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Iowa State Hires Steve Prohm As Head Men’s Basketball Coach

Sports

June 8th, 2015 by Jim Field

AMES, Iowa – Steve Prohm (like Rome) – the 2012 Basketball Times National Coach of the Year who compiled a 104-29 record in four seasons as the head coach at Murray State – has been named the 20th head coach in Iowa State men’s basketball history, announced today by Iowa State Athletics Director Jamie Pollard.

Prohm will be formally introduced at a press conference tomorrow morning (June 9) at the Sukup Basketball Complex at 10 a.m.

Prohm’s four-year stint as the leader of the Racer program earned him the distinction as one of the nation’s best young coaches. The 40-year-old produced the top winning percentage in school history (.782) while winning two Ohio Valley Conference outright regular-season titles and three conference division championships.

His Racer teams qualified for postseason play three times, advancing to the third round of the NCAA Tournament in 2012, winning the College Insider Tournament (CIT) in 2014 and making the quarterfinals of the NIT in 2015.

The energetic Prohm, who has tutored three of the last four OVC Players of the Year, has been successful playing an exciting brand of basketball. His 2014-15 squad ranked eighth nationally in scoring offense (79.0 ppg) and 13th nationally in adjusted offense (114.8).

“We feel Steve and his family are a perfect fit for Iowa State University,” Pollard said. “Steve’s personal values, style of play and proven success as a head coach make him an outstanding choice to be our next coach. He is a proven winner who is widely respected by his current and former players. We feel Steve is the ideal coach to continue the incredible success that Coach Hoiberg and his players have achieved during the past several years. We are excited to welcome Steve, Katie and Cass to the Cyclone family.”

Prohm, who has 17 years of college coaching experience at four schools (Centenary, Southeastern Louisiana, Tulane, Murray State), is coming off one of the greatest seasons in MSU history in 2014-15 where he led the team to a 29-6 overall mark, a perfect 16-0 record in conference play and a spot in the NIT.

The Racers won 25-straight games during the season, which was the second-longest winning streak in the nation at the time. Prohm won his second OVC Coach of the Year honor and point guard Cameron Payne was named OVC Player of the Year, OVC Male Athlete of the Year and earned third-team All-America honors by CBSSports.com.

In 2013-14, the Racers won the OVC West Division title with a 23-11 record and a 13-3 league mark. His team rallied in the postseason, winning five-straight games to claim the 2014 CIT title, defeating Yale, 65-57 in the championship game.

Prohm’s first season as a head coach in 2011-12 ranks as the best year in Racer hoops history. Led by All-American and NBA player Isaiah Canaan, a player Prohm helped recruit, the Racers set the OVC and school record for winning percentage and total wins with a 31-2 record.

The Racers cracked the top-10 in the Associated Press poll for the first time in school history and were the nation’s final unbeaten team, winning their first 23 games. As the No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament, MSU defeated Colorado State in the first round.

Prohm’s auspicious debut as a head coach earned him national coach of the year honors by the Basketball Times, the first of his two OVC Coach of the Year awards (2012, 2015) and district coach of the year kudos from both the NABC and USBWA.

Prohm just finished his ninth overall season at MSU, spending five seasons as an assistant for current Texas A&M head coach Billy Kennedy from 2006-11. The Racers made the NCAA Tournament in 2010 and the NIT in 2011 in his final two seasons as an assistant before being promoted to head coach for the 2011-12 season.

Prohm considers Kennedy one of his mentors in the coaching profession. He also worked on Kennedy’s staff at both Centenary and Southeastern Louisiana. In his final two years as an assistant at SLU, the Lions won back-to-back Southland Conference titles and earned an NCAA berth in 2005.

A 1997 graduate of Alabama, Prohm got his start in coaching under David Hobbs. Prohm worked as a student assistant coach and student manager for the Crimson Tide for five years, which included two NCAA Tournament appearances and one trip to the NIT Final Four.

The Vienna, Va., native attended high school at Northwest Whitfield High in Tunnel Hill, Ga.

Prohm and his wife, the former Katie Ross, have a son, Cass.

