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CALVIN “CAL” STEFFEN, 88, of Griswold (Svcs. 5-4-12)

Obituaries

April 30th, 2012 by Jim Field

CALVIN “CAL” STEFFEN, 88, of Griswold died Sunday, April 29th at the Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha.  Funeral services for Calvin “Cal” Steffen will be held 10:30-a.m. Fri., May 4th, at the Griswold United Methodist Church. Duhn Funeral Home in Griswold has the arrangements.

An open visitation will be held at the funeral home, where the family will be present from 6:30-7:30pm Thu., May 3rd.

Burial will be in the Griswold Cemetery.

CAL STEFFEN is survived by:

His wife – Phyllis, of Griswold.

His sons – Randy (Connie) Steffen, of Griswold, & Gary (Monica) Steffen, of Riverview, FL.

7 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren, his in-laws, other relatives & friends.

Former Tabor Nursing Home Administrator charged with professional incompetence

News

April 30th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Board of Nursing Home Administrators has ordered a disciplinary hearing to held in October in association with charges filed against a former nursing home administrator in Tabor. Mitchell Worcester, of Tabor, who served as the administrator of the Tabor Manor Care facility from October 2007 through July 2011, was charged with Professional Incompetence, Negligence, and Violation of Regulations, rules or laws pertaining to nursing home administrators. A disciplinary contested case hearing is scheduled to take place October 11th, in Des Moines.

The Board says under Worcester’s administration, the facility lacked adequate policies and procedures to guide staff in the performance of their duties, in several areas including: Completion of Incident Reports; Ensuring proper physician and family notifications regarding residents; Investigating allegations or suspicions of resident abuse, and handling those incidents.

The Board says under Worcester’s administration, Tabor Manor staff did not respond appropriately to multiple resident-on-resident sexual encounters, including five separate incidents whereby a resident admitted in December 2007 was suspected or directly accused of sexually accosting other residents, from June 2008 through October 2008. One of the alleged victims was not promptly treated and assessed for rape, despite evidence supporting the incident. The resident suspected of rape was released from the facility in October 2008, without documentation of cause or family notification.

To view additional information on the case visit: http://www.idph.state.ia.us/IdphPLActions/Archive.aspx  On the drop-down menu, select Nursing Home Administrators Board, and click on the link to a pdf file on the IBNHA’s Notice of Hearing and Statement of Charges pertaining to Worcester.

Backyard and Beyond 04-30-2012

Backyard and Beyond, Podcasts

April 30th, 2012 by admin

Lavon Eblen speaks with Nancy Degner, Executive Director of Iowa Beef Industry Council, about Stretching Your Food Dollar at the Meat Case as May Beef Month starts tomorrow.

Play

Spring brings increased farm equipment movement on roadways

Ag/Outdoor, News

April 30th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Iowa’s warm winter and early spring have farmers more ready than ever to get into the fields for spring planting, meaning Iowa motorists will soon be sharing the road with farm vehicles. The Iowa Department of Transportation is urging motorists and farm vehicle operators to exercise caution during the movement of slow-moving equipment on Iowa’s roadways. Data for 2011 shows a total of 198 crashes involved farm equipment. Those crashes resulted in seven fatalities, 15 major injuries, 46 minor injuries and 55 other possible injuries. Of the 198 crashes, 119 resulted only in property damage.

Tips for motorists

  • Be alert and always watch for slow-moving vehicles, especially during planting and harvest seasons.
  • Be patient and do not assume the equipment operator can move aside to let you pass. The shoulder may not be able to support a heavy farm vehicle.
  • Slow down as soon as you see the triangular-shaped, red and fluorescent orange slow-moving vehicle emblem.

Tips for farm vehicle operators

  • Make your intentions known when you are turning by using signal lights or the appropriate hand signal in advance of the turn.
  • Drive slow-moving vehicles in the right-hand lane as close to the edge of the roadway as safely possible. Traveling partially on the shoulder may cause motorists to risk passing in a dangerous situation.
  • Avoid encouraging or signaling motorists to pass. Pull over where it is safe, and let the traffic go by.
  • Do not get trapped on the tracks; proceed through a highway-rail grade crossing only if you are sure you can completely clear the crossing without stopping. Remember, the train extends 3 feet beyond the tracks on both sides.

New group to promote & preserve Lewis & Clark Trail

Ag/Outdoor, News

April 30th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

A new non-profit group will be devoted to the famed Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail which cuts through Iowa and ten other states. The Lewis & Clark Trust is basing its national headquarters in Omaha. Spokeswoman Stephanie Ambrose-Tubbs says the organization’s mission is to help preserve and promote the historic 37-hundred mile trail. Ambrose-Tubbs says, “If we want it to remain sustained for future generations, we need to promote it, to teach it and to protect it.” One of the Trust’s primary goals will be to nail down funding for the eastern expansion of the trail, known as the Eastern Legacy. She says raising money will be coupled with raising awareness for the historic trail as the top priorities. 

