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Two area teachers to be honored today

News

March 10th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Two southwest Iowa teachers are among the top educators in the state being honored today (Tuesday) by the Iowa Department of Education. The Daily NonPareil reports Ryan Higgins and Stan Winquist were invited to Des Moines for the Outstanding Iowa Teachers Recognition Luncheon to be recognized by Iowa Department of Education Director Brad Buck, Gov. Terry Branstad, Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds and other state officials.

Higgins is an engineering teacher at Abraham Lincoln High School, and Winquist is an industrial and agriculture teacher at Glenwood Community High School. Both were finalists for the Iowa Teacher of the Year award.

The luncheon recognizes the finalists and winners for the contest, as well as the Iowa Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching and Gilder Lehrman Iowa History Teacher of the Year.

IWCC proposes cutting its property tax rate

News

March 10th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The Board of Directors at Iowa Western Community College has proposed cutting its property tax rate by 1.5 cents. According to the Daily NonPareil, a preliminary budget approved at the Board’s meeting Monday in Harlan, does include a tuition increase of $11 per credit hour to balance the budget. The budget is expected to grow by about 8 percent overall. Iowa Western’s proposed levy is $1.14061 per $1,000 in taxable valuation for next year, which represents a levy decrease of about 1.3 percent in property taxes to support the community college.

Board members discussed their expectation that the Iowa Legislature will not set state aid for community colleges until next month, which is one of the reasons – along with expected changes to enrollment figures – the budget remains preliminary. It is designed to represent the spending limit for the college, not necessarily how much it will actually spend next fiscal year. Tom Johnson, the outgoing vice president of finance and operations, said the college’s spending for its general fund would be capped at about $50.35 million for next year, based on the published budget estimate.

The board, which met this month at the Shelby County Center in Harlan, gave its approval following a public hearing without any testimony. Iowa Western will file the budget with the Iowa Department of Education and the Iowa Department of Management, which requires a budget to be filed by next Monday.

Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky named Big Ten Player of the Year

Sports

March 10th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) — Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky is the Big Ten’s Player of the Year. As Kaminsky led the Badgers to the outright Big Ten championship, the senior averaged 19.9 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in conference play. Kaminsky has scored at least 20 points on 13 occasions this season and hauled in double-digit rebounds in 10 games.

Badger head coach Bo Ryan was named Coach of the Year by conference coaches, while Maryland head coach Mark Turgeon received the honor from the media. In Maryland’s first Big Ten season, Turgeon led the Terrapins to the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament. Ohio State’s D’Angelo Russell was named Freshman of the Year by coaches and media. Purdue’s Rapheal Davis was named the Defensive Player of the Year, and Iowa’s Gabe Olaseni was voted Sixth Man of the Year by coaches.

Monday Boys State Basketball Tourney Schedule

Sports

March 9th, 2015 by Jim Field

CLASS 1-A QUARTERFINALS

  • FINAL – Gladbrook-Reinbeck 80, Nodaway Valley 57 (G-R: Joe Smoldt 31 pts, Camden Kickbush 24 pts.  NV: Jackson Lamb 19 pts)
  • FINAL – Earlham 63, Belle Plaine 50
  • FINAL – Maple Valley-Anthon-Oto 51, South O’Brien 45
  • FINAL – Danville 69, West Hancock 47

CLASS 2-A QUARTERFINALS

  • FINAL – Treynor 69, Forest City 66 (Treynor:  Nolan Chapman 26 pts, Jacob Flathers 18 pts-12 reb, Trey Robinson 11 pts-10 reb)
  • FINAL – Aplington-Parkersburg 82, Woodward Academy 69

