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2 arrests in Cass County

News

September 12th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on Monday of an Atlantic man. 43-year old Donald Lee Klindt, was arrested on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear. Klindt was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on $10,000 bond.

And, on Wednesday, deputies in Cass County arrested 39-year old Tara Marie Brosam, of Atlantic. Brosam faces a charge of OWI 1st Offense. She was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on her own recognizance.

(12:40-p.m News)

Cross Country Team Rankings

Sports

September 12th, 2013 by Jim Field

Here are the latest cross country team rankings from the Iowa Association of Track Coaches.

Girls 1-A:

  1. Griswold
  2. Pekin
  3. Central Elkader
  4. North Linn
  5. Earlham
  6. Pocahontas Area
  7. St. Albert
  8. Marquette
  9. South Winneshiek
  10. Tri-Center
  11. Denver
  12. Durant
  13. South Hamilton
  14. Lynnville-Sully
  15. Eagle Grove

Girls 2-A:

  1. Western Christian
  2. Unity Christian
  3. Northeast
  4. Gilbert
  5. Iowa City Regina
  6. East Marshall
  7. Davis County
  8. Dike-New Hartford
  9. Cascade
  10. North Fayette
  11. Panorama
  12. Monticello
  13. Noth Polk
  14. Roland-Story
  15. Spirit Lake

Girls 3-A:

  1. Decorah
  2. MOC-Floyd Valley
  3. Davenport Assumption
  4. Harlan
  5. Dubuque Wahlert
  6. Pella
  7. Grinnell
  8. Dallas Center-Grimes
  9. Bishop Heelan Catholic
  10. Fort Madison
  11. Williamsburg
  12. Shenandoah
  13. Crestwood
  14. Solon
  15. Spencer

Girls 4-A:

  1. Linn-Mar
  2. Pleasant Valley
  3. Ames
  4. Iowa City West
  5. Cedar Rapids Kennedy
  6. Muscatine
  7. Dowling Catholic
  8. Waukee
  9. Johnston
  10. Iowa City High
  11. Ankeny Centennial
  12. Cedar Rapids Washington
  13. Dubuque Senior
  14. Cedar Falls
  15. Urbandale

Boys 1-A:

  1. Denver
  2. Riverside
  3. St. Albert
  4. Trinity Christian
  5. West Lyon
  6. Marquette
  7. Turkey Valley
  8. South Winneshiek
  9. Central Elkader
  10. Nodaway Valley
  11. Boyer Valley
  12. Wapello
  13. Highland
  14. Logan-Magnolia
  15. Pekin

Boys 2-A:

  1. Monticello
  2. Gilbert
  3. Tipton
  4. Shenandoah
  5. Osage
  6. St. Edmond
  7. East Marshall
  8. Unity
  9. Spirit Lake
  10. North Polk
  11. Western Christian
  12. Dike-New Hartford
  13. Mid-Prairie
  14. Iowa City Regina
  15. Albia

Boys 3-A:

  1. Pella
  2. Charles City
  3. Algona
  4. Decorah
  5. Boone
  6. Center Point-Urbana
  7. Bishop Heelan Catholic
  8. Fort Madison
  9. Grinnell
  10. Cedar Rapids Xavier
  11. Ballard
  12. Vinton-Shellsburg
  13. Glenwood
  14. Knoxville
  15. Garner-Hayfield

Boys 4-A:

  1. Linn-Mar
  2. Johnston
  3. Waukee
  4. Pleasant Valley
  5. Dubuque Hempstead
  6. Cedar Falls
  7. Dowling Catholic
  8. Iowa City High
  9. Dubuque Senior
  10. Iowa City West
  11. Cedar Rapids Prairie
  12. Burlington
  13. Cedar Rapids Washington
  14. Ames
  15. Sioux City East

Judge refuses to block new meat labeling rules

Ag/Outdoor

September 12th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Meat industry groups say they’ll continue fighting new label rules requiring specific information about the origin of their products even though a federal judge refused to block the rules. The new rules took effect in May requiring clear information about where animals grown for meat were born, raised and slaughtered on labels for steaks, ribs and other cuts of meat.

A judge said Wednesday he won’t issue a preliminary order blocking the label rules, but he didn’t decide the overall lawsuit. Officials at the American Meat Institute trade group for packers, processors, and suppliers say they will appeal Wednesday’s decision and keep fighting the new rules. Seven other industry groups joined AMI in the lawsuit because they say the rules are too costly and don’t provide any health benefits.

Drought intensifies in Midwest and South

Ag/Outdoor, News, Weather

September 12th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Heat and little rain continue to intensify the drought in several states including primary crop growing areas. The national drought monitor report released Thursday says in Iowa, the nation’s largest corn producer, severe drought spread to nearly 42 percent of the state up from 32 percent a week ago.   The drought monitor tracks conditions from Sept. 3 through Tuesday morning.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says about a third of corn and soybeans are in good or excellent condition in Iowa down from more than half rated in those categories a month ago. In Nebraska, where drought increased in some areas, non-irrigated corn is in similar shape.

Drought worsened in portions of Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin.