“The Lewis and Clark Trust will focus a laser beam light on the trail through partnerships, educational programs and an outreach to the entire country and even beyond,” she says. Calling themselves the Corps of Discovery, the group led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark took a two-year expedition from Illinois to what’s now the state of Washington. Their remarkable journey began in 1804 and is documented along what is now the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. Ambrose-Tubbs says the trail is an important part of American history and the story — and the trail — need to be preserved for future generations.  “So that students are continually learning the lessons of the expedition, the ones that it teaches us about teamwork, leadership and enlightenment science,” she says. The trail stretches from St. Louis, Missouri to Oregon.

(Matt Kelley/Radio Iowa)

Group calling for “take down” of Congressman Steve King

News

April 30th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

A liberal Super PAC that’s waging a national campaign against Tea Party members in Congress is now setting its sites on Iowa Congressman Steve King. Alec Johnson, director of the “Take Down King Campaign,” met with around 40 people over the weekend at the group’s newly opened headquarters in Ames. He says they’re targeting King because he voted against the Violence Against Women Act and was the only member of congress to vote against a resolution acknowledging that slaves built the White House.

“His views on women are positively stone age,” Johnson said. “Do his knuckles scrape along the ground when he walks? I mean, really, it’s frightening.” Johnson said they’re planning to make 300,000 phone calls and 10,000 door knocks by November. Members of the anti-Steve King campaign are not, however, endorsing his opponent in the November election. Susie Petra, of Ames, said she doesn’t believe Christie Vilsack, a Democrat, is the right person to represent Iowa’s Fourth Congressional District. “I’d like to see huge election reforms so that it’s not only wealthy people and their contacts that we have a choice in electing for our positions and right now, we can choose wealthy person A or wealthy person B, and to me that’s not representative government,” Petra said.

King for Congress communications director Jimmy Centers says the Super PAC consists of “outsiders who have an out-of-touch agenda that supports big government.”

(Pat Curtis/Radio Iowa)

Accidents reported in Fremont County

News

April 30th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Fremont County Sheriff’s office said today (Monday), no injuries were reported following two separate accidents last week.

On Thursday, a vehicle driven by Monica Johnson, of Thurman, was traveling westbound on Plum Creek Road, when it went out of control as Johnson was making a left turn. The 2010 Chevy ended-up in a drainage culvert. And, last Wednesday, a 2011 Chevy Silverado driven by Larry Inman, of Randolph, struck another vehicle, causing the car to spin into a ditch. The accident happened as Inman was traveling west on 180th Street, and attempting to cross Highway 275. The driver of the other vehicle was identified as Tara Christiansen, of Tabor.

Mo. woman arrested for contributing to the delinquency of a minor

News

April 30th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports numerous arrests over the past couple of weeks. Among them, was two St. Joseph, MO., residents, who were taken into custody April 23rd. 29-year old Sara Jean Farnsworth was arrested for Contributing to the delinquency of a minor, & 19-year old Scott Raymond Hanway, was arrested for being a person under legal age.

Sheriff’s officials report also, the arrested April 22nd of an Imogene man on drug charges. 23-year old Gail Gilbert Heywood, Jr., faces Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of drug paraphernalia, and improper registration charges. In addition, 44-year old Kathleen Mae Hale, of Shenandoah, was arrested April 21st, for Pharmacy Prohibited Acts.

And, on April 22nd, 58-year old Richard Ross Williams, of Weeping Water, NE, was arrested in Fremont County, on charges that include: OWI/1st offense; Assault on persons in certain occupations; and, two counts of Child Endangerment.

Foulkes pleads not guilty prior to today’s arraignment hearing

News

April 30th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The lawyer for a former teacher with the Anita School District has entered a formal written plea of Not Guilty to charges his client sexually exploited a minor female over a period of 13-months. Attorney F. Montgomery Brown entered the plea for 65-year old William Glenn Foulkes, of Anita, on Friday, April 27th. Foulkes was previously scheduled to appear in Cass County District Court for his arraignment hearing this (Monday) morning.

Foulkes, a former long-time Math teacher at the Anita High School, and Anita Elementary School, was arrested March 15th on a felony warrant for Sexual Exploitation by a School Employee, and 49-Aggravated Misdemeanor counts of Sexual Exploitation by a School Employee. If convicted on all of the charges, Foulkes could face a maximum time of 103 years in prison and fines of more than $300,000. Foulkes resigned from his teaching position in November 2010. He’s accused of engaging in sexual conduct on numerous occasions with a minor female while teaching the student in a math program from August 2009 until November 11, 2010.

Foulkes’ trial is set to take place July 10th. He remains free on $50,000 bond, and was ordered not to have contact with his alleged victim.

(9-a.m. News)

VICKY SUE WINGET, 61, of Dexter (Svcs. at a later date)

Obituaries

April 30th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

VICKY SUE WINGET, 61, of Dexter, died Fri., April 27th, at her home. The family of VICKY WINGET will hold a gathering for her at a later date. Johnson Family Funeral Home in Stuart is assisting the family with the arrangements.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Vicky Winget Memorial Fund, in care of the funeral home. Online condolences may be left to the family at www.johnsonfamilyfuneralhome.com.

VICKY WINGET is survived by:

Her husband – Chris, of Dexter; Her son – Mario Caliendo; Her brother – Randy (Kathy) Kaufman; Her step-father: Eldon Wooters, other relatives, & friends.