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2 arrested on separate Assault charges in Red Oak

News

October 30th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak report two men were arrested on separate assault charges Sunday night. 26-year-old Dominic Cameron Essex, of Red Oak, was arrested in the 1500 block of N. 8th Street, in Red Oak, at around 7:10-p.m., and charged with Domestic Assault/1st offense, a Simple Misdemeanor. Essex was being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail.

And, at around 7:30-p.m., Sunday, Red Oak Police arrested 65-year-old Scott Wade Barry, of Red Oak, for Domestic Abuse Assault/2nd offense. Barry was taken into custody in the 700 block of High Street in Red Oak, and transported to the Montgomery County. He too, was being held without bond.

Posted in News |

Skyscan Forecast for Atlantic & the Nishna Valley: Monday, Oct. 30, 2023

Weather

October 30th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

Today: Sunny, with a high near 41. West southwest wind 5- to 15-mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 21. SW winds 15-to 30-mph. Wind chill values as low as 10. .

Tomorrow: Mostly sunny & windy, with a high near 35. NW @ 15-30 mph. Wind chill values as low as 5.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny & breezy, with a high near 46.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 51.

Sunday’s High in Atlantic was 39. Our Low this morning, 21. Last year on this date the High in Atlantic was 65 and the Low was 29. The Record High on this date in Atlantic, was 84 in 1950. The Record Low was 1 in 1925. Sunrise… 7:49. Sunset….6:16.

Posted in Weather |

NW IA Physical Therapist receives warning for payments on services he allegedly didn’t provide

News

October 30th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Des Moines, Iowa)  – A physical therapist accused of fraudulently claiming payment for services he never provided can keep his license, a state panel has ruled. There is no indication of any criminal charges being filed in the case. According to a report in the Iowa Capital Dispatch, the Iowa Board of Physical and Occupational Therapists recently charged physical therapist Scott Varilek, of Sioux City, with violating a state regulation that prohibits therapists from obtaining third-party payments – typically made by insurers — for patient services through fraudulent means.

According to the board, Varilek was providing physical therapy to residents of an unspecified assisted living facility in March and April of 2022. During that time, Varilek allegedly billed for physical therapy services that could not be substantiated through a review of video surveillance or through interviews with staff and patients.

The board alleges it previously issued a formal warning to Varilek for improper billing practices, although the board’s website indicates no such warning was ever made public. As a result of the most recent allegations, the board has entered into a settlement agreement with Varilek in which he has been allowed to keep his license, receive another warning, and pay a $750 civil penalty.

Varilek’s National Provider Identifier indicates he is licensed to practice in Nebraska and Iowa, with one of his practice locations being Opportunities Unlimited in Sioux City. His Nebraska license is in good standing with no public record of disciplinary action.

Posted in News |

Audubon woman under investigation agrees to refrain from practicing nursing

News

October 30th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Des Moines, Iowa) – A woman from Audubon County who is under investigation by licensing authorities for undisclosed reasons has agreed to refrain from practicing nursing. According to the Iowa Capital Dispatch, 46-year-old Cara Oberholtz, of Audubon, recently entered into an agreement with the Iowa Board of Nursing. As part of that agreement, she acknowledged she was under investigation for unspecified, potential regulatory violations, and she agreed to refrain from practicing as a licensed practical nurse in Iowa until allowed to do so by the board.

As part of that same agreement, Oberholtz’s license was suspended. The available public documents in the case give no indication as to why the action was taken or why Oberholtz is under investigation.

Earlier this year, Oberholtz was criminally charged with harassment. Court records indicate her ex-husband, Chad Oberholtz, had complained to police that Cara Oberholtz made threats to kill him.  According to police, Chad Oberholtz claimed on one occasion Cara Oberholtz’s mother warned him to leave his house because Cara Oberholtz had just left her own home and was armed with a .38 caliber handgun.

Cara Oberholtz was later convicted of third-degree harassment and sentenced to one year of probation.

Posted in News |

Trump campaigns in Sioux City Sunday

News

October 30th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Former President Donald Trump is expressing confidence he’ll finish well ahead of his G-O-P competitors in the Iowa Caucuses, but during an event in Sioux City on Sunday Trump said the rivalry he’s most focused on is a 2024 rematch with Joe Biden.

Three lawyers who worked for Trump or his 2020 campaign who were charged along with Trump for trying to overturn Georgia’s election results have pleaded guilty this month. On Sunday, Trump repeated his complaints about his loss to Biden and the indictments he now faces. Trump said he has accumulated 100 million dollars in legal fees.Trump says his 2024 campaign advisers have suggested it’s disrespectful to say he’s going to win Iowa.

Over two-thousand people were in a theater in Sioux City to hear Trump, who was on stage for nearly 90 minutes. He offered brief critiques of G-O-P challengers Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley, but never mentioned that Mike Pence, his vice president, dropped out of the race this weekend. Trump promised the crowd he’d prevent World War Three if he returns to the White House — and he’d force Europe to match what the Biden Administration has given to Ukraine.

At one point, the crowd cheered to signify where they were from and it appeared there were contingents from South Dakota and Nebraska, even a few were from Minnesota. Republican State Senator Brad Zaun of Urbandale was the first elected official to endorse Trump in 2015 and he asked Iowans in the crowd to be the first to back Trump in 2024.

