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Lance Armstrong finds support in Iowa

Sports

July 23rd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong says fellow riders have been “supportive” of him this week during an annual bike ride across Iowa. Armstrong is in the Midwest for a weeklong event known as RAGBRAI, which starts at the Missouri River in western Iowa and ends at the Mississippi River. It’s the first public appearance on a bike for the seven-time Tour de France winner since he ended years of denials in January and admitting he doped to win.

Armstrong told the Des Moines Register, which sponsors RAGBRAI, that riding in the event allows him to stay connected with the sport he loves. Armstrong has participated in RAGBRAI five times. He says that while he braced for negative reactions from other riders, he didn’t expect a wave of hostility.

Posted in Sports |

Chiefs’ Smith getting first reps of training camp

Sports

July 23rd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — Alex Smith started taking his first snaps of training camp as the quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs. Smith and the rest of the Chiefs quarterbacks reported to camp Tuesday on the campus of Missouri Western ahead of the veterans, who will report Thursday. The first full-squad practice is Friday.

The Chiefs acquired Smith from the San Francisco 49ers this past offseason, reaching an agreement on a trade of draft picks even before the new league year began. Smith had flourished over the past two years, but was hurt last season and then lost his job to Colin Kaepernick. He watched from the sideline as Kaepernick led the 49ers to the Super Bowl.

Now, he’s the No. 1 quarterback for the Chiefs with nobody looking over his shoulder.

Posted in Sports |

Climatologist: Iowa in 25-year period of “volatile” weather

Ag/Outdoor, Weather

July 23rd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

A climatologist with Iowa State University Extension says regional weather patterns have entered an erratic period, but farmers can reap high rewards if they play the markets right. Climatologist Elwynn Taylor says over the last 140 years, there has tended to be 18 years of “benign” weather followed by 25 years of “volatile” weather.  “The kind of thing that gives much greater risk to the production of crops,” Taylor says. “Some years might be great, but other years might be a disaster. Of course 1936 — the worst production year in the Midwest in the past century — was in the middle of one of those 25-year periods.”

The major droughts of 1983 and ’88 and the massive flooding in 1993 were in the last “volatile” weather cycle, according to Taylor. “It was extreme weather and we also had some years with record-high crop yields,” Taylor says. “….We can get very good years (and) very bad years during what we call the ‘extreme years’ that go on for a 25-year period, historically.” Plant breeders have developed seed varieties that can endure heat, excessive moisture and drought — and Taylor says the pressure is now on farmers to analyze weather patterns and figure out when to sell their crop.

“People that work in the selling and buying of crops find that their greatest income is in periods of greatest volatility — where prices are going up and down, they can take advantage of this,” Taylor says. “Our farmers can do the same thing.” Taylor says buying crop insurance and selling their crops at the right time will help farmers yield greater profits during this 25-year cycle of “extreme” weather than during the previous18-year period of “benign” weather.

Taylor spoke today (Tuesday) at the Iowa Farm Bureau’s Economic Summit in Ames.

(Radio Iowa)

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, Weather |

Former Harlan teacher charged with sexual exploitation by a school employee

News

July 23rd, 2013 by admin

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest today (Tuesday) of 72-year old Lee Nelson of Harlan on charges of Sexual Exploitation by a School Employee and Assault with Intent to Commit Sexual Abuse. Nelson is a former teacher of the Harlan Community School District.LeeNelson

On May 30, 2013, the 17-year old female victim and her parents contacted police to report that since October 2012, Nelson had been saying rude and inappropriate things to the victim, as well as touching her inappropriately. Considering the involved parties and the severity of the accusations, the Harlan Police Department requested the assistance of the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) on June 3rd, 2013.

Over the last two months DCI Agents and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office interviewed the victim, witnesses, and the alleged suspect which resulted in Nelson’s arrest. Nelson is currently being held in the Shelby County Jail on $7,000 bond.

Nelson was employed with the Harlan Community School District for 35 years, before the school board accepted his resignation on April 22, 2013.

