United Group Insurance

Tax Preparation Volunteers Needed for Local Program

News

October 30th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Cass County Extension Service says volunteers for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program are needed in southwest Iowa.  VITA  is an IRS-sponsored program that certifies community volunteers to prepare and e-file basic tax returns at no cost for low to moderate income individuals and families. Volunteers  are needed to prepare 2012 taxes. Anyone interested should have a basic understanding of income tax laws, an interest in helping others, and basic computer skills.

VITA volunteers are provided free training, self study materials, and software necessary to prepare basic income tax returns including Forms 1040EZ, 1040A, and 1040.  They must complete a certification exam and the IRS waives liability for volunteers if they prepare returns within the scope of their certification. To find out more about the VITA program contact the Cass County Extension Office at 712-243-1132 , or Mary Beth Kaufman, Extension Family Program Specialist at 712-755-3104 or e-mail: mbkaufma@iastate.edu.  Interested persons will need to complete a one page application.

The VITA program provides free tax preparation to low and moderate income families so they can claim the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Care Tax Credits.  In Southwest Iowa, the program is coordinated by Iowa State University Extension with funding and support from the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Human Services, and Iowans for Social and Economic Development (ISED).

Friday Football Quarterfinals

Sports

October 30th, 2012 by Jim Field

8-Man
Glidden-Ralston (9-2) @ Exira/EHK (11-0)
Adair-Casey (10-1) @ Murray (11-0)
M-M-C (11-0) @ Newell-Fonda (11-0)
Clarksville (10-1) @ Don Bosco (10-0)

Class A
Logan-Magnolia (10-1) @ Woodward-Granger (11-0)
Hinton (8-3) @ Akron-Westfield (10-1)
North Tama (10-1) @ Wapsie Valley (11-0)
BGM (9-2) @ Lynnville-Sully (9-2)

Class 1-A
Mount Ayr (11-0) @ St. Albert (10-1)
Emmetsburg (10-1) @ IKM-Manning (11-0)
Aplington-Parkersburg (9-2) @ Dike-New Hartford (11-0)
Maquoketa Valley (10-1) @ Iowa City Regina (11-0)

Class 2-A
Kuemper Catholic (11-0) @ West Marshall (11-0)
Spirit Lake (10-1) @ Boyden Hull-Rock Valley (11-0)
Waukon (9-2) @ Dyersville Beckman Catholic (10-1)
Bondurant-Farrar (10-1) @ Mediapolis (11-0)

Class 3-A
Lewis Central (9-2) @ Bishop Heelan Catholic (10-1)
South Tama County (9-2) @ Grinnell (11-0)
Central Clinton (8-3) @ Decorah (11-0)
Winterset (8-3) @ Williamsburg (10-1)

Class 4-A
Ankeny (11-0) @ WDM Valley (9-2)
Dowling Catholic (9-2) @ SE Polk (9-2)
Cedar Falls (10-1) @ Pleasant Valley (11-0)
Cedar Rapids Prairie (8-3) @ Cedar Rapids Xavier (11-0)

Tuesday Regional Volleyball Finals

Sports

October 30th, 2012 by Jim Field

All matches begin at 7:00 pm

Class 3-A
Region 3 @ Atlantic:  Red Oak (#9) vs. ADM

Class 4-A
Region 1 @ Mapleton:  Heelan Catholic (#2) vs. Lewis Central (#11)
Region 2 @ Guthrie Center:  Harlan (#3) vs. Dallas Center-Grimes

Class 5-A
Region 2 @ Norwalk:  CB Abraham Lincoln vs. Ankeny (#1)

Red Cross volunteers from Iowa ready to head to the East Coast

News

October 30th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Hurricane Sandy is blamed in at least 13 deaths in the U-S, while leaving more than six-million homes in 12 states without power. Allison Roach, with the Red Cross office in Omaha-Council Bluffs, says some volunteers from her chapter are already on the East Coast.  “We have many, many more who are on standby who are ready to go at a moment’s notice as soon as flights to those areas resume,” Roach says.

