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Court of Appeals sends brass knuckle case back to district court

News

June 24th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Court of Appeals says there’s not enough evidence in a Polk County case to show that brass knuckles are a dangerous weapon. Jason Eaton was pulled over in April of 2014 after a deputy noticed the windshield on his pickup was cracked. Eaton told the deputy he had a set of brass knuckles in the glove box because friends of his ex-girlfriend had been bothering him.

Eaton was charged and entered a written plea to carrying weapons. He later asked to have the plea thrown out — saying his lawyer had given him insufficient representation as prosecutors did not prove the brass knuckles were a deadly weapon. The Iowa Court of Appeals says there is a question as to whether all brass knuckles can be considered deadly. It says there was no evidence presented, and Eaton did not admit that his set of brass knuckles were deadly.

The Appeals Court vacated Eaton’s sentence, but sent the case back to district court to allow the state a chance to present more evidence on whether Eaton’s brass knuckles may be a deadly weapon.

(Radio Iowa)

FLASH FLOOD WATCH update (4-pm 6/24/15)

Weather

June 24th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

359 PM CDT WED JUN 24 2015

FLASH FLOODING REMAINS POSSIBLE OVER PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA TONIGHT….THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN ARE ANTICIPATED TO DEVELOP AND SPREAD OVER CENTRAL IOWA THIS EVENING HOURS.

SAC-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-AUDUBON-ADAIR-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-MADISON COUNTIES…

…FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING… THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS EXPANDED THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH TO INCLUDE PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST IOWA AND WEST CENTRAL IOWA…INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS…IN SOUTHWEST IOWA…ADAIR. IN WEST CENTRAL IOWA…AUDUBON…CARROLL…CRAWFORD AND SAC.

* TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING

* THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS EVENING AND PERSIST INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. RAINFALL RATES ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOST INTENSE STORMS WILL LIKELY EXCEED 2 TO 4 INCHES PER HOUR AND MULTIPLE STORMS MAY PASS OVER THE SAME AREA. PLUS…SEVERAL LOCATIONS HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL TODAY AND ANY ADDITIONAL RAINFALL IN A SHORT TIME FRAME WILL LEAD TO A SIGNIFICANT FLASH FLOOD THREAT TONIGHT. RAINFALL AMOUNTS MAY EXCEED 3 INCHES WITH SOME LOCATIONS REACHING 5 INCHES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD

TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION

SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.

 

West Central/Central IA Hazardous Weather Outlook 6/24/15

Weather

June 24th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

418 PM CDT WED JUN 24 2015

CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-BOONE-STORY-MARSHALL-TAMA-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-POLK-JASPER-POWESHIEK-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-WARREN-MARION-MAHASKA-ADAMS-UNION-CLARKE-LUCAS-MONROE-WAPELLO-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-DECATUR-WAYNE-APPANOOSE-DAVIS-

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA.

TONIGHT...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PART OF THE KJAN LISTENING AREA. PLEASE REFER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/DESMOINES FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE LATE EVENING. A FEW TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR A STRONG TORNADO ALONG OR SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80 THIS EVENING. VERY LARGE HAIL IN EXCESS OF 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 65 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH A FEW OF THE THUNDERSTORMS. VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL ALSO OCCUR WITH SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WITH FLASH FLOODING POSSIBLE.

 

Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Crawford, Carroll & Sac Counties

Weather

June 24th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

BULLETIN – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1236 PM CDT WED JUN 24 2015

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…
CRAWFORD COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL IOWA…
WESTERN CARROLL COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL IOWA…
SAC COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL IOWA…

* UNTIL 130 PM CDT

* AT 1236 PM CDT…A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 8 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF DANBURY…OR 14 MILES SOUTHWEST OF IDA GROVE…MOVING
EAST AT 55 MPH.

HAZARD…60 MPH WIND GUSTS AND NICKEL SIZE HAIL.

SOURCE…RADAR INDICATED.

