United Group Insurance

Lawmakers want agreement soon on Iowa dog racing

News

March 6th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Legislative leaders are telling the greyhound racing industry and casinos that want to end dog racing to work out their differences soon. Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, a Council Bluffs Democrat, says he’d like to see a deal that provides a “soft landing” for the greyhound industry that support the state’s two remaining dog tracks at casinos in Council Bluffs and Dubuque. Republican House Speaker Kraig Paulsen agrees.

The casinos, which provided $10 million last year to subsidize dog racing want the tracks to close. The greyhound industry says it employs 1,200 workers in Iowa and hopes to keep a track operating somewhere in Iowa.

A bill that has passed the committee level requires the casinos to pay the dog industry $70 million over six years to shut down racing.

Doolittle Sparks No. 23 Iowa Past Illinois 81-62

Sports

March 6th, 2014 by Jim Field

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Bethany Doolittle scored a career-high 26 points, hitting 10 of 14 shots, as fifth-seeded and 23rd-ranked Iowa defeat Illinois 81-62 in the first round of the Big 10 tournament on Thursday.

Melissa Dixon added 15 points and Ally Disterhoft 14 with 12 rebounds for the Hawkeyes (24-7), who face No. 17 Purdue (21-7), the fourth seed, in the quarterfinals Friday.

Amber Moore had 26 points for the Illini (9-21), who have lost 11 straight). Ivory Crawford had 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Iowa opened the game with an 11-2 run and after Illinois regrouped to take a 27-26 lead, the Hawkeyes closed the half with a 15-2 surge for a 41-29 lead.

Iowa shot 54 percent from the field, made 21 of 26 free throw and had a 45-31 rebounding edge to offset 24 turnovers. The Illini shot just 32 percent and got to the line 14 times, making 10.

Browns Agree to Terms with Kicker Cundiff

Sports

March 6th, 2014 by Jim Field

CLEVELAND (AP) — Kicker Billy Cundiff has agreed to terms on a contract extension with the Browns.

Cundiff was eligible to hit the free-agent market next week, but he’ll stay with the Browns. Terms of the deal announced Thursday were not immediately available.

After Phil Dawson left for San Francisco before last season, the Browns signed Cundiff, who made 21 of 26 field-goal attempts and made 32 extra points in 16 games. Cundiff also set a franchise record with 42 touchbacks.

Cundiff made the Pro Bowl with Baltimore in 2010. He kicked in five games for the Browns in 2009 and has also played for Dallas, New Orleans and Washington. He was in training camp with the New York Jets last summer before he was waived on Aug. 28.

He has converted 76 percent of his career field-goal attempts.

The former Drake University player is a Harlan alum.

THURSDAY, MARCH 6th

Trading Post

March 6th, 2014 by admin

FOR SALE: 5 gallons of Keystone kerosene. $3 per gallon. 712-326-4990

FREE TO GOOD HOME: rat terrier mix, house trained, has shots, good with kids. 243-2450

Branstad joins lawsuit opposed to chicken rules

Ag/Outdoor

March 6th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad says he has joined a lawsuit seeking to strike down a California law regulating the living conditions of chickens. Branstad announced Thursday he’d joined the lawsuit filed in February by Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster. Attorneys general in Alabama, Kentucky, Nebraska and Oklahoma also have joined the lawsuit.

It seeks to block a California law taking effect in 2015 that prohibits eggs from being sold there if they come from hens raised in cages that don’t comply with California’s new size and space requirements. The voter-approved law requires that egg-laying hens, pigs and calves be given enough space to lie down, stand up, turn around and fully extend their limbs.

Iowa is the nation’s top egg producer. About 9 percent of those eggs are sold in California.

2 arrests in Cass County

News

March 6th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests this week. Authorities said Thursday that 44-year old Tammy Darleen Flathers, of Cumberland, was arrested Tuesday on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear to Serve Jail Time. Flathers was taken to the Cass County Jail where she was being held until the completion of her jail time.

And on Wednesday, 29-year old Ehren Michael Mardesen, of Anita, was arrested on a charge of Aggravated Domestic Abuse Assault. Mardesen was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released the following day on his own recognizance.

