Keokuk Radio » News

Skeletal Remains Identified

News Director — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:41:58 +0000

Skeletal remains found by two children riding their bikes from Lockridge to Rome, Iowa on March 17th have been identified as those of 24-year-old Jackie Douthart, a young mother who vanished last year. The discovery was announced at a press conference Wednesday morning at the Department of Criminal Investigation and Iowa State Police Building in Mt. Pleasant.

Investigators have not determined the cause of death; however foul play is suspected. A person of interest in the case, Benjamin Biggs, 24, of Mt. Pleasant, died of a gunshot wound after fleeing a crashed SUV during a high-speed chase on June 29, 2011 in Quincy, Illinois.

Bodies of Boating Accident Victims Identified

News Director — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:35:23 +0000

Authorities are stressing boating safety as the Memorial Day weekend approaches and water recreation increases. Remember that it is illegal in Iowa to operate a boat with a blood-alcohol level above 0.08. Authorities said the boating accident near O’Connell Slough north of Burlington early Saturday morning is one of the worst boating crashes in the state in recent history. The bodies of Jacob Keith Boyd, 22, Caitlyn Marie Atchley, 20, Blake Allen Eakins, 21, and Matthew Todd House, 21, all of Burlington, were recovered Sunday within approximately 100 yards of the crash site.

According to Des Moines County Sheriff Mike Johnstone, Joseph Schier, 20, had dropped off passengers on a dock down river and was returning to an island sandbar for more when he hit a boat operated by Doug Metcalf, 21, which was carrying 11 people.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources conservation officer Paul Kay said both boats had life jackets, but it appears they weren’t used. Iowa law requires a boat to carry life jackets for each passenger, but it only requires them to be worn by passengers age 12 and under.

The sheriff said alcohol was served at the party, but it’s too early to tell whether it was a factor in the collision. Authorities took blood samples from Schier and Metcalf, which were sent to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation crime lab for analysis.

COAL PLANT FIRE

News Director — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:31:16 +0000

A FIRE AT HENDRICKS RIVER LOGISTICS, 3254 MISSISSIPPI RIVER ROAD, A COAL PLANT, CAUSED MORE THAN $1 MILLION WORTH OF DAMAGE EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. 1,000 FEET OF CONVEYOR BELT CAUGHT FIRE, HEAVILY DAMAGING THE PLANT’S CONVEYOR SYSTEM AND A 60-FOOT-TALL TOWER. MORE THAN TWO DOZEN FIREFIGHTERS FROM KEOKUK AND MONTROSE AND FROM DES MOINES AND JACKSON TOWNSHIPS RESPONDED AND WERE ON THE SCENE FOR MORE THAN FOUR HOURS. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION, AND THE COMPANY’S OPERATIONS WILL BE SHUT DOWN UNTIL THE CONVEYER IS REPAIRED.

Fatal Crash in Clark County, Missouri

News Director — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:25:13 +0000

MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL REPORTED A FATALITY ACCIDENT AT 7:20 P.M. WEDNESDAY EVENING, THREE MILES NORTH OF WAYLAND AT THE INTERSECTION OF ROUTE C AND ROUTE B. ACCORDING TO TROOPER BRYAN HILLYER, A 2000 CHEVROLET PICKUP DRIVEN BY DAN KING, 42, 0F ALEXANDRIA, MISSOURI WAS NORTHBOUND ON ROUTE B AND A 2006 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX DRIVEN BY BLAINE DEHART, 87, OF KEOSAQUA, IOWA WAS WESTBOUND ON ROUTE C, WHEN THE DEHART VEHICLE FAILED TO YIELD TO THE KING VEHICLE. THE KING VEHICLE THEN STRUCK THE OTHER VEHICLE IN THE DRIVER’S SIDE. BOTH VEHICLES TRAVELED OFF ROUTE B INTO THE DITCH, WITH DEHART’S VEHICLE COMING TO REST OF ITS TOP AND THE KING VEHICLE COMING TO REST ON THE DRIVER’S SIDE ON TOP OF DEHART’S VEHICLE. BOTH VEHICLES WERE TOTALED.

