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Sutherland couple paroled after serving time for helping son flee to Jordan

News

June 20th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A northwest Iowa couple found guilty of helping their son flee the country rather than stand trial for attempted murder have been paroled after serving a fraction of their prison sentences. Two years ago, then 19-year-old Ali Younes was accused of tackling a woman on the University of Iowa campus, choking her until she passed out and stealing her 20-thousand dollar earrings. Younes was ordered to wear an ankle monitor and stay at his family’s home until his trial, but court records show he cut off the monitor and flew to Jordan.

Investigators say Lima and Alfred Younes drove from their home in Sutherland, got 21-thousand dollars in cash after selling a vehicle in Omaha and rented a van to take their son to Chicago, where he flew to Jordan with his grandmother. Last August a jury found Lima Younes guilty of aiding her son’s escape and her husband pleaded guilty a month later. LimaYounes was paroled after serving over seven months of her five year prison sentence.

Alfred Younes, also sentenced to five years, was released from prison after serving over five months.

HARRIET A. JAYNE, 91, of Exira (Mass of Christian Burial 6/25/24)

Obituaries

June 20th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

HARRIET A. JAYNE, 91, of Exira, died Thursday, June 20, 2024, at Audubon County Memorial Hospital in Audubon. A Mass of Christian Burial for HARRIET JAYNE will be held at 11-a.m. Tuesday, June 25, 2024, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Exira. Schmidt Family Funeral Home in Exira has the arrangements.

Visitation with the family will be held one hour prior to the mass at the church on Tuesday.

Interment will take place at Holy Trinity Catholic Cemetery in Exira. A luncheon will be provided following the interment at Holy Trinity Catholic Hall.

HARRIET JAYNE is survived by:

Her daughters – Barb (Mitch) Bengard, of Orange City; Brenda (Lynn) Wahlert, of Post Falls, ID;, Bonnie (Rob) Hagen, of Fort Dodge; Bo (Scott) Flory, of Clear Lake, and Bre (Dave) Olson, of Fort Dodge.

Her sister – Betty Simonsen, of Exira.

13 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, several step-great grandchildren, her sisters-in-law, other relatives, and many friends.

Iowa High School Athletic Association 2024 Baseball Postseason

Sports

June 20th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

Baseball substate brackets for the 2024 postseason are now available for Class 2A and Class 1A.

The first round of postseason games in 2A and 1A are scheduled for Saturday, July 6, then second round district games on Wednesday, July 10. Winners will advance to the Saturday, July 13 district final, followed by substate final games set for Tuesday, July 16. In 2A and 1A, district finalists will meet in the substate final, matching Substate 1 District 1 with Substate 1 District 2, Substate 2 District 3 with Substate 2 District 4, etc.

Class 4A and Class 3A brackets will be released Thursday, June 27.

Eight teams from each classification will advance to the 2024 IHSAA State Baseball Tournament, currently scheduled for July 22-26 in Carroll (2A, 1A) and Cedar Rapids (4A, 3A).

Below are links to the Class 1A and 2A Brackets:

Baseball-Brackets-1A-6.20.24

Baseball-Brackets-2A-6.20.24-Update

Gov. Reynolds Announces Disaster Emergency Proclamation for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Sac County

Ag/Outdoor, News

June 20th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES – Today (Thursday), Governor Kim Reynolds authorized a disaster proclamation for Sac County, Iowa effective immediately through July 20, 2024. The USDA has confirmed a positive case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a commercial turkey flock.
This proclamation allows state resources from Iowa Homeland Security, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and other agencies to assist with tracking and monitoring, rapid detection, containment, disposal, and disinfection. The proclamation also waives regulatory provisions related to commercial vehicles responding to affected sites.
The recent HPAI detections in birds do not present an immediate public health concern, and it remains safe to eat poultry products. If producers suspect signs of HPAI in their flocks, they should contact their veterinarian immediately.

Panorama Panther Jaidyn Sellers continues to impress

Sports

June 20th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

Not many high school students have or will follow the athletic success that Jaidyn Sellers has achieved within her time at Panorama Community High School. She led her high school basketball team to the state championship and scored twenty points in the final game. Sellers became the state’s quickest sprinter by winning state titles in the 100, 200, and 400.  Throughout her high school career, she’s won 3 Drake Relay Titles and a total of 10 state titles. To top things off, Sellers will be dawning the black and gold as she plays for the Iowa softball program in the fall.

Her accolades are numerous, and she credits the internal drive to achieve from her family.

That competitive drive led to many happy memories for Sellers as she continued to improve each year. Still, one moment inside the Blue Oval will always remain at the top for Sellers high school highlights.

