense. He dismissed one charge Wednesday and another Thursday. The charges were in connection with Twigg’s conduct with a student in 2009.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a Council Bluffs man set his house on fire while his mother and 12-year-old brother were inside. The Council Bluffs Police Department says 21-year-old Jacob Rolfe is in custody following the early Thursday fire. The woman and child escaped the house uninjured. Rolfe is being held at the Pottawattamie County Jail. He faces two counts of attempted murder and a count of arson.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines man has been accused of breaking his 3-month-old son’s arm. Des Moines police say 26-year-old David Ronald Vargason was arrested after the incident Wednesday. The infant was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Vargason told police he grabbed the boy’s arm with too much force and heard the arm break. Vargason has been charged with child endangerment causing serious bodily injury. He remains at the Polk County Jail.

Bishop Heelan routs Washington 47-14

Sports

November 22nd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — Philip Jacobson caught four of Trent Solsma’s six touchdown passes and Sioux City Bishop Heelan overwhelmed Washington 47-14 Thursday night to win the Class 3A state championship. Jacobson also ran for a touchdown and intercepted two passes, part of a record-setting performance that gave the top-ranked Crusaders their fourth state title.

Solsma hit on 23 of 30 passes for 453 yards with no interceptions, setting a 3A championship game record for completions and all-class marks for yards and touchdowns. Solsma threw for 301 yards in helping Heelan build a 26-7 halftime lead, forcing No. 6 Washington’s ground-oriented offense out of its comfort zone and ending an 11-game winning streak for the Demons (13-1).

 

 

No. 22 Iowa State routs Cincinnati 78-42

Sports

November 22nd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

CINCINNATI (AP) — Hallie Christofferson scored 25 points as No. 22 Iowa State used a dominant second half to rout Cincinnati 78-42 on Thursday night. Leading 40-32 with 14 minutes remaining, Iowa State (3-0) scored the game’s next 15 points to extend its lead to 55-32. The Cyclones outscored Cincinnati 44-17 in the second half and have now won their first three games by an average of 27 points apiece.

Iowa State shot 52 percent from the field and was 12-of-24 on 3-pointers. Cincinnati (1-3) shot only 29.6 percent from the floor and just 4-of-20 from behind the 3-point line. Seanna Johnson added 13 points for the Cyclones and Jadda Bukley had 12. Christofferson, who entered the game as the Big 12 Conference’s leading scorer, also grabbed seven rebounds.

Dayeesha Hollins led Cincinnati with 12 points.

(Update) Police: Iowa man set house fire with family inside

News

November 21st, 2013 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a Council Bluffs man set his house on fire while his mother and 12-year-old brother were inside. The Council Bluffs Police Department says 21-year-old Jacob A. Rolfe is in custody following the early Thursday fire. The woman and child escaped the house uninjured. Sgt. David Dawson says Rolfe later admitted to setting the fire because he was upset with his mother following an argument.

Fire officials were able to contain the blaze. The kitchen was destroyed and there was other smoke and water damage. Rolfe is being held at the Pottawattamie County Jail. He faces two counts of attempted murder and a count of arson. Court records do not list an attorney.

IA High School Football Championship Scores (11/21/13)

Sports

November 21st, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Class A
Championship

West Lyon, Inwood 49, B-G-M, Brooklyn 7

Eight Player
Championship

Don Bosco, Gilbertville 18, Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton 14

Avoid travel in Montgomery County this evening (11/21)

News, Weather

November 21st, 2013 by Ric Hanson

The Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency says travel is not recommended in Montgomery County due to extremely icy conditions. County and State Highways are 50-100% ice covered. If you must travel be extremely careful. Take extra time to make it to your destination safely and always be prepared and have a survival kit with you if you become stuck or stranded.