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Fort Dodge teen arrested after shooting, foot chase

News

April 29th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A Fort Dodge teen is charged in connection with a February shooting, while facing felony charges after running from police while carrying a gun on Wednesday. Fort Dodge police were able to take 18-year-old T’vyon S. Gully into custody after a foot pursuit. Police say Gully had a gun when he ran from them. Officers were able to get Gully to drop the gun without incident. Gully faces charges from the February shooting in which a 21-year-old man was injured, and he faces new charges that stem from Wednesday’s incident.

College Savings Iowa now has an app

News

April 29th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – There’s now a mobile app for the College Savings Iowa program. State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald’s office oversees the plan that allows you to sock away money for your kid’s education. “It’s called READY-SAVE -5-2-9, all one long word there. And you can go right to either Apple or Google Pay to download it, it’s free. Anytime you have your phone with you, you can call it right up. You can make a deposit or check your balances, you can do it right there,” Fitzgerald says.

Fitzgerald says it also makes it easier for others to contribute to your child’s fund. He says aunts, uncles, family and friends who may want to contribute a few dollars for the child’s birthday or other events can do so — as can owners or anybody who wants to contribute. Fitzgerald encourages parents to start a College Savings Iowa account as soon as they have kids, as he says even small amounts contributed each year will grow. “And of course, the more you can save, the easier it’s going to be, because colleges keep getting more expensive all the time,” according to Fitzgerald.

There is another benefit for parents as well. “Iowans can put three-thousand-474 dollars into one child’s account and deduct that much from your Iowa income tax — Iowa, not federal — and it’ll grow tax free,” Fitzgerald says. You can then deduct the money to pay qualifying college expenses once your kid is ready.

To find out more about how to start an account and the benefits and guidelines — call 888-672-9116 or visit CollegeSavingsIowa.com.

Federal Search Warrant Executed in Treynor

News

April 29th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa, today (Thursday), announced that a federal search warrant was executed this morning, at a home on the 100 block of Ehrig Avenue in Treynor. The search at this residence was an official law enforcement action involving agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are unaware of any safety risk to the public.

Authorities say this is an ongoing investigation and no other information will be released at this time.

Iowa inmates can no longer be sent books by family, friends, 3rd parties

News

April 29th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A new state policy bans family, friends and third parties from sending books to inmates in Iowa’s prisons, and it’s raising civil rights concerns among loved ones and advocates. Veronica Fowler, spokeswoman for the A-C-L-U of Iowa, says limiting inmates’ access only to books they buy themselves from state-approved vendors undermines their rights to freedom of expression. “The freedom to read is so closely linked to the freedom of thought and the freedom to learn,” Fowler says, “and no matter what your position is in our society, we should not be limiting that, within reason.”

For people serving time, books have long been a means of education and connection, a way to understand themselves and the outside world. James Tager is the research director at PEN America, a literature and human rights advocacy group. “All of this is fundamental to the human experience, which is to say it’s fundamental to human dignity,” Tager says. “That’s what we’re talking about when we’re talking about access to literature. And that’s what is affected by this provision that seems to dramatically restrict access to literature for incarcerated Iowans.”

The new policy also appears to cut off access to nonprofits which are dedicated to sending books to inmates. Loved ones say the change will result in significant cost increases that for some will be prohibitive. The Department of Corrections says the policy is needed due to an increase in contraband entering the prisons with books. Similar bans in other states have prompted legal challenges and public outcry.

(reporting by Kate Payne, Iowa Public Radio)

Senate votes to eliminate statute of limitations on criminal child sex abuse charges

News

April 29th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – For the second time this year, the Iowa Senate has voted to remove the time limit for filing criminal charges against people accused of sexually abusing children. Under current law, victims of child sex abuse have until their 33rd birthday to file criminal charges. Senate President Jake Chapman, a Republican from Adel, says criminals should always be held accountable. “Whether it’s five days from the time of their crime or 50 years from the date of the crime, someone who has committed sexual abuse against a minor should not get a free pass simply because within an arbitrary deadline,” Chapman said.

Chapman says legislators need to act now. “There’s a group of Iowans who have not received the protection they deserve,” Chapman said, “and while we are too late for many Iowans, it’s never too late to do the right thing.” Senator Janet Petersen, a Democrat from Des Moines, has been trying for years to get rid of THIS time limitation on CRIMINAL charges as well as the one that forbids child sex abuse victims from filing civil lawsuits seeking damages once they’ve reached their 33rd birthday. “The line in the sand is based on someone’s birthday,” Petersen says, “…the line drawn on justice.”

