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2 firefighters injured battling Des Moines blaze

News

November 26th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Two firefighters have been injured battling a house blaze in Des Moines. Firetrucks were dispatched to the house around 5:30 a.m. Saturday. Fire Lt. Chris Clement says the injuries occurred when one firefighter fell through a weakened floor into the house basement, landing atop another firefighter. Both were taken to a hospital and were released after treatment. Their names haven’t been released. The fire cause is being investigated.

JOSEPH JOHN PETERSON, 84, of Walnut (Memorial services 11/30/18)

Obituaries

November 26th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

JOSEPH JOHN PETERSON, 84, of Walnut, died Saturday, Nov. 24th, at Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital, in Council Bluffs. Memorial services for JOSEPH PETERSON will be held 1-p.m. Friday, Nov. 30th, at the Pauley-Jones Funeral Home, in Avoca.

Burial will be in the Layton Township Cemetery at Walnut.

JOSEPH PETERSON is survived by:

His daughter – Vicky (Max) Davis, of Springfield, MO.

His siblings – Dorothy (Carl) Michael, of Logan; Helen (Charles) Hanson, of Moorhead, IA; Elaine (Ron Blaine) Wageman, of Apple Valley, MN; Donald (Glenda) Peterson, of Spencer, IA; Alvin Peterson, of Chandler, AZ; Kenny (Corrine) Peterson, of Mesa, AZ; Darlene Harvick, of Shenandoah; Debra (Dr. Mark) Jensen, of Livermore, IA; Terry (Tomi) Peterson, of Spencer; and Ron Skalla, of Texas

His brother-in-law Ronald Wegner of Harlan; 4 grandchildren; 12 great grandchildren;1 great-great grandchild.

Skyscan Forecast for Atlantic & the area: Monday, 11/26/2018

Weather

November 26th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Today: Sunny, with a high near 25. Wind chill values as low as zero. North northwest wind 10 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.
Tonight: Clear, with a low around 9. Wind chill values as low as zero. Northwest wind 7 to 9 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 25. Wind chill values as low as zero. West northwest wind 7 to 10 mph.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 11. West wind around 6 mph becoming light and variable.
Wednesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 31.
Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22.
Thursday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 35.

Yesterday’s High in Atlantic was 29. We had just a trace of precipitation (Flurries) after 7-a.m. Our Low this morning (as of 6-a.m.) was 15. Last year on this date our High was 59 and the Low was 23. The record High in Atlantic on this date was 69 in 1990. The Record Low was -9 in 1898.

Iowa State at No. 24 in Associated Press Poll

Sports

November 26th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

(Learfield Sports) — Iowa State is up a spot to 24th in the latest Associated Press top 25. The Cyclones improved to 7-4 overall and set a record for conference wins in a season by rallying for three fourth quarter touchdowns in a 42-38 victory over Kansas State. ISU coach Matt Campbell says he was pleased to get a win for his 19 seniors.

Iowa State hosts Drake on Saturday.

Key lawmakers say no push for ‘personhood’ law expected in 2019

News

November 26th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — Key state policymakers, including Iowa’s Republican governor, do not expect to push the 2019 Iowa legislature to pass a ban on all abortions in the state.  “I don’t have any intention of doing that until we see what happens with the courts,” Reynolds told Radio Iowa. In May, Governor Kim Reynolds signed a law to ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat may be detected. That happens around the sixth week of a pregnancy. Reynolds says it’s best to wait until the court challenge of that law is decided before considering another abortion-related measure.

“Let’s just see how this all plays out,” Reynolds said in a post-Election interview with Radio Iowa. “For Heaven’s sake, let’s just take a breath and see what happens with that and then decide what the next steps are.” Republican Senator Jason Schultz of Schleswig has previously sponsored what’s referred to as a “personhood” bill that would ban all abortions in Iowa. Schultz says Iowa’s new fetal heartbeat law is the toughest abortion law in the country.

As that law works its way through the judicial system, I think it would probably be counterproductive on my part to file any other bill,” Schultz says. “I’m going to hold off.” Last week, a federal judge permanently blocked a Mississippi law that would have banned abortions after the 15th week of a pregnancy. Iowa’s ban on abortions after the sixth week of pregnancy is being challenged in STATE rather than federal court.

It’s unclear when a decision from the Iowa Supreme Court may be issued on Iowa’s new abortion restriction, which has not gone into effect because of the court challenge. It was more than a year before the state supreme court ruled a 2017 law requiring a three-day waiting period before an abortion was unconstitutional.

