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Glenwood Tops Atlantic Boys, Girls Netters

Sports

April 11th, 2012 by Jim Field

Boys at Glenwood — Glenwood 7, Atlantic 2

Singles:

#1 Mitch Leiferman 12 (A) over Grant Stivers 12 (G) 10-1
#2 Scott King 12 (G) over Tyler Fischer 12 (A) 10-5
#3 Garrett Hembry 12 (G) over Gunnar Blum 12 (A) 10-3
#4 Jake Rhoads 12 (G) over Noah Welter 11 (A) 10-6
#5 Joe Gunkelman 12 (G) over Jake Arneson 10 (A) 10-2
#6 Max Chavez 10 (G) over Blake Meneely 11 (A) 10-6

Doubles:

#1 Stivers/Hembry (G) over Leiferman/Blum (A) 10-5
#2 Fischer/Welter (A) over King/Rhoads (G) 11-10 (7-4 tiebreak)
#3 Gunkelman/Chavez (G) over Arneson/Rob Nichols 12 (A) 10-4

Coach Shawn Petersen Comments:

Overall, obviously not happy with the loss, but it was to a better team.  Mitch worked his way to a convincing win at #1, displaying outstanding court management and really getting after it defensively — he never let Stivers get any footing. Fischer and Blum both played commendable matches — they were just outplayed by their counterparts — good effort by both Tyler and Gunnar.  I thought we had a chance to get a couple of matches at 4-6, but got off to slow starts across the board in those matches.  In order to beat the better teams in our league, and Glenwood could be the best team in the league, we need to find a way to win a match or two we aren’t favored in — and to this point we haven’t been able to find a way to do that.  Give credit to Glenwood — they’ve got very good athletes up and down their lineup, and that advantage was very evident in the singles matches.

In doubles, at #1 we dug ourselves a 5-0 hole, playing not very aggressively and it cost us.  Once Mitch and Tyler started playing more offensively, it was an even match, but too much to overcome.  At #2, Tyler and Noah gutted one out for us — they trailed most of the match, but rallied to force a tiebreak; in the tiebreak, they were down 3-0 before putting together 5 straight points, ultimately finishing off their opponents 7-4 in the tiebreak — Tyler and Noah remain undefeated at #2 doubles.  At #3 Jake and Rob had a hard time getting anything going, but competed well to the end in the loss.

The boys are now 1-2 in conference and overall — they travel to Lewis Central on Thursday before hosting Denison and Clarinda next week.

JV winners were: Rob Nichols, Scott Caslow, Dalton Cook, Adam Wieser, Nick Podhajsky, Garrett McConnell, Reid Nichols, Ben Parker, Wyatt Saeugling, and Sam Bateman.

Girls at Atlantic — Glenwood 9, Atlantic 0

Singles:

#1 Rachel Tucker 11 (G) over Tori Dolch 11 (A) 8-1
#2 Grace Newman 11 (G) over Leah Tjepkes 10 (A) 8-0
#3 Montana Crow 11 (G) over Lexi Allen 10 (A) 8-2
#4 Britney Rodgers 12 (G) over Abby Johnson 11 (A) 8-0
#5 Marely Chavez 12 (G) over Lisa Gearheart 10 (G) 8-0
#6 Jana King 9 (G) over Kaley Miller 11 (A) 8-1

Doubles:

#1 Tucker/Newman (G) over Dolch/Tjepkes (A) 8-0
#2 Crow/Rodgers (G) over Allen/Johnson (A) 8-3
#3 Chavez/King (G) over Gearheart/Libby Gifford 11 (A) 8-4

Coach Shawn Petersen comments:

On the scoreboard, not a whole lot of positives for the girls — Glenwood is one of the top 3 or 4 teams in the league, and showed it.  They have a veteran group that has played a lot of tennis, and our girls are still learning how to compete and play against good competition.  Most of our girls are playing better, but don’t have the results to show for it — I feel for them, because it’s not a lack of effort in practice or in meets — they’re just playing better competition right now.  We need to keep chopping wood and working to improve every day, and the results will come for them.  Fortunately, I have a great group of girls to work with, and they are giving me everything they’ve got — as a coach that’s all I can ask of them.  Girls host Lewis Central on Tuesday before traveling to Denison and Clarinda next week.

