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Iowa News Headlines: Thu., April 26th 2012

News

April 26th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

     CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – A 41-year-old sex offender is accused of trying to solicit two boys for sex at a Cedar Rapids motel. Authorities say Scott Share is charged with two counts of lascivious acts with a child. Share was arrested after officers learned he didn’t properly report his change of address.
 
     CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – Two more people have been arrested in connection with a shooting near Kirkwood Community College. Cedar Rapids police yesterday arrested Raymond Sellers of Chicago and Shantres Johnston of Cedar Rapids. Teran Huff of Des Moines is also charged in last Friday’s shooting that left three people wounded.
 
     DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Jurors have convicted a 30-year-old man in the death of a seven-month-old baby. A Polk County jury yesterday found Matthew Elliott guilty of charges related to the January 2008 death of Alexis Gilbert. Elliott faces up to 35 years in prison.

    CLINTON, Iowa (AP) – A 48-year-old visitor from Vermont has been injured in a fall off a cliff in the eastern Iowa city of Clinton. The woman was injured when she fell in Eagle Point Park shortly after 8 a.m. yesterday. Clinton police say the woman fell about 50 feet. She was flown to a hospital. Her name has not been released.
 
     CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) – The University of Northern Iowa has been ordered to stop using all student assessments to determine merit pay for professors. A state arbitrator sided with the United Faculty union in a ruling released Tuesday. The union had complained the university required philosophy and world religions faculty members to have a student evaluation for each course during every semester prior to merit pay being awarded.
 
     DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Outdoor enthusiasts and business groups are forming a new group to promote hunting in Iowa. State Retail Federation President Jim Henter says hunters spend more than $288 million statewide every year. Statistics from the state’s Department of Natural Resources show the number of hunting licenses issued in Iowa has dropped for 10 straight years.

Volunteers wanted for “Spring Park Blitz”

Ag/Outdoor, News

April 26th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is calling on volunteers to help cleanup a dozen state parks this weekend. Ashley Anderson, with the DNR, says Iowans will be asked to perform a variety of tasks to prepare the parks for another busy summer. The work will include trail cleanup, collecting litter and trimming of trees and bushes. The DNR has been relying more on volunteer help in recent years to maintain state parks as the agency’s budget has declined. The so-called “Spring Park Blitz” scheduled for this weekend is organized by DNR AmeriCorps members.

“The volunteers will work right along side our AmeriCorps members,” Anderson said. “The AmeriCorps members will be there to supervise or manage the volunteers.” In the event of inclement weather this weekend, some of the park cleanup events could be postponed to a later date. Iowans who are interested in volunteering are encouraged to contact Anderson by phone at 515-281-8300 or email: ashley.anderson@dnr.iowa.gov

Area “Spring Park Blitz” times/locations:

April 28th –

Lake Anita State Park: 9-11 a.m.
Lake of Three Fires State Park: 10 a.m.-noon

(Pat Curtis/Radio Iowa)

Hitchcock House Pioneer Festival coming up on May 5th

Ag/Outdoor, News

April 26th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Have you ever wondered how the pioneers made their own rope or dipped their own candles?  Maybe you have even thought about trying your hand at spinning wool.  If so, you should come to the Hitchcock Pioneer Skills Festival. The Festival will be held on Saturday, May 5th at the Hitchcock House, which is located 6 miles south of Atlantic and 1.5 miles west of Lewis, IA.  The festivities will begin at 1:00 p.m. and end at 4:00 p.m.  You will have an opportunity to visit the historic Hitchcock House and see many of the skills and crafts that people of the late 1800’s used in daily living.

You could begin your visit with a tour of the Hitchcock House that is also a National Historic Landmark.  This two-story home was built in 1856. It features thick sandstone walls, window seats, native hard wood trim and a secret room that hid runaway slaves.  The secret room is located in the basement where there is also a stone fireplace where the slaves could cook food and keep warm.  It is said that the famous John Brown preached around this fireplace. Head to the barn, where the hub of the festival activities will take place.  Once you make it to the barn you will be able to observe the skills and crafts of the past and even try your hand at a few of them.  There will be rope making, candle dipping, tin punching, and woodcarvings.  

