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Cards Spoil Marlins Debut in New Ballpark

Sports

April 5th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

MIAMI (AP) — Kyle Lohse didn’t allow a hit until the seventh inning and pitched into the eighth Wednesday night to help the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals spoil the Miami Marlins’ debut in their new ballpark, 4-1. The Marlins’ new animated home-run sculpture never budged. It was the fourth inning before they managed a baserunner, and but the time they scored in the eighth, they trailed 4-0. The crowd of 36,601 included newly retired Cardinals manager Tony La Russa, who quietly rooted for his former team from the press box. Lohse went 7 1-3 innings, allowing only two hits and one run. David Freese, the World Series MVP, had a two-run single in the first inning to give Lohse the cushion he needed.

Prairie Chicken Festival April 6th & 7th in Ringgold County

Ag/Outdoor, News

April 4th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources say the 2012 Annual Prairie Chicken Festival will be this Friday and Saturday, April 6th & 7th, in Ringgold County.

A Prairie Chicken (photo at iowabirds.org.)

The event will kick off at the Ringgold County Courthouse auditorium in Mount Ayr with a celebration Friday evening from 5:30- to 7:30- p.m. The evening will include a presentation by Chief Blue Star Eagle, Sherwyn Zephier, and his wife Estellene on prairie chickens in the Yankton Sioux culture, including an authentic prairie chicken dance. Additional presentations will be made by Iowa Audubon, Blank Park Zoo and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

This Saturday, prairie chicken viewing will begin at 6:30 a.m. at the Kellerton Grassland Bird Conservation, two miles west of Kellerton on Hwy. 2, and one mile south.  Participants will be able to view prairie chickens on their booming ground, or lek. Spotting scopes will be provided and naturalists will be on hand to answer questions. In addition to prairie chickens, an extensive list of grassland nesting birds including upland sandpipers, Henslow’s sparrows and northern harriers will be prevalent. A second program will be presented by Chief Blue Star Eagle at the site at approximately 8:30 a.m.

A medium-sized grouse, prairie chickens were abundant in tallgrass prairies in the eastern and central United States at the time of European settlement. Their numbers began to decline in the late 1800s because of habitat loss and market hunting. The last known nesting in Iowa occurred in Appanoose County in 1952.  Today, most of greater prairie chickens are found in Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota, with small populations in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma and North Dakota. The Kellerton population of prairie chickens is a result of reintroduction efforts by the DNR in the 1980s.

Visit www.iowadnr.gov to read more on the prairie chicken.

Persia, IA man sentenced to prison for Omaha murder

News

April 4th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Iowa man who pleaded guilty to killing an Omaha man has been sentenced to 60 to 80 years in prison. A Douglas County judge on Wednesday sentenced 29-year-old Justin Reinders, of Persia, Iowa, to 50 to 60 years for second-degree murder and 10 to 20 years on a weapons charge. Reinders was charged with fatally shooting Milton Jackson at a lubrication business in Omaha in January 2011. Reinders, who had been charged with first-degree murder, pleaded guilty earlier this year in a deal with prosecutors. Questions had been raised about Reinders’ sanity at the time of the shooting. A judge ruled earlier that Reinders was not insane and was competent to stand trial.

Harrison Co. murderer dies in prison

News

April 4th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A man convicted of killing his wife in western Iowa in 1982 has died in prison. The corrections department says 70-year-old Roy Bales died Tuesday at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center in Coralville. Department spokesman Fred Scaletta says Bales died as result of several health problems, including congestive heart failure. Bales was convicted of first-degree murder in Harrison County in August 1982 and sentenced to life in prison. Assistant County Attorney Judson Frisk says Bales was found guilty of killing his wife, Darlene. Frisk, who was county attorney at the time, says Bales beat up his wife and drove her to a country road where he stabbed her and hid the body in a tube under a gravel road.

