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Companies say there’s a hold up on Iowa broadband law

News

January 24th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Companies trying to expand high-speed Internet in Iowa say a key part of Gov. Terry Branstad’s new broadband law is not formally in effect, and that could hinder their future projects in the state. At the heart of the 2015 law is a 10-year property tax exemption for service providers who build new broadband infrastructure in limited areas. More than six months later, those companies are waiting for the Iowa Department of Revenue to write rules to apply for the exemption.

The law specifies an annual Feb. 1 deadline for applications to be submitted, though there is some flexibility for seeking tax relief up to two years later. Department spokeswoman Victoria Daniels says the agency hopes to provide a draft of the rules soon, but the process may take months.

Posted in News |

Iowa News Headlines: Sunday, 1/24/16

News

January 24th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are shadowing each other across eastern Iowa, eager to carve out an advantage in a race that’s deadlocked with just over a week until the state’s lead-off caucuses. The candidates planned events in the towns of Clinton and Davenport within hours of each other Saturday.

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump says his supporters are so loyal they would stick with him even if he stood in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shot somebody. Trump made the remark while addressing a rally Saturday at a Christian school, Dordt College, in Sioux Center. Several Republican contenders are in the state this weekend, with just nine days to go before Iowa’s caucuses open voting in the 2016 campaign.

KNOXVILLE, Iowa (AP) — A construction worker is recovering after falling from a southern Iowa bridge and being trapped under ice. The Des Moines Register reports that the 57-year-old man was injured while working on the Asa Marshall Bridge south of Knoxville, Iowa around 9 a.m. Friday.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa City nonprofit dedicated to rehabilitating injured and sick birds has had a busy first month. Cedar Rapids television station KCRG reports that volunteers with the Raptor Advocacy Rehabilitation and Education Group, which goes by RARE, has helped 20 birds, most of them raptors. The group formed in late November and operates in a donated space inside Iowa City’s Gentle Heart Pet Clinic.

 

Posted in News |

NWS forecast for Atlantic & the area, 1/24/16

Weather

January 24th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Today: Patchy freezing drizzle and/or fog this morning, otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 33. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight: Cloudy w/a chance of fog & freezing drizzle after midnight. Low around 27. East southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Monday: Cloudy w/areas of fog, & a chance of freezing drizzle, mixed w/snow in the morning. Little or no ice accumulation expected; Snow during the afternoon. Less than 1″ is expected. High near 22. Easterly winds at 5-10 in the morning becoming northwesterly during the afternoon, at 15-30 mph.
Monday Night: Cloudy w/a 30% chance of snow before midnight. Low around 22.  NW @ 15-30mph. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 27. NW @ 10-20.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 32.

Posted in Weather |

Special Weather Statement: Freezing drizzle this morning

Weather

January 24th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

SAC-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION- TAYLOR and RINGGOLD COUNTIES….

Counties in peach color are under a Freezing Drizzle Advisory

Counties in peach color are under a Freezing Drizzle Advisory

PATCHY FREEZING DRIZZLE THIS MORNING ACROSS THE AREA WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL RESULT IN ICY AND SLICK CONDITIONS ON ROADWAYS AND WALKWAYS, ESPECIALLY ELEVATED AND UNTREATED SURFACES. USE CAUTION IF TRAVELING OR WALKING. BE WARY OF ICY CONDITIONS. SLOW DOWN AND ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO REACH YOUR DESTINATION.

Posted in Weather |

John J. Harris Wrestling results

Sports

January 23rd, 2016 by admin

The John J. Harris Wrestling tournament wrapped up on Saturday in Corning and Atlantic/CAM came away with a nice 3rd place team finish. The Trojans had one Champion in John McConkey at 285. The Trojans also had 5 runner up finishers: Kole Hansen at 106, Carter Cox at 113, Zac Stork at 182, Drake Roller at 195, and Keagan Hosfelt at 220. Chase McLaren also took third place at 120.

Creston had 5 Champions on their way to the team title, beating out top ranked New Hampton.

Team results are listed below and full brackets can be seen here.

