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Iowa Rolls Past Dayton 84-75 in NIT Opener

Sports

March 13th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Freshman Aaron White scored a career-high 25 points, sophomore Zach McCabe tied a career high with 20 and seventh-seeded Iowa rolled past Dayton 84-75 on Tuesday night in the opening round of the NIT. Sophomore Melsahn Basabe added 15 points for the Hawkeyes (18-16), playing in their first postseason tournament game in six years, broke open a tie game with a 16-3 run midway through the second half to go ahead 65-52. Kevin Dillard had 23 points for Dayton (20-13), which beat Minnesota, Alabama and Mississippi this season. Though the Flyers were the higher seed, the game was played in Iowa City because Dayton’s home gym was hosting the NCAA tournament.  Iowa will play at Oregon in the second round on Sunday.  The Duck beat LSU 96-76 in their first round game Tuesday night.  Sunday’s game can be heard live on KJAN with the pre-game at 3:00 pm and tip-off at 4:00 pm.

Iowa attorney general says online schools OK

News

March 13th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller says online schools are allowed under state law. Miller issued an opinion on Tuesday. It was in response to a request by a state senator after two districts, CAM and Clayton Ridge, said they plan to launch online-only programs run by for-profit companies next school year. Miller says online courses are permitted, as long as the curriculum is taught by a licensed teacher and that students enrolled in the course are supervised. Critics argue the schools are illegal under a clause in the Iowa Code that says school districts are only allowed to do what is expressly stated in law. Miller disputes that claim, but says education officials should monitor the emergence of online-only programs in Iowa.

Guthrie County Extension welcomes new Office Coordinator

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 13th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

A native of Guthrie Center has returned home to become the new Office Coordinator at the Guthrie County Extension Office. Vicki Frohling (formerly Vicki Hansen) started working at the Extension office on March 5th.

Vicki Frohling

As Office Coordinator, Vicki has the responsibility of coordinating the office needs in Guthrie County, delivered by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

She brings to the position a background in health care administration,  and most recently served as the Executive Director of the Russell, Kansas, Area Chamber of Commerce. Frohling graduated from Guthrie Center High School and attended Northwest Missouri State University. She and her husband Wyatt recently moved back to Iowa from Kansas, and live on an acreage three miles west of Guthrie Center.  The couple has two adult children who live in Kansas.

Frohling says she’s “Excited to be living back in Guthrie Center and working for the extension office,” and the she looks forward to becoming an active part of the community. ISU Extension invites you to stop by the Guthrie County Extension Office at 212 State Street in Guthrie Center and welcome Vicki back to Guthrie Center and to her new position.

Iowa State’s Risky Hire of Fred Hoiberg Pays Off

Sports

March 13th, 2012 by Jim Field

AMES, Iowa (AP) — The debate over Iowa State’s decision to hire Fred Hoiberg two years ago included at least one point everyone could agree on.

Even if Hoiberg could make the transition from NBA executive to Big 12 coach, it was going to take time.

Well, “The Mayor” has arrived and he’s way ahead of schedule.

The Ames native and former Iowa State star has improbably pushed his local legend to new heights. Just 23 months after taking his first coaching job at any level, Hoiberg was named the Big 12’s co-Coach of the Year and his Cyclones (22-10) are in the NCAA tournament for the first time in seven years.

Eighth-seeded Iowa State will face defending national champion Connecticut (20-13) on Thursday.

CCMH Foundation offers Scholarship

News

March 13th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Officials with the Cass County Memorial Hospital Foundation remind area graduates that the deadline for the Elsie and Louie Hansen Memorial Scholarship is April 2nd, 2012. To be eligible for a scholarship you must be a Cass County high school graduate who is enrolled in, or has been accepted to and will be attending, a college of nursing or medicine leading to an LPN, RN, or MD degree. The Louie and Elsie Hansen Scholarship was established through the generosity and careful planning of these two life-long Cass County residents.  The Hansen’s believed in higher education, so much so that over 70% of their estate was bequeathed for that purpose, including a gift to the CCMH Foundation. 

