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This is Your Nishna Valley 10-11-2014

Podcasts, This is Your Nishna Valley

October 14th, 2014 by admin

w/ Jim Field and Stacie Linfor

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Central IA man arrested on warrant in Union County

News

October 14th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

A man from Central Iowa was arrested Monday afternoon, at the Union County Law Enforcement Center. According to Creston Police, 31-year old Steven Michael Scott Beck, of Boone, was arrested on a Union County warrant for Failure to Appear in court. Beck was being held in the jail on $300 bond.

(Podcast) Skyscan Forecast, Tue. 10/14/2014

Podcasts, Weather

October 14th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

The Freese-Notis weather forecast for Atlantic & the KJAN listening area, and weather data for Atlantic, including recent rainfall and Hi/Lo temps.

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Red Oak accident under investigation

News

October 14th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

No injuries were reported following a collision between two vehicles in Red Oak Monday, but the accident remains under investigation. Authorities say a 2014 Buick Encore driven by 51-year old Christina Vestal, of Emerson, was stopped at the intersection of North 3rd and East Washington Streets at around 5-p.m. Monday, and when it pulled away from the intersection, was struck by an eastbound 2005 Chevy pickup driven by 58-year old William Ehlers, of Red Oak.

Vestal told police she didn’t see Ehlers’ pickup approaching because of an obstruction created by motor vehicles parked along the north side of east Washington Street, and the position of a power pole. Damage from the crash amounted to $5,600.

No citations were issued, pending completion of the accident investigation.

BETTY REIMER LAWTON, 92, of Atlantic & formerly of Marne (Svcs. 10/20/14)

Obituaries

October 14th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

BETTY REIMER LAWTON, 92, of Atlantic ( & formerly of Marne), died Mon., Oct. 13th, at the Heritage House in Atlantic. A Celebration of Life service for BETTY LAWTON will be held 11-am Monday, Oct. 20th, at the First Assembly of God Church in Atlantic. Roland Funeral Home of Atlantic has the arrangements.

Visitation with the family will be from 1 until 7pm Sunday (Oct.19th) at the funeral home, with family present from 5-to 7-pm, Sunday. Online condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.

Burial will be at the Layton Township Cemetery in Walnut prior to services at 9-30.

Memorials may be made to the Nishna Valley Family YMCA Aquatics Programs or the First Assembly of God.

Betty Lawton is survived by her children:

Max Reimer of Dearborn, MI; Kathi (Steve) Gates of Brooklyn, MI; Debbie Lucas of San Diego, CA; Bill (Lillian) Reimer of Houston, TX; and Alan (Nancy) Reimer, of Atlantic.

9 grandchildren, in-laws, and other relatives.

Attempted murder charge against Iowa man dropped

News

October 14th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – An attempted murder charge against an Iowa man has been dropped after witnesses could not identify a shooter. The Daily Nonpareil reports the Pottawattamie County Attorney’s Office dismissed the attempted murder and intimidation with a dangerous weapon charges against 21-year-old Vaughn White. He is still charged with a felony count of escaping custody.

He was arrested in July in connection to a June shooting of a 16-year-old girl. Police say White briefly escaped from officers while handcuffed during his arrest. The county attorney’s office says neither the girl nor a witness could identify a suspect during a deposition.

White is being held at the Pottawattamie County Jail on $5,000 bond.

NWS forecast for Atlantic & the area: Tue., 10/14/14

Weather

October 14th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Today A 20 percent chance of rain before 9am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. Windy, with a north wind 21 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph.
Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 39. North wind 9 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.

Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 65. North wind around 9 mph.
Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 41. Light and variable wind.

Thursday Sunny, with a high near 69. Light and variable wind becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 46.

Friday Sunny, with a high near 65.

IPIB to look at Atlantic & 5 other southwest Iowa cases this week

News

October 14th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Public Information Board is expected to address six cases from southwest Iowa during its meeting later this week. The Daily NonPareil reports an agenda for the meeting, which will be held at 1-p.m. Thursday, in Des Moines, was released Monday afternoon. It shows recommended action for the following cases:

A complaint filed by Jeff Lundquist against the Atlantic City Council and Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones alleged an unlawful meeting was held to discuss the resignation of the City Administrator Doug Harris. An investigation by the IPIB, however, found no such meeting occurred.

