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Iowa early News Headlines: Tue., March 1st 2016

News

March 1st, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DECORAH, Iowa (AP) — Attorneys for a former Boone, Iowa, man accused of killing his wife opened their defense with statements by his relatives. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports lawyers for Alexander Fazzino called his mother, sister, brother and an aunt to testify yesterday in a Winneshiek County court. Fazzino contends his wife accidentally drowned in a bathtub, possibly induced by withdrawal from prescription drugs.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A Council Bluffs woman accused of fatally stabbing her ex-boyfriend has been found guilty. In yesterday’s verdict, District Judge Kathleen Kilnoski found Jodie Sherman guilty of second-degree murder in the July 2014 death of Douglas Richt. Sherman was accused of stabbing Richt in the throat during an argument after he picked her up in a car. She waived her right to a jury.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The state Senate may debate a bill soon to increase oversight of facilities in Iowa that provide some educational instruction, but are largely unregulated. The debate would be in response to a sex abuse investigation at a now-closed boarding school in southeast Iowa. The Senate Education Committee met yesterday to discuss the legislation, introduced after authorities announced an investigation into Midwest Academy in Keokuk.

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) —Washington state’s attorney general is asking a judge to find an Iowa-based group violated disclosure laws while backing a 2013 food labeling initiative. Attorney General Bob Ferguson sued Food Democracy Action! in December 2014, alleging it concealed sources of $200,000 in contributions supporting a measure that would have required labeling of genetically modified foods in Washington. Founder David Murphy says they were simply late in filing reports, and didn’t try to hide their donors or violate the law. A hearing is set for March 25th.

 

No. 21 Iowa State beats Oklahoma State 58-50

Sports

March 1st, 2016 by Ric Hanson

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Abdel Nader scored 19 points, Georges Niang added 17 with 10 rebounds and No. 21 Iowa State held off Oklahoma State 58-50 on Monday night in Niang’s final home game. Jameel McKay had six points with 10 rebounds for the Cyclones (21-9, 10-7 Big 12), who clinched their fifth consecutive winning season in conference play.

Iowa State broke open a tight game with an 11-0 run to start the second half. The Cowboys made it interesting late, closing within 53-47, but ultimately fell to the Cyclones for the seventh straight time. Tavarius Shine, Jeff Newberry and Joe Burton all scored nine points for Oklahoma State (12-18, 3-14), which has lost five straight. The Cowboys were 4 of 27 from 3-point range.

IA Boys basketball Class 3A Regional scores from 2/29/16

Sports

March 1st, 2016 by Ric Hanson

3A Substate 1 Championship
MOC-Floyd Valley 81, Carroll 29

3A Substate 2 Championship
Spirit Lake 60, Webster City 50

3A Substate 3 Championship
Wahlert, Dubuque 50, Waverly-Shell Rock 45

3A Substate 4 Championship
Solon 49, Mount Vernon 42

3A Substate 5 Championship
Cedar Rapids Xavier 63, Mount Pleasant 47

3A Substate 6 Championship
Chariton 55, Newton 53

3A Substate 7 Championship
Pella 81, Ballard 56

3A Substate 8 Championship
Perry 73, Glenwood 71

IA Class 2A Girls State Basketball scores (2/29) and schedule (3/1)

Sports

March 1st, 2016 by Ric Hanson

1st round scores from Mon., 2/29/16

Top Bracket
5:00-p.m. – Western Christian, Hull 61, Central Decatur, Leon 50
6:45-p.m. – Pekin 48, Okoboji, Milford 44

Bottom Bracket
8:30-p.m. – Unity Christian, Orange City 52, West Branch 33

Today (Tuesday, March 1st)

Bottom Bracket
10:00-a.m. – Iowa City Regina (24-0) vs. Manson-NW Webster (20-4)

Class 2A Semifinals – Thursday, March 3rd

1:30-p.m. – Western Christian vs. Pekin
3:15-p.m. – Unity Christian vs. (winner of the IA City Regina vs. Manson-NW Webster game)

Man accused in shooting of Iowa officer pleads not guilty

News

March 1st, 2016 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — An 18-year-old man accused of shooting a Sioux City police officer last month has pleaded not guilty. The Sioux City Journal reports that Isaiah Mothershed pleaded not guilty Monday to two counts of attempted murder and five counts of first-degree robbery. Each count carries a 25-year prison sentence.

Mothershed is accused of pulling a gun from a couch while his hands were handcuffed behind his back, and shooting Officer Ryan Moritz in the leg while being arrested. Police say that as officers struggled with Mothershed, the gun fired again, shooting Mothershed in the leg.

Mothershed’s trial is set for May 24. He remains in the Woodbury County Jail on a $300,000 bond.

Iowa woman found guilty of fatally stabbing ex-boyfriend

News

February 29th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A Council Bluffs woman accused of fatally stabbing her ex-boyfriend has been found guilty. In a verdict handed down Monday, District Judge Kathleen Kilnoski found Jodie Sherman guilty of second-degree murder in the July 2014 death of Douglas Richt, her ex-boyfriend. Sherman previously waived her right to a jury.

