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Friends remember Iowa soldier – SSgt. James Justice

News

May 4th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

Friends of Staff Sergeant James Justice told of the fallen Iowa National Guard soldier’s love of his family and life during his funeral today (Wednesday) at the I-K-M Manning High School gym in Manning. Hundreds turned out to honor the 33-year-old who died on a mission to rescue downed helicopter pilots in Afghanistan on April 23rd. Jessica Fine worked with Justice’s wife Amanda, and became friends with James too. Fine talked about how Justice would play with his three-year-old daughter Caydence, and the relationship he had with his wife.

“Since James left for Afghanistan, he has sent the cutest love notes to Amanda and Caydence,” Fine said, “He never said much , but just enough that you could tell how much he missed and loved them.” Fine says she was brought to tears as she looked at their Facebook pages and saw the notes they left for each other. Fine says Justice made an impression on her that she will never forget.

She says while she only knew him for a few years, he always made her feel like a special friend. “And I am honored to have known James because of the husband, father, son, brother, uncle and friend that he was,” Fine said, “he died serving a country that he loved, and I can’t wait until the day when I can tell Caydence about what a hero and honorable man her daddy really was.” Justice was born in Manning and grew up in Manilla. Jason Erb was a longtime friend of Justice’s and fellow soldier. He said Justice was a die-hard Iowa Hawkeye fan, and had a hard time with it when Erb decided to play football for the Cyclones.

Erb says he would give Justice tickets for the home football games and Justice still wouldn’t root for Iowa State. He says Justice would go out and buy the opposing team’s t-shirt and root against Iowa State while sitting in the Cyclone parents’ section. Jeremy Venick said he had tried to write something down to say about his friend, but ended up with a blank piece of paper. He instead spoke about how his friend would win over others.

“James was one of a kind, and his personality was infectious,” Venick said. He says they’d walk into a bar and when they left, “he’d have 10 new friends, or four new enemies, and it was one way or the other every time.” Venick says usually it was new friends that Justice made, and he said he was not surprised so many people turned out to honor him.

Venick says Justice made so many friends every where he went, and since his death he keeps running into people who he hasn’t seen in 10 years and they start telling stories about Justice. Tyler Christianson told a story of a prank he and Justice pulled on another soldier, and how they laughed when they got caught. He says those are the things he will remember about his friend.

“James was an amazing, husband, son, brother, friend to all,” Christianson said,” I know the reason that we cry is because those times were so great.” Justice lived in Grimes and was a fulltime guard member with the First Squadron 113th Calvary that is stationed at Camp Dodge. He will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.

(Radio Iowa)

Arrest in Montgomery County

News

May 4th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

A Red Oak man was arrested this (Wednesday) morning on a warrant out of Mills County. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s office reports 19-year old Nathan Allen Aldrich was taken into custody on felony warrants for eluding and Theft in the 1st degree/Possession of Stolen Property.

Aldrich was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $15,000 cash bond. He’s scheduled to appear before a judge on Thursday.

Authorities arrest Afton man, recover firearms

News

May 4th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

CRESTON, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say they have arrested an 18-year-old Afton man and recovered dozens of stolen firearms from an abandoned Union County farmhouse.  About 40 guns were recovered.  The Des Moines Register reports that authorities Monday charged Eric K. Downey with second-degree burglary. He remained Tuesday in the Union County Jail.

Authorities say they also are searching for a 17-year-old in connection with six break-ins in Union and Ringgold counties. Union County Sheriff Rick Piel says four burglaries were in Union County. Two were in Ringgold County.

Besides the sheriff’s offices, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and Afton police worked on the case.

Union County fatal

News

May 4th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

A man from Osceola was killed and a woman from Tingley was injured, during a crash this (Wednesday) morning between an SUV and a pickup in Union County. The Iowa State Patrol says the driver of the pickup, 51-year old Dick Downing, from Osceola, died, when his vehicle rear-ended an SUV driven by 35-year old Brandi Shay, of Tingley.

The accident happened at around 7:40-a.m on Highway 34, near Afton. Officials say the Downing and Shay vehicles were traveling west on the highway when Shay’s Chevy Suburban slowed down and was rear-ended by Downing’s Chevy pickup.

Shay was injured in the crash, while Downing died at the scene. Both drivers were wearing their seat belts. The accident remained under investigation.

Officials at Southwestern Community College say Downing was a Carpentry instructor at the school. Counselors will be on-hand for students and staff to help them deal with their loss.

