w/ Chris Parks and Stacie Linfor
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Podcasts, This is Your Nishna Valley
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Kale Abrahamson and Reed Timmer scored 23 points apiece as Drake beat Illinois-Chicago 83-62 on Saturday. Abrahamson hit 7 of 12 from the field including six from distance for the Bulldogs (3-3). Timmer hit 9 of 14 from the field including three 3-pointers. Graham Woodward added eight points and eight assists. The team averaged 52.5 percent shooting from the field and 61.1 percent from the line.
An Abrahamson 3-pointer capped a 13-8 start for the Bulldogs on their way to a 36-30 lead at the break. Abrahamson hit two more 3s early in the second half to extend Drake’s lead to 10, 42-32, and Timmer hit another to make it 56-41 with 11:27 to play. From there, the Bulldogs cruised to the win. Dikembe Dixson led the Flames (1-2) with 13 points and six rebounds.
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — Paul Jesperson scored 18 points and Northern Iowa trounced North Dakota 97-51 on Saturday. Jesperson was 5 of 7 from the floor with four 3-pointers and grabbed six rebounds. Klint Carlson added 15 points.
The first half was a tale of two extremes: Northern Iowa (4-1) came out fast and shot 70 percent (21 of 30) before intermission, including 9 of 13 from beyond the arc, to score 54 points heading into the break. Jesperson led the way with 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting from 3. The Panthers finished with 12 3-pointers on 19 attempts (63 percent).
On the other hand, North Dakota (2-4) was ice cold, accounting for just 20 points in the first half. The Fighting Hawks were 7 of 29 from the floor (24 percent) and just 2 of 10 on 3-point attempts — and only three players made the scoresheet. Quinton Hooker led North Dakota with 14 points.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Skyler Howard threw one touchdown pass and ran for another score to lead West Virginia to a 30-6 win over Iowa State on Saturday. Josh Lambert kicked three field goals for the Mountaineers (7-4, 4-4 Big 12), who won their fourth straight.
Bowl-eligible West Virginia finishes at Kansas State next Saturday and can reach eight wins in the regular season for the first time since coach Dana Holgorsen’s first season in 2011. Iowa State, with two field goals, was held out of the end zone for the first time this season. The Cyclones (3-9, 2-7) went winless on the road for the first time since 2008.
The game was the finale for Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads, who was fired last Sunday and bows out with a career record of 32-55.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Two state lawmakers are raising concerns about Gov. Terry Branstad’s plans to continue to shift Iowa’s Medicaid operation to private management, after a judge recommended that the state throw out one of four contracts awarded to companies to run the program.
Administrative Law Judge Christie Scase recommended Wednesday that Iowa reverse its contract with Florida-based WellCare. Branstad spokesman Ben Hammes said the decision allows the privatization plans to move forward.
The Des Moines Register reports that Democratic Sen. Amanda Ragan, of Mason City, says it is time to “take a breath.” Democratic Sen. Janet Petersen, of Des Moines, also raised concerns. Department of Human Services spokeswoman Amy Lorentzen McCoy said Friday the agency is reviewing Scase’s recommendation.
Iowa’s Medicaid program is set to move to private managers in January.
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A Council Bluffs hotel is offering free rooms over the Thanksgiving weekend to people in town to see a family member or friend at a hospital or treatment facility. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the Fairfield Inn & Suites participates in a program called Rooms in the Inn. The initiative was started by parent company TMI Hospitality, which offers this program at the company’s hotels across the country.
Under the program, anyone in town to visit somebody in a hospital, nursing home or treatment facility can seek a free room over the Thanksgiving weekend. The hotel will also offer free rooms on Christmas and Christmas Eve.
General Manager Diana Palmer says the hotel participates as a way to give back to the community.
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — The police chief in Council Bluffs says the town needs a bigger police station. The Omaha World-Herald reports that Council Bluffs Police Chief Tim Carmody offered tours on Tuesday and Wednesday to members of a committee that will examine the need for a new police station.
