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Cards’ 3B coach Oquendo takes medical leave of absense

Sports

March 27th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals say third base coach Jose Oquendo is taking a medical leave of absence for “the foreseeable future.” Oquendo missed several days earlier this spring when he traveled to St. Louis for knee surgery. He returned to camp on March 20, walking with the aid of crutches. He hasn’t returned to the third base coach’s box since the surgery.

First base coach Bill Maloney handled third base coaching duties while Oquendo recovered and will continue to do so. Assistant hitting coach Bill Mueller will coach first base and assume Oquendo’s infield instruction duties.

Derrick May, the Cardinals’ minor league hitting coordinator, will serve as St. Louis’ assistant hitting coach. The 52-year-old Oquendo has been part of the Cardinals’ major league coaching staff since 1999.

 

Posted in Sports |

Northern Iowa sees bounty of agriculture jobs, few workers

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 27th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — Employers in northern Iowa are trying to fill a bounty of agricultural jobs. The Globe Gazette reports that local economic development officials are touting a series of jobs that are directly and indirectly related to farming. The list includes work in cooperatives, ethanol plants and feed mills, as well as full- and part-time jobs.

Low unemployment rates in area counties can make it tough to find employees. The rate in many counties around Mason City ranges between 3 and 5 percent, while the statewide average is 4.5 percent. Jennifer Andrade, an IowaWorks business marketing specialist, says her groups is encouraging more businesses to focus on outreach by visiting local high schools.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

Iowa man contests support for child he didn’t father

News

March 27th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

(Updated 3-p.m.)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Davenport man is protesting a state law that requires him to financially support a child that’s not his. Joe Vandusen received a letter this month from the Iowa Department of Human Services notifying him that he would have to pay child support for his estranged wife’s child, even though he is not the father, according to The Des Moines Register.

Vandusen, 45, said he and his wife split up without filing an official divorce and have hardly talked in the last 15 years. The child Vandusen is expected to help support is about 1 year old, he said. Vandusen contacted the Department of Human Services’ Child Support Recovery Unit to say he’s not the biological father of his wife’s child, and he offered to take a paternity test to prove it. He said he was told it didn’t matter according to state law.

“They said since I’m still legally married, I’m going to be responsible for the child support,” Vandusen said. The Register could not reach state officials for comment, but WQAD-TV in Davenport reported that a Human Services spokesperson said in a case like Vandusen’s, the husband is considered the legal father of his wife’s child.

Other states have similar laws, which are aimed at making sure all children receive sufficient financial support. Vandusen said he was recently laid off from his job and doesn’t have the money to pay child support. He said he also can’t afford to pay an attorney to file for divorce and fight in court against the child support requirement.

Vandusen already owes child support on his own child, who was born to another woman before his marriage. He said “in that case, I didn’t deny it.”

Posted in News |

Iowa Legislature checks off boxes needed for adjournment

News

March 27th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Legislature has checked off several boxes that are needed to agree on a state budget and reach adjournment this session.The completed tasks include deals on taxes, K-12 education and what’s actually available to spend for the fiscal year that begins in July. Lawmakers could adjourn the session on schedule in April, a stark contrast to last year when they extended it into June amid disagreement over education funding.

Lawmakers appear to agree there’s about $7.35 billion available for the next budget, and about $176 million in new dollars. Legislative leaders agree most of that new money will go to K-12 education, but they haven’t released information about where the rest should go. Issues like Medicaid oversight, funding for water quality initiatives and medical marijuana remain in limbo.

Posted in News |

OWI & assault arrests in Villisca

News

March 27th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports two people were arrested this weekend on separate, OWI & assault charges. Early this (Sunday) morning, 24-year old Shayney Delyn Scott, of Villisca, was arrested in Villisca for OWI/1st offense. Scott was transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where she was being held on $1,000 bond.

Saturday morning, deputies in Montgomery County arrested 22-year old Ridge R. Ballard, of Villisca, on charges of Simple Assault, and Interference with Official Acts. Ballard was taken into custody in Villisca and brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where his bond was set at $300.

