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Winter Weather Awareness Day Nov. 5th

News, Weather

November 5th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The Adair & Guthrie County Emergency Management Agencies, Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department (HSEMD), and the National Weather Service have joined together to promote today, Nov. 5th, as Winter Weather Awareness Day in Iowa.

Each year, winter returns to Iowa and produces winter storms, blizzards, ice storms and periods of extremely cold temperatures as well as dangerous wind chills.
A big part of being prepared for winter weather is being aware of potential hazards. One preparedness step for Iowans to take now is to sign up for emergency alerts through the Adair & Guthrie County Emergency Notification System. By signing up for alerts, residents can receive notifications about winter weather and other hazards and emergency conditions.

Robert Kempf, Adair & Guthrie County EMA Coordinator, says “This is a great tool to help our residents stay aware of hazards. Our system allows people to sign up to receive alerts in a variety of ways, including by text, cell phone or land-line calls or email. So no matter where you are, you will know if hazards might impact you or your family.” To sign up, visit the EMA Page website at http://www.guthriecounty.org/emergmgmt/notificationsystem.html. You can also click the signup button on the Adair & Guthrie County EMAs Facebook page.

Winter weather information from the National Weather Service Des Moines office can be found on the http://www.weather.gov/dmx/ or at www.weather.gov.

The Ready Iowa website, has information to help Iowans plan for winter hazards, whether at home, at work or on the road. Visit the website, http://www.beready.iowa.gov/, for downloadable brochures, emergency plans and checklists.

KJAN listening area forecast: 11/5/2015

Weather

November 5th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Early This Morning: Mostly cloudy with scattered light showers and isolated thunderstorms. South wind 10 to 15 mph with gusts to around 25 mph. Chance of precipitation 30 percent.
Today: Mostly cloudy. Isolated thunderstorms before noon. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon. Breezy. High in the lower 70s. Southwest wind 15 to 20 mph with gusts to around 30 mph. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of rain showers and isolated thunderstorms in the evening…then partly cloudy overnight. Colder. Low in the upper 30s. Northwest wind 5 to 15 mph with gusts to around 25 mph. Chance of precipitation 20 percent.

Friday: Mostly sunny. Cooler. High in the lower 50s. West wind 5 to 15 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly cloudy through midnight then becoming partly cloudy. Scattered sprinkles through midnight. Low in the mid 30s. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Saturday: Sunny. High in the lower 50s. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Sunday: Sunny. High in the upper 50s.

Regional Volleyball Finals: Scores from 11/4/15

Sports

November 5th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Class 1A
Grandview Christian 3 Audubon 1
Sidney 3 Stanton 0
Central Lyon 3 Bishop Garrigan 0
Gehlen Catholic 3 George-Little Rock 2
Janesville 3 Iowa Valley 1
Triploi 3 Don Bosco 1
Springville 3 Marquette Catholic 2
Holy Trinity Catholic 3 New London 2

Class 2A
St. Albert 3 Tri-Center 1
Western Christian 3 Okoboji 0
Unity Christian 3 Lawton-Bronson 1
Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont 3 Des Moines Christian 0
Dike-New Hartford 3 Grundy Center 0
Sumner-Fredricksburg 3 Lake Mills 1
Wapsie Valley 3 North Cedar 0
West Branch 3 Durant 1

Championship Schedule

Class 2A (Wed., Nov. 11th)

2-p.m. Western Christian (40-5) vs. St. Albert (23-6)

2-p.m. Unity Christian vs. Sumner-Fredercksburg (30-3)

4-p.m. West Branch (35-5) vs. Wapsie Valley (31-5)

4:00-p.m. Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont (35-2) vs. Dike New Hartford (37-9)

Class 1A (Wed., Nov. 11th)

6:00-p.m. Sidney (32-1) vs. Springville (31-7)

6:00-p.m. Tripoli (23-14) vs. Grand View Christian (30-12)

8:00-p.m. Central Lyon (32-5) vs. LeMars Gehlen Catholic (29-10)

8:00-p.m. Janesville (24-14) vs. Holy Trinity Catholic (31-11)

Iowa early News Headlines: Thu., Nov. 5th 2015

News

November 5th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Former Iowa senior associate athletic director Jane Meyer has filed a discrimination lawsuit against the university, saying athletic director Gary Barta attempted to derail her career. Meyer filed suit Tuesday in Polk County district court claiming wage, sexual orientation and gender discrimination as well as retaliation. The suit also names the Iowa Board of Regents and the state of Iowa.

