The 7-a.m. news featuring the area’s latest and/or top news stories from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.
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The 7-a.m. news featuring the area’s latest and/or top news stories from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.3MB)
Subscribe: RSS
(Radio Iowa) – Nominations are now being accepted for this year’s Iowa Character Awards, which will go to individual Iowans, businesses or organizations that display good character. Hillary Ortman, associate director of the Robert and Billie Ray Center at Drake University in Des Moines, says they’re hoping to single out an array of Iowans. “Since 2005, we’ve recognized more than 150 Iowans, both groups and individuals, for demonstrating good character,” Ortman says. “These are people who are invested in their community, treating others with respect, and working to make not only their community but the state of Iowa and the world a better place.”
While COVID-19 has forced the cancellation of a host of events for many months, Ortman is hopeful they’ll be able to go ahead with an awards ceremony this summer. “We typically host our events on a Friday in July and due to moving a different event that we usually host in April, we are now going to be hosting the Iowa Character Awards on Sunday, August 29th, at the Prairie Meadows Events Center in Altoona.” She says there are a host of categories in which nominations are now being taken. “We accept nominations for local businesses and organizations of character, an adult citizen, a youth citizen, an educator of character,” Ortman says. “We also recognize a school, a student organization, a community of character.”
The entry deadline is May 2nd. Learn more at: www.iowacharacterawards.org.
(Radio Iowa) – Some Iowans serving a life sentence could get a pathway to parole under a bill co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of 18 Iowa House members. Republican Representative Terry Baxter of Garner says not all adults sentenced to serve the rest of their lives in prison deserve a second chance, but some do. “When someone commits a crime under the influence of alcohol or drugs or coming from a background of abuse themselves, they’re not in their right mind,” Baxter says. “There are many people who in the process of being incarcerated go through such a change in their life, rehabilitation and transformation, they are no longer the same people…that committed that crime.”
Under current law, the only way a life sentence can be overturned is if the governor issues a pardon or commutes the sentence to time already served. The bill would create a commission to review certain cases after a person sentenced to life has been in prison for 25 years, then Commissioners could recommend that the governor approve release. Baxter, who has worked in prison ministry, says some people who commit serious crimes undergo transformation.
“I am thankful that God gave me mercy. I received a second chance,” Baxter says. “I’m no longer the man I used to be and I believe that people can and do change and I believe in the dignity of human life and that people deserve a look when they’ve gone through that change.” Lawmakers on a House subcommittee reviewing the bill plan to have more discussions about it. Life without the possibility of parole is the sentence in Iowa for first degree murder or when someone is found guilty of kidnapping or sexual assault with serious injury.
A lobbyist for county attorneys says those are serious crimes and it’s hard to imagine telling a family the person sentenced to life for murdering their relative was being released from prison.
(Reporting by Iowa Public Radio’s Kate Payne)
Class 1A and 2A girls basketball Regional Quarterfinals will be contested on Tuesday night. Here is a look at area match-ups. All games are set to start at 7:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
CLASS 1A
Region 2
St. Edmond @ Newell-Fonda
Glidden-Ralston @ Audubon 7:30 p.m.
Southeast Warren @ CAM 6:00 p.m.-ON CAM COUGAR CHANNEL
Martensdale-St. Marys @ Paton-Churdan
Region 4
Boyer Valley @ Kingsley-Pierson 6:00 p.m.
Riverside @ Woodbine 6:00 p.m.
East Mills @ Logan-Magnolia 6:00 p.m.
St. Albert @ Fremont-Mills 6:00 p.m.
Region 8
Murray @ Exira-EHK 6:00 p.m.-ON KJAN and SPARTAN MEDIA
Lamoni @ Stanton 6:00 p.m.
Moravia @ Lenox 6:00 p.m.
Wayne @ Sigourney 6:00 p.m.
CLASS 2A
Region 5
East Sac County @ Nodaway Valley
AC/GC @ South Central Calhoun
I-35 @ AHSTW 6:00 p.m.
Mount Ayr @ Central Decatur 6:00 p.m.
Region 8
Lawton-Bronson @ Treynor PPD to Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.
Hinton @ West Monona 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Center @ Underwood
South O’Brien @ Ridge View
CLASS 1A
District 12
Southeast Warren @ Mount Ayr PPD to Wednesday 6:00 p.m.