DAN KING WAS AIR EVAC-ED TO BLESSING HOSPITAL WITH MODERATE INJURIES. BLAINE DEHART AND A PASSENGER, GERTRUDE DUBOIS, 49, ALSO OF KEOSAQUA, WERE PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE BY CLARK COUNTY CORONER EDWIN WILSON. ASSISTING AT THE SCENE WERE THE CLARK COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT, CLARK COUNTY AMBULANCE, CLARK COUNTY RESCUE AND WAYLAND FIRE DEPARTMENT.

Wever man killed in collision

News Director — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:28:29 +0000

Patrick C. Gray Jr., 22, was killed in a two-car crash Tuesday morning. Gray was southbound in the northbound lanes of U.S. Highway 61 when his vehicle and the northbound vehicle driven by Michael G. Delaney, 46, of West Point collided head-on in the right-hand northbound lane. After impact, Gray’s vehicle rotated 180 degrees and came to rest on the west shoulder. The Delaney vehicle came to rest facing east on the east shoulder. Gray was removed from his car and taken to King-Lynk Funeral Home. His car was totaled. Delaney was removed from his mini-van and taken by the MedForce helicopter to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. The collision remains under investigation.

Keokuk City Council passes motion to give $100,000 to KAH

News Director — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:27:28 +0000

Keokuk City Council voted Thursday night on the motion to give $100,000 to the hospital. The county has already agreed to provide the money if the city gives its approval. There were two votes against the motion; Zane Zirkel and John Helenthal.

Keokuk Area Hospital officials are asking for $100,000 from the city, and $100,000 from Lee County to make the hospital eligible for even more money from the federal government. CEO Wally Winkler says the Hospital is in this serious financial situation because a majority of patients are on Medicare or Medicaid.

Hospital officials are doing everything possible to avoid having to close. Employees haven’t had a raise in three years and last year the psychiatric unit was shut down.

Winkler says the money is an investment in the community. If the hospital were to close it would be very difficult to attract new business or development to the area.

American Bandstand host Dick Clark dies at age 82

News Director — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:24:24 +0000

DICK CLARK DIED OF A HEART ATTACK WEDNESDAY MORNING AT AGE 82. CLARK CO-FOUNDED UNITED STATIONS RADIO NETWORKS IN 1994 WITH NICK VERBITSKY. CLARK BEGAN HIS CAREER IN RADIO AT HIS COLLEGE STATION AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY AND HIS PRO CAREER AT WFIL-AM/PHILADELPHIA. HE SUFFERED A STROKE IN 2004 AND HAD SELDOM APPEARED IN PUBLIC SINCE, THOUGH HE DID MAKE APPEARANCES ON THE ANNUAL EDITIONS OF DICK CLARK’S NEW YEAR’S ROCKIN’ EVE. RYAN SEACREST BEGAN CO-HOSTING THE SHOW IN 2006, AND IT’S NOW KNOWN AS DICK CLARK’S NEW YEAR’S ROCKIN’ EVE WITH RYAN SEACREST. CLARK ALSO OF COURSE CO-FOUNDED UNITED STATIONS RADIO NETWORKS IN 1994 WITH VERBITSKY.

DICK CLARK WAS BEST KNOWN AS THE HOST OF AMERICAN BANDSTAND, WHICH BEGAN AS A LOCAL PROGRAM ON WFIL-TV/PHILADELPHIA AND WENT NATIONAL IN 1957. THE SHOW MOVED TO LOS ANGELES IN 1963.

CLARK ALSO HOSTED THE PYRAMID GAME SHOWS IN SEVERAL INCARNATIONS, AND HIS DICK CLARK PRODUCTIONS THE AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS, THE GOLDEN GLOBES, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, AND OF COURSE DICK CLARK’S NEW YEAR’S ROCKIN’ EVE. THE NEW YEAR’S ROCKIN’ EVE PROGRAMS BEGAN THEIR REMARKABLE RUN WITH CLARK AS HOST IN 1972.