When asked about her favorite sport, Sellers has a strong zeal towards softball. It’s a sport she grew up absorbing from watching her family play throughout her childhood.

Sellers future sprinting endeavors will be on the softball field and off the track. Sellers last fall signed her national letter of intent to play for the University of Iowa. The decision was a comfortable one as the proximity to home was a major benefit.

While reflecting on her time in high school, Sellers did have one piece of advice to share with athletes who are looking to be at the top of their respective sports.

Move in day for Sellers and other Hawkeye athletes will be in late August.

Day 1 Preview: Iowans @ U.S. Olympic T&F Trials

Sports

June 20th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

•U.S. Olympic Trials—Eugene, Oregon, June 21-June 30

The 2024 Olympic Trials begin on Friday and will run through June 30,  with a 2-day break on Tuesday and Wednesday (June 25-26).

Thirty five athletes with Iowa ties will be competing. See entire list below.

—52 Drake Relays alumni competing

      —There’s an excellent chance that at least five athletes with Iowa ties will make the U.S. Olympic Team: Kenny Bednarek – men’s 200; Hillary Bor, men’s 3000 steeple; Brittney Brown, women’s 200; Laulanga Tausaga-Collins, women’s discus; Karissa             Schweizer, women’s 5 or 10k.
     
       —Two-time Olympic hurdler Lolo Jones will be competing in her fourth Olympic Trials.
 

—18 Drake Relays officials working the meet including public address announcer Mike Jay

https://www.usatf.org/events/2024/2024-u-s-olympic-team-trials-—-track-field

The top 3 finishers in each event, provided they’ve met the Olympic qualifying standard (performance or ranking) will qualify to represent the U.S. at the Paris Olympics. You can check the status of an athlete by going to the World Athletics “Road to Paris” site:

https://worldathletics.org/stats-zone/road-to/7153115

Schedulehttps://www.usatf.org/events/2024/2024-u-s-olympic-team-trials-%E2%80%94-track-field/schedule

Entrieshttps://www.usatf.org/events/2024/2024-u-s-olympic-team-trials-—-track-field/status-of-entries

Startlists/Resultshttps://results.usatf.org/2024Trials/

 

 

IOWANS COMPETING IN U.S. OLYMPIC TRACK & FIELD TRIALS

Men – 20

Isaac Basten, Drake —1500

*Kenny Bednarek, former Indiana Hills CC — 100 & 200

#Hillary Bor, former Iowa State – 3000 steeple

Jamal Britt, former Iowa – 110 hurdles

Brandon Carnes, former UNI — 100 & 200

James Carter, former Iowa — triple jump

Nik Curtiss, former Iowa — shot put

Ryan Ford, former Iowa State — 10,000

Cam Jones, Iowa State, Cedar Rapids Kennedy HS —shot put

Darius Kipyego, Iowa State — 800

Courtney Lindsey, former Iowa Central CC — 100 & 200

Michael Millslagle, Graceland — high jump

Gratt Reed, Iowa, Atlantic HS — 110 hurdles

Will Reemstsma, St. Ambrose, Davenport Central HS — 400 hurdles

Gable Sieperda, Iowa State, GLR/CL HS — 3000 steeple

Mike Stein, Iowa, Spirit Lake HS — javelin

TJ Tomlyanovich, Cedar Falls HS — 400

Reno Tuufull, former Iowa — discus

Kalen Walker, Iowa, Indian Hills CC —100

Austin West, Iowa, Iowa City West HS — decathlon

Women – 15

Alex Gochenour-Brondyke, Logan Magnolia HS —  heptathlon & 100 hurdles

Brittany Brown, former Iowa  — 200

Makayla Clark, Iowa State — 800

Erin Dowd, former Iowa —  400 hurdles

Laulauga Tausaga-Collins, former Iowa — discus

$Lolo Jones, Des Moines Roosevelt — 100 hurdles

Rachel Joseph, Iowa State — 400

Paige Magee, Iowa — 100 hurdles

Kat Moody, Iowa, Waukee HS  — discus

Janette Schraft, Iowa State, Glenwood HS — 3000 steeple

*Karissa Schweizer, Dowling Catholic —5,000 & 10,000

Maria Shavers, former UNI, Hawkeye CC, Waterloo West HS — hammer throw

Tionna Tobias, Iowa – long jump

Alexina Teubel, former UNI, Mt.Vernon-Lisbon HS — 1,500

Sydney Willits, Iowa State — long jump

Key
*2021 Olympian
#2016 Olympian
$2008 & 2012 Olympian

FRIDAY SCHEDULE INVOLVING IOWANS  (all times central)

2 p.m.  Decathlon – Austin West, Iowa

7:30 p.m. Men’s Javelin, 1st Round — First Flight: Mike Stein, Iowa, Spirit Lake HS

