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Clarinda woman dies in Webster County head-on crash

News

March 21st, 2012 by Ric Hanson

A Clarinda woman was killed this (Wednesday) morning during a head-on crash in northern Iowa’s Webster County. The Iowa State Patrol reports 68-year old Katheryn Anne Duley died and the driver of the other vehicle, 17-year old Patrick William Oberg, Jr., of Otho, was critically injured, when their vehicles collided on County Road P-59, about one-half mile north of Highway 20, near Coalville. The accident happened just before 8-a.m.

Officials say Duley was southbound on P-59 in a 2005 Saturn Ion, when Oberg’s northbound 1999 GMC Sierra pickup crossed the center of the road. After the vehicles collided, Duley’s car came to rest on its roof in a ditch, trapping her inside. Oberg’s vehicle came to rest on its side, on the traveled portion of the road. Both drivers were taken to Trinity Regional Medical Center in Ft. Dodge, where Duley died from her injuries.

VERA PEARL MEVES, 98, of Chicago, IL (3-24-12)

Obituaries

March 21st, 2012 by Jim Field

VERA PEARL MEVES, 98, of Chicago, IL died Tuesday, March 20th at her home.  Graveside services for Vera Pearl Meves will be held on Saturday, March 24th at 2:00 pm in the Shelby Cemetery.  Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Harlan has the arrangements.

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Visitation will be held on Friday from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the funeral home.

 

Bluffs doctor says warm winter to blame for bad allergy season

News

March 21st, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The calendar may say Spring arrived this week, but Iowans who suffer from allergies have been keeping tissues handy for weeks. Sneezing, runny noses and watery eyes are all too common for some of us, according to allergist Dr. Linda Ford, of Omaha/Council Bluffs. Dr. Ford says the warm winter is to blame for the latest burst of pollen. “If you’re having problems with your allergies and you think, ‘Oh, it’s much worse this year,’ it’s because there wasn’t a gradual increase in pollen. All the trees just started exploding.” Dr. Ford says the trees across much of Iowa usually release pollen much more gradually, but not this year.

“Starting at the end of February, we have been consistently counting pollen and as the weather got warmer, those trees just blossomed out and just exploded their pollen.” Ford says there are many good over-the-counter medications that can help stave off allergy symptoms.  “If that takes care of it, that’s fine and dandy, you don’t have to do anything else,” she says, “but if you have more severe allergies, a trip to your doctor is important because there are other things that can be done by prescription, such as the inhaled steroid nasal sprays.” Ford says rinsing out your nose with an over-the-counter or even a homemade saline solution can decrease the amount of pollen in the nose. Pollen can also cling to clothing so changing clothes after being outdoors can help.

(Matt Kelley/Radio Iowa)

Clarinda man among more than 2 dozen people indicted on drug & money charges

News

March 21st, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri says a Clarinda man was among 30 people who were indicted and charged by a federal grand jury, in connection with the distribution of methamphetamine in Northwest Missouri, Northeast Kansas, Southeast Missouri and Southern Iowa. 34-year-old Joshua Duane Dockweiler, of Clarinda, is among the suspects.

Dockweiler, and the 29 other people, most of whom were from St. Joseph, MO, allegedly trafficked more than 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, with a street value of more than $1 million dollars from January 1st, 2009, to March 14th of this year.  All of the suspects face charges of conspiracy to distribute and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Some of the defendants also face additional charges that included firearms possession and possession and delivery of methamphetamine. In addition, each the suspects allegedly participated in a money-laundering conspiracy over the same time frame, by conducting financial transactions that involved the unlawful proceeds of the drug-trafficking conspiracy.

Cyclone Royce White to Enter NBA Draft

Sports

March 21st, 2012 by Jim Field

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State point-forward Royce White recorded one of the finest seasons in school history this past year while helping thrust the Cyclone men’s basketball program back into the national spotlight. After consulting with his family and Iowa State head coach Fred Hoiberg, White announced today he will enter his name into the 2012 NBA Draft.

“In conversations I’ve had with NBA personnel, Royce’s unique skill-set and big-time performances vs. elite competition have positioned him to realize his professional dreams,” said Hoiberg. “His ball-skill abilities coupled with his strength and size is a rare combination. Royce is a wonderful person and it was an honor for me to get the chance to coach him.”

White, a sophomore with two years of eligibility remaining, announced his intentions this afternoon at a media conference with Hoiberg by his side at the Jacobson Building.

White signed with an agent this week, therefore relinquishing his future eligibility at Iowa State.

“First of all, I want to thank the entire community of Ames and Iowa State University. There is no way to express how much I appreciate everything this community has done for me,” White said. “Ames has given me my life back, supported me in a way that allowed me to find myself, to improve myself as a man even more so than an athlete.”

“Coach Hoiberg is one of the greatest men I’ve ever met. I’m proud to have shared a piece of his legacy in his town,” White added. “I will always cherish Cyclone fans. They have uplifted me in so many ways, from support on the court, to allowing me to feel comfortable enough to share my problems with anxiety and pursuit of helping those who suffer from mental illness everywhere.”

A native of Minneapolis, Minn., White was arguably the most versatile collegiate basketball player in the nation in 2011-12. He is the only player in the nation to lead his team in scoring (13.4), rebounding (9.3), assists (5.0) , steals (1.1) and blocks (0.9), becoming just the second Cyclone in school history to lead his team in scoring, rebounding and assists in a season (Hoiberg did it in 1993-94). White also ranked in the top-100 nationally in three categories: rebounding (34th- 9.3), field goal percentage (37th- 53.4) and assists (57th- 5.0).

