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Big changes for wrestling postseason in Iowa

Sports

April 27th, 2022 by admin

The Iowa High School Athletic Association Board of Control has approved several big changes for the wrestling postseason.

Sectional tournaments will be a thing of the past in Classes 1A and 2A. The number of qualifiers for the State Traditional Tournament will increase from the previous 16 to 24, which would work out as the top three from 8 District sites in each class rather than the top 2.

With the elimination of the Sectional tournaments the State Dual Team Tournament will move to that freed up Saturday on the calendar. The Board said many coaches had expressed interest in moving State Duals away from its recent spot a day ahead of the traditional tourney. A new site for State Duals has not yet been determined. The 24 regional dual qualifiers will be determined by the IWCOA dual team rankings.

The advisory committee had two other recommendations that were approved by the board:

  • Seeding criteria for State Traditional Tournament qualifiers will remove the additional point previously received for head-to-head wins over fellow qualifiers.
  • IHSAA will continue to use 14 weight classes after NFHS provided states an option to adopt 12, 13, or 14 weight classes for state competition in 2023-24.

Here is a look at the new postseason schedule that will be in place in 2023:

Jan. 31-Feb. 1 – Regional Duals, Host Schools

Feb. 4 – State Dual Team Tournament, TBD

Feb. 11 – District Tournaments, Host Schools

Feb. 16-18 – State Traditional Tournament, Wells Fargo Arena

Cass County Master Gardeners Grant Money Available for Local Garden Projects

Ag/Outdoor, News

April 27th, 2022 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Spring is in the air, and plans are underway for gardening projects in Cass County. Local groups planning community gardening, beautification or education programs will again be eligible for assistance from the Cass County Master Gardeners. The group is offering grant money to be used in the 2022 growing season, to encourage gardening to grow food for donation, for gardening education, and/or for gardening projects to improve local communities. The Cass County Master Gardener Memorial Grants are offered in remembrance of the many years of service to the community provided by long-time Master Gardener volunteers who have passed.

Any Cass County not-for-profit group may apply. Schools, churches, libraries, 4-H clubs, Scouts, or other organizations/individuals working to improving their communities can apply for money to begin or improve gardens or landscaping for community benefit, or to provide education for their members or the public. To ensure the money is helping a wide variety of community organizations, those who were funded by 2021 grants will not be eligible to apply in 2022. Each grant has a maximum value of $300. Applications must include plans for teamwork and sustainability. Consideration for the environment is also an important factor in selection. All grant recipients will be expected to submit a report at the end of the growing season, detailing how the money was spent. Recipients will also be given a sign to place in their garden area for the 2022 growing season.

Applications must be received by 4:30 PM on Wednesday, May 4 for guaranteed consideration. They may be submitted by mail or email. Grant recipients will be informed of their application status no later than Monday, May 9 so they can make plans for the growing season. For more information, or with questions, call the Cass County Extension office at 712-243-1132 or email keolson@iastate.edu. You may also contact Master Gardener LaVon Eblen. Application forms can be printed from the Cass County Extension website- www.extension.iastate.edu/cass. You can also call or email the office to request a form be mailed or emailed to you, or stop by 805 West 10th Street in Atlantic to pick one up.

The Master Gardener program trains volunteers to develop their knowledge and skills in horticulture. These volunteers then give back to their communities through gardening service and education. The program is available in all 50 states and Canada through land grant university Extension programs such as Iowa State University Extension. Education courses are available throughout Iowa on a regular basis, with the next statewide training class open for enrollment beginning June 1. For more information on the program, contact Cass County Extension Director Kate Olson, at 712-243-1132 or keolson@iastate.edu.

Mason City woman dies in a rollover accident

News

April 27th, 2022 by Ric Hanson

(Mason City, Iowa) – A single-vehicle accident Tuesday morning in Mason City, claimed the life of a 54-year-old woman. The Iowa State Patrol says Pamela Marie Okerstrom, of Mason City, was driving a 2012 Nissan Juke eastbound on 210th Street at around 7-a.m., Tuesday, when for reasons unknown, the vehicle left the road, entered the south ditch and vaulted a field driveway. When it vaulted the driveway, the car wen airborne, landed and rolled before coming to rest.

Okerstrom was ejected as the vehicle rolled and died at the scene. She was not wearing a seat belt. The Patrol was assisted at the crash site by Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Deputies, as well as Mason City Fire and EMS.

TJ Otzelberger announces ISU hoops staff updates

Sports

April 27th, 2022 by admin

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State Head Men’s Basketball Coach T.J. Otzelberger has announced updates to his staff for the upcoming season.

Nate Schmidt has been promoted to assistant coach, filling the void after Daniyal Robinson was named head coach at Cleveland State. Former UNI assistant coach Erik Crawford has been named the director of player development, while graduate assistant Mo Ba has been promoted to assistant director of player development.

Schmidt returned to Iowa State last season as the recruiting and player development coordinator. He’s in his second stint on the Cyclone staff, as he previously served as a graduate assistant and coordinator of player development from 2014-17. Over the course of his four seasons at Iowa State, the Cyclones are 94-45 with four NCAA Tournament appearances.