Prohm agreed to a five-year contract with a base salary of $1.5 million.
Prohm’s Coaching Experience

1998-99 – Centenary – Assistant Coach

1999-05 – SE Louisiana – Assistant Coach

2005-06 – Tulane – Assistant Coach

2006-11 – Murray State – Assistant Coach

2011-15 – Murray State – Head Coach

Prohm’s Head Coaching Record

2011-12 – 31-2 overall, 15-1 conference (NCAA 3rd Round/OVC regular-season & tournament champs)

2012-13 – 21-10 overall, 10-6 conference (OVC West Division champs)

2013-14 – 23-11 overall, 13-3 conference (CIT Champions/OVC West Division champs)

2014-15 – 29-6 overall, 16-0 conference (NIT quarterfinals/OVC West Division champs)

Overall: 104-29 (.782) Conference: 54-10 (.844)

Posted in Sports |

ROLLAND WATKINS, 55, of Omaha (& formerly of Anita) – Visitation 6/12/15

Obituaries

June 8th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

ROLLAND WATKINS, 55, of Omaha (& formerly of Anita), died June 2nd, at the Nebraska Skilled Nursing Home, in Omaha. A Celebration of Life visitation with the family of ROLLAND WATKINS will be held on Friday, June 12th, from 3-until 5-p.m., at the Hockenberry Family Care Funeral Home in Atlantic.

ROLLAND WATKINS is survived by:
His son – Zach Watkins and his fiancé Lyssa Lank, of Atlantic.
His sister – Cathy Hankemeier, of Omaha.
His brother – Rod Watkins, of Omaha.
2 grandsons, other relatives, and friends.

Posted in Obituaries |

CINDY L. RICHTER, 59, of Adair (Svcs. 6/10/15)

Obituaries

June 8th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

CINDY L. RICHTER, 59, of Adair, died Sun., June 7th, at the Guthrie County Hospital. Services for CINDY RICHTER will be held 2-p.m. Wed., June 10th, at the Casey United Methodist Church. Hockenberry Family Care Funeral Home in Adair has the arrangements.

Visitation with her family will be held from 5:30-until 8-p.m. Tuesday, at the funeral home.

CINDY RICHTER is survived by:

Her husband – Mark Richter, of Adair.

Posted in Obituaries |

Elk Horn (IA) man arrested Sun. following an investigation

News

June 8th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Audubon County Sheriff Todd Johnson reports an investigation into two separate incidents that took place in the 2100 and 2200 blocks of 300th Street on May 26th, has resulted in the arrest of 35-year old Christopher Matthew Andersen, of Elk Horn. Andersen was taken into custody with the help of deputies from Shelby County, at around 11-p.m. Sunday. He was arrested on an outstanding Audubon County warrant for Operating (a motor vehicle) without the Owner’s Consent, Trespassing, and Theft in the 5th degree.

Anderson was booked into the Audubon County Jail and held on $2,000 bond.

Posted in News |

RUSSELL LOWELL McLAUGHLIN, 88, of Audubon (Svcs. 6/22/15

Obituaries

June 8th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

RUSSELL LOWELL McLAUGHLIN, 88, of Audubon, died Friday, June 5th, at the Lake of the Ozarks. A Celebration of Life service for RUSSELL McLAUGHLIN will be held June 22nd from 2-until 4-pm, at the Audubon Country Club.

A private family burial will be held in the Audubon Cemetery.

RUSSELL McLAUGHLIN is survived by:

His son – Kirk (Karen) McLaughlin, of Sunrise Beach Lake of the Ozarks, MO.

His daughters – Holly, of Lake of the Ozarks, MO; Verna (Tom) Huiskamp, of Salt Lake City, UT; Pat (Mark) Fredericksen, of Ashland, NE; Laurie (Kevin) Cusack, of Burband, SD, & Jamie (Joel) David, of Glidden, IA.

15 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.

Posted in Obituaries |

Two arrests in Adair County

News

June 8th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports two recent arrests. Friday afternoon, 31-year old Patrick Lawrence Nolte, of Stuart, was arrested in Stuart on a warrant issued May 29th, charging him with Driving While Barred. He was also arrested for Simple Domestic Assault, 2nd Offense. Nolte was being held in the Adair County Jail on $2,000 bond.

And on June 4th, 25-year old Matthew David Alluisi, of Orient, was arrested in Greenfield for Driving While License Denied or Revoked. Bond was set at $1,000.

Posted in News |

Cass County authorities locate missing woman, Sunday morning

News

June 8th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Authorities in Cass County located a missing woman Sunday, about three-hours after she was seen leaving Valley Oil, on foot. The Sheriff’s Office says the 19-year old walked away for reasons unknown at around 2:20-a.m., and headed east across Highway 71, into a wooded area.

