good morning. thanks for joining us on this tuesday, january 5th. we've got new details on the fatal plane crash near pender, nebraska. federal authorities are investigating what caused the plane to crash in a cornfield sunday night. the latest is on the way. heading into their fourth day of the occupation of the malheur wildlife refuge in oregon, a group of armed men and women has taken over the buildings. as law enforcement try to end the standoff, the group wants its demands met. showing up is half the battle. a school in council bluffs is taking a new approach to getting kids in class and keeping up their good attendance. that story is on the way.

the fog won't be nearly as thick this morning as it was yesterday, but some patchy freezing drizzle is a possibility during the first half of the day, so watch out for a few slick spots on the roads. southerly winds and some limited afternoon sun will help temperatures reach the lower 30s before another chance of light freezing rain again tonight. a few snowflakes might mix in too, but better chances of snow showers will be during the day tomorrow that shouldn't result in anything huge accumulation-wise, but a coating is certainly a possibility. we'll see yet another small chance of an isolated mix on thursday with some light snow possible on friday before our next big shot of cold air arrives this weekend. see graphics. wx timer @ :40 >> an investigation is underway in the crash of a small plane near pender, nebraska that killed the

the plane had been diverted from landing in sioux city because of bad weather. ktiv's tiffany lane has more.

administration officials were on scene to investigate. nebraska state troopers were also there to safeguard the area. thomsen says he spoke with an faa official monday. "he said that as soon as talked to a mechanic in wayne, they'd come out with a flat bed and asked if i could help lift it up on there," said thomsen. "the national transportation safety board is leading the investigation and f-a-a officials say it will take between a year and 14 months to complete. outside pender, nebraska with chief photographer jordan ogren, tiffany lane, ktiv news 4." >> the ntsb official is planned to arrive on scene today to begin their investigation. authorities have released the names of two young women who jumped from a second-story apartment window during a sloan, iowa fire last week. nineteen-year-old alanna gotto of sloan and 19-year-old alyssa boggs of anthon were both transported to mercy medical center for treatment and released on january 1st. woodbury county sheriff's deputy, todd peterson, was first

the apartment building. officials with the sloan fire department said the fire started because of cooking materials left alone. authorities have identified a rural norfolk man who died after falling through the ice on an atv in northeast nebraska. 57-year-old randall simpson reportedly drove an atv onto a rural pond just south of norfolk when the ice broke. it happened shortly after four saturday afternoon. fire officials deployed their ice rescue team. simpson was pronounced dead at a hospital in omaha. the incident remains under investigation. thousands of people attended a memorial service for the victims of last month's terror attack in san bernardino. the mourners gathered at the citizens business bank arena in ontario on the same day that hundreds of workers returned to work at the inland regional center for the first time since the december 2nd attack that left 14 people dead and 22 others injured. county offices closed early so that employees could attend the afternoon service. the memorial

inspirational music, and remarks by former new york city mayor rudy giuliani, who led the city in the aftermath of september 11th. giuliani received a standing ovation during his remarks on terrorism. for the fourth day, armed protesters are occupying buildings on a federal wildlife refuge in rural oregon, while law enforcement officials say they're trying to end the standoff quickly and peacefully. nbc's leanne gregg has the latest from oregon.

group does not speak on their behalf and today reported to prison. (s/ sheriff david ward / harney county sheriff 1:02 - 1:03) "the hammonds have turned themselves in, and it's time for you to leave our community." law enforcement is keeping its distance while trying to diffuse the occupation. unsettling for local residents, where the county canceled school all week out of concern for safety. (s/ sheriff david ward / harney county sheriff 1:14 - 1:17) "go home to your families and end this 'to stay foas the standoff.>> thousacyesterday in

shi-ite city of najaf condemning the execution of prominent shi-ite cleric nimr al-nimr by saudi arabia. protesters shouted a slogan denouncing the execution and chanted slogans against the saudi ruling family. some urged the central government to close down the recently re-opened saudi embassy in baghdad and to boycott saudi products. saudi arabia had closed its baghdad embassy in 1990 after the late iraqi dictator saddam hussein invaded kuwait. in basra, the demonstrator s also held signs urging the population, the traders and the government to boycott saudi products, echoing similar calls by shi-ite politicians over the past two days. in baghdad, demonstrator s carrying portraits of nimr rallied outside the green zone, a heavily fortified district that houses government departments and diplomatic representations. sudan followed saudi arabia's lead and announced it was severing diplomatic relations with iran yesterday. the move follows the attack on the saudi embassy in tehran by protesters angry at the

shi-ite cleric. sudan is a member of the saudi-led coalition fighting against shiite rebels in yemen. missourians are trying to get things back to normal after a rare winter flood hit most of the state during the holidays. the flood brought record milestone crests along the mississippi river and its tributaries. some areas in the state received up to 11 inches of rain. at least 25 lives have been lost in missouri and illinois, which is another state that was affected by flood waters. many people have lost items within their homes and only have a few personal belongings left behind. the salvation army's red kettle drive was a ringing success this season. at first there was concern that a shortage of bell ringers and the weather might impact this year's drive. the goal this year was $180-thousand. from the start of the campaign to the day before christmas eve they brought in $194- thousand. that's $14,000 more and that doesn't include christmas eve. the money will help 540 families

children in siouxland. plus, a coat drive provides more than 15-hundred coats to keep people warm in the winter. the official total for the season is expected to come out sometime this week. if you got a new drone for christmas this year, you might want to check your insurance policy. coming up, we'll tell you what else you should do before you take flight. ben: and i'll have your

