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Kids Count survey shows drops in economic categories

News

January 10th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The latest “Iowa Kids Count” survey shows a distinct impact from the economy on the well-being of kids in the state. Iowa Kids County director, Michael Crawford, says the survey looks at 20 categories to determine how well families are faring. The latest survey covers 2010, and provides a comparison over the decade going back to 2000. “The 2010 Iowa Kids Count data book shows that the economic situation for families — particularly low and moderate income families — has shown little improvement over the last few years. Economic indicators such as unemployment, food assistance and child poverty all have continued to increase the past few years, with substantial increases since 2000,” Crawford says. “There is evidence that some improvement did take place in 2011, but we won’t know the final numbers until later this year.”

Among the economic factors in the report released today (Tuesday), it shows that unemployment increased by just over 137-percent in the last decade, food assistance eligibility has increased almost 168-percent, free or reduced-price lunch eligibility in schools has increased over 39-percent and child poverty has increased by 44-point-five-percent. Crawford says there are positive signs in the data for health and education. “Teen births have decreased, as has a majority of the child mortality indicators. Educationally, high school graduation and grade level test scores have shown modest increases,” Crawford says. Child deaths were down 38-percent in the last decade, infant mortality dropped 23-percent, teen births were down over 16-percent. On the education front, the high school graduation rate was up seven-tenths of a percent in the decade, eight grade math proficiency was up almost seven percent and fourth grade reading proficiency was up two-point-seven percent.

Crawford says the economic factors that have hit Iowa kids in the last decade are part of the national trend. “We are in the same boat as everybody else, we’re trying to create jobs for individuals, put people who’re unemployed back to work and I think that’s obviously the biggest goal of legislators and policymakers this year,” according to Crawford. While Iowa has seen some drops in the numbers of the last 10 years, Crawford says Iowa ranks in the top 10 when it comes to a comparison with other states in the national Kids Count data book. But, he says a high national ranking is not a reason to stop trying to improve. “As I say, I like to compare Iowa to Iowa, where we were 10 years ago and where we are now and improve on what we need to improve on,” Crawford says. The state’s unemployment rate has gone down recently and Crawford says that is one factor that is positive and there may be others as the data is put together for 2011.

The survey is made available through the Child and Family Policy Center and you can see the complete report at: www.cfpciowa.org.

(Dar Danielson/Radio Iowa)

Posted in News |

Monday’s High School Basketball Results

Sports

January 10th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

BOYS BASKETBALL
Atlantic 60, Tri-Center 44 (Sam Markham and Harrison Hoegh had 14 for AHS)
Corning 68, Villisca 55
Boyer Valley 59, A-H-S-T 28
Harlan 51, St. Albert 50
IKM-Manning 73, Shenandoah 34
Kuemper Catholic 73, Red Oak 30
Maple Valley-Anthon-Oto 82, West Harrison 48
Stanton 61, Heartland Christian  15
Treynor 71, Underwood 35

GIRLS BASKETBALL
Atlantic 46, Tri-Center 45 (AHS rallied from a 40-26 4th quarter deficit, Alex Hartwig scored 16 pts)
Boyer Valley 59, A-H-S-T 28
IKM-Manning 46, Harlan 39
Kuemper Catholic 73, Red Oak 30
Maple Valley-Anthon-Oto 65, West Harrison 25
Shenandoah 64, Clarinda Academy 23
Stanton 80, Heartland Christian 25
Treynor 58, Underwood 48
Villisca 41, Corning 35

Posted in Sports |

Iowa Boys Basketball Prep Poll released 1-9-2012

Sports

January 9th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Top Ten teams in the Associated Press Iowa high school basketball poll with first-place votes in parentheses and won-loss record, total points and position last week at right:

Class 4A
Record Pts Prv
1. Iowa City West (10) 9-0 136 1
2. Ankeny (4) 9-0 128 2
3. Dubuque Senior 8-0 113 3
4. West Des Moines Valley 8-2 79 4
5. Marion Linn-Mar 6-2 76 9
6. Cedar Falls 6-2 64 7
7. Waukee 7-2 60 6
8. Sioux City East 8-2 53 5
9. Des Moines Roosevelt 7-2 20 NR
10. Cedar Rapids Jefferson 7-2 19 T8

Others receiving votes: Cedar Rapids Kennedy 7. Davenport Central 7. Eldridge North Scott 5. Council Bluffs Jefferson 2. Southeast Polk 1.