The Cass County Communications Center reported at the time the woman seemed very confused when she spoke with a dispatcher, and was somewhat uncooperative. She remained on her cell phone until it was either shut off or the battery died. Until the call ended, the dispatcher triangulated the location of her phone, helping authorities narrow down their search.

When she was found, the woman transported to Cass County Memorial Hospital for a medical and mental evaluation. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Iowa State Patrol, the Atlantic Police Department, and Audubon County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff would also like to extend special thanks to the Atlantic Firemen who volunteered to come out and assist with the search.

Posted in News |

MONDAY, JUNE 8th

Trading Post

June 8th, 2015 by Jim Field

GIVE AWAY:  Moving or storage boxes and packing paper. Just come to 105 west 14th or call 308-746-4361.

WANTED:  RIDING MOWER WITH BAGGER. 30” OR 42”.  249-6835.

FOR SALE: X-BOX 360 with remote. Work good. $100/obo. Call 712-326-4990.

FOR SALE: Troy-bilt tiller, rear tine $350; Drop leaf Maple table from the 1960’s over 7 ft – $50. 254-9049.

FOR SALE:  Well-kept large dark blue recliner. $65.00. Call 712-243-3141.

FOR SALE:  2005 Polaris Predator 500 troy Lee edition. Good condition, runs great. Fox shocks, slip on pipe, jetted, big gun cdi box, front wheel spacers, nets, bumpers, skid plates, winch. Brand new bearings in rear and recently serviced. Asking 2600 obo. cash only, no trades, needs gone ASAP. Call or text Brent. 712-779-0998.

predator1 predator2

FOR SALE:  2000 Honda Shadow Sabre 1100. Less than 14000 miles. Salvage title, good condition. Owned it 3 years, brand new starter button and kill switch cluster, new battery, good tires, recently serviced, always stored inside. Mustang seat and back rest, cobra pipes, comes with two hardshell saddle bags and extra trunk/backrest combo. Asking 2300 obo. cash only, no trades, needs gone ASAP. Call or text Brent. 712-779-0998.

shadow1 shadow2 shadow3

Posted in Trading Post |

Iowa Gov. Branstad not committing to approving budget plan

News

June 8th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Gov. Terry Branstad is not saying whether he will sign off on the $7.3 billion spending plan approved by the Legislature last week.  Branstad said Monday he needs to review all the budget bills backed by the Republican-led House and Democratic-controlled Senate. He declined to say how he will act on the compromise plan, which includes $7.17 billion in ongoing spending, as well as $135 million in one-time expenditures.

Branstad criticized lawmakers for failing to approve K-12 education funding for the 2016-2017 school year before they adjourned but did not say if he would try to call lawmakers back in a special session to resolve the issue. He also would not commit to a compromise plan struck to keep open two mental health institutions slated for closure.

Posted in News |

Iowa students encouraged to participate in Farmers Market Scavenger Hunt

Ag/Outdoor, News

June 8th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey is encouraging Iowa students who were in kindergarten through 8th grade this past school year, to take part in a “Farmers Market Scavenger Hunt” at any of the 37 participating farmers markets across the state. The Iowa Farm to School program, which is part of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, is sponsoring the initiative.IDALS logo

Northey says “We are fortunate to have wonderful farmers markets all across the state and I hope students will take advantage of this opportunity to get out and learn more about all the fresh, delicious products that are available and support their local market.”  To participate, students simply need to complete the “Farmers Market Scavenger Hunt” form. Forms may be picked up at any participating farmers market or can be printed from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s website at www.IowaAgriculture.gov under the “Hot Topics” section.

When they have completed the form, they can submit it to the market manager at the main market booth for the farmers market. Upon submitting the form, students will receive a free item from the market, such as a fruit, vegetable or honey, and will be entered into a drawing for additional prizes. In addition, the classroom with the most participation over the summer will receive a grow light that can be used to help them grow their own fruits and vegetables.

In western Iowa, farmers markets participating in the program include those in Shelby County (Harlan), and the Missouri Valley Welcome Center. More information about the Iowa Farm to School program and other upcoming events can be found at: http://www.iowaagriculture.gov/AgDiversification/farmToSchoolProgram.asp.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |