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Cardinals backup catcher Pena to go through reserve training

Sports

July 5th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals backup catcher Brayan Pena is going to undergo training in the U.S. Army Reserve in the off-season. The 34-year-old Pena defected to the United States from Cuba as a teenager and made the majors in 2005. He made the announcement on Twitter , saying he was “very proud” to get involved.

He won’t enlist in the Army Reserve because it could interfere with his major league career. He has missed much of the season with a knee injury and was in the lineup for his second start of the year Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Pena played for the Cincinnati Reds in 2014 and 2015 and said he’d had several discussions on the topic with outfielder Jay Bruce.

Fryer gets 3 RBIs, Pirates beat Cardinals 5-2

Sports

July 5th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Eric Fryer burned his former team with two hits and three RBIs and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-2 on Tuesday night. The Cardinals released Fryer when backup catcher Brayan Pena came off the 15-day disabled list and the Pirates claimed him off waivers on Sunday. He batted .368 with St. Louis with five RBIs in 38 at-bats behind seven-time All-Star Yadier Molina but Pena has a two-year, $5 million contract.

Juan Nicasio (7-6) worked two scoreless innings in relief of lefty Steven Brault, who allowed one earned run in four innings while throwing 82 pitches and adding a single in his debut. The 24-year-old Brault pitched in place of fellow rookie Jameson Taillon, placed on the DL on Sunday with shoulder fatigue.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning until 10:45-pm for NW Harrison Countu

Weather

July 5th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

HARRISON IA-DODGE NE-BURT NE-WASHINGTON NE-
1013 PM CDT TUE JUL 5 2016

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1045 PM CDT
FOR NORTHWESTERN HARRISON...NORTHEASTERN DODGE...BURT AND
NORTHWESTERN WASHINGTON COUNTIES...

AT 1012 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 4 MILES EAST OF
TEKAMAH...OR 33 MILES NORTH OF OMAHA...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. THIS
IS A DANGEROUS STORM.

HAZARD...70 MPH WIND GUSTS AND HALF DOLLAR SIZE HAIL.

SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED.

IMPACT...HAIL DAMAGE TO VEHICLES IS EXPECTED. EXPECT CONSIDERABLE
         TREE DAMAGE. WIND DAMAGE IS ALSO LIKELY TO MOBILE
         HOMES...ROOFS AND OUTBUILDINGS.

Prestage Farms to locate $240M pork plant in Wright County

Ag/Outdoor

July 5th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

A North Carolina company announced this morning it will build a large pork processing plant in north-central Iowa’s Wright County. Prestage Foods is heading to Wright County for its new, state of the art pork processing facility. Wright County Economic Development Director Bryce Davis says the county is excited to work with the company in constructing the $240 million pork processing plant, saying it will be a $43 million boost to the payroll of Wright County, and will have economic benefits to the surrounding counties as well.

Davis says agriculture is important to Wright County and they welcome the more than 900 new jobs to the area. Prestage has been looking at sites ever since the City Council in Mason City failed to approve a development agreement with the company.

Construction is scheduled to begin this fall, pending the finalization of county and state approvals, with first-shift operations starting in the middle of 2018. Prestage hopes to slaughter up to 10-thousand animals per day once the plant is fully operational.

(Radio Iowa)

Former Hawkeye football player dies in Arizona accident

Sports

July 5th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

A former Hawkeye football player was hit and killed by a train in Arizona this weekend. A news release from the Tuscon, Arizona Police Department says 29-year-old Kyle Calloway was struck from behind and killed by a train as he jogged along the railroad tracks Saturday. Calloway’s father Ed told the Cedar Rapids Gazette that his son jogged for exercise along two sets of train tracks and may’ve been confused when the train came from a different direction that what he was used to. Calloway was an offensive lineman who started 37 games from 2007 through 2009, and played on the 11-2 team that won the Orange Bowl in 2009. Calloway was named second-team all Big Ten in 2008 and 2009.

(Radio Iowa)

Deputies checking on road debris find wreckage, man’s body

News

July 5th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

WESTFIELD, Iowa (AP) — Deputies responding to a report of debris in a northwestern Iowa road found a wrecked van overturned in a creek and a man’s body inside. The Sioux City Journal reports that Plymouth County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the rural county road just before 5 a.m. Tuesday. While investigating the debris, the deputies realized a vehicle had hit a nearby bridge railing, and then found a van on its top in the creek below.