Murray 57, Wayne 33
Moravia 70, Seymour 37
Lamoni @ Mormon Trail PPD to Wednesday at 6:00 p.m.
District 13
Martensdale-St. Marys 79, Diagonal 16
Lenox 74, Southwest Valley 62
Earlham 66, East Union 43
Bedford @ Nodaway Valley PPD to Wednesday 7:00 p.m.
District 14
Tri-Center 91, Griswold 40
Sidney @ East Mills PPD to Wednesday 7:00 p.m.
Fremont-Mills @ CAM 7:00 p.m. -PPD to Wednesday 7:00 p.m. (No KJAN Coverage, but will be on CAM Cougar Channel)
Riverside 57, Stanton 49
District 15
Glidden-Ralston @ Grand View Christian PPD to Tuesday 5:00 p.m. @ Faith Baptist Bible College in Ankeny.
Madrid 54, Audubon 38
Coon Rapids-Bayard 38, Ankeny Christian 37
Ogden 72, IKM-Manning 60
District 16
St. Albert 71, West Monona 37
Woodbine 47, Logan-Magnolia 38
West Harrison 74, Ar-We-Va 61
Boyer Valley 57, Exira-EHK 49
CLASS 2A
District 1
Manson NW-Webster @ Kuemper Catholic PPD to Tuesday 5:30 p.m.
Ridge View 59, Missouri Valley 27
District 2
Hinton 54, West Sioux 50
MVAOCOU @ Cherokee, Washington PPD to Tuesday 5:30 p.m.
District 15
I-35 @ Central Decatur PPD to Tuesday at 8:00 p.m.
AC/GC 74, West Central Valley37
District 16
Clarinda 60, Underwood 58 OT
Red Oak 54, Shenandoah 36
Authorities have identified the victim of a shooting that took place early Monday morning at the Casey’s Store, in Marshalltown, and arrested a suspect in the incident.
Rocky Dean Trujillo
Twenty-year-old Rocky Trujillo, of Marshalltown, is charged with first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, going armed with intent, assault with intent to inflict serious injury and trafficking in stolen weapons. Trujillo was being held in the Marshall County Jail awaiting an initial court appearance.
Police believe he shot and killed 48-year-old Michael Ray West, of Marshalltown, in the chest early Monday morning. Authorities executed a search warrant for a home on Bromley Street and arrested Trujillo late Monday.
Officers responded to the store to find West on the floor, suffering from a gunshot wound. Marshalltown police said the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is assisting in the ongoing investigation.
The Top Ten teams in the Associated Press Iowa high school basketball poll with first-place votes in parentheses and won-loss record, total points and position last week at right:
| Class 4A | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Record | Pts | Prv | |
| 1. Cedar Falls (8) | 15-0 | 98 | 2 |
| 2. Valley, West Des Moines | 14-3 | 78 | 3 |
| 3. Waukee (2) | 11-2 | 77 | 1 |
| 4. Council Bluffs, Abraham Lincoln | 15-3 | 65 | 5 |
| 5. Ames | 13-3 | 56 | 6 |
| 6. Dubuque, Hempstead | 14-3 | 53 | 7 |
| 7. Pleasant Valley | 15-3 | 36 | 10 |
| 8. Johnston | 8-3 | 33 | 4 |
| 9. Cedar Rapids, Kennedy | 13-6 | 13 | NR |
| 10. Ankeny Centennial | 12-4 | 12 | 8 |
Others receiving votes: Southeast Polk 9. Des Moines, North 7. Dowling Catholic, West Des Moines 6. Ottumwa 5. Des Moines, Hoover 2.
| Class 3A | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Record | Pts | Prv | |
| 1. Ballard (6) | 18-1 | 87 | 1 |
| 2. Monticello (3) | 18-0 | 82 | 2 |
| 3. Dallas Center-Grimes | 16-2 | 69 | 3 |
| 4. Carroll | 18-2 | 64 | 5 |
| 5. Pella | 18-2 | 49 | 6 |
| 6. Glenwood | 17-2 | 47 | 7 |
| 7. Epworth, Western Dubuque | 13-4 | 31 | 8 |
| 8. Solon | 17-2 | 24 | 4 |
| 9. Clear Lake | 19-2 | 17 | 9 |
| 10. Assumption, Davenport | 13-6 | 8 | 10 |
Others receiving votes: Le Mars 7. Mount Vernon 3. Clear Creek-Amana 3. Algona 2. Atlantic 1. Washington 1.
