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Iowa task force offers recommendations on skilled labor work

News

October 26th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An education task force says Iowa’s system for offering skilled labor training can be improved with more focused coursework offerings and additional collaboration. The Secondary Career and Technical Education Task Force says in a report released Monday that all Iowa students should be offered coursework on career and technical education beginning in the seventh grade. More specialized coursework then becomes available.

Career and technical education prepares Iowans for vocational work that requires more than a high school diploma. Iowa officials say the state is facing a skills gap in some industries. Jeremy Varner with the Iowa Department of Education says the agency expects to propose legislation based on recommendations of the task force, which was created in 2013. He says the cost of implementing such recommendations hasn’t been developed.

 

Final Iowa High School Football poll released

Sports

October 26th, 2015 by admin

Iowa Prep Football Poll
The Associated Press

The Top Ten teams in the Associated Press Iowa high school football polls of the 2015 season with first-place votes in parentheses and won-loss record, total points and position last week at right:

Class 4A
Record Pts Prv
1. West Des Moines Dowling (13) 8-0 148 1
2. Bettendorf (2) 9-0 136 2
3. Cedar Rapids Kennedy 9-0 120 3
4. Cedar Rapids Washington 8-1 98 4
5. Ankeny 8-1 75 6
6. Waukee 7-2 74 5
7. West Des Moines Valley 7-2 58 7
8. Johnston 8-1 39 9
9. Ankeny Centennial 7-2 32 10
10. Pleasant Valley 7-2 26 NR

Others receiving votes: 11, Urbandale 7. 11, Fort Dodge 7. 13, Cedar Rapids Jefferson 4. 14, Council Bluffs Lewis Central 1.

Class 3A
Record Pts Prv
1. Pella (15) 9-0 150 1
2. Manchester West Delaware 9-0 126 2
3. Cedar Rapids Xavier 9-0 124 3
4. Webster City 9-0 92 4
5. Harlan 8-1 89 6
6. Independence 8-1 62 7
7. Norwalk 8-1 48 8
8. Sergeant Bluff-Luton 8-1 43 9
9. Davenport Assumption 7-2 40 10
10. Sioux City Heelan 8-1 20 NR

Others receiving votes: 11, Dallas Center-Grimes 16. 12, Glenwood 14. 13, Washington 1.

Class 2A
Record Pts Prv
1. Albia (12) 9-0 147 1
2. Spirit Lake (3) 9-0 128 2
2. Tama South Tama 9-0 128 3
4. Anamosa 9-0 102 4
5. Waukon 8-1 73 6
6. West Union North Fayette 7-2 67 8
7. Donnellson Central Lee 8-1 63 7
8. Aplington-Parkersburg 7-2 43 5
9. Mount Vernon 7-2 40 10
10. Williamsburg 6-3 11 NR

Others receiving votes: 11, Dyersville Beckman 8. 12, Hampton-Dumont 5. 12, Wellman Mid-Prairie 5. 14, Monroe PCM 4. 15, Central Lyon-GLR 1.

Class 1A
Record Pts Prv
1. Iowa City Regina (14) 8-1 149 1
2. West Branch (1) 9-0 129 3
3. Underwood 9-0 125 4
4. St. Ansgar 8-1 83 5
5. Dike-New Hartford 8-1 78 2
6. South Central Calhoun 8-1 70 6
7. Van Meter 8-1 66 7
8. Hull Western Christian 7-2 49 9
9. Hinton 8-1 44 8
10. Panora Panorama 8-1 16 NR

Others receiving votes: 11, Calmar South Winneshiek 11. 12, Alburnett 2. 12, Jesup 2. 14, Ridge View 1.

Class A
Record Pts Prv
1. Algona Garrigan (8) 9-0 139 1
2. Brooklyn BGM (4) 9-0 131 2
3. Hawarden West Sioux 9-0 106 3
4. Denver (1) 8-1 100 4
5. Logan-Magnolia (2) 8-1 92 5
6. Audubon 8-1 68 6
7. Gladbrook-Reinbeck 7-2 61 7
8. Winfield-Mount Union 9-0 58 8
9. Mount Ayr 7-2 38 10
10. Pleasantville 8-1 18 NR

Others receiving votes: 11, Britt West Hancock 9. 12, Belmond-Klemme 3. 13, Colfax-Mingo 1. 13, Delhi Maquoketa Valley 1.

Class 8-Man
Record Pts Prv
1. Gilbertville-Don Bosco (6) 7-0 139 T1
2. Newell-Fonda (7) 9-0 132 T1
3. Glidden-Ralston (2) 9-0 114 3
4. Marcus MMC 9-0 101 4
5. Lenox 9-0 83 5
6. Janesville 9-0 68 6
7. Elkader Central 9-0 52 8
8. Elk Horn-Kimballton-Exira 8-1 45 7
9. Graettinger-Terril-Ruthven-Ayrshire 8-1 40 9
10. Fremont Mills, Tabor 8-1 32 10

Others receiving votes: 11, Moravia 13. 12, HLV, Victor 3. 13, East Mills 2. 14, Colo-NESCO 1.

 

VIRGINIA PETERSON, 92, of Casey (Svcs. 10-28-2015)

Obituaries

October 26th, 2015 by admin

VIRGINIA PETERSON, 92, of Casey died Sunday, October 25th at Guthrie County Hospital in Guthrie Center.  Funeral services for VIRGINIA PETERSON will be held Wednesday, October 28th at 11:00am in the Canby Friends Church in Canby.  Hockenberry Family Care Funeral Home in Atlantic has the arrangements.