Class 3A
Record Pts Prv
1. Waverly-Shell Rock (13) 9-0 139 1
2. MOC-Floyd Valley (1) 11-0 125 2
3. Mount Pleasant 9-1 95 4
4. Sioux City Heelan 7-2 85 5
5. Iowa Falls-Alden 8-1 78 3
6. Webster City 8-1 49 NR
7. Davenport Assumption 6-3 41 6
8. Le Mars 7-2 36 7
9. Epworth, Western Dubuque 7-2 32 9
10. Carroll 7-2 23 NR

Others receiving votes: Dallas Center-Grimes 18. A-D-M, Adel 17. Atlantic 13. Ballard 7. Grinnell 4. Vinton-Shellsburg 4. Solon 2. Maquoketa 1. Dubuque Wahlert 1.

Class 2A
Record Pts Prv
1. West Marshall (8) 11-0 131 1
2. West Fork, Sheffield (4) 10-0 121 2
3. Denver 10-0 95 5
4. Mount Vernon (2) 9-1 92 4
5. Des Moines Christian 8-1 62 3
6. Fort Dodge St. Edmond 8-2 51 NR
7. Ogden 11-0 45 NR
8. Stanwood North Cedar 9-2 38 10
9. Beckman, Dyersville 9-2 26 9
10. Roland-Story 9-0 23 NR

Others receiving votes: Monticello 20. Hull Western Christian 16. Kuemper Catholic, Carroll 13. Sioux Center 13. Monona MFL-Mar-Mac 8. Forest City 5. Clarinda 5. Cascade 4. Monroe PCM 1. West Branch 1.

Class 1A
Record Pts Prv
1. Danville (12) 11-0 138 1
2. Storm Lake St. Mary’s (2) 9-0 123 2
3. Blairsburg NE Hamilton 11-0 110 3
4. Boyden-Hull 8-1 80 4
5. Treynor 9-0 71 5
6. Harris-Lake Park 11-0 69 8
7. Keota 10-0 51 NR
8. Kingsley-Pierson 7-1 30 6
9. Lone Tree 9-1 27 7
10. Greenfield Nodaway Valley 8-1 20 NR

Others receiving votes: Troy Mills North Linn 16. Buffalo Center North Iowa 15. Le Mars Gehlen Catholic 9. Mount Ayr 5. Lynnville-Sully 3. Algona Garrigan 2. Malvern 1.

Posted in Sports |

UNI’s Dewitt leaves for FAU job

Sports

January 9th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — Northern Iowa defensive coordinator Jovan Dewitt is leaving the program to become the linebackers coach at Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton. Panthers coach Mark Farley says Dewitt will be joining the staff of first-year Owls coach Carl Pelini, a former assistant to his brother Bo Pelini, the head coach at Nebraska. Farley says Dewitt did a great job for the Panthers, adding that the move to FAU is a great opportunity for him. Dewitt spent the past three seasons at Northern Iowa. He was the linebackers coach in 2009-10 and became the defensive coordinator last season.

Posted in Sports |

Fatal accident in Ringgold County

News

January 9th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

A southern Iowa man was killed Saturday during a crash in southwest Iowa’s Ringgold County. The Iowa State Patrol says 55-year old Larry Jackson, of Lamoni, died when pickup he was driving went out of control, entered a ditch and rolled over before coming to rest on the driver’s side. The accident happened southwest of Mount Ayr at around 3-a.m. Saturday, as Jackson was traveling north on Ringgold County Road J-45, just south of 240th Street. Officials say Jackson, who was not wearing a seatbelt, died at the scene.

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Shenandoah man arrested following rollover accident Sunday

News

January 9th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports a Shenandoah man was cited for Failure to Maintain Control, and arrested for OWI/1st Offense, following a rollover accident early Sunday morning about half-way between Clarinda and Shenandoah. Sheriff Lyle Palmer says 37-year old Jason Howard Dickerson was being held in the Page County Jail. Dickerson was arrested after deputies were dispatched to the scene of the accident on Highway 2, near J Avenue, about 7-miles west of Clarinda, or 8-miles east of Shenandoah. When they arrived on the scene, officials found Dickerson’s 1997 Ford Explorer in the ditch near the vehicle, and Dickerson nearby.