After leaving Iowa State, Schmidt was an assistant coach at Indian Hills Community College for two seasons, before spending the summer of 2019 in Las Vegas training former Cyclone greats Georges Niang, Naz Mitrou-Long and Will Clyburn. Schmidt then spent the 2019-20 season as video coordinator for the Wisconsin Herd of the NBA G-League. He followed that with a stint on Otzelberger’s staff at UNLV.

Crawford spent the last 12 seasons as an assistant coach at Northern Iowa. During his time with the Panthers, UNI advanced to the postseason five times and won Missouri Valley Conference regular season titles in 2020 and 2022. The Panthers also picked up MVC Tournament titles in 2015 and 2016. UNI advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2015 and 2016, while advancing to the NIT Second Round in 2012 and 2022. The Panthers made the CIT Semifinals in 2013.

This will be the second stint with the Cyclones for Crawford, as he served as a graduate manager and assistant director of basketball operations from 2006-10. Following his time at Iowa State, he was the director of basketball operations at Creighton for the 2010-11 season.

Ba completed his first season as a graduate assistant for the Cyclones in 2021-22. Ba assisted the staff with scouting, video editing and player development. Prior to coming to Ames, Ba spent the 2020-21 season as a graduate student manager at Houston, helping the Cougars to a 28-4 record and trip to the Final Four.

Prior to joining the Houston basketball staff, Ba spent two years as a basketball player development coach where he assessed player’s skills and deficiencies, creating individualized workout sessions to help athletes improve their overall games. The Ypsilanti, Michigan, native has also worked in sales for the Houston Astros and Detroit Tigers.

Griswold’s Rossell will play volleyball at BVU

Sports

April 27th, 2022 by admin

Griswold’s Brenna Rossell has signed on to continue her volleball and academic career at Buena Vista University.

Rossell led the Tigers with 228 kills in 2021 and added 234 digs and 24 blocks. She had 44 aces and a serve efficiency of 92.6%.

Rossell has been a strong multisport athlete for the Tigers and signed to head to BVU surrounded by family and coaches.

North Polk Boys Comet Relays 04/26/2022

Sports

April 27th, 2022 by admin

North Polk Boys Comet Relays
04/26/2022

Team Scores

1
North Polk
174.00
2
Johnston
134.00
3
Dowling Catholic
86.00
4
Roland-Story
76.00
5
Webster City
73.00
6
Kuemper Catholic
38.00
7
Creston
35.00
8
Ballard
29.00

Kuemper Catholic’s Michael Pottebaum won the 800M.

Creston’s Jayden Pettegrew won the 400M Hurdles.

Full results HERE

61.9% of Iowans are fully vaccinated

News

April 27th, 2022 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The Centers for Disease Control’s latest COVID data indicates nearly 62 percent of Iowans are fully vaccinated. The older an Iowan is, the more likely they are to have gotten COVID shots. For example, 87 percent of Iowans 65 and older fully vaccinated, while around half of 12 to 29 year olds have been vaccinated. Nearly a quarter of five to 11 year old Iowa kids are fully vaccinated. State officials have confirmed more than 95-hundred Iowans have died of COVID since the pandemic began in 2020.

The Mayo Clinic currently identifies three of Iowa’s 99 counties as COVID hot spots, based on a seven day rolling average of positive COVID cases. The three are Mitchell County along the Minnesota border, Ida County in western Iowa and Jefferson County in southeast Iowa.

UPDATE: Woman injured during runaway pickup chase

News

April 27th, 2022 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – An adult female was injured this (Wednesday) morning in Atlantic, during an incident involving her pickup truck. Atlantic Police Chief Devin Hogue says the accident happened at around 10:55-a.m. on 18th Street, between Crest Drive and Oak Street. He said contrary to the initial dispatch report, it was more of a runaway vehicle as opposed to a collision.

He said the was no collision that resulted in someone being hit, as previously dispatched and reported. The owner was transported to the Cass County Hospital by Cass EMS to be checked out and treated for injuries, as needed. Her name was not immediately released.

Chief Hogue said both vehicles sustained damage, but a dollar estimated amount was not immediately available.

Pedestrian hit during a vehicle collision in Atlantic

News

April 27th, 2022 by Ric Hanson

Atlantic Fire and Cass EMS were called to the scene of a two-vehicle accident at around 10:55-a.m. Wednesday (today). The collision happened at 18th and Oak Streets. One of the vehicles involved struck a pedestrian following the collision. No other details are currently available.

State trooper who caught COVID suing for back pay after being off work since Jan. 2021

News

April 27th, 2022 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Capital Dispatch is reporting that a state trooper who contracted COVID in January of last year is suing the state for back pay and benefits. Matthew Eimers of Fort Dodge is a former Iowa National Guard soldier who worked in Ogden’s police department for nearly nine years before becoming a state trooper in March of 2001. The lawsuit indicates Eimers has heart and lung problems caused by COVID and has been unable to work for the past 15 months. According to the Iowa Capital Dispatch, the state quit paying Eimers his salary after 60 days and he’s been using sick leave and other benefits to get by.

Eimers’ lawsuit cites an Iowa law that requires the state to pay troopers who are incapacitated due to work-related injury or disease until they recover or are declared permanently disabled. Eimers previously asked a judge to order a medical review board to determine if Eimers is disabled and eligible for benefits from the State Peace Officer Retirement System. A hearing on that case is scheduled later this week.