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Fellow Republican calls for resignation of embattled GOP senator

News

August 26th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

A state senator says a fellow Republican senator who’s under an ethics investigation should resign now. Senator Kent Sorenson of Milo has been accused of violating ethics rules which forbid senators from being paid directly or indirectly for work on presidential campaigns. Sorenson denies the charges and says he’s the victim of “a witch hunt.” Senator Brad Zaun of Urbandale has been interviewed about accusations that Sorenson stole a contact list of Iowa homeschoolers for Michele Bachmann’s campaign.

“I know the answers to many of the allegations. I am a part of the police investigation in Urbandale as well as the (senate) ethics investigation,” Zaun said. “…I think it has been a big distraction for Republicans…He needs to resign.” Congresswoman Bachmann herself recently reached an out-of-court settlement with the woman who accused others in the Bachmann campaign of stealing the list of contacts. According to Zaun, the accusations surrounding Sorenson are “bad” for all senators.

“I know answers. I think that Senator Sorenson should resign,” Zaun said Sunday. “…Let’s let the investigation go forward, but I think it’s been a major distraction to the senate Republicans and I think he should resign,” Zaun said. Zaun made his comments Sunday on “The Insiders” on WHO-TV. Long-time State Representative Clel Baudler, from Greenfield, watched the program and Baudler says Zaun showed “a lot of leadership” by saying Sorenson should resign.

“(Sorenson’s) a cancer within our party and you cut it out if you have a cancer in there,” Baudler said. Baudler made his comments at a gathering of Adair County Republicans in Greenfield. Senate Republican Leader Bill Dix issued a written statement Sunday, noting the Senate Ethics Committee “has appointed a special investigator to examine all the allegations involving Senator Sorenson.” Dix said that process is in place “for a reason. Senate Republican leadership believes in the importance of allowing the process to work to maintain the integrity of the Iowa Senate.”

(Radio Iowa)

Nebraska issues warning on fungus danger to cattle

Ag/Outdoor

August 26th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska cattle producers are being warned to keep watch for a grass fungus that poses problems for livestock. The ergot (UR’-guht) fungus has been confirmed in several nearby states, including Missouri and Iowa.

Richard Randle is a University of Nebraska-Lincoln beef veterinarian, and he says he and colleagues are aware of at least a couple of unconfirmed Nebraska reports. Early moisture followed by heat causes certain grasses to grow quickly and develop seed heads faster than cattle can consume them. That allows ergot to flourish in the seed heads.

The tips of cattle ears and tails fall off because the fungus can hamper blood flow to extremities. Cattle also can become lame, but ergot poisoning is unlikely to be fatal. More information is available online at http://marketjournal.unl.edu/

Australian wins PGA’s Cox Classic in Omaha

Sports

August 26th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Australia’s Bronson La’Cassie won the Cox Classic on Sunday to earn a PGA Tour card with a sixth-place finish on the Web DOT com Tour money list. The former University of Minnesota player beat Matt Bettencourt with a par on the third hole of a playoff. La’Cassie closed with a 4-under 67 to match Bettencourt at 21-under 263 at Champions Run. Bettencourt also finished with a 67.

La’Cassie earned $144,000 to jump from 33rd to sixth on the money list with $255,629. The top 25 after the tournament earned PGA Tour cards for the 2013-14 season. Bettencourt made $$86,400 to finish 16th with $162,877. Michael Putnam topped the list with $450,184. He had a 72 on Sunday to tie for 12th at 14 under.

Iowa early News Headlines: Monday, Aug. 26th 2013

News

August 26th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police are investigating the death of a 40-year-old Iowa man who was severely beaten near Wells Fargo arena in Des Moines. A woman called police shortly before 1 a.m. yesterday to report the assault in a parking lot near the arena in downtown Des Moines. Police found Richard Daughenbaugh with significant injuries, and paramedics took him to Methodist Hospital where he died.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A 21-year-old Iowa man has been charged with causing serious injuries to a toddler earlier this summer. Dubuque authorities say Troy Laufenberg was arrested there Saturday evening. He is accused of causing 18-month-old Myah Larson’s brain damage on July 15th. He was being held yesterday in the Dubuque County Jail.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Council Bluffs is looking for a new fire chief for the first time in nearly two decades. The Daily Nonpareil reports that Alan Byers is retiring after 19 years as chief and 35 years as a firefighter.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — The city of Cedar Rapids is celebrating the new library it built to replace one lost to the devastating 2008 flood. KWWL reports eastern Iowa’s largest city opened its new downtown library on Saturday. The new library has a children’s section that’s bigger than the temporary library that had served the city since the 2008 floods.

Minor bounces back to lift Braves over Cards

Sports

August 25th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Mike Minor bounced back from the shortest outing of his career with seven strong innings and Andrelton Simmons homered to lead the Atlanta Braves to a 5-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. Atlanta, which has the best record in the NL, broke a three-game losing streak and salvaged the final game of the four-game set. St. Louis had a four-game winning streak snapped.

Minor (13-5) gave up one run on six hits. He struck out two and walked one. He was pitching on seven days rest after allowing four runs in 1 2-3 innings against Washington on Aug. 17. Minor, who legged out an infield hit in the seventh, recorded his team-high 19th quality start.

Simmons hit his 12th homer of the season, a solo shot in the seventh that gave the Braves a 4-1 lead.