OSCEOLA, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say six people have been arrested following a human trafficking sting in southern Iowa. Osceola Chief Martin Duffus says the suspects were arrested following a sting Tuesday at a business. Additional information was not released. Duffus tells Des Moines television station KCCI the suspects’ ages range from 21 to 43.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Kosovo is planning to open a consulate in downtown Des Moines later this year. Vlora Citaku, Kosovo’s ambassador to the U.S., told the Des Moines Register the small country in southeast Europe chose Iowa for its third consulate because of the similarities between the state and nation. Both have small populations and agriculture-based economies.

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Donald Trump will begin airing radio ads on Thursday in the first states to vote in the GOP nominating contest. The Republican presidential candidate’s campaign says it will be airing two radio ads through the end of November in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. It says the ad buy is valued at $300,000.

Red Oak man arrested for Violation of Probation

News

November 4th, 2015 by admin

The Red Oak Police Department announced an arrest of a Red Oak man on Wednesday.  At 4:00pm officers arrested 39-year-old Richard Henry Rapp Jr. of Red Oak on a valid Montgomery County Warrant for Violation of Probation on original charges of 2 counts of Forgery, both Class D felonies.  Rapp was arrested at 106 West Coolbaugh Street in Red Oak and taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $20,000 bond.

Class 1A and 2A Regional Volleyball Finals

Sports

November 4th, 2015 by Jim Field

Class 1A and 2A volleyball teams will punch their tickets to the state tournament tonight in regional final play.  Games on the schedule tonight are:

Class 1A

@ Guthrie Center: Audubon vs. Grandview Christian
@ Clarinda: Sidney vs. Stanton@ Hartley: Central Lyon vs. Bishop Garrigan
@Sioux Center: George-Little Rock vs. Gehlen Catholic
@Reinbeck: Janesville vs. Iowa Valley
@Dunkerton: Don Bosco vs. Tripoli
@ Maquoketa: Springville vs. Marquette Catholic
@ Fort Madison: New London vs. Holy Trinity Catholic

Class 2A

@ Treynor: St. Albert vs. Tri-Center
@ Sheldon: Western Christian vs. Okoboji
@ LeMars: Unity Christian vs. Lawton-Bronson
@ Pleasantville: Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont vs. Des Moines Christian
@ Parkersburg: Dike-New Hartford vs. Grundy Center
@ Charles City: Lake Mills vs. Sumner-Fredricksburg
@ Center Point: Wapsie Valley vs. North Cedar
@ Tipton: West Branch vs. Durant

USDA survey: Iowa ranked 6th among states for number of organic farms

Ag/Outdoor, News

November 4th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Iowa is one of the top producers of organic crops and livestock, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. There were 612 organic farms in Iowa in 2014, when the USDA conducted the recently released survey. That places Iowa 6th among the 50 states. California, by far, has the most organic farms, followed by Wisconsin, New York, Washington, Pennsylvania and Iowa.

Organic FarmGrowers of organic crops avoid using chemical fertilizers and pesticides, while organic livestock are raised without the use of antibiotics and feed on organic food. The USDA reports Iowa had just under 68,000 acres of organic crops last year and organic sales in the state totaled $103 million.

Iowa produced more organic soybeans and corn for grain than any other state and ranked first among the states for it’s percentage of organic hogs and sales of organic goat milk.

(Radio Iowa)

Iowa judge dismisses lawsuit over 2 mental health centers

News

November 4th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa judge has dismissed a lawsuit against Gov. Terry Branstad that challenged his decision to close two state mental health centers this year. Polk County District Judge Douglas Staskal issued a ruling Tuesday that approved a request by state attorneys to throw out the lawsuit.

The suit was filed by the head of Iowa’s largest public employees union and 20 Democratic lawmakers. It claimed that closing the centers in Clarinda and Mount Pleasant was illegal because Iowa law requires the state to operate them.