Posted in News |

NE woman arrested on drug charges in Adams County

News

March 27th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Sheriff’s officials in Adams County report a woman from Nebraska was arrested Saturday on drug charges, following a traffic stop. Kayla Davis, of Omaha, was taken into custody for Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Posted in News |

NWS forecast for Atlantic & the area, 3/27/16

Weather

March 27th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Today: Cloudy through mid-morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 50. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts to near 20.
Tonight: Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 29.
Monday: Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 64. South wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 42.
Tuesday: Partly Sunny & windy, w/a 20% chance of afternoon showers. High near 65. S/SE winds 10-20 w/gusts to near 35mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly Cloudy & windy w/a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Low around 53.
Wednesday: Mostly Cloudy & breezy, w/a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms. High near 70.

Saturday’s High in Atlantic was 44. The Low thru 6-a.m. today was 33. We received .35” of precipitation here, Saturday. Last year on this date, our High in Atlantic was 39, and the low was 19. The All-time Record High in Atlantic on this date was 85 in 1895. The Record Low was 6 in 1894.

Posted in Weather |

Iowa early News Headlines: Easter Sunday, March 27th 2016

News

March 27th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police have identified a prisoner who, along with two police officers and another driver, was killed in a fiery, wrong-way crash in Interstate 80 in Iowa. Des Moines police say 32-year-old Tosha Nicole Hyatt of Des Moines was being transported early Saturday from Council Bluffs to Des Moines when the police SUV she was in was hit head-on by another vehicle traveling the wrong way on I-80 west of Des Moines.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Ride-sharing company Uber has set its sights on Dubuque — a prospect not being embraced by local taxi companies. Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce President Molly Grover tells the Telegraph Herald that Uber Iowa recently reached out to express an interest in coming to Dubuque. Uber allows consumers with smartphones to request a ride and connect with Uber drivers who use their own cars to provide rides for a fee.

ASHTON, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa avian rehabilitation facility says an injured bald eagle euthanized last week was suffering from lead poisoning — an affliction that kills many of the eagles it tries to treat. The Sioux City Journal reports that the euthanized eagle was found March 8 on the ground along Iowa Highway 60 near Ashton. It had been hit by a semitrailer and could not fly or walk.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — A section of a 100-year-old brick utility building the Hydroelectric Dam has collapsed, and officials say it will likely be torn down. The Fort Dodge Messenger reports that the structural failure happened sometime Wednesday or Thursday. No one was hurt.

Posted in News |

Prisoner killed in I-80 crash that killed officers named

News

March 26th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Police have identified a prisoner who, along with two police officers and another driver, was killed in a fiery, wrong-way crash in Interstate 80 in Iowa. Des Moines police say 32-year-old Tosha Nicole Hyatt of Des Moines was being transported early Saturday from Council Bluffs to Des Moines when the police SUV she was in was hit head-on by another vehicle traveling the wrong way on I-80 west of Des Moines.

Des Moines officers Susan Farrell and Carlos Puente-Morales, who had been on the job less than six months, were killed in the crash 12:40 a.m. crash. Police have not yet named driver of the other vehicle. Police say both officers and the driver of the other vehicle were wearing seat belts, but don’t know if Hyatt was.

Posted in News |

Cardinals commit 5 errors in 7-0 loss to Nationals

Sports

March 26th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) – Ryan Zimmerman belted his second home run of the spring and the Cardinals committed five errors as the Washington Nationals beat St. Louis 7-0 on Saturday. Second baseman Kolten Wong had an error and exited the game after bruising his knee diving for the ball, all in a three-run Washington fourth. Wong said he landed directly on his left knee cap while diving after a bouncer hit by Wilson Ramos. The ball bounced off Wong’s glove and caromed into right field.

After Chris Heisey’s double off the left field wall moved Ramos to third, Danny Espinosa’s grounder rolled through Wong’s legs, allowing both Ramos and Heisey to score. Zimmerman’s blast came earlier in that inning. He drove a 3-2 Mike Leake offering over the left field wall. St. Louis’ defensive struggles continued in the sixth, when back-to-back errors by Ruben Tejada and Matt Carpenter led to three unearned Washington runs.

Posted in Sports |