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Baby Girl Declared Safe Haven in November

News

December 3rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Des Moines, IA) – Officials with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services reports, “Through the Safe Haven Law, a baby girl, born November 11 is now in the care and custody of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and will be placed with a foster family until permanent placement is determined.”

The latest case brings the overall total to 72 infants since the law went into effect more than two decades ago.  The DHS says this is the sixth case so far in 2024. In 2023, ten infants were relinquished to HHS custody under the Safe Haven Act.

Iowa’s Safe Haven Act is an option for parents in crisis who determine they cannot care for an infant up to 90 days old. Designated safe havens are locations like hospitals and police and fire stations. Iowa HHS then works to place infants in an approved foster home while awaiting permanent adoption.

If you are interested in becoming a foster parent or adopting a child, visit https://iowafosterandadoption.org/ to learn more about becoming an approved foster or adoptive family. For more information on Iowa’s Safe Haven, visit https://hhs.iowa.gov/programs/CPS/safe-haven.

Posted in News |

Clarinda prison inmate dies

News

December 3rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

CLARINDA, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Corrections reports 38-year-old Patrick James Smith, Jr., was pronounced dead Sunday night, Dec. 1st, 2024 at the Clarinda Regional Hospital.

Smith had been serving a five-year term for crimes from Polk County. His sentence began on Jan. 20, 2023.

Posted in News |

SHIRLEY HOSFELT, 87, of Massena (Mass of Christian Burial 12/6/24)

Obituaries

December 3rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

SHIRLEY HOSFELT, 87, of Massena, died Monday, December 2, 2024. A Mass of Christian Burial for SHIRLEY HOSFELT will be held 10:30-a.m. Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Massena. Lamb Funeral Home in Massena has the arrangements.

Visitation will be held at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church on Thursday, from 2-until 7-p.m., with the family greeting friends from 5-until 7-p.m.  A Rosary service will be held at 4:30-p.m. on Thursday at the church; To celebrate her Irish Roots please wear green to the visitation.

Burial is in the St. Patrick’s Catholic Cemetery.  A luncheon will be at the church following the burial.

Memorials may be directed to the Shirley Hosfelt Memorial Fund to be established by the family at a later date.

SHIRLEY HOSFELT is survived by:

Her children – Brenda Hosfelt of LaVista, NE; Michael (Mary) Hosfelt, of Massena; Christina (Alan) Carothers , of Lincoln, NE, and Bill (Angela) Hosfelt, of Greenfield.

Her sister – Donna (Ron) Martin, of Greenfield.

10 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; other relatives and friends.

Online condolences may be left to the family at www.lambfuneralhomes.com.

Posted in Obituaries |

Mills County Sheriff’s report, 12/3/24

News

December 3rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Glenwood, Iowa) –  The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports four recent arrests:

  • On Dec. 2nd, 62-year-old Thomas Dean Schroder, of Carson, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a warrant for Violation of Probation.
  • On Dec. 1st, 23-year-old Noah Steven Kittle, of Glenwood, was arrested for Driving While Revoked/Denied.
  • On Nov. 28th, 62-year-old Gene Edward Jerome, of Glenwood, was arrested for Violation of a No Contact Order.
  • And, on Nov. 27th, 37-year-old David Eugene Snyder, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Public Intoxication.

Posted in News |

Council Bluffs Police investigating the death of an adult female

News

December 3rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Council Bluffs police are asking for your help in a homicide investigation. The body of 44-year-old Lilia Maria Gonzalez-Lainez, of Omaha, was found May 8, 2024 in the area of Veterans Memorial Highway and E. Manawa Drive. Skeletal remains were discovered in a field about 200-yards off the roadway. A forensic anthropologist determined the remains were those of an adult female. An autopsy conducted by the Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office determined the manner of death to be homicide. DNA evidence resulted in identification of the remains being those of Gonzalez-Lainez.

The woman was last seen Dec. 11, 2023 in South Omaha. Authorities say the investigation has stalled, and Council Bluffs Police detectives are asking for the public’s assistance, in hopes someone may have knowledge of Gonzales-Lainez’ whereabouts and/or the circumstances surrounding her death and discovery of her body.

Anyone with information that may be helpful in the investigation is asked to call Detective Benson at 712-890-5113, anonymously at 712-328-STOP (7867), or by email tdbenson@councilbluffs-ia.gov.

