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1 hurt in an ATV accident in Massena Saturday night

News

August 13th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Massena, Iowa) – One person was injured during a three-wheeled ATV accident late Saturday night, in Cass County (IA). According to dispatch reports from the Cass County Communications Center in Atlantic, the accident occurred at Highway 148 and Clarke Avenue in Massena, at around 10:25-p.m. A man was found laying on the street at that location.

Massena Rescue tiered with Cass EMS to transport the patient to Cass Health before he was flown to a trauma center. Additional information is not available at this time.

8-year-old injured in a Carroll County accident Saturday afternoon

News

August 12th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Glidden, Iowa) – A child on a bicycle was seriously injured after being struck by a pickup truck Saturday afternoon, in Carroll County. The Iowa State Patrol reports the unidentified 8-year-old was struck when the bicycle they were riding rode out into the street in Glidden, into the path of a 2023 Chevy Silverado pickup. The driver of the pickup, 63-year-old Thomas Lee Fransen, of Carroll, was unable to avoid the collision.

The juvenile was transported to Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines by Life Flight helicopter. Thomas Fransen was not injured during the accident, which happened at around 1:32-p.m., on Colorado Street, just south of 6th Street, in Glidden.

Deputies with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department assisted at the scene.

6-year old boy dies after being struck by an SUV in Guthrie County

News

August 12th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Rural Guthrie Center, Iowa) – An accident involving an SUV Saturday morning, resulted in the death of a juvenile male. The Iowa State Patrol reports the accident happened at 2696 170th Street, as a 2002 Chevy Suburban driven by 45-year-old Shane Ellis, of Guthrie Center, was backing out of a residential driveway at around 9:38-a.m.

The 6-year-old child entered the blind spot at the right rear of the Suburban before the right rear tire of the vehicle struck the unidentified child. The Patrol says Shane Ellis performed life saving measures until rescue crews arrived on the scene. The child was pronounced deceased at the scene, a short time later.

Reminder from the Adair County Auditor, re: Elections

News

August 11th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Greenfield, Iowa) – Adair County Auditor Mandy Berg reminds residents of the County, that Monday, August 28, 2023, is the first day to file nomination papers with the Adair County Auditor, if you intend to run for Mayor or City Council or the School Board Secretary for School Board members.

The candidate filing deadline is 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 21, 2023. The City/School Election will be Tuesday, November 7, 2023. Voter pre-registration deadline is 5:00 p.m. Monday, October 23, 2023. You may file an absentee ballot request with the Adair County Auditor’s office beginning Tuesday, August 29, 2023.

Adair County Courthouse, Greenfield, IA

The deadline to request an absentee ballot be mailed is 5:00 p.m. Monday, October 23, 2023. The last day to vote absentee in the Auditor’s Office is Monday, November 6, 2023 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

State Fair’s Big Pumpkin a 1221 pounder

Ag/Outdoor, News

August 11th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The winner of the Iowa State Fair’s Big Pumpkin contest is 200 pounds heavier than the pig that was crowned as the fair’s Big Boar. Kids, and adults, are lining up to snap photos with the big orange fruit that weighs over 12-hundred pounds. There were 20 entries in this year’s contest and they’re all on display outside the Agriculture Building on the state fairgrounds.

Rhonda Magnusson of Hartford is superintendent of Agriculture and Horticulture Crops at the Iowa State Fair. She says it’s not easy to produce a really huge pumpkin. Growers have to keep the varmints away — and keep the plants supplied with lots of water. “At some point they’ll grow about 40 pounds a day,” Magnussen says. It’s early in the pumpkin growing season and most competitions are held in the fall.

First place pumpkin in 2023 State Fair competition. (RI photo)

“If we had this in the first of October or something, we’d have like over 2000 pound pumpkins,” Magnussen says. The Iowa State Fair started its Big Pumpkin contest nearly 20 years ago and the winners don’t just get bragging rights. There’s an 18-hundred-50 dollar prize.

This year’s winner was grown by a team. Don Young and his son-in-law Tommy Rhodes of Des Moines have won the contest before.

As fall nears, gardeners should plant grasses to add nutrients to the soil

Ag/Outdoor, News

August 11th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – For Iowans who enjoy growing fruits and veggies in their back yards, it’s almost time to put those home gardens to sleep for the season. Horticulturist Isaac Zaman says once the fall harvests are complete, consider planting some cover grass over your garden.

Any sort of rye or short-lived perennial grasses will do the trick, and he suggests you could also layer your garden with compost or leaf mulch and let it rest over the winter. Zaman says the traditional “three sisters” plantings of corn, beans and squash should be seeing good progress.