Iowa RB Canzeri to Have Knee Surgery

Sports

April 4th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa running back Jordan Canzeri was scheduled for surgery Wednesday to repair a torn knee ligament and could miss the 2012 season. Coach Kirk Ferentz says Canzeri is expected to need at least five to six months to recover. Ferentz wouldn’t rule out a return by Canzeri next fall, saying it all depends on how quickly Canzeri can recover. The school did not identify which knee was injured. Canzeri rushed for 114 yards as a freshman in 2011, including 58 in a loss to Oklahoma in the Insight Bowl. Canzeri’s absence pushes fellow sophomores Damon Bullock and De’Andre Johnson up the depth chart. Incoming freshmen Greg Garmon and Barkley Hill will also get a chance for playing time in 2012.

Statewide Iowa Tornado Watch cancelled

Weather

April 4th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Statewide Tornado Watch issued at 10-a.m. was allowed to expire at 11-a.m.. The Watch was issued as part of the Tornado Drill, during Severe Weather Awareness Week in Iowa.

Backyard and Beyond 04-04-2012

Backyard and Beyond, Podcasts

April 4th, 2012 by admin

Lavon Eblen speaks with Kelly Jimmerson of Atlantic Nursing and Rehab about an Easter Egg hunt on April 7th.

Play

Mom in Iowa western IA murder case wrote to Wis. sex offender

News

April 4th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – A prosecutor says a mother convicted of a high-profile western Iowa murder wrote a letter detailing the crime scene to a Wisconsin sex offender in an attempt to solicit testimony to back up her self-defense claims. Tracey Richter has claimed her 2001 shooting of Dustin Wehde, was self-defense during a home invasion in the Sac County community of Early. But jurors in November sided with prosecutors, who argued that Richter killed Wehde in a plot to implicate her first husband in a murder-for-hire scheme.
 
Jailers copied one letter Richter wrote to Wisconsin inmate James Landa that showed diagrams of the home where the shooting happened and a car where evidence was found. The letter included information about the victim and others Richter claims was involved. Prosecutor Ben Smith said Richter was seeking testimony to win a new trial.

Massena man arrested Tuesday night was pepper sprayed into compliance

News

April 4th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

A Massena man was hit with pepper spray and taken into custody after he was pulled over Tuesday night for Driving Under Suspension. Cass County Chief Deputy Sheriff John Westering says Deputy Josh McLaren attempted to stop 52-year old Barry Dean Schmidt, of Massena, at around 7:35-p.m., near 700th and Richland Road. Schmidt, who was driving a pickup truck failed to comply and was pursued by the deputy until the truck stopped near the County shed at about 720th and Richland.

Westering said Schmidt refused numerous instructions by McLaren to “Show his hands” once the vehicle was stopped. Several surrounding law enforcement agencies were called to provide backup, including the Iowa State Patrol, and Adair County Sheriff’s Deputies. Eventually, McLaren deployed pepper spray and Schmidt was taken into custody. He was also treated at the scene for exposure to the chemical ingrediants in pepper spray.

Schmidt faces charges which include Interference with Official Acts, Eluding, Driving Under Suspension, and 3rd Offense OWI. Schmidt appeared before the magistrate this (Wednesday) morning, and was initially unable to post $6,000 bond. He was being held in the Cass County Jail, pending payment of the bond.

Benefits of Iowa’s Universities to be the topic of an event in Atlantic

News

April 4th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

A student-led movement to create awareness of the value Iowa’s public universities deliver throughout the state, is coming to Atlantic next week. Universities for a Better Iowa, will bring its campaign to the community on April 12th. During the event, alumni and friends of the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and University of Northern Iowa, along with student leaders at those institutions, will be at the Cass County Community Center in Atlantic, from 5 until 6:30-p.m.

Presentations will be made during the free event, to demonstrate the benefits to all Iowans investments in Iowa’s Public Universities have made. Light snacks and refreshments will also be served.