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“Adoption Saturday” events are underway today and next Saturday in multiple Iowa cities

News

November 15th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Special child adoption ceremonies will be held today (Saturday) in eastern Iowa and next Saturday in several cities across the state. Bambi Schraderis with Iowa KidsNet, which is one of the organizing agencies sponsoring “Adoption Saturday” events during November. “This year, our theme is superheroes as Batman, Spiderman, Superman, Curious George, Luke Skywalker — they were all adopted,” Schrader says. “We’ll have some figures in costume who will be able to meet and greet the families and take pictures with the kids.”

Adoptions are often not a high priority in the legal system so counties set aside these days to do multiple adoptions, often with all-volunteer courthouse staffs in place. Court dates for adoptions otherwise may get bumped back which is discouraging, so Schrader says these events become extra special for the children and their new “forever families.”

“It really is a celebration,” Schrader says. “I’ve never seen so many smiles in one place and so many tears of joy at one location at one time.” Adoption ceremonies were held in Waterloo and Cedar Rapids yesterday (Friday), while they’re being held today (Saturday) in Davenport. Many more are scheduled for next Saturday (Nov 22) in Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Sioux City and Webster City. Schrader says it’s easy to learn about the adoption process by going to the group’s website, iowakidsnet.com.

(Radio Iowa)

Posted in News |

Sentencing set for disgraced Iowa egg producers

Ag/Outdoor, News

November 15th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A judge has scheduled a February sentencing for the father and son whose Iowa egg farms were linked to a huge 2010 salmonella outbreak. U.S. District Judge Mark W. Bennett ruled Thursday that Quality Egg owners Austin “Jack” DeCoster and Peter DeCoster will be sentenced during hearings that begin Feb. 9 in Sioux City and could last five days.

The DeCosters pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of introducing adulterated food into interstate commerce. They face up to one year in jail, but their attorney is arguing for a fine and probation. Quality Egg also faces a fine after pleading guilty to bribing a federal inspector, selling misbranded food and introducing adulterated food into interstate commerce.

The outbreak sickened thousands of people nationwide and shook public confidence in the egg industry.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

Winter Weather Advisory continues from 9-am today (Saturday) until midnight

News, Weather

November 15th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Area Counties: MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE; 402 AM CST SAT NOV 15 2014;

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT.

* TIMING…SNOW WILL BEGIN TO ACCUMULATE ACROSS THE AREA BETWEEN 8 AM AND 11 AM AND PERIODS OF LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW WILL THEN CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING HOURS BEFORE EXITING THE AREA BETWEEN 9 PM AND MIDNIGHT.

* ACCUMULATIONS…TOTAL SNOWFALL SHOULD BE 2 OR 3 INCHES WITH A BIT HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE IN NORTHEAST NEBRASKA AND WEST CENTRAL IOWA.

* IMPACTS…SNOWFALL WILL CAUSE VISIBILITIES OF A MILE OR LESS AT TIMES AND MAY CREATE HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS. IN ADDITION…AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW COULD DEVELOP THIS EVENING AS A COLD FRONT CROSSES THE AREA FURTHER IMPACTING TRAVEL.

Area Counties: SAC-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD; 415 AM CST SAT NOV 15 2014;

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT…

* TIMING…SNOW IS EXPECTED TO SPREAD INTO WESTERN IOWA BETWEEN 9 AM AND NOON TODAY THEN WILL SPREAD OVER THE REMAINDER OF CENTRAL IOWA DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. THE SNOW WILL PERSIST INTO THIS EVENING BEFORE ENDING AROUND MIDNIGHT. THE HIGHEST SNOWFALL INTENSITY WILL BE IN THE AFTERNOON.

* STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS…2 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW IS LIKELY WITH SOME LOCAL AMOUNTS TO 5 INCHES OVER NORTHERN IOWA…GENERALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF U.S. HIGHWAY 20. THE LIGHTEST AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED IN FAR SOUTHERN IOWA.

* WINDS/VISIBILITY…VISIBILITY WILL BE REDUCED TO AROUND A MILE OR LESS AT TIMES. WINDS WILL BE SOUTHEAST AT 5 TO 10 MPH.

