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Ernst Names Small Business of the Week, Lisle Corporation

News

October 2nd, 2023 by Ric Hanson

RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee, today announced her Small Business of the Week: Lisle Corporation of Page County. Throughout this Congress, Ranking Member Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties. 

“The team at Lisle Corporation has a reputation for manufacturing excellence. The fact that many of their products are still made at the expanded site of their original Clarinda factory, built in 1903, is a testament to their ability to innovate while staying true to their roots,” said Ranking Member Ernst. “I’m proud to commend Mary Landhuis for her strong leadership as president of Lisle Corporation. I can’t think of a better way to kick off National Women’s Small Business Month than recognizing a woman-led company in southwestern Iowa.”

Lisle Corporation was founded by C.A. Lisle in Clarinda, Iowa. The company got its start in 1903 as a manufacturer of horse-powered water well drilling machines, and in the 120 years since, has expanded to become a manufacturer and marketer of specialty automotive products. Now, Lisle Corporation is known for its mechanic’s creepers, lubrication, and tire products, among their 700 specialty automotive tools. The company is led by third, fourth, fifth, and sixth generation family members, many of whom have received awards for their contributions to the manufacturing industry and the Page County community.

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BU, UT and TTU Earn Big 12 Football Week 5 Awards

Sports

October 2nd, 2023 by admin

Texas RB Jonathon Brooks (offensive) and WR Adonai Mitchell (newcomer) were joined by Baylor CB Caden Jenkins (defensive) and TTU WR Loic Fouonji (special teams) as Big 12 football Week 5 award winners.

Brooks rushed for a career-high 218 yards with two touchdowns on 21 carries (10.4 ypc) to lead No. 3 Texas to a 40-14 win over No. 24 Kansas. It was the first 200-yard rushing game of his career and marked his third straight and fourth overall 100-yard effort. The 218 yards were also the fourth-most against a ranked opponent in UT history. The Physical Culture and Sports major had a season-long 67-yard run marking his third-straight game with a carry of at least 40 yards. The 67-yarder set Texas up at the Kansas 8-yard line and led to a field goal for a 13-7 lead in the second quarter. Brooks then put the Longhorns back on the scoreboard to open the second half with a 54-yard touchdown run to make it 20-7. Following a Jayhawk turnover at their own 32, Brooks carried it on four of the five plays on the way to finishing the drive with a one-yard score. The win moved Texas to 5-0 for the first time since 2009.

Jenkins made a couple of massive plays for Baylor in its 36-35 win at UCF. In addition to making two solo tackles, the freshman Health, Kinesiology and Leisure Studies student nabbed his first career interception on the Baylor 14-yard line to snuff out a UCF drive in the red zone. The pick kickstarted Baylor’s largest comeback in school history, but what topped it all was Jenkins’ 72-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. That scoop & score brought BU back within two points and swung the momentum in Baylor’s favor, eventually helping the Green & Gold complete the comeback in Orlando.

Mitchell put together a career game in helping Texas defeat No. 24 Kansas. He posted career highs with 10 receptions for 141 yards with a touchdown, including three straight catches for a total of 49 yards on the Longhorns’ first TD drive. He later had a long of 22 yards on the final drive of the first half that helped put Texas in scoring position with less than a minute to go prior to a turnover. The Physical Culture and Sports major caught a nine-yard touchdown reception to start the fourth quarter that extended the Longhorns’ lead to 33-14. His efforts were part of a 661-yard total offense performance, including 336 yards in the air.

Fouonji blocked a punt and returned it for a key first-half touchdown in Texas Tech’s 49-28 victory over Houston. He sprinted past the left side of UH’s punt formation to get his hands on Laine Wilkins’ attempt, picking it up at the seven and quickly finding the end zone to give the Red Raiders a 28-21 lead midway through the second quarter. It was one of two touchdowns on the day for the Information Technology student, who also hauled in a 25-yard TD reception on Texas Tech’s previous offensive drive. The punt return touchdown marked Fouonji’s second special teams score in a six-game span as he previously returned a kickoff for a touchdown to wrap the 2022 season finale at the TaxAct Texas Bowl. Texas Tech had two special teams touchdowns in the win over Houston as Drae McCray also returned the opening kickoff 100 yards to the end zone.