White’s outstanding play was the lynchpin for the Cyclones’ success on the hardwood in 2011-12, helping lead Iowa State to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in seven years, the third-most conference wins in school history (12-6) and the fourth-most overall wins (23) in the history of the program.

The All-Big 12 First Team selection started to see his name appear on many NBA mock draft boards throughout the season, but his stock rose dramatically after averaging 19.0 points and 11.0 rebounds in NCAA Championship games vs. national powers Connecticut and Kentucky. He also shot 71.4 from the field (15-21 FG) in the two NCAA Tournament games.

The Cyclone star recorded 15 points and 13 rebounds in a 77-64 victory over defending national champion Connecticut, doing most of his damage vs. Andre Drummond, who is listed as the sixth-best prospect on ESPN’s Chad Ford’s top-100 NBA hopefuls. He then followed that performance with a 23-point, 9-rebound showing against top-ranked Kentucky, holding his own against the Wildcats’ Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Davis is projected as the No. 1 pick in the majority of the 2012 mock drafts. Kidd-Gilchrist is also a potential top-10 pick in this year’s draft.

White, who was named the Big 12’s Newcomer of the Year and earned all-district recognition from both the USBWA and NABC, assessed his potential with Hoiberg, who played 10 seasons in the NBA and spent five seasons in front office positions in the NBA. Both White and Hoiberg felt now is the time to make the jump into professional basketball.

“Iowa State is a special place and there will always be a special place in my heart for this university and my experiences here,” White said. “I will always remember beating the Jayhawks and making our way back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in seven years. Lastly, I want to thank my teammates, without them none of our success would have been possible. They’re some of the best young men I’ve ever been around. I love each and every one of them. The same is true for our brilliant coaching staff and hardworking graduate assistants and managers. Thank you Cyclone Nation!”

Other exploits White produced during his lone Cyclone season was the fourth triple-double in Iowa State history vs. Texas A&M (10 points, 18 rebounds, 10 assists) and the highest rebounding total (316) by a Cyclone since Dean Uthoff (378) in 1978.

The 2012 NBA Draft is scheduled to be held on June 28 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

DARLENE MAE KEARNEY, 87, of Oakland (Svcs. 3-24-12)

Obituaries

March 21st, 2012 by Ric Hanson

DARLENE MAE KEARNEY, 87, of Oakland, died Wed.,March 21st,at the Oakland Manor Nursing Home.Funeral services for DARLENE KEARNEYwill be held 1:30-p.m. Sat., March 24th, at the Oakland Congregational Church. Rieken-Vieth Funeral Home in Oakland has the arrangements.

An open visitation will be held at the Rieken Vieth Funeral Home in Oakland on Friday.

Burial will be in the Oaklawn Cemetery.

Darlene Kearney is survived by:

Her husband – Mervin Kearney, of Oakland.

Her children – Arnold Kearney and wife Sharon of Oakland,  and Cynthia Perkins and husband Don of Cincinnati, OH.

Her brother Gerald Christensen; and her sister Dorothy Ann Olsen.

4 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren, other relatives and friends.

Rural Massena Machine Shed destroyed by fire

News

March 21st, 2012 by Ric Hanson

An early morning fire has destroyed a machine shed in rural Cass County. According to reports, at blaze broke out at around midnight Wednesday, about 5-miles south of Massena. Massena Fire Chief Brad Lank said crews from Massena, Cumberland and Corning fought the flames which destroyed the structure on the Joe and Kathy Clinton farm. The couple reportedly heard explosions and looked out to see their machine shed engulfed in flames. Most of the building was already gone by the time firefighters arrived. In addition to the structure, several pieces of farm equipment, including a combine, five tractors, some 4-wheel ATV’s and a semi-tractor trailer were lost. Firefighters were at the scene about three hours. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remained under investigation.

Osborne: Nebraska Has Made No Coaching Job Offer

Sports

March 21st, 2012 by Jim Field

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Apparently in response to an Omaha newspaper report that Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall turned down a $2 million offer to become Nebraska’s basketball coach, athletic director Tom Osborne issued a statement saying that the school has not offered the job to anyone.

The Omaha World-Herald, citing two unnamed sources, reported that Marshall rejected the offer.

Nebraska spokesman Keith Mann said Osborne didn’t tell him why he wanted to issue a statement. But no media outlet has reported that any other coach has been offered the job.

Osborne said, “A job offer would not be extended without athletic department officials first having an opportunity to meet in person with that candidate.”

Marshall didn’t immediately respond to an Associated Press email seeking comment.

Saints’ Payton Suspended for Season by NFL

Sports

March 21st, 2012 by Jim Field

NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL has suspended New Orleans head coach Sean Payton for the 2012 season, and former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is banned from the league indefinitely because of the team’s bounty program that targeted opposing players.

Commissioner Roger Goodell will review Williams’ status after the upcoming season and consider whether he can return to the league.

Also Wednesday, Goodell suspended Saints general manager Mickey Loomis for the first eight regular-season games of 2012, and assistant coach Joe Vitt has to sit out the first six games.

In addition, the Saints are being fined $500,000 and forfeit second-round draft picks this year and in 2013.

Royals’ Soria to Consider Options on Elbow Injury

Sports

March 21st, 2012 by Jim Field

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Kansas City Royals closer Joakim Soria will take a few days to consider his options after receiving a second opinion on his elbow injury.

The club said Wednesday he had damage to the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. Soria had reconstructive elbow surgery in 2003 to replace the same ligament. He was examined Tuesday by Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles.

Soria, a two-time All-Star, has 160 career saves, including a career-high 43 in 2010. Even if the 27-year-old Soria chooses not to have surgery, he would likely miss three months.

Manager Ned Yost says Jonathan Broxton, Greg Holland and Aaron Crow are candidates to close games.