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tomorrow that shouldn't result in anything huge accumulation-wise, but a coating is certainly a possibility. we'll see yet another small chance of an isolated mix on thursday with some light snow possible on friday before our next big shot of cold air arrives this weekend. see graphics. >> did you unwrap a new drone over the holidays? you may want to check your homeowners or renters insurance policy before taking flight. liberty zabala reports.

did you unwrap a new drone over the holidays? you may want to check your homeowners or renters insurance policy before taking flight. liberty zabala reports.

drone got too far away, got out of my sight, and it was windy, so it was just a catastrophe waiting to happen." as drone use soars, so does the opportunities for property damage or serious injury. this drone nearly took out a professional skier- and in january this drone crashed on the white house lawn. in a crash, the department of insurance says you could be liable and recommends checking with your insurance. you must also register your drone with the f-a-a. (voice of: jim bonnardel/ academy of model aeronautics :47-:56) "you fly and you dent your neighbor's car . it breaks through a window or tangles up in someone's television antenna or something like that. a lot of them don't recognize the potential for danger." and that's why the academy of model aeronautics is offering drone owners a $2.5 million liability coverage option for a year. something that thompson says he'll now look into the next time he flies. >> that was liberty zabala

of a new drone, make sure to check your insurance policies before flying your drone. still to come on news 4 today... getting kids to attend school can be difficult. when we come back....one iowa school took a new approach when it comes to tackling attendance.

more homework follows you home as you move up in grades at school. one council bluffs school district took on a new approach

another issue -- attendance. and they invited brian mastre along to see how it works.

roosevelt elementary in council bluffs has around 500 students this year. there are 38 kids who had perfect attendance for the first tri-mester. snow and cold in the forecast for most of siouxland this week. ben's in next with the details. and a tiny remote rural town in utah just got its first cell phone tower. we'll take you there and show you how it's changing

for most of us, it's hard to imagine daily life without our cell phones. for a handful of people in rural utah, it's everyday life. that is until now. the tiny town of grouse creek finally got its first cell tower, allowing residents there to use cell phones for the first time. alex cabrero has the story.

of days ago... he found out... he may get to stay home a little more often. (s/ jay tanner / rancher :28- :30) "it will make a big difference." all because... of this. (s/ jay tanner / rancher :32- :34) "the tower is right up there." yes, a tower. more specifically... a cell phone tower... giving grouse creek and it's 50-some residents coverage for the first time ever. (s/ jay tanner / rancher :41- :47) "even as a cattle rancher, it easier for me to communicate with the people i need to communicate with." (s/ alex cabrero / reporting:48-:57) "now, we're not talking high speed 4g cell phone service. i mean, right now, my vernon iphone has extended 3g service, but... it certainly is a start." (s/ diane tanner / jay's wife :58-1:00) "been lost out in the middle of nowhere." diane tanner is jay's wife... and used to be an emt in these parts. she knows people have died getting stuck or running out of gas in the winter in this extremely rural area... because... you're far from anything... and its possible no other cars would come by for days. (s/ diane tanner / jay's wife 1:14-1:24) "it's nice to be able

you had, or if you had a problem, to be... especially if you had a problem, to get some help before it's a dangerous situation." now, these roads feel safer... though, some people come out here... to get away from it all. (s/ diane tanner / jay's wife 1:29-1:32) "you can still leave your cell phone at home. ha!" ..or, maybe not get one at all. (s/ jay tanner / rancher 1:34- 1:40) "the bankers and all those people, they're going to be hot on my tail all the time. ha!" for grouse creek, the world just got a little smaller. >> it's . more news and weather for you on news-4 today after the break. first though.. here's a look at some of the events on the

good morning and welcome back. we're working on several stories for you in this half hour of news 4 today. this morning, president obama will outline and explain the first in a series of executive actions he's taking to tighten the nation's gun laws, but critics accuse him of overreaching his powers. the story from washington. and the iowa caucuses are less than a month away. candidates from both political parties are getting ready. we'll check in with them to see how they're preparing for the big showdown. and experts say about one in ten americans have some form of liver disease like hepatitis, cirrhosis, or cancer. fibroscan is a new, non- invasive liver tests that can help diagnose certain liver diseases. details in healthbeat 4. but first ben is on the outdoor weather patio.

for a few slick spots on the roads. southerly winds and some limited afternoon sun will help temperatures reach the lower 30s before another chance of light freezing rain again tonight. a few snowflakes might mix in too, but better chances of snow showers will be during the day tomorrow that shouldn't result in anything huge accumulation-wise, but a coating is certainly a possibility. we'll see yet another small chance of an isolated mix on thursday with some light snow possible on friday before our next big shot of cold air arrives this weekend.

later this morning president obama kicks off an effort to tighten the nations gun laws without congress. he's already getting some flak from republicans. tracie potts is in washington this morning with more on the president's plan.

