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Cardinals promote 1B Dan Johnson from Triple-A Memphis

Sports

July 9th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

CHICAGO (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals have promoted first baseman Dan Johnson from Triple-A Memphis and optioned two relievers to the minor league team. The NL Central leaders sent lefty Tyler Lyons and righty Marcus Hatley to Memphis on Wednesday.

The 35-year-old Johnson has played in nine major league seasons with five American League clubs. He was hitting .265 with 11 home runs and 42 RBIs in 61 games for Memphis.

Manager Mike Matheny said the Cardinals wanted to add a left-handed hitting option at first base while first baseman Matt Adams is on the disabled list with a strained right quad. The Cardinals signed Johnson in early May as a minor league free agent.

 

Peralta hits 2-out, 2-run HR in 9th, Cardinals jolt Cubs 6-5

Sports

July 9th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

CHICAGO (AP) — Jhonny Peralta hit a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning and the St. Louis Cardinals jolted the Chicago Cubs 6-5 Wednesday night. The Cardinals trailed 5-4 and Cubs reliever Pedro Strop (1-4) quickly retired the first two batters in the ninth. Matt Carpenter followed with a four-pitch walk and Peralta connected on a 1-2 pitch, hitting a drive that barely cleared the wall in left field for his 12th home run.

Miguel Socolovich (3-1) got two outs for the win. Trevor Rosenthal gave up a two-out double to Addison Russell in the ninth, but struck out Dexter Fowler for his 25th save in 26 chances. The Cubs took a 5-4 in the sixth on Miguel Montero’s three-run double. Cardinals manager Mike Matheny and catcher Yadier Molina were ejected after Montero’s hit, arguing that the pitch before the double should’ve been called a strike instead of a ball.

 

Iowa early News Headlines: Thu., July 9th 2015

News

July 9th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Dozens of Davenport residents have reported sewer backups and flooded basements following heavy rainfall. Melissa Logsdon told the Quad-City Times that water was ankle deep around stairs in her basement and that her “whole house smells like a sewer right now.” The National Weather Service says between 2.5 and 4.5 inches of rain fell across parts of Johnson, Muscatine and Scott counties in Iowa and Rock Island County in Illinois on Monday.

PALO, Iowa (AP) — The water level of a Linn County lake will be lowered next month to allow for work to improve its shoreline. Paul Sleeper, a state fisheries management biologist, tells KCRG-TV that a part of Pleasant Creek Lake’s shoreline is eroding. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources plans to lower the lake’s level by at least 12 feet beginning in August.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have arrested a man in Iowa in connection with a stabbing death in Texas. The U.S. Marshals Service says 23-year-old Noe Trevino of Abilene, Texas, was arrested Wednesday near an apartment complex in Des Moines.

BEDFORD, Iowa (AP) — The father of a 3-year-old girl slain in southwest Iowa now faces a murder charge. The Omaha World-Herald reports that new charge was filed last week against 25-year-old Charles Hall, who is from Chicago. Hall originally was charged with child endangerment resulting in serious injury, the same charged filed against his girlfriend, 25-year-old April Clair, who is from Bedford, Iowa.

Federal disaster declaration denied for bird flu

Ag/Outdoor, News

July 8th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Governor Terry Branstad’s request for a federal disaster declaration to respond to the bird flu outbreak has been denied. The governor had sought a major disaster declaration from President Barack Obama for the four counties most impacted by the virus. In a letter from federal authorities dated Tuesday, the request was rejected.

The letter said the damage was “not of such severity and magnitude” that it could not be handled by the state. The virus has infected more than 31.5 million birds in Iowa, mostly egg-laying chickens, making the state the hardest hit in the nation. Branstad spokesman Jimmy Centers said the administration was gathering information to assess whether an appeal would be effective.

5 teens escape injury in Page County crash

News

July 8th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The teenaged driver of a Chrysler PT Cruiser and four teenage passengers escaped injury during an accident Tuesday evening about nine-miles north of Clarinda, in Page County. The Sheriff’s Office says 15-year old Brandon Ray Kammerer, of Clarinda, was driving the car southbound on Quince Avenue at around 8-p.m. Tuesday, when the vehicle went out of control and hit a power pole.

Passengers in the vehicle at the time of the accident included 16-year old Joslyn Renea Dale, 14-year old Collin Steven Gregory, 16-year old Dylan Gregory Dalton, and 15-year old Amber Rae Anne Foster.  Each of the vehicles’ occupants were released to their parents or guardians.

Kammerer was cited for Careless driving and Failure to have a valid driver’s license.

NRCS Recommends Cover Crops in Prevented Planting Fields

Ag/Outdoor

July 8th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

For the second time in three years untimely heavy rains and flooding caused many Iowa farmers to either lose a crop or prevent them from planting a crop altogether. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is encouraging those farmers to explore the benefits of planting a cover crop.

