712 Digital Group - top

Council Bluffs casino to be sold to Pinnacle

News

December 22nd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A Las Vegas-owned casino operator plans to buy the company that owns the Ameristar casino in Council Bluffs. The Des Moines Register reports) that Pinnacle Entertainment says it plans to buy Ameristar Casinos for $2.8 billion.The Council Bluffs riverboat casino operates on the Missouri River and has 869 employees.

No major changes are expected in the operation and it will still be branded an Ameristar casino. Pinnacle owns seven casinos in Louisiana, Missouri, and Indiana and a racetrack in Ohio. Ameristar also owns seven other casinos in addition to the Council Bluffs operation. The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, which regulates gambling in Iowa is expected to consider the deal next summer.

West Central IA Beef Cattle Forum Jan. 23rd in Arcadia

Ag/Outdoor, News

December 22nd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Officials with ISU Extension say area cattlemen should plan to attend the first annual West Central Iowa Beef Cattle Forum to be held January 23rd, at the American Legion Hall in Arcadia.  The free Carroll County educational program is being offered by the Iowa Beef Center, in coordination with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association.

Registration will begin at 8:30 AM the day of the event, with introductions and speakers to begin at 9:00 AM.  There will be no cost to register and lunch will be provided.  Lunch will be served at approximately 12:15 PM and the meeting should conclude around 3:30 PM.

The target audience includes anyone involved in the beef industry including cow/calf and feedlot producers.  There will be a variety of topics discussed including economic outlook, bovine nutrition, confinement feeding of beef cows, and environmental issues.  Representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency will be present to discuss surveillance and regulatory issues.

Dan Loy, Director of the Iowa Beef Center will be present to discuss protein supplementation and corn stalk treatment.  Other highlights will include an economic outlook from Shane Ellis, Farm Management Specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and a discussion regarding the confinement feeding of beef cows.  There will also be numerous sponsors from the animal health industry available to inform producers about their products and services and Iowa Cattlemen’s Association representatives will provide an ICA update.

Officials are asking anyone interested in attending the Beef Cattle Forum to  RSVP by January 17th. Contact Chris Clark, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Beef Field Specialist for southwest Iowa, at 636-432-9437 or by email at caclark@iastate.edu or by contacting Merle Witt, Iowa Cattlemen’s Association Membership Coordinator at 515-231-7310 or by email at merle@iabeef.org.

More information can also be obtained from the Iowa Beef Center website, county extension offices, or from the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association.

(Podcast) 9-a.m. Local/State News, Sat. Dec.22nd, 2012

News, Podcasts

December 22nd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Area and State news with KJAN News Director Ric Hanson…

Play

Home invasion/robbery reported in Fremont County

News

December 22nd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Authorities in Fremont County are investigating a home invasion and robbery that occurred Friday night, in Thurman. The Sheriff’s Department says deputies were dispatched to 1423 Western Avenue in Thurman just before 9-p.m., Friday.  During their investigation, deputies determined two black males had broken into the residence and displayed a semi-automatic pistol. The occupants of the home were tied-up and numerous items were taken before the suspects took-off on foot.

One of the black male robbers wore a dark coat, dark pants and was called “Pete.” He reportedly carried a semi-automatic pistol. The second suspect, also a black male, wore a tan coat with a fur-lined collar and blue jeans. The vehicle they drove off in — a red Peterbilt semi pulling a white trailer — was caught on a surveillance camera.

If you have any information about the location of the semi or the suspects, call the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office at 712-374-2424 or call 9-1-1. Do not attempt to approach the suspects, as they are considered to be armed and dangerous.

Saturday Sports (Podcast) – Dec. 22nd, 2012

Podcasts, Sports

December 22nd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson….

Play

7-a.m. Local/Western IA News (Podcast) – Dec. 22nd, 2012

News, Podcasts

December 22nd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The latest area news (Podcast) with KJAN News Director, Ric Hanson….

Play

(Podcast) Skyscan Forecast: Sat., Dec. 22nd, 2012

Podcasts, Weather

December 22nd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The (Podcast) forecast for Atlantic and the KJAN listening from Freese-Notis Meteorologist Wesley Rondinelli, and the weather stats for Atlantic.

Play

Iowa faces Coppin State Saturday

Sports

December 22nd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Hawkeyes play Coppin State today (Saturday) in Iowa City, in their final non-conference game before the Christmas break. Iowa opens the Big Ten season hosting Indiana in Iowa City on December 31st. You can hear the game on KJAN, beginning at 11-a.m.

Coach Fran McCaffery says they want to finish this portion of the schedule on a good note. “We wanna keep playing the way we’re playing, hard, solid D, sharing the ball, a lot of different guys feeling good about their game, and that’s the way you want to go into Indiana,” McCaffery said. The Hawkeyes have been shooting the ball well lately, and freshman guard Mike GeSsell says it’s a matter of being confident.

“Whether you miss your last one, missed your last five, you have to continue to shoot with confidence. We are really confident the players we have on this team can shoot the ball,” GeSsell said. He says coach McCaffery is going to continue giving them the green light to shoot, even if they miss a few shots. While they have a winning record and have been shooting the ball well, GeSsell said after the win over South Carolina State that they still have room to improve on defense.

“You know that was kind of our weakness as a team last year and we still have some breakdowns at times,” GeSsell said. He says if they can cut out the breakdowns they will improve as a team. Iowa is 10-2 heading into Saturday’s game.

(Radio Iowa/Sports)

ISU has some time off before returning to basketball

Sports

December 22nd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa State Cyclones are off until January 1st when they face Yale and then open the Big 12 season January 9th at Kansas. I-S-U wrapped up their final game of this year with a 76-61 win over Missouri-Kansas City. Coach Fred Hoiberg said after their last game that they have some things to work on before returning to action. “We’ve got to tighten everything up. When we’re playing well, when we’re clicking, when everybody is all in together, we are a pretty darn good team. When we are not, we struggle a little,” Hoiberg said.

He says the team has learned from its loses so far and improved. “You know I like the way we’re playing right now…and hopefully we’ll keep making strides,” Hoiberg said. I-S-U wraps up this portion of the season with a 9-3 record.

(Radio Iowa/Sports)

Congressman King talks about failed republican deal

News

December 22nd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Republican House Speaker John Boehner was forced to pull his so-called “Plan B” bill that sought to reach a compromise on the tax cut issue because of a lack of votes. Iowa Congressman, Steve King, a Republican from Kiron, says he doesn’t think fellow Republicans are rebelling against Boehner, but instead are not happy with the proposal. “I’m not hearing a lot of carping like that, it’s really more about the policy and it’s a cumulative affect though of some, I think, of some strategic decisions and bad policy decisions of the past that set the stage for this,” King says. King says the lack of spending cuts led many Republicans to pull their support of “Plan B.”

“They’re saying ‘we’ve got to cut spending some time’, and if we don’t cut spending in this vote, then we’ve just again kicked the can down the road and made ourselves a promise that probably we are going to have a hard time keeping at the next critical juncture, which is the debt ceiling that will come up in the next couple of months,” King says. He says while there is no obvious challenger to Boehner for House Speaker, there is pressure on him from the disagreement among G-O-P House members.

“And I think how this comes out will have a lot to say about that,” King says. “As we will get something back from the Senate I expect. I think we will get something back that’ll be a pretty bitter pill to swallow if we can swallow it. And then the results of that might shake something loose so that someone emerges to be a challenger. There’s pressure on the speakership, no doubt.” Congressmen left for home Friday without reaching any plan to hold off the tax cuts that will take place in January.

(Radio Iowa)