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JEFF G. RIESBERG, 47, of Audubon (Svcs. 3/31/14)

Obituaries

March 28th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

JEFF G. RIESBERG, 47, of Audubon, died Thu., March 27th, at home. A Mass of Christian Burial service for JEFF RIESBERG will be held 10:30-a.m. Mon., March 31st, at the St. Augustine Catholic Church in Halbur, IA. Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon has the arrangements.

Friends may call at the funeral home, where the family visitation is from 4-to 8-pm Sunday (3/30).

Burial will be in the St. Augustine Catholic Cemetery in Halbur.

JEFF RIESBERG is survived by:

His fiance’ – Donna Parrish, of Audubon ( as well as her brothers & sisters and her children).

His mother – Illa Mae Riesberg, of Halbur.

His sisters and brothers – Becky (Bill) Ocker, of Lincoln, NE; Barb (Steve) Willenberg, of Manning; Janet (Lee) Wiederien, of Des Moines; Joe (Kim) Riesberg, of Pocatello, ID, and Jay (Carrie) Riesberg, of Carroll.

6 grandchildren, other relatives and friends.

NIELS C. JUEL, 94, of Omaha (Formerly of Audubon) – Svcs. 3/31/14

Obituaries

March 28th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

NIELS C. JUEL, 94, of Omaha (& Formerly of Audubon), died Wed., March 26th, at the Waterford Assisted Living facility in Omaha. Funeral services for NIELS JUEL will be held 2-p.m. Mon., March 31st, at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Audubon. Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon has the arrangements.

Visitation, with the family present, is from Noon until the time of service Monday, at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church.

Burial will be in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Audubon.

NIELS JUEL is survived by:

His wife – Wilma Juel, of Pella.

His children – Twila Juel, and Merlin (Dee) Juel, all of Omaha.

His step-children: Bonnie (Carlos) Chase, of Pella; Marcia Laub, of Buffalo, NY; and Mark Christensen, of Los Angeles, CA.

6 grandchildren, his step-grandchildren and step great-grandchildren, other relatives & friends.

MRS. MICKEY JOLENE COFFMAN, 62, of Panora (Svcs. 3/29/14)

Obituaries

March 28th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

MRS. MICKEY JOLENE COFFMAN, 62, of Panora, died Thu., March 27th, at the Panora Nursing & Rehab Center. A Celebration of Life Gathering for MRS. MICKEY COFFMAN will be held 7-pm Sat., March 29th, at the Owl’s Nest, in Panora. Twigg Funeral Home in Guthrie Center has the arrangements.

There is no visitation.

SW IA man charged with the theft & sale of grain

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 28th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Authorities in Fremont County report one person was recently arrested on a felony theft charge associated with the theft and sale of grain. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office says 41-year old Kelley Ryan Roof, of Tabor, was charged with 1st degree theft, a Class-C felony, following the execution of a search warrant at his residence.  His cash bond was set at $40-thousand.

His arrest was the result of an investigation into a tip from a concerned citizen authorities received on March 13th. The individual told authorities about a possible theft of grain from the Fremont County area. During the investigation, it was discovered Roof allegedly took without permission, 2,230-bushels of soybeans from a Randolph area farmer. Roof is alleged to have sold the beans for more than $31-thousand.

During the search of his property, authorized seized a 2014 Polaris RZR purchased with the proceeds of the alleged theft. Roof remains in the Fremont County Jail.

NWS forecast for Atlantic & the KJAN listening area: 3/28/2014

Weather

March 28th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 46. North wind 5 to 8 mph.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 27. North northeast wind 5 to 7 mph.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 59. Northeast wind 5 to 14 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 18 mph.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 41. South wind 13 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 72. Windy.

Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 50. Windy.

Monday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 55. Windy.

Iowa early News Headlines: Fri., March 28th 2014

News

March 28th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Environmental groups are sounding alarms that a Republican-led House subcommittee has inserted language into the budget bill for the Department of Agriculture that critics say would prevent the public from accessing information about water quality improvement practices. The budget bill deals in part with farm practices the state will help pay for as part of the state’s strategy to reduce manure and fertilizer that runs into rivers and streams.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Governor Terry Branstad has denied the applications of 18 inmates seeking commutation. The governor made the announcement Thursday in a news release. The individuals seeking commutation are serving different sentences, including life in prison. Some have been convicted of crimes like first-degree murder. Other convictions involve kidnapping and robbery.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A couple has purchased the historic Hibernian Hall in downtown Davenport and plans to use the space as loft housing. The Quad-City Times reports developers Manoj and Manisha Baheti bought the hall, several adjacent buildings and a house. The real estate deal closed Tuesday. The hall, built in 1889, is on the National Register of Historic Places.