Cass Co. Board of Supervisors report

News

May 4th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

The Cass County Board of Supervisors have passed the third and final reading of a Rural Addressing ordinance. The action came and subsequent adoption of the ordinance came during their meeting this (Wednesday) morning, in Atlantic. The ordinance will provide for an orderly street and address system in the unincorporated areas of the County.

The Board also acted on approving a Cooperative Reimbursement agreement for 2012 with the Department of Human Services Bureau of Collections for Child Support Recovery. Cass County is the host for the program as a political subdivision.

Auditor Dale Sunderman says the amendment, which is effective as of July 1st, 2011, changes three sections of the original agreement, including IRS confidentiality. Another section deals with records, and requires those records to be maintained for a period of seven-years. A new, the third section is with regard to audits, for amounts over $500,000. Since the County received a grant in excess of that amount last Fiscal Year, an audit has already been conducted, so that requirement has been met.

The Board also discussed at length the replacement of sidewalks in the City Park, with Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department Director, Travis Garrett. The City of Atlantic will be replacing its portion of the sidewalks in the City Park. About one-third of the sidewalk which need to be replaced are owned by the County.

Garrett said if the County were to share in the cost for labor and materials, it’s portion would be about $3,245. The total cost of the project was estimated to be $30,625. Garrett says the County’s share of the project was calculated at 13.6-percent. He says with the added engineering fees, the total would be approximately $4,165.

After much discussion the Supervisors authorized Garrett to go out for bids on the project, but they thought it unnecessary for the County to pay for engineering costs in its section, when it already has an Engineer. The Board said while the bids are being obtained, they would get a separate cost estimate on the County’s share of the project and compare that with the bids received.

There is a time crunch in getting the project started and completed. City Officials have said they would like the park’s sidewalks finished in-time for RAGBRAI, on July 24th.

05-04-2011 Backyard and Beyond

Podcasts

May 4th, 2011 by admin

Lavon speaks with Catherine Howe, VP for Opera House Association, about the Simon Estes concert @ Nodoway Valley School in Adair County May 8.
Play

Tuesday Track

Sports

May 4th, 2011 by Jim Field

Western Iowa Conference Championships @ Neola
GIRLS

  1. Treynor  141
  2. Griswold 107
  3. Audubon 104
  4. Tri-Center 85
  5. AHST 55
  6. Missouri Valley 47
  7. Underwood 32
  8. Riverside 17

BOYS

  1. Treynor 141
  2. Audubon 75
  3. Underwood 72
  4. Tri-Center 64
  5. Riverside 63
  6. Griswold 62
  7. Missouri Valley 44
  8. AHST 36

Corner Conference Meet @ Tabor
GIRLS
1. Villisca 171
2. Stanton 114
3. Essex 76
4. Nishnabotna 69
5. Fremont-Mills 68

BOYS
1. Fremont-Mills 162
2. East Mills 110
3. Clarinda Academy 94
4. Stanton 57
5. Sidney 54

 

Trojans 3rd at Atlantic Invite

Sports

May 4th, 2011 by Jim Field

Atlantic Trojan Golf Invitational (@ AG & CC)
1.  Kuemper 297
2.  Creston 321
3.  Atlantic 330
4.  Harlan 331
5.  Lewis Central 338
6.  Norwalk 344
7.  Denison 345
8.  Clarinda 359
9.  Glenwood 361
10.  Shenandoah 363
11.  Winterset 364
12.  Red Oak 406
13.  Nodaway Valley 408

Individual Places
1.  Brian Scheck (Kuemper)
2.  Tanner Ludwig (Kuemper)
3.  Kyler Ludwig (Kuemper)
4.  Jacob Buelt (Kuemper)
5.  Nate Molak (Kuemper)
6.  Hunter Sickels (Creston)
7.  Jackson Baker (Shenandoah)
8.  JC Carlisle (Harlan)
9.  Ryan Palser (Creston)
10.  Kramer Sameulsen (Clarinda)
11.  Tanner Petersen (Denison)
12.  Matt Thielen (Atlantic)

Atlantic Scores
Matt Thielen  81
Evan Schuler  81
Sam Renaud  84
Sam Markham   84
Travis Olsen   85
Ben Nelson   89

Coach Ed DenBeste says:

I know that we can play better than this.  Matt and Evan shot good rounds.
We needed two guys in the 70s.  Hopefully we can get that at the next meet.
Kuemper shot a great round of 297.

