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Wainwright injures knee, Cardinals blank Mets 3-0

Sports

April 23rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

NEW YORK (AP) — Adam Wainwright threw seven neat innings before leaving with a knee injury, and Jon Jay hit a two-run single that sent the St. Louis Cardinals to a 3-0 victory over the New York Mets on Tuesday night.

Left fielder Matt Holliday robbed Chris Young of a tying homer, one night after the Mets played some dazzling defense of their own to post a shutout in the series opener.

Wainwright faced the minimum through four innings and outpitched Dillon Gee. It was the second consecutive scoreless start for Wainwright, who tossed a two-hit shutout last Thursday at Washington.

Posted in Sports |

Iowa early News Headlines: Wed., April 23rd 2014

News

April 23rd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — The interim police chief in Council Bluffs has been given a unique opportunity to formally welcome his son as an officer. Capt. Ray Mabbitt swore in his son, Christopher Mabbitt, on Monday as the newest member of the Council Bluffs Police Department. The elder Mabbitt, who took the interim role in March, called the situation one of his most memorable on the job.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A bill that would make sweeping changes in some state government practices has been backed by a legislative panel. The bill would make personnel settlement agreements subject to review by the attorney general, prohibit confidentiality provisions, and post all agreements on a state website. The legislation that also would revise state hiring and firing practices goes to full committee Wednesday.

MANCHESTER, Iowa (AP) — A Manchester woman has been arrested after her toddler fell from a second-story apartment window. The Manchester Police Department says 27-year-old Stacy Neuhaus was arrested Monday in Iowa City. She faces charges of child endangerment.

MADRID, Iowa (AP) — A boil advisory has been issued for the central Iowa city of Madrid. The state Department of Natural Resources says the water’s level of cloudiness, also known as turbidity, is currently above the standard. That can interfere with disinfection and increase the chances for disease. The boil advisory is expected to last several days. Residents are encouraged to boil their water. Tap water can be used for bathing and similar uses.

Posted in News |

Out of control grass fire south of Wiota

News

April 22nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Firefighters from Wiota, Atlantic, Cumberland and Anita have been called to a grass fire that got out of control. The blaze was reported at around 7:11-p.m. in the vicinity of 670th and Lansing Road, or about 3-miles south/southwest of Wiota. Some structures were said to be nearby the location of the fire. No other details are currently available.

Posted in News |

Spring corn planting still sputters in key states

Ag/Outdoor, News

April 22nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Efforts by the nation’s corn growers to get their crops planted in key grain states continue to sputter. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says just 6 percent of this year’s corn crop is in the ground. That compares to the average of 14 percent over the previous five years and 4 percent a year ago, when one of the wettest springs on record got farmers in many states off to the slowest start in decades.

The sluggish start to corn season is especially pronounced in key farming states. Illinois growers have planted just 5 percent, while Iowa is at just 2 percent and Nebraska is at 4 percent. The USDA says corn planting traditionally is in full swing from this time through May 23.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

Interim Council Bluffs police chief swears in son

News

April 22nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — The interim police chief in Council Bluffs has been given a unique opportunity to formally welcome his son as an officer. Capt. Ray Mabbitt swore in his son, Christopher Mabbitt, on Monday as the newest member of the Council Bluffs Police Department. The elder Mabbitt, who took the interim role in March, called the situation one of his most memorable on the job.

Christopher Mabbitt is a third-generation officer, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. He is a former corrections officer for the Pottawattamie County Jail. The Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil reports a 14-week stint at the state police academy is up next for the younger Mabbitt, followed by 17 weeks of on-the-job training.

Posted in News |

Bridgewater cattle producers are nominees for environmental award

Ag/Outdoor

April 22nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Nichols Farms LTD of Bridgewater is the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association’s nomination for the national Environmental Stewardship Award Program (ESAP). This family farm operation is managed by Dave Nichols, Phyllis Nichols and Lillian Nichols, and covers Adair, Adams and Cass counties. As Iowa’s ESAP representative, Nichols Farms has been nominated for recognition at the regional level, which includes four other states. If it is successful in the regional competition, Nichols Farms will move on to the national level.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association initiated the environmental award program in 1991 to highlight exceptional work done by cattle producers to protect and enhance the environment. Since its inception, Iowa cattle producers have won 15 regional awards and three national ones. Nichols Farms is known internationally for its innovative techniques in using genetic and production data from cattle to produce beef more efficiently. However, the farm operation has always been conservation minded since Dave Nichols’ parents purchased land in Adair County in the late 1930s.

It won’t be known until August whether Nichols Farms was selected as the ESAP Region 3 winner. If it is selected, it will compete for the national ESAP title with six other regional winners. The national winner will be announced during the Cattle Industry Annual Convention and Trade Show in San Antonio, TX, in February 2015.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor |

Panel clears tax rebate for Knoxville Raceway

Sports

April 22nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A proposal to provide a state tax credit of up to $2 million to the Knoxville Raceway has advanced in the Iowa Senate. The plan received the approval of the Senate Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday and is now eligible for floor debate.

Under the proposal, the racetrack in Knoxville would receive a state sales tax rebate to help fund an expansion. The rebate would be capped at $2 million or 25 percent of the total project cost, and the track would be eligible to receive the rebate from Jan. 1, 2015, to Jan. 1, 2025.

The offer follows a similar credit provided for the Iowa Speedway at Newton, approved by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Terry Branstad earlier this month.

Posted in Sports |

USDA awards $6 million for climate change study

Ag/Outdoor, News, Weather

April 22nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture will award $6 million to 10 universities to finance the study of what climate change means to agriculture and strategies for helping farmers and ranchers deal with weather changes. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the grants Tuesday during a conference about climate change held at Drake University in Des Moines.

Vilsack told the audience the grants would lead to information and developments that would be essential to farmers. The grants were made through the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The grants will go to the University of Colorado, Cornell University, Florida International University, Iowa State University, Michigan State University, the University of Minnesota, Montana State University, Oklahoma State University, Pennsylvania State University and West Virginia University.

 

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News, Weather |

3 Indiana men arrested on drug charges in Cass County

News

April 22nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

A traffic stop on Interstate 80 Monday in Cass County resulted in the arrest of three men from Indiana on drug charges. The Sheriff’s Office says 21-year old Zachary Allen Bushong, of Hamlet, IN., 21-year old Jason Robert Bazemore, of LaPorte, IN, and 21-year old Shane Matthew Reiter, of South Bend, IN, were taken into custody.

Bushong and Bazemore were each charged with Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana, Failure to Affix Drug Tax Stamp, Prohibited Acts, and Interference with Official Acts. Reiter was charged with Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana, Failure to Affix Drug Tax Stamp, and Prohibited Acts. All three were taken to the Cass County Jail where Bushong and Reiter were released on $5000 bond; Bazemore is currently being held on $12,000 bond.

Posted in News |

Iowa State says data breach could affect thousands

News

April 22nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

AMES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa State University has reported a data breach that exposed the Social Security numbers of nearly 30,000 people enrolled at the school over a 17-year period. The university said Tuesday that five information technology servers on the Ames campus were hacked. They contained the Social Security numbers of people who took certain classes at the school between 1995 and 2012. The servers also had university ID numbers for nearly 19,000 additional people.

Officials say an unknown person or persons intended to generate enough computing power to create the virtual currency bitcoin. But officials do not believe the personal information was a target. There is no evidence that any of those files were accessed.

Officials have notified law enforcement. Individuals with exposed Social Security numbers will be offered free credit monitoring.

Posted in News |