United Group Insurance

Cardinals bring Pena off DL, designate Fryer for assignment

Sports

June 29th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals have activated catcher Brayan Pena from the disabled list and designated Eric Fryer for assignment. Pena has been out all season after having surgery on his left knee. The veteran signed a $5 million, two-year deal to back up Yadier Molina and give the seven-time All-Star more rest.

Molina appeared in 71 of the Cardinals’ first 75 games this season. Pena, who can also play first base, spent the past two seasons in Cincinnati. The career .260 hitter has also spent time with the Tigers and Royals after beginning his career with the Atlanta Braves. Fryer hit .368 while driving in five runs in parts of 24 games this season.

Coastal Carolina beats Arizona 5-4 to even CWS finals

Sports

June 29th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Connor Owings’ bloop RBI single sparked a three-run eighth inning, and Coastal Carolina beat Arizona 5-4 on Tuesday night to send the College World Series finals to a deciding Game 3. Mike Morrison was sensational in his first start of the season, helping the Chanticleers rebound from a 3-0 loss to the Wildcats in the opener. The teams meet again Wednesday night to decide the national championship.

Owings was batting .125 (3 for 24) in the CWS when he stepped to the plate against Cameron Ming in the eighth. The Big South player of the year fought off a high inside pitch, sending it into short left field to drive in Anthony Marks from second base with the go-ahead run.

 

Franklin misses spot in 100 back, won’t defend title in Rio

Sports

June 29th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Another star from the London Olympics has flopped at the U.S. swimming trials. This time, it was Missy Franklin missing out on a chance to defend her title in the 100-meter backstroke. The 21-year-old Franklin finished seventh in the final Tuesday night, more than a second behind winner Olivia Smoliga.

It was a stunning fall for the swimmer who captured four golds and a bronze in 2012, though not totally surprising given her recent performances. Franklin has struggled since turning pro last summer and barely qualified for the final, forcing her to swim in the undesirable first lane.

Ryan Lochte, another of America’s greatest swimmers, missed out in his first two individual events as well. Slowed by a groin injury, he finished fourth in the 200 freestyle.

 

Woman struck by a truck in C. Bluffs Tue. Night

News

June 29th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

A woman walking northbound in a crosswalk at the 35th and W. Broadway Streets in Council Bluffs was struck by a westbound truck Tuesday night, and critically injured. Bluffs Police say the accident happened at around 10-p.m. The unidentified female was transported to Creighton Medical Center. The accident remains under investigation. Bluffs Badge

Iowa News headlines: Wed., June 29th 2016

News

June 29th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A fourth-floor water fountain apparently ran nonstop over the weekend and damaged floors, walls and equipment in the Pottawattamie County Courthouse in Council Bluffs. The Daily Nonpareil reports the leaky fountain was discovered Sunday morning, but by that time water had seeped through much of the courthouse. On Monday, crews spread through the building, drying floors, tearing down parts of walls and cleaning up ceiling tiles that fell onto equipment. A damage estimate wasn’t available.

ROCK RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Environmental specialists in Iowa are determining the effects of a semitrailer crash in the northwestern corner of the state that spilled herbicide and soybean oil into a ditch. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the crash happened Tuesday morning near Highway 9 about six miles west of Rock Rapids. Officials say soybean herbicide, 150 gallons of soybean oil and 5,000 gallons of water reached the ditch and ran into an unnamed tributary of Mud Creek and Rock River.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Linn County Supervisors have appointed a group of business leaders and workers to study the pros and cons of increasing the minimum wage. KCRG-TV reports that supervisors had expected the group to take up to six months to conduct their analysis, but members voted last week after three meetings to recommend increasing the county’s minimum wage to $8.25 an hour. Supervisors discussed the proposal Monday.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Mason City man has been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison for third-degree sexual abuse involving a 14-year-old girl. The Globe Gazette reports that 30-year-old Brent Champney pleaded guilty in April to the charge. He was accused of having sex with an underage girl.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29th

Trading Post

June 29th, 2016 by Jim Field

WANTED:  Does anyone know where we can find a hub cap  for 1996 Lumina . We lost one. It is 15 inches.  Phone -712-254-6842.
IMG_0070

WANTED:  Looking for a 110 air conditioner, will pay on Friday for it, must deliver, please and thank you.  Call 712 254 3662 if you have one for 50 dollars.

FOR SALE:  22″ Black & Decker hedge trimmer, $30.  25″ Zenith cable-ready color TV, $35.  Insulated Polar King sweatshirt, size XL, $35.  New pair of Carhartt bibs, size 32-34, $50.  Paint sprayer, $250.  Electrolux vacuum, $25.  Brand new 5 buckle Northerner overshoes, size 13-14, $20.  5 buckle overshoes, size 12, $20. 27″ Schwinn LeTour 10 speed bike, yellow, new tires, in good shape, ready to ride SOLD!! Call 243-2860.