Barb Stewart, state agronomist for NRCS in Iowa, says farmers with unplanted fields will have to weigh their program and insurance options. “We encourage producers to also assess agronomic options for ensuring long-term productivity,” she said. Stewart says planting a cover crop will help producers with unplanted fields capture applied nutrients, fix nitrogen, build organic matter, control weeds, reduce erosion, and improve soil health and biology during the remainder of the season. “Iowa farmers can build considerable yield potential for following year crops,” she says.

Cover crops also help prevent Fallow Syndrome – a population loss of beneficial fungi in the soil which develops in corn roots and assists in taking up nutrients. “Cover crops will serve as a host crop to give a better chance for the fungi to recover,” says Stewart.

Iowa NRCS recently revised a fact sheet for planting cover crops on prevented planting fields. The fact sheet includes a table with diverse cover crop mixes to address specific natural resource concerns. This fact sheet is available on the Iowa NRCS website (www.ia.nrcs.usda.gov) or at your local NRCS office.

Producers are advised to check with their crop insurance agents on prevented planting requirements and harvest restrictions for cover crops.

Sentenced handed-down in western IA Jail assault

News

July 8th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

A former Denison resident was sentenced Monday to a maximum of five-years in prison in connection with the May 11th assault of a Crawford County Jailer. 20 year old Jayden Chapman is currently incarcerated in the Anamosa State Penitentiary. His telephone hearing took place before Judge Jeffrey Poulson.

The plea agreement Chapman accepted specified that, “an indeterminate term of imprisonment, not to exceed five years, shall be imposed.” Chapman had also been charged with attempted escape from custody, but that charge was dropped as part of the plea agreement. The new sentence will run concurrently with the two consecutive life sentences Chapman is now serving for the March 10, 2014, murders of 81-year old Alice Huisenga, of Arcadia, and 80-year old Marvin Huelsing, of Maple River. Chapman was convicted of their murders on May 5th.

The Crawford County Attorney says while awaiting sentencing, Chapman, who was in the exercise area of the Crawford County jail, went to a locked door to tell the jailer that he had a bloody nose. When the jailer opened the door to attend to him, Chapman “grabbed the door handle, pulled the door open and bodily assaulted her,” according to Prosecutor Roger Sailer.

Chapman then forced the jailer to the floor, punched her with his fist, choked her with his hands, and choked her with his arm from behind, while holding her body with his legs. Sailer says when Chapman heard others coming, he released the jailer and ran down a hallway to another part of the jail, where he was apprehended and placed in a restraining chair.

Liquid propane prices hit new all-time low

News

July 8th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

There’s good consumer news for Iowans who use liquid propane — from backyard grillers to farmers and homeowners. Propane prices are at an all-time low, according to Harold Hommes, an energy analyst at the Iowa Department of Agriculture. Hommes says those who grill probably won’t notice a difference, but he says the impact will be significant for the two-thousand or so Iowans who heat their homes with L-P.

“People are just now taking advantage of summer fills and buying opportunities where they try to lock in their needs for the winter,” Hommes says. “I think they’re going to be fairly happy with the results and where they can lock in those values.” Just how good are those values? In the winter of 2013, propane prices hit a record five-dollars per gallon due to increased exports and high demand from farmers needing it to dry grain. This summer, Hommes says many suppliers are offering the gas significantly cheaper.

“Depending on different locations in the state, anywhere from 70 to 95 cents and the dollar mark,” Hommes says, “but certainly a very favorable value compared to where we were at just a couple years ago.” Just like gasoline, Hommes says L-P inventories are up and foreign investors are not finding it as attractive as it’s been in the past.

(Radio Iowa)

Backyard and Beyond 07-08-2015

Backyard and Beyond, Podcasts

July 8th, 2015 by admin

Lavon Eblen speaks with Carol Raasch of Odebolt about the Iowa Rural Schools Museum.

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Crash ends Denison pursuit, driver injured

News

July 8th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

A high-speed chase that led law enforcement officers through Denison and portions of Crawford County ended in a crash near Westside, Monday night.

Edwin Diaz

Edwin Diaz

Edwin Diaz of Denison, the driver, was transported to Crawford County Memorial Hospital in Denison where he was treated for injuries.

The chase started at about 10:05-p.m., Monday, when an officer with the Denison Police Department attempted to stop a gray Ford Explorer on 16th Street in Denison, for a traffic violation. According to authorities, the SUV took off at a high rate of speed and failed to stop for the officer. The pursuit left the Denison city limits and continued for several miles through Crawford County at speeds of up to 80-miles per hour.

The SUV eventually crashed between on Highway 30 between 370th Street and 380th Street. Diaz faces numerous charges, including failure to maintain control, driving while suspended, operating while intoxicated and felony eluding.

Denison Police were assisted during the incident by personnel with the Iowa State Patrol, Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, Sac County Sheriff’s Office, Westside Fire Department and Crawford County Memorial Hospital Ambulance.