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DOTTIE ANN “Birdy” SMITH, 60, of Atlantic, & formerly of Lewis (No Svcs.)

Obituaries

May 3rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

DOTTIE ANN “Birdy” SMITH, 60, of Atlantic (and formerly of Lewis), died April  17th, 2024. No services are planned. To honor Dottie’s memory the family encourages online tributes of your favorite stories and photos on her guestbook at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.  Posts will be reviewed and uploaded within 24 hours. Roland Funeral Service in Atlantic is assisting the family.

A slideshow is available below for viewing.  In addition, cards and memories for the family can be dropped off at Roland Funeral Home, 204 East 5th Street or mailed to PO Box 129, Atlantic, Iowa 50022.

DOTTIE “BIRDY” SMITH is survived by:

Her children – Theresa Miller, Bruce (Jessica Brotherton) Smith, and Sarah White.

and 6 grandchildren.

REVEREND NANCY JENSEN, 71, of Atlantic (Svcs. 5/7/24)

Obituaries

May 3rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

REVEREND NANCY JENSEN, 71, of Atlantic, died Friday, May 3, 2024, at home. Funeral services for REV. NANCY JENSEN will be held 10:30-a.m. Tuesday, May 7th, at the United Church of Christ in Atlantic. Roland Funeral Service in Atlantic has the arrangements.

The service will be live-streamed on the United Church of Christ of Atlantic, IA Facebook page and will also be recorded and available on the funeral home website by noon on Wednesday.

Visitation with the family present will be held from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., Monday, May 6, 2024, at the United Church of Christ in Atlantic.

Burial will be held in the Exira Cemetery following a luncheon in the church fellowship hall.

Memorials are encouraged to be directed to the family for designation at a later date.

REV. NANCY JENSEN is survived by:

Her husband – Dale Jensen, of Atlantic.

Her sons – Greg (Carrie) Jensen, of Audubon; and Adam Jensen (and fiancé, Sarah Irlbeck), of Manning.

Her daughters – Jennifer Fry of Montreal, MO; Ann (Larry Jo) Hinners, of Manning, and Heather (Daniel) Newman, of Atlantic.

17 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.

CAM Girls Softball preview with Coach Jeni Follmann

Sports

May 3rd, 2024 by admin

CAM Cougars Girls softball team getting ready for their 2023-2024 season. The CAM softball team had a 9-16 overall record and had a 6-8 record in the Rolling Valley Conference last season. The Cougars will be coached by Jeni Follmann this season. Follmann will be in her first year as head coach of the Cougars as she was an assistant coach on last year’s team and is looking to forward this opportunity.

The Cougars softball program is going to try something new this season for the head coaching position says coach Follmann.

Coach Follmann gave a breakdown of what her softball team will look like this season.

Follmann gave her perspective on who be the team leaders.

Coach Follmann commented on what her teams goals for the season.

The Cougars first softball game of the season will be Tuesday, May 21st. That game will start at 5:30 p.m.

Ranches Homer, Charles Shutout Help ISU Best UCF

Sports

May 3rd, 2024 by admin

AMES, Iowa – Senior Weekend got off to a great start on Friday afternoon, as Iowa State (20-28, 6-16 Big 12) blanked league newcomer UCF (28-22, 10-15) at the Cyclone Sports Complex, 9-0, in five innings in the regular season series finale.

Karlie Charles tossed a gem on day, as the fifth-year senior pitched all five innings, allowing just one hit and shutting out the UCF offense. Sharing the spotlight was fellow fifth-year senior Alesia Ranches, who blasted a game-winning three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth to run rule the Knights.

Angelina Allen had a monster day at the plate, notching three hits and running her season total up to 71 as she went 3-for-3 with an RBI. Ranches and Tiana Poole also both had multi-hit afternoons with a pair apiece. Following Ranches’s team-high of three RBI were Maddie Knowles and Angelita Fuentes who each had two.

As mentioned, Charles (5-7) needed no help, as she threw only 51 pitches on the day with 41 registering as strikes. Charles also picked up three strikeouts and walked no one. It’s the second straight win for Charles who earned the midweek victory over Drake on Wednesday.

For UCF, Jada Cody was the only Knight to get on board as she blooped a single early in the game.

 

Sarah Willis (8-9) got the start in the circle for UCF, going 1.1 innings and allowing a pair of runs on two hits. Both Angelina DeVoe and Grace Jewell would make relief appearances with Jewell notching a team-high two strikeouts.

 

How it Happened

The Cyclones struck first, plating one in the first inning. A leadoff walk from Milaysia Ochoa was followed by a single from Allen as two were quickly aboard. A double steal then moved both over into scoring position. With one out, Ashley Minor was hit by her 12th pitch of the season to load the bases. Then, Tatum Johnson flew out to right to score Ochoa and put the Cyclones up 1-0.

ISU added another in the second, again loading the bases with one out. This time, an Allen flyout to left would plate Poole and give ISU a 2-0 lead.

After two quick outs in the third, ISU strung together momentum before scoring another two. An infield single from Poole was followed by a Camille Marin full-count walk. Both runners would then advance into scoring position on a wild pitch. Then, in her first at-bat of the season, Fuentes delivered a rope into center that would score both and give ISU a 4-0 lead.

Both sides were kept at bay in the fourth, as the game turned to the fifth.

The fifth inning started with another Poole infield single. Then, coming up to the plate was Knowles, who promptly cranked a two-run homer over the left field wall. For Knowles, it was her first career blast and gave ISU a 6-0 lead. Following Maddie’s shot, a McKenna Andrews walk and Allen double put two more on for the Cyclones. Finally, Ranches stepped into the box and belted her sixth homer of the season to force a run rule victory for the Cyclones as they took the series-opening win in shutout fashion.