:33-:38) "unfortunately we need things in place now - because people have just gotten out of control" republican candidates accuse president obama of gutting the 2nd amendment: (sot: marco rubio/ (r) presidential candidate :43- :50) "president obama's executive actions limiting gun rights will restrict our law-abiding citizens, not the criminals or the terrorists who target them." (sot: ted cruz/ (r) presidential candidate :52- :56) "we don't beat bad guys by taking away our guns. we beat the bad guys by using our guns." (sot: hillary clinton/ (d) presidential candidate :58- 1:09) "but you know what the president will be doing in the next week is an executive order. the next president on the very first day could wipe it away." the political stakes are high. the president's doing several public events this week to gain public support. part of the president's plan will require congressional approval. he wants to add 200 new atf agents and $500 million for mental health. i'm tracie potts in washington, now back to you. >> the iowa caucuses are less than a month away and woodbury county democrats and republicans are gearing up for caucus night. it means last minute campaign

presidential candidates and making phone calls to voters. ktiv's michelle schoening shows us how both sides are getting ready.

chair. >> iowa officials have launched an online voter registration system, despite criticism it doesn't reach every potential voter. the iowa secretary of state says that the system is intended to compliment the options already available to residents. the new system is available through a website developed in part by the iowa department of transportatio n, and it's accessible to residents with a driver's license or dot-issued id. ted cruz brought his campaign back to iowa. the republican texas senator kicked off a six-day, 28-stop bus tour of iowa yesterday morning in boone.

dordt college in sioux center. that's scheduled for six p-m at the de yager activity center. republican presidential candidate rand paul is also coming back to soiuxland. he'll be at the sioux city public library at one p.m. hillary clinton brings her campaign back to sioux city today. she will have a townhall event at the orpheum theatre. it starts at 2:15 and is open to the public. the city of sioux city swore in three city leaders yesterday. bob scott took the oath as the mayor of sioux city. scott broke a record by becoming the longest serving mayor in city history. he has served the past 11 years and his four-year term began after running unopposed for re- election. councilwoman rhonda capron began her second term with the swearing in ceremony. she defeated her challenger, thomas venesky, in the election. council member, dan moore, also took the oath of office as the new mayor pro tem. woodbury county also gained some new leadership yesterday. the county supervisors' chairman, mark monson, stepped down, and jeremy taylor

taylor officially took the seat of county chairman yesterday, beginning his one-year term. the city of dakota city, nebraska is one step closer to building an estimated $6.6 million dollar waste water treatment plant. yesterday, the planning and zoning board unanimously approved finalizing a plat survey. that includes plans to acquire an 80-foot, permanent utility easement and a parcel of land. the next step is for the city council to approve the plans. yesterday, sioux city leaders decided to delay a final decision on the pool committee's recommendation to close certain pools. if that plan had been approved leeds and cook pools would close after the 2016 season. both facilities would be replaced with a splash pad. riverside would stay the same. lewis pool would close after a new aquatic center is built in singing hills. leif erikson would remain open until the pool is no longer operational. at that time it would be replaced with a splash pad.

director says he understands the council's decision. "i wasn't surprised, the council wanted to take a look at where we're at in the cip process before a decision's been made," said sioux city parks and rec dir. matt salvatore. the capital improvement budget review begins on january 23rd. the council plans to approve the budget on march 7th. one in ten people have some type of liver disease. coming up in healthbeat four we'll show you a new and less painful procedure that can detect the disease earlier. ben: and i'll have your

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possible on friday before our next big shot of cold air arrives this weekend. see graphics. >> many of those patients would have to undergo a core needle biopsy procedure - which is invasive and can be painful. now there's another option. mindy basara has today's healthbeat four.

step is diagnosing the specific liver disease... (sot: dr. hwan yoo, gastroenterologist) "next step, we want to know is how much damage liver sustained from that disease, and that is the point that fibroscan plays a role." (sot: lilly yu, medical technician) "the hardest part about the fiberscan is finding a good spot for the liver. it's a very sensitive machine, so once you find a good area, it will let you know." the procedure is completely painless, only takes about five minutes. (sot: lilly yu, medical technician) "what we do normally, is take an average of at least 10 readings and we try to get a good picture, and it will calculate an average of a score. so what we will end up looking at is this median score." from that doctors can determine whether the degree of fibrosis is level one, two or three. doctor yoo says a needle biopsy is still the gold standard for measuring liver scarring - but fibroscan is the very best non-invasive option available. >> that was mindy basara reporting. coming up next on news 4 today... samsung has just released a new

and it looks like a cellphone. and the price of milk could be going up in some parts of the country because of the recent snow storms in new mexico. we'll explain after the break.