| Class 2A | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Record | Pts | Prv | |
| 1. Boyden-Hull (9) | 21-0 | 90 | 1 |
| 2. OA-BCIG | 19-1 | 77 | 2 |
| 3. Des Moines Christian | 18-2 | 57 | 4 |
| 4. AHSTW | 19-2 | 56 | 6 |
| 5. Dike-New Hartford | 18-2 | 54 | 5 |
| 6. Western Christian, Hull | 16-5 | 41 | 3 |
| 7. Treynor | 17-4 | 38 | 9 |
| 8. Aplington-Parkersburg | 18-3 | 29 | T10 |
| 9. West Branch | 17-2 | 16 | T10 |
| 10. Rock Valley | 16-5 | 8 | NR |
Others receiving votes: Pekin 7. Roland-Story, Story City 6. Unity Christian, Orange City 5. Albia 4. Spirit Lake 3. AC/GC 2. Denver 2.
| Class 1A | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Record | Pts | Prv | |
| 1. North Linn, Troy Mills (9) | 21-0 | 90 | 1 |
| 2. Lake Mills | 21-0 | 78 | 2 |
| 3. Martensdale-St. Marys | 21-0 | 72 | 3 |
| 4. Gehlen Catholic, Le Mars | 20-1 | 54 | 5 |
| 5. Easton Valley | 18-0 | 51 | 4 |
| 6. Montezuma | 19-2 | 39 | 7 |
| 7. Grand View Christian | 15-1 | 37 | 6 |
| 8. Springville | 20-2 | 29 | 8 |
| 9. Keota | 18-1 | 14 | 10 |
| 10. St. Mary’s, Remsen | 18-3 | 7 | NR |
Others receiving votes: Tri-Center, Neola 6. New London 4. Wapello 3. West Fork, Sheffield 2. Wapsie Valley, Fairbank 1. East Mills 1.
The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Board met electronically Monday evening. Parks and Rec Director Bryant Rasmussen reminded the Board and Public about the Snow Sculpture contest underway through the end of the month. Residents are invited to create a snow sculpture and submit it via Facebook Messenger. He said they had received seven submissions so far. The public will vote for their favorite sculpture. The winner gets $25 in Chamber Bucks.
The Parks Board voted to approve not to replace the playground equipment at the Nishna Park, which is down the hill from the Atlantic High School, and instead use the park for a Nature Walk/relaxation area. The playground equipment had been removed when tiling was being done last year.
Rasmussen said with approximately $1,000 in donations, the Parks Department was able to acquire multiple packages of Prairie seeds, that will cover about 1,000 square feet of different prairie sections throughout the City of Atlantic. Some locations include the Schildberg Rec Area, Sunnyside Park, and Nishna Park, to help educate the public on the many different varieties of Prairie vegetation that is available, and provide a colorful natural habit for certain wildlife.
Rasmussen is working with Nishna Valley Trails’ (NVT) Dave Chase to implement facets of the Trail Head at the Little League Park near KJAN. He said they’ve ordered a bike repair station. NVT will purchase a plaque to recognize those donors who have allowed the trailhead to be placed there. There will also be maps for Cass County trails, and vegetation around the outside of the trailhead.
Bryant told the Board, once the weather begins to warm-up, they will set-up another Treasure Hunt, where the key to finding the “Treasure,” comes in the form of a riddle that points participants toward one of the parks. A treasure box with several trinkets in it will be placed somewhere in the park as a reward. In other business, Ramussen said Parks and Rec is collaborating with the Cass County Conservation Board for a “Snow Fun Afternoon” this Friday, while school is out. Details are still be worked out. Stay tuned.