Republican Senator Lynn Evans of Aurelia told the crowd the 2024 Iowa Caucuses are the most important political event in their lifetime.

Also Sunday, the Trump campaign released the names of 100 faith leaders who’ve endorsed Trump.

Posted in News |

Total Team Effort Powers Bulldogs in First Exhibition Victory

Sports

October 29th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake women’s basketball team spread the playing time and scoring throughout the lineup Sunday in rolling past Upper Iowa 87-40 in an exhibition game at the Knapp Center.

Drake’s three preseason All-Missouri Valley Conference selections led the way for the Bulldogs, who outrebounded their Division II opponent 60-33, came up with 15 steals and had assists on 21 of their 34 field goals. 

Graduate Grace Berg topped the scoring with 24 points on 9-for-14 shooting. Junior Katie Dinnebier added 14 points, nine assists and six steals, while junior Anna Miller contributed 12 points, nine rebounds and four blocks. She made all but one of her seven shots and handed out a couple of assists.

Drake held Upper Iowa to 24 percent shooting and gave up no more than four baskets in any quarter. The Peacocks did lead once, at 3-2 on Amelia Valentino’s 3-pointer, and it was tied at 6-6. But the Bulldogs closed the quarter with 10 straight points to open a 24-11 lead and were control the rest of the way.

After another exhibition game on Wednesday, Nov. 1, against Winona State, Drake opens the regular season at home against St. Thomas on Monday, Nov. 6.

Posted in Sports |

Iowa Downs Top-Seed Michigan State, 2-1

Sports

October 29th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

EAST LANSING, Mich. — University of Iowa women’s soccer defeated top-seed Michigan State, 2-1, on Sunday at DeMartin Soccer Complex to advance to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals.

The victory over the 12th-ranked Spartans is Iowa’s highest-ranked win since defeating No. 4 Penn State in the 2020-21 Big Ten Tournament. Both games were played on the road, with the Hawkeyes going on to win the program’s first conference tournament championship that season.

The Hawkeyes, who entered as the tournament eighth-seed, improve to 10-4-4 overall this season. Iowa avenged a 3-0 loss to Michigan State in the regular season finale. A pair of second half scores lifted Iowa to the comeback victory.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH DAVE DIIANNI

“We knew this was going to be a difficult challenge for our team, coming back here for the second time in a week, but our ladies embraced it from the beginning. They believed our mentality and performance were not up to the standard that we ask of them each to win any game, let alone against a top team like Michigan State. I’m proud of the conviction and resiliency they have shown this year. We were playing for our season.”

HAWKEYE NOTABLES

  • Iowa’s most recent Big Ten Tournament victory came on Oct. 31, 2021, in East Lansing; the Hawkeyes have been visitors in each of the last four meetings against Michigan State.
  • The Big Ten Tournament appearance is the 14th in Hawkeye program history.
  • McGroarty now matches seventh-year Josie Durr and junior Elle Otto for a team-best 12 points this season; McGroarty has four goals and four assists this year, while Bush has three goals and one assist (7 points) as a true-freshman midfielder. Enneking’s 23 career victories move into a tie for fourth place in the Iowa record book alongside Britta Vogele ’04.
  • 90 Tracker: Four Hawkeye position players logged the full 90 minutes against Michigan State, including fifth-year Samantha Cary (13), freshman Millie Greer (13), senior Maggie Johnston (5) and freshman Eva Pattison (4). Five other Hawkeyes have played the entirety of at least one game this season, including senior Rielee Fetty (4), seventh-year Josie Durr, junior Kenzie Roling, sophomore Kellen Fife and freshman Sofia Bush.

UP NEXT

Eighth-seeded Iowa (10-4-4, 4-4-3) faces fourth-seeded Penn State (13-1-4, 6-1-3) in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals on Thursday, Nov. 2. The winner will advance to the championship match on Nov. 5. The semifinals and championship match will be played at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio. Both games will air live on Big Ten Network.

Posted in Sports |

Former Sioux City Musketeer dies after on ice accident in England

Sports

October 29th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

Former Sioux City Musketeer hockey player Adam Johnson died after an on ice accident while playing in England. Woody Gottburg reports.

Posted in Sports |

Northern Iowa women host Wisconsin-La Crosse Monday night

Sports

October 29th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

The UNI women’s basketball team hosts Wisconsin-La Crosse Monday night in an exhibition contest. Forward Grace Boffeli is the Missouri Valley preseason player of the year. Boffeli, Maya McDermott and Emerson Green are returning starters for the Panthers.

UNI is the preseason Valley favorite and Boffeli says a key this season will be finishing games.

Boffeli averaged better than 16 points and nine rebounds last season and is looking forward to the new season.

Posted in Sports |

Iowa State atop the Big-12 standings

Sports

October 29th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

Iowa State enters the month of November at the top of the Big 12 standings. The Cyclones are part of a five-way tied for the lead after a 30-18 win at Baylor.It was ISU’s fourth win in the last five games and they will take a 4-1 conference record into a game against Kansas. Iowa State coach Matt Campbell.

Campbell on playing meaningful football in November.

Saturday’s game will kick at 6:00pm in Jack Trice Stadium and be televised by ESPN.

Posted in Sports |