After an investigation, it was determined that Dickerson had been travelling west on HWY 2 when he lost control of the SUV, which entered the south ditch,  and rolled onto its top.

Posted in News |

Additional details on Cass County accident, and recent arrests

News

January 9th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Additional details were released this (Monday) afternoon concerning a rollover accident we first told you about Sunday night, here in KJAN. The accident happened Sunday afternoon, just south of Interstate 80, in Cass County.  The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says a 2002 Saturn owned and driven by 35-year old Donathon Eugene Ebrecht, of Adair, was traveling north on 690th Street at around 3:50-p.m., Sunday, when the car entered a ditch and rolled over. The Sheriff’s Office say a passenger in the car was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic, by Anita Rescue. Ebrecht was cited for failure to maintain control, and for having no insurance. The incident remains under investigation. Damage to the car was estimated at $2,500.

The Sheriff’s Office said also, 26-year old Derek Allen McDermott, of Atlantic, was arrested last week on a charge of Possession with the Intent to Deliver/Methamphetamine. McDermott taken into custody last Thursday, and was seen by the magistrate on Friday, He is currently being held in the Cass County Jail on $10,000 bond. McDemott had been in the Cass County Jail since October 11, 2011, when he was arrested and charged with Possession of More than 5 Grams of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession With Intent to Deliver Scheduled Substance (2 counts), Possession with Intent to Deliver (2 counts), and Failure to Affix Drug Tax Stamp (2 counts). His bond on all charges was set at $136,325. His trial on the earlier charges is set to take place February 21st.

Last Wednesday, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 52-year old Diane Lucille Borkowski,  of Atlantic,  on a charge of OWI 1st Offense. Borkowski was cited into magistrate’s court the following day.

 

Posted in News |

Iowa State Off to 2-0 Start in Big 12

Sports

January 9th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State’s final non-conference win over Mississippi Valley State felt more like a loss because of how poorly the Cyclones played. Coach Fred Hoiberg aired his frustrations to his team, and those words have sunk in. Iowa State (12-3, 2-0 Big 12) is off to its first 2-0 start in the Big 12 in five years. The Cyclones beat Texas 77-71, then trounced preseason favorite Texas A&M 74-50 on Saturday behind 10 points, 10 assists and 18 rebounds from sophomore Royce White — just the sixth triple-double registered in a Big 12 game. Iowa State hosts No. 9 Missouri on Wednesday night with a chance to knock off its first ranked opponent of the season.

Posted in Sports |

17 Prep Boys’ Hoops Teams Still Undefeated

Sports

January 9th, 2012 by Jim Field

By:  Bud Legg, IHSAA

Seventeen high school boys’ basketball teams remain undefeated going into the second week of 2012. Eight teams lost for the first time last week. A total of 25 teams, including 15 in Class 1A, have just one loss.
The elite quintets at this point in the season listed by class are: Class 4A (3) – Ankeny (9-0), Iowa City West (9-0) and Dubuque Senior (8-0). Class 3A (2) – MOC-Floyd Valley (11-0) and Waverly-Shell Rock (9-0); Class 2A (6) – West Marshall (11-0), Ogden (11-0), Denver (10-0), West Fork (10-0), Monticello (10-0), and Roland-Story (9-0).  Class 1A (6) – Danville (11-0), Northeast Hamilton (11-0), Harris-Lake Park (11-0), Keota (10-0), St. Mary’s Storm Lake (9-0) and Treynor (9-0).
There are non one-loss teams in Class 4A. Once beaten teams in the remaining three classes follow: Class 3A (4) – Mount Pleasant (9-1), Vinton-Shellsburg (9-1), Iowa Falls-Alden (8-1), and Webster City (8-1). Class 2A (6) – Clarinda (9-1), Mount Vernon (9-1), MFL, MarMac (9-1), Pekin (9-1), Des Moines Christian (8-1), and IKM-Manning (8-1). Class 1A (15) – North-Linn, Troy Mills (10-1), Fremont-Mills (9-1), Gehlen Catholic LeMars (9-1), Lone Tree (9-1), Mount Ayr (9-1), Murray (9-1), Boyden-Hull (8-1), East Mills (8-1), Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton (8-1), Nodaway Valley (8-1), Pleasantville (8-1), Tripoli (8-1), Kingsley-Pierson (7-1), Boyer Valley (6-1), Trinity Christian Hull (6-1).
Upcoming games for the undefeated teams and the once beaten are listed below.
UNDEFEATED TEAMS
CLASS 4A
Ankeny (9-0) – host 6-3 Southeast Polk Tuesday; at 0-8 Indianola Friday
Iowa City West (9-0) – at 3A Wahlert Dubuque (4-4) Tuesday; host 4-5 Iowa City, City High Friday
Dubuque Senior (8-0) – at 5-4 Prairie Cedar Rapids Tuesday; hosts 3A Wahlert Dubuque (4-4) Friday

