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Fire reported at the Cyclone Lodge in Harlan, Saturday

News

March 23rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Harlan, Iowa)[Update] – Firefighters from Harlan, Westphalia and Avoca responded to a fire in one of the rooms at the Cyclone Lodge at 2004 23rd Street, Saturday afternoon.

The call went out at 12:50 p.m. According to Harlan Chief Roger Bissen, arriving crews saw smoke coming from around a door in one of the rooms. Upon entry to the room, contents found left near the furnace were seen on fire, along with the curtains. The lodge was evacuated. No injuries were reported.

The motel room sustained smoke and water damage from the sprinkler system. With smoke damage observed on the ground floor of the business.

(Photos courtesy of Zach Ploen)

Four Hawkeyes Earn All-America Honors

Sports

March 23rd, 2024 by admin

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – Three University of Iowa wrestlers – Real Woods (141), Jared Franek (157) and Michael Caliendo (165) – capped their 2024 NCAA Championships run during Saturday’s medal rounds at the T-Mobile Center.

All three Hawkeyes finished as All-Americans at their respective weights at the championships. Woods finished fourth at 141, Caliendo finished fourth at 165 and Franek placed eighth.

Iowa’s fourth All-American –third-seeded Drake Ayala — will be the second of 10 matches in Session VI where he will face eighth-seeded Richard Figueroa of Arizona State in the 125-pound finals.

Iowa sits in fourth place with 67 points. Penn State is in first with 155.5 points, followed by Michigan with 71 points and Cornell with 68.5 points.

Woods went 1-1 during Session V, first winning a 4-0 decision over Iowa State’s Anthony Echemendia to advance to the third-place match. He fell to Nebraska’s ninth-seeded Brock Hardy, 7-6, to place fourth.

“Reflecting back on my career and my time at Iowa, I have a lot of gratitude,” said Woods. “I am grateful for all the people that are in the Iowa wrestling program, as well as in the Stanford wrestling program. I have had a lot of great experiences in my college career, and it has taught me a lot, helped me grow up as a man and helped me prepare for life ahead.”

The Albuquerque, New Mexico, native finishes his career with an 85-14 record. He is a four-time All-American, earning the honor twice at Iowa.

“As we all know, this time in life can be particularly challenging as you move ahead into adulthood,” said Woods. “I think that I am well prepared because of the environments I have been in at Iowa and at Stanford.”

Caliendo also went 1-1, winning 9-8 against Oklahoma State’s seventh-seeded Izzak Olejnik, in his first match before ending his season with a loss to top-seeded Keegan O’Toole of Missouri, 12-8. The All-America honor is the second of his career.

“The Iowa experience has been everything I could ask for,” said Caliendo. “I have all the resources to succeed, and I am going to keep taking advantage of that.”

The Geneva, Illinois, native ends his season with a 28-6 record.

“I had some good wins along the way,” said Caliendo. “But you always strive to get on top of the podium. That is what I am going to keep doing. I am going to keep training to get on top of the podium.”

After earning a spot on the podium in the blood round on Friday, Franek dropped the seventh-place match Saturday to finish eighth. He fell 11-2 to Nebraska’s Peyton Robb.

“The Iowa experience has been awesome,” said Franek. “It was everything and more than I could have imagined. Having the coaches that I have had the pleasure to work with and the teammates. Not only the guys on the team but also the RTC guys like Alex Marinelli, Kaleb Young, Jaydin Eierman, Spencer Lee and guys like that. They are around the program and have been here, done that. It is super cool to have guys like that around, pick their brains and get to work out with them, too.”

The Harwood, North Dakota, native finishes his career as a two-time All-American with an 119-28 career record.

“Overall, what I came here for is what I ultimately got out of it,” said Franek. “I am super happy. I wouldn’t take back the decision that I made.”

CONSOLATION SEMIFINAL RESULTS

141 | #3 Real Woods (Iowa) dec. #5 Anthony Echemedia (Iowa State), 4-0

165 | #6 Michael Caliendo (Iowa) dec. #7 Izzak Olejnik (Oklahoma State), 9-2

THIRD PLACE RESULTS

141 | #9 Brock Hardy (Nebraska) dec. #3 Real Woods (Iowa), 7-6

165 | #1 Keegan O’Toole (Missouri) dec. #6 Michael Caliendo (Iowa), 12-8

SEVENTH PLACE RESULTS

157 | #8 Peyton Robb (Nebraska) major dec. #10 Jared Franek (Iowa), 11-2

UP NEXT
Session VI of the NCAA Championships will begin at 6 p.m. (CT). The finals matches will be televised live on ESPN.

