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Legalizing prizes for fantasy sports league champs

News, Sports

February 6th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Iowans who participate in fantasy sports leagues could legally accept any amount of prize money for winning if a bill under consideration in the legislature becomes state law. Iowa is one of a handful of states where it is illegal for someone to collect more than 50 dollars if the real professional athletes they’ve assembled as a fantasy squad have the best combined statistics. John Cacciatore is a lobbyist for the Fantasy Sports Trade Association. He says it’s a game of skill, just like bowling leagues or cribbage tournaments in Iowa where significant prize money can be awarded to the winners.

“You pick players from real time statistics and real time activities to put your teams together,” Cacciatore says. “…It requires research and skill to put those teams together.” But the state-licensed casinos are pressing hard against that concept, urging lawmakers to set daily wagering limits and forbid anyone under the age of 21 from winning one of the daily fantasy league prizes. Mark Beltrame  is a lobbyist for Scientific Games, a company that develops products for the gambling industry.

“There are certainly aspects of participating in this, particularly on a daily basis…without any limitations — that certainly sounds like, perhaps, another activity,” Beltrame says. Brian Carter, a retired Methodist minister, says when money’s involved, it’s gambling and the state should forbid it. “I had a lot of people as I was in ministry having sexual addictions and I’m not comparing fantasy (sports) game players with them, but I’m saying they found that their problem was the internet. That compounded their problem,” Carter says. “And I think when we’re starting to talk about fantasy game playing and opening it up, we’re going to have problems.”

The lobbyist for the Fantasy Sports Trade Association shoots back at those who contend it’s gambling. “There’s a difference between gambling and wagering on the outcome of a game, you know, who will win between the Bears and the Packers versus providing an entry fee to compete with other folks who pick their teams and compete against each other to win that contest,” Cacciatore says. Under current Iowa law, fantasy sports league participants with a “bona fide social relationship” can win prizes of no more than 50-dollars a day.

The N-F-L’s “Perfect Challenge” fantasy game has a one-MILLION dollar prize and, if an Iowan were to win, it would be illegal for them to collect that prize. A bill that would let Iowans accept any level of cash prizes for being the champion of a fantasy sports league easily cleared the Senate State Government Committee this week on a 13 to one vote. A subcommittee in the Iowa House has also signed off on the bill.

(Radio Iowa)

Murder charge filed in death of Sloan man

News

February 6th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Woodbury County officials filed a first-degree murder charge Thursday in the death of Sloan man on January 9th. Twenty-nine-year-old Timothy Rodger Schroeder is charged in the shooting death of Dustin Taylor Wilder. The body of Wilder, who was 29, was found at his home in Sloan by a dog sitter. Court documents state that Schroeder and his wife Amanda accompanied Wilder to his home after leaving a bar in Sloan.

Court information says Amanda Schroeder told investigators that she and another man, Dustin Duncan, overheard her husband say he wanted to commit a robbery and do something big or kill someone before Wilder was found dead. Woodbury County Sheriff Dave Drew says investigators are still hoping to find an important piece of evidence in the case. “The sheriff’s office is asking anyone who would come across a tri-fold black billfold, it could be anywhere in the area from Sloan to Sioux City to South Sioux (City). Anything with identification that would come back to the victim,” Drew says.

Schroeder is also charged with going armed with intent and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Drew says Schroeder has been previously convicted of felonies twice and was arrested late January 9th on a parole violation. “He has been the focus of the investigation, and the community has not been at any risk because he was in custody within hours,” Drew says.

No one else has been charged in the case at this time. Schroeder is being held in the Woodbury County Jail on a 320-thousand dollar bond.

(Radio Iowa)

Area high school basketball scores from Thu., Feb. 5th 2015

Sports

February 6th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

BOYS BASKETBALL

Western Iowa:

  • A-H-S-T-W 77, Riverside 34
  • Audubon 39, Griswold 37
  • IKM-Manning 74, Tri-Center 62
  • Treynor 71, Logan-Magnolia 41
  • Underwood 48, Missouri Valley 37

Others:

  • Mount Ayr 58, Clarinda 57
  • Nodaway Valley 63, Southeast Warren 18
  • Sidney 54, Stanton 50
  • West Harrison 53, Charter Oak-Ute 44

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Western Iowa:

  • A-H-S-T-W 46, Riverside 35
  • Audubon 53, Griswold 38
  • IKM-Manning 65, Tri-Center 42
  • Logan-Magnolia 60, Treynor 53
  • Underwood 50, Missouri Valley 45

Others:

  • Charter Oak-Ute 64, West Harrison 29
  • Clarinda 53, Mount Ayr 35
  • Nodaway Valley 58, Southeast Warren 55
  • Stanton 50, Sidney 39

Iowa routs injury-plagued Michigan 72-54

Sports

February 6th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Jarrod Uthoff had 16 points and nine rebounds, and Iowa scored the final 12 points of the first half en route to a 72-54 victory over Michigan Thursday night. The Wolverines, playing without injured guards Caris LeVert and Derrick Walton, did not score for the final 6:58 of the half, and the Hawkeyes (14-8, 5-4 Big Ten) led 31-21 at halftime. Mike Gesell finished with 14 points for Iowa, and Aaron White added 13.

Aubrey Dawkins led Michigan with 16 points, but the Wolverines (13-10, 6-5) continue to be plagued by extended scoring droughts. They were held without a point in overtime in a loss at Michigan State on Sunday, and they never really threatened Iowa after the Hawkeyes built a comfortable lead.