Don’t miss out on this exciting day!  The festival will be held rain or shine.  Families are encouraged to come and share the day together as they might have in the 1800’s.  There is a $5 fee for a tour of the Hitchcock House.  All activities in the barn are free of charge; donations to the Hitchcock House will be accepted.

(Press Release/Lora Kanning, Naturalist with Cass County Conservation)

(Podcast) Skyscan Forecast for Thu., April 26, 2012

Podcasts, Weather

April 26th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The (podcast) forecast for Atlantic & the KJAN listening area from Freese-Notis, and the weather stats for Atlantic from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson….

Play

Forecasts Threaten Drake Relays

Sports

April 26th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The 103rd Drake Relays begin with a full schedule today (Thursday), though concerns about cool temperatures and rain might prompt some of the Olympic hopefuls to sit out.  Meet director Brian Brown says he’s hopeful that a packed Drake Stadium and the aura associated with one of the nation’s top meets will push those athletes to compete no matter how bad the conditions are.  Des Moines native Lolo Jones, decathlete and Olympic gold medalist Bryan Clay and Iowan Jenny Simpson, the world champion the 1,500 meters, will headline the meet.

Obama Says he’s Glad Iowa Opens Season in Chicago

Sports

April 26th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – College football season is still more than four months away, but Barack Obama is drawing applause just for mentioning Iowa’s opening game. During his stop in Iowa City on Wednesday, Obama told University of Iowa students he’s glad the Hawkeyes open play at Soldier Field in his hometown of Chicago against Northern Illinois on Sept. 1.  Obama says Iowa has shown him great hospitality during his political career, and he hopes Chicago returns the favor to Iowa players and thousands of fans who are expected to attend. Iowa rarely plays at neutral sites. Obama made the remark at the beginning of his 30-minute speech at the Field House.

Freese, Lynn Lead Cardinals Over Cubs 5-1

Sports

April 25th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

CHICAGO (AP) — David Freese homered and Lance Lynn threw eight strong innings to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 5-1 win over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday afternoon. Lynn (4-0) held Chicago to six hits in becoming the first four-game winner in the majors and helping the Cardinals avoid a three-game sweep. Freese’s two-run blast in the sixth capped a three-run, two-out rally against starter Chris Volstad. Freese added an RBI double in the eighth. Volstad (0-3) threw six solid innings, retiring St. Louis in order during four of them. But he’s still 0-8 in 15 starts since July 10, 2011. Bryan LaHair homered to lead off the fourth for Chicago’s only run. LaHair has four of Chicago’s majors-lowest seven home runs this season.

Kurt Busch to Run Nationwide Race in Iowa

Sports

April 25th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — NASCAR Sprint Cup regular Kurt Busch will run the Nationwide race at Iowa Speedway on May 20. Busch confirmed he’ll race in Iowa for the first time. He will be the first Sprint Cup champion to run on Iowa’s 0.875-mile oval. Danica Patrick, Sam Hornish Jr., Austin Dillon and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who won both Nationwide races at Iowa in 2011, are also slated for the race. The May event will be the first of four Nationwide and Camping World Trucks series races in Iowa this season. The track will also host an IndyCar race in June.

Record High Temperature broken in Atlantic!

News, Weather

April 25th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Temperatures across western Iowa are soaring this afternoon. Here in Atlantic, we hit 91-degrees at 2-p.m..  The old record for this date was 90, in 1981. The National Weather Service says temps are in the upper 80’s to low 90’s.

At 2-p.m. in Carroll, Harlan, Red Oak, Shenandoah and Cherokee, it was 90-degrees. The temps in central Iowa, were only in the mid-to-upper 70’s and low 80’s.

New Iowa group hopes to reverse decline in hunting

Ag/Outdoor, News

April 25th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Outdoor enthusiasts and business groups are forming a new group to promote hunting in hopes of reversing declining interest in the activity. Iowa Retail Federation President Jim Henter says hunters spend more than $288 million in Iowa every year and have a big impact on the state’s economy. Iowa Department of Natural Resources Director Roger Lande says part of the hunting decline has been because the state has had a series of harsh winters that cut into wildlife population. Last year’s mild winter could help that population. 

Lande says a loss of habitat also has contributed to the wildlife decline.  Statistics from the DNR bear out the trend, with the number of hunting licenses issued in Iowa dropping for 10 straight years.