United Group Insurance

[Updated] Creston Police report, 11/27/24: 2 arrested on drug charges; St. Charles man arrested on Sex Abuse & other charges

News

November 27th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

[UPDATED] (Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports five arrests:

Late Tuesday morning, 44-year-old Melinda Ann Foland, of Afton, was arrested following a traffic stop in Creston. Foland was charged with Operating While Under the Influence (OWI) 1st Offense, and Possession of Controlled Substance Marijuana 1st Offense. She was later released on a $2,000 bond. Tuesday afternoon, 47-year-old Toby Annette Crawford, of Creston, was also arrested following a traffic stop. Crawford was charged with OWI/1st Offense. Crawford was released from the Union County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

Tuesday night, Creston Police arrested 22-year-old Rhodey Lucky Charles Fechter, of Creston. Fechter was arrested at his residence and charged with Domestic Abuse Assault/Strangulation. He was being held without bond in the Union County Jail until seen by a magistrate.

At around 12:20-a.m. today (Wednesday), 20-year-old Tyson Scott Nall, of Murray, was arrested in Creston for Possession of Controlled Substance-Marijuana/1st Offense, and Person Ineligible to Carry a Dangerous Weapons. Nall was later released on a $2,000 bond.

And, on November 26th at around 2:35-p.m., 41-year-old Damiel Lee Swank, of Saint Charles, was arrested at the Creston/Union County Law Enforcement Center,  on a Union County warrant. He was also charged with Sex Abuse 3rd, and Indecent Exposure.  Swank was later released on an $11,000 bond.

Des Moines Police shoot & kill a man who pointed a weapon at them

News

November 27th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Des Moines Police say two officers shot at and killed a 70 year old man, who pointed a pistol at the officers in downtown Des Moines, early Tuesday morning. The man died in the lobby of the apartment building where he lived. According to a news release, the officers were responding to a report that a man was threatening a woman with a gun. The man’s name was not immediately released. Des Moines PD patch

Flying shouldn’t be an issue at Epply Airfield for the holiday

News

November 27th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – Thanksgiving travel is underway for thousands of people, The Omaha Airport Authority said Tuesday is the second-busiest day for Thanksgiving travel. This coming Sunday is expected to be the busiest. They added they’re expecting to see more than 185,000 travelers moving in and out of the airport, which they said is a 3 percent increase from last year. The Omaha Airport Authority said you won’t see any major changes from what you’re used to flying in and out of Eppley. They said the construction is not really affecting travel. But still, it doesn’t hurt to have some pointers. Chief strategy officer Steve McCoy recommends arriving no later than two hours before your flight.

If you’re picking someone up, help keep the lanes outside the terminal open by parking in one of the two free cell phone waiting lots until your traveler arrives. There is one cell phone waiting lot on the north side of the terminal, and one on the south.

McCoy says those picking-up an airline passenger can wait in one of those lots until your guest arrives. When they give you a call or a text message, you can pull-up and pick them up.

Be sure and keep an eye on any flight delays the weather may cause by checking your airline’s website or smart phone app.

Tuesday (11/26) Girls Wrestling Results

Sports

November 27th, 2024 by Jim Field

Triton Clash @ Fort Dodge

Local Team Standings:

  • Lewis Central 4-1
  • SWAT 2-3
  • Riverside 1-4

Local Match Results:

  • Lewis Central 60, Humboldt 18
  • Lewis Central 44, Vinton-Shellsburg 36
  • Lewis Central 51, Crestwood Cresco 21
  • Lewis Central 49, Hinton 30
  • Cedar Falls 64, Lewis Central 15
  • SWAT 48, Fort Dodge 15
  • SWAT 48, Woodward-Granger 30
  • Hinton 57, SWAT 24
  • Decorah 54, SWAT 24
  • Humboldt 48, SWAT 36
  • Riverside 36, Fort Dodge 36
  •  Spencer 42, Riverside 30
  • East Buchanan 60, Riverside 18
  • WDM Valley 37, Riverside 36
  • Anamosa 48, Riverside 12

