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NWS forecast for Cass & area Counties in IA, 9/11/15

Weather

September 11th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Early This Morning: Mostly cloudy. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
Today: Sunny…cooler. High in the mid 60s. North wind 5 to 15 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear. Low in the lower 40s. North wind near 10 mph.

Saturday: Sunny. High in the upper 60s. Northwest wind around 5 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear. Low in the upper 40s. East wind around 5 mph shifting to the south after midnight.

Sunday: Sunny. High in the mid 70s. South wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to around 15 mph in the afternoon. Gusts up to 25 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear. Warmer. Low in the upper 50s.

Monday: Sunny…breezy. High in the lower 80s.

Iowa early News Headlines: Friday, Sept. 11, 2015

News

September 11th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Cedar Rapids police say they’ve arrested a 14-year-old suspect in the shooting death of a 15-year-old. Authorities say the 14-year-old faces a first-degree murder charge in connection with the death of Aaron Richardson. The 14-year-old has been taken to the Linn County Juvenile Detention Center.

FAIRFIELD, Iowa (AP) — The Van Buren County attorney has determined two Fairfield police officers didn’t violate the law when they opened fire on a vehicle carrying two teenagers. County Attorney Abraham Watkins says that after reviewing an report by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, he determined officers Kathy Blumhagen and David Wall acted lawfully when they fired in the direction of the car. The shooting happened in early June.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — A state medical examiner says the death of a toddler found unconscious in a car seat at a Waterloo day care was accidental. Dr. Michele Catellier indicated that 18-month-old Brody Harrelson died of mechanical or positional asphyxia from a car seat strap. No charges have been filed. Police say the boy was buckled into the seat for a nap and was found unresponsive later on June 17th.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Officials in two Iowa counties are considering separate plans for new or expanded psychiatric hospitals. The Broadlawns Medical Center in Polk County plans to expand its in-patient psychiatric unit to help address a shortage of services for people with serious mental illnesses. In Scott County, a majority of county supervisors say they’re inclined to back Strategic Behavioral Health’s efforts to build a 72-bed hospital in Davenport.

(Update) Iowa to honor former star Tyler Sash during Iowa St game

Sports

September 10th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Iowa will honor former star safety Tyler Sash by switching out one of its “Tigerhawk” decals for Sash’s No. 9 for Saturday’s game at Iowa State. The 27-year-old Sash was found dead Tuesday in his Oskaloosa, Iowa, home, about 3 1/2 years after he won a Super Bowl during his rookie season with the New York Giants.

Foul play isn’t suspected. The Iowa State Medical Examiner’s office said an autopsy conducted Wednesday revealed “no acute trauma” or evidence that he was killed by external force. Sash starred for the Hawkeyes from 2007-10. As a junior in 2009, Sash picked off three Iowa State passes in a 35-3 win in Ames.

A memorial service is set for Friday at the Oskaloosa Community Stadium at the Lacey Complex in Oskaloosa. A private family burial will follow. Bates Funeral Chapel in Oskaloosa is handling arrangements.

SHIRLEY J. (Robertson) COX, 83, of Papillion, NE

Obituaries

September 10th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

SHIRLEY (Robertson) COX, 83, of Papillion, NE, died Wed., Sept. 9th, at the Papillion Manor, in Papillion, NE. Memorial services for SHIRLEY COX will be held 10:30-a.m. Mon., Sept. 14th, at the Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, (7706 S 96th St.), in La Vista, NE.

Memorials may be directed to the American Kidney Foundation.

SHIRLEY COX is survived by:

Her husband – Art Cox.

Her sons – Mike (Donna) Cox, and Jeff Cox.

Her daughters – Debbie (Jim) Clary, and Chris (Kent) Bushman.

Her brother – Gary (Karol) Robertson, of Audubon.

Her sister – JoAnn Sahl, of Kansas City.

13 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren; other family and friends.

Car and pickup collide west of Red Oak – no injuries

News

September 10th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says no injuries were reported after a car and pickup truck collided Thursday evening, west of Red Oak. Officials say a 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser driven by 18-year old Toni S. Jackson, of Red Oak, was traveling south on G Avenue just after 5-p.m., and had entered a curve in the road that transcends to 210th Street, when the vehicle was struck by a 2003 Dodge Dakota pickup that was also entering the curve from the east on 210th Street, heading toward G Avenue. The vehicles collided in the middle of the curve.

