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Iowa State Upends Texas 77-71

Sports

January 5th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State’s transfer-laden team has struggled with consistency at times this season. The newcomers didn’t have any trouble carrying the Cyclones in their Big 12 debuts. Chris Babb scored 17 points and Iowa State beat Texas 77-71 Wednesday night in the Big 12 opener for both teams. Royce White added 14 points and Chris Allen scored 13 for the Cyclones (11-3), who won their league opener for the first time in five seasons. They did so behind Babb, White, Allen and fellow newcomer Anthony Booker, who combined for 55 of Iowa State’s 77 points. Texas star J’Covan Brown finished with 19 points despite missing most of the second half after turning his right ankle. Clint Chapman added a career-high 19 points and 14 rebounds for the Longhorns, who lost just their second Big 12 opener in 14 tries under coach Rick Barnes. Sheldon McClellan’s layup with 16 seconds left pulled the Longhorns (10-4) within 75-71. But that was as close as they would get, as Allen sealed it from the free-throw line.

Texas and Iowa State entered league play with matching records and lingering questions about whether they can make a run in the Big 12. The Longhorns dropped neutral-site games to Oregon State and North Carolina State, and then got pounded by No. 3 North Carolina 82-63 just before Christmas. The Cyclones won their last five games in non-conference play, but a narrow 67-65 win over Mississippi Valley State last weekend had coach Fred Hoiberg fuming over his team’s effort. It was much better against the Longhorns, as Iowa State won its sixth in a row dating back to a loss at No. 16 Michigan a month ago.

Iowa Gets Another Road Win, 64-62 Over Minnesota

Sports

January 5th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — For the first time in five seasons, Iowa has back-to-back Big Ten victories on the road. The Hawkeyes were determined and poised enough to overcome an 11-point deficit at Minnesota late in the first half and even endure six straight missed free throws in the final 40 seconds. The Gophers simply lost their way — and their confidence. Matt Gatens had 19 points, six rebounds and three steals to lead Iowa’s second-half surge past Minnesota for a 64-62 win on Wednesday night. Maverick Ahanmisi’s runner from the edge of the lane in traffic bounced off the other side of the rim as the buzzer sounded, giving the Hawkeyes (10-6, 2-1) their first win over their border-state rival in five years. Fueled by a head-turning victory at then-No. 11 Wisconsin last weekend, the Hawkeyes hounded the Gophers into 4 for 23 shooting from 3-point range and forced 6-foot-11 center Ralph Sampson III into six turnovers. Up next for Iowa is a home game against No. 6 Ohio State, then a trip to No. 10 Michigan State, followed by a visit from No. 16 Michigan.

 

DONALD “SONNY” IRLBECK, 72, of Coon Rapids (1-7-12)

Obituaries

January 4th, 2012 by Jim Field

DONALD “SONNY” IRLBECK, 72, of Coon Rapids died Wednesday, January 4th at Manning Regional Healthcare Center.  Funeral services for Donald “Sonny” Irlbeck will be held on Saturday,January 7th at 10:30 am at the Annunciation Church in Coon Rapids.  Johnson & Woodhouse Funeral Home in Coon Rapids has the arrangements.

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Visitation will be Friday from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the funeral home, with a prayer service at 7:00 pm.

Burial in the St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Dedham.

Donald “Sonny” Irlbeck is survived by:

Wife: Elaine of Coon Rapids

Daughters: Julie Irlbeck of Council Bluffs & Jill Irlbeck of Council Bluffs

Brother: Edward Irlbeck, Jr. of Dedham

Sisters: Katherine Dentlinger of Coon Rapids, Angeline Gassman of Lake City, Doreen Biederman of Council Bluffs

EMMERT “PETE” PETERSEN, 87, of Coon Rapids (1-6-12)

Obituaries

January 4th, 2012 by Jim Field

EMMERT “PETE” PETERSEN, 87, of Coon Rapids died Tuesday, January 3rd at the St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll.  Funeral services for Emmert “Pete” Petersen will be held on Friday, January 6th at 10:30 am at the Ascension Lutheran Church in Coon Rapids.  Johnson & Woodhouse Funeral Home in Coon Rapids has the arrangements.

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Visitation is Thursday from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the funeral home.

Burial in the Scranton Township Cemetery.

Emmert “Pete” Petersen is survived by:

Wife: Juanita of Coon Rapids

Children: Vicki Garnes of Coon Rapids, Judy Bishop of Carroll, Donna Seaman of Marshalltown, Robert Killeen of Audubon, Pat Burt of Webster City

13 Grandchildren

21 Great-Grandchildren

Thieves hit heartland food bank

News

January 4th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Food banks are already dealing with a rise in demand and a drop in donations but troubles are compounded for the Food Bank for the Heartland. The non-profit group, serving western Iowa and eastern Nebraska, was targeted by thieves. Spokesman Brian Barks says they recently moved to a new building in Omaha and discovered vandals ripping into the air conditioning and heat units at the old building. Barks says, “It was during the inspection, prior to the closing of the building, that it was discovered that all of the copper had been ripped out of a number of the units on the roof of the building.” Repairing the damage may cost 90-thousand dollars. Barks says they are hoping insurance will pay for the damage but have a back-up plan in place.

