712 Digital Group - top

Same teen involved in 2 minor injury accidents Tuesday

News

August 31st, 2011 by Ric Hanson

A Clarinda teen had a bad driving day, Tuesday. Officials says 17-year old Tianna Martin, of Clarinda, suffered minor, possible injuries, after the car she was driving rear-ended a mini-van north of College Springs, and later hit a bridge guard rail head-on.

The first accident happened at around 3:25-p.m., near the intersection of 280th Street and Nutmeg Avenue. Authorities say Martin told investigators her brakes acted “funny” as she approached a van stopped at the intersection. Despite swerving to try and avoid the collision, the 1999 Pontiac Bonneville Martin was driving, collided with the rear of a 2003 Chrysler Town & Country van, driven by 44-year old Janette Macvenn, of College Springs, causing a total of $2,000 damage. Macvenn was not injured during the accident. Martin suffered possible, minor injuries during the mishap. She was also cited for following too close.

About 35-minutes later, Tianna Martin was involved in another accident. Officials say she was traveling north on 280th Street in the same car involved in the earlier crash, when the vehicle ran off the road. The car was totaled when it hit a bridge car rail head-on. Martin was transported by Clarinda EMS to the Clarinda Regional Hospital for possible injuries. The teen received another citation for failure to maintain control.

Red Cross worker from Heartland Chapter is stationed in D-C for hurricane relief

News

August 31st, 2011 by Ric Hanson

Red Cross workers from chapters across Iowa are stationed along the East Coast, helping residents recover from the weekend hit by Hurricane Irene. Danelle Schlegelmilch, with the Heartland Chapter in Omaha/Council Bluffs, is deployed in Washington D-C where thousands of residents have been overnighting in Red Cross shelters. She says the damage ranges from North Carolina to Maine. “It is kind of mind-boggling to think about the number of people who were impacted,” Schlegelmilch says. “I heard a statistic there are close to 50 or 60-million people, and that would be about 15 to 18-percent of our population in the United States, all lived in that affected area.” Schlegelmilch says most people have no choice but to head to a shelter for the basics of life.

She says, “Here on the East Coast, there is literally nowhere else for people to go when things like this happen so they really depend on the Red Cross and our partner agencies to be there to be able to provide the essentials of comfort, care, food.” Schlegelmilch was sent to Washington D-C last week to prepare for Hurricane Irene but she got a bonus, of sorts.  “Actually, I was deployed for the hurricane but ended up in an earthquake by accident,” she says. “It’s been one of those summers I couldn’t have ever predicted. I’ve worked three tornados, a flood, a hurricane and was in an earthquake, so it’s one for the books for sure.” Many people remain stranded at airports with hundreds of fights cancelled. It could be weeks before electricity is restored in some areas as four-million homes lost power in the storm. At least 40 people died in Irene in 14 states and territories. Flooding is now a big problem in Vermont, New York and elsewhere. Schlegelmilch expects the Red Cross shelters will be open for some time as the region recovers. Damage may reach seven-billion dollars.

(Radio Iowa)

Lake Manawa special Deer Hunt Cancelled

Ag/Outdoor

August 31st, 2011 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has cancelled the
special deer hunt in Lake Manawa State Park, scheduled to begin October 1.
An estimated 90 percent of the area in Lake Manawa where the hunt was planned is
still under several feet of water.

Council Bluffs drops flood alert

News

August 30th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — For the first time in more than two months, Council Bluffs is no longer under a flood alert from the Missouri River. Public Information Officer Don Gross says the city on Tuesday canceled the Alert Level 1 status, which had been in place since June 22. The alert warned people to have an evacuation plan in case of a breach or other emergency. The city’s flood call center is also closing on Tuesday, and it’s the last day the Iowa National Guard will patrol the levees.

With river levels dropping, the city plans to reopen its side of the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge that spans the river to Omaha, Neb., on Saturday. Other bike trails may reopen this weekend, but no specifics have been released.