CLASS 3A
MOC-Floyd Valley (11-0) – hosts 2A Western Christian (6-3) Tuesday; at 2A West Lyon (8-4) Friday
Waverly-Shell Rock (9-0) – at Oelwein (4-5) Tuesday; at Decorah (6-4) Friday; at Webster City (8-1) Saturday

CLASS 2A
West Marshall (11-0) – at East Marshall, LeGrand (1-9) Tuesday; at 1A Grundy Center (3-7) Friday; plays Denver (10-0) at McLeod Center in NICL Shoot-out, Saturday
Ogden (11-0) – at 1A Madrid (0-10), Tuesday; at Panorama, Panora (3-8), Friday; host to West Central Valley, Stuart (2-9) Saturday
Denver (10-0) – at Hudson (8-2) Tuesday, at Wapsie Valley (1-9) Friday, plays West Marshall (10-0) at Wartburg College in NICL Shoot-out Saturday
West Fork (10-0) – at 1A North Butler (4-5) Tuesday, hosts 1A Rockford (2-6) Friday
Monticello (10-0) – at Maquoketa Valley, Delhi (6-5) Tuesday; hosts Cascade (9-2) Friday
Roland-Story (9-0) – hosts North Polk (8-4) Tuesday; at 1A Grandview Park Baptist (6-5) Friday; host to 1A Colo-NESCO (5-7) Saturday

CLASS 1A
Danville (11-0) – host to 2A Cardinal, Eldon (4-7) Tuesday, at 2A Van Buren, Keosauqua (7-3) Friday
Northeast Hamilton (11-0) – host to GMG, Garwin (2-8) Tuesday; at Meskwaki Settlement School (3-8) Friday
Harris-Lake Park (11-0) – at Round Lake-Brewster, MN (0-9), Monday
Keota (10-0) – at Montezuma (6-5) Monday, hosts HLV, Victor (4-5) Tuesday, hosts North Mahaska, New Sharon (4-5) Friday
St. Mary’s, Storm Lake (9-0) – at 2A Alta-Aurelia (6-3) Tuesday; at Spalding Catholic, Granville (2-6) Thursday; at East Sac County (7-2) Friday
Treynor (9-0) – at 2A Underwood (8-3) Monday; host to Audubon (2-7) Friday; plays Nodaway Valley (8-1) at Mid-American Center Saturday

ONCE BEATEN TEAMS
CLASS 3A
Mount Pleasant (9-1) – at Centerville (7-2) Tuesday; at home against Fairfield (3-7) Friday
Vinton-Shellsburg (9-1) -at Clear Creek-Amana (4-6) Tuesday; at Marion (4-6) Friday
Iowa Falls-Alden (8-1) – host to Eagle Grove (1-9) Tuesday; at Algona (5-5), Friday, host to 1A Grundy Center (3-7) Saturday
Webster City (8-1) – at Bishop Garrigan, Algona (5-5) Friday; host to 3A Waverly-Shell Rock (9-0) Saturday