Tuesday’s ruling says Branstad had the authority to veto financial support for such centers. Mark Hedberg, an attorney representing the lawmakers and the president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, says he will appeal the ruling to the Iowa Supreme Court.

Wabash Trace Nature Trail photo Wins Iowa Travel Guide Cover Contest

Ag/Outdoor, News

November 4th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

After seven days of competition, fans of the Iowa Tourism Office voted to feature the Wabash Trace Nature Trail in southwest Iowa on the cover of the next Iowa Travel Guide. (View the winning cover (https://t.e2ma.net/click/2higfb/awy8dg/q8y5ak). Iowa Tourism Office Manager Shawna Lode said “Each of the four images up for consideration highlighted a spectacular place in Iowa. We’re excited to feature this colorful image of the Wabash Trace Nature Trail to showcase the many great recreational opportunities across Iowa and draw travelers into the 176 pages of travel ideas within the Iowa Travel Guide.”

2016 TG COVERS_final Wabash (002)You can pre-order the new Iowa Travel Guide at traveliowa.com/preorder (https://t.e2ma.net/click/2higfb/awy8dg/60z5ak). Inside the new guide, expect to see great content highlighting Iowa bike trails, unique Iowa souvenirs, and historic hotels, in addition to thousands of listings for attractions, hotels, bed and breakfasts, cabins and campgrounds/RV parks. The guide will be available in early 2016.

The Iowa Travel Guide Cover Contest began last Wednesday and concluded this morning at 10 a.m. In total, 4,035 votes were cast with the Wabash Trace Nature Trail image receiving 1,830 votes. Other images under consideration depicted a scenic overlook of Effigy Mounds National Monument near Harpers Ferry, Roseman Covered Bridge in Madison County and hikers in the Loess Hills.

The Iowa Tourism Office is part of the Iowa Economic Development Authority. For more information about Iowa tourism, visit traveliowa.com (https://t.e2ma.net/click/2higfb/awy8dg/mt05ak), call 800.345.IOWA or stop at any Iowa Welcome Center.

Connector trail project near KJAN almost finished – fundraising continues

Ag/Outdoor, News

November 4th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

An official with the Nishna Valley Trails group, in Atlantic, said today (Wednesday), that with the 162-foot Pedestrian Bridge in place and virtually all of the concrete laid for the Troublesome Creek Connector Trail, the project will be completed within the next couple of weeks. Dave Chase, President of the non-profit Nishna Valley Trail, Inc., says fundraising efforts continue to top off the remainder of the money needed to pay for the trail.

The new Nishna Valley Trail Connector bridge in-place near the KJAN studios.

The new Nishna Valley Trail Connector bridge in-place near the KJAN studios.

According to Chase the group’s “Original announced goal was $550,000, and thanks to a favorable construction bid from Atlantic contractor A.M. Cohron and Son, the cost of the project was significantly lowered.” Chase said also, “Based on this and the status of the funds we had raised at the time we decided to pull the trigger on proceeding with the project to be completed this Fall. We felt good about the pending grant applications we had in. Another reason was that some of our previously-awarded grant money needed to be used by certain deadlines rapidly approaching.”

According to Chase, two grant applications (one to Wells Fargo Foundation and one to Wellmark Foundation) totaling $125,000 would have provided the rest of the needed money. Chase recently learned from both Foundations that neither application would be funded.  He said new ideas to raise the additional $125,000 have been studied and are being pursued, as well as contacting previous donors to consider further support and/or pledges.

Chase mentioned he has been approached about a donor recognition in connection with the new bridge. “The individual,” he said “Asked how much it would take to get my name on the bridge? How about $20,000, and, could I talk to some of my friends to do the same?” Chase brought the proposal up at the last NVT meeting and it was unanimously approved with one clarification being that any donation of $20,000 or more, by an organization or individual would be memorialized on a permanent donor plaque to be affixed to the bridge.

“This would be for any new or previous donations totaling this amount,” he said. He went on to say that year-end tax planning gifts were also being encouraged. “Those gifts are fully tax-deductible to an organization like NVT.”  Further information about the donor recognition or any other financial support for the project can be obtained from Chase at 712-249-3059. “We will raise the money,” Chase added. “ It is just a matter of where it comes from.”