Iowa to Honor Slain Navy SEAL – and Dog Might Help

Sports

August 30th, 2011 by Jim Field

     IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The dog who touched hearts all over the world by lying next to the casket of a slain Navy SEAL might lead the Iowa Hawkeyes onto the field during a game this season.  The university said Tuesday it will honor Jon Tumilson and other veterans at one of two home games in November. The team says it will work with Tumilson’s family to determine what role his loyal dog, Hawkeye, might play.  Tumilson was one of 30 American soldiers killed in Afghanistan on Aug. 6 in a helicopter crash. Photos of his pet Labrador retriever lying near his casket during a funeral service went viral.  A former player suggested the dog lead the team before Saturday’s game against Tennessee Tech and fans embraced the idea.

Chiefs Put OT O’Callaghan on IR, Cut K Carter

Sports

August 30th, 2011 by Jim Field

     KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – The Kansas City Chiefs have placed offensive tackle Ryan O’Callaghan on injured reserve and released backup kicker Todd Carter to reach the 80-player roster limit before Tuesday’s deadline.  O’Callaghan had missed nearly all of training camp with an undisclosed injury. He was picked up off waivers before the 2009
season and started 12 games that year, but he was injured in training camp last season and Barry Richardson took over the starting job.  Carter was signed on Aug. 10 as a second kicker in camp, but he’s played sparingly in three preseason games and never challenged Ryan Succop for the starting job.  The Chiefs play Green Bay in their final preseason game Thursday night. They must cut to 53 players by Saturday.

Group to Discuss Replacements in Case Aggies Leave

Sports

August 30th, 2011 by Jim Field

     The Big 12 board of directors has formed a committee to discuss schools that could replace Texas A&M if the Aggies leave the league as expected.  Missouri Chancellor Brady Deaton, who serves as the board chairman, said Tuesday that the committee could also address the possibility of expanding the conference even if Texas A&M stays put.
     The Aggies are interested in joining the Southeastern Conference and they received a letter from Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe on Monday outlining the withdrawal procedure if they decide to leave.  Deaton says the Big 12 board has not received notification that the Aggies plan to leave.

New Big Ten Features Nebraska, 4 Fresh Coaches

Sports

August 30th, 2011 by Jim Field

     The bigger Big Ten is ready to go.  After talking about the move for more than a year, the biggest addition – No. 10 Nebraska – will begin its season Saturday and all 12 conference members are in action this week in a league that will have two divisions and a title game for the first time.  Cornhuskers coach Bo Pelini says there’s a sense that finally they can focus on football.  It was a tumultuous offseason in the conference with four new coaches hired, including Ohio State’s Luke Fickell after the 18th-ranked Buckeyes dealt with a scandal that cost Jim Tressel his job.  The season kicks off when No. 11 Wisconsin hosts UNLV on Thursday night.

Iowa’s Derby Moves into Backup Role

Sports

August 30th, 2011 by Jim Field

     IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz says quarterback A.J. Derby will likely open the season as the backup to junior James Vandenberg.  Derby, a 6-foot-4, 232-pound redshirt freshman from Iowa City, would get the nod over James Wienke as the reserve behind Vandenberg. Ferentz on Tuesday praised Derby for his size, quick feet and competitiveness. But it appears unlikely that the Hawkeyes will prepare special packages for Derby simply to get him on the field.  Derby could see playing time as early as Saturday, though, when the Hawkeyes host FCS school Tennessee Tech.  Iowa has won its last 10 openers by an average of 31.5 points, allowing backups like Derby to get experience.

Iowa officials downplay effect of FEMA decision

News

August 30th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa officials say they don’t expect the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s decision to  freeze disaster aid in the wake of Hurricane Irene to affect the state’s recovery from flooding along the Missouri River. FEMA has announced it will freeze disaster aid to parts of the country recovering from tornadoes, drought, flooding and wildfires.

FEMA has enacted similar restrictions when disaster relief funds dipped below $1 billion. The fund currently stands at $800 million. John Benson of Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management says he doesn’t expect the decision to affect the state’s recovery from disasters, including flooding along the Missouri River.

FEMA says the restrictions will not affect individual aid to disaster survivors but will apply to longer-term repairs, rebuilding and mitigation projects.