CLASS 2A
Clarinda (9-1) – at 3A Harlan Community (6-3) Friday
Mount Vernon (9-1) – at 3A Anamosa (4-7) Tuesday, host to Epworth Western Dubuque (7-2) Friday
MFL, MarMac (9-1) – at Clayton Ridge, Guttenberg (6-4) Tuesday, at Valley Community, Elgin (2-8) Friday
Pekin (9-1) – host to 1A WACO, Wayland (6-6) Tuesday, host to Iowa Mennonite School, Kalona (8-3) Friday
Des Moines Christian (8-1) – at 1A Coon Rapids-Bayard (5-6) Tuesday, at 1A Earlham (3-8) Friday; host to 1A Madrid (0-10), Saturday
IKM-Manning (8-1) – at Shenandoah (1-9) Monday, at 1A West Harrison (4-8) Tuesday; at 1A Logan-Magnolia (6-4) Friday

CLASS 1A
North-Linn (10-1) – hosts 2A Cascade (9-2) Tuesday, host East Buchanan, Winthrop (1-9) Friday
Fremont-Mills (9-1) – at 2A Clarinda Academy (3-6) Tuesday, hosts Sidney (5-6) Friday
Gehlen Catholic, LeMars (9-1) – hosts Kingsley-Pierson (7-1) Monday, hosts St. Mary’s, Remsen (4-7) Tuesday, at Trinity Christian, Hull (6-1) Friday
Lone Tree (9-1) – hosts Highland, Riverside (2-7) Tuesday, at 2A Wapello (2-8) Friday
Mount Ayr (9-1) – hosts 2A Clarke, Osceola (2-7) Monday, host Lenox (4-5), Tuesday, at 2A Central Decatur, Leon (1-10) Friday
Murray (9-1) – at Twin Cedars, Bussey (6-5) Tuesday, at East Union, Afton (2-7) Thursday, at Moravia (2-8), Friday
Boyden-Hull (8-1) – host to Remsen-Union (7-4) Monday; at 2A Unity Christian (8-4) Tuesday, host to 2A Sheldon (6-3), Friday
East Mills (8-1) – at Villisca (4-5) Tuesday, plays Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson (1-9) at Mid-American Center, Council Bluffs, Friday; TBA in Corner Conference Tr. Saturday
Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton (8-1) – hosts Glidden-Ralston (2-8) Tuesday; at Ankeny Christian Academy (8-2) Friday
Nodaway Valley (8-1) – at Bedford (2-8) Tuesday; host to 2A Interstate 35, Truro (5-4) Friday; plays Treynor (9-0) at Mid-American Center, Council Bluffs, Saturday
Pleasantville (8-1) – hosts 2A Albia (5-3) Monday, host Southeast Warren (4-5) Tuesday, host Corning (5-5) Friday
Tripoli (8-1) – host to Meskwaki Settlement School (3-8) Tuesday, at North Tama, Traer (7-4) Friday, host to 2A Nashua-Plainfield (3-6) Saturday
Kingsley-Pierson (7-1) – at Gehlen Catholic, LeMars (9-1) Monday; hosts Lawton-Bronson (7-2) Tuesday, at 2A OA-BCIG (3-8) Friday
Boyer Valley, Dunlap (6-1) – at A-H-S-T, Avoca (2-8) Monday, at Charter Oak-Ute (1-9) Tuesday, host to Woodbine (4-4) Friday, host to Lawton-Bronson (7-2) Saturday
Trinity Christian, Hull (6-1) – host to Gehlen Catholic, LeMars (9-1) Friday

Posted in Sports |

Iowa, Neb., awarded Missouri River repair funds

News

January 9th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Federal Highway Administration has begun reimbursing Iowa and Nebraska for repairs made to highways damaged by last summer’s Missouri River flooding. The funds from the Federal Highway Administration’s Emergency Relief Program were announced Monday. Iowa will receive $37.4 million and Nebraska will receive about $4.6 million. Iowa Department of Transportation spokeswoman Dena Gray-Fisher says the funds reimburse Iowa for repairs made to Interstate 29, Interstate 680 and Iowa Highway 2. In Nebraska, transportation spokeswoman Mary Jo Oie (Oy) says the funds appear to be a partial payment for repairs made to state and federal roads, including U.S. Highway 75 along the Missouri River and U.S. 30 along the Platte River. The funds are part of nearly $1.6 billion awarded nationally to repair roads damaged by natural disasters last year.

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