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Nebraska Attorney General to investigate Goodwill Omaha

News

December 4th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Attorney General’s Office has launched a review of the operations of Goodwill Omaha in the wake of an Omaha World-Herald investigation showing the charity’s top executives have been paid more than Goodwills nationwide.

The Omaha World-Herald reports state law empowers the attorney general to protect the financial assets of Nebraska charities. The newspaper reported in October that longtime Goodwill Omaha CEO Frank McGree received total compensation of $933,444 in 2014.

Also, 13 of the nonprofit’s executives were paid more than $100,000 in 2014, siphoning a significant portion of the $4 million generated from Goodwill’s stores in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa from job-training programs. McGree, who had led the Omaha charity for 30 years, announced his resignation in late October.

DARRELL ROSS ADAMS, 78, of Griswold (Memorial Reception 12/11/16)

Obituaries

December 4th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

DARRELL ROSS ADAMS, 78, of Griswold, died Sunday, Dec. 4th, at the Cass County Memorial Hospital, in Atlantic. A Memorial Reception for DARRELL ADAMS will be held from 2-until 4-p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11th, at the Elliott Community Building. Duhn Funeral Home, in Griswold has the arrangements.

DARRELL ADAMS is survived by:

His wife – Deloris, of Griswold.

His children – Denise Crabtree, of Phoenix, AZ; Nikki Carlson, of Red Oak, and Deb (Doug) Foote, of Red Oak.

His sisters – Patricia Thorton and husband Alan, of Avoca, and Janet Nelson and husband Doug, of Griswold.

11 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, other relatives, and friends.

Berry’s 2 picks carry Chiefs to 29-28 win over Falcons

Sports

December 4th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

ATLANTA (AP) — Eric Berry returned an interception for a touchdown, and then brought back another pick for a 2-point conversion that gave the Kansas City Chiefs an improbable 29-28 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. The Falcons, rallying from a 27-16 deficit, went ahead 28-27 on Matt Ryan’s 5-yard touchdown pass to Aldrick Robinson with 4:32 remaining.

Atlanta decided to go for 2, looking to stretch the margin to a field goal. But Berry stepped in front of Ryan’s pass and ran 99 yards the other way to give the Chiefs (9-3) their winning margin. It came after Denver won a game in similar fashion last month, returning a blocked PAT for the winning points at New Orleans.

Berry had another huge play with less than a minute to go in the first half, picking off Ryan’s pass over the middle and bringing it back 37 yards for a touchdown. After reaching the end zone, the suburban Atlanta native handed the ball to his mother sitting in the stands at the Georgia Dome.

Forty-one-year-old Matt Bryant closed out the first half with the second-longest field goal of his career for the Falcons. Barely across midfield, Bryant booted a 59-yarder that easily clear the crossbar, cutting Kansas City’s lead to 20-16 at the break. The only longer kick for Bryant was a 62-yarder with Tampa Bay in 2006. He also tied Atlanta’s franchise record for longest field goal. Morten Andersen made a 59-yarder in 1995.

Kansas City was again missing Jeremy Maclin, its leading receiver. He returned to practice Wednesday and it was thought he’d be able to play after sitting out three straight games with a groin injury. But he didn’t dress against the Falcons.

UP NEXT: The Chiefs return home for a huge Thursday night game against AFC West rival Oakland, the first of three straight games at Arrowhead Stadium before the season finale at San Diego.

Iowa to square off against Florida in the Outback Bowl, Jan. 2 2017

Sports

December 4th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Hawkeyes will travel to Tampa, Florida to take on the Florida Gators Jan. 2nd, 2017, in the Outback Bowl. Bowl officials announced the pairing Sunday afternoon. Florida is 8-4 in the SEC, while Iowa is 8-4 in the Big Ten. Top players include Florida Running Back RB Jordan Scarlett, who has a record of 795 rushing yards, six touchdowns, and Iowa Running Back’s LeShun Daniels Jr. and Akrum Wadley, who have acombined 1,979 rushing yards, 20 touchdowns.

The Gators were 6-1 in September and October, and after injuries started piling up finished 2-3 but still reached the SEC title game. The Hawkeyes give up 353 yards per game, but allow only 17.92 points per game — the same scoring average given up by Florida this season.

The last time these two teams met was on Jan. 2nd, 2006, when the Gators beat the Hawks 31-24. This will be Florida’s fifth time in the Outback Bowl, and their 43rd bowl game overall. It’s also Iowa’s fifth trip to the Outback Bowl, and 30th bowl game overall.

The four schools fighting for the national championship in college football are, as they are seeded from 1 to 4, Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Washington. The Clemson Tigers will face Ohio State’s Buckeyes in the Fiesta Bowl while Alabama’s Crimson Tide goes against the Huskies of Washington in the Peach Bowl, which serve as the national semifinal games. Left out from the semifinals are Penn State and Michigan, finishing fifth and sixth in the rankings. The results show three schools from the Big Ten among the top six. It all comes down to the national championship game Jan. 9 in Tampa.

In other bowl game matchups:

Michigan will face Florida State in the Orange Bowl, Southern Cal will go against Penn State in the Rose Bowl, Wisconsin will meet Western Michigan in the Cotton Bowl and Auburn is playing Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl.