Local Individual Winners:

SWAT — Ellen Gerlock (5 wins), Nadia South (4 wins), Bailey Lillard (4 wins), Jazz Christensen (3 wins), Stella Beattie (3 wins), Megan Gerlock (3 wins), Destiny Fry (2 wins), Addison Glade (2 wins), Karissa Graves (2 wins), Lilliana Tafoya (2 wins)

Riverside — Veronica Schechinger (3), Ana Wilson (3), Chloe Guinn (2), Sarah Cody (2), McKenna Dorr (2), Ryleigh Garrison (2), Danika Feigenbutz (1), Jersey Hilgenberg (1), Courtney Kvaal (1), Adilyn Goos (1), Khloie Corum (1)

Tuesday (11/26) Girls Basketball Results

Sports

November 27th, 2024 by Jim Field

Hawkeye Ten Conference:

  • Atlantic 73, Denison-Schleswig 44 (see full story)

Non-Conference:

  • AHSTW 54, CAM 51
  • East Mills 51, Red Oak 30
  • St. Albert 70, Tri-Center 31
  • Treynor 64, Harlan 50
  • Shenandoah 59, Abraham Lincoln 51
  • Clarinda 61, Lenox 42
  • Lewis Central 56, LeMars 45
  • Panorama 63, Creston 51
  • Kuemper Catholic 63, Coon Rapids-Bayard 55
  • Missouri Valley 53, Thomas Jefferson 22
  • OABCIG 46, Logan-Magnolia 40

THERESA E. McKEE, 69, of Villisca (Celebration of Life 11/30/24)

Obituaries

November 27th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

THERESA E. McKEE, 69, of Villisca, died Monday, November 25, 2024. A Celebration of Life service for THERESA McKEE will be held 10-a.m. Saturday, November 30, 2024, at the Wolfe-Billings Funeral Chapel in Clarinda.

Visitation will be held on Friday, November 29, 2024, from 5-until 7-pm, at the Wolfe-Billings Funeral Chapel.

Memorials can be made to family choice.

Home cooking fires occur more frequently the day before- and on- Thanksgiving

News

November 27th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Thanksgiving and the day before are the top two days in this country for the chance of a cooking fire to happen in someone’s home. Cooking causes an average of 158,400 home fires per year, which is 44% of all home fires in the United States. The American Red Cross offers safety steps everyone can follow if they will be preparing their family’s Thanksgiving feast.  Emily Holley, Regional Communications Manager for the Nebraska-Iowa Chapter of the Red Cross, says “Cooking is the leading cause of home fires, home fire injuries and the second leading cause of home fire deaths. Most happen because people leave cooking food unattended. We want everyone to have a safe, enjoyable holiday, so don’t leave the kitchen while you’re cooking.”

The Red Cross offers the following cooking safety tips:

  • Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you must leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
  • Use a timer to remind yourself that the stove or oven is on.
  • Avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking.
  • Keep kids and pets at least three feet away from cooking areas.
  • Keep anything that can catch on fire — potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, and towels or curtains — away from your stove top and oven or any other appliance that generates heat.
  • Clean cooking surfaces on a regular basis to prevent grease buildup.
  • Consider purchasing a fire extinguisher to keep in your kitchen.
  • Always check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving home to make sure all stoves, ovens and small appliances are turned off.

Archers Hadley and Johnson Commit to Buena Vista University

Sports

November 27th, 2024 by Christian Adams

On Tuesday, Mariah Hadley and Conner Johnson signed their commitment papers to continue their archery careers at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake. In what has become a bit of a feeder, Hadley and Johnson are not the first Atlantic archers to find their way to Storm Lake. Atlantic coach Clint Roland started his career at Buena Vista, so there is little surprise that Atlantic has become a feeder.  BVU coach Conner Ellinghuysen looks forward to having Hadley and Johnson in the program.