Trojann Netters Beat Harlan

Sports

May 4th, 2011 by Jim Field

Atlantic 6, Harlan 3 (at Harlan)

Singles
#1 Chelsy Petersen (H) over Liz Metheny (A) 8-2
#2 Carly Heese (H) over Shelby Svoboda (A) 8-1
#3 Bailey McGrath (H) over Carli Thornton (A) 9-8 (7-3 tiebreak)
#4 Morgan Allen (A) over Emily Hundt (H) 8-3
#5 Sarah Schreiner (A) over Jill Haupts (H) 8-3
#6 Tierney Kamies (A) over Shenandoah Campbell (H) 8-3

Doubles
#1 Metheny/Svoboda (A) over Petersen/Heese (H) 9-8 (7-5 tiebreak)
#2 Thornton/Allen (A) over McGrath/Haupts 8-3
#3 Schreiner/Kamies (A) over Hundt/Campbell (H) 8-3

JV
Singles
Tori Dolch (A) over Madison Forsyth (H) 6-3
Lindsey Greer (H) over Leah Tjepkes (A) 6-2
Katie Duval (H) over Erika Lees (A) 6-4
Anastasia Mikels (H) over Hope Bowker (A) 7-6 (7-0 tiebreak)
Alissa Andersen (H) oveer Kaley Miller (A) 6-1
Kassy Simmons (A) over Makala Wooster (H) 6-2
Becka Rodgers (H) over Anne Chess (A) 6-1
Sasha Barber (A) over Lauren Laehle (H) 6-1
Alex Cole (A) over Taylor Fah (H) 6-3
Cammi Nelson (A) over Rhianna Chickering (H) 7-5

Doubles
Forsyth/Greer (H) over Dolch/Tjepkes (A) 7-5
Duval/Mikels (H) over Lees/Bowker (A) 7-6 (9-7 tiebreak)
Cameo Mckinley/Wooster (H) over Miller/Lexi Allen (A) 6-4
Ally Jones/Andersen (H) over Kourtnie Beschorner/Anna Smith (A) 6-2
Rodgers/Laehle (H) over Cole/Nelson (A) 7-5
Cole/Nelson (A) over Sarah Clemons/Morganne Dooley (H) 6-3
Jordan Tupper/Simmons (A) over Fah/Wooster (H) 7-5
Chess/Barber (A) over Chickering/Fries (H) 6-4

Coach Shawn Petersen’s Comments —

This was a good bounce-back win for the girls — we suffered a tough loss last night at Shenandoah, and going on the road to Harlan is always difficult.  Petersen and Heese were too much for Liz and Shelby at the top two spots; Carli lost a tough one to McGrath at #3 — both girls played well enough to win; I was proud of Carli, though — she had to fight off several match points against her just to get to a tiebreak, but lost in the end.  Morgan continued her winning streak — she has yet to lose at #4 for us.  Sarah and Tierney were both down early in their matches before getting some things going offensively.  I was happy for those two, who lost tough ones last night at Shen.

In doubles, at #1 both teams seesawed back-and-forth throughout the match; it probably would’ve gone 5 if we had played 3 of 5 sets; Shelby served tough to force a tiebreak, and it was a well-played match by all 4 girls.  This was probably the best doubles Shelby has played, and it was a good time to bring it on.  Our #2 team may have played their best match of the year as well, and Tierney and Sarah got a good win at #3 — their second in a row.  This ends a difficult stretch for the girls, who have a few days where hopefully we can get some practice time in, which is much needed.  We conclude our regular season at home Monday against Denison, before competing at conference and at regionals.

Trojanns Win Betty Heflin Invite

Sports

May 4th, 2011 by Jim Field

14th Trojann/8th Betty Heflin Invite (5/3 @ Nishna Hills)

1.  Atlantic 356
2.  Clarinda 373
3.  Denison 378
4.  Winterset 384
5.  Harlan 403
6.  Norwalk 403
7.  Shenandoah 412
8.  Abraham Lincoln 429
9.  Glenwood 472
10.  Creston 479

Atlantic scores:
Kristen Schuler – 2nd – 40-44-84
Brooke Fletcher – 4th – 43-44-87
Bailey Walter – 6th – 42-49-91
Kaitlynn Walter – 10th – 45-49-94
Pammy Fixmer – 11th – 47-47-94
Sierra Worth – 19th – 50-49-99

Medalist – Jennifer Geer – Clarinda – 38-42-80

It was a great day to be a Trojann!!  Successfully defended our title from
2010. Very much a team effort.  All six girls shot under 100.  Very
pleased with our scores and very pleased with how these girls represented
Atlantic on the course.  5 girls earned medals by placing in top 12.  Our
team total of 356 is our lowest 18 hole score – previously it was 367
during the Hawkeye 10 conference meet at Clarinda in 2009.