Patriots to 5th straight AFC title game, beat Chiefs 27-20

January 16th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Tom Brady hit Rob Gronkowski with two touchdown passes and reached over the goal line for another score Saturday to lead the New England Patriots into the AFC championship game with a 27-20 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. It’s the fifth straight trip to the conference title game for the defending Super Bowl champions.

The Patriots (13-4) will meet the winner of Sunday’s game between Pittsburgh and Denver for a spot in Super Bowl 50 as they try to become the first repeat NFL champs since they did it in 2003-04.

After spending the last two weeks recovering from knee and back injuries, Gronkowski had touchdown catches from 8 and 16 yards The All-Pro tight end had seven receptions for 82 yards. Kansas City (12-6) had won a franchise-record 11 consecutive games, including 30-0 at Houston last week in the wild-card round.

Posted in Sports |

No. 17 Iowa State beats Kansas State 76-63

Sports

January 16th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Monte Morris scored 15 of his 19 points in the second half, Gorges Niang continued his form at Bramlage Coliseum with 15 points, and No. 17 Iowa State kept Kansas State at arm’s length in a 76-63 victory Saturday. The win snapped a two-game skid for the Cyclones (13-4, 2-3 Big 12) after close losses to Texas and No. 22 Baylor, and prevented Iowa State’s first 1-4 league start since 2010-11.

Abdel Nader added 14 points and Matt Thomas had 11 for Iowa State, which shot 50.9 percent from the field — meeting its season average of 50.2. Three players finished with at least six rebounds. First-year Iowa State coach Steve Prohm used a timeout with 9:35 play to spark a 7-0 run after Kansas State cut a double-digit lead to 50-45 on a basket by Justin Edwards.

Edwards scored 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Kansas State (11-6, 1-4).

Posted in Sports |

No. 18 Michigan State women beat Iowa 80-73

Sports

January 16th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Aerial Powers scored 21 of her 23 points after halftime, powering No. 18 Michigan State’s 80-73 comeback over Iowa on Saturday. Powers scored eight of the Spartans’ 12-straight points to open the fourth quarter and lead 58-47. Powers scored another four and Tori Jankoska added a 3-point play to push Michigan State (13-4, 4-2 Big Ten) to a 65-51 lead with 4:12 left.

Jankoska scored 18 points, Branndais Agee added 14 and Jasmine Hines 13. The Spartans made 11 of 14 free throws in the final 1:30 to close it out. Tania Davis had a career-high 16 points for Iowa (13-5, 3-3), which shot 60 percent from the field in the first half, including 75 percent from 3-point range. The Hawkeyes led 36-23 at the half and 47-46 at the end of the third quarter.

Whitney Jennings added 15 points, Ally Disterhoft 13 and Kali Peschel 12 for Iowa.

Posted in Sports |

Legislative Coffees Scheduled for Cass County over the next 3 months

News

January 16th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Three legislative coffees have been scheduled in Cass County for the 2016 session. The coffees will be held in February, March and April. Officials with PRIDE (Progressive Rural Iowa Development Enterprise), have announced the first coffee takes place 10 a.m. Saturday, February 6th, at the Cumberland Fire Station, 216 Main Street, Cumberland.

Marne is the second host Saturday, March 5th, 10 a.m. at the Community Center, 403 Washington, Street, Marne. The final coffee of this session will take place Saturday, April 2nd, 10 a.m. at the Lewis Community Library, 506 West Main Street, Lewis.

Clarke Gerlock, vice-president of PRIDE, said “The greatest thing about these coffees is our ability to talk with our elected leaders like they are our friends and neighbors, because they are. Cass County legislators have appreciated for years the tremendous turnout from citizens in our area.”

Gerlock says “This year, we welcome back Senators Tom Shipley and Jake Chapman, and Rep. Clel Baudler.” And, “We welcome new legislator, Rep. Tom Moore, who won the election to fill the open seat from the passing of Rep. Jack Drake in the fall of 2015.”

P.R.I.D.E. is the sponsoring the legislative coffees. The economic development organization that works on behalf of communities, businesses, and citizens for Southwest Iowa development. For additional information, contact Clarke Gerlock at 712-774-5476, or Kenner Baxter, president, at 781-2395.

Posted in News |

Iowa woman charged with attempted murder in crash

News

January 16th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

LE MARS, Iowa (AP) — A northwestern Iowa woman accused of intentionally crashing the car she was driving into another vehicle has been charged with attempted murder and other counts. The Sioux City Journal reports that 28-year-old Melissa Ebert was charged Thursday with two counts each of attempted murder, willful injury and causing serious injury by vehicle. She’s also charged with one count of driving while intoxicated, second offense.

Her attorneys, F. Montgomery Brown and Thomas Miller, say she will plead not guilty when she’s arraigned on Feb. 1st. Prosecutors say Ebert threatened to kill herself and her passenger before purposely veering her car into the path of an oncoming car on Sept. 9. The collision severely injured Ebert, her passenger and the driver of the other car.

