United Group Insurance

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1st

Trading Post

September 1st, 2011 by admin

WANTED: Large area rug. 712-254-0350.

FOR SALE: MAYTAG PORTABLE DISHWASHER  WORKS GREAT.  $100.00 FIRM   CALL 249-1488  AFTER 5:00 P.M.

FOR SALE: Bath, or shower chair for $10.  Call 243 2538.

FOR SALE: Lenox 2 ton Central Air Conditioning Unit with Coil; Pulse Furnace 92% Efficient. Both 10 + years and work great. Just currently upgraded.  Contact 712-249-7478.

FOR SALE: Glass table patio set, $250 obo. 249-6223

Heartbeat Today 09-01-2011

Heartbeat Today, Podcasts

September 1st, 2011 by admin

Jim speaks about the Simon Estes concert on October 8th with Penny Pattee and Zach Minors of the Avoca Rotary Club.

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Traffic stop on I-80 near C. Bluffs nets big drug haul

News

September 1st, 2011 by Ric Hanson

A traffic stop on Interstate 80 northeast of Council Bluffs Wednesday evening resulted in the arrest of two New Jersey women on drug charges. Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department Investigator, Sgt. Dwayne Riche told KJAN News Deputy Brian Miller pulled a 2005 BMW X-3 over for speeding, on eastbound I-80 near the nine mile-marker, just after 5-p.m.

The deputy requested permission to search the vehicle, but was denied. Riche says Miller deployed his K-9 partner “Francisco,” who alerted to the presence of drugs in a rooftop car carrier on the vehicle. A search of the carrier resulted in the recovery of approximately 21-pounds of hydroponically grown marijuana, 2.2-pounds of cocaine and 28-grams of hallucinogenic mushrooms.

The driver of the vehicle, 27-year old Justine Magno, and her passenger, 26-year old Allison Wolfe, both of Teaneck, New Jersey, were arrested on charges of Possession of Drugs with the Intent to Deliver, Possession of Controlled Substances, and other, drug-related charges.

The women were being held in the Pott County Jail on $100,000 bond, each.

10 companies recall fuel gel for firepots

Ag/Outdoor, News

September 1st, 2011 by Ric Hanson

WASHINGTON (AP) – Ten companies are recalling 2 million bottles and jugs of the gel fuel used in outdoor decorations known as firepots because of the risk of serious burns. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says the gel fuel has been linked to several dozen injuries when users could not tell whether the flame was extinguished. Pouring more gel on a burning pot can lead to dangerous flares or burns.

The companies recalling gel fuel are: Bird Brain Inc. of Ypsilanti, Mich.; Bond Manufacturing of Antioch, Calif.; Sunjel Company of Milwaukee; Fuel Barons Inc. of Lake Tahoe, Nev.; Lamplight Farms Inc, of Menomonee Falls, Wis.; Luminosities Inc. of St. Paul, Minn.; Marshall Group of Elkhart, Ind.; Pacific Decor Ltd. of Woodinville, Wash.; Real Flame of Racine, Wis.; Smart Solar USA of Oldsmar, Fla.

7AM Newscast 09-01-2011

News, Podcasts

September 1st, 2011 by admin

w/ Ric Hanson

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August 2011 Weather Stats for Atlantic

News, Weather

September 1st, 2011 by Ric Hanson

The average High for the month was 84.5-degrees. The hottest day was on the 23rd, when we topped out at 97, during a “heat burst” late in the evening. The average Low was 59.9-degrees. The coolest reading was 50-degrees, on the 24th. Normals for Atlantic: High – 84.2; Low – 59.7.

Rainfall for the month amounted to 6.9-inches. The greatest amount of rainfall occurred on thr 15th (3″).  Normal average rainfall in August, is 3.88″.

Car Seat Check-up offered in Cass Co.

News

September 1st, 2011 by Ric Hanson

Nine of out every 10 car seats in Iowa are used incorrectly. Could yours be one of them? Find out, at a free car seat check-up being offered Thursday, Sept. 22nd, at Cass County Home Care, in Atlantic. The event, which takes place from 5-7pm at 1500 East 10th Street, offers car seat inspections and free information on traveling safely. For more information, call 712-243-8006.