Chiefs cut backup QB Stanzi, draft pick Wilson

Sports

August 25th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs cut quarterback Ricky Stanzi, sixth-round draft pick Braden Wilson and a dozen other players Sunday night as they prepared to reach the 75-man limit by Tuesday. The Chiefs were left with 76 players on the roster.

Stanzi was beaten out for the No. 3 quarterback job by undrafted free agent Tyler Bray. He was joined by wide receiver Terrance Copper and defensive back Neiko Thorpe in players who were part of last year’s 2-14 team that were involved in the first round of cuts.

Also cut Sunday were cornerbacks Vince Agnew, Otha Foster III, Kamaal McIlwain; offensive linemen Ryan Durand, A.J. Hawkins and Hutch Eckerson; defensive ends Miguel Chavis and Rob Lohr; running back Jordan Roberts and wide receiver Tyler Shoemaker.

New state board will hear public records disputes

News

August 25th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A new state board charged with enforcing Iowa’s public records and meetings laws will also have to settle disputes over records requests. The Des Moines Register reports the new board that was created July 1 has already received about 50 complaints. The complaints come both from public records advocates and from government agencies who say they are facing unreasonable requests.

For instance, a county hospital administrator in Denison says he has received more than 300 information requests from Richard Knowles in the past 16 months. And Ottumwa city officials say staff members sometimes spend more than 75 percent of their day fulfilling records requests.

Atlantic listed on preferred route for high speed passenger rail

News

August 25th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Officials with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) have chosen a route for a proposed passenger rail system that would link the Omaha/Council Bluffs metro area with Chicago, and include stops at several cities in between. Among the cities, is Atlantic.Chicago to Omaha Rail The Daily NonPareil reports the option would utilize existing tracks owned by Burlington Northern-Santa Fe, Iowa Interstate Railroad, Union Pacific Railroad and Amtrak, according to an FRA Tier 1 Record of Decision released in July. The route, which would take trains through Moline, Ill., Iowa City, Des Moines and Atlantic, was referred to as the “preferred” option during a public meeting in Council Bluffs last December, according to Brian Goss of HDR Engineering, who served as a panelist.Passenger rail routes

The FRA decision was based on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement of October 2012 and the Final Environmental Impact Statement of May 2013 conducted by the Iowa Department of Transportation in cooperation with the Illinois Department of Transportation as part of Tier 1 of the Chicago to Council Bluffs-Omaha Regional Passenger Rail System Planning Study, the document stated. The FRA also considered comments from agencies, tribes and Native American groups and the public received during the public comment periods.

Goss says there could still be modifications, depending on what is uncovered during the Tier 2 study.  Amanda Martin, freight and passenger policy coordinator for the Iowa DOT and manager of the project, says the selected route would have the smallest impact on the environment of any options studied. The environmental portion of the Tier 1 study was completed well ahead of the usual two-year time frame, and now, the DOT is waiting for comments from the FRA needed for a Tier 1 Service Development Plan (SDP) and hopes to have the full study finished by October.

The Tier 2 study will proceed as funding becomes available. Specific aspects of the project likely to receive attention include track improvements, drainage, railroad crossings and train-control system improvements along the entire route. In addition, construction of stations in Iowa City, Grinnell, Des Moines, Atlantic, Council Bluffs and Omaha would be studied, along with possibilities for rail yards, layover and maintenance facilities, bridge construction or improvements and other factors. Once the Tier 2 study is finalized and approved, the next step would be design and engineering.

The proposed schedule developed for the SDP for these phases includes the following estimated time frames:
• Chicago to Moline (two round-trips) – construction 2014-2015; service begins Dec. 31, 2015
• Chicago to Iowa City (two round-trips) – construction 2015-2016; service begins 2017
• Chicago to Des Moines (two round-trips) – construction 2020-2021; service begins 2022
• Chicago to Des Moines (four round-trips) – equipment procurement 2024; service begins 2025
• Chicago to Council Bluffs (four round-trips) – construction 2028-2029; service begins 2030.

Western Iowa fire chief retires after 19 years

News

August 25th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Council Bluffs is looking for a new fire chief for the first time in nearly two decades. The Daily Nonpareil reports that Alan Byers is retiring after 19 years as chief and 35 years as a firefighter. Byers says it’s time for someone else to have a chance to lead the department.

Longtime Council Bluffs Mayor Tom Hanafan praised Byers work as chief. Hanafan says Byers oversaw numerous improvements and growth in the department during his tenure.

DR. HAROLD THOMAS BARNES, D.C., 84, of Audubon (Svcs 08-27-2013)

Obituaries

August 25th, 2013 by admin

DR. HAROLD THOMAS BARNES, D.C., 84, of Audubon died Friday, Aug. 23rd at the Mercy Hospital Medical Center in Des Moines.  Funeral Services for DR. HAROLD BARNES will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 27th at 2:00pm in the First Presbyterian Church in Audubon.  Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon has the arrangements.

Family visitation will be held on Monday, Aug. 26th at 6:00pm in the Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon.

Burial will be in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Audubon.

DR. HAROLD THOMAS BARNES is survived by:

Wife: Bernice Barnes of Audubon.

Children: Jacquelyn King of Ames.  Dwight (Nancy) Barnes of Iowa City.  Stewart (Angela) Barnes of Des Moines.  Lynette (Bill) Irlmeier of Woodland, CA.

Brother-in-law: Harold (Ida) Vincent of Tuscon, AZ.

5 Grandchildren

4 Step Grandchildren

8 Great Granchildren

Nieces, Nephews, other relatives and friends.