The deputies were checking the wreckage when they found the body of 49-year-old Kevin Fant, of Ireton, inside the van. Investigators believe Fant missed a curve in the road, hit the guardrail and went airborne, landing in the creek.

Collision in Atlantic Tue. evening

News

July 5th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

No serious injuries were reported following a two-vehicle collision Tuesday evening, in Atlantic. Atlantic Police Officer Dustin Pieken told KJAN News a Honda cross over-style SUV driven by an adult female was traveling westbound on 7th Street, when she ran the red light and her vehicle collided with a van carrying two adults and five children. The van was traveling south on Olive Street. The airbags on the Honda deployed during the impact. The crash happened at around 5:34-p.m. No names have officially been released. 001

Cardinals place Moss on 15-day DL, recall Randal Grichuk

Sports

July 5th, 2016 by admin

ST. LOUIS, Mo. , July 5, 2016 – The Cardinals have placed infielder/outfielder Brandon Moss on the 15-day disabled list today with a left ankle sprain.  Outfielder Randal Grichuk has been recalled from Memphis (AAA).

Moss is leading the team with 17 home runs (T12th in the National League) and has driven in 40 runs, fifth-most on the team.  He has appeared in 75 games and since June 1 is batting .307 (27-88) with eight home runs, 16 RBI and a .705 slugging pct.

Grichuk was optioned to Triple-A on June 18, and has five homers with 15 RBI in the 15 games since his option.  Grichuk was batting .206 (42-for-204) with 8 home runs and 27 RBI in 62 games in St. Louis before his option.

 

JAMES STEVEN WOLFE, 38, of Minden (Svcs. 07-09-2016)

Obituaries

July 5th, 2016 by admin

JAMES STEVEN WOLFE, 38, of Minden died Sunday, July 3rd at his home.  Funeral Services for JAMES WOLFE will be held Saturday, July 9th at 3:00pm in the United Church of Christ in Minden. Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Avoca has the arrangements.

Visitation will be held Friday, July 8th from 12:00pm-8:00pm at Pauley-Jones funeral home in Avoca with the family greeting friends from 6:00pm-8:00pm.

JAMES STEVEN WOLFE is survived by:

Mother: Linda (Culver) Wolfe of Greenfield.

Father: Steven Wolfe of Greenfield.

Wife: Phylisha (Eshelman) Wolfe of Minden.

Daughter: Phyra Wolfe of Minden.

Sister: Stacy Wolfe of Omaha, NE.

Grandparents: Don and Wilma Culver of Greenfield.

Mother-in-law: Phyllis Eshelman of Bridgewater.

Father-in-law: Craig Eshelman of Bridgewater.

Sister-in-law: Connie (fiance Nick) Eshelman of West Des Moines.

Brother-in-law: Clinton (Kelli) Eshelman of Clive.

Public hearing Wed. evening in Atlantic, re: Street/Alley plans, specs & contract

News

July 5th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

A public hearing will be held Wednesday evening in Atlantic, with regard to the plans, specifications, and form of contract for street and alley improvements, in Atlantic. Iowa Code requires a public hearing to be held before the City enters into a contract with a construction company. The hearing takes place during a meeting of the Atlantic City Council, which begins at 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, at City Hall.

City Administrator John Lund says Henningsen Construction was the low bidder for the projects, in the amount of $1.13-million, which Lund says was well below the $1.58-million the City had budgeted for. He says Henningsen was able to bid lower than expected, due to the fact their asphalt plant would be located near Atlantic this summer for their other major projects, and because of the continued low oil prices. Oil is used in the Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) process. The savings, according to Lund, will permit the City to easily accommodate any change orders, and will be carried over into the 2017 Capital Improvement Plan.

In other business, City Administrator John Lund will provide the Council with a report on a Highway 71 Speed Study. The Iowa DOT conducted the study, and determined that which people are speeding on Highway 71 in the City limits, the lack of major accidents does not justify changing the posted speed limits.

Lund will also report on the Tax Abatement Program that was approved by the Council in the Fall of 2014. The Council’s meeting will conclude with a closed session per Iowa Code, to discuss matter presently in litigation or where litigation is imminent, and where its disclosure would likely prejudice or disadvantage the position of the City.