Posted in News |

Higgins, Johnson, Wetjen Earn Top Honors; 20 Hawkeyes Recognized

Sports

December 3rd, 2024 by Christian Adams

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Three University of Iowa football student-athletes — Jay Higgins, Kaleb Johnson and Kaden Wetjen — were recognized with Big Ten Conference positional player of the year awards on Tuesday. The Hawkeyes had a total of 19 players earn all-conference recognition.

Higgins was named the Butkus-Fitzgerald Big Ten Linebacker of the Year, Johnson was tabbed as the Ameche-Dayne Big Ten Running Back of the Year and Wetjen was recognized as the Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year. Iowa was the only Big Ten program with three separate players earning positional awards.

Defensively, Higgins was tabbed first-team All-Big Ten by both league head coaches and voting media. Defensive backs Sebastian Castro and Jermari Harris were both third team honorees by the coaches and media. DT Aaron Graves, DE Ethan Hurkett, LB Nick Jackson, FS Quinn Schulte and DT Yahya Black earned honorable mention by both the coaches and media, while DE Deontae Craig was honorable mention by the media.

All four Hawkeye specialists were recognized in 2024. Wetjen was a first-team all-conference selection (coaches; media). PK Drew Stevens was a third team honoree (coaches; media), P Rhys Dakin was recognized on the second team by the media and third team by the coaches, while LS Luke Elkin was tabbed second team by the media and honorable mention by the coaches.

On offense, Johnson was a first team honoree by both the coaches and media. Joining Johnson on the first team was OG Connor Colby (coaches; media) and C Logan Jones (media); Jones was selected as a third team member by the coaches. OT Gennings Dunker was recognized on the second team by the coaches and third team by the media. OG Beau Stephens and OT Mason Richman were honorable mention by both the coaches and media, while TE Luke Lachey earned honorable mention laurels by the media.

Higgins is the third Hawkeye in eight years to be voted the Butkus-Fitzgerald Big Ten Linebacker of the Year (Josey Jewell, 2017; Jack Campbell, 2022). Johnson is the first Hawkeye to be the recipient of Ameche-Dayne Big Ten Running Back of the Year since the award was introduced in 2011. Wetjen joins former Hawkeyes Ihmir Smith-Marsette (2018), Charlie Jones (2021) and Cooper DeJean (2023) as winners of the Rodgers-Dwight Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year.

Higgins, who was a semifinalist for three national awards (Lombardi, Butkus, Lott IMPACT), is the only player in the nation with 100+ tackles and four interceptions. His four picks are most amongst linebackers from a Power 4 conference. Higgins ranks second in the Big Ten in tackles (12th nationally), making 118 tackles (9.8 per game).

Johnson, who is a Doak Walker Award finalist, had a record-breaking year. He posted school single-season records in points (138), total touchdowns (23) and rushing scores (21). Johnson rushed for 1,537 yards in 12 games in 2024, sixth-most in the country and third-most in program history. The native of Hamilton, Ohio, scored at least one touchdown in all 12 regular season games — the longest stretch in school history. He had seven games in 2024 with two or more rushing touchdowns, believed to be the most in a single season in program history.

Wetjen, who is a Jet Award finalist, leads the nation with 888 combined kick return yards (next most is 674 yards). He is second in the FBS in punt return yards (312) and sixth in kickoff return yards (576). The native of Williamsburg, Iowa, native had an 85-yard punt return for a score against Northwestern, the seventh-longest in school history. He had 100+ kickoff return yards in three straight games (Washington, Michigan State and Northwestern) in 2024, a first by a Hawkeye since at least 1978.

Jones started all 12 games at center in 2024 and has 38 career starts. A two-time all-conference honoree, Jones and the Hawkeye offensive line gained 200 or more yards eight times in 2024. Iowa has amassed 2,599 rushing yards, the most since 2002. Jones and the line allowed just 15 sacks this season. Iowa’s offensive line is a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award.

Colby and Richman were four-year starters on the offensive line, both starting all 12 games in 2024. Richman’s 51 career starts are most by any Hawkeye offensive lineman in the Kirk Ferentz era (1999-present). Richman has earned honorable mention accolades four consecutive seasons. Colby started 49 career games, which ties Austin Blythe for second most in program history. Colby is a two-time all-conference honoree.

Dunker and Stephens started 10 games at tackle and guard, respectively, in 2024.

Lachey played in 11 games in 2024, leading Iowa’s tight ends and ranking second overall, with 27 receptions and 227 receiving yards. Lachey was a team captain in all 12 games in 2024 and is a two-time honorable mention honoree.