The driver of the pickup, 21-year old Tanner Allensworth, of Red Oak, was cited for failure to yield half the roadway upon meeting another vehicle. Damage from the crash amounted to $4,700. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by Red Oak Police and Red Oak Fire Department personnel.

Names released in fatal Cass County crash

News

September 10th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa State Patrol said late Thursday evening that one Cass County resident died while another was seriously injured during a head-on collision early Thursday afternoon, on Highway 92. The Patrol says a 2011 Ford Focus driven by 67-year old Mary Lou Ranney, of Massena, was traveling west on Highway 92 at around 1-p.m., when for reasons unknown, the car crossed the centerline about three-miles west of Massena, and hit a 2010 Dodge Ram 2500 pickup, head-on.

Ranney, who was wearing her seat belt, died at the scene. The driver of the pickup, 72-year old Robert James Bagshaw, of Massena, who was not wearing his seat belt, was flown by LifeNet helicopter to CHI Health/Creighton Hospital, in Omaha. Dispatch reports said he was suffering from severe back pain.

Following the impact, the car came to rest on the westbound shoulder of the road facing south, while the pickup came to rest on the eastbound shoulder, partially in the eastbound lane of traffic, facing northeast.

Deputies with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Massena and Cumberland fire and rescue personnel, and Medivac Ambulance, assisted the patrol at the scene of the crash. Funeral services for Mary Ranney are currently pending at the Steen Funeral Home in Massena.

Report: More Iowa schools not meeting targets in federal law

News

September 10th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A new report says more Iowa schools and districts are falling short of annual targets set through the No Child Left Behind law, and state officials say they want revisions to the federal benchmarks.

The report released Thursday says more than 1,000 schools out of roughly 1,330 in the state did not meet certain targets on student population and demographics. There was an increase in the number of schools considered “in need of assistance” on certain progress.

Department Director Ryan Wise says despite the report, he feels the majority of Iowa schools and districts are not failing. He says the law must be revised on the congressional level to develop a better system of accountability. Several states have been granted waivers from components of the law, which passed in 2001.

Pickup and trailer w/ATV’s stolen in Union County

News

September 10th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

(Updated 9:30-p.m. w/plate info.)

A woman from Afton reported to the Union County Sheriff’s Department, Thursday, someone stole a maroon, 2001 Dodge 3500 flatbed pickup truck from behind a residence in the 600 block of East Kansas Street, between E. Kansas and E. Fillmore Streets, in Afton.

The truck, which has tool boxes on the side and one on the back, has Iowa license plate DJE 071. Attached to the truck was a 2007 Lane flat bed trailer, with Iowa license plate CM 9283. On the flatbed trailer were a child’s pink Polaris ATV and an Orange Yamaha Raptor ATV. The loss is estimated at $19,500 altogether.   Afton Police Chief John Colter says the vehicle, trailer and ATV’s were believed to have been taken sometime between 3:30- and 4:30-a.m, Thursday.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Afton Police Department at 641-347-5255 or the Union County Sheriff’s Office at 641-782-7717.

Head-on collision southeast of Cumberland

News

September 10th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

(Update 2:26-p.m.)

Law enforcement and rescue personnel responded to a head-on collision this (Thursday) afternoon southeast of Cumberland, on Highway 92 (or, Richland Road). The crash near 71728 Richland Road was reported at around 1-p.m. One person, a 70-year old male, suffered from severe back pain and was being transported to CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center by LifeNet helicopter. The second victim, whom family members reported on social media, was a woman who died at the scene.

The names of the victims have not officially been released. The accident was under investigation by the Iowa State Patrol. No other information is currently available.

JOSEPH H. NEWELL, 95, of Anita (Svcs. 9/14/15)

Obituaries

September 10th, 2015 by Jim Field

JOSEPH H. NEWELL, 95, of Anita died Thursday, September 10th at the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic.  Funeral services for JOSEPH H. NEWELL will be held 10:30-a.m. Mon., Sept. 14th, at the Hockenberry Family Care Funeral Home, in Anita.

Visitation with the family of Joseph Newell will be held at the funeral home on Sunday (Sept. 13th), from 5-until 7-p.m.

Burial will be in the Evergreen Cemetery, at Anita.

JOSEPH NEWELL is survived by:

His wife – Doris Newell, of Anita.

His sons – Darrell (Linda) Newell, of Argyle, TX, & Dennis Newell, of Anita.

His sister – Doris Scanlon, of Henderson, NV.

4 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.