It ended up being Michigan’s most lopsided home loss since Dec. 28, 2010, when Purdue beat the Wolverines 80-57 in Ann Arbor.

Iowa women’s field hockey players file gender bias complaint

Sports

February 6th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Four members of the Iowa women’s field hockey team have filed a federal gender bias complaint over the firing of their coach. As first reported by ESPN on Thursday, players Natalie Cafone, Chandler Ackers, Jessy Silfer and Dani Hemeon filed the complaint with the U.S. Department of Education last week. They allege the firing of coach Tracey Griesbaum is part of a pattern in which strong female coaches have faced discrimination and been fired.

Athletic director Gary Barta fired Griesbaum in August, after an investigation into allegations of verbal abuse by former players. The university has defended the firing, saying Barta took action to protect players. But Griesbaum’s supporters say she’s done nothing wrong and is the victim of a double standard.

University officials have repeatedly rejected gender bias claims.

No. 16 Iowa women hold off Ohio State 73-65

Sports

February 6th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Ally Disterhoft scored 21 points and No. 16 Iowa withstood a second-half surge to hold off Ohio State 73-65 Thursday. Bethany Doolittle scored 19 points with 13 rebounds and five blocked shots for Iowa (17-4, 8-2 Big Ten). Iowa used a 21-2 run early in the first half — with 10 points from Whitney Jennings — to roll up a 41-29 lead at the break.

The Buckeyes chipped away at the lead throughout the second half, drawing to within one point on two occasions. But Iowa responded both times, and a 7-0 spurt late made the lead unassailable in the waning moments. Melissa Dixon added 13 points with three 3-pointers for Iowa while Jennings finished with 12.

Alexa Hart had 14 points for Ohio State (15-8, 7-4) to lead four in double figures.

Iowa early News Headlines: Fri., 2/6/2015

News

February 6th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — AIB College of Business officials say this spring will be the final season for the school’s athletic department. The Des Moines Register reports the move was announced yesterday just more than a week after the private business college said it would become the University of Iowa’s Des Moines campus.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The head of the Iowa National Guard says that overseas requirements for the unit continue to decline. Major General Timothy Orr addressed the Iowa General Assembly yesterday. He says they currently have about 150 soldiers and airmen deployed around the world.

WAPELLO, Iowa (AP) — County officials say a man did nothing illegal when he shot two dogs, one fatally, owned by his neighbors in southeastern Iowa. A news release issued Wednesday from the Louisa County Sheriff’s Office says the Louisa County Attorney has decided not to file criminal charges against Michael Drayfahl of Wapello. The Muscatine Journal reports he shot Tammy and Greg Slater’s German shepherds Sunday. One dog was shot through the leg, and the other died in the shooting.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Railroad officials say it’s unclear how much ethanol has leaked into the Mississippi River following a train derailment in eastern Iowa, but that they’re working to monitor the environmental impact and offload fuel from the train. The cars went off the tracks Wednesday morning in a remote area about 10 miles north of Dubuque.

(Updated) Names of Atlantic fire victims released

News

February 5th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees Thursday afternoon released the names of the victims of Wednesday night’s explosion and fire. McNees said 57-year old Paul McDaniel, of Atlantic, died at the scene of the blaze at 604 Olive Street. His wife, 57-year old Denise McDaniel, also, of Atlantic, died this (Thursday) morning at a hospital in Omaha.

Earlier, McNees said a broken gas line caused the explosion and fire that happened just after 10-p.m. Denise McDaniel was found in a room upstairs. She was unresponsive and underwent CPR before being transported to the hospital in Atlantic and later flown to Omaha. Paul McDaniel was found deceased in the second floor bathroom.

Neighbors told McNees they heard a loud “boom” prior to noticing the flames.  Investigators with the state Fire Marshal’s Office and Chief McNees used that information and spent the night combing through the home trying to determine the cause. They discovered a natural gas pipe in the basement broke due to the weight of clothes on hangers being hung on the pipe. The ignition source of the explosion is not known, but since a kitchen stove on the first floor is directly above the pipe in the basement, it’s believed the stove may have sparked the explosion.

Western Iowa city administrator charged with assault

News

February 5th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

ONAWA, Iowa (AP) – The city administrator in a western Iowa town has been charged with assaulting his 15-year-old son. Court documents say 45-year-old Bradley Hanson, city administrator in Onawa, got into a fight with his son at their home. A criminal complaint with the Monona County Sheriff’s Office says Hanson slapped his son, who slapped him back, and Hanson then took him to the ground and slammed his head into the floor.

Records show Hanson’s wife called police as the fight occurred. The sheriff’s office says the teen had minor injuries, but didn’t require medical treatment. KTIV-TV reports Hanson was arrested Jan. 28. A message left with Hanson’s attorney Thursday was not immediately returned. Hanson has since bonded out of jail. A court hearing is set for Feb. 11.

Stan Musial’s Memorabilia Store Closes

Sports

February 5th, 2015 by Jim Field

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Hall of Famer Stan Musial’s Stan the Man Inc. is closing shop in St. Louis this week.

The building where the former St. Louis Cardinals player signed memorabilia until a month before he died is closing its doors due to a decreasing inventory. Dick Zitzmann, vice president of the company, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (http://bit.ly/1xqcxtV) that Musial still meant a lot to St. Louis, and that the current cache of signed items would last four to six months.

According to Zitzmann, there were 6,000 to 7,000 balls in the inventory when Musial died in January 2013 at the age of 92. Today there are none left.

The paper reports that Musial would show up at Stan the Man every single morning and autograph pictures, balls and jerseys from 10:30 to 11:30.