7:48 p.m. Women’s 400 – Heat Five: Lane 4- Rachel Joseph, Iowa State

8:17 p.m. Women’s 800 —Heat Two: Hip #8 Makayla Clark, Iowa State 

8:49 p.m. Men’s 3000 Steeplechase –  Heat One: Hip #6 Hillary Bor, former Iowa State, 2016 Olympian; Heat Two: Hip #6 Gabe Sieperda, Iowa State

9:22 p.m. Men’s 1500 1st round – Heat three: Hip #13 Isaac Basten, Drake

10:15 pm Men’s Shot put 1st round – Flight one: Cam Jones, Iowa State, CR Kennedy; Nick Curtiss, former Iowa

10:22 pm Women’s  5,000 -1st round — (Heat one) – Hip #2 Karissa Schweizer, former Dowling Catholic

May unemployment unchanged from April

News

June 20th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The jobs numbers are out for May and Iowa Workforce Development director, Beth Townsend, says they are positive.

She says there was some growth in jobs.

Townsend says there are some issues on the horizon.

She says the Tyson closing in Perry and the other announced layoffs will start to show up in the June and July unemployment numbers. But she says the job conditions remain very good for the works impacted by those company moves.

Townsend is confident in the I-W-D process.

Unemployment rose above three percent at the end of 2023 and has been moving down slightly since the start of the new year. The May rate this year is the same as one year ago.

With lofty expectations Iowa State men’s basketball open summer workouts

Sports

June 20th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

The expectations have never been higher for the Iowa State men’s basketball team. With their four top scorers returning from a team that won the Big-12 Tournament and made to the Sweet-16 of the NCAA Tournament the Cyclones are a likely top five team in the preseason polls and a serious contender to win the national title. Summer workouts are underway in Ames.

That’s ISU coach T.J. Otzelberger who says the Cyclones are not focused on what other people think of them.

Otzelbeger does not spend time on social media so he is not familiar with all the talk surrounding next season.

Four transfers have joined the Cyclone program, including former UNI guard Nate Heise. The native of Minnesota spent the past four years with the Panthers and led them in scoring last season at 13 and-a-half points per game.

Sophomore forward Milan Momcilovic says Heise has performed well in workouts.

Momcilovic averaged nearly 11 points per game last season in being named to the Big-12 All Freshman team. He is embracing the expectations.

Momcilovic says being a more experienced team will help the Cyclones next season.

Senior guard Keshon Gilbert led the Cyclones in scoring at just over 13 and-a-half points per game last season and says the Cyclones are not focused on where they might be ranked next season.

Sen. Grassley calls EPA production standards on biofuels ‘an insult’

Ag/Outdoor, News

June 20th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is calling on the E-P-A and the Biden Administration to raise Renewable Fuel Standard volumes so they keep up with the amount of biofuels our factories can churn out. Grassley says the agency didn’t boost the Renewable Volume Obligation — or R-V-O — levels far enough last year. He says it’s an “insult” for those levels to be so low and the result is a stifled industry and a discouragement of outside investment, which is costing green jobs in Iowa.

Grassley, a Republican, is joining with Minnesota Democrat Amy Klobuchar in calling for a boost in R-V-O volumes in order to keep pace with biofuels production and availability. Sixteen other senators signed on.

The letter to the E-P-A highlights environmental benefits from an increase in biofuels production, including how biomass-based diesel can cut carbon emissions by more than 70 percent. Grassley says there are significant economic advantages for the entire supply chain, from the farmer to the consumer.

Iowa is the nation’s top producer of both ethanol and biodiesel. The letter to the head of the EPA says: “America’s environmental and energy security depend on the widespread production, availability, and use of biofuels. Biofuels play a particularly critical role in emissions reduction for heavy-duty transportation – including aviation, shipping, rail, and trucking – while opening up economic opportunities for American farmers. A strong RFS and broad availability of homegrown agricultural feedstocks are critical for ensuring we keep up the progress we have made in decarbonizing our roads, seas, railways and skies.”

Testing may be required for dairy cattle shows at Iowa fairs

Ag/Outdoor, News

June 20th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – With bird flu cases confirmed in at least nine northwest Iowa dairy herds, there may be new requirements for some dairy cattle exhibited at county fairs and the Iowa State Fair this summer. Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig expects to make an announcement soon.

Cows enter a more than 300-day lactating cycle and produce milk after giving birth to a calf. In early 2022 after bird flu reemerged in Iowa poultry operations, Naig cancelled live bird shows at fairs and other exhibitions to try to curb the spread of the virus. Iowa law requires county fairs to have a veterinarian inspect all livestock, poultry and birds as the animals arrive on the fairgrounds for shows and exhibits.