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National Sports Headlines: Sat., 12/27/14

Sports

December 27th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

ATLANTA (AP) — Jared Dudley came off the bench to score a season-high 24 points on 10 of 10 shooting as Milwaukee clobbered Atlanta 107-77. Dudley’s marksmanship included four 3-pointers that help the Bucks send the Hawks to their second-worst loss of the season. Brandon Knight added 16 points as the Bucks handed Atlanta just its third loss in 16 games.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Josh Smith scored 21 points and had eight rebounds in his Houston Rockets debut, a 117-111 win against Memphis in overtime. Smith shot 9 of 21 while playing 31 minutes off the bench, two days after he was officially released by the Detroit Pistons. James Harden finished with 32 points and 10 assists to help the Rockets overcome Marc Gasol’s (gah-SAHLZ’) 29 points.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Damian Lillard poured in 28 points and had nine assists as the Portland Trail Blazers whipped Philadelphia 114-93. Wesley Matthews hit seven 3-pointers and finished with 25 points to help the Trail Blazers improve to 13-2 at home. The Blazers shot 42 percent from 3-point range, hitting 18 of 43.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — North Carolina State shredded Central Florida’s top-10 defense for 488 total yards in a 34-27 victory at the Bitcoin Bowl in St. Petersburg. Jacoby Brissett threw for 262 yards and one touchdown, and Matt Dayes scored on runs of 24 and 15 yards to help the Wolfpack finish 8-5.

DALLAS (AP) — Houston Bates had 4 1/2 sacks against his former team and Kenneth Dixon scored one of his two touchdowns on an 80-yard reception as Louisiana Tech topped Illini 35-18 in the Heart of Dallas Bowl. Xavier Woods scored on a 69-yard interception for the Bulldogs, who also had touchdown runs from Jarred Craft and Blake Martin. Dixon became Louisiana Tech’s career leader in yards rushing, finishing with 63 for a total of 3,410 in three seasons.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Running back Ryan Mathews has been ruled out of San Diego’s game Sunday at Kansas City, which the Chargers must win to clinch a wild-card berth. Mathews will miss his third straight game with what’s believed to be a high ankle sprain. Also ruled out on Friday was punter Mike Scifres, who broke his left collarbone in the loss to New England.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith will miss Sunday’s game against the San Diego Chargers because of a lacerated spleen. Chase Daniel will start in his place. Team trainer Rick Burkholder said Friday that Smith was likely hurt on a hit during the third quarter of last weekend’s loss to the Steelers, but the quarterback didn’t have significant symptoms. If the Chargers beat Kansas City, they make the playoffs. The Chiefs would need to win and have Baltimore and Houston lose to earn a postseason berth.

Iowa early News Headlines: Sat., Dec. 27th 2014

News

December 27th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Five people were treated and released from a Waterloo hospital after being stabbed in a fight early Friday. KWWL reports that police say a fight broke out outside of a convenience store. Police say the five who were stabbed took themselves to Allen Hospital and were let go later Friday.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines plans to cut four jobs and adjust certain fees in an effort to erase a $405,000 projected deficit in the next fiscal year. The city will eliminate three vacant jobs and cut a fourth post according to a 2015 to 2016 budget plan presented at a town hall meeting last week. Dan Ritter, the city’s interim finance director, says the job cuts will save Des Moines just over $200,000. The Register reports the rest of the deficit will be shaved through increased fees for certain building permits and inspections and adjusted ambulance fees.

CLEAR LAKE, Iowa (AP) — The police chief in the northern Iowa town of Clear Lake has died from cancer. KIMT in Mason City reports that chief Rex McChesney died Friday morning, according to city administrator Scott Flory. McChesney was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer shortly after being appointed interim police chief in March. McChesney graduated from Clear Lake High in 1981.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Governor Terry Branstad is scheduled to undergo outpatient treatment for a minor leg issue on Monday. Branstad will return to his regular schedule on January 6th.

