United Group Insurance

CAROL JEAN WACHTER, 62, of West Des Moines (Private SVCS)

Obituaries

July 2nd, 2012 by admin

CAROL JEAN WACHTER, 62, of West Des Moines died on Monday, July 2 at the Kavanagh Hospice House in Des Moines.  A private graveside service for CAROL WACHTER will be held at the Earlham City Cemetery.  Johnson Family Funeral Home in Earlham has the arrangements.

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Memorial contributions may be made to the CAROL JEAN WACHTER Memorial Fund in care of the Johnson Family Funeral Home, Box 246 Stuart, IA 50250.

Online condolences may be left at johnsonfamilyfuneralhome.com

Smoke from Colorado wildfires drifts over Iowa

News, Weather

July 2nd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Smoke from wildfires raging in Colorado has drifted into Iowa, making for redder skies at dawn and dusk but causing no health problems. The Des Moines Register says the smoke will likely remain over the state until the fires are out. The National Weather Service says the smoke is high in the atmosphere, so residents likely won’t see too many effects. Meteorologist Kevin Skow says winds, which generally flow from west to east across the U.S., has pushed the smoke over Iowa. He says the sky is hazier, and sunrises and sunsets will be redder than normal. Meteorologists haven’t notices any dust or other particles that could settle on the state and aren’t aware of any health risks. Environmental officials say Iowa’s air quality is good.

DAVID ESBECK, 73, of Des Moines, formerly of Kimballton

Obituaries

July 2nd, 2012 by Jim Field

DAVID ESBECK, 73, of Des Moines (formerly of Kimballton) died Sunday, July 1, 2012 at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines.  No services are planned for David Esbeck.  Ohde Funeral Home in Kimballton is handling the arrangements.

Former Glenwood Deputy Treasurer released from custody Monday

News

July 2nd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The former Mills County Deputy Treasurer arrested Friday afternoon for stealing more than $36,000 in vehicle registration transactions, was released by a judge today (Monday), under a pre-trial agreement. 43-year old Tammy Gammon, of Glenwood, was held over the weekend in the Pottawattamie County Jail on $65,000 bond, on charges which included 5 counts of forgery, ongoing criminal conduct, 1st degree theft and Felonious Misconduct in Office.

A report by State Auditor David Vaudt says the theft dated back to 2005 and included more than 180 transactions. Auditors say Gammon would enter the vehicle registration information into a state database but later void the transactions and pocket the fees. Gammon was fired in April , 2011. The theft was uncovered by the Iowa Department of Transportation as it was reviewing registration data from various counties around the state.

Gammon admitted during an interview with investigators that she did not deposit some fees and kept them instead to pay daily expenses, particularly when a lot of money was in her cash drawer, the report said. She said she believed she took less than $10,000. Auditors say the scheme started to unravel after a routine review by DOT in January 2011 questioned an unusual transaction in which the office reinstated a registration that had been voided months earlier without explanation.

A complete copy of the Special Audit report can be found at: http://auditor.iowa.gov/specials/1010-0065-BE00.pdf

2012 FINAL Iowa Girls High School Softball Rankings

Sports

July 2nd, 2012 by Jim Field

Compiled by the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 2, 2012
(Final Class 4A & 5A Rankings will be posted Thursday, July 5)
Class 3-A
School
Record
LW
1.
Solon
32-6
1
2.
West Burlington/Burlington Notre Dame
31-5
2
3.
Bondurant-Farrar
31-7
3
4
Mid-Prairie
27-11
4
5.
Estherville-LC
24-6
6
6.
Monticello
24-5
7
7.
East Marshall
27-5
5
8.
Clarke
26-5
11
9.
Ballard
29-9
9
10.
Boyden Hull/Rock Valley
22-8
NR
11.
MOC-Floyd Valley
21-5
8
12.
Center Point-Urbana
22-9
10
13.
Wilton
20-14
13
14.
OA-BCIG
23-7
NR
15.
Crestwood
21-7
12
Dropped Out: George-Little Rock/Central Lyon (14), Iowa Falls-Alden (15)
Class 2-A
School
Record
LW
1.
North Union
29-4
2
2.
Durant
27-5
1
3.
Wayne
28-3
3
4
Van Meter
28-6
4
5.
Des Moines Christian
23-6
7
6.
Jesup
30-7
6
7.
Emmetsburg
27-9
10
8.
Sumner-Fredericksburg
29-9
5
9.
North Mahaska
23-5
11
10.
BCLUW
25-9
13
11.
Woodbury Central
20-7
NR
12.
Tri-Center
18-6
8
13.
Treynor
22-5
9
14.
Central Springs
24-6
12
15.
Iowa City Regina
15-20
14
Dropped Out: Eddyville-Blakesburg (15)
Class 1-A
School
Record
LW
1.
Akron-Westfield
33-1
1
2.
Earlham
30-4
2
3.
Martensdale-St. Marys
35-2
3
4
Newell-Fonda
31-7
4
5.
Lisbon
28-11
5
6.
Don Bosco
25-6
6
7.
Lynnville-Sully
23-5
8
8.
Mason City Newman Catholic
22-11
9
9.
Remsen St. Mary’s
25-8
11
10.
Charter Oak-Ute
24-12
7
11.
Remsen Union
17-7
15
12.
Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn
17-8
10
13.
Sigourney
20-6
13
14.
Coon Rapids-Bayard
21-10
12
15.
Janesville
20-10
NR
Dropped Out: Corning (14)

