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Iowa early News Headlines: March 1, 2021

News

March 1st, 2021 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa health officials reported 348 coronavirus cases and one new death linked to COVID-19 on Sunday, but hospitalizations remained at a low level statewide. As of Sunday morning, the state was reporting 336,311 cases of the virus and 5,471 deaths since the pandemic began. The number of people hospitalized with the virus across the state crept up Sunday to 196 from Saturday’s 181, but that total remains well below the November peak of more than 1,500 patients. Iowa officials said 169,617 people have now received both required doses of a coronavirus vaccine in the state.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities are investigating a shooting in Des Moines that fatally wounded a 52-year-old man. The Des Moines Police Department and Des Moines Fire Department responded to the report of a shooting at about 11:20 p.m. Friday and arrived to find the man with a gunshot injury. Police said in a news release that despite lifesaving efforts at the scene and the hospital, he died at about 1:20 a.m. Saturday. This is the city’s first homicide of the year.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have identified 20-year-old Lily Macke of Grimes, Iowa, as the woman who died in a fatal collision between a car and a semi. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Saturday that Macke was driving a 2006 Nissan southbound on Highway 141 on Friday morning when her vehicle crossed the median and was struck by a northbound semi. She was pronounced dead a the scene. The driver of the semi was uninjured. The investigation into the accident continues.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A 21-year-old Illinois man accused of stabbing his ex-girlfriend and leaving her body at an arboretum in Iowa has pleaded not guilty. Richard Forsythe, of Galena, Illinois, recently entered a written plea in Iowa District Court in Dubuque County. He is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 20-year-old Jennifer Lopez, of East Dubuque, Illinois. Her body was found Feb. 1 at the Dubuque Arboretum. Police say she was stabbed 15 times. Forsythe’s next court hearing is set for April 12.

Tools and a weapon stolen from a machine shed in Ringgold County

News

February 28th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

The Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office, Sunday, said a rural Mount Ayr resident has reported that someone had entered his machine shed sometime on Feb. 24th or 25th, and took:

  • A DeWalt 18-volt drill, charger and 2 batteries
  • A Milwaukee 18-volt drill, charger and 2 batteries
  • A Milwaukee 12-volt Sawzall and charger
  • A ¾ drive socket set,
  • Slide hammer set, and
  • .22 Savage rifle.

Anyone with any information is encouraged to contact the RCSO at 641-464-3921.

Garza, Weiskamp lead No. 9 Iowa over No. 4 Ohio State 73-57

Sports

February 28th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Luka Garza had 24 points and 11 rebounds as No. 9 Iowa bounced back from a midweek loss to take down No. 4 Ohio State 73-57. Dominated by No. 3 Michigan 79-57 on Thursday, the Hawkeyes pulled away in the second half. Joe Weiskamp added 19 points for Iowa, including 5-for-9 shooting from 3-point range.

Iowa’s Luka Garza, left, posts up against Ohio State’s Zed Key during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

The Hawkeyes have won five of six with two games remaining in their regular season. E.J. Liddell had 15 points and Justice Sueing added 10 for the Buckeyes. Recently being projected as a No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed, they’ve lost three games in eight days.

 

BILL BAIER, 87, of Greenfield (Svcs. 3/5/21)

Obituaries

February 28th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

BILL BAIER, 87, of Greenfield, died Sunday, February 28, 2021, at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines.  Funeral services for BILL BAIER will be held 1:30-p.m. Friday, March 5th, at the United Methodist Church in Greenfield. Steen Funeral Home in Greenfield has the arrangements.

Friends may call at the United Methodist Church in Greenfield on Thursday, March 4, 2021, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with family greeting friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Online condolences may be left to the family at www.steenfunerals.com.

Burial is in the Greenfield Cemetery.  Fellowship with the family will be held following the burial at the Adair County Fairgrounds 4-H Building in Greenfield.

Memorials may be directed to the Bill Baier memorial fund to be established by the family at a later date.

BILL BAIER is survived by:

His wife – Donna Baier, of Greenfield.

His sons – Jon (Peg) Baier, of Clarinda; Paul (Tammy) Baier, of Orient, and Brad (Jodi) Baier, of Adel.

His daughter – Beth (Jim) Maynes, of Sioux City.

15 grandchildren; 9 great grandchildren, other relatives and friends.

DENNIS W. TOEPFER, 61, of Atlantic (Private Svcs. at a later date)

Obituaries

February 28th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

DENNIS W. TOEPFER, 61, of Atlantic, died Sunday, Feb. 28th, at the Cass County Memorial Hospital, in Atlantic. Private Family Services for DENNIS TOEPFER will be held at a later date. Hockenberry Family Care Funeral Home in Atlantic has the arrangements.

Online condolences may be left at www.hockenberrfamilycare.com

DENNIS W. TOEPFER is survived by:

Mother: Sharon (Wilbur) Hansen of Atlantic.