Tips for lessening holiday stress

News

December 26th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Many Iowans may find the holidays to be the most stressful — rather than the most wonderful — time of the year. Des Moines psychologist Paul Ascheman says packed schedules can be both mentally and emotionally taxing. He recommends focusing on aspects of the holidays that are important to you.  “And it’s also OK to say ‘no’ to things. If you don’t want to go to an event, it is alright to decline an invitation or to say, ‘I have too many commitments,'” Ascheman say. “And if you show up to an event, and you find that it’s dysfunctional or you’re not being respected, then I think it’s OK to leave.” Holiday parties that include a lot of alcohol can also present a challenge for someone in recovery.

Ascheman says it might be helpful for a recovering alcoholic to alert the host prior to the party.  “Talking with the host may be a way to potentially change the event. Sometimes people will choose not to have alcohol at an event. Other times, people in recovery may feel OK with it being present, as long as they’re not being pushed to drink,” Ascheman says. Holiday gatherings are not a good time to stage an intervention or confront someone with drug or alcohol issues, according to Ascheman.

He recommends family members approach the person in a private setting when they are sober.

(Radio Iowa)

Time running out to make charitable contributions for 2014 tax year

News

December 26th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Time is running out to make charitable contributions that can be claimed on your 2014 tax returns. I-R-S spokesman, Bill Brunson, says you have to do so by midnight on December 31st. “And these can be either in cash or non-cash contributions to a qualified charity that the I-R-S recognizes,” Brunson says. “And to find out if that charity that you are going to gift to is recognized as an exempt organization by the I-R-S, folks can go to www.irs.gov, and use the select-check tool, by keying in the name of the organization, and the I-R-S will then tell you if it is currently recognized as an exempt organization or not.” Brunson says you have to have paperwork proving your donation.

“If you gift cash, you need to get a record for any amount. If you gift non-cash items, if the value of those items is in excess of 250 dollars, then you should get a written receipt also,” Brunson says. He says there are cases where you can keep track of non-cash items and still claim them. Brunson says if you were to drop off items at a charity after they have closed, you need to write down the items and that record will be acceptable to the I-R-S is it includes, the date, time and the items you are giving. Non-cash items such as clothing and household items must be in good used condition or better to be deductible. Brunson says donations paid by credit card or check can be deducted on your 2014 taxes even if the organization does not process them until 2015.

“You are able to claim it on your 2014 return, but once again, you have to take that action before midnight December 31st,” according to Brunson. There are also ways to put off paying taxes until a later date. “People have the ability to defer tax on monies that they earn by putting them in a qualified pension fund or an individual retirement arrangement,”Brunson says. “You must make your contributions to your qualified pension fund for it to be reflected on your 2014 statement.” The one important things to remember is you need proof of what you have done to go along with your return.

“Record keeping doesn’t cost the taxpayer anything, and it will save them money when it becomes tax time. Good records will make sure that you pay only the correct amount of tax, no more, no less. So, save your receipts, save your documents,” Brunson says. He says you can find answers or help with tax questions on the I-R-S website.

(Radio Iowa)

LEROY GROTE, 85, of Earling (Svcs. 12/29/14)

Obituaries

December 26th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

LeROY GROTE, 85, of Earling, died Thu., Dec. 25th, at Myrtue Medical Center, in Harlan. Services for LeROY GROTE will be held 10:30-a.m. Mon., Dec. 29th, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Earling. Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Harlan has the arrangements.

The family will greet friends at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Earling, from 3-until 8-pm Sunday, with a Wake service at 7-p.m.

Burial will be in the St. Joseph’s Cemetery at Earling.

LeRoy Grote is survived by:

His wife – Betty, of Earling.

His sons – William (Jane) Grote, of Council Bluffs, Daniel (Shirley) Grote, of Earling, & Allan (Jackie) Grote, of Boise, ID.

His daughters – Sandra (Tom) Walker, of Harlan; JoAnn (Don) Bruck, of Earling; Debra (Dick) Koesters, of Council Bluffs, and Lorraine Grote, of Omaha.

His brothers – Robert Grote, of Portsmouth, and Raphael (Margaret) Grote, of Dunlap.

and 2 grandchildren.

