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IA Republican nominating convention moved from Creston to Urbandale

News

June 8th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Iowa Republican Party Chairman Danny Carroll announced Saturday, that the location of the nominating convention has been moved from Creston, to Urbandale. The Republican nominee for Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District will be decided at a special nominating convention held on Saturday, June 21st, at the Des Moines Christian School (13007 Douglas Parkway), in Urbandale, as the Creston location announced earlier, is not available due to a scheduling conflict.

513 delegates will represent the 3rd District and select the GOP’s nominee for the 3rd Congressional District. Carroll said “As no candidate received the necessary 35% share of the vote in the primary election, rules state that the party’s nominee will be selected at a convention whose date and location is set by the Chairman.”

The state party will be mailing out notices to delegates and alternates, informing them of additional details for the June 21st special nominating convention. Delegates will credential in between 8:30am-9:45am with the convention being called to order at 10:00am.

 

Car vs. motorcycle injury accident in Council Bluffs

News

June 8th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Police in Council Bluffs say one person was injured Saturday afternoon, following a car-versus-motorcycle accident  at the intersection of Avenue A and north 36th Street. Authorities report 21-year old Tyler Norman, of Council Bluffs, suffered life-threatening injuries during the crash, and was transported by Council Bluffs Fire and Rescue to Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha. Officials said he was not wearing a helmet.

Norman was operating a 2013 Kawasaki motorcycle westbound on Avenue at around 3:55-p.m., when he hit the right rear of a 1998 Chrysler Sebring that was traveling north on North 36th Street. The driver of the car, 45-year old Ramona Springman, of Manilla, was transported by private vehicle to Jennie Edmundson Hospital, in Council Bluffs.

Speed is considered to be a factor in the crash, which remains under investigation.

Email scam uses legitimate news to con victims

News

June 7th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – A new email scam is playing off the good fortunes of a Kansas City man who won a huge lottery last year to entice potential victims to shell out hundreds of dollars to claim their share of the prize. The Kansas City Star reports people all over the U.S. have received emails saying the local mechanic who won a $71.5 million Powerball jackpot in December wants to give then $750,000 each as his way of “paying it forward.”

But authorities warn the ruse has all the earmarks of a Nigerian letter fraud scheme that has been going on even before the Internet. FBI spokeswoman Bridget Patton reminds people of the old adage that anything that looks too good to be true probably is.

Red Oak man arrested on burglary charge Saturday

News

June 7th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

An incident in Red Oak Saturday afternoon led to the arrest of one person on a burglary charge. Red Oak Police say 29-year old Aaron Lucas Allen, of Red Oak, was charged with Burglary in the 1st degree, following an investigation into an incident at a residence in the 100 block of east Oak Street. Allen was arrested at around 1:15-p.m. and brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where he was held on $25,000 cash bond.

If convicted on the Class-B felony charge, Allen faces up to 25-years in prison.

Miller pitches 3-hitter, Cardinals beat Blue Jays

Sports

June 7th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

TORONTO (AP) – Shelby Miller took a no-hit bid into the sixth inning and finished with a three-hit shutout as the St. Louis Cardinals beat Toronto 5-0 on Saturday, snapping the Blue Jays’ six-game winning streak. Randal Grichuk hit his first career home run as the Cardinals won for only the third time in 11 game. Miller (7-5) retired the first 13 batters before walking Adam Lind in the fifth.

Jose Reyes lined a single to right field with two outs in the sixth for Toronto’s first hit. Melky Cabrera followed with a ball that nicked first baseman Allen Craig’s glove for a double, but Miller struck out Jose Bautista swinging at a high fastball to end the inning.

Mark Buehrle (10-2) had won six straight decisions. Grichuk’s solo homer was the only run Buehrle allowed in seven innings.

Planned Parenthood: Iowa closings a financial move

News

June 7th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Planned Parenthood of the Heartland says its decision to close two southern Iowa facilities was financially driven and wasn’t influenced by the efforts of abortion rights opponents who regularly protest outside those locations and others.

The Iowa-based affiliate, which also serves Arkansas, Nebraska and eastern Oklahoma, will close facilities in the communities of Red Oak and Creston effective June 18, after officials determined the centers each averaged about one patient per month. Spokeswoman Angie Remington calls it a “fiscal efficiency issue.”

The announcement comes around the time Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette, the affiliate based in Oregon, announced plans to close three facilities in the region and reduce staff. Planned Parenthood Federation of America says affiliates operate independently from the national group and that there was no directive to close facilities.

Sioux City looks to lose plastic bags

News

June 7th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Officials in Sioux City are considering a local law to cut down on litter from plastic shopping bags. The Sioux City Journal reports that details have yet to be worked out, but a possible ordinance likely would not contain an outright ban on plastic bags. Instead, the city could impose a fee on plastic bags or encourage retailers to issue reusable bags.

City environmental services analyst Melissa Campbell says any restrictions might affect only larger, corporate businesses at first. Campbell says the push to create an ordinance began after people complained to her office about plastic bags getting stuck in fences and trees and littering streets and parks.

Flood Outlook: Nodaway River at Clarinda

Weather

June 7th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

157 PM CDT SAT JUN 7 2014

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA HAS ISSUED A HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK FOR POTENTIAL RIVER FLOODING ON THE NODAWAY RIVER IN SOUTHWEST IOWA…

AN AVERAGE OF TWO AND A HALF INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN THE NODAWAY BASIN.

THE NODAWAY RIVER AT CLARINDA…..

* AT 1:45 PM SATURDAY THE STAGE WAS 21.2 FEET.

* FLOOD STAGE IS 23.0 FEET.

* NO FLOODING IS OCCURRING…AND NO FLOODING IS FORECAST.

* FORECAST…THE RIVER IS EXPECTED TO CREST JUST BELOW

FLOOD STAGE. HOWEVER IF A FLUCTUATION OF ONLY A FEW INCHES IS SEEN…MINOR FLOODING WILL OCCUR ALONG THE BANKS OF THE NODAWAY RIVER NEAR CLARINDA.

Bible-themed park organizers decline state money

News

June 7th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Organizers of a planned Christian-themed park in Sioux City have declined a $140,000 public grant to avoid a controversy that arose after the grant was announced last month. Garry Smith, a member of The Shepherd’s Garden board, tells the Sioux City Journal that the group didn’t want to be in the middle of a lawsuit over the grant.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation, of Madison, Wisconsin, complained last month about funding the Christian-themed park with public money from Vision Iowa. The group said the grant violated the U.S. and Iowa constitutions. Smith says the group’s objection prompted private donors to come forward, and now the project doesn’t need state money.

Smith says the $810,000 park is still on track for completion in the fall.

Flash Flood Warning: Western Adams County

Weather

June 7th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA

1124 AM CDT SAT JUN 7 2014

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR…WESTERN ADAMS COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST IOWA…UNTIL 230 PM CDT.

* AT 1122 AM CDT…DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN ACROSS WESTERN ADAMS COUNTY BETWEEN CARBON AND NODAWAY WITH UP TO THREE INCHES OF RAIN HAVING ALREADY FALLEN. FLASH FLOODING IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN SHORTLY.

* SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE…NODAWAY AND CARBON. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF AROUND 1 INCH MAY BE POSSIBLE THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON IN THE WARNED AREA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND NOW. ACT QUICKLY TO PROTECT YOUR LIFE. TURN AROUND…DONT DROWN WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED ROADS. MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN VEHICLES. PLEASE REPORT FLOODING TO YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY WHEN YOU CAN DO SO SAFELY.