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Realtors say Iowa farmland value up 11 percent

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 15th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — The value of Iowa farmland is up by nearly 11 percent over the last six months as commodity prices remain strong. A survey of real estate agents shows the value of good quality farmland jumped by 10.8 percent to an average of $9,370 an acre. The Iowa Farm and Land Chapter No. 2 of the Realtors Land Institute released its survey on Thursday. The gains varied from 9 percent in northeast Iowa to nearly 13 percent in southwest Iowa from Sept. 1 to March 1. Troy Louwagie of Hertz Farm Management says several factors are driving up values, including high commodity prices and low interest rates. He says land sales have been strong in the last six months, and the survey results are not surprising.

LORRAINE KILLION, 88, formerly of Lewis (3-17-12)

Obituaries

March 15th, 2012 by Jim Field

LORRAINE KILLION, 88, formerly of Lewis died Thursday, March 15th at the Heritage House in Atlantic.  Funeral services for Lorraine Killion will be held 1:30-pm Saturday, March 17th, at the United Congregational Methodist Church in Lewis.  Roland Funeral Service in Atlantic has the arrangements.

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Open visitation will be held Friday from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm at the funeral home.

Family visitation will be held Friday from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the funeral home.

Burial in the Oakwood Cemetery in Lewis.

Lorraine Killion is survived by:

Son: Doug (Jane) Killion of Honey Creek

Daughter: Mary (Ted) Carter of Aspen, CO

3 Grandchildren

2 Great Grandchildren

Hawkeyes 4th After 1st Session of NCAA Wrestling Championships

Sports

March 15th, 2012 by Jim Field

Team Scores
1. Penn State 25.5
2. Minnesota 25.0
3. Oklahoma St. 17.5
4. Cornell 17.0
4. Iowa 17.0
6. Illinois 14.0
7. Nebraska 12.0
8. Edinboro 11.0
8. Ohio St. 11.0
8. Oklahoma 11.0
8. Purdue 11.0

Iowa Hawkeye Results:

  • 125 – Round 2 – Matt McDonough (Iowa) 32-1 won by pin (3:24) over Jared Germaine (Eastern Mich.) 23-10
  • 133 – Round 2 – Tony Ramos (Iowa) 29-3 won by 9-2 decision over Brian Owen (Boise State) 8-2
  • 141 – Round 2 – Montell Marion (Iowa) 28-3 won by 8-4 decision over Mike Morales (West Virginia) 18-3
  • 157 – Round 2 – Derek St. John (Iowa) 18-2 won by 9-1 major decision over Drake Houdashelt (Missouri) 27-6
  • 165 – Round 2 – Michael Evans (Iowa) 26-6 won by 5-2 decision over Kyle Blevins (Appalachian S.) 34-7
  • 174 – Round 2 – Ethen Lofthouse (Iowa) 26-7 won by 7-2 decision over Seth Creasy (Lock Haven) 17-14
  • 184 – Round 2 – Ryan Loder (Northern Iowa) 33-4 won by 2-1 decision over Grant Gambrall (Iowa) 10-11
  • 285 – Round 2 – Bobby Telford (Iowa) 26-7 won by 6-1 decision over Blayne Beale (Northern Iowa) 28-12

ISU’s Sorenson Advances in NCAA Wrestling Tourney

Sports

March 15th, 2012 by Jim Field

ST. LOUIS – Iowa State’s Andrew Sorenson advanced to the second round of the NCAA Wrestling Championships Thursday, scoring a 9-5 first-round decision over Drexel’s Jon Booth in the Scottrade Center.  Sorenson will wrestle Marshall Peppelman of Cornell in the second round. Sorenson beat Peppelman earlier this season by technical fall, 21-6.  Four Iowa State wrestlers are still alive in the consolation round that begins again this evening.

Penn State leads the team scoring with 25.5 points. Iowa State sits 42nd with two points.

Sorenson gave up a first-period takedown but tallied a three-point near fall in the second period and had 1:17 of riding time in a 9-5 first-round victory.

Ryak Finch scored an early takedown at 125 pounds but got reversed and fell to Tyler Iwamura of Cal-Bakersfield, 13-2. Luke Goettl scored a late takedown at 141 pounds,  but dropped a 6-4 decision to eighth-seeded Darius Little of North Carolina State. Boaz Beard relinquished a 9-3 decision to Victor Avery of Edinboro. At heavyweight, Iowa State’s Matt Gibson lost a 6-5 decision to Peter Capone of Ohio State.

Poppens Earns WBCA All-Region Accolades

Sports

March 15th, 2012 by Jim Field

ATLANTA – Iowa State junior forward Chelsea Poppens was named a WBCA All-Region 5 nominee for the 2012 Division I Coaches’ All-America Team Thursday.

