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Chopper pilot back at work after a large bird crashes into his cockpit

News

December 8th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) – A pilot working with a critical-care helicopter service in Iowa has returned to work after a bird crashed through the windshield and struck him in the head last month. KCAU-TV in Sioux City reports Troy McCormick, of Wings Air Rescue in Sioux City, was flying toward a hospital in Storm Lake on Nov. 23 when the incident took place.

The bird smashed through the windscreen and hit McCormick on the side of the head before disintegrating inside the helicopter. A fellow crew member quickly canceled their mission and diverted the helicopter to Storm Lake airport with McCormick dazed but uninjured, and covered in blood and feathers. .”

McCormick believes he was hit by a duck, but he’s not sure. McCormick has been flying since 2001 and joined Wings Air Rescue roughly a year ago. He considers the incident a freak accident.

Wednesday (Dec. 6) was McCormick’s first day back to work since the incident. He said he was excited to be back in the sky continuing to save lives — and he hopes to avoid any birds.

Hawkeyes Fall at Iowa State

Sports

December 8th, 2023 by Jim Field

(Hawkeyesports.com) – The University of Iowa men’s basketball team fell to Iowa State, 90-65, on Thursday evening in the Iowa Corn Cy-hawk Series match-up at Hilton Coliseum.

Payton Sandfort led the way for the Hawkeyes in the first half as they struggled to get the offense going. The junior from Waukee, Iowa, had 14 of Iowa’s 29 first half points. Sandfort connected on 4-of-6 from beyond the arc in the first 20-minutes of action. Sandfort finished the game as the leading scorer for Iowa.

Sophomore Dasonte Bowen was the second leading scorer for Iowa. Bowen scored 13 points, dished out three assists and knocked down all six of his free throws. Freshman Owen Freeman rounded out the Hawkeyes in double digits. Freeman added 11 points and has now scored in double digits in four games. Freeman led Iowa on the glass pulling in 8 rebounds and blocking three shots.

Shooting and ball security was a struggle for the Hawkeyes in the first half. Iowa shot 9-of-26 from the field in the first 20 minutes of play. Iowa’s 12 first half turnovers resulted in 15 points for the Cyclones. At the break Iowa State led Iowa, 47-29.

Iowa State maintained their lead throughout the second half. The Cyclones were led by a duo of Keshon Gilbert and Robert Jones. Gilbert scored 25 points while Jones added 18.

CDC: 230 illnesses and 3 deaths attributed to salmonella in recalled cantaloupe

News

December 8th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Atlanta, GA) – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report 230 people have been sickened and three people have died, from cantaloupe recalled for salmonella contamination. Eight cases of the illness are reported in Iowa, seven in Nebraska, 14 people in Missouri are sick from the bacteria. Minnesota reports the most cases, at 20. Wisconsin has 18, Illinois reports 11 cases, and South Dakota has one reported case.  The CDC says it is concerned about the outbreak because the illnesses are severe, and people in long-term care facilities and childcare centers have gotten sick. They warn you should not eat pre-cut cantaloupes if you don’t know whether Malichita or Rudy brand cantaloupes were used.

some of the recalled cantaloupe product.

The pre-cut fruit was sold in several stores, including Kwik Trip and Aldi stores in Iowa, and Trader Joe’s. See additional details HERE.

Salmonella is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

Thursday High School Boys Basketball Scores

Sports

December 8th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

Thursday Boy’s Basketballb Scores:

Shenandoah 75, Sidney 54
Coon Rapids-Bayard 87, Boyer Valley 56
Glidden-Ralston 41, Greene County 40
East Atchison 69, Fremont Mills 62
Earlham 47, Central Decatur 35
Lenox @ Stanton

Thursday Girl’s High School Basketball Scores

Sports

December 8th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

Girl’s Basketball Scores:

Shenandoah 86, Sidney 26
Fremont Mills 64, East Atchinson 17
Stanton 65, Lenox 50
#9 Earlham 69, Central Decatur 44
Southeast Warren 48, Colfax-Mingo 14
Pella 73, #12 Carlisle 61
#13 Coon Rapids-Bayard 66, Boyer Valley 26
Pella Christian 46, Van Meter 42
Glidden-Ralston @ Greene County

High School Wrestling Results

Sports

December 8th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

ACGC 2-1, Interstate-35 2-0, CRB 1-2, Lenox 0-2
ACGC 74, Coon Rapids-Bayard 6
ACGC 72, Lenox 11
Interstate-35 59, ACGC 23
Interstate-35 64, Coon Rapids-Bayard 16
Coon Rapids-Bayard 30, Lenox 18