Posted in Sports |

Biodiesel sales almost double in Iowa

Ag/Outdoor

April 11th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Figures from the Iowa Department of Revenue show the sale of biodiesel nearly doubled in Iowa from 2010 to 2011. The figures show sales of biodiesel went from seven-point-four (7.4) million gallons to 13-point-nine (13.9) million. Iowa Biodiesel Board executive director, Randy Olson, says he’s pleased to see the numbers which indicate drivers of the big rigs are using the product. “Reports and analysis suggest that truckstops along our interstate highway system are embracing the use of biodiesel. The economics have been very favorable for biodiesel in 2011,” Olson says. “Truck stop operators are clearly patriotic folks as are truckers, and the trucking industry have been strong supporters of biodiesel.”

Olson says federal tax incentives, the federal renewable fuel standard and the state tax credit have all helped biodiesel. He says there’s a (state) retailers credit in 2011 that incented blends of B-two or two-percent biodiesel at three-cents-per-gallon, and in 2012 retailers are incented four-and-a-half cents for blends of five-percent biodiesel, B-five. The figures show biodiesel makes up around 42-percent of all diesel sold at the retail level in Iowa. “Biodiesel would be normal petroleum diesel that’s blended with any percentage of renewable biodiesel,” Olson explains. “So biodiesel can be made from agricultural co-products like soybean oil, or animal fats, or even recycled restaurant greases. And any product that is made out of those renewable agriculture byproducts can be blended into diesel at any percentage.” 

Olson says the blended fuel works jus as well as the straight diesel. “Blends of biodiesel up to B-20 perform very comparably to petroleum diesel, and very importantly, it’s good for Iowa’s economy, it’s good for Iowa’s environment because it burns cleaner. And it’s good for our nation’s energy security. For every gallon of biodiesel we use, we import less foreign petroleum. And I think we all agree that’s a good idea,” Olson says. Iowa is home to 13 biodiesel plants that produced about 175 million gallons of biodiesel in 2011.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor |

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11th

Trading Post

April 11th, 2012 by Jim Field

FOR SALE: Apple Ipod Nano 8GB 4th Generation Pink asking $80, but willing to work something out. Excellent Condition. Call (712) 249-4446 if interested.

FOR SALE: two window air conditioners 110, would like to get $100 a piece, like new phone #712 243 2851.

FOR SALE: Firewood for $5 a bundle (nice-sized bundle); Hoveround in excellent condition with two new batteries ~ I’m willing to work out a price for it.  712-762-3400

FOR SALE: 2 Lambs.  1 week old.  Had their first Colustrum milk and had their first vaccine shot.  Are bottle fed now.  Asking $50 each.  Call 712-799-4794.

FOR SALE: Kenmore washer & electric dryer, baby pack & play, toddler bed complete. 243-3366

WANTED: Tomato cages and cattle panels.  769-2256.

FOR SALE: Pack ‘n Play set.  769-2256.

Posted in Trading Post |

Iowa State Hands Offense to Messingham

Sports

April 11th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

AMES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa State went through its first major staff change under fourth-year coach Paul Rhoads when offensive coordinator Tom Herman left for the same job at Ohio State. The Cyclones stayed in-house by promoting Courtney Messingham to replace Herman, and they’ve kept the offense as simple and recognizable as possible this spring. Iowa State wraps up its first spring practices with Messingham running the offense on Saturday with its annual scrimmage. Rhoads said Tuesday that Messingham, who previously coached the tight ends and receivers, has done well handling the increased responsibility of running Iowa State’s spread offense.

Posted in Sports |

Accident in Harlan Tuesday sends 1 person to the hospital

News

April 11th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

One person was transported to the hospital following a two-vehicle collision Tuesday, in Harlan. According to Harlan Police, a vehicle driven by Kacie Esparza, of Kirkman, rear-ended a car driven by Stephen Mages, of Panama, as Mages was slowing to turn west onto 900th Street, from southbound Highway 59. Esparza was transported to Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan by Medivac Ambulance. She told authorities she had looked down for just a second prior to the accident. Officials cited her for driving with an expired license, following too closely, and failure to have insurance. Damage from the accident amounted to $9,000.