>> the massive storm that slammed parts of new mexico last week has passed, but the economic impact will linger for a while. that's because the storm killed more than 20- thousand cattle causing a dairy disaster caleb james has the details from

farmers as dairy carrie -- a witty wisconsin- based blogger and consultant who travels the country. after goliath... she was furious over new mexican ranchers being criticized over perceived lack of preparation. (s/ carrie mess / "dairy carrie":38-:45) "they did everything they could, you know, to set up windbreaks and to make sure cattle had feed. it just wasn't enough." but, mess says new mexico has years of recovery ahead... many of the cattle dead after the storm were young... the dairy cows of tomorrow. but she says the 20,000 cow death toll doesn't tell the whole story... because many cows that survived the storm, may never be able to produce again. (s/ carrie mess / "dairy carrie"1:06-1:17) "when a cow doesn't get milked, her production is going to be decreased, and it won't pick right back up. getting them to come back to milk is probably not something that's going to happen for them." (s/ nancy beckerink/ dairy farmer1:18- 1:23) probably 25 percent of our herd has frostbite now." nancy beckerink owns dutch road dairy -- 25 miles from clovis over the texas border... these photos show goliath's wrath after pummeling her property for days. (s/ nancy beckerink/ dairy farmer1:33- 1:37)

results of this in our cows for at least a year." and mess says a lasting affect on new mexico's dairy industry will likely affect the economy... (s/ carrie mess / "dairy carrie"1:44-1:47) "milk is actually a pretty local product no matter where you are in the us." what's made here, gets sold here... and it's only a matter of time before we start feeling goliath's chill... in the price of milk. >>

the new year got off to an inauspicious start on wall street. stocks tumbled in a global sell-off triggered by new fears of a slowdown in china and rising tensions in the middle east. the dow slumped 276 points to finish at 17,149. it was down as much as 467 points earlier in the day. the nasdaq composite fell 104 points and the s&p 500 lost 31 points. today, automakers will report

country. december is reportedly expected to be the fourth straight month where the pace of auto sales was greater than 18-million vehicles. trucks and s-u-v's are currently driving the demand due to gas prices being at their lowest in seven years. the final total of last years auto sales is expected to fall around 17-point-five million which would make 2015 the strongest year for auto sales in history. it's a tablet, it's a giant cell phone, no, it's a refrigerator... this four-door smart fridge is the latest from samsung... the family hub fridge includes a nearly two- foot touchscreen... it's equipped with internet-connected cameras that let you view what's inside without opening the doors. the concept fridge doesn't have a price-tag yet. samsung currently sells a model with an eight- inch wi-fi connected lcd panel for about 36-

this may wipe out your new year's resolution real quick! it appears to be a pizza war! pizza hut and papa john's began the new year with new low-priced offers. pizza hut is offering customers the chance to buy a medium pizza with one topping for 5-dollars as

other item also for 5- dollars. papa john's is offering customers who buy a large pizza at regular price the chance to buy a second for only 50 cents. when we come back we'll run down the top headlines in soiuxland. and steve harvey is still dealing with his miss universe flub. plus...and which movies will make the top of the list this year?

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thursday with some light snow possible on friday before our next big shot of cold air arrives this weekend. see graphics. >> > here's a look at the stories making headlines this morning in siouxland. officials with the n-t-s-b are expected to join the investigation into the crash of a small plane near pender, nebraska today. the single-engine cessna went down in a farm field sunday night, killing the pilot. the plane had been diverted from landing at sioux gateway airport at about seven o'clock because of bad weather. it was on its way to the wayne airport when it disappeared from radar. the wreckage was found about one-thirty monday morning. the plane had taken off from columbia, missouri. the name of the pilot has not been released. the city council has delayed a decsion on closing sioux city swimming pools. council members want to wait until after the capital improvements budget

begins on january 23rd. the council plans to approve a city budget on march 7th. the swimming pool committee has recommended closing leeds and cook pools after next summer, then closing lewis pool in morningside after a new aquatic center is opened in singing hills. leif erickson pool would remain open until ongoing maintenance issues force its closure in the future. mayor bob scott is sworn in for another term as mayor. when he took the oath of office at city hall yesterday, scott became the longest- serving mayor in sioux city history. councilwoman rhonda capron was also sworn in to a second term after being re-elected in november. and council member, dan moore, also took the oath of office as the new mayor pro tem. what movies will be this year's hottest tickets... and why mark zuckerberg wants to be like "iron man!" david daniel has that and more in the hollywood minute.

next "star wars" movie! "rogue one: a star wars story," which takes place just before the original "star wars" film, tops a fandango-dot-com survey of this

still to come this morning... residents of one small town in utah just got their first cell phone tower. why many are looking forward to being better connected, others aren't so sure about it. and the end of an era in siouxland sports journalism. we'll go to the retirement celebration for long-time sioux city journal

good morning. thanks for joining us on this tuesday, january 5th. we've got new details on the fatal plane crash near pender, nebraska. federal authorities are investigating what caused the plane to go down in a cornfield sunday night. the latest is on the way. and heading into their fourth day of the occupation of a wildlife refuge in oregon, a group of armed men and women has

the buildings. as law enforcement try to end the standoff, the group wants its demands met. showing up is half the battle. a school in council bluffs is taking a new approach to getting kids in class and keeping up that story is on the way.