 

Lawmaker: Iowa bill would pay for child burials

News

March 6th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) – A Cedar Falls lawmaker is pushing for legislation that would help low-income families pay for child burials.  The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports Democratic Rep. Bob Kressig’s bill would give qualifying individuals up to $2,000 for funeral expenses after the death of a child. The measure has been assigned to an appropriations subcommittee.

Kressig says the legislation was inspired by Sing Me to Heaven, a nonprofit group in northeast Iowa that raises money to help pay for such funerals. Group organizers say the cost of a funeral can range from $2,000 to $10,000 or more.

The bill would provide $100,000 to be administered through the state Department of Public Health. The amount is not expected to be used up within a year, and the funds would not necessarily be recurring.

Northey to visit Atlantic & other SW IA cities next week

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 6th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey has announced that he will be visiting Pottawattamie, Mills, Fremont, Page, Sac, Carroll, Audubon and Cass Counties from Monday, March 10th through Wednesday, March 12th.

On Monday Northey will present the Gary Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award in Oakland, visit Mulholland Grocery in Malvern, tour Green Plains Renewable Energy in Shenandoah and then speak to an Iowa Corn Growers Association meeting in Shenandoah.  On Tuesday Northey will speak at a cover crop meeting in Sac City, tour a feedlot in Carroll and then visit the John James Audubon Cultural Center in Audubon.  On Wednesday he will attend of the Triumph of Ag Expo in Omaha, Nebraska and then speak at a cover crop event in Atlantic.

Northey, a corn and soybean farmer from Spirit Lake, is serving his second term as Secretary of Agriculture. His priorities as Secretary of Agriculture are promoting the use of science and new technologies to better care for our air, soil and water, and reaching out to tell the story of Iowa agriculture.

Details of his trip are as follows…..

Monday, March 10, 2014

Pottawattamie County – 11:30 a.m., present the Gary Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award, Oakland Community Center, 614 Dr. Van Zee Rd., Oakland

Mills County – 2:45 p.m., visit Mulholland Grocery, 409 Main St., Malvern

Fremont County – 4:30 p.m., tour Green Plains Renewable Energy, 4124 Airport Rd., Shenandoah

Page County – 7:00 p.m., speak to Iowa Corn Growers Association meeting, the Elks Lodge, 701 S. Fremont St., Shenandoah

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Sac County – 11:00 a.m., speak to cover crop meeting, First Presbyterian Church, 812 Audubon St., Sac City

Carroll County – 1:00 p.m., tour a cattle feedlot.  (This is a private tour, but would be available for interviews beforehand or afterwards)

Audubon County – 2:30 p.m., visit John James Audubon Cultural Center, 401 N. Park Place, Audubon

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Omaha, Nebraska – Noon, attend Triumph of Ag Expo opening lunch, CenturyLink Center, 455 North 10th St., Omaha, NE

Cass County – 2:30 p.m., speak to cover crop meeting, Cass County Community Center, 805 W. 10th St., Atlantic.

Christofferson One of Four Cyclones to Earn Big 12 Conference Honors

Sports

March 6th, 2014 by Jim Field

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State senior Hallie Christofferson was named to the All-Big 12 First Team, while sophomore Nikki Moody was a Second-Team selection and Jadda Buckley and Seanna Johnson earned spots on the All-Freshman Team.

Christofferson, a forward from Hamlin, Iowa, was a first-team pick after averaging 18.5 points and 7.2 rebounds. In conference play, Christofferson averaged 16.5 points and was in the top-15 in the league in field goal percentage at 46.4 percent for the season. She was also second in the league with an 89.2 percent clip at the free-throw line.

Christofferson, who tallied seven double-double this season, was in double figures in 27 of 29 games, including 15 games with 20 or more points.

Moody, a junior guard from Euless, Texas, earned second-team honors for the first time in her career. She averaged 12.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game this season. Moody tallied 20 points on three occasions and scored in double digits 17 times. She recorded five or more assists 18 times including two games with 10 or more assists.

Johnson and Buckley have enjoyed standout freshman campaigns earning eight of the 18 Big 12 Freshman of the Week awards between the two. Iowa State’s two nods on the All-Freshman team is the first time in the history of the award that a school has placed two on the team in the same year.