In a letter to Lundquist, IPIB Executive Director Keith Luchtel wrote “Our investigation revealed that conversations among the mayor and some council members about the resignation of the city administrator did occur outside of a council meeting, but never when a quorum of the city council was present.”

Without enough members present to legally hold a vote, public bodies are not subject to open meeting requirements, even if they discuss business. Luchtel recommended the IPIB dismiss the complaint.

Three complaints against the Red Oak Community School District are expected to be resolved through negotiated remediation plans. The Red Oak school board has agreed to training and has acknowledged concerns about its handling of open meeting requirements in April and June.

Margaret Johnson, the deputy director of the IPIB, said in a report to the board that all three complainants – Jedd Sherman, Don Rogerson and Margaret Stoldorf – have agreed to the remediation plans approved by the school board. Johnson recommended the plans be accepted by the IPIB.

A complaint filed by Pacific Junction City Council member Earl Smith that alleges the council violated state open meetings laws during a closed session to acquire a $50,000 loan in November 2013. Smith has since indicated to the IPIB and the Iowa State Auditor’s Office that the loan – actually for $40,000 – was approved at the beginning of the meeting and a closed session centered around a different $50,000 debt.

Executive Director Keith Luchtel said in a letter to Smith, released as part of the IPIB agenda, that the council has “ongoing actions” that appear to be violations against Iowa Code, including “vague and non-descriptive agenda, votes on matters not on the agenda and deliberation on matters not on the agenda.” Luchtel recommended the IPIB accept the complaint, which would begin a process of resolving the case informally or gathering evidence to determine if probable cause of a violation can be found.

• And a complaint against the Fremont County Attorney’s Office was withdrawn by Rick Aultman, who told the board he has instead filed a formal records request with Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope.

Mills County man’s trial on kidnapping & child abuse delayed

News

October 14th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

The trial for a Mills County man facing sexual abuse and other charges has been delayed, until the Iowa Supreme Court rules whether to uphold a felony kidnapping charge. The Daily NonPareil reports 67-year old Daniel Walden, of Glenwood, was arrested May 19th on suspicion of first-degree kidnapping, indecent contact with a child and two counts of second-degree sexual abuse. In Iowa, a first-degree kidnapping conviction carries an automatic life sentence.

Walden is accused of luring a child under age 12 into his home and committing sexual abuse. The incident – which occurred in spring or summer of 2006 or 2007 – was reported to police on May 5, according to court documents.

His attorneys said the kidnapping charge falls outside of Iowa’s state statutes of limitation of three years. Walden’s attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the charge on June 17, and the Mills County Attorney’s Office filed a motion June 19 to resist the dismissal. After Fourth District Judge James Richardson upheld the county’s motion July 7, Walden’s attorneys appealed. The Iowa Supreme Court heard arguments in early August and has yet to issue a ruling.

The county attorney’s office argued the charges should be merged, according to documents, because “It makes little sense that the lesser included crime of sex abuse in the second degree would have a longer statute of limitation than the kidnapping first with the element of sex abuse.”

Walden bonded out of jail June 4th. A new court date has not been scheduled.

Snow plows may be on Iowa roads, but not because snow is on the way

News

October 14th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

There’s no snow in the forecast, but motorists may be seeing some Iowa Department of Transportation snow plows on roadways this week. The Iowa D-O-T’s Craig Bargfrede says crews are simply testing and calibrating equipment in preparation for winter.  “And because of the large amount of new seasonal operators that we’re bringing on board, the district offices have various new operator training courses scheduled for the coming weeks,” Bargfrede says.

The DOT announced plans in September to hire nearly double the number of amount of temporary snow plow operators this year compared to the last winter season. The agency is in the process of hiring around 600 snow plow drivers. “We started an online application process this year for those seasonal employees and so far, the response has been very, very positive,” Bargfrede says. Pay for the work ranges from $11.39 to $16.13 per hour. Bargfrede says the boost in employment should not suggest that Iowa’s in for an especially harsh winter.

“It’s more to help us augment our full-time staff to make sure we have enough people on the roads and give us the level of service that the public is looking for,” Bargfrede says. The first snowfall in Iowa normally arrives in November, but it’s not unusual for snow to fly in October.

(Radio Iowa)