an investigation is underway in the crash of a small plane near pender, nebraska that killed the pilot sunday night. the plane had been diverted from landing in sioux city because of bad weather. ktiv's tiffany lane has more.

crews searched the area between pender and concord for the missing plane overnight. the pilot was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. the name of the pilot has not been released at this time. kenny thomsen, the owner of the farm says he didn't find out about the crash until hours after it happened. "you never know where it's at and this morning, vehicles kept going by the house and highway patrolmen went by," said kenny thomsen, the owner of the farm where the plane crashed. "and i seen- and i knew it had to be close and then when the fog lifted, i could see it." monday, the wayne county sheriff's office and federal aviation administration officials were on scene to investigate. nebraska state troopers were also there to safeguard the area. thomsen says he spoke with an faa official monday. "he said that as soon as talked to a mechanic in wayne, they'd come out with a flat bed and asked if i could help lift it up on there," said thomsen. "the national transportation safety board is leading the investigation and f-a-a officials say it will take between a year and 14 months to complete. outside pender, nebraska with chief photographer jordan ogren, tiffany lane, ktiv news 4." >> an official with the ntsb is

scene today to begin their investigation. authorities have released the names of two young women who jumped from a second-story window during an apartment fire in sloan, iowa last week in sloan, iowa. 19-year-old alanna gotto of sloan and 19-year-old alyssa boggs of anthon were hospitalized for three days after the fire. woodbury county sheriff's deputy todd peterson was first on the scene and assisted gotto and boggs when they jumped from the apartment building. the sloan fire department blamed the fire on cooking materials left unattended. authorities have released the name of a rural norfolk man who died after breaking through the ice on a pond saturday afternoon. 57-year-old randall simpson was driving an all terrain vehicle on a frozen pond just south of norfolk when the ice gave way. simpson was pronounced dead at a hospital in omaha. the incident remains under investigation. thousands of people attended a memorial service for the victims of last month's terror attack in san bernardino. the mourners gathered at the

that hundreds of workers returned to work at the inland regional center for the first time since the december 2nd attack that left 14 people dead and 22 others injured. county offices closed early so that employees could attend the afternoon service. the memorial featured a religious speech, inspirational music, and remarks by former new york city mayor rudy giuliani, who led the city in the aftermath of september 11th. giuliani received a standing ovation during his remarks on terrorism. for the fourth day, armed protesters are occupying buildings on a federal wildlife refuge in rural oregon, while law enforcement officials say they're trying to end the standoff quickly and peacefully. nbc's leanne gregg has the latest from oregon.

bundy, who had his own standoff with the federal government last year over grazing rights in nevada. at issue this time, like then, is a decades long fight over the use of public lands in the west. (s/ ammon bundy / group leader :37 - :45) "this effort started by understanding that a ranching family has been put under duress by multiple federal agencies." the occupiers say they're supporting two local ranchers, dwight and steven hammond who own land adjacent to the refuge and were sentenced to federal prison for setting public land on fire. the hammond family has said the group does not speak on their behalf and today reported to prison. (s/ sheriff david ward / harney county sheriff 1:02 - 1:03) "the hammonds have turned themselves in, and it's time for you to leave our community." law enforcement is keeping its distance while trying to diffuse the occupation. unsettling for local residents, where the county canceled school all week out of concern for safety. (s/ sheriff david ward / harney county sheriff 1:14 - 1:17) "go home to your families and end this peacefully." the occupiers say they're prepared to stay for months, even years, as the fbi, local and state authorities work to resolve the standoff. leanne

thousands of protesters marched yesterday in basra and iraq's southern najaf condemning the execution of prominent shi-ite cleric nimr al-nimr by saudi arabia. protesters shouted a slogan denouncing the execution and chanted slogans against the saudi ruling family. some urged the central government to close down the recently re-opened saudi embassy in baghdad and arabia had closed its baghdad embassy in 1990 after the late iraqi dictator saddam hussein invaded kuwait. in basra, the demonstrator s also held signs urging the population, the traders and the government to boycott saudi products, echoing similar calls by shi-ite politicians over the past two days. in baghdad, demonstrator s carrying portraits of nimr rallied outside the green

fortified district that houses government departments and diplomatic representations. sudan followed saudi arabia's lead and announced it was severing diplomatic relations with iran yesterday. the move follows the attack on the saudi embassy in tehran by protesters angry at the execution of a shi-ite cleric. sudan is a member of the saudi-led coalition fighting against shiite rebels in yemen. missourians are trying to get things back to normal after a rare winter flood hit most of the state during the holidays. the flood brought record milestone crests along the mississippi river and its tributaries. some areas in the state received up to 11 inches of rain. at least 25 lives have been lost in missouri and illinois, which is another state that was affected by flood waters. many people have lost items within their homes and only have a few personal belongings left behind. the salvation army's red kettle campaign was a success this season. at first, there was concern that a shortage of bell ringers and the weather might impact this year's drive.

