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LARRY D. HANSEN, 59, of Harlan (Private graveside svcs. at a later date)

Obituaries

March 21st, 2020 by Ric Hanson

LARRY D. HANSEN, 59, of Harlan, died Friday, March 20th, at Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital, in Council Bluffs. Private graveside services for LARRY D. HANSEN will be held at a later date. Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Harlan has the arrangements.

LARRY D. HANSEN is survived by:

His brother – LaVerne (Janice) Hansen, of Harlan.

His sister – Laurie (Richard) Schaben, of Harlan.

BOB HENKELMAN, 78, of Manning (Svcs. at a later date)

Obituaries

March 21st, 2020 by Ric Hanson

BOB HENKELMAN, 78, of Manning, died Saturday, March 21st, at home. Funeral services for BOB HENKELMAN will be held at a later date, when circumstances allow. Ohde Funeral Home in Manning has the arrangements.

BOB HENKELMAN is survived by:

His daughters – Carla Rodriquez, Tammy WInter and Lisa Steffes, all of Manning.

His son – Jeff Henkelman, of Creston.

Numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.

THOMAS MacDONALD-WILLIAMS, 70, of Manning (Svcs. at a later date)

Obituaries

March 21st, 2020 by Ric Hanson

THOMAS MacDONALD-WILLIAMS, 70, of Manning, died Saturday, March 21st, at home in Manning. Funeral services for THOMAS MacDONALD-WILLIAMS will be held at a later date. Ohde Funeral Home is assisting the family.

THOMAS MacDONALD-WILLIAMS is survived by:

His wife – Sharon MacDonald-Williams, of Manning

State Public Health Emergency Declaration Provides Temporary Extension of Weapon Permits

News

March 21st, 2020 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa – On March 20, 2020, Governor Reynolds issued an additional State Public Health Emergency Declaration related to the COVID-19 virus. Included in the proclamation were certain modifications to the current law on weapon permits.

The declaration temporarily addresses portions of Iowa law regarding professional and nonprofessional permits to carry firearms, and permits to acquire pistols or revolvers.  Based on the Governor’s actions, permits to carry weapons and permits to acquire will not expire during the declaration.  This extension, however, does not allow one to use an otherwise expired permit to purchase a firearm without completion of a NICS (National Instant Criminal Background Check System) check at the time of the purchase or transfer.  All Federal Firearms License holders (FFLS) must conduct a NICS check prior to the sale or transfer of any firearm if an expired permit is presented. Again, a holder of an otherwise expired permit will not be able to purchase a firearm without a NICS being performed by the FFL.

The declaration also gives county sheriffs greater discretion in determining how they receive weapon permit applications so as to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus.  Please check with your local county sheriff’s department to determine its procedure for accepting applications during this time.

Iowa State Patrol Fully Operational, Limits In-Person Access

News

March 21st, 2020 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa – As the response to the COVID-19 virus continues to evolve, the Iowa State Patrol has announced it is limiting public access to its district headquarter offices to essential business in order to maintain the health and safety of law-enforcement staff.

While the Iowa State Patrol remains fully-operational and focused on the primary goal to protect the public, First Responders, communications dispatchers and law-enforcement personnel, citizens are encouraged to contact district offices by phone or email with non-essential questions.

Iowa State Patrol Colonel Nathan Fulk said Saturday, “We thank the public for its support as we take unprecedented steps to ensure our staff remain healthy and prepared to provide mission-critical public safety services to Iowans.”

(The map and phone numbers below are provided for Iowans in all 99 counties needing to contact their Iowa State Patrol District office. This contact information and more Iowa State Patrol District resources are available on the Iowa Department of Public Safety website at https://dps.iowa.gov/divisions/iowa-state-patrol/district-offices.)

District 1: 515.725.0010
District 2: 641.342.2108
District 3: 712.328.8001
District 4: 712.263.4621
District 5: 712.225.5119
District 6: 712.262.1424
District 7: 515.972.4213
District 8: 641.424.3625
District 9: 319.266.2677
District 10: 319.283.5521
District 11: 319.396.1944
District 12: 563.284.9501
District 13: 319.385.8715
District 15: 515.281.4063
District 16: 515.281.3879

Woman sentenced to 1 year in Sioux City sex trafficking case

News

March 21st, 2020 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (Sioux City Journal) — A Sioux City woman who schemed with her husband to illegally harbor a 17-year-old Guatemalan girl in what authorities have called a human trafficking case has been sentenced to a year in prison. The Sioux City Journal reports that 40-year-old Amy Francisco was sentenced Friday in Sioux City’s federal court.

She pleaded guilty in November to the single count. Her husband, 38-year-old Cristobal Francisco-Nicolas, pleaded guilty in December to federal counts of smuggling and unlawful possession of identification documents. Prosecutors say Francisco-Nicolas helped smuggle the girl and her father from Guatemala to Sioux City.