Historic bridge west of Palmyra to close for replacement

News Director — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:23:23 +0000

Mo. 168 in western Marion County will close Monday for roughly six months as crews work to replace the historic bridge carrying the highway over the North River. The 80-year-old North River Bridge west of Palmyra will be replaced by a new, wider bridge in the same location, which is expected to open by November. The new $1.53 million bridge will not have overhead trusses, allowing large farm equipment and vehicles with height limitations to use the bridge. This bridge was built in 1932.
During the closing, Mo. 168 will be closed to through traffic from Route C, just west of Palmyra, to Route Z, just east of Philadelphia. Through traffic will detour onto Routes C and Z, although some areas closer to the bridge will be open to local traffic only.
Bleigh Construction of Hannibal will build the bridge at a project cost of $1,527,081.

KARDIAC KAPERS NEXT WEEKEND AT THE GRAND THEATRE

News Director — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:51:02 +0000

IT’S THE BALLROOM BLITZ!!! KEOKUK AREA HOSPITAL AUXILIARY PRESENTS KARDIAC KAPERS 2012. APRIL 26TH, 27TH, AND 28TH AT 7:30 P.M. AT THE GRAND THEATRE. TICKETS ARE $12 IN ADVANCE OR $15 AT THE DOOR AND MAY BE PURCHASED A T KAH GIFT SHOP, KAME, KEASLING’S, WILLOW TREE, MONTEBELLO GARDENS, SOMETHING SPECIAL, COURTYARD BOOKS OR FROM ANY CAST MEMBER. RESERVED TICKET EXCHANGE APRIL 22 1 TO 4 P.M. AT LUCKY’S; APRIL 23 11-1 AND 5-7 AND APRIL 24 AND 25 5 TO 7 P.M. AT THE GRAND THEATRE.

Professional/Working Women’s Appreciation Day Reception

News Director — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 14:40:24 +0000

MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW

FOR THE

Professional/Working Women’s Appreciation Day Reception will be held at the Hawkeye Restaurant on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Lots of Fun, Food, & Prizes!!!

Sponsored by Newberry Towing, Vance Chiropractic, Hawkeye Restaurant, Willow Tree, and Cahill-Pribyl Jewelry of Keokuk, Iowa; Welch’s Insurance of Donnellson, Iowa; and Merritt RV of Carthage, Illinois.

Scheduling interruption tomorrow morning

News Director — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 15:50:19 +0000

Ameren customer service has informed us that due to some maintenance work, our scheduling on KOKX AM will be interrupted probably between 7 and 7:30 in the morning. Please note they will get us back on the air as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience.

Governor Branstad Proclaims April as Financial Literacy Awareness Month Iowans encouraged to observe month by taking steps to improve financial understanding

News Director — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 15:34:00 +0000

Des Moines, IA, March 29, 2012– Governor Terry Branstad signed a proclamation late yesterday
afternoon establishing April as Financial Literacy Awareness Month in Iowa to bring attention to the
importance of financial education and economic empowerment. The proclamation was introduced by
the Iowa College Student Aid Commission (Iowa College Aid) as part of its statewide effort to bring
financial literacy to every school in Iowa.

Representatives from the Iowa College Student Aid Commission, the Iowa Insurance Division, Iowa
Division of Banking, Iowa Bankers Association, Iowa JumpStart Coalition, as well as students from
Des Moines Public Schools and other financial literacy advocates were on hand for the signing.

Financial Literacy Awareness Month provides an opportunity to highlight current financial literacy
efforts in the state and the need to prepare Iowans to establish and maintain health financial habits.
During the month of April, Iowa College Aid will host activities and share information to highlight this
initiative. For more information about how the Iowa Financial Literacy Program and Buttonwood™ are
helping Iowa students learn core concepts of personal finance, please contact Iowa College Aid at
877-272-4456 or visit Iowa College Aid’s website at www.IowaCollegeAid.gov