2014-15 Iowa Girls Coaches Association All-State Basketball Teams

Sports

March 9th, 2015 by Jim Field

Class 1-A
1st Team:
Taylor Hickey, Burlington Notre Dame, 12
Brianna Wells, Newell-Fonda, 12
Tori Hazard, Janesville, 10
Macy Williams, Fremont-Mills, 12
Rylee Voss, English Valleys, 12
Shayla Dean, Colo-Nesco, 12
Rachel Smith, Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton, 12
Sarah Halse, Central Lyon, 12
2nd Team:
Johanna Vaske, Bishop Garrigan, 12
Riley Kilbride, Burlington Notre Dame, 11
Hattie Davidson, Northwood-Kensett, 12
Carleigh Paup, Paton-Churdan, 11
Rachel Mercer, Kingsley-Pierson, 11
Sarah Matus, Springville, 12
Lysandra James, Lynnville-Sully, 12
Kaitlyn Johnson, Van Buren-Keosauqua, 12
3rd Team:
Shelby Hembera, Cedar Valley Christian, 12
Alecia Kimball, Dunkerton, 11
Callie Calfee, Bedford, 12
Sarah Dreckman, M-M-C, 11
Madison McGregor, Rockford, 10
Madie Sorenson, Adair-Casey, 9
Olvia Barrett, GMG, 12
Shelby Reicks, Turkey Valley, 10
Coach of the Year – Dick Jungers, Newell-Fonda

Class 2-A
1st Team:
Nicole Miller, North Linn, 12
Jamie Gesink, Western Christian, 12
Kari Fitzpatrick, Edgewood-Colesburg, 12
Kassidy DeJong, Unity Christian, 12
Gracey Griglione, I-35, 10
Haley Birks, South Central Calhoun, 12
Elsa Anderson, Des Moines Christian, 12
Anna Kiel, Unity Christian, 11
2nd Team:
Morgan Muhlbauer, IKM-Manning, 12
Julia Groenenboom, North Mahaska, 12
Anna Yung, St Edmond, 12
Chelsey Lampe, Highland Riverside, 12
Hallie Linhart, Central Decatur, 12
Steffi Cunard, Logan-Magnolia, 12
Kailey Burke, Hinton, 11
Faith Troshynski, Manson-NW Webster, 11
3rd Team:
Beth Atwood, Pekin, 11
Lindsey Koch, Hudson, 12
Katie Lindeman, Grundy Center, 11
Gabby Reyerson, West Marshall, 11
Maddie Boer, North Linn, 12
Carolyn Trumm, Cascade, 12
Kelsey Pretz, Columbus, 12
Olivia Verhulst, Dike-New Hartford, 12
Coach of The Year – Brian Wheatley, North Linn

Class 3-A
1st Team:
Elle Ruffridge, Pocahontas Area, 10
Arika Wooldridge, Center Point-Urbana, 11
Andrea Larson, Mediapolis, 12
Kati Cassabaum, Nevada, 11
Kate Walker, Red Oak, 12
Heidi Hillyard, Mediapolis, 12
Emma Dau, Spirit Lake, 12
Serena Parker, Shenandoah, 12
2nd Team:
Amber Schubert, Sergeant Bluff-Luton, 12
Kaely Hummel, Cherokee Washington, 11
Karlee Grabau, Crestwood, 12
Blair Klostermann, Beckman Catholic, 12
Maria Dentlinger, Kuemper Catholic, 12
Rachel Freland, PCM, 12
Abby Stephenson, Nevada, 10
Kaye Faber, Clear Lake, 12
3rd Team
Allison Platte, Mount Vernon, 12
Faith Meyer, Pocahontas Area, 10
Madison Sickles, Crestwood, 12
Ellie Friesen, Osage, 9
Jill Vander Plaats, Sioux Center, 12
Jessica Speake, Hampton-Dumont, 11
Mackenzie Rogers, Mediapolis, 9
Lexy Koudelka, Nevada, 9
Coach of the Year – Kristin Meyer, Nevada

Class 4-A
1st Team:
Claire Marburger, Perry, 12
Jess Schaben, Harlan, 12
Gabie Doud, Ballard, 11
Taylor Frederick, Harlan, 11
Megan Maahs, Western Dubuque, 11
Rose Simon-Ressler, Western Dubuque, 12
Mariah Criswell, Winterset, 12
Payton Keeney, Carlisle, 12
2nd Team:
Deja Jackson, Grinnell, 12
Jacionna Stowers, Davenport North, 10
Grace Berg, Indianola, 9
Jinaya Houston, Davenport North, 10
Emily Knittel, Ballard, 12
Agatha Beier, Carlisle, 10
Tristan Beaulieu, Sioux City Heelan, 12
Taylor Wagner, Harlan, 12
3rd Team:
Hali Hilligas, Charles City, 12
Kaleigh Haus, Carlisle, 12
Katie Vander Molen, Pella, 10
Maggie Lowe, Perry, 12
Kelsi Phipps, Mount Pleasant, 12
Karli Rucker, North Scott, 10
Samantha Fritz, Fairfield, 10
Jordyn Moser, Harlan, 11
Coach of the Year – Zach Klaassen, Harlan

