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Investigators look for cause of Waverly house fire

December 30, 2009 By

Investigators are looking for the cause of a house fire in Waverly that left a family homeless. Fire crews were called out about 8:30 Tuesday morning to the home of Jennifer Snitker.

Snitker and her five children were able to escape after one of the kids alerted the rest of the family that a fire had started in the kitchen. According to sources, the Snitker family lost everything in the fire, including Christmas presents and winter coats. The Red Cross is assisting the family and has found them temporary shelter in a local hotel.

By Roger King, KOEL, Oelwein

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters

Council Bluffs man charged with arson

December 30, 2009 By

A man believed to be the arsonist in a November apartment fire in Pottawattamie County is now in jail. Sheriff Jeff Danker says 36-year-old Adam Katzenstein of Council Bluffs is being held in the Pottawattamie County Jail. He’s charged with first-degree arson and is held on a $25,000 bond.

Sheriff Danker says deputies obtained a warrant for Katzenstein: “Deputies were able to locate him. They took evidence from him – clothing – and they were able to find out that he had a flammable substance that was on his clothing and he was arrested.” The fire occurred November 21st at a Bluebird Lane apartment building south of Highway 92.

By Kristan Gray, KMA, Shenandoah

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

Youth found outdoors at alcohol party is in serious condition

December 30, 2009 By

Rescue crews in western Iowa were called to an area near Anita about two o’clock this morning after a young man wearing little more than a t-shirt and pants was found lying in a field. Officials say he’d been there, exposed to the 20-degree weather, for three-to-four hours.

Cass County Sheriff Darby McLaren says it all began late Tuesday night, when authorities were called to investigate an alcohol party involving minors at an abandoned house nearby. Deputies found a large number of minors and others drinking, and several of them ran away. The young man’s name is not being released.

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Filed Under: Crime & Courts Tagged With:

UNI opens MVC with win over Creighton

December 30, 2009 By

The U.N.I. Panthers picked up a big road victory to open Missouri Valley Conference play as they won at Creighton 60-52. It was the Panther’s ninth consecutive win and they knocked off the team that shared the Valley regular season title with last season.

U.N.I. coach Ben Jacobsen say it is just as good a win as it was last year, as Creighton is very good and hadn’t lost at home yet. He says it is hard to get a win on the road in the conference. Jacobsen says it was a great way to open the league race, and a big win for them.

Ali Farokhmanesh led U.N.I. with 15 points as the Panthers improve to 10-1 overall. He says Creighton always plays well at home and they had a big surge in the second half that the Panthers were able to overcome.

The Panthers return to action Friday night at home against Evansville.

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: ,

Iowa leads early, falls to Purdue

December 30, 2009 By

The Iowa Hawkeyes were competitive but in the end number four Purdue had too many weapons in a 67-56 win over the Hawkeyes in the Big Ten opener for both teams. The Hawks started quickly and led by as many as nine points in the opening half but Purdue’s relentless defense took over in the second half. Iowa coach Todd Lickliter was not pleased with the way the game was called.

“We’ve got to be the most physical team in America if we had 18 fouls and they had 17, I didn’t know we were that physical to be honest with you, we must be,” Lickliter says. He says Purdue is very aggressive and he says if the game is called tight then his team can be in business. Lickliter says there was a lot of bumping and he says it was smart on Purdue’s part with the way the game was called.

Lickliter was pleased with the effort. He says if they can maintain this kind of aggressiveness and consistency in play, they can be a good team. He says he’s disappointed to not win, but he says the league is going to be tough. Turnovers were a big key as Iowa finished with 16 and Purdue had just seven. Aaron Fuller led the Hawks with 15 points, Eric May added 11.

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: ,

EPC will consider well rules in January

December 30, 2009 By

Iowa’s Environmental Protection Commission is scheduled to consider rule changes in January aimed at controlling discharges from well construction into streams. The commission was scheduled to vote on the changes during its meeting this month, but tabled the measure when design engineers questioned some of the wording in the proposal.

Dale Watson with Fox Engineering in Ames says the changes would hold them to a higher than normal standard and that could open the door to a slew of lawsuits. “It’s like throwing the doors open to the litigating attorneys to come after engineers, which they are happy to do anyway, but it really raises the normal standard of care…that we are bound by,” Watson says.

Watson also opposes a change that would list engineers on the construction permits issued for wells. Watson says, “Our insurance we have for errors or omissions doesn’t cover any construction-related work, we’re not construction contractors, so that’s the problem with that issue.”

The Department of Natural Resources held a series of six public hearings on the proposed changes last August.

Filed Under: Environment & Conservation, Politics & Government

Christmas trees can become bird feeders, mulch

December 30, 2009 By
Iowa grown Christmas trees before the holiday.

Iowa grown Christmas trees before the holiday.

Many Iowans who bought a real Christmas tree are probably ready to get it out of their house. Iowa State University Extension horticulturist Cindy

Haines says most communities will pick up the tree at the curb for mulching or composting. But, she says you can also turn it into a natural birdfeeder in your yard.

“Simply stand it up outside near a window and hang edible ornaments on it to attract birds,” Haines said. “Pinecones covered with peanut butter and birdseed bring lots of feathered friends to the garden.” Another recycling option would involve giving the tree to a local fishing enthusiast or farmer with a pond.

Haines says sinking the tree into a pond or lake helps improve fish habitat. You could also cut up the tree for your own use as mulch around the yard. “A blanket of evergreen boughs cut from the tree is a great insulation over tender perennials or other newly planted perennials,” Haines said. An evergreen tree should not be used as firewood. Burning the tree can contribute to creosote buildup in a chimney.

Filed Under: Environment & Conservation
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