Canned Peach Jam (Radio Iowa photo)

Pick those beans now if you want green beans, Zaman says, or let them keep growing if you want harder beans to keep over the winter. At a loss for what to do with all those tasty veggies? Zaman says simple preparations can sometimes be the best ones.

The Iowa State University Extension has a wealth of information online about how to can vegetables, including recipes. Just search for “canning” at https://www.extension.iastate.edu/humansciences/preserve-taste-summer

DeSantis on three-day campaign swing through Iowa

News

August 11th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis says his plan to visit each of Iowa’s 99 counties shows how his campaign differs from former President Donald Trump. DeSantis, who made a brief stop Friday morning, in Atlantic at the Downtowner, easily won reelection to a second term as Florida’s governor last year. In July, DeSantis let about a dozen staffers on his presidential campaign go and this week he fired his campaign manager. The man who’s been the governor’s chief of staff in Florida’s capitol is now leading DeSantis’ presidential campaign.

DeSantis’ scheduled campaign stop took him to Coralville, Thursday. He was also set to partake in meet and greet events Friday, in Harlan (12:30-1:30-p.m.), and Panora (6-7-p.m.). “You’ve got to get in front of people. They want to see you. They want to be able to ask questions and that’s really the way it should be and so we’re committed,” DeSantis says. “We’ve now done 32 of the 99 counties and we’re going to do all 99.”

Governor Kim Reynolds will host DeSantis and three other G-O-P presidential candidates for her Fair Side Chat series Saturday at the Iowa State Fair. Former President Donald Trump plans to campaign at the Fair on Saturday, too. Two Democrats who’re running against President Biden are scheduled to speak at the Fair on Saturday.

Clarinda man arrested on a Montgomery County warrant

News

August 11th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A man from Page County was arrested this (Friday) morning in Montgomery County, after he turned himself-in. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says 25-year-old Bryce M. McKinnon, of Clarinda, was wanted on a warrant for Public Intoxication. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 cash bond.

Serious injury motorcycle-SUV accident Thursday night in Council Bluffs

News

August 11th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – An accident Thursday night in Council Bluffs left one person seriously injured and another facing charges. Council Bluffs Police say the collision between a motorcycle and an SUV happened at around 9:27-p.m., near S. 24th Street and 23rd Avenue. Authorities report a 2017 Grom motorcycle operated by 18-year-old Kaden Desantiago, of Council Bluffs, was eastbound on 23rd Avenue, when a 2003 Chevy Tahoe driven by 24-year-old Bryce Smith, of Council Bluffs, made a left turn in front of the cycle.

Following the crash, Kaden Desantiago was transported to an area trauma center with life threatening injuries. Police say alcohol is believed to have been a contributing factor in the crash. Charges against Bryce Smith are pending completion of the investigation.

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call the Council Bluffs Police Department at 712-328-4948.

Bundle up if you’ll be ice-side to watch this weekend’s curling competition

News, Sports

August 11th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Parts of Iowa may see temperatures in the 90s this weekend, but it’ll be a whole lot chillier in the eastern Iowa arena where the new season in the ancient sport of curling is getting underway. Kari Kozak, events coordinator for Cedar Rapids Curling, says their club is hosting what’s known as the CedarSpiel Tournament starting this (Friday) afternoon and running through Sunday. “We are having about 100 people coming in this weekend, so 21 teams, and we have teams coming from 11 different states, as far away as Oklahoma City, and Bismarck, North Dakota,” Kozak says. “Every state that touches Iowa, there’s somebody coming in from, as well as a little bit farther than that away as well.” Organizers of the event call curling a lifelong sport, with club members in their pre-teens through their 70s.

“We are open to spectators coming. We usually have a few show up and it is a free event,” Kozak says. “Anyone who likes it is more than welcome to come down and watch, just be sure to pack something warm because it does get a little cold in the Icehouse.” The sport of curling reportedly began on the frozen lochs and marshes of Scotland during the early 1500s. The modern version still involves sliding large stones across the ice toward targets, and while it may look easy, Kozak assures there’s an abundance of skill involved. It’s also a great workout.

Photo via Cedar Rapids Curling on Facebook.

“It’s the sport that is fun and easy to learn but it’s hard to master,” Kozak says, “and it always surprises people that it’s 150 feet from the area where you throw it to the area that has the bullseye, which we call the house. It’s actually quite a long ways away.” CedarSpiel opens this afternoon at 4 at the ImOn Ice Arena in Cedar Rapids, with the tournament championship at noon on Sunday. If you’re curious about the sport, a “Learn to Curl” event is planned there on September 12th.

Learn more at: cedarrapidscurling.com