Posted in News |

2 arrests in Red Oak overnight

News

April 11th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Red Oak Police Department reports two people were arrested overnight. At around 3:45-a.m. today (Wednesday), 38-year old Tanya Michelle Danick, of Red Oak, was arrested on a charge of OWI/1st Offense. She also received a warning for faailure to display her vehicle’s registration tag. Danick was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond.

And, just before 11-p.m. Tuesday, Red Oak Police arrested 31-year old Joshua Edward Mastin, of Stanton, on a charge of Driving while Suspended. Mastin was subsequently released on a citation.

Posted in News |

(Podcast) Skyscan Forecast: 4-11-12

Podcasts, Weather

April 11th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Here’s the (podcast) weather forecast for Atlantic, and the KJAN listening area….

Play

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (833.6KB)

Subscribe: RSS

Posted in Podcasts, Weather |

Drake Relays Announces Hall of Fame Class

Sports

April 11th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Drake Relays has selected four members for this year’s Hall of Fame class. Meet officials say Joey Haines, Victor Thomas, Tommy Asinga and former Iowa State star Edith Nakiyingi will be inducted on April 26. Haines is the former head track and field coach at Southeast Missouri State, where his teams won 11 Drake Relays event titles in the 1980s. Thomas, who coaches at Lincoln University in Missouri, has had 39 athletes win meet titles since 1996. Asinga was a five-time All-American at Eastern Michigan and competed in the 1988, ’92 and ’96 Summer Olympics for Suriname. Nakiyingi won the university/college division 800 meters in 1989 and 1991 and the women’s invitational 800 in 1990.

Posted in Sports |

Atlantic School Board approves Substitute teacher/support staff rate

News

April 11th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Atlantic School Board Tuesday night approved the proposed pay rates for substitute teachers and substitute support staff, such as para-educators, for 2012-2013.  Superintendent Mike Amstein recommended no changes in the rate for 2012-2013, but said he will likely seek an increase for 2013-2014. He said substitute teachers and para-educators are hard to find, and the district should stay within reach of what other districts are doing, in order to draw those persons to the Atlantic School District.

Amstein says the district needs to stay competitive with other districts, which is why he recommended the increase in the 2013-2014 year. In other business, the Atlantic School Board Tuesday, voted to leave the Driver’s Education fees unchanged from last year, at $350.

The board also approved a cost sharing agreement with the City of Atlantic, to split the costs of resurfacing the tennis courts at Sunnyside Park, and Washington Elementary School. The courts at Sunnyside are priority, and will likely be taken care of this fall. The courts at Washington are still in good shape, according to school officials, and will not need to be resurfaced for at least a couple of years. The district’s portion of the costs (about $90,000) will come out of the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (“PPELl”), or Capital Projects Fund. The costs to the district will be spread out over two-years.

Posted in News |

Atlantic School Board approves 4.5% package for certified staff

News

April 11th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education Tuesday evening approved a proposed two-year Collective Bargaining Agreement with the district’s certified staff. Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein said total package increase was 4.5-percent, for the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 school years.  The package also addresses an issue he says several board members have expressed concern over: that being the need to do something for the teachers who handle extra-curricular activities, such as coaching. The proposal negotiated with the Atlantic Education Association basically bumps the pay scale from a BA+3 to BA+4 for 2012-2013, and BA+6 for 2013-2014.  Amstein said that puts the district in a better position to attract and retain teachers to coach for the district and handle similar, extra-curricular activities.

Josh Rasmussen, High School Assistant Principal and Activities Director, told the Board the two-year contract and bump in pay scale means at least two teachers who had been “on-the-fence” as far as willingness to stay with the district and coach, will likely stay on, and not look for work elsewhere. Amstein said he knows from experience how difficult it is for teachers to want to be involved with all the extra activities their job requires of them, when the rate of pay is not a motivating factor. He says he believes the contract approved Tuesday night is fair,  “One the district will be able to afford,” and is a “Good, two-year contract.”

JoAnne Sandage, representing the Education Association said they were also pleased with the two-year contract, which is something the district has offered to the support staff, but never the certified staff, prior to the new agreement.

Posted in News |