SW Valley 3-0, SW Iowa 2-1, CAM 1-2, Griswold 0-3
Southwest Valley 34, CAM 18
Southwest Valley 54, Griswold 15
Southwest Valley 45, Southwest Iowa 24
Southwest Iowa 22, CAM 21
Southwest Iowa 42, Griswold 24
CAM 30, Griswold 18

Nodaway Valley 2-0, Martensdale St. Marys 1-1, Wayne 0-2
Nodaway Valley 48, Martensdale St. Marys 34
Nodaway Valley 60, Wayne 21
Martensdale St. Marys 51, Wayne 9

Iowa’s #3 in dairy goat production

Ag/Outdoor, News

December 8th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Goat milk production set for is the focus of a seminar by the Iowa State University Extension Department on Saturday at Dordt College in Sioux Center. Extension Dairy specialist Fred Hall says Iowa is third in the country in dairy goat production, but it’s hard to calculate how many pounds of milk are produced. “We had about 270 herds milking goats. And the last report I’ve seen we’re down to about 170,” he says. “Now because the marketplace is diverse, we really don’t have a good handle on how many pounds actually being bought and processed.” Hall says dairy goats produce between four to four-and-a-half pounds of milk each day, compared to the 80 to 95 pounds of milk or more produced by the average dairy cow. He says the dairy goat production is distributed in much the same way as the dairy cow industry.

“If you look at Eastern Iowa, we’ve got several milk buyers there. So we see a lot of commercial dairies there, along the Mississippi River,” Hall says. Goat milk production is more localized in southern Iowa. “If you go south of (Highway) 20, you see a large percentage of the producers are Amish. So they sell to Kalona. And it really fits the family lifestyle,” Hall says. “When you come to the western side of the state, we currently don’t have a milk market for goat’s milk out here.”

Hall says western Iowa does see a lot of products made and sold from the goat milk. “They make cheese and lotions. You know, I jokingly and lovingly say, they’re my lotions and potions producers,” he says. Hall says smaller producers will have around 25 goats, while the largest has 350. He says one of the draws of milking goats is the price for a pound of milk allows you to do well with a small herd.

“Cow milk right now is worth about 18-50. And goat milk is worth about 32 (dollars). So they can be profitable because the milk is a lot more valuable. And goats a smaller, more efficient, eat less produce more,” he says.

Hall says the seminar will address some of the key issues facing goat producers and try to answer any questions they have. The event runs from 9:30 a-m to 3:15 p-m., Saturday.

Moose Believed To Have Drowned On East Okoboji Lake

News

December 8th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Des Moines, Iowa) –  Officials with the Iowa D-N-R say a moose that had been seen Wednesday in Spirit Lake is believed to have fallen through the ice on East Lake Okoboji and drowned. The D-N-R says the moose had been swimming in Spirit Lake and Marble Lake since late November and came from Northern Minnesota.

Arnolds Park Okoboji Fire & Rescue was expected to try and pull the moose out of the lake so it can be taken to Iowa State University for study.

SHARON L. FITZGERALD, 82, of Persia (No services)

Obituaries

December 8th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

SHARON L. FITZGERALD, 82, of Persia, died Wednesday, December 6, 2023, at Myrtue Medical Center, in Harlan. No services are planned for SHARON FITZGERALD. Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Harlan is assisting the family.

Burial will be held at a later date.

SHARON FITZGERALD is survived by:

Her daughters – LaNaya (Glenn) Reed, of Peoria, AZ, and Shelly (Mark) Tearney, of Tennant.

Her sons – John Fitzgerald and Jason Fitzgerald (& fiance’ Sheila Sorey), all of Persia.

Her sisters – Colleen (Terry) Donaldson, of IL; Karen (Gene) Christiansen, of Persia; Diane (Al) Kuta, of Omaha, NE, and Yvonne (Pat) Tooley, of Columbus, NE.

2 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild, all of Persia; other family members and many friends.

Skyscan Forecast for Atlantic & the Nishna Valley: Friday, Dec. 8, 2023

Weather

December 8th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

Today: Increasing clouds, with a high near 54. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight: Cloudy to partly cloudy, with a low around 31. W/NW  wind 10-20 mph.

Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy & windy. High near 38. W/NW @ 15-25 mph.

Tom. Night: Partly cloudy & blustery, with a low around 19. NW @ 10-20 w/gusts to around 25 mph.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 38.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 20.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 44.

Thursday’s High in Atlantic was 61 (3 degrees shy of tying the record High). The Low was 37. Last year on this date, the High in Atlantic was 38 and the Low was 25. The Record High on December 8th in Atlantic, was 67 in 1946. The Record Low was -18 in 1917 & 1976. Sunrise is at 7:33. Sunset at 4:50.