Castro and Harris were both sixth-year senior defensive backs. Castro’s 56 tackles were fourth-most on the team. A two-time all-conference honoree, Castro also had an interception, three tackles for loss, forced two fumbles, one pass break-up and a quarterback hurry. Harris led the squad with seven pass break-ups. He also registered 27 tackles, including one for loss, and had three interceptions, including a pick-six.

Jackson garners his third straight all-conference nod (two in the Big Ten and one in the ACC). He was also recognized as the team’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree. The Atlanta native and sixth-year senior amassed 83 tackles in 2024 to rank second on the team and 11th in the Big Ten. He also accumulated five tackles for loss, including 2.5 sacks, five hurries, returned an interception 28 yards and tied for first on the team with seven pass break-ups.

Black, Craig, Hurkett and Graves each started every game on the defensive line in 2024, while Schulte has been the leader of Iowa’s defensive secondary throughout the season.

Black totaled 31 tackles, including five for loss and one sack, recorded Iowa’s only blocked kick of the season (field goal versus Washington), and had two hurries and two pass break-ups. Hurkett led all defensive linemen, and ranked fourth on the team, with 55 tackles. He led the team with 11.5 tackles for loss, including 6.5 sacks, while also forcing three fumbles and registering two hurries. Graves had 32 tackles, including eight for loss and six sacks, forced three fumbles, and was credited with two pass break-ups and two hurries. Craig totaled 38 tackles, including 2.5 for loss and one sack, had six hurries and one pass break-up.

Schulte ranked third on the team with 57 tackles as Iowa’s free safety. He also had three interceptions and three pass break-ups. Schulte was a team captain in all 12 games in 2024 and is a two-time honorable mention honoree.

Dakin punted 60 times as a true freshman, averaging 44.2 yards per kick, which ranked fifth in the Big Ten. Twenty-seven of his punts were downed inside the 20, 16 traveled 50 yards or more, while only five were touchbacks. Dakin had four consecutive punts either downed or fair caught inside the 6-yard line against Northwestern, with one of the punts ultimately resulting in a safety.

Stevens, a two-time all-league honoree, connected on 19-of-22 field goals as a junior in 2024. He earned Big Ten weekly accolades the past two weeks after tying a school-record five field goals made in Iowa’s win at Maryland and converting two field goals, including a 53-yard game winner as time expired, in the regular season finale against Nebraska. Stevens has made a school-record eight field goals of 50 yards or more in his career, while his 1.58 field goals made per game in 2024 rank second-best in the Big Ten and 14th nationally.

The conference added long snappers to the postseason awards list for the first time in 2024. Elkin was on the Mannelly Award Watch List throughout the season, which recognizes the most outstanding long snapper. Elkin, who has been Iowa’s long snapper the past four seasons, earned the team’s Next Man In Award (special teams) as a freshman, Hayden Fry Award as a sophomore and Coaches Appreciation Award as a junior. Elkin snapped for Dakin and Stevens, as well as Tory Taylor, the Ray Guy Award recipient and consensus All-American in 2023.

Iowa finished the regular season 8-4 overall and tied for fifth place in the Big Ten standings with a 6-3 conference record. The Hawkeyes will learn their bowl destination Sunday, Dec. 8.

2024 ALL-BIG TEN

FIRST TEAM
OT Connor Colby (coaches; media)
LB Jay Higgins (coaches; media)
RB Kaleb Johnson (coaches; media)
C Logan Jones (media)
RS Kaden Wetjen (coaches; media)

SECOND TEAM
P Rhys Dakin (media)
LS Luke Elkin (media)
OT Gennings Dunker (coaches)
C Logan Jones (coaches)

THIRD TEAM
DB Sebastian Castro (coaches; media)
P Rhys Dakin (coaches)
OT Gennings Dunker (media)
DB Jermari Harris (coaches; media)
PK Drew Stevens (coaches; media)

HONORABLE MENTION
DT Yahya Black (coaches; media); LS Luke Elkin (coaches); DT Aaron Graves (coaches; media); DE Deontae Craig (media); DE Ethan Hurkett (coaches; media); LB Nick Jackson (coaches; media); TE Luke Lachey (media); OT Mason Richman (coaches; media); FS Quinn Schulte (coaches; media); OG Beau Stephens (coaches; media)

Posted in Sports |

This weekend: Gov. Reynolds to proclaim a “Day of Remembrance” for the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge

News

December 3rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Johnston, Iowa) – The Iowa Gold Star Military Museum will host a presentation on Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 1:00 PM of Governor Reynolds Proclamation designating December 16, 2024 as a day of remembrance for the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. Presentation of the Proclamation is held at the Museum’s COL Al Rolfes Education Center followed by a short program regarding the importance of the Battle of the Bulge, the contributions and sacrifices by those who served, and the Battle’s impact on the ultimate victory by the Allied forces in World War II.

