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Sporting News Recognizes 3 Hawkeyes

Sports

December 13th, 2023 by admin

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Three University of Iowa football student-athletes — junior Cooper DeJean, and seniors Jay Higgins and Tory Taylor — have been recognized as All-America by Sporting News. The announcement was made on Wednesday by Sporting News.

DeJean and Taylor are first team honorees by Sporting News, while Higgins is recognized on the second team.

DeJean and Taylor have reached consensus All-Americans after each being recognized as first-team All-America by Walter Camp, FWAA, AP and Sporting News (American Football Coaches Association announces its selections on Thursday). Iowa now has 31 consensus All-Americans in program history, including 16 in the Kirk Ferentz era. The Hawkeyes have had multiple consensus All-Americans six times in program history (1981, 1984, 2002, 2003, 2017, 2023).

DeJean was one of top defensive players in the nation before going down with a season-ending injury on Nov. 15. The Odebolt, Iowa, native finished the season with 41 tackles, two TFL, two interceptions and five pass break-ups in 10 games. DeJean did not allow a touchdown pass in 388 snaps in coverage in 2023. As a punt returner, DeJean was one of the nation’s best. He had a 70-yard punt return for a game-winning score against Michigan State and he had a second touchdown return for the game-winning score negated because of an “invalid fair catch signal” against Minnesota. DeJean is second in the Big Ten and ranks 14th nationally, averaging 11.5 yards per return.

DeJean was a finalist for the Jim Thorpe and Bronko Nagurski awards and a semifinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy. He was previously named the Tatum-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year and the Rodgers-Dwight Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year last month. DeJean was also a first-team all-conference honoree by the Associated Press and league coaches and media.

Taylor, the 2023 Ray Guy Punter of the Year, broke Iowa’s single season punting yardage record for a third consecutive season. He has an NCAA-best 86 punts for 4,119 yards with his 47.9 average leading the Big Ten and ranking third nationally. Thirty-six of his punts have traveled 50+ yards (six punts of 60+), 27 have been fair caught, 30 have been downed inside the 20, 11 inside the 10 and six inside the 5. The Australia native only has six touchbacks and opponents average just 8.8 yards per return. He has 288 punts for 13,297 yards — both school records — and his 46.2 career average will break Jason Baker’s mark come season’s end.

Taylor (46.2) will finish his collegiate career breaking the NCAA’s career punting average record; currently held by Baylor’s Daniel Sepulveda (42.5). Taylor, who is a two-time FWAA first-team All-America, has averaged 40 or more yards (min. four punts) in an NCAA-best 42 career games. He was named the Eddleman-Fields Big Ten Punter of the Year and first-team All-Big Ten by the coaches and media last month.

Higgins has been a tackling machine for Iowa’s defense, racking up 155 tackles — the most in the Big Ten, the third-most nationally (most by a Power 5 player) and the fourth-most in a single season in school history. The Indianapolis native has led the team in tackles in 11 of 13 games with two 15+ tackle games and nine games with 10 or more stops. He has been a leader on an Iowa defense that is fourth nationally, allowing 13.2 points per game.

Higgins was previously recognized as first-team All-America by FWAA and Sports Illustrated, and a second team honoree by the AP and CBS. He is also a first-team All-Big Ten honoree by the AP and league coaches and media.

The No. 17 Hawkeyes will play No. 21 Tennessee on Jan. 1, 2024, in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida. The game will start at noon (CT) and will be televised on ABC.

Iowa authorities searching for a missing Ames girl

News

December 13th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

STORY COUNTY, Iowa — Authorities in central Iowa are searching for a missing Ames girl. The Iowa Department of Public Safety says five-year old Avery Lydia Doherty was reported missing to the Story County Sheriff’s Office, on Oct. 13, 2023. Avery Doherty weighs 45 pounds. She’s 4-feet, 5-inches tall, has blonde hair and blue eyes.

According to court documents, Avery is believed to be with her non-custodial mother, Esther Bender, who did not adhere to the custody agreement or show-up for her hearings. An Amber Alert was not issued when she disappeared because there is no vehicle description. Ames Police, however, say they are extremely concerned for Avery’s safety. Sgt. Amber Christian with the Ames Police Department said no one has heard from or seen Avery or Esther Bender. Authorities don’t know where they could be, but it is believed that they have left the state. Police have exhausted all leads.

If you have any information about Avery’s disappearance, contact the Ames Police Department at 515-239-5135 or the Story County Sheriff’s Department at 515-382-6566. You can also contact the Missing Person Information Clearinghouse Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation at 515-725-6036.

