United Group Insurance

Heartbeat Today 7-15-2019

Heartbeat Today, Podcasts

July 15th, 2019 by Jim Field

Jim Field visits with Billie Hoover and Mike Waters about filling those final housing requests for this weekend’s RAGBRAI stop in Atlantic.

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Creston church vandalized over the weekend

News

July 15th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

The Creston Police Department says the Pastor of the Church of Christ in Creston reported Sunday morning, that sometime between 11-a.m. Saturday and 9:30-a.m. Sunday, the upper glass of the front door of the building was kicked-in, causing damage to the frame, interior carpet and wall. The damage was estimated at $200.

Authorities said also, 29-year old Christopher Bird, of Creston, was arrested at around 2:50-a.m. Saturday, for OWI/1st offense. He was later released from the Union County Jail on a $1,000 bond. And, at around 1:47-a.m. Saturday, 21-year old Wade Hiatt, of Lorimor, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center. Hiatt was taken into custody on a Union County warrant for Criminal Mischief in the 3rd Degree. He was later released on a $2,000 bond.

Monday Girls Softball Schedule

Sports

July 15th, 2019 by Jim Field

CLASS 1-A Regional Finals

Region 1: Gehlen Catholic @ Westwood

Region 2: Ridge View @ Newell-Fonda

Region 3: Grandview Christian @ Collins-Maxwell

Region 4: Melcher-Dallas @ Wayne

Region 5: North Mahaska @ Lynnville-Sully

Region 6: Belle Plain @ Lisbon

Region 7: Starmont @ Clarksville

Region 8: Bishop Garrigan @ AGWSR

CLASS 2-A Regional Finals

Region 1: East Marshall @ Jesup

Region 2: Earlham @ Ogden

Region 3: West Monona vs. Mount Ayr @ Harlan

Region 4: West Sioux @ Alta-Aurelia

Region 5: East Sac County @ Central Springs

Region 6: Beckman Catholic @ Durant

Region 7: Saint Ansgar @ North Linn

Region 8: Wapello @ Pekin

CLASS 3-A Regional Finals

Region 1: West Burlington @ Davenport Assumption

Region 2: Algona @ Spirit Lake

Region 3: Williamsburg @ Louisa-Muscatine

Region 4: New Hampton @ Columbus Catholic

Region 5: Mount Vernon @ Solon

Region 6: Anamosa @ West Liberty

Region 7: South East Valley @ Treynor

Region 8: North Polk @ Albia

Wife: Man searching for dogs inhales smoke from house fire

News

July 15th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A man overcome by smoke while searching for two dogs during a Davenport house fire has been hospitalized. Firefighters were sent to the house around 11:30 p.m. Saturday. A passer-by had noticed the fire and broke a window to wake up residents Veronica and George Porter. They got out, but he went back in to look for the dogs. The dogs eventually were rescued.
Veronica Porter also praised the actions of Athena Owens and her boyfriend, Dave Smith. They called 911 after seeing the flames, and he broke the window to alert the Porters.

1000+ turn out in Cedar Rapids to hear 10 Democratic candidates

News

July 15th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — Ten Democratic presidential candidates courted left-leaning caucus-goers in Cedar Rapids yesterday (Sunday). Each candidate got about 10 minutes to speak to about a thousand people at Progress Iowa’s fifth annual “Corn Feed.” South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg got the only standing ovation at the outdoor event. “It’s not about how left or how right we go, o.k.? If we embrace a left-wing agenda, the president’s going to say we’re socialists and we’re for open borders. If we adopt a conservative agenda, the president’s going to say we’re socialists and we’re for open borders,” Buttigieg said and the crowd laughed. “So we might as well just stand up for what we believe in and take it from there.”

Buttigieg was the next-to-last speaker and many in the crowd left after he finished with this. “I can’t wait to be with you every step of the way. I’ll see you on the trail and I can’t wait to celebrate with you a new era beginning in the White House,” Buttigieg said, to cheers.

Leading contenders like Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders did not attend the event. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio had been on the speaking schedule, but flew back to New York after a major power outage in the city. Washington Governor Jay Inslee, another candidate on the speaker’s list, didn’t make it due to a flight delay.

(with Reporting by Iowa Public Radio’s Kate Payne)

Reynolds says she’s moving courts ‘from left to right’

News

July 15th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa Republican Governor Kim Reynolds says the two justices she’s appointed to the Iowa Supreme Court are moving the court in a conservative direction. “Elections matter and fortunately the tide is turning in Iowa’s Supreme Court,” Reynolds says. “In just two short years, we’ve moved the needle from left to right.”