Barks says, “That money would be going into our endowment fund but if we do have to pay it out of pocket, that money will be going to pay for new units.” No arrests have been made. The Food Bank for the Heartland serves 93 counties in Nebraska and Iowa, distributing nine-million pounds of food a year though more than 300 food pantries, emergency shelters, after-school programs, senior housing sites and rehabilitation centers. Learn more about the charity at: “www.omahafoodbank.org”.

(Matt Kelley/Radio Iowa)

Iowa OT Reiff Declares for NFL Daft

Sports

January 4th, 2012 by Jim Field

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa offensive tackle Riley Reiff has announced he has declared for the NFL draft.

The Gazette in Cedar Rapids reports the 23-year-old native of Parkston, S.D., confirmed his decision Tuesday.

The 6-foot 6-inch 300 pound Reiff was a first-team all-Big Ten pick this fall and second-team as a junior. He is projected by many to be a first-round pick.

He played four years for the Hawkeyes, starting for nearly three full-seasons. He was red-shirted his freshman year, keeping him eligible for four more seasons, and next season would have been his final year of eligibility.

DARRELL J. SPENCER, 68, of Atlantic (no services)

Obituaries

January 4th, 2012 by Jim Field

DARRELL J. SPENCER, 68, of Atlantic died Tuesday, January 3 at the Atlantic Nursing & Rehab Center.  Per his request, cremation has taken place and no services are planned at this time for Darrell J. Spencer.  Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic is assisting the family.

RONALD DEAN PILCHER, 71, of Ankeny – formerly of Adair (1-6-12)

Obituaries

January 4th, 2012 by Jim Field

Ronald Dean Pilcher, 71, of Ankeny (formerly of Adair) died Monday, January 2, 2012 at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines.  Funeral services for Ronald Dean Pilcher will be Friday, January 6 at 2:00 pm at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 517 SW Des Moines St, Ankeny.  Ankeny Funeral Home has the arrangements.

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Visitation will be Thursday from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Ankeny Funeral Home, 1510 W. 1st St., Ankeny.

Burial at Ankeny Memorial Gardens.

Ron Pilcher is survived by:

Wife: Barbara (formerly Crozier) Pilcher of Ankeny

Children: Aaron (Jill) Pilcher, Michael (Jeannie) Pilcher, Teresa (fiancé Matt Shelton) Pilcher, and Eric (Jayme) Pilcher all of Ankeny

Sister: Carol Ann (Frank) Weiss of Cincinnati, OH

Brother: Robert Eugene Pilcher of Newton.

Mother-in-law: Virginia Crozier of Adair

Brother-in-law: Tom Crozier of Adair

4 Grandchildren

Memorial contributions may be directed to the family.

$37-MILLION EMERGENCY RELIEF GRANT NECESSARY AFTER 2011 FLOODING IN WESTERN IA

News

January 4th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Iowa Congressman Tom Latham today (Wednesday) commended the U.S. Department of Transportation’s decision to award Iowa an emergency relief grant of more than $37.4-million to repair roads damaged by historic flooding in 2011 along the Missouri River. Latham, Chairman of the U.S. House Transportation/HUD Appropriations Subcommittee, announced the grant after Iowa officials filed a request for the emergency relief earlier in 2011.  

Latham said throughout the summer he saw firsthand the flood damage in western and southwestern Iowa and spoke with the Iowans whose lives were disrupted by the disaster. He says “The flood dealt serious damage to the transportation infrastructure that is critical to the flow of commerce in western Iowa.  This emergency relief funding is absolutely necessary to help repair and rebuild these roads and highways and restore certainty to Iowa’s local economies.”

Iowa State Hires Messingham as Offensive Coordinator

Sports

January 4th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State has named wide receivers coach Courtney Messingham as its offensive coordinator. Messingham replaces Tom Herman, who left to become the offensive coordinator for Urban Meyer at Ohio State. Messingham has spent three seasons under coach Paul Rhoads, coaching tight ends in 2009 and 2010. Messingham is a Waterloo, Iowa native and played at Northern Iowa. He was the head coach at Upper Iowa from 2003-04 and an assistant at Southern Mississippi and Missouri State before joining the Cyclones. Rhoads says in a statement that Messingham has earned the promotion through his hard work as a  coach and recruiter. Rhoads says there’s no timetable for hiring a receivers coach to replace Messingham.