Big 12 Players of the Week
September 4
Offense: Emory Jones, UC, QB, Sr.
Defense: Jeremiah Cooper, ISU, DB, So.
Newcomer: Emory Jones, UC, QB, Sr.
Special Teams: Ryan Rehkow, BYU, P, Jr. and Gavin Freeman, OU, WR/PR, So.

September 11
Offense: Quinn Ewers, UT, QB, So.
Defense: Danny Stutsman, OU, LB, Jr.
Newcomer: Adonai Mitchell, UT, WR, Jr.
Special Teams: Colton Boomer, UCF, K, So.

September 18
Offense: Dillon Gabriel, OU, QB, Sr.
Defense: Tyler Batty, BYU, DE, Jr.
Newcomer: Nic Anderson, OU, WR, Fr.
Special Teams: Matthew Golden, UH, KR/WR, So.

September 25
Offense: DJ Giddens, K-State, RB, So.
Defense: Cobee Bryant, KU, CB, Jr.
Newcomer: Parker Jenkins, UH, RB, Fr.
Special Teams: Chase Contreraz, ISU, K, Sr.

October 2
Offense: Jonathon Brooks, UT, RB, So.
Defense: Caden Jenkins, BU, CB, Fr.
Newcomer: Adonai Mitchell, UT, WR, Jr.
Special Teams: Loic Fouonji, TTU, WR, Sr.

Posted in Sports |

[UPDATED Massena location] Mobile Food Pantries Coming to Atlantic and Massena on October 11, Anita October 18

News

October 2nd, 2023 by Ric Hanson

Updated: Massena location moved to City Park due to road construction!

Atlantic, Massena, and Anita are all hosting mobile food pantries in October. These will be the last mobile food pantry distributions for 2023. A mobile pantry is a traveling food pantry that delivers food directly to families in need for a one-day distribution. People from surrounding towns and communities are welcome. Mobile food pantries are available free of charge. Anyone in need is welcome, and no documentation is required. Each car can take food for up to two households at a time. Both Atlantic and Massena will be distributing the same food products. If supplies run low in Massena, families will be directed to Atlantic. Please note- the location for the Massena distribution has been moved to the Massena City Park due to road construction!  Full details about the October Mobile Pantries are listed below:

Atlantic Mobile Food Pantry- Wednesday, October 11

Time: 4-6 p.m.

Location: Cass County Community Center (805 W. 10th St., Atlantic, IA 50022)- enter from 10th street near the tennis courts and follow signs

 Massena Mobile Food Pantry- Wednesday, October 11

Where: Updated Location!! Due to construction on Clarke Avenue the Mobile Food Pantry will be distributing boxes in the Massena City Park!

Time: 4:30-5:00 p.m.

 Anita Mobile Food Pantry- Wednesday, October 18

Where: Anita Food Pantry (208 Chestnut Street, Anita IA 50020)

Time: 4:00-6:00 PM

Mobile pantry dates, times, and locations are subject to change. For the latest information on mobile pantries in Anita and Atlantic, visit https://foodbankheartland.org/food-resources/find-food/. For the latest information on Massena pantries, call (712) 779-3447. For information on upcoming events and local food, farmers markets, and food access activities, follow the Cass County Local Food Policy Council’s Facebook page @CassCountyLocalFood.

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2023-24 Big Ten Wrestling Schedule Announced

Sports

October 2nd, 2023 by Asa Lucas

2023-24 BIG TEN WRESTLING SCHEDULE

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference office announced the dates and opponents for the 2023-24 wrestling season Monday. The schedule features eight conference duals for each of the 14 Big Ten programs and concludes with the 2024 Big Ten Wrestling Championships, to be held over the second weekend in March at Maryland.

All 14 teams will open Big Ten action Jan. 12-21. On opening night, Jan. 12, Maryland, Nebraska and Rutgers will play host to Michigan, Iowa and Indiana, respectively. The final regular-season dual will take place on Sunday, Feb. 18, with Indiana traveling to Northwestern, Iowa hosting Wisconsin and Nebraska visiting reigning Big Ten Champion Penn State.

The 110th Big Ten Wrestling Championships will be held March 9-10, 2024, at XFINITY Center in College Park, Md., with Maryland playing host to the event for the first time. All 14 conference schools will participate in the championships, which begins Saturday, March 9, with the first-round, quarterfinal, semifinal and wrestle back matches taking place during Sessions I and II. Action continues Sunday, March 10, with consolation semifinals and seventh-place matches getting underway during Session III and the first-, third- and fifth-place matches highlighting Session IV.

The 2023-24 Big Ten wrestling schedule can be found in the link above. Times and television designations will be announced at a later date.

Posted in Sports |

Ottumwa Man and Woman Sentenced for Defrauding the Internal Revenue Service, Iowa Workforce Development, and Numerous Citizens

News

October 2nd, 2023 by Ric Hanson

Des Moines, IA – The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports that on September 29, 2023, Thein Maung, 47, of Ottumwa, was sentenced to twelve years in prison after pleading guilty to forty-nine fraud- and tax-related charges. Phyo Mi, 21, of Ottumwa, was sentenced to nine years in prison after a jury convicted her of sixteen fraud-related charges. In all, Maung and Mi’s fraud resulted in nearly $4 million in losses to the Internal Revenue Service, Iowa Workforce Development, and numerous Iowa citizens.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at trial, for several years, Maung and Mi ran a fraudulent tax-preparation business out of their family’s Ottumwa home. In exchange for a cash fee, Maung and Mi would prepare and file their customers’ tax returns. Maung and Mi primarily catered to immigrants and refugees who worked at meat-packing facilities in Iowa and who had little or no ability to read, write, or speak English.

Without their customers’ knowledge or approval, Maung and Mi included fraudulent items on their customers’ federal tax returns, like false claims for residential energy credits, business-expense deductions, or moving-expense deductions for members of the United States Armed Forces. The effect of Maung and Mi including fraudulent items on the tax documents was to increase the refunds their clients received and increase Maung and Mi’s customer base. In all, from 2018 to 2022, Maung and Mi caused over 1600 tax returns to be filed from their residence. Those returns claimed over $3.5 million in fraudulent residential energy credits.

It is estimated that from 2018 to 2022, Maung and Mi received over $200,000 in cash fees from their customers. In addition, on their customers’ returns, Maung and Mi sometimes directed that portions of the fraudulent refunds be sent to financial institution accounts accessible to Maung and Mi. As a result, Maung and Mi obtained nearly $50,000 in fraudulent tax refunds. Maung and Mi also offered to help customers with applying for unemployment benefits from Iowa Workforce Development. Without their customers’ knowledge or approval, Maung and Mi submitted materials to Iowa Workforce Development directing that their customers’ benefits payments be sent to financial institution accounts that Maung and Mi had access to. Maung and Mi obtained nearly $70,000 in fraudulent unemployment insurance benefits payments be sent from Iowa Workforce Development to their accounts, instead of to eligible claimants.

At sentencing, Chief United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose described Maung and Mi’s fraud as being elaborate and extensive, involving layers of subterfuge, and victimizing hundreds of vulnerable immigrants and refugees with little education and limited English fluency. Following their prison terms, Maung and Mi will be on supervised release for three years. There is no parole in the federal system.

“This sentence should send a strong message to any return preparers who are looking to cheat innocent taxpayers and the U.S. government that a prison cell awaits them,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock, IRS Criminal Investigation (CI), St. Louis Field Office. “Maung and Mi preyed on people who were vulnerable. CI special agents do not take this kind of fraud lightly. Our law enforcement partners worked diligently to help us bring these two to justice.”

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The investigation was conducted by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and the Ottumwa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle Essley and Laura Roan prosecuted the case.

Posted in News |

Hawkeyes Release 2023-24 Big Ten Schedule

Sports

October 2nd, 2023 by admin

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa, in conjunction with the Big Ten Conference, announced its 2023-24 conference men’s wrestling schedule on Monday.

 

Here are notes about the 2023-24 Big Ten season:

– The Hawkeyes host Minnesota (Jan. 15), Purdue (Jan. 19), Penn State (Feb. 9) and Wisconsin (Feb. 18) in Big Ten duals at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
– Iowa travels for league road duals at Nebraska (Jan. 12), Illinois (Jan. 26), Northwestern (Jan. 28) and Michigan (Feb. 2).
– The postseason begins at the Big Ten Championships on March 9-10 in College Park, Maryland, while the 2024 NCAA Championships will be held from March 21-23 in Kansas City, Missouri.