Reynolds spoke late Friday afternoon at an event organized by The Family Leader, a Christian conservative organization. Reynolds took over as governor in late May of 2017 when Terry Branstad resigned and two months later Reynolds appointed Justice Susan Christiansen (from Harlan) to the Iowa Supreme Court. This past February, Reynolds appointed Christopher McDonald to the state’s highest court. This spring, Reynolds secured changes in the state commission that nominates judges. The Family Leader lobbied legislators to make those moves.
“We need judges who will decide cases based upon the text of the statue and the constitution and not their personal policy preferences,” Reynolds said, to applause.

Democrats argue Republicans have made court appointments more political. The G-O-P-approved changes give the governor power to name a majority of the state Judicial Nominating Commission members who submit a slate of candidates for openings on the Iowa Supreme Court and Court of Appeals.

MONDAY, JULY 15th

Trading Post

July 15th, 2019 by Jim Field

WANTED:  Wood turning lathe with hand tools.  (712) 249-5290.

WANTED:  rear drive shaft for 1990 extended cab K2500. One piece shaft approximately 60″ weld to weld. 515-210-0465.

FOR SALE: 8’x10′ All wooden building, 48″ door, like new. $1,000. Call 712-202-3366 in Audubon.

FOR SALE:  Stacked washer dryer, works well, $25.00.  712-250-1005.  SOLD!

FREE:  asparagus, 4-5 year old roots, you dig. 712-250-1005.  GONE!

Geolocation part of new sports betting

News, Sports

July 15th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission got a look at some of the technology that will be used for sports gambling during their meeting last week. Iowa Racing and Gaming administrator, Brian Ohorilko, says the goelocation technology will ensure that online betting comes from within the state. “The way the federal laws work with regard to georegulation — is the individuals who are conducting the bets — they have to be located within the boundaries within the state in which the sports wagering is authorized,” Ohorilko explained.

The 19 state-licensed casinos can create their own betting apps, or team with a company that will provide them. Ohorilko says the apps include the ability to know the user’s location. “Geolocation is a very fascinating technology, it works very, very well. Customers when they are using their apps, those apps can work anywhere, but the wagering element will not work unless the geolocation provider can identify that the person is located within the state of Iowa,” Ohorilko says.  He says even if you are in neighboring states — you can’t complete a bet. “If someone is just across the river, those attempts to wager are being denied,” Ohorilko says.

Ohorilko says the geolocation technology can accurately know whether you are in or out of the state. “Those boundaries will be drawn for the state of Iowa — and it does not matter if it is a river boundary or a land boundary — they will be precise,” according to Ohorilko. “And if someone is attempting a wager outside of the state — that attempt will be denied.”

The Racing and Gaming Commission held a hearing on the rules for sports gambling at their meeting last week and a special meeting is set for July 30th, where it is expected they will adopt the rules.

2 people killed when vehicle crashes off county road

News

July 15th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

HUDSON, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say two people were killed when the vehicle they were in crashed off a Black Hawk County road. The crash occurred a little before 9:30 a.m. Sunday just southwest of Hudson. Deputies sent to the scene found the vehicle in a field and noted that it appeared to have rolled several times. The two people were pronounced dead at the scene. Their names haven’t been released. The crash is being investigated.

Shut down twice by flooding, DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge finally reopens

Ag/Outdoor, News

July 15th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — After being closed twice by spring floods, the DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge is open again, hopefully for good. The 83-hundred acre refuge in southwest Iowa was forced to put up barricades in March when the Missouri River washed in. Repairs were made and it reopened several weeks later, only to be flooded a second time. Senior Park Ranger Peter Rea says one key area is still closed. “We haven’t been able to draw down the water enough to get our boat ramps back open,” Rea says. “It’s either bank fishing or hand-launching boats only at this time. As conditions improve, we’re going to try to get those accesses reopened as soon as we can for the public.”

Rea says the park staff has been scrambling to restore the infrastructure that was damaged by so many weeks of being underwater. “Since March until now, it’s been a battle to stay open with us being closed for a good majority of that time,” Rea says. “As the water is receding, there’s a lot of work to be done, a lot of trails to rebuild, roads to work on.”  The visitor’s center is open again but the south entrance to the refuge remains closed. The East Gravel Road is closed to vehicles but is open to foot traffic. DeSoto is one of the few parks in the area that’s been able to reopen after this spring’s record flooding.  “There’s definitely a lot to do but mainly we’re just excited to get at least some access back open to the public so that people can come and enjoy the place as well,” he says.

Several other parks in the region remain closed, either due to flooding or needed repairs due to flooding, including Tom Hanafan Park and Big Lake Park in Council Bluffs.