IA DHS Regional Director speaks to Cass County Supervisors

News

September 1st, 2011 by Ric Hanson

The Regional Service Director for the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) spoke with the Cass County Board of Supervisors, during their meeting Wednesday, in Atlantic. Tom Bouska, said there are some changes being implemented to DHS programs people should be aware of. One of the changes affects eligibility for food assistance. Bouska says the eligibility limits have increased to 160-percent of the poverty level. He says the DHS no longer counts resources for food assistance, so more households are potentially eligible to apply for assistance.

He says the DHS is not directly “advertising” the new eligibility standards, but is has spread by “word of mouth.” The local DHS office sees spikes in requests for food assistance during the Winter, because of seasonal layoffs in construction, and late in the Summer, as families prepare for the coming school year, and have less to spend on food.

Bouska says about one of out every six-persons in Cass County receives some type of assistance from the DHS. Over the past year, 787 households in the County have received food assistance through the DHS’ food stamp, or snack program. That means 1,826 individuals were served by the program, which brings in $200,000 per month, or nearly $2.5-million dollars to Cass County.

The Family Investment Program (FIP), which is the DHS’ smallest program, and offers cash assistance to families with children who meet certain income guidelines, averages 81 families, 199 recipients, and equates to $26,000 per month, or $300,000 for the past 12 months. Bouska says 2,480 persons in Cass County, are eligible for Medicaid, which brought in about $21.5-million dollars. All together, approximately $24-million dollars is being spent on households in the County. Bouska says that’s a fair amount of money coming in to the County, which has a ripple affect on the economy. For example, for every One-dollar in food assistance generates almost two-dollars worth of financial activity.

Bouska says last year’s cutbacks and restructuring in the Department of Human Services mean there are less people available to handle the increasing caseload’s they’re seeing. He says their regional staff now covers nearly double the amount of counties they did last year in western Iowa. He says they hope to maintain the staff they have until 2013, with any additional cutbacks.

The number of DHS offices in the region were also trimmed, from 18 to 12. Bouska says by the year 2013, there will be a new eligibility system that will replace the current, nearly 40-year old system, in anticipation of the “Affordable Care Act,” which could mean anywhere from 80-to 100,000- more individuals will be eligible for Medicaid.

Survey shows sluggish Midwest, Plains economy

News

September 1st, 2011 by Ric Hanson

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – An economist says an August economic survey in nine Midwest and Plains states suggests slow to no growth in the region, but not a return to recession. The survey report released today (Thursday), says the Business Conditions Index (BCI) dropped to 52 in August from 54.1 in July. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the report.

He says that despite healthy economic growth tied to agriculture, the region is being harmed by cuts in business, consumer and local governmental spending. The survey of supply managers and executives uses a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Any score above 50 suggests growth while a score below 50 suggests decline for that factor. The states are Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

Holiday travel is expected to be down this weekend

News

September 1st, 2011 by Ric Hanson

A busy travel holiday is just ahead, but industry experts say the number of travelers will be down about two-and-a-half percent across the state and nation compared to Labor Day weekend last year. Gene LaDoucer, spokesman for Triple-A-Iowa, says several factors play into the estimate. LaDoucer says, “Largely, it’s a mixed economic outlook, consumer uncertainty and recent downturns that are effecting discretionary income and are forcing people, particularly in the lower-income levels, to stay closer to home or at home.”

A survey finds airfares are up 13-percent compared to last year. Gasoline prices in Iowa are now averaging three-61 a gallon. He says on Labor Day weekend of 2010, gas prices were exactly one dollar cheaper. “Gas prices are up about 30% from where they were at this time last year,” LaDoucer says. “People are telling us that the higher prices aren’t necessarily going to keep them from traveling. What it is going to do, however, it’s going to keep them closer to home. They’re going to find different ways to cut back to make up that increased expense.”

He says hotels, restaurants and attractions in Iowa may actually benefit from the reduced travel prediction. “If you can cater to the audience that’s in your particular area, you could do quite well,” LaDoucer says. “Because of the outdoor activities that are prevalent in the Midwest, there’s a lot of things people can go out and enjoy for one last hurrah for the end of the summer travel season.” He notes, travel nationwide may be down even more than forecast as communities on the East Coast recover from damage caused by Hurricane Irene.

(Radio Iowa)