United Group Insurance

Former Iowa State All-American prepares for his third season in the NFL

Sports

June 12th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Former Iowa State All-American Breece Hall hopes to become one of the top running backs in the NFL as he prepares for his third season in the NFL with the New York Jets. Hall suffered a season ending ACL injury as a rookie in 2022 and last season finished with nearly 16-hundred yards of rushing and receiving. He averaged 119 yards or rushing and scored four touchdowns in the final three games of the season.

With quarterback Aaron Rodgers coming back from injury and an upgraded offensive line Hall feels the offense has the weapons needed for him to become one of the top running backs in the league.

Hall had 76 receptions last season but feels he can be even a bigger receiving threat out of the backfield.

Rodgers was a no-show at Jet’s mini-camp this week.

SW IA man cited following a collision in Union County

News

June 12th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Creston, Iowa) – The driver of 2007 Ford Mustang was cited following a non-injury accident Tuesday afternoon, in Union County. According to the Union County Sheriff’s Office, the car, driven by 41-year-old Christopher David Zimmerman, of Clearfield, was traveling east on Highway 34 at around 1:20-p.m., when Zimmerman tried to pass multiple vehicles at one time. The attempt started in a legal passing zone, but ended-up in a no passing zone at the crest of the road.

Zimmerman saw a 2018 Ford Transit van approaching from the west, and tried to evade a collision by traveling toward the north shoulder of the road. The driver of the van, 28-year-old Sean Ray Hodges, of Carlisle, also took evasive action toward the same shoulder at the same time. The reaction of both drivers resulted in the vehicles colliding before they came to rest in the north ditch.

Union County Sheriff’s Deputies cited Zimmerman for Unsafe Passing. Damage from the accident amounted to $10,000.

The Cass County Child Abuse Prevention Council is planning the Free Family Fun Day at The Cass County Fair

News

June 12th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Community Wellness Coordinator Grace McAfee says the Cass County Child Abuse Prevention Council and Healthy Cass Coalition are currently planning the Family Fun Day at the Cass County Fair. The event will be held July 27th from noon until 4-p.m., at the Cass County Fairgrounds. The event is meant to encourage families to visit the Cass County Fair, by hosting fun activities for the entire family. In past years, booths have included Water Fights, Yard Games, a Duck Pond, a Book Walk, and more.

Mark your calendar for July 27th for this free family fun event. If your community organization would be interested in hosting a free activity booth at Family Fun Day, please get in touch with Grace McAfee by Tuesday, June 25th, at mcage@casshealth.org or 712-250-8170.

Getting ready for the Free Family Fun day, 2024

Southern Iowa man killed in a Ringgold County crash

News

June 12th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Kellerton, Iowa) – A single-vehicle accident this (Wednesday) morning in Ringgold County claimed the life of a man from Lucas County. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2015 Chevy Express 3500 van driven by 34-year-old James Cody Sage, of Lucas, was traveling east on Highway 2 west of Kellerton at around 4-a.m., when the vehicle left the roadway and entered the south ditch before striking a tree. James Sage was pronounced dead at the scene. He was not wearing a seat belt.

The Patrol was assisted at the crash site by the Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office.

ROBERT “Bob” STRAKA, 76, of Atlantic (Graveside Svcs. 6/27/24)

Obituaries

June 12th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

ROBERT “Bob” STRAKA, 76, of Atlantic, died October 19, 2023, at Atlantic Specialty Care. A Celebration of Life Graveside service for BOB STRAKA will be held at 11-a.m. Thursday, June 27, 2024, in the Brighton Township Cemetery, north of Marne.  Immediately following the service, a time of lunch and fellowship will be held at Roland Funeral Home, in Atlantic.

Condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.

Heartbeat Today 6-12-2024

Heartbeat Today, Podcasts

June 12th, 2024 by Jim Field

Jim Field visits with Julie Murren who is directing the Andrew Lloyd Webber presentation “School of Rock – The Musical” at the Wilson Performing Arts Center in Red Oak.  The two-week run includes evening shows on Friday June 14 & 21 and Saturday June 15 & 22 at 7:30 pm and Sunday matinees on June 16 & 23 at 2:30 pm.

Play

3 from Creston arrested recently

News

June 12th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Creston, Iowa) – Three people from Union County were arrested on separate charges recently. According to the Creston Police Department, a little after 1-a.m. today (Wed., June 12th), 58-year-old Melody Ann Miller, of Creston, was arrested for OWI/1st offense. Miller was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

Late Tuesday evening, 20-year-old Jordyn Marie Gonzales, of Creston, was arrested the Creston Union County Law Enforcement Center (LEC). Gonzales was charged on two Union County Warrants, for Failure to Appear (FTA) on an OWI/1st offense charge, and FTA on five-counts of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. Gonzales was later released on a $2,200 cash or surety bond.

And, at around 7:30-p.m., Tuesday, 18-year-old John Jeremy Scarpello, of Creston, was arrested at his residence for Violation of No Contact/Protective Order. Scarpello was being held without bond in the Union County Jail, until seen by the Magistrate.

