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Iowa evening News Headlines: May 7th 2012

News

May 7th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES (AP) — The Legislature’s logjam on spending measures is breaking loose. The Iowa Senate has passed three budget bills in 16 minutes and sent them to the House. The House planned debate today on several of the Senate-backed bills and could send some to the governor.

DAKOTA DUNES, S.D. (AP) — A South Dakota beef company says it plans to close processing plants in Iowa and two other states because of the controversy surrounding a product that critics have dubbed “pink slime.” Beef Products Inc. spokesman Rich Jochum says 650 jobs will be lost when it closes its plants in Amarillo, Texas; Garden City, Kansas; and Waterloo Iowa. The closures will be effective May 25.

DES MOINES (AP) — Six Iowa universities and colleges will be home to centers that will promote teaching science, technology, engineering and math to students no matter where they live. That’s according to Governor Terry Branstad. The centers called STEM hubs will be located at Iowa Lakes Community College in Estherville, University of Northern Iowa, Iowa State University, Southwestern Community College in Creston, and Drake University. The University of Iowa and Kirkwood Community College work together to form the sixth.

IOWA CITY (AP) — A gay student in Iowa says his Catholic high school is refusing to allow a foundation that promotes gay rights activism to present his $40,000 college scholarship during an upcoming ceremony. Keaton Fuller is a senior at Prince of Peace Catholic School in Clinton. He says he has learned the Des Moines-based Eychaner Foundation could not present his Matthew Shepard scholarship award during graduation.

Corn planting in Iowa progresses despite rain

Ag/Outdoor

May 7th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa farmers are making good progress on planting the corn and soybean crops, even with all the storms. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says in Monday’s weekly report that corn planting is now 64 percent complete. That’s ahead of last year’s 52 percent and the five-year average of 58 percent.
Seven percent of the soybeans have been planted, which is about the same as last year but behind the five-year average of 11 percent. Rain totals last week ranged from .4 in Dubuque to over 5 inches in Washington. The statewide average was 1.5 inches.
All the rain has improved Iowa’s soil moisture levels, with topsoil at 97 percent adequate or surplus. Subsoil moisture is 81 percent adequate or surplus.

JAMES LEE KLINESMITH, 61, of Walnut (Svcs. 5/9/12)

Obituaries

May 7th, 2012 by admin

JAMES LEE KLINESMITH, 61, of Walnut died on Friday, May 4th, at his home.  Graveside services for JAMES KLINESMITH will be held on Wednesday, May 9th at 2:00 pm, at Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Van Meter.  Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Avoca has the arrangements.

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Visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 9 from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM prior to the service at the funeral home.

JAMES KLINESMITH is survived by:

His wife: Patty Klinesmith, of Anita.

1 son:  Jesse James Klinesmith, of Anita.

2 daughters:  Clarisa Kay Klinesmith and Amanda (Lee) Klinesmith), both of Anita.

4 brothers:  William (Linda) Klinesmith, Donald (Debbie) Klinesmith, Richard (Vickie) Klinesmith who are all from Vale, NC and Richard (Barbara) Klinesmith of Old Town, FL

1 sister:  Barbara (Bobby) McMahan of Maiden, NC

Massena woman arrested on Mo. warrant

News

May 7th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

A Massena woman was arrested Saturday on a warrant out of Missouri associated with a 2006 Driving While Intoxicated charge. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says 61-year old Jeannette T. Schroeder was being held at the jail in Atlantic until she’s extradited to Nodaway County, MO., where her bond was set at $5,000.

The Sheriff’s Office says also, the 54-year old Anne Allen Toombs,  of Atlantic,  turned herself in to the Cass County Jail last week, to be fingerprinted on a District Court charge of Theft 2nd Degree. Toombs was booked into the jail and then released.

 And, the Atlantic Police Department on Monday, reported 37-year old Christopher Claussen, of Atlantic, was arrested Sunday, on a charge of Public Intoxication. Claussen was booked into the Cass County Jail.

Geocaching 101 class offered in Cass County

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 7th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Cass County Conservation Board says a “Geocaching 101” class will be held at the Cold Springs Park Campground Shelter, on Saturday May 26th, beginning at 7 PM. Geocaching is a real-world outdoor treasure hunting game.

Geocashing

Players try to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, using GPS-enabled devices and then share their experiences online.

The CCCB invites you to Spend Memorial Day learning about a newer technology (GPS) to help you EXPLORE nature. Time will be spent on “caching” with the Global Positioning System units, which will be available for the class or can bring your own. You’re asked to pre-register by calling 712-769-2372. When you call, be sure to mention whether or not you will be providing your own GPS unit.