Bryant said also, because it has been so cold, they haven’t been able to get snow removed from the trails, plus, there is a wiring issue with their plow. The plan is to borrow a plow from the Wastewater Treatment Plant to get to work on getting the trails cleared. He said the final version of the Walkability Maps are being finished for proofing and printing. The hope is to roll those maps out this Spring. And, thanks to the Dog Park donations, there will be three-to four new tables installed at the SRA Dog Park, and about the same number of benches. Tires have been received for painting, also. Those will be sunken into the ground at the Dog Park, for exercise and dog fun.
(Radio Iowa) There was nothing sweet about the weather on Valentine’s Day as the brutal cold continued its grip on the state. State Climatologist Justin Glisan says many areas saw records. “Over 50 stations broke their daily minimum high temperature on Valentine’s day. So that is the coldest daytime high they had seen for the 14th. Anywhere ranging from zero degrees in Oskaloosa to negative 16 degrees in Rockwell City,” Glisan says.
Halfway through the month, we are averaging double digits below the normal February average temperature of 24 degrees. “We’re currently sitting at six degrees,” according to Glisan, “so 18 degrees below the monthly average. The caveat being there is that we will rebound ass we add more days to the month, and as we do warm-up.” Glisan says a disturbance in the polar vortex is allowing the cold air to flow into Iowa and many other states. Record snowfall in many areas is also contributing to the low temperatures.
“Snowpack acts to reflect the light up, that solar radiation up, that is coming in from the sun — and that does tamp down these daytime high temperatures. When you don’t get those temperatures up during the day, you are only on the downhill slope at night when the sun goes down. So yes it does impact the temperature that we do see,” Glisan says. He says you can see the impact in trees.
He says if you look at large trees you will see a tree ring from where the tree is absorbing solar radiation short wave in and emitting long-range radiation, or heat out. “And you will start to see those rings expand as you get into, hopefully sunny days and warmer days, ” he says. Glisan sees the impact in other ways as well. “Some of the remote sensing tools, the satellites that we are using looking at clouds — we are actually picking up the snowpack at the surface since it is so cold,” he explains. “You can get snowpack down into negative temperatures as well.” Glisan says we saw the same phenomenon back in January of 2019.
“That was over a four to five day period where we had temperatures actually colder than what we are seeing now — but just over two or three days in the negative 20s and the negative 30s. We had wind chill values up in northern Iowa in the negative 50s to the negative 60s. That’s extremely cold air,” Glisan says. The forecast is calling for things to slowly warm up through this week and moving toward the 20s for highs by the weekend.
The top 25 teams in The Associated Press’ women’s college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Feb. 14, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and previous ranking
| Record | Pts | Prv | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. UConn (26) | 16-1 | 746 | 2 |
| 2. South Carolina (2) | 17-2 | 700 | 1 |
| 3. Louisville | 19-1 | 675 | 3 |
| 4. NC State | 13-2 | 642 | 4 |
| 5. Texas A&M (1) | 19-1 | 639 | 6 |
| 6. Stanford (1) | 18-2 | 627 | 5 |
| 7. Baylor | 16-2 | 564 | 7 |
| 8. UCLA | 12-3 | 530 | 8 |
| 9. Maryland | 14-2 | 515 | 9 |
| 10. Arizona | 14-2 | 505 | 10 |
| 11. Michigan | 11-1 | 432 | 12 |
| 12. South Florida | 11-1 | 386 | 14 |
| 13. Oregon | 12-4 | 377 | 11 |
| 14. Indiana | 13-4 | 332 | 15 |
| 15. Ohio St. | 12-3 | 303 | 12 |
| 16. Gonzaga | 18-2 | 272 | 17 |
| 17. Kentucky | 14-5 | 260 | 20 |
| 18. Arkansas | 15-7 | 248 | 18 |
| 19. DePaul | 11-4 | 174 | 22 |
| 19. West Virginia | 16-3 | 174 | 19 |
| 21. Tennessee | 12-5 | 172 | 16 |
| 22. Georgia | 16-4 | 139 | 24 |
| 23. South Dakota St. | 17-2 | 130 | 23 |
| 24. Northwestern | 11-4 | 92 | 21 |
| 25. Missouri St. | 13-2 | 79 | 25 |
Others receiving votes: Rutgers 10, Stephen F Austin 7, Oklahoma St. 6, Florida Gulf Coast 5, Georgia Tech 3, Mississippi St. 2, Virginia Tech 2, Rice 2.
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