Several hundred disaster services volunteers in the region are offering a wide array of skills that will be needed in storm-damaged areas.  Roach says, “They will sign up and say ‘I am capable of going out’ and we will get a message from our national organization saying, ‘We need this many volunteers with these skills,’ and they’ll ask for these volunteers by name.” Roach says the best way Iowans can help is to make a donation to the Red Cross or by giving blood.

(Radio Iowa)

JOYCE ROECKER, 89, of Manning (Svcs. 11-2-12)

Obituaries

October 30th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

JOYCE ROECKER, 89, of Manning, died Sun., Oct. 28th, at the Manning Plaza Nursing Home. Funeral services for JOYCE ROECKER will be held 11-a.m. Fri., Nov. 2nd, at the Ohde Funeral Home in Manning.

Friends may call at the funeral home from 5-8pm Thursday, Nov. 1st.

Burial will be in the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Manning.

JOYCE ROECKER is survived by:

Her granddaughter Kris (Michael) Warrick, of Omaha, and her great-granddaughter Alyssa Warrick, of Colorado Springs, CO.

Arrest follows traffic stop in Adams County, Monday night

News

October 30th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

An Adams County man was arrested Monday night on a warrant out of Union County for Failure to Appear on a charge filed in April, of Animal Neglect.  Cody M. Jay, of Prescott, was taken into custody following  a traffic stop on Highway 34, at around 8:15-p.m. He was brought to the Adams County Jail and held.

(Podcast) Skyscan Forecast – Tue., Oct. 30 2012

Podcasts, Weather

October 30th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The (podcast) forecast for the KJAN listening area from Freese-Notis, and weather data for Atlantic.

 

Play

Nat’l Weather Service Forecast for Cass & area Counties – Tue., Oct. 30th 2012

Weather

October 30th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

TODAY…PARTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE MID 50S. EAST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

TONIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE MID 30S. NORTH WIND NEAR 5 MPH.

WEDNESDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 60S. WEST WIND NEAR 5 MPH.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY THROUGH MIDNIGHT THEN BECOMING PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE UPPER 30S. NORTH WIND NEAR 5 MPH.

THURSDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 60S. NORTH WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE MID 30S. HIGH AROUND 60.

FRIDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS. LOW IN THE LOWER 40S.

Creighton picked to win Missouri Valley

Sports

October 30th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Creighton, which has four starters back from a team that made it to the third round of the NCAA tournament, was a near-unanimous choice to win the Missouri Valley championship. Preseason All-American Doug McDermott leads the way for the Bluejays, who received 398 of a possible 400 points in a poll of league coaches, sports information directors and media released Monday. McDermott was conference player of the year last season after shooting 63 percent overall and 48.6 percent from 3-point range. Illinois State was picked to finish second, followed by Northern Iowa, defending champion Wichita State and Evansville. Drake was sixth, followed by Indiana State, Missouri State, Bradley and Southern Illinois.

Joining McDermott on the preseason all-conference team were Colt Ryan of Evansville, Jackie Carmichael of Illinois State, Jake Odum of Indiana State and Ben Simons of Drake.

CHIEFS-CHARGERS BLACKOUT LIFTED

Sports

October 30th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Several corporate sponsors stepped up to help save the San Diego Chargers the embarrassment of having Thursday night’s NFL Network game against the Kansas City Chiefs blacked out locally. The Chargers said the sponsors, including the local CBS affiliate, guaranteed the purchase of enough tickets to lift the local television blackout. Those tickets will be donated to local military bases and military hospitals. The team wouldn’t say how many tickets had to be sold by the deadline of 5:20 p.m. Monday, but it was believed to be approximately 10,000. The NFL Network began showing Thursday night games in 2006 and has never had one blacked out locally. The Chargers have had one game blacked out this season, a loss to Atlanta on Sept. 23. San Diego (3-4) has lost three straight games, including two in which it blew double-digit leads in the second half. Kansas City is 1-6.