Cass County Extension Report 6-12-2024

Ag/Outdoor, Podcasts

June 12th, 2024 by Jim Field

w/Kate Olson.

Play

Iowa’s Scholastic Clay Target Program hosts largest youth trap shooting championship in Iowa

News, Sports

June 12th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Iowa DNR News) – Athletes from 120 teams across Iowa converged on the Iowa State Trapshooting Homegrounds, north of Cedar Falls, June 3-9 for the 2024 Scholastic Clay Target Program State Trap Shooting Championship. During the event, two young women from Underwood, Lacey Gangwish and Quincy O’Donnell, were named to the Ladies Singles Trap – All State Team. They were also named to the Ladies High-All-Around Trap Team.

More than 3,000 athletes ranging from 4th grade through high school shot nearly 780,000 clay targets for the week. Athletes competed in three different competitions; singles trap, doubles trap, and handicap trap. The Ankeny Centennial Jaguars were the top Varsity squad in Singles and Handicap, while the Pleasant Valley Trap Team were Varsity Squad Champions in Doubles Trap. Individual honors are also awarded by age group for each discipline.

State Trap Shoot

A complete list of the results can be found online at: https://bit.ly/2024TrapResults.

The All-State team for singles trap is determined by the combination of the athlete’s league score and the Championship Event Score.

All-State Teams

Ladies Singles Trap – All State Team

  1. Lacey Gangwish, Underwood Youth Trap Team, Captain
  2. Quincy O’Donnell, Underwood Youth Trap Team
  3. Natalie Gibson, I-35 Roadrunners
  4. Evelynn Erhardt, Cedar Valley Shotgunners
  5. Abbie Hill, Gilbert Clay Commanders
  6. Lexi Henning, Wilton Trap Team

Men’s Singles Trap – All State Team

  1. Logan Sease, Ankeny Centennial Jaguars Shooting Sports, Captain
  2. Matthew Eilers, Pleasant Valley Trap Team
  3. Hunter Strong, Davenport Youth Trap
  4. Ethan Swehla, New Hampton Youth Trap
  5. Kail Schmelzer, Cresco Area Clay Crushers
  6. Preston Feuerbach, Xavier High School

The High-All-Around Trap team is determined by the combination of the athlete’s Trap Singles, Doubles, and Handicap Championship Events Scores.

High-All-Around Trap Teams

Ladies Trap High-All-Around

  1. Quincy O’Donnell, Underwood Youth Trap Club, Captain
  2. Lexi Henning, Wilton Trap Team
  3. Lacey Gangwish, Underwood Youth Trap Club
  4. Addison McGehearty, Mt. Pleasant Panthers
  5. Evelynn Erhardt, Cedar Valley Shotgunners
  6. Lily Jennings, Ankeny Centennial Jaguars Shooting Sports

Men’s Trap High-All-Around

  1. Matthew Eilers, Pleasant Valley Trap Team, Captain
  2. Hunter Strong, Davenport Youth Trap
  3. Grant Yuska, Pleasant Valley Trap Team
  4. Logan Sease, Ankeny Centennial Jaguars
  5. Robert Curtis, Pleasant Valley Trap Team
  6. Mason Goche, Bettendorf Bulldog Trap Team

The Scholastic Clay Target Program is the largest, fastest growing, and most exciting youth clay target program in the U.S. Student athletes from elementary through high school and college have the opportunity to compete in sports such as trap, skeet, and sporting clays, as well as Olympic disciplines like bunker trap and international skeet.

The Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) and Scholastic Action Shooting Program (SASP) are youth development programs that promote shooting sports and competitive shooting. The program’s goal is to instill personal values and character traits, such as fair play, compassionate understanding, individual responsibility, sportsmanship, self-discipline, and personal commitment in young people.

High School Baseball Scores from Tuesday, June 11th

Sports

June 12th, 2024 by admin

Hawkeye Ten Conference

  • Harlan 6, Denison-Schleswig 5
  • Creston 9, Glenwood 0
  • Kuemper Catholic 7, Lewis Central 5
  • Shenandoah 8, Red Oak 6

Rolling Valley Conference

  • CAM 15, Fremont-Mills 4

Western Iowa Conference 

  • Underwood 14, Logan-Magnolia 1
  • Treynor 17, Audubon 8

West Central Activities Conference 

  • Madrid 13, AC/GC 3
  • Madrid 19, AC/GC 10
  • Ogden 8, West Central Valley 7
  • Des Moines Christian 11, Earlham 1
  • Van Meter 11, Interstate 35 1

Pride of Iowa Conference

  • East Union 2, Wayne 1
  • Bedford 14, Nodaway Valley/OM 0
  • Martensdale St. Marys 19, Central Decatur 1
  • Lenox 11, Mount Ayr 8
  • Southeast Warren 5, Southwest Valley 4

Missouri River Conference 

  • Sioux City East 7, Abraham Lincoln 2
  • Sioux City East 12, Abraham Lincoln 2
  • Bishop Heelan 7, Thomas Jefferson 0
  • Bishop Heelan 22, Thomas Jefferson 0

Non-Conference Games  

  • Newell-Fonda 9, Coon Rapids-Bayard 8