NE man’s body recovered from lake near Onawa

News

September 12th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

The body of a Nebraska man who disappeared while swimming in a lake near Onawa Wednesday afternoon, was recovered this (Thursday) morning. The Omaha World-Herald, citing a news release from the Monona County Sheriff’s Office, says searchers found the body of 43-year old Garrett L. Grant, of Macy, NE., just before 8-a.m.

Authorities had received a report at around noon Wednesday, that family members were attempting to locate Grant after he went swimming in Blue Lake, at the Lewis and Clark State Park.  Divers and others searched the lake Wednesday until 8:45 p.m.,  when their efforts were suspended due to darkness.

 

MARCELLA EMMA WATSON, 96, of Council Bluffs (formerly of Minden) (Svcs. Pending Late November)

Obituaries

September 12th, 2013 by admin

MARCELLA EMMA WATSON, 96, of Council Bluffs (formerly of Minden) died Tuesday, Sept. 10th at the Lakeside Hospital in Omaha.  Celebration of Life Services for MARCELLA WATSON will be held in late November at the Shelby Methodist Church with details pending.  Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Avoca has the arrangements.

A private family graveside service will be held at the Shelby Cemetery in Shelby.

MARCELLA EMMA WATSON is survived by:

Daughter: Gaylene Searcy of Council Bluffs.

2 Granddaughters

4 Great-Grandchildren

PA man pleads guilty to robbing bank in Stuart

News

September 12th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

A man from Pennsylvania has entered pleas of guilty to three felony charges stemming from the robbery of a bank in Guthrie County. The Guthrie Center Times reports 29-year-old Wayne Eugene Palmer, Jr., of Carlisle, PA, admitted to his role in the May 20th robbery in Stuart, of the First State Bank. The man appeared in court on Monday.

Hannah Reisinger

Hannah Reisinger

Palmer’s accomplice, 20-year-old Hannah Reisinger, photographed in a distinctive green dress and red wig, made off with just over $3,000 in the robbery. She has also agreed to a plea bargain, but has not yet officially done so, in court. Palmer told the judge Monday he and Reisinger hadn’t decided where exactly to commit a robbery until reaching Stuart and driving around town. According to Palmer, they were en route to California to “get married”, but Guthrie County Attorney Mary Benton told the paper Palmer already was married, with a wife and children in Pennsylvania.

Palmer and Reisinger later were apprehended in Los Angeles, CA. In a plea deal with Benton, Palmer plead guilty to robbery in the second degree, going armed with intent, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was originally charged with robbery in the first degree, which carries a 25 year prison term. The second degree conviction carries a mandatory 10 year prison term, and the other two offenses carry five year sentences. All will be served consecutively for a total of 20 years. Palmer admitted the robbery was his idea.

Palmer, who was paroled from Pennsylvania prison in 2011 on two other robbery convictions, was still on parole when the Stuart robbery was committed. He had served 10 years on those prison sentences. Once Palmer’s sentence is completed in Iowa, Benton stated he will be transferred back to Pennsylvania to serve six years remaining on the previous convictions.

No injuries reported following accident in Villisca

News

September 12th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County say no injuries were reported following an accident this (Thursday) morning, in Villisca. Vehicles driven by 37-year old Niko Marie Hensley, and 51-year old Douglas Lyle Schenck, both of Villisca, collided at around 7:15-a.m. at the intersection of North 3rd Avenue and 1st Street, when Hensley failed to see Schenck’s vehicle approaching, and pulled out into the intersection after stopping at the posted stop sign.  Damage from the collision amounted to $5,500. Hensley was cited for Failure to Obey a stop sign.

Audit finds errors in food stamp overlap with foster care, adoption assistance grants

News

September 12th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

An audit of the state’s management of the food stamp program finds — in some cases — a longer overlap in foster care and adoption assistance with food stamp benefits than is permitted by law. Someone who gets “Family Investment Program” or “food stamp” benefits is not to receive any other benefits from the Iowa Department of Human Services. However, there is a one-month transition period allowed for children who go into foster care or are being adopted. It allows the prospective parent or guardian to receive the child’s foster care payments or adoption assistance grants during that 30-day window.

A state audit reviewed over 380 cases and found 28 percent had improperly gotten both foster care and food stamp benefits for up to four months. About 13 percent got adoption assistance and food stamps for too long. Managers for the agency say the error rate may be due to a dramatic reduction in staff handling the cases. In 2009, there were 116 more employees working in the unit. Case loads increased from about 600 per worker in 2009 to 772 per worker in 2012.

The audit of the Department of Human Services also noted several paperwork errors in other programs, including a lack of appropriate documents in some files.

(Radio Iowa)

Anita to contract with Cass Co. Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement svcs.

News

September 12th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

The Anita City Council, Wednesday, voted to enter into a law enforcement sharing agreement with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office. The Council held a public hearing prior to voting 4-to nothing (with one council member absent), to secure coverage from the County.  A similar agreement was reached earlier this week, in Griswold.

A meeting will take place September 17th to finalize the agreement between the City of Anita and the Cass County Sheriff’s Office. The move by Anita became necessary with the retirement of Police Chief John Larsen, whose last day is September 22nd.