Sweet 16 Cyclones highlight year in Iowa sports

Sports

December 26th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – In 2014, Iowa State rose to heights it hadn’t seen in over a decade.
Coach Fred Hoiberg and the Cyclones might go even further in 2015. Iowa State won the Big 12 tournament for the first time since 2000 in March, a thrilling three-day run through Kansas State, Kansas and Baylor. The Cyclones reached the Sweet 16 after a last-second win over North Carolina before falling to eventual national champion Connecticut.

Iowa State started this season at 9-1, including a 90-75 blowout of rival Iowa in Iowa City, and were ranked 12th as on Monday. The Cyclones kick off Big 12 play on Jan. 6 against Oklahoma State. While the league is arguably the nation’s toughest, Iowa State is a legitimate threat to win its first Big 12 regular season title in 14 years.

Here were some of the other moments that defined Iowa sports in 2014….

HAWKEYES RISE…AND FALL: Iowa reached the top 10 in late January last season and appeared poised to fulfill its promise under fourth-year coach Fran McCaffery. But the Hawkeyes dropped six of their final seven Big Ten games and stumbled into the First Four matchup in the NCAA tournament, where it lost to Tennessee in overtime. The collapse on the court was overshadowed by the cancer diagnosis given to McCaffery’s 14-year-old son Pat in early March. Thankfully, doctors declared Pat cancer-free in June. Iowa got off to a disappointing start to 2014-15 as well. It will enter Big Ten season at 9-4 and in need of a major revival to return to the NCAA tournament.

WEST HOPES DASHED: A host of returning starters and a seemingly favorable schedule had many pegging Iowa among the favorites to win the inaugural Big Ten West title. But the Hawkeyes dropped close games against Wisconsin and Nebraska and finished the regular season at 7-5. Much like its basketball team, Iowa will face Tennessee in an unexpectedly underwhelming postseason game, the Taxslayer Bowl on Jan. 2.

FIELD HOCKEY FIRING: Iowa field hockey coach Tracey Griesbaum was fired in August over allegations of player mistreatment, setting off protests from supporters who demanded that Griesbaum be reinstated. Griesbaum is planning legal action against the university, contending that athletic director Gary Barta discriminated against her and other gay female coaches. Barta has rejected discrimination claims. The Hawkeyes finished 11-7 under interim coach Lisa Cellucci.

CYCLONES STUMBLE AGAIN: Iowa State’s football team followed up a 3-9 season with a 2-10 one this fall, putting coach Paul Rhoads on the hot seat for 2015. The Cyclones allowed 38.8 points a game, and their offense struggled under first-year coordinator Mark Mangino. Iowa State will bring back a lot of starters next fall, along with a handful of highly touted junior college transfers who are expected to plug gaps. But unless the Cyclones improve drastically, they could be looking for a new head coach next December.

SPEEDWAY SUCCESS: NASCAR’s first year running the Iowa Speedway was a smooth one. Sprint Cup star Brad Keselowski and Sam Hornish Jr. won Nationwide races in Newton, and Ryan Hunter-Reay passed half the field in his final 10 laps to win the IndyCar event. The track will again host two races in the newly-branded NASCAR XFINITY series, along with IndyCar and trucks races, in 2015.

PARKER’S PASSING: Longtime Iowa coordinator Norm Parker, whose defenses were the cornerstone of the program’s success under head coach Kirk Ferentz, died in January at age 72. Parker spent 13 seasons under Ferentz, and his defenses routinely ranked among the nation’s best. Iowa State defensive assistant Curtis Bray died at the age of 43 just two days after Parker’s passing.

UNI REVIVAL: Northern Iowa appears set to return to the NCAA tournament for the first time in five years. The Panthers got off to a 10-1 start, highlighted by a 56-44 win over the Hawkeyes in Des Moines on Dec. 20, and could threaten Wichita State for the Missouri Valley title.

I-CUBS ON THE RISE: The Triple-A Iowa Cubs didn’t even make the International League playoffs. But the list of players who went through Des Moines might look staggering in a few years. Third baseman Kris Bryant finished his remarkable season in Iowa, hitting 43 home runs with a .325 batting average overall. Middle infielders Javier Baez and Arismendy Alcantara also stopped by Des Moines before ending up in Chicago – and even Manny Ramirez spent a few months there as a hitting coach, mentor and part-time player.