MARGARET MAXINE NELSON, 98, of Guthrie Center (7-7-12)

Obituaries

July 2nd, 2012 by Jim Field

MARGARET MAXINE NELSON, 98, of Guthrie Center died Saturday, June 30th.  Graveside services for Margaret Maxine Nelson will be held on Saturday, July 7th at 1:00 pm in the Galva Township Cemetery East.  Twigg Funeral Home in Guthrie Center has the arrangements.

Names released in connection with double fatal Bluffs crash

News

July 2nd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Council Bluffs Police Department Monday afternoon, released the names of the persons who died and were injured in a crash Sunday evening on Interstate 80. Officials say 49-year-old Pamela Mahoney and 19-year-old Colene Mahoney, both of Carter Lake, were killed in the crash which occurred at around 6:15-p.m.

Officials say a pickup truck driven by 46-year old Scott Billings, of Omaha, was traveling west on I-80 when it traveled down an embankment and hit a Ford Escort driven by Pamela Mohoney, as she was traveling south on Interstate 29. Her car had just passed beneath the westbound I-80 overpass, when it was hit by the pickup. Pamela Mahoney died at the scene. Colene Mahoney was transported to the University of Nebraska Medical Center where she died from her injuries Monday morning.  Billings and his children, ages 4, 12 and 15, were taken to Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs, where they were treated for non-life threatening injuries and released.

While the accident remains under investigation, officials say speed and alcohol did not appear to have been factors in the crash. Instead, officials suspect Billings fell asleep at the wheel of his pickup. No charges have been filed at this time.

Street closure planned for Shelby County

News

July 2nd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Shelby County Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Seivert reports 900th Street, between County Road M-16 and Umbrella Road, will be closed for about 4 weeks, beginning Thursday, July 5th. The road will be closed for culvert repairs in the 2100 block of 900th Street.  Seivert advises emergency crews should be aware the Hog confinement site at 2116 900th St must be accessed from the east only, should there need to be a response to that facility, and those crews should prepare alternate routes to residences in the area, for the same reason.Anyone with questions about the project should call the Shelby County Engineer at 712-755-5954

IHSBCA Rankings for July 2, 2012

Sports

July 2nd, 2012 by Jim Field

*This is the final rankings for Class 1A and 2A. Class 3A and 4A will have final rankings released next week.

Class 4-A

  1. Ankeny
  2. Cedar Rapids Kennedy
  3. Fort Dodge
  4. Dowling Catholic
  5. West DM Valley
  6. Iowa City West
  7. Waukee
  8. Linn-Mar
  9. Iowa City High
  10. North Scott

Class 3-A

  1. Dallas Center-Grimes
  2. Sioux City Heelan
  3. Clear Lake
  4. Grinnell
  5. Western Dubuque
  6. Benton Community
  7. Harlan
  8. LeMars
  9. New Hampton
  10. ADM

Class 2-A

  1. Davis County
  2. Dyersville-Beckman
  3. North Polk
  4. Saint Edmond
  5. Waterloo Columbus
  6. Van Buren
  7. Iowa City Regina
  8. Wilton
  9. Hudson
  10. Kuemper Catholic

Class 1-A

  1. Mason City Newman
  2. Lawton-Bronson
  3. Martensdale-St. Mary’s
  4. Algona Garrigan
  5. St. Albert
  6. Lisbon
  7. BGM (Brooklyn)
  8. Preston
  9. Van Meter
  10. Pleasantville

SD teen cited after Saturday accident in Atlantic

News

July 2nd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

A teenager from Rapid City, South Dakota was cited following an accident in Atlantic Saturday afternoon. The Atlantic Police Department on Monday, reported 16-year old Alexandra Lynn Spencer was cited for No Proof of Insurance, Driving without a Valid Driver’s License, and Failure to Maintain Control, after the vehicle she was driving collided with another vehicle near the Casey’s east convenience store.

The accident happened at around 4:25-p.m., when a vehicle driven by Carson Heiny, of Massena, was traveling west on 7th Street, and went to make a right hand turn into the Casey’s store driveway. Heiny’s vehicle was struck from behind by the Spencer vehicle, causing a total of $4,400 damage. No injuries were reported.

In other news, Atlantic Police report 23-year old Derek Cooper, of Villisca, was arrested Sunday, for Failure to have SR-22 Insurance. Cooper was brought to the Cass County Jail and held pending an appearance before the magistrate.