On Deck

The Cyclones will be back at the Cyclones Sports Complex tomorrow, May 4, to host the UCF Knights in the second game of the weekend series. Tomorrow’s game is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. and the game will be broadcast live on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

Waukee Man Sentenced to 25 years in Prison for Production and Possession of Child Pornography

News

May 3rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa – A Waukee man was sentenced today to 25 years in federal prison for production and possession of child pornography.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing,  Michael Alan Jagim, 52, created and produced child pornography, using secreted video recording devices. On December 14, 2021, after receiving a cyber-tip, law enforcement officers conducted a search of Jagim’s residence and seized multiple electronic devices. A forensic analysis of these devices found multiple videos of child sex abuse material, including videos created by Jagim, for a total of 3,620 images. Jagim was also ordered to pay $28,123 in victim restitution.

After completion of his prison term, Jagim will be required to serve ten years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Jagim was also ordered to pay $10,200 in special assessments.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Waukee Police Department, the Urbandale Police Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force.

This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children. Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.

Ottumwa man charged after dog attacks girl

News

May 3rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The owner of a dog has been charged with two simple misdemeanors for violating dangerous animal ordinances after a child was attacked by the dog in southeast Iowa Wednesday. The Ottumwa Police Department says it received a call of a nine-year-old girl who was attacked by a dog that was later determined to be a pit bull. The girl was transported to the hospital with injuries to her face, head, arm, shoulder, and hand. Her current condition is unknown.

The pit bull was euthanized and its remains will be tested to determine if it had rabies since it was not vaccinated. Police say 48-year-old Bradford Henry admitted to being the owner of the animal, telling law enforcement that he had the dog since it was a puppy.

Henry was released from the Wapello County Jail after posting bond.

Enhanced pensions for long-time Iowa sheriffs and deputies

News

May 3rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The retirement system for more than 47-hundred current or retired Iowa sheriffs and deputies is being enhanced. A bill signed into law this week increases the maximum benefit payment that’s allowed for sheriffs and deputies who retire after at least 23 years of service. Sheriffs or deputies who retire after 30 years on the job in Iowa would be able to receive 80 percent of their annual salary as a pension.

Senator Charlie McClintock, of Alburnett, has been a police officer in Cedar Rapids since 1994 and is currently the department’s 9-1-1 manager. “I started out as a deputy sheriff and I can tell you this is a big deal to them and everything that they do,” McClintock says. “…They’re not only doing patrol and investigations and traffic, they do our jails, our transports and our overall law enforcement.”

Representative Monica Kurth of Davenport says a beefed up pension may spur some to stay on the job. “We are losing well trained employees in law enforcement because wages and benefits are better in other places,” Kurth says. The legislation also provides a state income tax credit of up to two-thousand dollars to officers who move to Iowa to take a job in law enforcement. It would be for moving expenses. A third section of the law sets new bail restrictions for people accused of murdering or assaulting a peace officer or a prison employee.

One lawmaker called the bill the 2024 legislature’s “back the blue” package. It passed the House and Senate unanimously.

DALTON “Chris’ CHRISTOFFERSEN, 90, of Atlantic (Svcs. 5/20/24)

Obituaries

May 3rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

DALTON “Chris’ CHRISTOFFERSEN, 90, of Atlantic, died April 30, 2024. Funeral services for DALTON CHRISTOFFERSEN will be 11-a.m. Monday, May 20, 2024, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Atlantic. Ohde Funeral Home has the arrangements.

Visitation with family will be held at the church on May 20th, from 10-until 11-a.m.

Inurnment with Military Honors will be held in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Kimballton, Iowa.

DALTON “CHRIS” CHRISTOFFERSEN is survived by:

His wife – Sylvia Christoffersen, of Atlantic.

His daughters – Calla (Todd) Johnson, of Elk Horn; Terri (Bruce) Turner, of Hortonville, WI., and Lori Robertson, of Amana.

His sons – Randy (Jodi) Christoffersen, and Ricky (Susan) Christoffersen, all of Atlantic.

His sister – Ardyce Lee of Westminster, CO.

11 grandchildren; 14 great grandchildren; and his sister-in-law Ruby Christoffersen of Kimballton.

Last call for former Lewis, IA Firefighter

News

May 3rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) –  The last call for Rod Cook, a member of the Lewis Fire Department was sent out today (Friday) by a dispatcher with the Cass County Communications Center.

Rodney “Rod” Cook died Monday, April 29, 2024, at his home in rural Atlantic. He was 73 years old.

Rodney Cook (photo from Roland Funeral Home. com)

He was a lifetime member and past Commander of the VFW Post #3415, and was a member of the Lewis Fire Department since 1976. In honor of his dedication to service, the Lewis Fire Department escorted Cook to his final resting place in the Atlantic Cemetery, where his burial is with military honors.

 

Dept of Ed recalculates graduation rates

News

May 3rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The State Department of Education is updating some of its previously reported high school graduation rates. The Education Department announced the data used to calculate the graduation rates for the last ten years left out students who had transferred to another school and then dropped out. Most recently, the correction increased the 2023 graduation rate by a tenth of a point to 87-point-five percent.

The rates for 2021 and 2022 fell by more than two percentage points to 87-point-eight percent for 2021 and 87-point-four percent for 2022. The Department says in a statement that Iowa’s four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 is consistent with the national standard and it’s above the 2023 rates reported by Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota.