United Group Insurance

Pro-gun lawmaker targets Iowa Gun Owners group

News

March 26th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

One of the legislature’s leading gun rights advocates is taking aim at a group called “Iowa Gun Owners”. The legislature has voted to legalize gun silencers or “suppressors” AND let landowners carry loaded guns when they drive ATVs and snowmobiles on their property. But both bills were scaled back to win passage. A fundraising email from the Iowa Gun Owners group accuses the “naive…establishment gun lobby” of getting hoodwinked by the “gun grabbers” in the legislature.

Representative Matt Windschitl of Missouri Valley — a trained gunsmith — says he wants to set the record straight. “When you get those emails that tell you the sky is falling, send somebody money because they’re the only ones that can fix the problem…don’t be fooled by those scam artists,” Windschitl says. “Don’t be fooled by those charlatans.” Windschitl praises the Iowa Firearms Coalition and the National Rife Association for their work on the bills.

“Are we fighting on every front to try and advance every possible piece of legislation to enhance your Second Amendment rights?” Windschitl asked. “Absolutely.” Windschitl works in his family’s gun store in Missouri Valley. Iowa Gun Owners touts itself as the only “no compromise” gun group in Iowa and it vows to defeat “anti-gun” legislators this fall.

(Radio Iowa)

I-80 EB near Waukee is now open via detour

News

March 26th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

(Update 6:37-a.m. – All lanes open)

A fatality accident early this morning on Interstate 80 near the Waukee exit blocked both east and westbound traffic for about three-hours. Eastbound traffic was being detoured at Exit 117 as of 5:30, but by 6:30-a.m., all lanes had been re-opened.

No other details concerning the accident are currently available. The original road closure notice was posted at 2:32-a.m.

DONALD ARTHUR HOPP, 85, of Elk Horn (Svcs. 3/29/16)

Obituaries

March 26th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

DONALD ARTHUR HOPP, 85, of Elk Horn, died Thursday, March 24th, at Myrtue Medical Center, in Harlan. Funeral services for DONALD HOPP will be held 10:30-a.m. Tue., March 29th, at the Congregational United Church of Christ, in Harlan. Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Harlan has the arrangements.

Friends may call at the funeral home on Monday, March 28th, from 5-until 8-p.m.

Burial will be in the Harlan Cemetery.

DONALD HOPP is survived by:

His sons – Larry (Linda) Hopp, and Gary (Jodie) Hopp, all of Harlan.

His daughters – Cynthia (Keith) Hulsebus, and Kristie [Hopp] Sterler, all of Harlan.

His brother – Franklin (Sylvia) Hopp, of York, PA.

13 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild.

NWS forecast for Cass & surrounding counties in IA: 3/26/16

Weather

March 26th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

346 AM CDT SAT MAR 26 2016

EARLY THIS MORNING…CLOUDY. NOT AS COOL. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

TODAY…A CHANCE OF RAIN THROUGH MID MORNING…THEN RAIN LIKELY BEFORE NOON. SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGH IN THE UPPER 40S. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 10 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 90 PERCENT.

TONIGHT…CLOUDY. A CHANCE OF RAIN SHOWERS IN THE EVENING…THEN A SLIGHT CHANCE OF LIGHT RAIN BEFORE MIDNIGHT. LOW IN THE LOWER 30S. NORTHWEST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 50 PERCENT.

SUNDAY…PARTLY SUNNY UNTIL LATE AFTERNOON THEN CLEARING. HIGH IN THE LOWER 50S. NORTHWEST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH.

SUNDAY NIGHT…CLEAR. LOW IN THE LOWER 30S. WEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH SHIFTING TO THE SOUTH AFTER MIDNIGHT.

MONDAY…SUNNY…WARMER. HIGH IN THE MID 60S. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

TUESDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF SHOWERS. HIGH IN THE MID 60S.

National Sports Headlines: Sat., 3/26/16

Sports

March 26th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

An all-ACC night: Virginia, Syracuse win in Midwest…North Carolina, Notre Dame survive in East….

CHICAGO (AP) — Virginia is going to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1995. Anthony Gill had 23 points and eight rebounds, leading the top-seeded Cavaliers to an 84-71 victory over No. 4 Iowa State in the Midwest regional semifinals. Mike Tobey added 18 points and seven boards.

CHICAGO (AP) — No. 11 seed Syracuse scored the final nine points of the game in beating 10th seed Gonzaga 63-60 to reach Sunday’s Midwest regional final behind 20 points from Michael Gbinije. On Sunday, the Orange will be trying to avenge a 73-65 loss to Virginia in Charlottesville in January

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Top seed North Carolina dismissed fifth seed Indiana 101-86 in a matchup of college basketball blue bloods in the East regional semifinal. Marcus Paige canned six 3-pointers and led the Tar Heels with 21 points. Brice Johnson added 20.

