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KMA News
(Clarinda) -- A fire has been reported in Clarinda. Initial reports were that the fire was located at the Clarinda Sale Barn located at 1208 east Garfield Street. However, Clarinda Fire Chief Roger Williams tells KMA News those reports were wrong, and that the fire was actually located in an adjacent building. "It wasn't the actual sale barn. There's a shed out there, an open lean-to that holds hay. It was the building that caught fire. It's not a threat to any other buildings located around it." Williams says there were no injuries reported. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined. 
(KMAland) -- Organizations across four states are letting the public know that they're "Open for business" On Thursday, A new coalition was unveiled in a news conference at Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge. The organization, named "Mink" is made up of businesses in Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas along the Missouri River Corridor between the Omaha Metro and Kansas City. It's members are in counties two deep on either side of the Missouri River in those states. Fremont County Economic Development Director Twila Larson tells KMA News that they're very pleased with the amount of support they received for the organization. The media was seeking information about recovering businesses around the corridor, so they organized the news conference to allow the public to hear about the recovery process. Larson says they're quite happy with the mix of people who attended. 
(Avoca) -- Time now on KMA News for another segment of "Meet the Candidates," featuring the candidates running in key legislative and county races in the June 5th Iowa Primary. Today, we continue our focus on the race for the Republican nomination in Iowa's new 22nd House District, with a report on incumbent Greg Forristall's challenger, Clint Fichter of Avoca. A 1995 Sidney High School graduate, Fichter graduated from Dana College in Blair, Nebraska in 2000 and earned a Master's degree in Public Administration from Iowa State University four years later. He then worked for the city of Winsor Heights in the Des Moines area before becoming Avoca's first city administrator in 2007. Fichter and wife Monica have six children. Fichter tells KMA News he's running for the Iowa House because of his experience, and because of the opportunities to help the state improve. 
(Shenandoah) -- Family Bike Safety Day takes place Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m. at the empty parking lot across from the Shenandoah Fire Station at 300 Sheridan Avenue. Shenandoah Police Chief Kris Grebert tells KMA News sponsors are teaming up with his department to encourage safe bike riding in the community. Some of the safety tips include riding on the right side of the street and wearing a helmet. Grebert says Eaton Corporation has purchased 750 bicycle helmets to be given away free to children ages 3-to-11. There's also a bike safety class led by certified instructor Kay Grant of Omaha, plus bike inspections and a safety video inside the Bricker Room of Shenandoah's Public Safety Center. Snacks will be served during the video. The chief says officers see numerous bicycle riding violations while patrolling the streets. 
(Council Bluffs) -- A Colorado man faces drug charges following a traffic stop in Pottawattamie County Wednesday. The Pottawattamie County Sheriff's Office says 63-year-old Mark E. Domreis of Aurora was arrested for possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, possession of amphetamines with intent to deliver, a drug tax stamp violation and prohibited acts. Domreis was originally pulled over by Deputy Brian Miller for excessive speed. While conducting the interview, Miller reportedly became suspicious of criminal activity. Domreis then told Miller a large amount of marijuana was located underneath the truck's bed cover. The deputy's patrol service dog detected the presence of narcotics during a free air sniff of the vehicle. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed several duffel bags and coolers containing vacuum sealed bags of marijuana. 
(Essex) -- Want to buy some land in the city of Essex? If so, Mayor Russell Hilker and the city council want to hear from you. During the council's regular monthly meeting Wednesday evening, Hilker and City Attorney Mahlon Sorenson reviewed the sale terms and prices for six vacant lots in the community. Hilker tells KMA News the vacant lots are located at 800 North Avenue, 701 Prairie Avenue, 612 Central Street, 711 and 914 Iowa Avenue and 401 South Avenue. "We've taken old dilapidated houses off of some of them," says Hilker. "We'd like to get rid of them." Hilker tells KMA News some of the parcels are very small, and are located in between two neighbors. "The only people interested in a lot like that would be one of the two neighbors," he says. Then, there are other pieces of land that are larger and clean enough to demand higher prices. At least one parcel will sell for $1,000. 