$180-thousand. from the start of the campaign to the day before christmas eve they brought in $194- thousand. that's $14-thousand dollars more and that doesn't include christmas eve. the money will help 540 families and nearly a thousand children in siouxland. plus, a coat drive provided more than 15-hundred coats to keep people warm in the winter. the official total for the season is expected to come out sometime this week. a tiny remote rural town in utah just got its first cell phone tower. we'll you how it's changing their lives. and i'll have your complete

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but for a handful of people in rural utah, that's been everyday life. until now. the tiny town of grouse creek finally got its first cell tower, allowing residents there to use cell phones for the first time. alex cabrero has the story.

reporting:48-:57) "now, we're not talking high speed 4g cell phone service. i mean, right now, my vernon iphone has extended 3g service, but... it certainly is a start." (s/ diane tanner / jay's wife :58-1:00) "been lost out in the middle of nowhere." diane tanner is jay's wife... and used to be an emt in these parts. she knows people have died getting stuck or running out of gas in the winter in this extremely rural area... because... you're far from anything... and its possible no other cars would come by for days. (s/ diane tanner / jay's wife 1:14-1:24) "it's nice to be able to tell people where you are and if you had, or if you had a problem, to be... especially if you had a problem, to get some help before it's a dangerous situation." now, these roads feel safer... though, some people come out here... to get away from it all. (s/ diane tanner / jay's wife 1:29-1:32) "you can still leave your cell phone at home. ha!" ..or, maybe not get one at all. (s/ jay tanner / rancher 1:34- 1:40) "the bankers and all those people, they're going to be hot on my tail all the time. ha!" for grouse creek, the world just

long-time sioux city journal sports editor terry hersom is passing the baton. more on his retirement after the break. and several high school teams took the court last night for the first time this year, including undefeated boys squads from mv-ao and ikm- manning. we'll have the highlights from their game, next in

do you think when you are president you'll be paid as much as if you were a man-male... this is one of the jobs where they have to pay you the same. but there are so many examples where that doesn't happen. i'm going to do everything i can to make sure every woman in every job gets paid the same... ...as the men who are doing that job. i'm hillary clinton

> the holiday break is over and high school basketball teams are back on the floor. ktiv's brad pautsch has more in the sports fource morning wrap.

bring mvao back - with the three from the wing. the wolves led by 4 after a quarter - second quarter - kyle wagner - ikm's leading scorer - gets a breakaway - count the bucket - and the foul. but here come the rams - colby seuntjens - jab step and hits the jumper - mvao within 1. but later - jared vollstedt catches mvao napping - easy bucket for ben wegner - tied at 24 at the half - but ikm-manning pulls away late for the 54-46 road win. in sergeant bluff, the sb-l girls, 3- and-5, hosting 5-and-3 woodbury central. wildcats on the run in the first quarter - jacey stratton stops and pops - banking in the three - woodbury central with a 4-point lead. but sb-l was up 2 after a quarter - and the warriors extend that lead - abby nissen with the corner three - sergeant bluff-luton up 4. woodbury central gets back within a point - sidney steffen - just a freshman - with the steal and the score. but sb-l would hang on - kylee christensen - off the inbound

just outside the paint - gets it to go - and the warriors hold on for the 61- 56 win. the dean of sioux city sports reporters has retired. sioux city journal sports editor terry hersom spent his last day at work on new year's eve. a reception was held in his honor at the journal this afternoon, with dozens of colleagues, coaches, family and friends. hersom spent more than 38 years at the journal -- and 46 years in the newspaper business. through all his work, hersom did a wonderful job of promoting siouxland athletes. watch the return of sports fource extra tonight at ten. i'm brad pautsch with the sports fource morning wrap. >> snow and cold in the forecast for most of siouxland this week. ben's in next to tell us when we could start to see the temperatures drop. and getting kids to attend school can be difficult. when we come back....one iowa school took a new approach when it comes to tackling attendance. we'll show you what they're doing, next.

>>

more homework follows you home as you move up in grades at school. one council bluffs school district took on a new approach when it comes to tackling another issue -- attendance. and they invited brian mastre along to see how it works.

assembly or giving the certificate in school - they took the signs to their homes for all to see. this one belongs to first grader jayden campbell. rachel horton, school counselor: "i'm glad you were home jayden. are you going to try to get another one next semester, too? awesome. was it easy or hard to get it this year?" jayden campbell: "easy." school counselor rachel horton and other staff members at roosevelt elementary drove to 38 homes over the holiday break to personally deliver the good news. super: rachel horton, cb roosevelt elementary rachel horton: "they're there from the first bell to the last. they're not missing any time at school. that's pretty impressive." (knocking on door of girl) rachel: "hi kourtney, surprise! you get your perfect attendance sign. we're so proud of you being in school everyday and on-time. you get to put this in your yard." super: kim anderson, kourtney's mother mom kim anderson: "she's a good student and hard worker. she's an amazing student. i'm very proud of kourtney." super: brian mastre not only has 5th grader kourtney anderson not missed a day of school here at roosevelt elementary, she's punctual - and here before most of the other students. she's on safety patrol. kourtney: "i don't usually get sick that easy." being punctual and there everyday are two things - avoiding getting sick is often out of our control. rachel: "this is a bad year to ask me. i've missed my fair share - all these kids have outdone me for attendance this year." school districts are always looking for new ways to get lessons to stick. counselor: "we want them to understand that it's not just about perfefe attendance at school - but also preparing them for life after