Intermittent lane closures on U.S. 20 east of Moville to Lawton begin on Monday, April 1

News

March 23rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CITY, Iowa –  If you drive on U.S. 20 in Woodbury County you need to be aware of an upcoming construction project that may impact your trip.

Beginning on Monday, April 1, until Friday, Aug. 30, weather permitting, crews will work on patching, milling, and resurfacing of U.S. 20 from east of Moville to Lawton according to the Iowa DOT Sioux City construction office. You will be shifted onto the lane where work is not taking place in the work zone.

Help keep everyone on the road safer. Drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, you should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

Severe Weather Awareness week is March 25th through the 29th

News, Weather

March 23rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Des Moines, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEMD), National Weather Service (NWS), and Iowa Emergency Management Association (IEMA) have joined together to promote Severe Weather Awareness Week, March 25-29. The week is an opportunity to review the severe weather hazards, exercise your sheltering plan, and increase awareness before the typical peak of severe weather season.

Chad Hahn, Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Des Moines, says severe weather can happen ANY TIME of the year, including during the Winter months, as demonstrated by the tornadoes and damaging straight-line winds along with hail that’s occurred in Iowa and the rest of the country.

During the Spring and Summer, Hahn says, the weather pattern can be less predictable based on a variety of factors that typically aren’t seen during the Winter.

During Severe Weather Awareness Week, a different weather topic will be highlight each day. For instance, the topic on Monday (March 25th) is Lightning Safety.

Tornadoes are the focus of severe weather preparedness, on Tuesday. Hahn says Iowa averages around 50 tornadoes each year across the State. If you haven’t experienced the weather phenomenon, you shouldn’t take it for granted.

The annual statewide tornado drill will take place on Wed., March 27, beginning with a test at 10 a.m., of the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Weather Radio alert system. Hail and Wind Safety will be the topic for Thursday. Severe Thunderstorms are defined as containing wind gusts of 58 miles per hour or more, and/or hail of one-inch in diameter or more. Friday, the severe weather focus will be on Flash Floods.

Anytime you encounter flooding on the roadways, remember to “Turn around, don’t drown.”

All Iowans should have a severe weather emergency plan. Preparations include:

  • Being aware of weather hazards by signing up for emergency notifications through Alert Iowa (alert.iowa.gov) or use a NOAA Weather Radio or other type of alerting tool.
  • Think about where you will go and what actions you will need to take to stay safe if you are impacted by severe weather. Designate a shelter – Establish shelter zones at home and work. Look for a secure place underground, like a basement or cellar. If these options aren’t available, choose a small room without windows, such as a closet, on the lowest level of the structure.
  • Make a family emergency plan and have a conversation with your loved ones about the importance of being prepared. Practice your disaster response plans at least twice a year. Regular drills help everyone learn the safety procedures and they let you test and tweak your plan so you can be better prepared in a real emergency.
  • Build an emergency kit with items you and your family will need if you must evacuate your home. In the event of a power outage or severe weather, it’s good to have certain supplies on hand, including a first aid kit, a tool kit, blankets, flashlights with extra batteries, and a list of important phone numbers.
  • Additional severe weather tips and information can be found at www.weather.gov, and on social media.

Des Moines area video production company owner arrested on child porn-related charges

News

March 23rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

WINDSOR HEIGHTS, Iowa [WHO-TV] — The owner of a Des Moines area video production company was booked into the Polk County Jail Thursday on multiple child pornography-related charges. 57-year-old Frederick Amundson, of West Des Moines, is charged with 22 counts of Purchase/Possess Depiction of Minor in Sex Act 1st Offense. The charges stem from an investigation started in April of 2022.

An application for a search warrant in the case said an employee at Gate House Pictures, located at 6611 University Avenue #104, contacted the Windsor Heights Police Department after finding images of child pornography in the trash file of a shared computer. The officer who responded to the initial call observed the photos on the computer.

