(Ida Grove, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports, an investigation that began as a turkey poaching case last fall has concluded with five individuals pleading guilty to 48 wildlife charges and assessed nearly $83,000 in fines and liquidated damages. State conservation officers were executing a search warrant at the home of 26-year-old Devon Lewis, of rural Washta, Iowa, on Nov. 21, when they discovered evidence of other poaching activity. Once an additional search warrant was secured, investigators uncovered evidence of a year-round poaching network involving at least 70 deer, four turkeys, ducks, raccoons and red fox dating back to at least 2018.

State Conservation Officer Kirby Bragg said evidence from the lengthy investigation showed that these individuals would shoot wildlife out of season, over bait and from vehicles, often without the proper tags. The deer were primarily bucks with antlers.

Iowa DNR photo

The following individuals pleaded guilty in January in Ida County court.

• Devon Lewis, 26, of rural Washta, pleaded guilty to 23 citations with fines and damages totaling $37,600 and a minimum seven-year hunting license suspension;
• Taylor S. Luvaas, 27 of Schaller, pleaded guilty to 14 citations, with fines and damages totaling $31,118 and a minimum seven-year hunting license suspension;
• Jacob R. Fouts, 23, of Cherokee, pleaded guilty to six citations, with fines and damages totaling $5,861 and his hunting license will be suspended;
• Dylan D. Lewis, 22, of Cushing, pleaded guilty to three citations, with fines and damages totaling $5,251 and his hunting license will be suspended;
• Austin T.L. Lewis, 19, of Cushing, pleaded guilty to two citations, with fines and damages totaling $4,300.

The judge condemned five rifles, three shotguns and three bows used to commit the crimes. “Our best chance to catch poachers is when the public provides us with timely information after witnessing illegal activity take place,” said Officer Bragg. “It was apparent that this activity had been going on for quite some time.”

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources was assisted by the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office, Woodbury County Conservation Board, Ida County Sheriff’s Office and the Ida County Conservation Board.

The Atlantic girls soccer team is looking to build off a winning season last year. The Trojans finished 10-8 in 2021 and a lot of experienced players return this season. Head Coach Dan Vargason said they have things to work on, but expectations are to take the next step.

It will be a very athletic team for Coach Vargason. Top-scorer Jada Jensen returns after a huge 27-goal season a year ago. Lindley Eblen returns after 7 goals last season, and keeper Edria Brummer is back. Quinn Grubbs, Aubrey Guyer, Eva Steffensen, Paytn Harter, Maddie Dvorak, and Irelyn Gundy are expected to be big contributors as well. Coach Vargason said it will be fun to have a wealth of athleticism on the field.

Coach Vargason said they will need to improve their offensive diversity to be successful.

The Trojans open up the season on Thursday at home against Perry at 7:00 p.m.

Iowa State backup point guard Tre Jackson has entered the transfer portal. Jackson averaged 3.7 points this season for the Cyclones, averaging 12.8 minutes in 28 games.

Jackson’s playing time was up and down this season but he was part of the rotation during the Cyclones NCAA Tournament run. Jackson appeared in 74 games over three seasons at Iowa State.

The 6-foot guard from Columbia, SC will have two years of eligibility remaining.

ST. LOUIS, MO., March 28, 2022 – The St. Louis Cardinals announced today that they have reached an agreement with Albert Pujols on a one-year contract for 2022, re-uniting the franchise with one of its most decorated players of all-time.  Pujols, 42, was drafted by St. Louis in 1999 (13th round) and played his first 11 seasons with the Cardinals, nine of those as a National League All-Star.

“We are pleased and excited to have Albert return to the Cardinals for the upcoming season,” stated Cardinals Chairman Bill DeWitt, Jr.  “This reunion with Albert is a wonderful opportunity for not only him and the Cardinals, but also for our great fans, the St. Louis community, our players and staff, and everyone connected to the St. Louis Cardinals organization.  “We look forward to seeing Albert in the “Birds on the Bat” once again, and wearing his familiar uniform number 5.”

A member of the Cardinals 2006 and 2011 World Series Champions, Pujols compiled a .328 batting mark, 445 home runs and 1,329 RBI in his 11 seasons (2001-11) with the Cardinals, earning National League MVP honors in 2005, 2008 and 2009.

“Seldom does one get to share in watching or being a part of ‘living’ history,” said Cardinals’ President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak.  “From the day we called Albert’s name in the draft room back in 1999, to now, as we set our sights on 2022, this reunion just makes sense in so many ways.  We are all looking forward to reuniting Albert with his Cardinals family, and for the fan in all of us, including myself, this feels like looking through the pages of a favorite scrapbook or baseball card album and seeing those images and memories jump off the pages.”

Pujols currently ranks among the top-10 in Major League Baseball’s all-time career leaders in RBI (2,150, 3rd), home runs (679, 5th), doubles (672, 5th), extra base hits (1,367, 4th), total bases (6,042, 4th) and  at-bats (11,114, 8th) and his 3,301 career hits rank 12th.

In his 11 seasons with the Cardinals, “El Hombre” posted franchise career top-10 totals for slugging pct. (.617, 1st), on-base pct. (.420, 2nd) home runs (445, 2nd), RBI (1,329, 2nd), doubles (455, 2nd), walks (975, 2nd), games (1,705, 8th), runs (1,291, 3rd) and batting average (.328, 6th).

Albert is a 10-time All-Star, six-time Silver Slugger, two-time Rawlings Gold Glover, 2001 N.L. Rookie of the Year, 2004 N.L. National League Championship Series MVP, 2003 National League batting champion (.359), and 2008 Roberto Clemente Award honoree.