Iowa, Nebraska lawmakers prepare push for gun-rights laws

News

December 4th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Iowa and Nebraska legislators are preparing a new push for gun-rights laws next year, and they may be in a good position to succeed after past failures. Republicans will soon control both the Iowa House and Senate, and in Nebraska, a leading gun-rights advocate said he’s hopeful newly elected conservative senators will support a proposal that could overturn local gun restrictions in Omaha and Lincoln.

In Iowa, numerous attempts to pass gun-rights legislation have stalled in the Democratic-led Senate. That could change, however, once Republicans officially take the majority in January.

In Nebraska, gun-rights advocates will push again for a bill that would prohibit local governments from imposing gun restrictions that go beyond state law. A similar measure was narrowly defeated by a filibuster earlier this year.

Public hearing Tuesday morning in Atlantic on refinancing of CCMH bonds

News

December 4th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Officials with the Cass County Health System (CCHS) report a Public Hearing will be held Tuesday morning (Dec. 6th) in Atlantic, with regard to the issuance of Revenue Refunding Bonds in an aggregate amount not to exceed $21-million . The Cass County Memorial Hospital (CCMH) Board of Trustees Special Meeting takes place in CCMH Conference Room 1, beginning at 8-a.m.

The purpose of refinancing, according to officials, is to take advantage of the current low interest rate. Following the Public Hearing, the Board will act on approving a Resolution “Authorizing and Approving Supplements to an indenture of Trust Providing for the issuance of Revenue Refunding Bonds in an Aggregate Amount not to Exceed $21,000,000 (21-million dollars), Bond Purchase Agreement Providing for the Sale of Bonds and Other Documents Relating to the Bonds.”

Villisca woman arrested Sunday morning, re: false info. to obtain a firearm

News

December 4th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Sheriff’s Deputies in Montgomery County arrested a woman early this (Sunday) morning, on a warrant out of Page County, for Providing False Information on a permit to acquire a firearm. Authorities say 59-year old Patricia Lee Graham, of Villisca, was taken into custody at around 1:25-a.m., in Villisca. Graham was turned over to Page County authorities. She was being held at the jail in Clarinda on a $5,000 bond.

(Update) TX man dies in crash w/Council Bluffs Police cruiser on I-29

News

December 4th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

(Updated 5:26-a.m. 12/4/16) A 39-year old Council Bluffs Police Officer was injured, and another person died, when a vehicle struck the officer’s cruiser as he was handling traffic control Saturday afternoon. According to Bluffs’ Police, Officer Josh Horner, a seven-year veteran of Council Bluffs, was conducting traffic control on southbound Interstate 29 near 25th Street at around 3:30-p.m., when his vehicle was rear-ended. The officer was transported to the Creighton Hospital Emergency Room for treatment. The driver of the vehicle that struck his car was transported to Nebraska Medicine, where he died.

The victim was identified as 72-year old Bertram Ellis, of Houston, TX. The accident is being investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department Traffic Unit.

Special Weather Statement w/regard to road conditions (12/4)

Weather

December 4th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

SOME SLICK ROADS ARE POSSIBLE EARLY THIS MORNING

THE FIRST APPRECIABLE SNOW OF THE SEASON ACCUMULATED LIGHT SNOW ON MANY ROADS FROM AUDUBON AND CARROLL…NORTH AND EAST TOWARD FOREST CITY…WEBSTER CITY…AMES AND TAMA. MANY ROADS IN THESE AREAS WILL REMAIN SNOW OR SLUSH COVERED WITH SLICK CONDITIONS INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS AS SNOW PERSISTS. AN INCH OR TWO MAY ACCUMULATE BY DAYBREAK…ESPECIALLY ON VEGETATION WHERE LESS MELTING OCCURS.

A BIT FARTHER SOUTH ALONG THE INTERSTATE 80 CORRIDOR…INCLUDING THE DES MOINES METRO AREA…SNOW WAS BEGINNING TO INCREASE SOMEWHAT. ALTHOUGH SNOW AMOUNTS HERE WILL BE AN INCH OR LESS…THE SNOW COULD POTENTIALLY COMBINE WITH COOLING ROAD TEMPERATURES TO PRODUCE SIMILARLY SNOW AND SLUSH COVERED ROADS TOWARD DAYBREAK.

MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO SLOW DOWN…DRIVE DEFENSIVELY AND EXERCISE CAUTION EARLY THIS MORNING AS MANY WILL BE UNACCUSTOMED TO WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS.

Skyscan Forecast for Atlantic & the area (from the NWS): 12/4/16

Weather

December 4th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Today: **Beware of slick roads, especially from I-80 north** Cloudy this morning (with any snow ending by 7-a.m.), gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 39. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 28. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 47. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 27. South wind 5 to 15 mph becoming north northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 31.
Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 19.
Wednesday: Partly sunny & blustery, with a high near 20.

Saturday’s High in Atlantic was 39. Our Low for the past 24-hours was 23. Snowfall…heavy at times… in Atlantic amounted to an estimated total of .4″ on the grassy areas, altogether, with the actual liquid value of the melted snow amounting to .52″.  Last year on this date we reached a High of 50, and the Low was 26. The All-time record High on this date in Atlantic, was 66 in 1998. The record Low was -8, in 1905.