Windsor Heights police spoke with Amundson, the owner of the business, a few days after the initial call. According to the application, Amundson admitted to possessing approximately 12 images of nude underage girls. He claimed he downloaded the photos onto a work computer.

The computer and other electronic storage devices were seized during the investigation and the FBI did a digital forensic examination, according to court documents. In February of this year, the FBI passed along evidence that 22 pictures depicting child pornography involving nude females between the ages of 6 and 12 had been found on Amundson’s computer.

A $100,000 cash-only bond has been set for Amundson. A no-contact order was also put in place prohibiting him from having contact with anyone under the age of 18. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 1.

Atlantic City Council… extra news

News

March 23rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic, Wednesday, held a Public Hearing on authorizing the submission of a CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) application for the Atlantic Municipal Utilities (AMU) Water Project/improvements. Dani Briggs, SWIPCO Community Development Specialist, attending the meeting by phone, summarized the scope of the project.

AMU will provide a local match of approximately $1,054, 479. The total project cost is estimated at more than $1.08-million. The City will apply for the grant funds, and when received, will act as a pass-through agency for the funds to AMU. There is no cost to the City for its role in the matter.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council passed an Order to Adopt a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City and the Nishna Valley YMCA, for 2024 management of the Sunny Pool. Councilperson Elaine Otte said the matter was previously discussed and reviewed in a Personnel and Finance Committee meeting.

The new management agreement includes pay for lifeguards at $15 per hour, an hourly pool manager rate of pay of $25, and a management fee of $20,000.

All lifeguards will be employed, hired, trained, provided with uniforms, and scheduled through the Y. The city will reimburse the Y for the lifeguards’ wages, the pool manager’s fee, and the management fee. The city will be responsible for all other costs associated with running Sunnyside Pool.

The Council set their meeting on April 3rd as the date/time for a Public Hearing/additional action, on proposals to enter into General Obligation Loan Agreements, and to Borrow Money for the same. City Administrator John Lund offered an explanation for the hearing.

And, the Atlantic City Council agreed to accept a recommendation from the Personnel & Finance Committee, with regard to FY 2025 Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) Progress and Beautification Budgets.

They approved an updated retainer agreement with Otto, Lorence and Wiederstein, which increases compensation from $2,000 per month, to $2,500 per month, and reflects changes in who the Assistant City Attorney is.

Most of the work for the City in legal matters, will be performed by David Wiederstein.

Ft. Dodge Police identify Officers involved in a fatal shooting

News

March 23rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

FORT DODGE, Iowa — Officials with the Fort Dodge Police Department, Friday, identified the four police officers who were dispatched to a scene that turned deadly, when an officer shot and killed a suspect. On March 16th, police shot and killed 24-year-old Tyler Stansberry of Fort Dodge, after he reportedly charged at the officers, while carrying two knives. Officers were called to the scene following a report of a person in a home, who was out of control, and had injured a dog. When they entered, Stansberry allegedly ran at the officers while holding the knives, leading to an officer shooting Stansberry.

The four officers involved were:

  • Officer Nicholas Ruggles
  • Sergeant Matthew Webb
  • Officer Andrew Lane
  • Officer Matthew English

All four are still on critical incident leave as the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations continues to investigate the fatal shooting.

Iowa’s Governor to meet w/Tyson Foods officials next week, in Perry

News

March 23rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa [KCCI] — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds will be meeting with Tyson Foods leaders in Perry next week ahead of the plant’s shutdown in the summer. The governor’s office says Perry city leaders will also be a part of that meeting.

Tyson announced earlier this month that it would be closing the pork processing plant before July, putting hundreds of people out of work.

Iowa Workforce Development’s new mobile workforce truck will be on hand to help plant workers find their next career.

OWI arrest in Red Oak Saturday morning

News

March 23rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak say 19-year-old Jacob Matthew Haupert was arrested at around 4:50-a.m. today (Saturday), for OWI/1st offense. His arrest followed a traffic stop in the 1800 block of Highway 48. Haupert was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

Griswold man arrested Saturday morning (3/23) in Montgomery County

News

March 23rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) –  A traffic stop at 100th Street and I Avenue in Montgomery County early this (Saturday) morning, resulted in the arrest of a man from Cass County. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports 32-year-old Timothy Alan Carlson, of Griswold, was arrested at around 1:10-a.m., for OWI/1st offense. Carlson was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.