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Man pleads not guilty in northern Iowa shooting death

News

September 18th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

LU VERNE, Iowa (AP) — A man accused of killing another man at a northern Iowa home has pleaded not guilty. Kossuth County court records say Jeffrey Winters, of Livermore, entered the plea last week to a charge of first-degree murder. The records don’t show that a trial has been scheduled. He’s suspected of killing 54-year-old Randy Page, who authorities say died before deputies reached the Lu Verne home on Aug. 27. His wife had called to report that he was on the garage floor and unresponsive.

A criminal complaint says four 9 mm bullet casings were found near the body, but no gun was found.

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Griswold School Board to change activity tickets costs next year; Students offered crop share opportunity

News

September 18th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The Griswold School Board Monday night elected Aaron Houser as President, and Don Smith as Vice-President. Smith was V-P last year, also. They also voted to keep their meeting schedule the same as this past year. Superintendent Dave Henrichs said the District is taking a cue from other districts, and will make changes for the 2019-2020 School Year with regard to activity tickets. He says the bottom line is, next year they will not charge Griswold students to attend Griswold events.

And, the district’s students have an excellent opportunity to experience the green thumb of growing vegetables. Henrichs says FFA Advisor Kevin Blair recently came into contact with an individual who owns about five-acres of land. That person lives out-of-state, and the land is currently being rented. The person currently renting the land feels the land is too small for their equipment, therefore the school and FFA have the opportunity to assume the rental agreement. The rent will be on a crop share basis, with two-thirds to the school, and one-third to the owners. The school hopes to get donors for the seed and equipment. Students will plan, plant and harvest the crops, which will be in a test plot for different varieties. Henrichs says it’s a way for kids to extend their learning outside the classroom.

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MARGIE KNIENAPFEL, 86, of Manning (Graveside Svcs. 9/21/18)

Obituaries

September 18th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

MARGIE KNIENAPFEL, 86, of Manning, died Monday, Sept. 17th, at Manning Plaza Nursing Home. Graveside services for MARGIE KNIENAPFEL will be held 11:30-a.m. Friday, Sept. 21st, in the Manning Cemetery. Ohde Funeral Home in Manning has the arrangements.

Friends may call at the funeral home from10:30-a.m. until 11:15-a.m. Friday.

MARGIE KNIENAPFEL is survived by:

Her nieces and nephews.

Posted in Obituaries |

Suspect in golfer’s slaying has history of violence

News

September 18th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

A homeless man charged in Iowa with killing a top amateur golfer from Spain has a history of violence and drug use dating to his teenage years. Court records show that since 2014, 22-year-old Collin Daniel Richards has been charged with abusing a former girlfriend, using a baseball bat to smash a vehicle window and burglarizing a gas station. He’s now charged with first-degree murder in the death of Celia Barquin Arozamena. He was ordered jailed Tuesday on a $5 million, cash-only bond.

In one case, Richards allegedly threatened to shoot clerks at a convenience store after they caught him shoplifting. In another, Richards admitted he stole a man’s pickup truck while high on drugs. In a third, the Iowa State Patrol seized a long knife from him during a traffic stop. The records also show Richards left prison earlier this year, once lived in a halfway house in Ames, and was arrested in June after being found passed out near a liquor store.

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MARGARET “PEGGY” SHILLING, 63, of Greenfield (Private svcs.)

Obituaries

September 18th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

MARGARET “PEGGY” SHILLING, 63, of Greenfield, died Monday, Sept. 17th, at home. Private family services are planned for PEGGY SHILLING. Steen Funeral Home in Greenfield is assisting the family.

PEGGY SHILLING is survived by:

Her father – Wilbur Smith, of Columbus, OH.

Her sons – Daniel (Anna) Shilling, of Greenfield, and David (Jennifer) Shilling, of Bondurant.

Her daughter – Diana (Shawn) McClane, of Junction City, KS.

Her sister – Sue (Bill) Eisner, and Elaine Keckley, all of Columbus, OH.

11 grandchildren, other relatives and friends.