PHILADELPHIA (AP)— Also in the East regional, sixth seed Notre Dame made three key steals in the final 13 seconds to stun Wisconsin 61-56. Demetrius Jackson made two of those steals and finished with 16 points and six assists.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — World No. 1 Jordan Spieth and Jason Day are into the round of 16 at the Dell Match Play championship. But Phil Mickelson is leaving early after Patrick Reed eliminated Lefty, 5 and 4.

 

Iowa early News Headlines: Sat., March 26th 2016

News

March 26th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

(WAUKEE) — Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) Iowa State Patrol early this (Saturday) morning, were urging motorists to avoid the area of Interstate 80 at the 117 mile-marker (Waukee exit), as it is closed in both directions as the Iowa State Patrol investigates a fatality crash. Traffic is being detoured off of the interstate in that area. No other details were immediately available. The notice was posted at 2:32-a.m.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa City hospital is warning patients that some of their personal information may have been accessed through a computer virus. An investigation revealed that a computer virus designed to capture personal data had infected some computers in January at Mercy Iowa City and Mercy Clinics. The information may have included patient demographics such as addresses, clinical information such as treatments and medications, health insurance information, and Social Security numbers.

STORM LAKE, Iowa (AP) — State officials say an unknown amount of industrial cleaner has reached Storm Lake. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says a pump failure caused a small amount of fluid from the Tyson-Hillshire plant to reach a storm sewer that flows into the Iowa lake.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court says suspects from Wisconsin and Illinois who allegedly operated a car insurance fraud ring can be prosecuted in Iowa even though they never set foot in the state. The suspects allegedly staged fake accidents in Chicago, then filed claims with multiple insurers. They were charged in Iowa based on giving false information to a Davenport, Iowa-based employee of Sentry Insurance.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Texas man, accused of helping a former lottery official in Iowa attempt to collect fixed lottery ticket jackpots, has lost an appeal of his extradition to Iowa but continues to fight. Robert Clark Rhodes, of Sugar Land, Texas was charged last year in Iowa with fraud.

CHICAGO (AP) — Anthony Gill finished with a season-high 23 points, Mike Tobey came off the bench to score 18, and top-seeded Virginia beat Iowa State 84-71 in the Midwest Region semifinals on Friday night. The Cavaliers (29-7) withstood a second-half push by the fourth-seeded Cyclones (23-12) after grabbing a big lead in the early going and advanced to their first regional final since 1995. Georges Niang had another big game for Iowa State, finishing with 30 points after scoring 28 in each of the first two rounds.

Fatality accident near Waukee on I-80: Public Urged to Avoid Area of Interstate

News

March 26th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) Iowa State Patrol early this (Saturday) morning, were urging motorists to avoid the area of Interstate 80 at the 117 milemarker (Waukee exit), as it is closed in both directions as the Iowa State Patrol investigates a fatality crash.

Traffic is being detoured off of the interstate in that area. No other details were immediately available. The notice was posted at 2:32-a.m.

Iowa City hospital reports patient information breach

News

March 25th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa City hospital is warning patients that some of their personal information may have been accessed through a computer virus. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports an investigation revealed that a computer virus that is designed to capture personal data had infected some computers in January at Mercy Iowa City and Mercy Clinics.

The potentially stolen information may have included patient demographics such as addresses, clinical information such as treatments and medications or health insurance information. Officials say that in some cases Social Security numbers may have been accessed. There is no evidence that any patient information has been used improperly and hospital officials mailed letters to affected patients Friday.

Mercy continues to investigate the privacy breach with the help of law enforcement.

Cav’s down ISU 84-71 & advances to the Elite 8

Sports

March 25th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Virginia is going to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1995. Anthony Gill had 23 points and eight rebounds, leading the top-seeded Cavaliers to an 84-71 victory over No. 4 Iowa State in the Midwest Regional semifinals. Mike Tobey added 18 points and seven boards. Next up for the Cavaliers is the winner of Gonzaga-Syracuse on Sunday. Virginia hasn’t made it to the Final Four since 1984.

That also makes three No. 1 seeds in the round of eight with the Cavaliers joining Kansas and Oregon. North Carolina will try to make it four for four against Indiana later.

Pizzaria in Adair wins Iowa’s best pizza challenge!

News

March 25th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

A pizzaria in Adair has won a contest for the the Best Pizza in Iowa. Officials with Travel Iowa announced today (Friday), the winner was Zipp’s Pizzaria. The restaurant, owned by Jim and Tammy Zimmerline, made it all the way through Travel Iowa’s three-round online voting in the “Iowa Pizza Madness” contest, that wrapped up at Noon today. They had submitted their Taco Pizza for online judging in the Facebook voter challenge.

The competing pizza restaurants included Zipp’s Pizzaria in Adair, Great Plains Sauce and Dough Company in Ames, Santa Maria Winery in Carroll, Mabe’s Pizza in Decorah, Fong’s Pizza in Des Moines, A & A Pagliai’s Pizza in Iowa City, P’s Pizza House in Le Mars, and Zeno’s Pizza in Marshalltown.

The winning restaurant is expected to provide a $3 off coupon for download, Travel Iowa said.  Check the Travel Iowa Facebook page for details: https://www.facebook.com/IowaTourism/