Team Standings

Creston/O-M 270.7
New Hampton 229.5
Atlantic/CAM 172
Missouri Valley 119
East Mills 75.5
Central Decatur 71.5
Bedford/Lenox 66.5
Chariton 58
Guthrie Center 54
Winterset 53.5
Shenandoah 51
Clarinda 49.5
Riverside 48.5
Red Oak 47.5
Mount Ayr 40
Panorma 39.5
Nodaway Valley 39.5
Clarke 30
Southwest Valley 18
Wayne 18
Griswold 15.5
Southwest Iowa and Tri-Center 0

Posted in Sports |

No. 19 Iowa State tops TCU 73-60 after beating top-ranked OU

Sports

January 23rd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Monte Morris had 18 points and six assists and No. 19 Iowa State followed a win over top-ranked Oklahoma with a 73-60 victory over TCU on Saturday. The Cyclones (15-4, 4-3 Big 12) started slowly five days after knocking off the Sooners at home but went ahead for good on Morris’ steal and layup during an 11-0 run that put Iowa State in front 26-19 late in the first half.

Chauncey Collins scored 14 points to lead the Horned Frogs (9-10, 1-6), who have dropped four straight since beating rival Texas at home for their earliest Big 12 victory in their fourth year in the conference.

Matt Thomas scored 15 points for Iowa State, which won its third straight in the only game in a stretch of five against a team not currently in the Top 10.

Posted in Sports |

Illinois St. pulls away early 2nd, beats Northern Iowa 76-67

Sports

January 23rd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

NORMAL, Ill. (AP) — MiKyle McIntosh scored 18 points, Paris Lee had 16 and Illinois State pulled away early in the second half for a 76-67 victory over Northern Iowa on Saturday. Justin McCloud added 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting from 3-point range for the Redbirds (11-10, 5-3 Missouri Valley), who have won consecutive games since snapping a three-game skid.

Wes Washpun scored 23 points and had six assists to lead Northern Iowa (10-11, 2-6), which has lost four straight. Paul Jesperson had 15 points, and Matt Bohannon 13 points and five assists.

Washpun scored five points to open the second half and pull the Panthers to a 43-all tie. McIntosh and Lee made back-to-back 3s, sparking a 17-6 surge and the Redbirds led 60-49 with eight minutes left. Illinois State had a double-digit lead until Bohannon made a 3-pointer to end it.

 

Posted in Sports |

Vikings sign speedy Sinkfield, WR from Hopkins, N. Iowa

Sports

January 23rd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings have signed speedy wide receiver Terrell Sinkfield, a native of the Twin Cities area coming off a breakout year in the Canadian Football League. Sinkfield signed a reserve/future contract on Saturday, meaning he’ll be on the roster for offseason practices. Sinkfield played at Hopkins High School and Northern Iowa, where he was listed at 6-foot-1 and 192 pounds. He made headlines three years ago by running a reported 40-yard dash time of 4.19 seconds for NFL scouts at the University of Minnesota’s pro day workout.

Sinkfield spent time in camps of the Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills and New York Giants, but he never stuck. Now 25, Sinkfield had 69 receptions for 1,030 yards for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the CFL in 2015.

Posted in Sports |

Loyola of Chicago holds on to beat Drake 68-63

Sports

January 23rd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

CHICAGO (AP) – Montel James scored 17 points, and his reverse layup with just more than a minute left gave Loyola of Chicago the lead for good in a 68-63 win over Drake Saturday. Trailing 66-63, Billy Wampler and Reed Timmer both missed 3-point attempts with nine seconds to play. Officials awarded the ball to the Ramblers after determining the ball went off a Drake player attempting to recover Timmer’s miss.

Milton Doyle’s free throws with 7.9 seconds left clinched it for Loyola of Chicago (9-11, 2-6 Missouri Valley). James tied the score at 60 making one of two free throws before his layup gave the Ramblers the lead. James hit two more free throws, then Drake (5-15, 0-8) got a three from Kyle Abrahamson with 29 second left to cut the lead to 64-63.

Graham Woodard, and Abrahamson combined to hit three-straight 3s to give Drake a 60-59 lead with 2:51 left. Ore Arogundade led Drake with 12 points.

Posted in Sports |

Trump: My supporters would stick with me through shooting

News

January 23rd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump says his supporters are so loyal they would stick with him even if he stood in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shot somebody. Trump was addressing a rally Saturday at a Christian school, Dordt College, in Sioux Center, Iowa.

In addition to criticizing his rivals, Trump went after conservative radio host Glenn Beck, who will be appearing at two rallies with Ted Cruz later in the day. Beck is among nearly two dozen conservative thinkers who penned anti-Trump essays for National Review magazine. Cruz is Trump’s most serious challenger in early-voting Iowa.

Several Republican contenders are in the state this weekend, with just nine days to go before Iowa’s caucuses open the voting in the 2016 campaign.

Posted in News |