Northern Iowa men beat Prairie View A@M

Sports

December 13th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

Nate Heise had a double-double with 25 points and 10 rebounds as UNI beat Prairie View A@M 74-55 in the McLeod Center. The Panthers improve to 4-7 on the season.

The Panthers turned it over 16 times against Prairie View A@M’s pressure defense but shot an efficient 51 percent and led by as many as 21 points in the second half.

The Panthers host Alcorn State on Sunday,

Montgomery County Engineer’s report

News

December 13th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Montgomery County Engineer Karen Albert, Tuesday morning, updated the County Board of Supervisors on Secondary Roads Department maintenance and activities, along with an employment opportunity.

She said also provided an update on the 250th Street bridge project.

Albert mentioned also, that she and two others in the department are attending an Engineer’s Conference in Des Moines the latter half of this week (Wed.-Friday).

Northern Iowa women look to regroup after rough start

Sports

December 13th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

Northern Iowa women’s basketball Tanya Warren is using finals week to help her team regroup. Named the Missouri Valley Conference preseason favorite the Panthers are just 1-7 and return to action on December 20th at Iowa State.

Injuries have been a factor. Junior standout and preseason Valley Player of the Year Grace Boffeli has missed the last three games.

Warren is confident the Panthers will get things turned around.

Heartbeat Today 12-13-2023

Heartbeat Today, Podcasts

December 13th, 2023 by Jim Field

Jim Field visits with Lani, a Columbian-American singer/songwriter, who will be performing her Christmas show Saturday, December 16 at 7:00 pm at the Warren Cultural Center in Greenfield.

Play

Dallas County man faces five charges after a vehicle crashes into a house

News

December 13th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

A man from Dallas County faces multiple felony charges after police say he injured two people by crashing his vehicle into a house Monday night. According to court documents, 46-year-old Daniel Lee Grogan, of Adel,  was allegedly under the influence of marijuana and Lorazepam, an anxiety medication, when he drove his 2012 Dodge Journey through a home in the 300 block of South 10th Street. Two people inside the home were injured when the crash happened around 11:20 p.m. Monday night.

Grogan has been charged with the following:

  • Two counts of serious injury by vehicle (Class D Felony)
  • Two counts of knowingly leaving the scene of an accident resulting in serious injury (Class D Felony)
  • One count of operating while under the influence — first offense (Serious Misdemeanor)

Police say Grogan left the scene of the crash on foot and was found by police a few blocks away. He failed multiple field sobriety tests, according to a criminal complaint. His preliminary hearing was set for Dec. 22nd.

Cass County Extension Report 12-13-2023

Ag/Outdoor, Podcasts

December 13th, 2023 by Jim Field

w/Kate Olson.

Play

Casey’s Reports Good Second Quarter

News

December 13th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The Ankeny-based Casey’s convenience store chain reports a strong second quarter. Company President and C-E-O Darrin Rebellez spoke about the results during a conference call Tuesday.  He says inside sales remain strong driving inside gross profit dollars up 10 percent to 553 million dollars. The company generated 159 million dollars in net income, an increase of 15 percent.

Rebellez says inside sales were up six-point-two percent for the quarter driven by strong performance in the prepared food and dispensed beverages. The gallons of fuel sold were flat, but the company’s gross profit on fuel increased by nearly 309 million dollars as they made more than 42 cents on each gallon sold.

The company built or acquired 59 stores in the quarter and recently closed the deal on 22 stores in Texas, which is now the 17th state where they operate.

Des Moines Bail Bondsmen Pleads Guilty to Insurance Fraud and Identity Theft

News

December 13th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Officials with the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau report a Spring Hill (IA) man, David Mark Ellis, recently pled guilty in Polk County District Court, to two counts of Identity Theft (Aggravated Misdemeanors) and one count of Insurance Fraud (Class D Felony).

The charges stem from a 2021 investigation by the Iowa Insurance Division that found Ellis, the owner of Always Affordable Bail Bonds in Des Moines, had misrepresented the facts surrounding a loss on an insurance claim so that he would receive funds to which he was not entitled.  Additionally, Ellis utilized another individual’s EBT card to obtain benefits which he was not entitled to receive.

Following his guilty pleas, Ellis received suspended prison sentences to be served consecutively up to 9 years.  Ellis also received 2 years of probation, and a fine of $2,735.00.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Wapello County Sheriff’s Office, Ankeny Police Department, and the Warren County Sheriff’s Office assisted the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau with the case.  The case was prosecuted by the Polk County Attorney’s Office.

Iowans with information about insurance fraud are encouraged to contact the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau at 515-654-6556.