NEW YORK (AP) — Iowa State and UConn are meeting today in the Sweet Sixteen with similar NBA-inspired offenses. The third-seeded Cyclones tip off Friday evening versus the seventh-seeded Huskies in the NCAA tournament East Regional at Madison Square Garden. Iowa State’s Fred Hoiberg and UConn’s Kevin Ollie were briefly teammates with the Chicago Bulls in 2001 and 2002.

Wacha pitches 5 strong innings for Cardinals

Sports

March 28th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Michael Wacha looked sharp in his final spring start Thursday, giving up a run in five innings of the St. Louis Cardinals’ 6-4 loss to the Miami Marlins. Wacha gave up four hits and struck out six. He is scheduled to start the Cardinals’ second game of the season, on Tuesday at Cincinnati. He will start the home opener in St. Louis on April 7.

Wacha did struggle in the fifth. Derek Dietrich led off with a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on Marcell Ozuna’s single and scored on Brian Bogusevic’s sacrifice fly to right. Marlins infielder Ed Lucas broke his left hand when he was hit by a pitch. His injury should make room for Donovan Solano, who was sent to Triple-A New Orleans earlier in the day.

MARY A. HAVERMAN, 98, of Carroll (3-31-14)

Obituaries

March 27th, 2014 by Jim Field

MARY A. HAVERMAN, 98 of Carroll died Thursday, March 27th at the Carroll Health Center Nursing Home. Mass of Christian Burial for MARY A. HAVERMAN will be held on Monday, March 31st at 10:30 am at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Carroll. Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll is in charge of the arrangements.

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Friends may call at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll on Sunday after 2:30 p.m. where there will be a Rosary at 3 p.m. and a Christian Wake Service at 5 p.m. The casket will be moved to the Holy Spirit Church at 9:30 a.m. Monday where visitation will resume until the time of the funeral mass.

Burial will be in Mt. Olivet Cemetery.

MARY A. HAVERMAN is survived by:

Children: Bernice Mueggenberg of Sac City; Arlene Mueggenberg of Breda; Leona Mueggenberg of Breda; Alvina Thelen of Anita; Marian Sturm of Ankeny; Janet Brincks of Roselle.

21 Grandchildren

39 Great-Grandchildren

Gov. Branstad denies 18 applications for commutation

News

March 27th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

(DES MOINES) – Gov. Terry E. Branstad today (Thursday) denied 18 applications for the commutation of prison sentences. Five prisoners who committed crimes in western and southwest Iowa were among those whose requests were denied. They include:

  • 43-year old James W. Bettis, who committed his crime on September 6, 1988, in Page County. He is currently a life sentence for first-degree murder.
  • 34-year old James Eaglefeather, who committed his crimes on October 6, 1998, in Pottawattamie County. He is currently serving a term of incarceration not to exceed twenty-five years for Robbery – 1st degree, 85%.
  • 39-year old Danny Ray Long, who committed his crimes on or about December 11th and 18th, 1998, in Pottawattamie County. He is currently serving a term of incarceration not to exceed fifty years for two counts of Robbery – 1st degree, 85%.
  • 46-year old Steven G. Sempek,  who committed his crimes on April 1, 1998, in Pottawattamie County. He is currently serving a 100-year sentence for six counts of Sexual Abuse in the second-degree (85%).
  • 58-year old Simon C. Tunstall committed his crime on August 31, 1986, in Woodbury County. He is currently serving a life sentence for first-degree murder.

EEOC sues Shelby County trucking company, alleging sexual harassment

News

March 27th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

PANAMA, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is suing an Iowa trucking company accused of allowing a female worker to be sexually harassed and firing her for complaining. The commission claimed in a lawsuit filed Thursday that Panama Transfer violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Panama Transfer is based in Panama, 100 miles west of Des Moines. The family-owned company operates and maintains truck terminals in several states. The lawsuit claims a female worker at its Wellman, Iowa terminal was sexually harassed by a male supervisor who made sexual innuendos in private and over the workplace intercom. It says she was fired in May 2012 after she complained.

Company President Dean Kloewer said Thursday the allegations are false and the company’s lawyers will fight them. The commission is seeking damages.