She was accused of stabbing Richt in the throat during an argument after he picked her up in a car. Richt died while being taken to a hospital. Sherman’s attorneys argued that she’s not guilty by reason of insanity. The judge rejected the insanity defense but dropped the charge down from first-degree murder.

Sherman will be sentenced April 15th.

Class 1A State Girls Basketball Scores

Sports

February 29th, 2016 by admin

Monday, February 29 – Class 1A First Round

Top Bracket

10:00 a.m. — Turkey Valley 55, Mount Ayr 51
11:45 a.m. — Burlington Notre Dame 56, Kee 44

Bottom Bracket

1:30 p.m. – Springville 60, Kingsley-Pierson 53
3:15 p.m. – Newell-Fonda 53, Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton 42

Thursday, March 3 – Class 1A Semifinals

10:00 a.m. – Turkey Valley (25-0) vs. Burlington Notre Dame (24-1)
11:45 a.m. –    Springville (24-1) vs. Newell-Fonda (19-6)

Ott’s petition for 5th year in NCAA’s hands

Sports

February 29th, 2016 by admin

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The Big Ten has forwarded Iowa’s petition for a fifth year of eligibility for defensive end Drew Ott to the NCAA.

Iowa didn’t say if the NCAA has given the school a timetable on when it might rule on Ott’s situation.

Ott played in six games last season before tearing knee ligaments, ending his season.

Ott, who was a fourth-year senior in 2015, filed a medical hardship waiver request after the season.

Ott participated in last week’s NFL scouting combine in case the NCAA denies his appeal. But if he’s allowed to return for 2016, it’ll be a big boost for a defense that could be among the best in the Big Ten.

Kansas back on top of AP Poll, Hawkeyes and Cyclones drop

Sports

February 29th, 2016 by admin

Kansas is back on top of the men’s college basketball poll by The Associated Press. Villanova had been No. 1 the past three weeks.

The Jayhawks are 25-4 and were No. 1 for two weeks in January. On Monday, they were a runaway choice, receiving 63 first-place votes from the 65-member national media panel.

Michigan State is 24-5 and was No. 1 for a season-best four weeks. The Spartans drew the other two first-place votes.

Villanova lost to Xavier last week and fell two spots to third. The Wildcats were followed in the top 10 by Virginia, Xavier, Oklahoma, Miami, North Carolina, Oregon and West Virginia. This is Oregon’s first appearance in the top 10 this season.

California was ranked in three polls earlier this season and is the week’s only newcomer at No. 25. The Bears replace Notre Dame, which fell out from 23rd.

The top 25 teams in The Associated Press’ college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Feb. 28, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and previous ranking:
Record Pts Prv
1. Kansas (63) 25-4 1,623 2
2. Michigan St. (2) 24-5 1,510 6
3. Villanova 25-4 1,479 1
4. Virginia 22-6 1,405 3
5. Xavier 25-4 1,356 5
6. Oklahoma 22-6 1,297 3
7. Miami 23-5 1,211 12
8. North Carolina 23-6 1,205 7
9. Oregon 23-6 1,065 13
10. West Virginia 22-7 1,056 14
11. Louisville 22-7 822 11
12. Indiana 23-6 819 18
13. Utah 23-7 751 22
14. Maryland 23-6 733 10
15. Purdue 22-7 613 20
16. Iowa 20-8 572 8
17. Duke 21-8 495 15
18. Arizona 22-7 450 9
19. Baylor 21-8 447 19
20. Texas A&M 22-7 419 21
21. Iowa St. 20-9 413 17
22. Kentucky 21-8 405 16
23. Texas 19-10 338 25
24. SMU 24-4 196 24
25. California 21-8 178 –
Others receiving votes: Wisconsin 93, Seton Hall 60, Wichita St. 43, Saint Joseph’s 29, Notre Dame 14, Texas Tech 12, Cincinnati 4, Saint Mary’s (Cal) 3, Vanderbilt 3, UALR 2, Valparaiso 2, Dayton 1, Stephen F. Austin 1.

Runoff from feedlot near Macedonia reaches West Nish River

Ag/Outdoor, News

February 29th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) say they received a call Sunday regarding diluted liquid manure running off a field from a cattle open feedlot about 20 miles east of Council Bluffs. On Sunday, DNR investigators found an unknown amount of wastewater had entered a tributary of the West Nishnabotna River. Investigators searched for signs of a fish kill, but did not find any dead fish. DNR staff talked with Cyclone Cattle feedlot producers near Macedonia.

The facility was pumping liquids from a solids settling basin and land applying the wastewater through a center pivot irrigation system. Land application is allowed during winter for open feedlots. However, the wastewater was running off the field, which is not allowed.

Water samples have been submitted and DNR is waiting for laboratory results. The investigation is ongoing. The DNR will continue to monitor the situation and consider appropriate enforcement action.