Under the supervision and guidance of the CCMH Foundation, scholarship opportunities are provided yearly.  Scholarship candidates must have graduated from a Cass County high school and be enrolled in an accredited nursing or medical doctor school. Applications are available on line at www.casshealth.org or may be picked up from the CCMH Foundation office.

ISAC to award scholarships to area students

News

March 13th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

More than 750 county officials will be traveling to Des Moines this week for education, skills training and networking.  The Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) will be holding its 69th Spring School of Instruction March 15-16 at the Des Moines Marriott Downtown. In addition, ISAC will award scholarships to eight outstanding high school students during ISAC’s Business Meeting and Awards Ceremony on March 15th. 

Scholarships in the amount of $3,000 will be awarded to: Amanda Kesterson, a student at the Denison High School; and Amanda Steffes, from the Audubon High School. A Runner-up scholarship in the amount of $1,500 will also be awarded to Paige Kennon, from the Atlantic High School. Ethan Westering from the Atlantic High School, will receive a $2,000 scholarship from the Iowa Counties Information Technology Organization.  And, Michaela Kennedy from Abraham Lincoln High School will receive the Past President’s Scholarship in the amount of $3,000. 

Criteria used in judging the scholarships are scholastic achievement, financial need, participation in extracurricular/community activities, and overall character.  Eligibility is limited to children of county officials or county employees. ISAC scholarships are funded through the ISAC Education Foundation.  Also during ISAC’s business meeting, county officials will review and approve the association’s budget for fiscal year 2013. 

Villisca man seriously injured during accident this morning

News

March 13th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports a Villisca man suffered incapacitating injuries during a single-vehicle rollover accident this (Tuesday) morning in the western part of the County. 32-year old Dean Richard Orr was traveling north on Birch Avenue from Highway 34 at around 7:20-a.m., when his 1996 Buick Park Avenue slid through the intersection at 210th Street. The vehicle continued north on Birch. As it approached the T-intersection with 205th Street, the car went off the west side of the road.

When Orr overcorrected, the car rolled six times and landed in the north ditch. Officials say Orr, who was traveling too fast for the road conditions, was ejected from the vehicle through the side door window as the car rolled. He was transported by helicopter to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. He faces charges which include Driving While Suspended, Failure to Maintain Control, Failure to have Insurance, and not wearing a seat belt. His car was a total loss.

Wiota Wind Energy to give Public Tours Monday

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 13th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Officials with USDA Rural Development have announced Iowa’s USDA Director Bill Menner will be in Wiota Monday, March 19th, to participate in a public tour of Wiota Wind Energy’s new 1.5-megawatt hour wind turbine. The turbine, which is located at 68752 Independence Road in Wiota, will be open for public tours from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Representatives will be on hand to talk about the project and answer any questions.

Wiota Wind Energy LLC was formed in 2011 and includes several private local investors. The organization’s first commercial sized community-owned wind turbine is expected to generate as many as 5,900-Megawatt hours of energy annually, with a design life of 20 to 25 years. A power purchase agreement has been made with the local power cooperative.

USDA Rural Development participated in the project by providing a $504,733 loan guarantee through its Rural Energy for America Program (REAP).

Backyard and Beyond 03-13-2012

Backyard and Beyond, Podcasts

March 13th, 2012 by admin

Lavon Eblen talks about Community Gardens.

Play

Cass County Supervisors to hold public hearings on budget

News

March 13th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Public hearings will be held Wednesday morning in Atlantic, with regard to an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2012 Cass County Budget, and, the proposed Fiscal Year 2013 County Budget. The hearings take place shortley after the Board of Supervisors convene their regular weekly meeting, at 9-a.m.  Following those hearings, the Board will act on adopting the amended FY 2012 budget, and amending FY 2012 County Budget appropriations.

In addition the Supervisors will act on adopting the FY 2013 County and Secondary Roads budgets, which includes receiving and acting on a County Compensation Board recommendation for elected officers’ compensation. The Board will also act to approve an agreement for the use of County Road N-28 as a detour, while Highway 148 is widened and resurfaced, from Anita south to Highway 92. The project is expected to begin in May, and end in November.