Senators unanimously voted to attach the legislation on criminal charges for child sex abuse to a different bill after their original bill on the subject failed to pass the House. It’s now up to the House to decide whether this proposal becomes law in 2021.

ROBERT E. ANDERSEN, 76, of Avoca (Memorial Svcs. 5/6/21)

Obituaries

April 29th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

ROBERT E. ANDERSEN, 76, of Avoca, died Tue., April 27th. A Memorial service for ROBERT ANDERSEN will be held 11-a.m. Thursday, May 6th, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Avoca. Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Avoca has the arrangements.

The family will greet friends at the funeral home, from 6-until 9-p.m., Wed., May 5th.

ROBERT E. ANDERSEN is survived by:
His Wife – Linda Andersen, of Avoca.
His son -Wade Andersen (& Christina Jacobsen), of Persia.
His daughter -Bobbi (Mike) Lund, of Avoca.
His sister – Laura Ann Allen, of Avoca
His brother – Marlin Andersen, of Avoca.
8 grandchildren, his daughter-in-law Amy (James) Lariviere, of Minden, and his brother-in-law Dennis Jensen of Cambridge, Iowa.

Iowa COVID-19 update for 4/29/21: 1 additional death; 543 additional cases; Over 1 million people have received all of their vaccinations

News

April 29th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Des Moines) – The Iowa Department of Public Health, Thursday (Today), reported there were 543 additional positive COVID-19 cases, for a pandemic total of 394,001, and one additional death, for a statewide total of 5,931 since the start of the pandemic. Deaths at long-term care facilities in Iowa account for 2,313 of the total number of deaths statewide.

Iowa’s positivity rate data show the 14-day average is 4.0%, and the 7-day average is 3.9%. Virus hospitalization data from the past 24-hours show: 184 hospitalized; 37 persons were admitted; 44 patients are in ICU (an increase of 7 from Wed.), and 25 patients are on ventilators. In RMCC Region 4 (hospitals in western/southwest Iowa): 17 COVID patients are hospitalized; 10 are in an ICU; three people were admitted with symptoms of the virus, and there are now four people on a ventilator.

Vaccinations administered as of Thursday total more than 2.28-million, and more than one-million persons have had their vaccination series completed.

In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases by County; The # of new cases since yesterday {+} if any; and the total number of deaths in each county to date:

Cass, 1,450 cases; {+3}; 54 deaths
Adair, 980; {+2}; 32
Adams, 346 {+1}; 4
Audubon, 518 {+2}; 9
Guthrie, 1,280 {+4}; 29
Harrison County, 1,912; {+0}; 73
Madison County, 1,708; {+4; 19
Mills County, 1,772; {+1}; 21
Montgomery, 1,099;{+2}; 37
Pottawattamie County, 12,030; {+15}; 164
Shelby County, 1,355 {+2}; 37
Union County, 1,324; {+3}; 32

Spring Sports Scoreboard 04/28/2021

Sports

April 29th, 2021 by admin

GIRLS TENNIS

Council Bluffs City Tournament

  1. Lewis Central 18
  2. CB Abraham Lincoln 19
  3. CB Thomas Jefferson 25
  4. St. Albert 28

#1 Singles Champ: Landry Miller, St. Albert
#2 Singles Champ: Katelyn Rodenburg, Lewis Central

#1 Doubles Champ: Landry Miller/Allison Narmi, St. Albert
#2 Doubles Champ: Katelyn Rodenburg/Maddie Parker, Lewis Central

GIRLS GOLF

CYO Tournament

Kuemper Catholic finished in 5th with a 469 team total. Bishop Garrigan was the winner with a 346. Kenna Soppe was the Knights top golfer with a round of 107.

BOYS GOLF

CYO Tournament

Kuemper Catholic won the tournament with a 332 total, one shot ahead of Ft. Dodge St. Edmond. Mitchell Badding led the Knights with a 77 and finished 2nd overall. Maverick Schwabe shot 81 for 5th and Jack Tiefenthaler shot 83 for 7th.