Poppens, an Aplington, Iowa native, was one of seven players in the region to be recognized after earning All-Big 12 honors this season. She was one of three players in the conference to earn unanimous recognition this season after posting career-highs of 14.3 points and 10.7 rebounds.

Poppens, the only player in the Big 12 to average a double-double, became the first Cyclone since All-American Angie Welle to grab 300 rebounds in a season. She has posted double-digit scoring in 22 games and recorded 10 or more rebounds 16 times.

On Monday, March 19, the selection committee will review the 52 All-Region nominees and trim the list to 40 finalists, all of whom will be in the running for selection to the 10-member WBCA Division I Coaches’ All-America Team.

Region 5
Chelsea Poppens, Iowa State
Carolyn Davis, Kansas
Angel Goodrich, Kansas
Tyra White, Texas A&M
Brittney Griner, Baylor
Odyssey Sims, Baylor
Destiny Williams, Baylor

Iowa law officers to be out in force today through Sunday

News

March 15th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Law enforcement officers around the state will be busy over the St. Patrick’s Day weekend. A four day long Special Traffic Enforcement Program — or STEP “wave” — is underway involving 250 Iowa law enforcement agencies. STEP Coordinator Randy Hunefeld says officers will be watching for all traffic violations, including drunk drivers. “We know there will be a lot of partying going on over the weekend and with the added law enforcement, we recommend to the motoring public that if you’re drinking, don’t drive, because your chances of getting caught are a lot greater this weekend,” Hunefeld says. 

A similar STEP wave over the St. Patrick’s Day period last year resulted in 347 people stopped for drunk driving. Iowa roads have been dangerous so far this year. Hunefeld says there have been nearly 70 fatal crashes around the state over the first two-and-a-half months of 2012. “The sad part about that is we’ve had such a beautiful winter and the roads been clear and dry for the most part,” Hunefeld says. “Unfortunately, about 30-percent of those fatalities have involved victims not wearing their seat belts.” The nearly 70 deaths this year follows 363 traffic fatalities in all of 2011 — the fewest traffic deaths in Iowa in 66 years.

(Pat Curtis/Radio Iowa)

Backyard and Beyond 03-15-2012

Backyard and Beyond, Podcasts

March 15th, 2012 by admin

Lavon Eblen speaks with Wendy Wittrock, Director of the Cass County Landfill and Recycling Center, about a new program that could help you save on your electric bill.

Play

RONALD MUELLER, 70, of Greenfield (Svcs. 3-19-12)

Obituaries

March 15th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

RONALD MUELLER, 70, of Greenfield, died Thu., March 15th, at the Greenfield Manor. Funeral services for RONALD MUELLER will be held 10:30-a.m. Mon., March 19th, at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Greenfield. Steen Funeral Home in Greenfield has the arrangements.

Visitation at the funeral home is from Noon until 7-p.m. Sunday (3/18), with the family greeting friends from 4-7pm.

Memorials will be established by the family. Online condolences may be left at www.steenfunerals.com

Ronald Mueller is survived by:

His wife – Ginny, of Greenfield.

His sons – Michael (Tammy) Mueller, of Greenfield; Paul (Debbie) Mueller, of Oregon, MO; &  John Mueller, of Greenfield.

His brother – Keith (Shirley) Mueller, of Greenfield.

His sister – Sharon (Hary) Milner, of Greenfield.

5 grandchildren, other relatives and friends.

Lewis Man arrested on drug charges

News

March 15th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports 22-year old Cam Christopher Jahnke, of Lewis, was arrested Monday on a Sheriff’s Office warrant for Possession with Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine. Jahnke was also charged with two counts of Distribution to Person(s) under the Age of 18, and one count of Using a Person under 18 in the Drug Trade. He was brought to the Cass County Jail and held on $110,000 bond.

Additional information released on dump truck rollover

News

March 15th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office has released details on their investigation into dump truck rollover accident that took place Wednesday morning, north of Atlantic. Officials say the Audubon County Secondary Roads Department truck driven by 58-year old Edward Leroy Nielsen, of Audubon, was traveling south on Olive Street, about 2-miles north of Atlantic, when a 1997 Pontiac Sunfire driven by 18-year old Spencer Bradley Anderson, of Atlantic, made a left turn in front of the dump truck into the Pymosa Head Start driveway. 

The action caused Nielsen to lose control of the truck, which flipped onto its top into the east ditch. Nielsen was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital by Medivac Ambulance. Damage from the crash amounted to $50,000. The incident remains under investigation.