(Red Oak) -- Red Oak officials hope it's the first of many big wins for the community. Shopko officials announced Wednesday that the existing Pamida store on South Broadway will be converted to a Shopko this fall. Shopko announced two months ago that Red Oak's Pamida would be one of six closing due to lagging store sales. Red Oak Mayor Bill Billings is among those celebrating the news that a major retailer is staying in the community. "I was absolutely elated that our efforts were successful," says Billings. "I couldn't have been more thrilled or more excited with that news." Following Shopko's announcement in March, Billings says the city launched proactive efforts to convince the company to change its mind. 
(Red Oak) -- Efforts to save a major retailer in Red Oak have apparently paid off. According to the Red Oak Express, Shopko officials announced Wednesday that the existing Pamida store on South Broadway will be converted to a Shopko this fall. Shopko announced two months ago that Red Oak's Pamida would be one of six closing due to lagging store sales. The announcement spurred an intense lobbying effort by Mayor Bill Billings, City Administrator Brad Wright, the Red Oak Chamber and Industry Association and other city officials to convince Shopko to reconsider. Shopko President, Chairman and CEO Paul Jones says his company has heard from countless members of the Red Oak and surrounding community asking them to reconsider their decision. 
(Lubbock) -- An Iowa Western Community College bus has been involved in a fatality accident in West Lubbock, Texas. Lubbock televison station KCBD reports the bus transporting athletes to the NJCAA National Outdoor Track and Field Champions in Levelland, Texas was rear-ended by a car while stopped at a railroad crossing Wednesday morning. The driver of the car, 21-year-old Emily Leatherwood of Brownfield, Texas, was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Police are looking into whether Leatherwood was distracted before she struck the bus. The driver was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident. Two of the bus' 11 occupants sustained minor injuries or claimed injuries, but did not seek medical attention. Texas state law requires buses to stop at railroad crossings. Failure to do so results in a fine of up to $500. Photo courtesy of KCBD TV. 
(Grant) -- The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office says 34-year-old Jeremiah John Wieseler was arrested late Wednesday evening for child endangerment and serious assault. Wieseler is charged following an incident in the 400 block of Jefferson Avenue in Grant. Wieseler is held in the Montgomery County Jail on $2,000 bond. The Montgomery County K-9 Unit, the Cass County Sheriff's Office and Red Oak Police assisted the sheriff's office at the scene. 
(Ames) -- An Iowa State University Economist has released research showing that mixing ethanol in with gas has had a significant impact on gas prices. ISU economist Dermot Hayes studied ethanol’s impact on gasoline prices over a 11-years beginning in 2000. During that time, Hays says adding ethanol to gas inventories led to a 29-cent-a-gallon drop in gasoline pump prices. “What ethanol has done is essentially allowed the refiners to extract 10 percent more gasoline from a barrel of crude oil, and so if they had discovered some magical tool to do that, then of course you’d expect the price of gasoline to fall,” Hayes says. The gas price research includes the entire continental United States, and shows ethanol’s effect during the past two years is even more dramatic. Hayes says it lowered pump prices an average of $1.09 a gallon during 2011. 
(Sharpsburg)---Terry Booth of Sharpsburg has had the opportunity to do quite a few things in his life but what he's up to now is exactly where he wants to be-farming in the beautiful rolling hills of Taylor County. Terry and his wife, Holly, have two children, Kasey and Kindra. Kindra is a science teacher in Missouri while Kasey soon will be packing his bags and heading to Iowa State University where he'll be studying Material Engineering. Moving to Taylor County when he was seven, Terry attended Lenox School and got the opportunity to farm in the early 1980's. The early 1980's were not kind to many farmers so when Lonnie Barker of Barker Implement offered Terry a job as a mechanic at the Lenox John Deere location Terry took him up on it. 
(Plattsmouth) -- Two Plattsmouth residents were injured in a two-vehicle accident Monday. According to the Cass County, Nebraska Sheriff's Office, on Monday night at around 9:30, they were called to the scene of the accident at the intersection of Highway 75 and Highway 66 west of Plattsmouth. A vehicle driven by 17-year-old Kyle A Monte De Ramos was southbound on Highway 75 when he failed to yield to a red light. His car struck a vehicle traveling eastbound on Highway 66, driven by 66-year-old Evelyn I Smith. Both Monte De Ramos and Smith were transported to the hospital by Plattsmouth EMS. Monte De Ramos was cited for failure to yield. 