* IMPACTS…ROADWAYS WILL BECOME SLICK IN PLACES.

Posted in News, Weather |

KJAN listening area/Nat’l Weather Svc. forecast: Sat., Nov. 15 2014

Weather

November 15th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

(Forecast updated at 4:14-a.m.)

**Winter Weather Advisory for the entire area from 9-am until Midnight, Saturday**

Today – Snow, mainly after 10-am (1-3″ possible). High near 29. S/SE wind @ 10. Wind chill values as low as 10. Chance of precipitation is 100%.
Tonight – Snow, mainly before 1- am (an additional 1″ is possible). Low around 9. S/SE winds @ 5-15 mph becoming W/NW after midnight. Wind chill values as low as -5. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Sunday – Mostly sunny, with a high near 22. W/NW winds @ 10-15 becoming southwesterly during the afternoon. Wind chill values as low as -5.
Sunday Night – Partly cloudy, with a low around 6. W/SW winds @ 10-20mph w/gusts to 25. Wind chill values as low as -10.

Monday – Partly sunny & windy. High near 17. NW winds @ 15-30.
Monday Night – Partly cloudy & blustery, with a low around 1.

Tuesday – Mostly sunny, with a high near 24.

Posted in Weather |

State Football Scores from Fri., 11/14 & Schedule for Sat., 11/15

Sports

November 15th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Friday’s Semi-finals Scores:

Class 4A
Dowling Catholic, WDM 41, Waukee 28
Cedar Rapids, Washington 28, Bettendorf 17

Class A
Logan-Magnolia 28, Mount Ayr 7
Gladbrook-Reinbeck 21, Denver 8

Today’s (Saturday’s) State Football Semi-finals:

Class 1-A
South Winneshiek (12-0) vs. Iowa City Regina (11-1) – 10:06 am
West Lyon (11-1) vs. Fort Dodge St. Edmond (12-0) – 1:06 pm

Class 2-A
Sioux Center (11-1) vs. Albia (11-1) – 4:06 pm
North Fayette Valley (11-1) vs. Beckman Catholic (10-2) – 7:06 pm

Posted in Sports |

State Volleyball Championship results & All-Tournament Teams

Sports

November 15th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

State Volleyball Championships
Class 5-A Championship
(3-0) Ankeny Centennial 29-25-25, Bettendorf 27-22-21
All-Tournament Team members: Jordyn Rittman, Ankeny Centennial; Danielle Pennington, Bettendorf; Kelsey Johnson, Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln; Kristen Stucker, Johnston; McKenna Pierson, Ankeny Centennial; Megan Sharkey, Bettendorf; Jaali Winters, Ankeny Centennial (captain).

Class 4-A Championship
(3-1) Harlan 16-25-25-25, West Delaware 25-18-19-10
The Harlan Cyclone Girls Volleyball team won their second consecutive class 4-A State Volleyball Championship 3 sets to 1 over West Delaware, Friday. Three Cyclones were named to the All- Tournament team: Kenzie Swanson and Taylor Frederick. Harlan’s Jess Schaben was named captain of the All Tournament team. Other team members include: Emily Thole, West Delaware; Natalie Brimeyer, Clear Creek-Amana; Isabella Sade, Marion; and Carlee Ketchum, West Delaware.

Class 3-A Championship
(3-0) Solon 25-25-25, Mount Vernon 13-21-20
3-A All-Tournament Team: Kate Nearad, Solon; Libby Ryan, Mount Vernon; Kate Walker, Red Oak; Kati Cassabaum, Nevada; Jordan Runge, Solon; Morgan Melchert, Mount Vernon; Jordan Smith, Solon (captain).

Class 2-A Championship
(3-1) Dike-New Hartford 25-25-17-25, Western Christian 21-23-25-23
2-A All-Tournament Team: Lizzy Blough, Dike-New Hartford; Ema Altena, Western Christian; Becca Pagel, Sumner-Fredericksburg; Anna Kiel, Unity Christian; Briana Weber, Dike-New Hartford; Jamie Gesink, Western Christian; Rachel Koop, Dike-New Hartford (captain).