The current station was built in 1977 and has about 19,000 square feet. Carmody says that Council Bluffs — which has about 62,000 residents — should have a facility of 45,000 square feet. Members of the group said they were concerned about the lack of space in the current headquarters.
Council Bluffs voters would have to approve a bond issue to build a new law enforcement center. Carmody said it was too soon to discuss the cost or timing of the project.
CEDAR PARK, Texas (AP) — Ally Disterhoft led a balanced attack with 15 points and No. 25 Iowa defeated Houston 64-50 on Saturday at the Lone Star Showcase. Alexa Kastanek added 13 points, Carly Mohns 11 and Megan Gustafson 10 with eight rebounds for the Hawkeyes (6-1), who took control when they outscored the Cougars 22-11 in the second quarter.
Iowa closed the first quarter with a 7-0 run, the last five by Disterhoft and then closed the half with 11 straight, including three straight 3-pointers, before a Serithia Hawkins layup for the Cougars. Iowa, which rebounded from a double overtime loss to No. 23 George Washington on Friday, stretched its 38-23 halftime lead to 23 points in the middle of the third quarter.
Houston (1-5) was led by Hawkins with 12 points and eight rebounds. The Hawkeyes went 17 of 23 from the foul line while Houston was just 3 of 7.
Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz, a junior U.S. Senator from Texas, will be making stops in southwest Iowa today (Saturday, Nov. 28th).
His schedule is as follows:
11:00 a.m. – Greenfield, IA Meet and Greet with Ted Cruz and Special Guest Congressman Louie Gohmert The Corner 284 Public Square.
12:30 p.m. – Corning, IA Meet and Greet with Ted Cruz and Special Guest Congressman Louie Gohmert Kays Kafe 608 Davis Ave.
2:00 p.m. – Creston, IA Meet and Greet with Ted Cruz and Special Guest Congressman Louie Gohmert Windrow Restaurant 102 West Taylor.
3:30 pm – Lenox, IA Meet and Greet with Ted Cruz and Special Guest Congressman Louie Gohmert Tiger Den Restaurant 501 W Ohio St.
5:00 pm – Mount Ayr, IA Meet and Greet with Ted Cruz and Special Guest Congressman Louie Gohmert Greggo’s Pizza and Sandwiches 103 W Monroe St.
6:00 p.m. – Lamoni, IA Meet and Greet with Ted Cruz and Special Guest Congressman Louie Gohmert Lamoni High School Commons 301 West Main Street.
Podcasts, Family Fun in the Kitchen
FESTIVE 
CRANBERRY SHORTBREAD—recipe adapted from bakeorbreak.com
Ingredients:
Method:
Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together butter and sugar. Add extract and salt. Slowly add flour and mix until incorporated. Add cranberries and mix until a smooth dough is formed. Place dough on a sheet of plastic wrap and completely cover loosely with the wrap. Shape dough into a disc. As the dough is shaped into a disc, keep plastic wrap as a barrier between your fingers and the dough. (Plastic wrap is a great aid for the shaping process to prevent direct contact with the warmth of your fingers.) Refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners. Roll out dough to a 10-inch square, about ¼ inch thick. Using a sharp knife or pizza wheel, cut dough into 2-inch squares. Carefully transfer squares to baking sheets. If applying the optional garnish: whisk together egg white and water. Lightly brush this mixture over top of each cookie square. Sprinkle chopped pistachios over the top, gently pressing them into the dough. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on pans for about 5 minutes. Then, transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Yields: 25, 2-inch cookies
Miss NiNi
NOTE FROM Miss NiNi: Shortbread is a baker’s dream because it takes so few ingredients to create a cookie that offers such amazing accolades of praise from those enjoying each bite! I garnished my cookies with pistachios for extra crunch and color. I used chopped roasted and salted pistachios for an extra “kick.” You may prefer pistachios right from the shell without the extra salty flavor. For a more homespun look, use fingers to pat dough into a 10-inch square rather than roll dough with a rolling pin. At about the 10-minute baking point, a rich aroma of baked butter and sugar begins to delight the senses! Red cranberries and optional green chopped pistachios add a festive fuss on a holiday cookie tray. Joy to the cookie world!
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