>> roosevelt elementary in council bluffs has around 500 students this year. there are 38 kids who had perfect attendance for the first tri-mester.

time for a break. we're back with our fourth half hour of news 4 today. first though.. here's a look at some of the events on the

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good morning and welcome back. we're working on several stories for you in this half hour of news 4 today. this morning, president obama will outline and explain the first in a series of executive actions he's taking to tighten the nation's gun laws, but critics accuse him of overreaching his powers. the story from washihiton. and the iowa caucuses are less than a month away. candidates from both political parties are getting ready. we'll check in with them to see how they're preparing for the big showdown. and sioux city leaders are sworn in for their new term and the future of the city's pools is up for debate again. that and much more headed your way. but first ben is on the outdoor weathehe patio.

limited afternoon sun will help temperatures reach the lower 30s before another chance of light freezing rain again tonight. a few snowflakes might mix in too, but better chances of snow showers will be during the day tomorrow that shouldn't result in anything huge accumulation-wise, but a coating is certainly a possibility. we'll see yet another small chance of an isolated mix on thursday with some light snow possible on friday before our next big shot of cold air arrives this weekend. see graphics.

later this morning president obama kicks off an effort to tighten the nations gun laws without congress. he's already getting some flak from republicans. tracie potts is in washington this morning with more on the president's plan.

things in place now - because people have just gotten out of control" republican candidates accuse presidentbama of gutting the 2nd amendment: (sot: marco rubio/ (r) presidential candidate :43- :50) "president obama's executive actions limiting gun rights will restrict our law-abiding citizens, not the criminals or the terrorists who target them." (sot: ted cruz/ (r) preredential candidate :52- :56) "we don't beat bad guys by taking away our guns. we beat the bad guys by using our guns." (sot: hillary clinton/ (d) presidential candidate :58- 1:09) "but you know what the president will be doing in the next week is an executive order. the next president on the very first day could wipe it away." the political stakes are high. the president's doing several public events thths week to gain pupuic support. part of f he president's plan will require congressional approval. he wants to add 200 new atf agents and $500 million for mental health. i'm tracie potts in washington, now back to you. >> the iowa caucuses are less than a month away and woodbury county democrats and republicans are gearing up for caucus night. it means last minute campaign stops by presidential candidates and making phone calls to voters.

us how both sides are getting ready.

tossed in the air and who knows what's going to happen by caucus night," said rick mullin, former woodbury county democratic party chair. >> iowa officials have launched an online voter registration system, despite e iticism it doesn't reach every potential voter. the iowa secretary of state says that the system is intended to compliment the options already available to residents. the new system is available through a website developed in part by the iowa department of transportatio n, and it's accessible to residents with a driver's license or dot-issued id. ted cruz brought his campaign back to iowa. the republican texas senator kicked off a six-day, 28-stop bus tour of iowa yesterday morning in boone. today, cruz is set to speak at dordt college in sioux center. that's scheduled for six p-m at

activity center. republican presidential candidate rand paul is also coming back to o ouxland. he'll attend a meet anangreet at the sioux city public library thursday at one p.m. hillary clinton brings her campaign back to sioux city today. she will have a townhall event at the orpheum theatre. it starts at 2:15 and is open to the public. sioux city swore in three city leaders yesterday. bob scott took the oath as the mayor of the city. scott broke a record by becoming the longest serving mayor in city history. he has served the past 11 years and his four-year term began after running unopposed for re- election. councilwoman rhonda capron began her second term with the swearing in ceremony. she defeated her challenger, thomas venesky, in the election. council member, dan moore, also took the oath of office as the new mayor pro tem. woodbury county also gained some new leadership yesterday. the county supervisors' chairman, mark monson, stepped down, and jeremy taylor stepped up. taylor officially took the seat of county

his one-year term. he says he wants to focus on crcrtive solutions for the future. he says he's looking forward to rolling up his sleeves and getting to work. "really it's coming together to do long term planning, increasing communication among departments. we're spread out in the county and to provide excellent services for people as we budget and really keep the family budget at the heart of each decision that we make," said woodbury county supervisors chairman, jeremy taylor. taylor says his other priority is improving economic development that can spur a greater tax base, job opportunities and increase the quality of life in woodbury county. the city council has delayed a decsion on closing sioux city swimming pools. council members want to wait until after the capital improvements bududt review. the swimming pool committee has recommended closing leeds and cook pools after next summer, then closing lewis pool in morningside after a new aquatic center is opened in singing hills. leif erickson pool would remain open until ongoing maintenance issues force its closure in the future.

parks and rec department says he understandndthe council's desirir for a delay. "i wasn't surprised, the council wanted to take a look at where we're at in the cip process before a decision's been made," said sioux city parks and rec dir. matt salvatore. the capital improvements budget rereew begins on january 23rd. the council plans to approve a city budgeon march 7th. for the first time ever, italy is hosting a traditional festival you usually see in china. we'll show you some of their creations in today's what's trending.

cordes: most nurses are tough. they're problem-solvers. they like making things better. people don't have access to healthcare because they just can't afford it. bernie sanders understands how pharmaceutical companies and major medical companies are ripping us off. bernie tells the truth, and he's been consistent. he understands that the system is rigged, and he's the only one who can bring real change.