 

Griswold School Board expected to decide on MS/HS Principal hire in the days ahead

News

April 29th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

The Griswold School Board is expected to decide in the coming days, who will succeed Billy Hiatt as Middle School/High School Principal. The Board met Wednesday night and interviewed in separate closed sessions, three finalists out of 18 who had applied for the job. Hiatt had earlier announced his resignation from the post. The finalists each spent an hour with each group made up of School Board members, Administrators, and Community members.

In other business, the Griswold School Board, Wednesday, agreed to continue with the current face mask policy, which calls for masks/face coverings to be worn during school hours while in the school building, and during times when students are being transported by district vehicles.

The Board encourages the public to wear face coverings when they are in school buildings, during times that coverings would otherwise not be required.

Highway Helper program keeps Iowans moving in four metro areas

News

April 29th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Department of Transportation, this week, is focusing on the safety of our workers in work zones and getting you through those areas without incident. However, work zones aren’t the only dangerous place to be on the roadway. A stalled vehicle may not be viewed as a major safety hazard. But the Iowa DOT conducted a three-year study and found that 759 crashes occurred near or with stalled/abandoned vehicles. These crashes resulted in 16 fatalities and 249 injuries.

No one leaves on a trip expecting their vehicle to have a breakdown or be involved in a crash. Being stranded on the side of the road, especially a busy interstate in a metro area can rattle even the most seasoned traveler and become as shown above can be a major safety hazard for both you and your fellow travelers. So if you find yourself on the side of the road in the Des Moines, Cedar Rapids/Iowa City, Council Bluffs, or Quad City metro areas, you just might find one of our Highway Helpers coming to assist you.

HIghway Helper equipmentThe Iowa Department of Transportation began the Highway Helper program in Des Moines and has since expanded to three additional metro areas. Highway Helper services can clear debris from the road and quickly address the needs of stranded motorists by providing jump starts, tire changes, up to two gallons of fuel, and transportation to a safe location. In addition, each truck is equipped to provide traffic control and quick clearance for emergency responders.

To best serve motorists, Highway Helper vehicles are on patrol during normal service hours in high traffic volume corridors looking for motorists needing assistance. Service hours are generally during the morning and afternoon rush and the daytime hours between. However, our Highway Helpers are also patrolling during special events that can have the tendency to increase traffic. In addition to regularly patrolling the heaviest traveled metro roadways, operators in Iowa DOT’s Traffic Management Center utilize hundreds of traffic cameras around the state to identify stranded motorists and dispatch a Highway Helper when needed.

What to do if you’re stranded on the side of the road.

Any unexpected object on or alongside the road can cause a traffic slowdown, which increases the chances of a crash. For many of us, a flat tire, running out of gas, or having another issue that may leave us stranded on the side of the road is not a common occurrence and we may not know what to do. Here are a few tips.

  1. Stay in your vehicle with your seat belt fastened.
  2. To get help, call a trained roadside assistance provider or 911. The 911 dispatcher can send the Highway Helper or law enforcement to help you.
  3. Please don’t call a friend or relative to help. Having someone who doesn’t have the training in safely providing roadside assistance just brings another vehicle to the scene and can cause an even more dangerous situation.
Incidents by type 2020

This graph of Highway Helper activity in 2020 shows that assisting motorists with stalled vehicles is the main service these men and women provide. For more information on the number and types of incidents responded to by Highway Helpers, go to https://iowadot.gov/performance/safety)

Stalled vehicles can cause significant traffic issues

DSC_5357_2If your vehicle has a flat tire, runs out of gas, or has stalled for another reason, having a Highway Helper respond and help can get you back on the road so you don’t put yourself in danger by trying to fix the problem yourself or abandoning your vehicle alongside the road to get help elsewhere. If a Highway Helper is assisting you, the safest place for you to be is in your vehicle with your seat belt fastened.

At a crash scene, the Highway Helper can assist law enforcement by positioning a vehicle near the end of the initial traffic back up with their lights flashing. This can help alert drivers coming near the scene that they need to slow down and pay extra attention in the area with the goal of reducing additional crashes.

Why keeping traffic moving is important

When managing traffic incidents like stalled vehicles or crashes, every minute counts. Research has shown that for every minute a lane is blocked, the risk of another crash in the same area increases by 2.8 percent. For an incident that blocks a lane for longer than 30 minutes, the likelihood of a secondary crash is very high and secondary crashes are often more serious than the initial incident.

So whether that’s debris on the road, a stalled vehicle, or a crash, having the Highway Helpers available to quickly resolve the issue keeps traffic moving more reliably and creates a safer commute for everyone.