Midwest Sports Headlines: 11/26/18

Sports

November 26th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska went through growing pains while going 4-8 in Scott Frost’s first year as coach. The emergence of freshman quarterback Adrian Martinez and a strong run at the end of the season provides hope for 2019. The offense will return top players at the skilled positions and the core of the front seven on defense. Frost said depth will have to be built, and he wants his team to get bigger and stronger.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Freshman Erik Stevenson came off the bench to score a career-high 21 points and Wichita State rolled to a 90-61 victory over Rice. Stevenson sank 4 of 8 3-pointers and added five rebounds for the Shockers (3-3).

ESTERO, Fla. (AP) — Hannah Schuchts made every shot she took except a free throw in the final seconds, setting career highs with six 3-pointers and 25 points, to lead No. 21 Missouri to a 62-54 win over Duke for fifth place in the Gulf Coast Showcase. Schuchts, a junior forward whose previous career game highs were four 3-pointers and 12 points, was 8-of-8 shooting and 3 of 4 from the line, her only miss coming with 18 seconds left.

Iowa early News Headlines: Monday, 11/26/18

News

November 26th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:20 a.m. CST

CHICAGO (AP) — Hundreds of flights were canceled and schools in several states are closed after a snowstorm blanketed much of the Midwest. The National Weather Service issued blizzard and winter storm warnings Sunday for a large swath of the central Plains and Great Lakes region. Flight-tracking website FlightAware reports more than 1,200 flights headed to or from the U.S. were canceled. Schools in parts of Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Illinois called off Monday classes.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Officials in Dubuque are beginning the process of building a new water tower to improve water pressure that has worsened due to residential growth. The Telegraph Herald reports officials have started an environmental review for a proposed 1.2 million-gallon tower to replace a tower at Eagle Point Park. It would be higher and bigger than the current 500,000-gallon Eagle Point Park tower. The city is seeking state funding to help pay for the project.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Amtrak ridership in Iowa has dropped more than 4 percent. The Des Moines Register reports that 57,955 people boarded Amtrak passenger trains at Iowa’s six stations during the 12 months ending Sept. 30. That’s more than 4 percent down from the previous year and nearly 16 percent less than Iowa’s record ridership year of 2010. Rail supporters continue to push for expanded service, especially a route from Chicago traveling through Iowa City and Des Moines to Omaha, Nebraska.

The Latest: Nearly 500 flights canceled due to winter storm

News, Weather

November 25th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Nearly 500 flights have been cancelled on one of the busiest travel days of the year as a fast-moving winter storm bears down on much of the Midwest on the last day of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The flight-tracking website FlightAware reported that 491 flights headed to or from the U.S. had been cancelled as of 11 a.m. Sunday.

The site reported that the majority of the cancellations are flights that were supposed to be routed through Chicago or Kansas City — two areas forecast to be hit hard by the storm. The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for parts of Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and Iowa. Other parts of central plains and Great Lakes region are under a winter storm warning.

In total, the storm could dump a foot or more of snow in some places.

Icy roads in the area this morning!

News, Weather

November 25th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Roads in the Atlantic and surrounding area are partially covered with ice this morning. Be very cautious if you must travel. The latest road information is available at 511ia.org or by calling 511 in Iowa.

Road conditions as of 4:45-a.m. (Blue indicated partially covered, green indicates seasonal/normal)

Skyscan forecast for Atlantic & the area: Sunday, 11/25/18

Weather

November 25th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Today: WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY until 9-p.m.**Snow, mainly before 2pm. Areas of blowing snow between 7am and 1pm. Temperature falling to around 24 by 5pm. Wind chill values as low as 10. Windy, with a north wind 22 to 26 mph, with gusts as high as 38 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 14. Wind chill values as low as zero. Windy, with a north northwest wind 11 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 25. Wind chill values as low as zero. Northwest wind 8 to 13 mph.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 10. Northwest wind 5 to 7 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 26.

Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 28.

Yesterday’s High in Atlantic was 54. Our Low this morning as of 7-a.m., was 28. We received .2″ rain/freezing rain and snow overnight, which melted into .09′ liquid precipitation. Last year on this date our High was 58 and the Low was 23. The record High in Atlantic on this date was 71 in 1960. The Record Low was -6 in 1991.