Posted in Obituaries |

Second Minnehaha County escaped inmate arrested in Iowa

News

September 18th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Authorities say they’ve caught up with an inmate who escaped from the Minnehaha County Correctional Center in South Dakota, last month. The Sioux Falls Area Joint Fugitive Task Force says it received information Monday night that led to the capture of Lowell Calkins in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Calkins is awaiting extradition back to Minnehaha County. He was serving time for damage to property and burglary. Calkins escaped with Roy Hampton on Aug. 8. Hampton was arrested in Altoona, Iowa days after the escape.

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Exira-EHK School Board News

News

September 18th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The Exira-EHK School Board voted to retain Kevin Petersn as President and Tamie Fahn as Vice President. Superintendent Trevor Miller said their meetings will stay the same: the third Monday of the month at 6-p.m., instead of 7-p.m., which it had been switched to earlier this Summer, due to some schedule conflicts. Miller provided the Board with a construction update, which he said is “Going well” at the Exira building, but there was an issue at the Elk Horn building. The HVAC system had a “hiccup” with the boilers and how they’re set-up. Crews are working on the problem.

As for the skylight in the Elk Horn building, the Board is looking at how they want to proceed with either a repair or replacement. Miller said they will look at all options and determine from there which direction to go. Miller said there was some action taken on personnel matters. They hired Chloe Anthofer as a para-educator at Exira, and Candy Olsen as a para-educator at the Elk Horn building. They will replace a couple of para’s that resigned in August. Terry Weisenborn was offered a Junior High Cross County contract.

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AP Iowa High School Football Poll 09/17/2018

Sports

September 18th, 2018 by admin

The Top Ten teams in the Associated Press Iowa high school football polls of the 2014 season with first-place votes in parentheses and won-loss record, total points and position last week at right:

Class 4A
Record Pts Prv
1. West Des Moines Valley (8) 4-0 107 1
2. Cedar Falls (2) 4-0 98 3
3. Ankeny Centennial (1) 4-0 88 5
4. Bettendorf 3-1 65 2
5. Johnston 3-1 58 7
5. Iowa City West 3-1 58 6
7. West Des Moines Dowling 2-2 42 4
8. Indianola 4-0 37 9
9. Waukee 2-2 22 8
10. Cedar Rapids Prairie 3-1 18 NR

Others receiving votes: Fort Dodge 10. Ankeny 1. Waterloo West 1.

Class 3A
Record Pts Prv
1. Cedar Rapids Xavier (9) 4-0 108 1
2. Council Bluffs Lewis Central (2) 4-0 97 2
3. Solon 4-0 82 4
4. Pella 4-0 79 3
5. Sioux City Heelan 4-0 69 5
6. Sergeant Bluff-Luton 3-1 38 9
7. Waverly-Shell Rock 4-0 35 7
8. Eldridge North Scott 3-1 34 8
9. Clear Creek-Amana 4-0 21 NR
10. Epworth Western Dubuque 3-1 20 6

Others receiving votes: Harlan 14. Manchester West Delaware 4. Adel ADM 4.

Class 2A
Record Pts Prv
1. Monroe PCM (11) 4-0 110 2
2. Spirit Lake 4-0 90 3
3. Boyden-Hull-RV 3-1 84 1
4. Van Horne Benton 4-0 81 4
5. Algona 4-0 58 6
6. Greene County 4-0 56 7
7. Waukon 3-1 46 5
8. Clear Lake 3-1 29 9
9. O-A BCIG 4-0 20 10
10. State Center West Marshall 3-1 18 NR

Others receiving votes: Chariton 8. Sheldon 3. Mount Vernon 1. Centerville 1.

Class 1A
Record Pts Prv
1. West Branch (6) 4-0 95 1
2. Van Meter (2) 4-0 87 3
3. Dike-New Hartford (2) 4-0 83 2
4. South Central Calhoun (1) 4-0 67 4
5. Bellevue 4-0 51 9
6. Mediapolis 4-0 45 6
7. Hawarden West Sioux 3-1 44 5
8. Inwood West Lyon 3-1 28 10
9. Truro Interstate 35 4-0 19 NR
(tie) Sumner-Fredericksburg 4-0 19 NR

Others receiving votes: Wilton 16. Pella Christian 4. Iowa City Regina 2.