Pujols led the National League in runs scored five times, hits once (212 in 2003), home runs twice, and RBI once (118 in 2010).   He holds the 2000s decade (2000-09) National League “Triple Crown” for batting (.334), home runs (366) and RBI (1,112) despite the fact he didn’t debut until 2001.

Pujols has appeared in 74 career postseason games for the Cardinals, hitting a franchise postseason record 18 home runs with 52 RBI, including a World Series record-tying 3 HR’s in Game 3 of the 2011 Fall Classic.

Pujols ranks among the all-time Busch Stadium III leaders in games played (462, 5th), home runs (112, 1st), RBI (358, 2nd), runs scored (314, 3rd) and hits (544, 2rd).

The St. Louis fan-favorite spent the 2012-21 seasons in Los Angeles with the Angels and Dodgers, earning an All-Star selection in 2015 with the Halos.  Pujols had six seasons with 20 or more homers for the Angels and four 100-plus RBI seasons.   He batted .254 with 12 HR’s and 38 RBI in 85 games with the Dodgers last season, and hit .294 with 13 HR’s and 34 RBI with a .939 OPS in his 146 plate appearances versus left-handed pitching in 2021.

Pujols will wear his iconic uniform no. 5, which the team never re-issued after its 2011 World Series Championship season.

GIRLS TRACK

Bondurant-Farrar Invitational

Creston finished 7th with 38 points and Winterset was 3rd with 108. Creston’s Brianna Fields went 5th in the Shot Put and 3rd in the Discus.

BOYS TRACK

Creston finished 5th with 82 points and Winterset was 4th. Creston’s top finishes were a win by Brandon Bailey in the 800M, 5th place run for Casen Dryden in the 200M, Jayden Pettegrew was 5th in the 400M and 3rd in the 400M Hurdles. The Panthers were 3rd in the 4x200M, 2nd in the 4x400M and 4x800M,

Girls Golf

St. Albert 213, Logan-Magnolia 235, Tri-Center 245
Medalist: Lainey Sheffield, St. Albert, 49
Runner-Up: Alexis Narmi, St Albert 53

Boys Golf

Tri-Center 202, St. Albert 222
Medalist: Grant Way, Tri-Center, 43
Runner-Up: Jaxon Johnson, Tri-Center, 50

Girls Soccer

Glenwood 3, Sioux City West 1
Lewis Central 10, Sergeant Bluff-Luton 0
Tri-Center3, Harlan 1

Boys Soccer

Riverside 3, Atlantic 2 OT (R: Rhett Bentley 2 goals, Mikey Casson game-winner in 2nd OT. A: Gershon Segura and Tristan Mathisen each had a goal.)

Iowa baseball coach Rick Heller says the Hawkeyes need to clean up mistakes as they get ready to enter Big Ten play. The Hawkeyes are 12-9 after taking two of three from Central Michigan over the weekend.

Opponents are hitting only .189 but Hawkeye pitchers have walked and hit 133 batters so far.

Heller says it has cost them some big wins against a challenging non-conference slate.

Today’s (TUESDAY’S) game at Illinois State was canceled due to expected cold conditions. The Hawkeyes open Big Ten play Friday at Michigan.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill introduced in the Iowa House would give developers planning to expand a large sports complex in eastern Iowa five million dollars in state tax breaks. Representative Gary Mohr, a Republican from Bettendorf, says the T-B-K Bank Sports complex is located right beside Interstate 80 at a Bettendorf exit. “It’s got indoor soccer fields, volleyball, outdoor baseball and softball. It’s been hugely successful. It attracts over a million people a year from seven states in the Midwest for competitive youth sports games,” Mohr says. “There’s a two-story bowling alley. It’s a wonderful addition to the Quad Cities.”

Developers have announced plans to spend 75 million dollars to build more baseball and softball fields to accommodate more tournaments, as well as a three-story indoor golf complex and an Olympic-sized swimming pool  “We’re so looking for the state sales tax rebate program that was so successful the first time we did this to match is on the new development,” Mohr says, “as the private investment is doubling the size of the facility.”

The rebate Mohr’s bill proposes would let the owners keep the sales taxes charged on purchases at the facility. Legislators approved a similar rebate for the existing sports complex and Mohr says hotels, restaurants and other businesses were built nearby to accommodate the crowds. “They leave a lot of dollars in the state of Iowa. (For)some of them, it’s the first time they get to Iowa, so it’s a huge attraction for our state,” Mohr says. “Iowa needs a sports (complex) like this and we’re thrilled they’re going to double the size of it.”

Legislators previously allowed the Bettendorf facility to keep two-and-a-half million dollars in sales tax rebate. Prospect Meadows in Marion — with nine outdoor baseball fields — got a two-and-a-half million dollar tax break, too.

Iowa State women’s basketball star Ashley Joens announced on Monday that she will take advantage of an extra year of eligibility and return next season. Joens and the Cyclones just made a run to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament.

Joens has been a standout for the Cyclones, earning 2nd Team All-American honors this past season. She has been a three-time unanimous First Team All-Big 12 Selection and was the Cheryl Miller Award winner for the nation’s top small forward last season.

Joens has averaged 20.3 points and 9.5 rebounds per game this past season as the Cyclones set the school record for wins with 28 and 14 wins in Big 12 play.

In a letter on social media Joens said, “This team is special. We have more to accomplish, and I can’t wait to play another year with all of them! Go Cyclones!”

The Cyclones will have big expectations for next season with the return of point guard Emily Ryan and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Lexi Donarski.