Visitation with family will be held Wednesday, October 28th from 9:00am-11:00am in the Canby Friends Church.

Burial will be in the Canby Cemetery.

Memorials may be directed to the family.

VIRGINIA PETERSON is survived by:

Children: Albert (Vicki Gaskill) Peterson of Des Moines.  Shirley (Craig) Simmons of Muse, OK.  Rex (Michelle) Peterson of Casey.

8 Grandchildren

7 Great-Grandchildren

6 Great-Great-Grandchildren

 

White House lauds Iowa, Nebraska “climate-smart” farmers

Ag/Outdoor

October 26th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Two Nebraska farmers and one from Iowa have been recognized by the White House for their efforts to support the government’s sustainable and climate-smart agriculture program. A statement from the White House Monday credits Keith Berns, of Bladen, Nebraska, with educating farmers and ranchers about the importance of soil health and carbon sequestration.

Martin Kleinschmit, of Hartington, Nebraska, an organic grain and cattle farmer, mentored others through a four-year program that enrolled 60,000 Nebraska acres in a USDA organic transition program.

Timothy Smith of Eagle Grove, Iowa, who grows soybeans, corn and cover crops on his family’s Century Farm, was recognized for his work with the Iowa Soybean Association and other groups to implement new farming methods designed to strengthen soil health and improve water quality.

Anita man arrested Oct. 17th on a warrant

News

October 26th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested an Anita Man on Oct. 17th. Authorities said Monday (today), 46-year old Bradley Leo Ranney, of Anita, was arrested on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear. Ranney was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $2,000 bond.

Another e-waste recycling drive in Atlantic

News

October 26th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce says area residents will once again have a chance to drop off their electronic waste for recycling. Electronic items, including: laptop or desktop computers; tablets; servers; monitors; computer mice; printers; scanners; external and internal hard drives; keyboards, and UPS battery backups, may be dropped off for recycling from 4-until 8-p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27th, at 201 Poplar Street.There is NO FEE for the service. For more information, call the Chamber at 243-3017.

 

1 arrest, 2 accidents in Mills County

News

October 26th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office, today (Monday), released an arrest and accident report. Officials say 34-year old Collen Lynn Salmons, of Malvern, was arrested Sunday night for Contributing Alcohol to a Minor. Her bond was set at $1,000.

And, one person was injured during an accident Saturday morning at 221st Street and Kane Avenue, in Mills County. Authorities say Samantha Wilson, of Glenwood, was driving a 1995 Oldsmobile northbound on 221st Street at around 9:30-a.m., and approaching the railroad over pass bridge. Wilson told authorities When she swerved to miss a deer in the roadway, her vehicle crossed the center line into the southbound lane of traffic before hitting the west side of a bridge. The car then crossed back over into the northbound lane of traffic and struck the east side of the bridge before coming to rest. Wilson was transported by Pacific Junction Rescue to Mercy Hospital.

The other accident happened Friday afternoon, as Larry Diamond, of Council Bluffs, was driving a 2012 Ford eastbound coming into Iowa, on the Bellevue Bridge. Diamond’s vehicle made contact with a vehicle driven by Kyle Kruse, with both vehicles’ side view mirrors impacting each other. Both drivers stopped on opposite sides of the bridge waiting for each other to come back to their side of the bridge.

Diamond suffered a laceration to his hand during the accident and left the scene for about 20-minutes to seek medical attention. The Sheriff’s Office says both drivers were on the yellow center line, and were equally at fault.

(Update) Bluffs Police ID driver involved in fiery crash

News

October 26th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Police in Council Bluffs, Monday (today), identified the driver of a vehicle involved in a fiery crash Friday night. Authorities say 34-year old Habib A. Ibrahim, of Omaha, remains in critical condition at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) in Omaha.

The accident happened at around 8:10-p.m. Friday on Interstate 29 southbound near the 53.5 mile marker. When officers arrived on the scene, they found flames coming from the vehicle and Ibrahim was still inside.

Council Bluffs Fire personnel were able to extinguish the flames and remove the man from the vehicle. He was the only person involved in the crash. Officials have not yet determined the cause of the accident. Anyone who may have witnessed the accident is asked to contact the Council Bluffs Police Department’s Traffic Unit at (712)328-4948.

Backyard and Beyond 10-26-2015

Backyard and Beyond, Podcasts

October 26th, 2015 by Jim Field

Lavon Eblen speaks with Kathy Somers about the Reopen 2nd Floor of City Hall Committee.

Play

Mangino out as Iowa State’s offensive coordinator

Sports

October 26th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

AMES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads says offensive coordinator Mark Mangino has left the program. Rhoads says he and Mangino haven’t been on the same page for weeks. Rhoads wouldn’t say whether Mangino quit or was fired. The move Monday came on the same day Iowa State promoted sophomore Joel Lanning to a starting role over senior Sam Richardson, but Rhoads says Lanning’s promotion was not the reason Mangino left.

Rhoads announced that passing game coordinator Todd Sturdy will take over for Mangino, starting with Saturday’s game against Texas (3-4, 2-2 Big 12). Mangino was 50-48 in eight seasons as the coach at Kansas. He joined Rhoads’ staff prior to last season. Iowa State (2-5, 1-3) is averaging 26.9 points per game.