>

for the first time, italy is hosting a festival of chinese lanterns. the tradition of the shining lanterns was born some three-thousand years agogo as the first full moon after the chinese new year appeared, colorful silk or paper lanterns were hung out of the windows of each house, indicating a festive family gathering. the thirty-one groups of lanterns on display were handcrafted by local artisans. covered with colorful fabrics,

fofitting and mounting lanterns, 30 people worked continuously for 45 days. up next... ozzy osbourne took a trip with his son to cuba over the weekend. we'll have the details. plus... adele is saying "goodbye" to 2015 with a big feather in her cap. that story, coming up. days after the paris attacks, senators came together for a top-secret briefing on the terrorist threat... marco rubio was missing - fundraising in california instead. two weeks later, terrorists struck again in san bernardino... and where was marco? fundraising again in new orleans. over the last 3 years, rubio has missed important national security hearings and missed more total votes than any other senator.

right to rise usa

>> last night on the tonight show, jimmy fallon explained how he and john stamos

on the show tonight, kristen

michael shannon, cage the elephant. you can catch the tonight show with jimmy fallon right here on ktiv at 10:35 after news 4. the body of missing country singer craig strickland was found in oklahoma yesterday morning. the oklahoma highway patrol says they found strickland near an area called bear creek cove. strickland was a member of the band backroad anthem. the 29-year-old singer and his friend chase morland were both reported missing on december 27th after they went duck hunting during a winter storm. morland's body w!s found last week. british hard rocker and reality t-v star ozzy osbourne took a private trip to cuba over the weekend. ozbourne was seen in havana on sunday with his 30- year-old son jack. they took a walk through the plaza de armas square and visited the santa isabel hotel. while in havana, ozzy also rode around in a lime-green antique convertible

and katy perry have also paid recent visits to the island. the numbers are in -- and in case there was any doubt, it's now official... adele's album "25" is the biggest seller of 2015. according to billboard, "25" osed out the year wiwi nearly seven-and-a- half million copies sold. and adele's album was just released on november 20th-- so it sold all those copies in only six weeks! the british singer starts her world tour in february. the north american leg begins in july. boxexemike tyson is gettininin on the bitcoin business. bitcoin is a digital currency -- it operates as an internet-based money system outside the control of

tyson now has a bitcoin- trading app named after him. "mike tyson bitcoin" lets users store and trade bitcoins. it features images that look like t t tattoos on the boxer's face. experts say "mike tyson bitcoin" is basically a copy of the co-pay app that already exists. but the i-o-s app is still the most secure type available on bitcoin. users are totally in control of their money and its open source software allows code flaws to be spotted and fixed. tuesday al- actress january jones is 38 sarah- actor bradley cooper is 41 al- rock singer marilyn manson is 47 sarah- actor ted langeis 68 al- actress-director diane keaton is 70 sarah- talk show host charlie rose is 74 al- actor robert duvall is 85 sarah- former vice president walter f. mondale is 88

>>

morning in siouxland. officials with the n-t-s-b are expected to join the investigation into the crash of a small plane near pender, nebraska today. the single-engine cessna went down in a farm field sunday night, killing the pilot. the plane had been diverted from landing at sioux gateway airport at about seven 'o'olock because of bad weather. it was on its way to the wayne airport whent disappeared from radar. the wreckage was found about one-thirty monday morning. the plane had taken off from columbia, missouri. the name of the pilot has not been released. the city council has delayed a decsion on closing sioux city swimming pools. council members want to wait until after the capital improvements b bdget review, which begins on january 23rd. the council plans to approve a march 7th. the swimming poocommittee has recommended closing leeds and cook pools after next summer, then closing lewis pool in morningside after a new

singing hills. leif erickson pool would remain open until ongoing maintenance issues force its closure in the future. mayor bob scott is sworn in for another term as mayor. when he took the oath of office at city hall monday, scott became the longest- serving mayor in sioux city history. councilwoman rhonda capron was also sworn in to a second term after being re-elected in november. and council member, dan moore, also took the e th of office as the new mayor pro tem.

an u usual guest makes a surprise appearance inside an idaho home. the siegel family was home when this elk showed up inside the basement of their hailey, idaho home early wednesday morning. matthew siegel says the 600 pound animal fell through a window well into their downstairs living room. siegel says once he got over the initial shock,k, he called authorities who helped him chase the elk out of theouse back into the wilderness. the elk did suffer a minor cut to the neck. other than some window and furniture damage the seigel family is fine.