For Hadley, archery started at a young age and quickly became one of her favorite activities.

Archery takes skill, concentration, awareness, and maybe most importantly, dedication and practice. Hadley’s parents were both very proud of what their daughter had been able to accomplish.

Like the Hadley Family, the Johnson family was very proud of their son’s accomplishments and said that the lessons archery has taught him will carry beyond sport.

For Johnson, his career started a little later than Hadley’s but loved it all the same, and it helped him find his niche.

Roland sang Hadley and Johnson’s praises and said they are archers he can never replace.

Iowa’s pheasant hunting Thanksgiving tradition

Ag/Outdoor, News

November 27th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Iowa DNR News) – Pheasant hunting has been as much a part of the Thanksgiving holiday for generations of Iowans, as cranberries and stuffing. And with a weather forecast that will likely put birds in cover, this would be a good year to continue that tradition and get back to the fields. Todd Bogenschutz, upland wildlife biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), says “It’s a good opportunity for hunters to get out with less competition. Would also be a good time to invite someone new along and pass along that tradition.”

The Iowa DNR offers an apprentice license that allows someone to give hunting a try under the supervision of an adult mentor without completing hunter education. This license may be purchased twice in a lifetime before the individual is required to complete a hunter education course. Iowa’s pheasant population is down slightly from last year when hunters bagged the highest number of roosters since 2007. According to the August roadside survey, the regions with higher pheasant counts are north of Interstate 80. “The harvest is following what the roadside counts showed – better hunting in northern Iowa with lots of young birds out there,” Bogenschutz said. Last year, more than 83,000 hunters harvested over 590,000 roosters, providing an estimated economic impact of $180 million in Iowa.

Photo courtesy of the Iowa DNR.

The Iowa DNR and Pheasants Forever are celebrating 100 years of pheasant hunting in the Hawkeye State. The first season was held Oct. 20-22, 1925, when 13 counties in north central Iowa were opened to pheasant hunting. Hunters were allowed a three-rooster limit, for a half-day of hunting. An estimated 75,000 hunters participated.

Information on places to hunt, the August roadside survey results and more is available online by clicking the 100 Years of Pheasant Hunting graphic at www.iowadnr.gov/pheasantsurvey.

Community Thanksgiving meal in Atlantic

News

November 27th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic,Iowa) – You don’t have to go all-out for your Thanksgiving meal, Thursday, and you don’t even have to do the dishes, if you attend the FREE 3rd Annual Community Thanksgiving meal Thursday, in Atlantic. The event – with all the traditional fixings, including turkey, ham, dressing and pie, takes place from 11-a.m. Until 4-p.m. At the Cass County Community Center (next to the Fairgrounds), at 805 W, 10th Street.

Take-out meals and delivery are available in Atlantic, and there are drop locations in Wiota, Anita, Cumberland, Massena, Lewis, Griswold, Marne, Walnut, Elk Horn and Exira (By pre-order only). To order to go meals on Thanksgiving please call or text message 712-250-1599 by no later than 5-p.m. On Wednesday (Nov. 27). Last year over 500 meals were served. Kristen Holaday-Brooks with Holaday Baking Company is serving the meal, thanks to numerous sponsors. Kristin’s family has hosted the event since its inception.

The first family was served after consulting with the Atlantic School District to see who needed the most help on Thanksgiving. From there, the need grew to multiple families.

The first year, she said, they were just trying to figure out the logistics of serving numerous people. They ended-up served about 450 meals.

As of last week, there were at least 159 meals ordered for delivery and the drop locations. The meat for the meal is smoked by Troublesome Creek Cattle Company in Exira, the week before the meal. Every meal is homemade.

Their job is made easier thanks to the use of an industrial potato peeler. The Atlantic Bottling Company has donated all of the drinks for the event. That’s also included with deliveries. The deliveries are handled by volunteers. Again, deliveries are made by pre-order only. For more information, call or text Anna at 712-250-1599, or visit the holadaybakingcompany’s Facebook page.