Daughters: Cindy Toepfer of Albia. Ashley (Matt) Wilson of Ottumwa. Tara (Josh) Turner of Atlantic.

Sisters: Daphne Haskins of Atlantic. Lisa Hansen of Blair, NE. Kristi (Tim) Malcom of Irwin.

Brothers: David (Marge) Toepfer of Storm Lake. Paul Hansen of Atlantic. Scotty Toepfer of Red Oak.

3 Grandchildren

Iowa men’s track and field win Big Ten Indoor Championship; Atlantic native Reed grabs silver in 60M Hurdles

Sports

February 28th, 2021 by admin

GENEVA, Ohio — The University of Iowa men’s track and field team scored a school-record 119 points to win the 2021 Big Ten Indoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio.

The Hawkeyes finished Day 3 with six more podium finishes, winning the team’s first outright indoor conference title since 1929. Iowa shared the team title in 1963.

The Hawkeye women placed third with 75 points. It matches the highest finish in program history.

Iowa totaled 19 points in the men’s 60-meter hurdles. Gratt Reed led the way with a second-place finish and career-best 7.81. Reed’s time moves him into sixth all-time in program history. Josh Braverman earned bronze with a career best 7.82. Jamal Britt finished fourth in 7.82. Britt, Reed, and Braverman now hold three of the top seven best times in program history.

UP NEXT

The Hawkeyes head to Fayetteville, Arkansas on march 12th-13th for the NCAA Indoor National Championships.

Iowa COVID-19 update for 2/28/21: 379 new cases; 1 death; slight rise in hospitalizations

News

February 28th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Department of Public Heath, Sunday, at 10-a.m., reported an additional 379 positive COVID-19 test results returned from the labs since Saturday, for a pandemic total of 363,469. There was also one additional death reported, for a total of 5,471. Long Term Care facility deaths account for 2,168 of the State’s total number of deaths.

Long-Term Care facility COVID-Outbreaks are up a bit, to 19. Hospitalizations increased from 181 Saturday, to 196 Sunday. COVID patients in an ICU increased also, from 43 Saturday to 50 on Sunday. There were 39 patients admitted to hospitals over the 24-hour reporting period, compared to 36 on Saturday, and 19 patients on a ventilator.

Hospitals in Western & Southwest Iowa report: nine people remain hospitalized; five COVID patients are in an ICU, there were no new admissions for patients with COVID, and one person remained on a ventilator.

Iowa’s 14-day and seven-day positivity rate remains 4.1%, while the seven-date rate was up slightly to 4.2%.

In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases by County; The # of new cases since yesterday {+} – if any; and the total number of deaths in each county to date:

  • Cass, 1,333 cases; {+5}; 51 deaths
  • Adair, 920; {+2}; 28
  • Adams, 326 {+0}; 4
  • Audubon, 486 {+1}; 9
  • Guthrie, 1,163 {+0}; 28
  • Harrison County, 1,792; {+0}; 69
  • Madison County, 1,542; {+4}; 18
  • Mills County, 1,629; {+4}; 20
  • Montgomery, 1,039; {+0}; 36
  • Pottawattamie County, 10,761; {+10}; 143
  • Shelby County, 1,205; {+2}; 33
  • Union County,  1,263; {+1}; 31

Man arrested on a trespassing charge Saturday, in Montgomery County

News

February 28th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

A complaint just before noon, Saturday, about a person trespassing on property in Montgomery County, resulted in an arrest. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports 28-year old Justin L. Marsden was located on the property at Gingko Avenue. They say he was arguing with the property owners. Marsden had previously been served with notice not to enter the property, and had not left when directed to do so.

He was taken into custody without incident and charged with Criminal Trespass/1st Offense. Bond was set at $300.

Council Bluffs man arrested for sexual assault in Montgomery County

News

February 28th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

Police in Red Oak report a Pottawattamie County man was arrested Saturday evening on a sexual assault charge.  Authorities say 20-year-old Isaiah Michael Rinabarger, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for sexual assault without injury. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $2,000 cash bond.

Atlantic FFA had a good day with the Iowa FFA State Proficiency Awards

Ag/Outdoor, News

February 28th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

Atlantic FFA Advisor Eric Miller, Saturday, congratulated the members of the local organization for hard work:
  • Taylor McCreedy won the Diversified Livestock Production award with her cows, meat goats, dairy goats and poultry projects. It was her second State Proficiency Award; Bryan York also won the Vegetable Production Award for his School Garden Project. Taylor and Bryan will compete at the National FFA Convention this fall.
Four other members also competed Saturday with all four earning Silver Medals:
  • Gunner Kirchhoff placed 3rd in Ag Mechanics & Repair Placement working at Brown Electric.
  • Caroline Pellett placed 3rd in Beef Production Entrepreneurship with her Cow-calf herd.
  • Garrett Reynolds placed 4th in Ag Sales Placement for his job working at Fareway.
  • Hannah Carlson placed 5th in Goat Production Entrepreneurship with her meat goat project.