In addition to the Proclamation, the museum will host a Living History WWII Exhibit and a holiday open house with refreshments from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. The Museum’s Gallery will also
remain open until 3:00 PM.

Iowa Gold Star Musuem

Visitors can enter Camp Dodge through the main gate at 7105 NW 70th Avenue, Johnston, Iowa (scan the QR code or follow the website address below). Photo identification is required for
admittance to Camp Dodge for individuals 16 years and older.

More info. at https://goldstarmuseum.iowa.gov/

Posted in News |

Siouxland Salvation Army offers incentive to bell ringers

News

December 3rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The Siouxland Salvation Army is offering an incentive to volunteers who will ring the bells at their red kettles during their ongoing fundraiser. Captain Teri Ellison says they’ve teamed up with a jewelry store. program. “I think this is unique to Sioux City. It’s called ‘Ring for the Bling’, and for every two-hour shift that you ring, you get your name put into a kettle, and that drawing will be on Christmas Eve. Riddles, Jewelry has been setting aside jewelry all year long. I think they have 12 pieces,” she says. Ellison says they have many open spots for bell ringers.

“We are really struggling to get volunteer bell ringers, so we’re hoping to entice people today to come out and even think about it if they haven’t for the first time,” Ellison says. Ellison says they do have some indoor locations if people are worried about being out in the cold. She says they are also seeking out groups of people who want to help with the fundraiser. “Church groups, youth groups, maybe school organizations, banks, you name it. Can just get a group together and go out and take a day and ring a kettle,” she says.

Anyone interested in helping out can go to registertoring.com (register to ring dot com) to sign up. You must complete your shift to be eligible to win some jewelry. The Siouxland Salvation Army has a fundraising goal of 107-thousand dollars and says all funds go to local program. The Red Kettle campaign runs through Christmas Eve.

Posted in News |

Senate Republicans to seek work requirements for Mediaid

News

December 3rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A key lawmaker says Senate Republicans will propose that most Iowans receiving government-paid Medicaid insurance coverage work, be looking for a job or be training for one. Republican Senator Mike Bousselot of Ankeny says the incoming Trump Administration is likely to be more willing to grant Iowa a waiver for this work requirement. “Health care in Iowa — it’s important that people have it, but it shouldn’t be something that keeps people in poverty,” Bousselot says. “Getting people job training and having them seek a job while they’re receiving free health care from taxpayers I think is a common sense proposal that incentivizes getting back to work, incentivizes job training and also makes sure the safety net exists, that they have health care while they’re down on their luck.”

Senator Mike Bousselot, a Republican from Ankeny, will be chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee in the 91st Iowa General Assembly, which convenes January 13, 2025. (RI file photo)

Senate Republicans have made similar proposals in the past, but the work requirements for Medicaid coverage were not proposed for Iowans with disabilities or a parent with young children. The first Trump Administration granted waivers to several states that sought to require able-bodied citizens to work or be enrolled in school, but federal courts and then the Biden Administration blocked the policy from taking effect. Bousselot says there’s an opportunity to revisit the issue once Trump returns. “A common sense administration in Washington that’s going to work with us instead of attack us,” Bousselot said.

Bousselot made his comments after speaking at a forum organized by the Greater Des Moines Partnership. The group represents chambers of commerce in 11 counties, including (in this area) Adair, Dallas, Guthrie, and Madison.

Posted in News |

Suspect and officers involved in deadly Des Moines shooting identified

News

December 3rd, 2024 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) – Des Moines police identified a 70-year-old suspect armed with a pellet gun and the officers involved in a deadly shooting last week. It happened at an apartment complex on Nov. 26th. Police say Charles Leonard repeatedly threatened a woman with the gun before raising it towards officers who responded to the scene.

Police say the pellet gun did not have its orange-colored safety cone attached. Two officers fired at Leonard, killing him.

The officers involved are Senior Police Officers Christian Bishop and Lanny Herzog. Both have served with the Des Moines Police Department since 2022. Both officers are on paid administrative assignment, which is department policy.

Posted in News |