IMPACT…EXPECT DAMAGE TO ROOFS…SIDING AND TREES.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE…
CARROLL…DENISON…SAC CITY…MANNING…LAKE VIEW…ODEBOLT…
BLACK HAWK LAKE…SCHLESWIG…WALL LAKE…MANILLA…SCHALLER…
EARLY…DOW CITY…CHARTER OAK…ARCADIA…BREDA…VAIL…
TEMPLETON…AUBURN AND WESTSIDE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A BUILDING.

3 arrests in Mills County

News

June 24th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office says a Bellevue, NE., man was arrested Tuesday night on drug charges. 20-year old Chey Matthew Bullis faces charges that include Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug paraphernalia after the Mills County K-9 was used to locate the drugs. Bullis was being held on $1,300 bond in the Mills County Jail.

On Monday, deputies in Mills County arrested 45-year old Tony Dennis Gustin, of Omaha. Gustin was charged with Theft in the 2nd degree and hold on $2,000 bond.

And on Sunday, 19-year old Mariah Clare Storrow, of Plattsmouth, NE., was arrested in Mills County on a warrant for Failure to Appear in court. Her bond was set at $1,000.

(12-p.m News)

Atlantic woman arrested for assault

News

June 24th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The Atlantic Police Dept. reports the arrest on Tuesday of 26-year old Kasandra Mesa. Officials say the Atlantic woman was arrested on a charge of Domestic Abuse Assault. Mesa was booked into the Cass County Jail.

Court: Iowa universities can’t be sued for unpaid state fees

News

June 24th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Iowa’s public universities can’t be sued for allegedly refusing to pay their share into a state program that subsidizes insurance for Iowans with health risks. The Iowa Court of Appeals upheld the dismissal Wednesday of a lawsuit that seeks millions in assessments from the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa.

The Iowa Individual Health Benefit Reinsurance Association contends that the universities, like other agencies that offer self-funded health insurance plans, are legally required to pay those fees. ISU and UNI had paid them for years but all three universities refused to participate when the University of Iowa became self-insured in 2010. The Board of Regents contends the schools aren’t covered by the law.

The court says the program doesn’t have the authority to sue.

Hazardous Weather Outlook for western/s.w. Iowa

Weather

June 24th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE COUNTIES
1106 AM CDT WED JUN 24 2015

THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT…THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER INTO THIS AFTERNOON GENERALLY NORTH OF A LINE EXTENDING FROM ABOUT COLUMBUS TO OMAHA TO RED OAK IN RESPONSE TO A STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY. SOME STORMS MAY APPROACH OR BECOME SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS THE MAIN THREAT.

THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY…THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE AREA THURSDAY AFTERNOON INTO FRIDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT…

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED TODAY OR TONIGHT.

Hit-and-run accident north of Exira Tue. Night

News

June 24th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a hit-and-run accident that caused $10,000 damage north of Exira, Tuesday night. Officials say a 1992 Toyota pickup was hit from behind at around 11-p.m. on 280th Street, near Highway 71. The vehicle responsible for the damage backed-off and hit the pickup again before accelerating and shoving the pickup into the north ditch, where the vehicle hit a culvert.

The suspect vehicle, light colored, possibly large passenger car, continued westbound on 280th Street. The driver of the pickup was not hurt. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Audubon County Crimestoppers at 712-563-2234, or the Audubon County Sheriff’s Office at 563-2631. A Crimestopper’s reward is being offered leading to the arrest and conviction of the person involved in the incident.

Atlantic School Board fills last 2 positions for 2015-16

News

June 24th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Members of the Atlantic School District’s Board of Education, Tuesday evening, acted on approving the hiring of persons to fill two teaching positions, which completes the process for the 2015-16 school year. Contracts were approved for 8th grade Science teacher Kara Martin, and 5th grade Elementary teacher Chelsea Germer.

The Board also reviewed staff reductions for the upcoming school year. The District has made cuts amounting to nearly $340,000 through certified staff reductions and $150,000 in para-educator salaries, for a total of about $490,000.