FOR SALE:  4 tires and wheels, 15” Crager Wheels Unilug, BF Goodrich Radial TA Tires. 2-size 205R60-15, 2-size 255 R60-15.  $550 obo.  Call 712-243-1166.

FOR SALE:  a picture with flowers, $5.  An exercise bike, $25.  Call 243-5153 and leave a message if there is no answer.

WANTED: Old wagon to haul 100 bushels of corn, with good tires. 712-420-3016.

ACLU of Iowa Executive Director Jeremy Rosen resigns

News

June 28th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The director of the Iowa chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union hired just last year has abruptly resigned. The Des Moines Register reports that Jeremy Rosen announced his resignation late Monday, calling it “difficult news.” Rosen’s last day is Thursday. He was hired in January 2015 to replace Ben Stone, who had served as ACLU of Iowa’s director for 18 years until July 2014.

Before his stint as ACLU of Iowa’s director, Rosen worked as the advocacy director of the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty in Washington, D.C. Rosen gave no reason for his departure. A spokeswoman for ACLU of Iowa says the group’s executive committee had accepted Rosen’s resignation. She said she was unable to discuss details behind his resignation.

Montgomery County EMA receives donation to save pets from fire

News

June 28th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, IA – (June 28, 2016) First Responders in Montgomery County are now some of the best-equipped in the nation to save a pet’s life. That’s because Invisible Fence of the Heartland has donated six pet oxygen mask kits to Montgomery County Emergency Management. The donation is just a small part of Invisible Fence® Brand’s Project Breathe™ program, which was established with the goal of equipping every fire station in America and Canada with pet oxygen masks.

Shelly Jenkins with Invisible Fence® Brand of the Heartland presents the pet oxygen masks to Montgomery County Emergency Management Director Brian Hamman, Red Oak Fire Chief John Bruce and Grant Fire Chief Greg Vetter.

Shelly Jenkins with Invisible Fence® Brand of the Heartland presents the pet oxygen masks to Montgomery County Emergency Management Director Brian Hamman, Red Oak Fire Chief John Bruce and Grant Fire Chief Greg Vetter. (Photo’s courtesy Brian Hamman/Montgomery County EMA)

The masks allow firefighters and EMS staff to give oxygen to pets who are suffering from smoke inhalation when they are rescued from fires and often save pets’ lives.
Invisible Fence® Brand has donated a total of more than 12,400 pet oxygen masks to fire stations all over the U.S. and Canada throughout the life of the program. A reported 150+ pets have been saved by the donated masks so far, including two kittens saved by the Salt Lake City Fire Department in March.

Ed Hoyt, Director of Invisible Fence® Brand, said “When a family suffers the tragedy of a fire, lives are turned upside down. Pets are valued family members, so we want families to know that their pet can be cared for if tragedy strikes. We realize that humans are the first priority, but in many cases, pets can be saved if firefighters have the right equipment. The ‘Project Breathe’™ program is simply a way of giving firefighters the tools necessary to save pets’ lives.”

Shelly Jenkins gives a presentation on how to use the pet oxygen mask on her dog to area first responders.

Shelly Jenkins gives a presentation on how to use the pet oxygen mask on her dog to area first responders.

The Red Oak area is now joining the ranks of cities like Seattle, Chicago, Denver, and Salt Lake City who have all received donated pet oxygen masks from Project Breathe™ program. Although the number of pets that die in fires is not an official statistic kept by the U.S. Fire Administration, industry web sites and sources have cited an estimated 40,000 to 150,000 pets die in fires each year, most succumbing to smoke inhalation.

In most states, emergency responders are unequipped to deal with the crisis. The loss is terrible for the family, heart wrenching for firefighters. The company has set up a website, www.invisiblefence.com/O2, where local fire personnel can make a request for their own departments.

Domestic Assault arrest in Red Oak

News

June 28th, 2016 by admin

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of a Red Oak woman on Tuesday morning for Simple Domestic Assault.  At 10:26am officers arrested 25-year-old Shelby Marie Williams at her home on East Prospect Street.  Williams was taken to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and held on no bond.

Running water fountain leaves soggy mess at Pott. County courthouse

News

June 28th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – A fourth-floor water fountain apparently ran nonstop over the weekend and damaged floors, walls and equipment in the Pottawattamie County Courthouse in Council Bluffs. The Daily Nonpareil reports the leaky fountain was discovered Sunday morning, but by that time water had seeped through much of the courthouse.

On Monday, crews spread through the building, drying floors, tearing down parts of walls and cleaning up ceiling tiles that fell onto computers and other equipment. Jim Yochum, the county’s director of building and grounds, says it’s too early to say how much money it will cost to repair the damage.