The free event is open to the public, and you do not have to be a camper to attend. For more information about Geocaching, go to http://www.iowageocachers.org/ or http://www.geocaching.com/

Iowa family gets $216,000 for balls signed by Ruth

Sports

May 7th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa family’s collection of baseballs signed by slugger Babe Ruth just before he died has sold at auction for more than $200,000.  Heritage Auctions director Chris Ivy says eight balls signed by Ruth during a trip to Spencer in 1948 sold for just over $216,000 on Friday.  One ball in near-mint condition went for $77,000, while two others sold for just over $13,000.  Ivy says Ruth visited a Ford dealership in Spencer owned by John Hart 64 years ago. Hart’s family kept eight of the dozens of balls Ruth signed in a safe deposit box for more than six decades until deciding recently to put them up for auction.

Storms race through western IA Sunday – damage reports coming in

News, Weather

May 7th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Strong storms bringing heavy rain and winds gusting up to 70-miles per hour raced through western Iowa Sunday morning, causing injuries to a family of three camping in a tent at Lake Manawa State Park. The injuries occurred when a tree fell on the tent at around 5-a.m., Sunday. Elsewhere, there were reports of flooding, hail and downed power lines. The warnings began in our area just before 6-a.m.

According to the National Weather Service at 6:10-a.m., nickel-sized hail was reported by a trained storm spotter in Audubon County, 4-miles west of the Audubon Airport. A few minutes later, the hail was the size of quarters in the same area, and in the City of Audubon itself. A cooperative weather service observer in Audubon also reported 2.67-inches of rain had fallen by 8-a.m., causing flash flooding to occur 4-miles west/southwest of the Audubon Airport, with water covering the County Highway N-14 bridge over the Indian Creek. One-half mile of road was also under water. Another spotter reported 4.5-inches of rain west of the airport.

Meanwhile, in Cass County, law enforcement reported a squad car was rocked by estimated 60-mile per hour winds, just before 6:30-a.m., Sunday, about 4-miles southwest of the Atlantic Airport. Dime-sized hail was also reported. Thunderstorm wind damage was reported in Atlantic at around 6:30-a.m., with some shingles blown off roofs, and 12-to 14-inch diameter trees being snapped.

As the storms moved into Adair County, wind gusts of up to 65-miles per hour were reported 6-miles west/southwest of Greenfield just after 7-a.m. Those same type of winds were observed six-miles north of Greenfield at 7-a.m., causing 12-inch diameter tree limbs to bend at an estimated 10-degree angle.

The storms continued into Central Iowa, where 71-miles per hour winds were recorded near Dallas Center at around 8:30-a.m. Two power poles were snapped-off at the base near Nevada, at around 8:50-a.m., by fierce winds.

Branstad announces science, technology hubs including SWCC in Creston

News

May 7th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Gov. Terry Branstad says six Iowa universities and colleges will be home to centers that will promote teaching science, technology, engineering and math to students no matter where they live. Branstad says lack of equal opportunity for such programs to all students is hurting the state’s ability to retain and attract businesses needing highly skilled workers. He says test scores show Iowa students have fallen behind in math and science education.
 
The centers called STEM hubs will be located at Iowa Lakes Community College in Estherville, University of Northern Iowa, Iowa State University, Southwestern Community College in Creston, and Drake University. The University of Iowa and Kirkwood Community College work together to form the sixth. Funding for the offices is included in an education budget bill pending in the Legislature.

Iowa Pertussis Numbers on the Rise:154 cases reported so far in 2012

News

May 7th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

 The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) says testing performed by the State Hygienic Laboratory indicates more than 150 case of pertussis (whooping cough) have been reported so far in 2012 including 2 in Pottawattamie County, and one each in Adair and Montgomery Counties, from January 1st through May 3rd. Statewide, that’s a 121 percent increase over the number of cases reported at this time in 2011. Officials say the actual number of cases is probably much higher though, because most adults with pertussis are not diagnosed or reported. And, while children ages 5 to 14 years make up the bulk of reported cases, officials say it’s important to note that adults are considered the primary ‘spreaders’ of the disease. 

IDPH Medical Director, Dr. Patricia Quinlisk says “Children receive pertussis vaccine series beginning at 2 months of age, and are recommended to get a booster dose of pertussis vaccine at 11 or 12 years of age. Most adults haven’t had a pertussis vaccination since childhood so they probably have no immunity left to pertussis. When they get the disease, their symptoms are milder and are often mistaken for a lingering cough, but they still spread the disease to others.”  Therefore, according to Quinlisk,  it’s especially important that adults who are around children receive pertussis-containing vaccine because they can spread the disease to infants and young children who are too young to be fully immunized. In infants, pertussis can be severe and even deadly. Adults can receive the Tdap shot (the adult “tetanus booster” that also contains pertussis vaccine). 

The most common symptoms of pertussis in children are fits of coughing sometimes followed by vomiting or a ‘whooping’ sound as air is inhaled. Adults also cough, but usually the cough is not as severe, and the “whoop” is not heard. This is why many adults do not realize they have pertussis. While taking antibiotics will treat the infection and prevent an individual from spreading the disease any further, the cough may continue for weeks while the irritated airways completely heal

This is Your Nishna Valley 05-05-2012

Podcasts, This is Your Nishna Valley

May 7th, 2012 by admin

w/ Jim Field and Stacie Linfor

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