Posted in News |

Atlantic CPC awards Business Incentive Grant

News

July 23rd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce reports the City’s Community Promotions Commission,  represented by Heather Link, and Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce President Chip Hansen, have presented Scott Jensen of State Farm Insurance, with $1,000 in matching funds from the Business Incentive Grant Fund.IMG_0183 The Business Incentive Grant Fund is a partnership between the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce and Community Promotion Commission to offer new businesses in the Atlantic city limits matching funds for marketing purposes.

Funds are made available through a portion of the Local Option Sales Tax dollars allocated to the CPC for external marketing of the Atlantic Community. For more information regarding the Business Incentive Program contact the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce.

Posted in News |

Mills County Arson arrest

News

July 23rd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

A Glenwood man was arrested early this (Tuesday) morning on a felony charge of Arson in the 1st degree in connection with fires discovered at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office. In  addition, 22-year old Adam Houchin faces a felony Possession of an Incendiary device, charge. Houchin was arrested following an investigation into fires set at three locations at the Sheriff’s Office, which were reported at 4:25-a.m. The fires were quickly extinguished, but they were determined to have been intentionally set.

Officials say Houchin and his girlfriend had been involved in a domestic disturbance earlier in the evening, when she was arrested, and was at the jail when the fires were started. Houchin faces up to 35-years in prison if convicted on the charges. He’s being held in the Mills County Jail on $35,000 cash bond.

The State Fire Marshall’s Office and Mills County Sheriff’s Office investigated the incident which led to Houchin’s arrest.

Posted in News |

VIRGINIA WAGNER, 99, of Stuart (Svcs. 7-26-2013)

Obituaries

July 23rd, 2013 by admin

VIRGINIA WAGNER, 99, of Stuart died Tues., July 23rd at the Greater Regional Hospice Home in Creston. Funeral service for VIRGINIA WAGNER will be held at 10:00-a.m. Fri., July 26th at the All Saints Catholic Church in Stuart. Johnson Family Funeral Home has the arrangements.

Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00-p.m. Thurs., July 25th at the All Saints Catholic Church in Stuart with a rosary being recited at 7:30-p.m.

Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Stuart.

Online condolences may be left at www.johnsonfamilyfuneralhome.com.

Posted in Obituaries |

Arrests in Atlantic

News

July 23rd, 2013 by admin

The Atlantic Police Department reports the arrest of 18-year old Nicholas Renner of Atlantic on Monday. Renner was arrested on a Cass County Warrant for Theft in the 4th degree.

The A-PD reports the arrest today (Tuesday) of 50-year old Lawerence William Stuva III of Council Bluffs for OWI 1st Offense.

Both men were transported to the Cass County Jail and booked in.

Posted in News |

DNR plans osprey release in 2 Iowa locations

Ag/Outdoor, News

July 23rd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says it will release nine young ospreys at two spots as part of an effort to build a sustainable population of the birds. The DNR says the 42-day-old birds will be released in the next few weeks at Mud Lake, along the Mississippi River north of Dubuque, and Swan Lake, near Carroll.

The young birds of prey can tear apart fish but aren’t yet able to fly. The DNR says residents of Dubuque and Carroll counties can help by donating fresh fish for the birds. The ospreys will begin flying in a couple weeks and should quickly become self-sufficient.

The osprey release is part of a program to establish the birds in Iowa. Since 1997, 247 ospreys have been released at a dozen sites.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

Big Ten Sending Teams to DFW for Bowls Through ’19

Sports

July 23rd, 2013 by Jim Field

DALLAS (AP) — The Big Ten Conference will have a team in either the Heart of Dallas Bowl or the Armed Forces Bowl each year through the 2019 season.   As part of an extension with the Heart of Dallas Bowl announced Tuesday, the Big Ten will also send teams to the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, rotating between the two games over a seven-year period.   This season, the Big Ten will play a team from Conference USA in the Heart of Dallas Bowl. That game is on New Year’s Day at the historic Cotton Bowl stadium.   Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany says the league looks forward to continuing the tradition of playing a bowl game annually in Texas like it has since 1995.   ESPN Regional Television owns and operates both games.

Posted in Sports |