Posted in News |

Wind Chill Advisory in effect until late Sat. night until Noon Sunday

Weather

January 16th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A WIND CHILL ADVISORY FOR THE KJAN LISTENING AREA.

THE ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 9-PM SATURDAY UNTIL NOON SUNDAY FOR MONONA-HARRISON AND SHELBY COUNTIES….FROM MIDNIGHT SUNDAY UNTIL NOON SUNDAY FOR AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-CRAWFORD AND CARROLL COUNTIES…FROM 3 AM SUNDAY UNTIL NOON CST SUNDAY FOR CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-AND RINGGOLD COUNTIES…THE ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 4-AM UNTIL NOON SUNDAY FOR POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY…AND FROM 6-AM UNTIL NOON FOR MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT AND PAGE COUNTIES.

* TIMING OR SHORT TERM TRENDS…WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES WILL FALL THROUGH THE EVENING REACHING ADVISORY CRITERIA AROUND 3 AM CST AND REMAINING IN ADVISORY CRITERIA THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING.

* WINDS…NORTHWEST WIND 10 TO 20 MPH. * TEMPERATURES/WIND CHILL VALUES…TEMPERATURES WILL BOTTOM OUT BETWEEN 5 BELOW AND 5 ABOVE ZERO AND PRODUCE WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES OF 15 TO 20 BELOW.

* IMPACTS…A WIND CHILL ADVISORY MEANS THAT VERY COLD AIR AND BRISK WIND WILL COMBINE TO GENERATE LOW WIND CHILLS. THIS WILL RESULT IN FROST BITE AND LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN. IF YOU MUST VENTURE OUTDOORS…MAKE SURE YOU WEAR A HAT AND GLOVES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A WIND CHILL ADVISORY MEANS THAT VERY COLD AIR AND STRONG WINDS WILL COMBINE TO GENERATE LOW WIND CHILLS. THIS WILL RESULT IN FROST BITE AND LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN. IF YOU MUST VENTURE OUTDOORS…MAKE SURE YOU WEAR A HAT AND GLOVES.

Posted in Weather |

Dangerous wind chills to leave Iowa, Nebraska shivering

News, Weather

January 16th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — For a second straight weekend, frigid temperatures will combine with winds to make for some dangerously low wind chills in Iowa and Nebraska. The National Weather service says temperatures dip into the single digits Saturday and will hover around zero for much of Sunday in northeastern Nebraska and much of Iowa.

Winds of 10 to 20 mph will produce wind chills of between 5-below zero to as low as 30-below in northeastern Nebraska overnight. In northern Iowa, where a wind chill warning has been issued, residents could see wind chills as low as 35-below.

Weather officials warn that wind chills that low can lead to frostbite within minutes for any exposed skin. Residents are asked to stay in heated areas and bundle up if they must head outside.

Posted in News, Weather |

Iowa authorities searching for escaped sex offender

News

January 16th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa law enforcement officials say they’re searching for an escaped sex offender who did not return from his job in Gutherie County to the Fort Des Moines Work Release Facility in Des Moines. The Iowa Department of Corrections declared 26-year-old Ross Clouse an escaped inmate on Friday night.

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office says Clouse cut-off his GPS tracking bracelet. It was located Friday in a road ditch southeast, of Guthrie Center. He is believed to be driving a 05′ white Ford F-150 with Iowa license plate BPN384.

Clouse was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2014 after being found guilty of third-degree sexual abuse and indecent contact with a child. He is listed on Iowa’s sex offender registry and is serving a lifetime special supervision sentence.

Ross M. Clouse

Posted in News |

NJ Gov. Chris Christie to stop in Council Bluffs, Monday

News

January 16th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Following the recent Fox Business debate in South Carolina, New Jersey Governor Christie returns to Iowa for a four day trip across the state. The Republican presidential candidate will host 5 town halls and visit Urbandale, Ames, Fort Dodge, Milford, Le Mars, Sioux City, and Council Bluffs.

Christie will be in Council Bluffs for a Town Hall meeting 8:30-a.m. Monday at the Village Inn, located at 2935 W. Broadway.

NJ Gov. Chris Christie

Posted in News |

Family Fun in the Kitchen 01-16-2016

Podcasts, Family Fun in the Kitchen

January 16th, 2016 by admin

w/ Lavon and Miss NiNi

The SIMPLE SEVEN CHEDDAR BITS—adapted from Martha Stewart Bakes

Ingredients:

2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
¼ t. cayenne pepper
¼ t. paprika
1 t. coarse salt
½ c. (1 stick) cold butter, cut into 8 pieces
2 T. heavy cream
1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
Optional: Dried dill weed or cilantro

Method:

In a food processor combine first seven ingredients and process together until dough is formed. Pulse until a ball forms. Shape dough into a rectangle that measures 4 inches x 5 inches. Cut rectangle into quarters. Wrap each quarter in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll each piece into a 4-inch x 5-inch rectangle. Cut into 1-inch squares. Place squares on parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake until pale golden brown about 15-17 minutes. Makes about 80-100 squares. Great as a simple snack but can be served with fresh fruit, toasted nuts, or olives.

Miss NiNi