(Denver) -- A report from a non-profit environmental group says extreme storms are hitting the Midwest more frequently and the flood damage they’re causing is getting worse. Stephen Saunders, president of the Denver-based Rocky Mountain Climate Organization, says their research covered records from more than 200 weather stations in Iowa and seven other Midwestern states from the years 1960 through 2011. The lead author of the report, Saunders says, “We found the total precipitation from all the storms in the Midwest went up at a rate of 23% over that 51-year period.” Scientists point to global climate change, he says, as the culprit behind the rising severity of storms over the five decades. During that time, there was no change in the pattern of minor storms, while they found the nastier storms appeared much more often. 
(Red Oak) -- Two Red Oak men are facing drug charges. According to Red Oak Police, on Tuesday night at around 11:30, they arrested 18-year-old Mason Phillip Roach and 25-year-old James Harlan Rosencrans on charges of possession of marijuana. Roach faces an additional charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. Both men were transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $1,000 bond each. 
(Hamburg) -- A special event for KMAland ladies is upcoming on Friday. George C Grape Community Hospital, the Outpatient Specialty doctors and local businesses are hosting a free night of food and fun at the Marnie Simons Elementary School in Hamburg, IA. The doors open at 5:00 p.m. for shopping, heart healthy appetizers and health seminars. Spokesperson Lynda Cruickshank tells KMA News that a special presenter will be a part of the event: She says Chandra M Barlow, a Tech Sergeant USAF, as well as a 1996 graduate of Clarinda High School and the daughter of Prem and Sherry Barlow of Clarinda will provide an inspirational talk and musical performance. Barlow served four years in the US Air Force and now serves with the Arizona Air National Guard in Tucson, Arizona. 
(Plattsmouth) -- Two Plattsmouth residents were injured in a two-vehicle accident Monday. According to the Cass County, Nebraska Sheriff's Office, on Monday night at around 9:30, they were called to the scene of the accident at the intersection of Highway 75 and Highway 66 west of Plattsmouth. A vehicle driven by 17-year-old Kyle A Monte De Ramos was southbound on Highway 75 when he failed to yield to a red light. His car struck a vehicle traveling eastbound on Highway 66, driven by 66-year-old Evelyn I Smith. Both Monte De Ramos and Smith were transported to the hospital by Plattsmouth EMS. Monte De Ramos was cited for failure to yield. 
(Council Bluffs) -- Two men face drug charges in Pottawattamie County. According to Sheriff Jeff Danker, on Saturday at around 11:30 am, a deputy stopped a vehicle for excessive speed on Interstate 80. After speaking to the two men, and discovering inconsistencies in their story, the deputy requested a search of the vehicle, and was denied. Danker says authorities deployed a drug dog for an open air sniff, after the dog indicated drugs in the vehicle, they performed a search, finding 18 pounds of marijuana hidden in the trunk. The driver of the vehicle, 40-year-old Greg Lisheski of Ventura, California and his passenger, 38-year-old Michael Christy of Hayden Lake, Idaho were arrested and charged with suspicion of possession of marijuana with intent to deliver-marijuana, prohibited acts, and a drug tax stamp violation. Lisheski was also cited for excessive speed. 
(Shenandoah) -- Shenandoah residents have established a lasting tribute to those who served in the Vietnam War. Dedication ceremonies for the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial take place next Wednesday morning at 10 at the Shenandoah American Legion Country Club. Ralph Hopkins chairs a three-member committee which spearheaded the memorial. Hopkins, himself a Vietnam veteran, tells KMA News the memorial lists Shenandoah residents who served from the first arrival of U-S advisors into the country in 1961 to the fall of Saigon in 1975. He says the number of names grew from 16 to 142. Hopkins says the committee, which includes Sue Regnerus and Duane Moore, has worked for the past year to gather names for the memorial. "Twenty-four hours a day, we'd take a phone call from anyone at any time," says Hopkins. American Legion Post 88 Commander John Longstreet also served as a Huey helicopter pilot in Vietnam. 
