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Fire Weather Watch in effect Tuesday afternoon/evening for parts of western IA

News, Weather

March 26th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

For MONONA & HARRISON Counties….

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NE issued 325 AM CDT MON MAR 26 2012

FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING

DANGEROUS FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS POSSIBLE ON TUESDAY

A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH ON TUESDAY, BRINGING LITTLE CHANGE TO TEMPERATURES BUT MUCH DRIER AIR. BEHIND THE FRONT. WESTERLY WINDS WILL REACH AROUND 15 TO 20 MPH, WITH GUSTS OF 25 TO 30 MPH POSSIBLE. THE COMBINATION OF VERY LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY AND GUSTY WINDS WILL CREATE EXTREMELY HIGH FIRE DANGER.

RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL DROP TO 15 TO 20 PERCENT BY NOON TUESDAY ACROSS THE AREA, AND WILL REMAIN LOW UNTIL SUNSET. ANY FIRES THAT DEVELOP WILL LIKELY SPREAD RAPIDLY. OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED.

A FIRE WEATHER WATCH MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR. LISTEN FOR LATER FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE RED FLAG WARNINGS.

Jefferson, IA, Athletic Equipment Supplier Under Disciplinary Investigation

Sports

March 26th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Gymnastics world governing body FIG has opened a disciplinary case against United States equipment supplier American Athletic Inc. over landing mats it provided for the American Cup in New York earlier this month. The FIG says the mats “have no valid FIG certification and … are incongruent” with its specifications. The March 3 event at Madison Square Garden was part of the Artistic Gymnastics World Cup series. The FIG says it has appointed officials from Belgium, Switzerland and Tunisia to judge the case. AAI, which is based in Jefferson, Iowa, says on it website that it supplied gymnastics equipment to the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

Minnesota Beats Northern Iowa 88-74 to Win WBI Championship

Sports

March 25th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Rachel Banham scored 26 points to lead Minnesota to an 88-74 comeback victory over Northern Iowa in the Women’s Basketball Invitational Championship on Sunday. Minnesota trailed by as many as 13 points early in the second half, but Banham scored 17 of her 26 points in the final 20 minutes to spark a 52-25 run. She was one of five Golden Gophers to score in double-figures. Minnesota (19-17) concluded the season with a season-best four-game winning streak in front of a home crowd at Williams Arena and posted its first winning season since 2008-09.  K.K. Armstrong led three Panthers (19-15) in in double figures with 15 points. The WBI is a tournament for teams that didn’t get one of the 128 spots in either the NCAA or WNIT tournaments.

Police say Iowa mom killed 2-year-old son, self

News

March 25th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police are trying to determine why a young Iowa mother killed her 2-year-old son and herself. Indianola and Des Moines police held a joint news conference Sunday about the deaths of 23-year-old Kelli Sly and her son, Gavin. Police say Sly killed Gavin inside their Indianola apartment sometime Sunday morning. Then Sly drove about 20 miles north to Des Moines where she crashed her vehicle into a bridge pillar and died. The crash happened around 8:30 a.m. Sunday, and Gavin Sly’s body was found about a half hour later. Indianola police say officers spoke to Kelli Sly Saturday because she violated a court order by contacting her estranged husband. Sly’s husband said then he worried she would hurt herself, but Sly denied being suicidal on Saturday.

Audubon City Council to meet Monday night

News

March 25th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Audubon City Council will hold its regular meeting Monday night. On their agenda is: Maintenance bids for the water/wastewater treatment plants, along with a resolution awarding the contract; The 1st and possibly final, consideration of an ordinance allowing low speed vehicle operation on City streets by unlicensed adults; The consideration of an ordinance banning parking in yards; A resolution establishing City employee compensation practices; and, discussion with regard to the solid waste transfer station.  The meeting at the Audubon City Hall begins 7-p.m., Monday, March 26th.

Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton School Board to discuss Whole Grade Sharing/Reorganization & more

News

March 25th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Exira and Elk Horn-Kimballton Boards of Education will hold a joint meeting Monday evening, March 26th, in Exira. During the 7-p.m. session in the New Media Center, the Boards will receive an update on Whole Grade Sharing, hear any questions for the Boards pertaining to reorganization, and receive an update on a shared Business Manager’s position.

DARRELL “BARKY” DEAN BAUERKEMPER, 83, of Walnut (Svcs. 3-28-12)

Obituaries

March 25th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

DARRELL “BARKY” DEAN BAUERKEMPER, 83, of Walnut, died Sun., March 25th, at the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic. Funeral services for DARRELL BAUERKEMPER will be held 10:30-a.m. Wed., March 28th, at the Peace United Church of Christ in Walnut. Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Avoca has the arrangements.

Visitation at the Peace United Church of Christ will be from 4-9pm Tue, March 27th, with the family present fromn 6-7:30pm.

Burial will be in the Layton Topwnship Cemetery.

Darrell “Barky” Bauerkemper is survived by:

His wife – Dorothy, of Walnut.

His son – Donnie (Gaylean) Bauerkemper, of Walnut.

His daughters – Sandy (Terry) Donohoe, of Norwalk, & Jani (“Cub”) Sheehan, of Bondurant.

His sisters – Darlene “Dotty” Christensen, of Omaha, & Beverly (Patrick) Waters, of Rock Rapids.

8 grandchildren, 1 great-grandchild (& 1 on-the-way), 4 step-grandchildren, 4 step great-grandchildren.

Cards Beat Twins Sunday 9-2 in 57-Minute Rain-Delayed Game

Sports

March 25th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) – Kyle Lohse allowed two runs and five hits in six innings and Matt Holliday homered as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Minnesota Twins 9-2 on Sunday.  Lohse, who is projected to start the Cardinals’ opener, struck out six and walked one.  Minnesota pitcher Nick Blackburn retired the first 10 batters he faced before Carlos Beltran’s one-out bloop single fell barely inside the left-field line.  Holliday reached out and pulled the next pitch, a change-up, over the left-field wall, putting the Cardinals up 2-1.  Luke Hughes homered for the Twins off Lohse.     Shane Robinson and Jon Jay added home runs for the Cardinals.

Western IA man arrested following hours long standoff

News

March 25th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

MANNING, Iowa (AP/KCCI) – A Manning man has been arrested, accused of holding police at bay for nearly 12 hours and firing more than a dozen rounds from his house.  The standoff began around 8 p.m. Friday when officers were asked to check on the 58-year-old David Wurr’s welfare.When officers arrived, Wurr came to the door armed with a pistol and refused to leave.

By 2 a.m., at least 20 law enforcement officials had surrounded the house, blocked off streets and evacuated several nearby houses. Police say Wurr fired 14 shots by the time they fired tear gas into the house to drive the man out. Wurr, who had no prior criminal history, was arrested just after 7 a.m. Saturday.  He was transported to the Saint Anthony Hospital in Carroll for minor treatment. No serious injuries were reported.

MERRILL HALL, 65, of Fontanelle (Svcs. at a later date)

Obituaries

March 25th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

MERRILL HALL, 65, of Fontanelle,  died Fri., March 23rd, at the Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. Services for MERRILL HALL will be held at a later date. Steen Funeral Home in Fontanelle is in charge of the arrangements. 

Online condolences may be left to the family at www.steenfunerals.com 

Memorials may be directed to the Merrill Hall memorial fund to be established by the family at a later date.

 Merrill Hall is survived by:

His wife –  Jean of Fontanelle

His sisters-in-law and brother-in law, other relatives, and friends.