Class 1-A Championship
(3-0) Holy Trinity Catholic 25-25-25, Central Lyon 22-13-8
1-A All-Tournament Team: Angel Rasmussen, Central Lyon; Madelyn Orton, Holy Trinity Catholic; Peyton Benson, Tripoli; Shelby Schnurstein, Janesville; Kendyl Sorge, Janesville; Sarah Halse, Central Lyon; Mikaela Foecke, Holy Trinity Catholic (Captain).

Posted in Sports |

Saturday State Football Semi-Finals

Sports

November 15th, 2014 by Jim Field

Class 1-A

  • South Winneshiek (12-0) vs. Iowa City Regina (11-1) – 10:06 am
  • West Lyon (11-1) vs. Fort Dodge St. Edmond (12-0) – 1:06 pm

Class 2-A

  • Sioux Center (11-1) vs. Albia (11-1) – 4:06 pm
  • North Fayette Valley (11-1) vs. Beckman Catholic (10-2) – 7:06 pm

Posted in Sports |

No. 19 Iowa storms past USC Upstate in 107-56 win

Sports

November 15th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Ally Disterhoft scored 19 points, Bethany Doolittle added 15 more plus grabbed 10 rebounds, and No. 19 Iowa powered past USC Upstate in a 107-56 win Friday night. Disterhoft was 7 of 8 from the field and 4-for-5 from the penalty stripe. Melissa Dixon had 16 points, Samantha Logic had 11 and Alexa Kastanek 10 for Iowa, which set a new record with the winning score. The Hawkeyes outrebounded USC Upstate 49-32 and was 11-for-22 from 3-point range.

Iowa took control early in the first half with a 35-7 run that included 3-pointers from Logic, Disterhoft and two from Dixon, and took a 59-22 advantage into the half. The Hawkeyes then continued to pull away in the second half. Coco Ritter led the Spartans with 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting and had four rebounds. Brittany Starling added nine points.

Posted in Sports |

No. 14 Iowa State beats Oakland 93-82

Sports

November 15th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

AMES, IOWA (AP) — Junior Georges Niang had a career-high 30 points and nine rebounds as Number 14th Iowa State beat Oakland 93-82 on Friday night UNLV transfer Bryce Dejean-Jones had 20 points in his debut for the Cyclones (1-0), who improved to 5-0 in openers under coach Fred Hoiberg.

Iowa State sandwiched a 15-3 run around the half after allowing Oakland to tie the score at 38-all. The Cyclones built their lead up to as much as 20 in the second half and won comfortably behind Niang, who figures to be Iowa State’s top scoring option this season.

Corey Petros had 25 points and Kahlil Felder scored 23 for Oakland (0-1), which was picked seventh in the preseason Horizon League poll.

Posted in Sports |

Iowa early News Headlines: Sat., Nov. 15th 2014

News

November 15th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

ALTOONA, Iowa (AP) — Facebook has officially launched a data center in central Iowa. The social media giant opened its doors Friday to showcase its 476,000-square-foot facility in Altoona, just outside of Des Moines. A second data center is under construction next door. The first data center has 75 employees.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The English Valley Elementary school in North English implemented a lockdown and security measures yesterday after a man who appeared intoxicated and claimed to have a knife caused a disturbance in the school’s office. The Iowa County sheriff’s office says 28-year-old Coty Schwochow (ShWOW-cow) entered the school office at 8:40 a.m. Friday and appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. No one was injured and no children were in the office at the time.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Two osprey birds who nested in construction equipment this summer at the Wells Fargo complex in West Des Moines will find their nest atop a 55-foot-tall pole when they return in the spring. The Des Moines Register reports the birds had built a nest atop a construction crane.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Drake seniors Gary Ricks, Junior and Karl Madison have each been suspended for three games by the school for accepting improper benefits. The school says Ricks and Madison received the benefits in 2012 to 2013, when they played under former coach Mark Phelps. They’ll miss Drake’s first three games, starting with yesterday’s opener against Bowling Green.

Posted in News |