(KMAland) -- Hundreds of bicyclists in at least a half-dozen Iowa cities will gather and ride their two-wheelers in a slow line tonight as part of the Ride of Silence. Scott Sumpter, organizer of the Des Moines ride and founder of BikeIowa.com, says it’s a solemn tribute. “The ride exists so we can ride in honor and pay respect to those who have been injured or killed while cycling on public roadways,” Sumpter says. Since May of last year, five bicyclists have died on Iowa’s roads and 16 were injured. Those 21 names will be added to a list of more than 160 people who’ve been killed or injured while biking in Iowa in recent years. He says it’s an unfortunate fact that cyclists aren’t always respected by careless motorists. “Every year, we see bicycling grow but we also see a few people get hit and killed,” Sumpter says. 
(Clarinda) -- Voters in Page County's townships will decide this fall whether trustees and clerks should be appointed rather than voted on. By unanimous vote, the county's board of supervisors Tuesday approved the placing of a referendum on the November general election ballot changing the way those positions are filled. County Auditor Melissa Wellhausen tells KMA News the supervisors researched the proposed change because of the lack of candidates in the elections. "The last several years, it's been harder to find people to do the job," says Wellhausen. "Second of all, it makes people apprehensive to have to put their name on the ballot. And they do have to get their papers in. Sometimes they forget. We're hoping this will simplify the process." Wellhausen says switching to the appointment method would also save the county money. 
(Sidney) -- A native of Sweden paid a visit to KMAland on his jog from coast-to-coast. Bjorn Suneson, who hails from Gothenburg, Sweden, is currently jogging from the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Oregon, to the Atlantic Ocean. This is one of many times he's made the trip. While others have also jogged from coast-to-coast, Suneson is the only jogger to accomplish the trip with no sponsors and as an independent runner. Bjorn says that logistics are his biggest problem. Finding places to stay and eat was a concern on past trips, but has been less anxious, now that he is more familiar with the route. Suneson paid a visit to Sidney earlier in the week, and has also been through Shenandoah, Clarinda and New Market on his run. He started the journey 55 days ago. So far, he's faced no issues with the weather. Suneson says he jogs about 34 miles a day, staying in motels along the way. 
(Undated) -- An Otoe County farmer was the top vote getter in the primary race for a Southeast Nebraska legislative seat. Unofficial results show Dan Watermeier of Syracuse placed first among five candidates for the District 1 seat being vacated by State Senator Lavon Heidermann, who was unable to run for reelection because of term limits. Watermeier, who received more than 48 percent of the vote, will face Jerry Joy of Stella in the November general election. Joy finished second with more than 40 percent of the vote. Alvin Guenther placed third in the voting with more than 4 percent of the vote. Douglas Bohling was fourth with just under 3 percent of the vote while Bruce Bernadt finished last with a little more than 2 percent. 
(Shenandoah) -- Shenandoah school officials are looking at ways to encourage high school students to beef up their class schedules. Local residents Colleen Dostal and Heather Ritchey discussed the need for a weighted grade scale at this week's Shenandoah School Board meeting. Shenandoah High Principal Sandy Hilding tells KMA News the system would be different from the existing grade scale, in which students receive 4 points for A, 3 for a B, 2 for a C, and so on. She says weighted grades are given to courses deemed more rigorous, or with different levels of requirements than other classes. In some school districts, students receive 5 points for an A, or a 4.2 for a B, for example. 
(Lincoln) -- State Senator Deb Fischer pulled off a stunning upset in the Republican primary for United States Senate, earning the right to square off against former United States Sen. Bob Kerrey, a Democrat, in the November general election. Fischer, long considered the third candidate in the crowded six-candidate Republican field, vaulted past Attorney General Jon Bruning and state Treasurer Don Stenberg to secure the nomination. Fischer finished with 79,028 votes, 41percent of the total cast in the race, according to the unofficial results released by the Secretary of State’s office. Fischer trailed Bruning early in the evening, taking a slim lead as about half the precincts in the state reported. It would be a lead she would never relinquish. Bruning finished with 69,006 or a fraction under 36 percent of the vote. Stenberg finished with 36,043 votes, 18.75 percent of the total. |
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