 

Iowa is coming off a 2022-23 season where it posted a 15-1 overall and 7-1 Big Ten mark. The Hawkeyes placed second at both the Big Ten and NCAA Championships. Iowa crowned two Big Ten champions and had six All-Americans. The program had 14 Academic All-Big Ten selections for a second straight year — tied for the second highest total in school history.

Posted in Sports |

Glenwood Police report, 10/2/23

News

October 2nd, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Officials with the Glenwood Police Department report two recent arrests. On Sunday (Oct. 1), 56-year-old Joseph Sawyer, of Glenwood, was arrested for Assault on a Peace Officer, Interference with Official Acts, False Report (911 call), and Public Intoxication. Sawyer posted a $2,900 surety bond, and was released from custody. And, on Sept. 29th, 34-year-old Ashley Flint, of Glenwood, was arrested on a Mills County warrant. She posted a $300 cash-0nly bond before being released.

Posted in News |

Iowa Delegation Votes For Funding Bill To Avoid Shutdown

News

October 2nd, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – All of Iowa’s U-S Representatives and both U-S Senators voted for the funding deal to keep the federal government running. The government would have shut down at midnight Saturday without the deal. The funding bill keeps the government funded at current levels for roughly 45 days.

Posted in News |

DeJean, Jackson Earn Big Ten Weekly Recognition

Sports

October 2nd, 2023 by admin

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Two University of Iowa football student-athletes were recognized by the Big Ten Conference Office on Monday. Junior defensive back Cooper DeJean was named the league’s Special Teams Player of the Week, while senior linebacker Nick Jackson was tabbed Co-Defensive Player of the Week for their performances in Iowa’s 26-16 comeback win over Michigan State.

With the game tied at 16, DeJean returned a punt 70 yards for the game-winning score with 3:45 remaining in the fourth quarter. DeJean (6-foot-1, 207 pounds) also had six tackles and thwarted a scoring threat by intercepting his first pass of the season in the end zone in the second period. The Odebolt, Iowa, native is leading the Big Ten and ranks 12th nationally with a 14.2 average and he is one of 18 players in the country with a punt return touchdown.

Jackson (6-foot, 237 pounds) had 10 tackles and a forced fumble late in the fourth quarter to preserve Iowa’s fourth victory. With the Hawkeyes leading by seven late in the fourth quarter, Jackson got his helmet on the football to force the third of four takeaways by the Hawkeye defense. The Atlanta native has registered double-digit tackles each of the last two games. Jackson ranks fourth in the conference and 30th nationally in tackles per contest (9.2 per game).

This marks the second time this season that Hawkeye football players have earned conference recognition. Defensive back Sebastian Castro was honored as Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts in Iowa’s win at Iowa State on Sept. 9.

Iowa (4-1, 1-1) next hosts Purdue (2-3, 1-1) in its Homecoming contest Saturday on Duke Slater Field at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City (2:30 p.m. CT, Peacock).

Posted in Sports |

90s today, frost possible by the weekend. Welcome to Iowa!

News, Weather

October 2nd, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Forecasters say it may be one of “those” weeks in Iowa where we have to run the air conditioner one day and the furnace on the next to stay comfy. Meteorologist Marvin Percha, at the National Weather Service, says it’s been unseasonably hot and very un-October-like, with record highs that have stood for decades broken over the weekend. “Temperature records, many of them in the low 90s, were either tied or broken, 92 at Des Moines, 91 at Waterloo,” Percha says. “It’s been impressive, especially the number of days in a row since we’re at day three or four in all of this now.” Percha says he expects more near-records today (Monday) with the forecast calling for highs in the upper 80s and low 90s across much of Iowa.

“And then tomorrow will be slightly cooler with temperatures falling in the mid to upper 80s, but relief is on the way,” Percha says. “We’re going to have a front that’s going to be moving in Tuesday into Wednesday, certainly it will drop temperatures much closer to normal and give us at least a chance for some rainfall.” Within a few days, Iowans may be wishing for the warmer weather we now have as the chill of fall will settle in soon enough.

National Weather Service graphic

“We’re going to have a series of cold fronts moving in, in the latter part of the week and into the weekend,” Percha says. “As a matter of fact, we looking at our first chance for frost and freezing temperatures by the end of the week, especially into Saturday morning. Many areas, certainly looking at lows likely falling into the 30s and there’s a chance that they might be approaching freezing levels as well.” Keep up with the changing forecast at weather-dot-gov.

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