The girl was found wandering Sioux City streets last June and told police she had been repeatedly raped by Francisco-Nicolas before she escaped.

Atlantic group organizing to shop for & bring groceries to home-bound persons

News

March 21st, 2020 by Ric Hanson

A grass-roots effort by citizens in Atlantic looks to organize volunteers to grocery shop for those who are not able to do so, with regard to the current COVID-19 Outbreak. According to one of the organizers, Stacey Weis, the group formed a Facebook page called Atlantic Iowa Community Assistance.

Their goal is to shop for the elderly, single moms with infants, and those with a compromised immune system (or other form of health that makes them susceptible to viruses like COVID-19 and the common flu).

For persons who do not have access to, or familiarity with, the internet, you may call one of four local numbers to arrange for a volunteer to pick up your grocery list and money for the groceries, before shopping for you and either bringing them to you (dropped-off at your door), or you may have them picked-up at secure drop-off site. There is no charge for the service, and tipping is not necessary. This is strictly being done on a volunteer basis.

If you are financially unable to pay for groceries, organizers will pass your information along to other, appropriate groups or charitable organizations who may be able to help. If there is a demonstrable need in the surrounding communities within Cass County, call and let them know.

Please feel free to call one of the following persons for help, between the hours of 8-a.m. and 5-p.m.:

  • Stacy Weis:             (712)-249-3026
  • Danyell Thompson: (712)-249-0089
  • Marsha Watts:        (712)-243-4568
  • Bobbi Jo Mathisen: (712)-249-3899.

Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Iowa jumps from 45 to 68

News

March 21st, 2020 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Department of Public reports, that as of mid-day today (Saturday), there are 68 confirmed cases of COVID-19 spread across the State, with the majority in Johnson and Polk Counties. The IDPH says to date, there have been 1,049 negative tests conducted at the State Hygienic Lab.

The ages of those affected are as follows:

Child (age 0-17): 1

Adult (age 18-40): 18

Adult – Middle Age (41-60): 23

Older Adult  (age 61-80): 23

Elderly (age 81 & up): 3.

The number of infected males: 33; Females: 35.

According to IDPH, the locations of the 23 latest confirmed COVID-19 cases are as follows:

  • Allamakee County, 1 middle age adult (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
  • Black Hawk County, 1 middle age adult (41-60 years), 1 elderly (81 years or older)
  • Dubuque County, 1 older adult (61-80 years)
  • Fayette County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
  • Henry County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
  • Johnson County, 3 adults (18-40 years), 1 middle age adult (41-60 years), 1 older adult (61-80 years)
  • Linn County, 2 adults (18-40 years), 1 middle age adult (41-60 years)
  • Muscatine County, 1 middle age adult (41-60 years)
  • Polk County, 2 middle age adults (41-60 years), 2 older adults (61-80 years)
  • Pottawattamie County, 1 middle age adult (41-60 years)
  • Story County, 1 adult (18-40 years)
  • Washington County, 1 middle age adult (41-60 years)

A status report of monitoring and testing of COVID19 in Iowa is provided by IDPH and can be found here. In addition, a public hotline has been established for Iowans with questions about COVID-19. The line is available 24/7 by calling 2-1-1 or 1-800-244-7431.

Iowans who have traveled recently for business or spring break vacations, whether internationally or domestically outside of Iowa, should strongly consider self-isolating for 14 days. This will support Iowa’s ongoing efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and limit the introduction of the virus from other points of travel.

Iowa has implemented many provisions to emphasize social distancing, and self-isolation after travel is another measure we can take to slow the spread of the virus and avoid quickly overburdening our healthcare system.

Gov. Reynolds will hold a press conference on Sun., March 22 at 2:30 p.m.

Authorities make arrests in fatal Cedar Rapids shooting

News

March 21st, 2020 by Ric Hanson

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Police have made two arrests in a fatal January shooting in Cedar Rapids — including the arrest of a teen injured in the shooting. Cedar Rapids police say in a news release Saturday that a 17-year-old male was arrested Friday evening for the Jan. 24 shooting that killed 18-year-old Andrew Gaston and injured a 16-year-old boy with him.

The 17-year-old was arrested on suspicion of voluntary manslaughter and other counts. The 16-year-old boy injured also was arrested on suspicion of robbery and other counts. Police say the shooting happened when Gaston, the 16-year-old and another person arranged to meet with the 17-year-old to buy marijuana, then ambushed the 17-year-old in a plot to rob him.

(Podcast) KJAN 8-a.m. News, 3/21/20

News, Podcasts

March 21st, 2020 by Ric Hanson

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

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