DES MOINES LANDS THE NCAAs: Des Moines was selected to host the NCAA men’s basketball tournament for the first time, a further sign of the capital city’s rise in last 15 years. Wells Fargo Arena will host first and second-round games in 2016.

Chiefs QB Alex Smith out with lacerated spleen

Sports

December 26th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith will miss Sunday’s game against the San Diego Chargers because of a lacerated spleen. Team trainer Rick Burkholder said Friday that Smith was hurt on a hit during the third quarter of last weekend’s loss to the Steelers, but the injury was not initially obvious. Smith will not need surgery.

If the Chargers beat Kansas City on Sunday, they make the playoffs. The Chiefs would need to win and have Baltimore and Houston lose to earn a postseason berth.

Iowan starts organ donor group

News

December 26th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A brush with death inspired an Iowa man to start a group dedicated to organ donor awareness and assistance. Doug Lehman was given less than two weeks to live back in 2012 because of kidney failure. But he received a kidney transplant at the University of Nebraska Medical Center after being on the waiting list for three and a half months.

Lehman says that while he in the hospital, he said he had a vision to help people. Lehman soon founded the non-profit, Sioux City-based Doug’s Donors. It gives support to patients who need a transplant, helps them get on transplant lists, transports them to medical appointments in Sioux Falls and Omaha and provides information to those interested in becoming a living donor.

PHYLLIS KAYE SMITH, 60, of Panama (Svcs. 12/27/14)

Obituaries

December 26th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

PHYLLIS KAYE SMITH, 60, of Panama, died Wed., Dec. 24th, at Alegent Mercy Hospital. A Celebration of Life service for PHYLLIS SMITH will be held 2-p.m. Sat., Dec. 27th, at the Pauley-Jones Funeral Home, in Harlan.

The family will greet friends at the funeral home from Noon- until 2-p.m., Saturday.

PHYLLIS KAYE SMITH is survived by:

Her parents, Joyce and Phillip Daringer, of Kirkman.

Her husband – Roland Smith, of Panama.

Her daughters – Laura (Garth) Jordan, of Englewood, CO., & Chanda (Josh) Klain, of Littleton, Co.

Her Step-daughters: Jennifer (Duane) Friend, of Council Bluffs, & Joi (Paul) Schwery, of Panama.

Her Step-sons: Jesse Smith, of Mt. Pleasant, and Jeremy Smith, of Defiance.

Her brothers – Doug (Linda) Daringer, of Harlan; Myron (Kim) Daringer, of Carroll; Craig (Terri) Daringer, of Persia; & Phil (Stacy) Daringer, of Thousand Oaks, CA.

1 grandchild, and 10 Step-grandchildren.

State had over $26 BILLION “in custody” on June 30

News

December 26th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

The state treasurer’s office handled more than 21-and-a-half BILLION dollars in receipts in the last state fiscal year. That 21-and-a-half BILLION dollars is a combination of taxes paid to the state, along with payments to Iowa from the federal government, to run programs like Medicaid. The state treasurer paid out 20-and-a-half BILLION of that to cover state government operations, including construction of new state buildings, plus new roads and bridges. State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald says the state made six-and-a-half million electronic payments last year. That includes paychecks to state employees as well as payments for goods and services.

“We had, as of June 30, had $26 billion under custody which is of course IPERS and all the state funds and such,” Fitzgerald says. “And if you asked about that today, it’s up probably $3 billion or $4 billion from that, because IPERS has done so well.” IPERS is the acronym for the Iowa Public Employees Retirement System. Fitzgerald also manages the College Savings Iowa program, which has over four-point-two billion ($4.2 billion) in assets.

As for the other side of the ledger, the state has nine-hundred-20 million ($920 million) in outstanding debts. Those debts are in the form of bonds that are being off in yearly increments. Iowa is one of only nine states with the top “Triple A” bond rating from all three rating agencies. “We’re a very low debt state. Our pension funds aren’t perfect, but they’re solid,” Fitzgerald says. “We have a surplus. Reserve funds are full, so we’re in solid shape — if the farm economy will hold up.” Fitzgerald says dropping corn prices cause concern that farm income will drop significantly in the coming year and depress state tax collections.

(Radio Iowa)