Class 5-A
1st Team:
Audrey Faber, Dowling Catholic, 12
Makenzie Meyer, Mason City, 11
Reilley Jacobson, Waukee, 11
Meredith Burkhall, DM Roosevelt, 12
Grace Vander Weide, WDM Valley, 12
Mikaela Morgan, Iowa City West, 12
Rachel Hinders, Johnston, 11
Ashley Joens, Iowa City High, 9
2nd Team:
Becca Hittner, Dowling Catholic, 11
Stephanie Botkin, Cedar Rapids Kennedy, 12
Molly Sanders, Ames, 12
Lela Sellers, Cedar Rapids Kennedy, 11
Adrienne Boettinger, Cedar Falls, 12
Ashton Donels, Southeast Polk, 11
Dani Craig, Iowa City West, 12
Carlie Littlefield, Waukee, 10
3rd Team:
Chrislyn Carr, Davenport West, 9
Annabel Graettinger, Muscatine, 12
Hannah Fuller, WDM Valley, 10
Taryn Knuth, Johnston, 10
Kennedy Childers, Dowling Catholic, 12
Kennedy Kracht, Urbandale, 12
Lana Lindstrom, Pleasant Valley, 11
Courtney Joens, Iowa City High, 11
Coach of the Year – Chris Guess, Waukee

Wacha goes 2 perfect innings, Cardinals lose to Red Sox 3-0

Sports

March 9th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Michael Wacha struck out four of the six batters he faced in his spring debut Monday in the St. Louis Cardinals’ 3-0 loss to the Boston Red Sox. Wacha threw 27 pitches in two perfect innings. A postseason sensation in 2013, Wacha missed most of last year because of an injured right shoulder. He pitched to big league hitters for the first time since allowing a three-run homer in the ninth inning to San Francisco’s Travis Ishikawa in the clinching Game 5 of the NL Championship Series last October.

Boston center fielder Mookie Betts saved at least one run when he took a hit away from Yadier Molina with a running catch with two outs and the bases loaded in the second. Betts also hit an RBI single with two outs in the seventh. Red Sox left-hander Wade Miley worked three scoreless innings in his second outing.

Clarinda Police Arrest Two Juveniles for Breaking Into Vehicles

News

March 9th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers reports two teens were arrested Sunday after police investigated numerous early morning reports of personal property being stolen from vehicles. The boys, ages 17 and 16, were charged with several counts of aggravated burglary from a motor vehicle and several counts of misdemeanor theft.

Both juveniles were processed and released to the custody of their parents. All reports have been submitted to Juvenile Court Services and the Page County Attorney’s Office for review and decisions regarding the filing of formal complaints.

Heartbeat Today 03-09-2015

Heartbeat Today, Podcasts

March 9th, 2015 by admin

Jim Field talks about some tips for taking care of fruit trees.

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Backyard and Beyond 03-09-2015

Backyard and Beyond, Podcasts

March 9th, 2015 by admin

Lavon Eblen speaks with Johannes Khristoffersen, Intern at the Museum of Danish America in Elk Horn, getting to know him and his work at the museum.

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Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield honored as Big 12 AP Player of Year

Sports

March 9th, 2015 by Jim Field

Oklahoma junior guard Buddy Hield and Bill Self of Kansas are The Associated Press’ Big 12 player and coach of the year.

Hield, the Big 12’s top scorer at 17.4 points a game, was the only unanimous pick on the AP All-Big 12 first team. The yearly awards were announced Monday.

Self is the first four-time AP Big 12 Coach of the Year winner, edging West Virginia coach Bob Huggins for this year’s award.

West Virginia senior guard Juwan Staten is the only player who is an AP first-team pick for the second straight year.

Joining Hield and Staten on the first team are Baylor post player Rico Gathers, who averages 11.6 points and 11.7 rebounds, Kansas junior Perry Ellis and Iowa State junior Georges Niang.