Class A
Record Pts Prv
1. Hudson (8) 4-0 107 1
2. A-H-S-T-W, Avoca (3) 4-0 88 2
3. Algona Garrigan 4-0 73 3
4. Belmond-Klemme 4-0 68 4
5. Hinton 4-0 44 7
6. Traer North Tama 3-1 36 5
7. Packwood Pekin 3-1 28 T10
8. Riverside Highland 4-0 26 9
9. St. Ansgar 3-1 24 6
10. Britt West Hancock 3-1 19 8

Others receiving votes: Edgewood-Colesburg 16. Brooklyn BGM 10. Fairbank Wapsie Valley 8. Grundy Center 5. Eldon Cardinal 4. Mason City Newman 3. Southwest Valley 1.

Class 8-Man
Record Pts Prv
1. Gilbertville-Don Bosco (9) 4-0 102 1
2. New London 4-0 83 2
3. Elk Horn-Kimballton Exira (1) 4-0 76 3
4. Westside Ar-We-Va 4-0 57 5
5. Marengo Iowa Valley (1) 5-0 55 6
6. Newell-Fonda 4-0 54 4
7. Jackson Junction Turkey Valley 4-0 46 7
8. Liberty Center SE Warren 5-0 37 8
9. Fremont Mills, Tabor 3-1 18 9
10. East Mills 4-0 15 10

Others receiving votes: Wyoming Midland 6. Northwood-Kensett 5. Central City 4. Kingsley-Pierson 1. Wayland WACO 1.

Posted in Sports |

CAM School Board discusses facility projects and more

News

September 18th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The CAM School Board held its annual Organizational meeting Monday evening, in Anita. The Board voted to keep Gary Dinkla as President, and Chuck Kinzie as Vice-President. Lindsay Jahde was appointed Board Secretary Treasurer. Superintendent Casey Berlau told KJAN their Board meetings times and dates remain the same: the third Monday of the month at 6:30-p.m. Berlau said two facility projects were presented to the Board, Monday: Roof repair at the High School will come to $10,000. The other was the exterior walls of the Massena building. The Board approved a bid for $26,000 to have exterior work conducted on the gym at Massena. He said the joints of the precast walls are starting to wear away on the wall, and it’s hoped doing the work now will prevent greater damage later.

Berlau said there were no resignations for the Board to approve, but they did agree to offer several contracts. Lexie Winther and Anna Amdor were offered para-educator contracts; Brian Sexton – Junior High Football Coach; Manda Thomas – Co-Head Speech Coach; Middle School Student Council – Heather Scar and Samantha Rosenbeck; Joe Wollum and Nick Hodges will serve as Co-Coaches for Golf. Superintendent Berlau said the Board also discussed a revision to a District Policy regarding meal charges.

The policy stated that when a family is $50 or more in the red on their meal tickets, the student would have to receive an “Alternate meal.” That clause was removed from the proposed policy. The District will continue to inform families when their accounts are negative and work with them to get those paid, but they will no longer continue to offer an Alternative meal. The student will continue to get the regular meal.

Posted in News |

Audubon School Board votes to continue sharing with CR-B

News

September 18th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The Audubon School District’s Board of Education met Monday night in a regular session. Part of their meeting included the election of officers. Sarah Asmus will continue as President, and one of the newer board members, Heath Hansen, was elected Vice-President. John Roberts will continue as Board Secretary. Superintendent Brett Gibbs told KJAN News the Board voted to continue the Superintendent and Elementary Counselor positions with the Coon Rapids-Bayard School District. Their current three-year agreement with the CR-B District is expiring, and meetings will be set-up with the Coon Rapids-Bayard Board to extend the agreement, sometime in the near future. It would also maintain the current number of administrators at 2.6.

Gibbs said the Audubon School Board agreed to offer one Early Retirement for the Administration. He said two administrators are potentially qualified for Early Retirement, including himself. Gibbs said the decision still needs to be made with regard to the direction he wants to go. He said most days he loves his job, but like with any job, there are days that make you want to reconsider. The Board plans to continue to maintain the same level of administration currently in-place, which Gibbs said is something he’s been pushing for.

Superintendent Gibbs said also, that the District’s preliminary enrollment numbers look good. Right now, he says, it appears they are up eight-or nine-students, while another survey shows the District is up 16 students, because of more open-enrolled in then out students, and the pre-K is up one student. Those numbers could change by the Oct. 1st certification, but Gibbs said the enrollment numbers look good and appear to be in-line with what they’ve projected.

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