Buckley, a guard from Mason City, Iowa, is averaging 11.0 points per game, 3.2 assists per game and 2.2 rebounds per game. Buckley has grabbed three Freshman of the Week honors for the Cyclones and scored 20-plus points on two occasions. She has also scored in double-digits 16 times this season.

Johnson, a guard from Brooklyn Park, Minn., is averaging 10.6 points and 8.1 rebounds. She has earned five Freshman of the Week honors and scored in double-digits 16 times. Johnson has also recorded nine double-digit rebounding games.

2013-14 Phillips 66 All-Big 12 Awards

  • Coach of the Year: Mike Carey, West Virginia
  • Player of the Year: Odyssey Sims, Baylor **
  • Freshman of the Year: Nina Davis, Baylor
  • Defensive Player of the Year: Odyssey Sims, Baylor
  • Sixth Man Award: Taylor Palmer, West Virginia

All-Big 12 First Team (all honors listed alphabetical by school)

  • Nina Davis Baylor F 5-11 Fr Memphis, Tenn.
  • Odyssey Sims^~!** Baylor G 5-8 Sr Irving, Texas
  • Hallie Christofferson^ Iowa State F 6-3 Sr Hamlin, Iowa
  • Chelsea Gardner Kansas F 6-3 Jr DeSoto, Texas
  • Aaryn Ellenberg^~** Oklahoma G 5-7 Sr Las Vegas, Nev.
  • Tiffany Bias%+** Oklahoma State G 5-6 Sr Andover, Kan.
  • Zahna Medley TCU G 5-6 So Springfield, Ill.
  • Nneka Enemkpali Texas F 6-1 Jr Pflugerville, Texas
  • Asya Bussie West Virginia C 6-4 Sr Randallstown, Md.
  • Bria Holmes** West Virginia G 6-1 So New Haven, Conn.

All-Big 12 Second Team

  • Nikki Moody Iowa State G 5-8 Jr Euless, Texas
  • Leticia Romero Kansas State G 5-8 Fr Las Palmas, Spain
  • Morgan Hook Oklahoma G 5-10 Sr Lowell, Ark.
  • Imani McGee-Stafford Texas C 6-7 So Los Angeles, Calif.
  • Amber Battle Texas Tech G 5-9 Jr Albuquerque, N.M.

All-Big 12 Honorable Mention

Niya Johnson (Baylor), Makenzie Robertson (Baylor), Natalie Knight (Kansas), Sharane Campbell (Oklahoma), Nicole Griffin (Oklahoma), Liz Donohoe (Oklahoma State), Brittney Martin (Oklahoma State), Chassidy Fussell (Texas)

Big 12 All-Defensive Team

  • Odyssey Sims Baylor G 5-8 Sr Irving, Texas
  • Tiffany Bias Oklahoma State G 5-6 Sr Andover, Kan.
  • Latricia Lovings TCU C 6-3 Sr Fort Worth, Texas
  • Asya Bussie West Virginia C 6-4 Sr Randallstown, Md.
  • Jess Harlee West Virginia F 6-1 Sr Bel Air, Md.

Big 12 All-Freshman Team

  • Nina Davis** Baylor F 5-11 Memphis, Tenn.
  • Jadda Buckley** Iowa State G 5-8 Mason City, Iowa
  • Seanna Johnson Iowa State G 5-10 Brooklyn Park, Minn.
  • Leticia Romero** Kansas State G 5-8 Las Palmas, Spain
  • Roshunda Johnson Oklahoma State G 5-7 Little Rock, Ark.

** Unanimous First Team Selection (coaches cannot vote for own players, unanimous denotes voted first team by other nine coaches)

^ 2012-13 All-Big 12 First Team Selection

% 2012-13 All-Big 12 Second Team Selection

~ 2011-12 All-Big 12 First Team Selection

+ 2011-12 All Big 12 Second Team Selection

! 2010-11 All-Big 12 First Team Selection

Backyard and Beyond 03-06-2014

Backyard and Beyond, Podcasts

March 6th, 2014 by admin

Lavon Eblen speaks with Cass County Youth Coordinator Beth Irlbeck about the 4-H endowment fund and upcoming pancake supper fundraiser.

Play