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Gov. Branstad’s budget proposal leaves out bullying office

News

January 18th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad’s budget recommendations for the upcoming fiscal year leave out direct funds for a bullying prevention office he created months ago via executive order. Branstad didn’t direct general fund money to the Center for Violence Prevention at the University of Northern Iowa in his recent budget proposal. The center, which requested $250,000, was tasked with managing the Governor’s Office for Bullying Prevention.

A Branstad spokesman says the governor expects the center to be funded under his proposed $8 million request of new money for the Board of Regents, which oversees Iowa’s three public universities. The schools sought a combined $20 million in new funding, separate from the bullying office.

A UNI spokesman declined to comment on whether UNI would use some of that funding for the bullying office.

 

Posted in News |

Weather patterns may be changing for the worse, especially for farmers

Ag/Outdoor, News, Weather

January 18th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Iowa’s corn crop and many other key commodities would be threatened by hot, dry conditions if certain weather patterns continue to develop. U-S-D-A meteorologist Brad Rippey says even though the El Nino pattern is still strong over the entire country right now, there are likely changes on the horizon.

“If you look at all of the moderate-to-strong El Ninos we’ve had over the last 75 years or so, they are almost always followed by a fairly quick transition to La Nina,” Rippey says. “It’s almost like there’s a boomerang effect.” We’re now experiencing the third “super El Nino” weather pattern since the early 1980s and if the pattern holds, a La Nina pattern could emerge soon and bring drought conditions.

“We’re pretty confident and even the two-dozen or so models that try to forecast the ocean and atmospheric states looking ahead to the summer,” he says, “we’ll be in either neutral or La Nina conditions by the latter part of 2016.” Rippey says the La Nina pattern in 1998 never reached Iowa or other Midwestern states but it had an impact on the southern tier of states, bringing very dry conditions that had a major impact on crops. Signs point to a repeat, according to Rippey.

“In 1983, we saw a very wet spring nearly coast-to-coast, but in July and August, as we quickly transitioned into La Nina, we saw a very hot, dry weather pattern develop across the Midwest,” he says. “It led to significant yield declines in crops, including corn.” It’s still too early to pinpoint exactly where the hot, dry conditions will land but he says farmers need to be aware.

(Radio Iowa)

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News, Weather |

NWS forecast for Cass & area Counties, 1/18/16

Weather

January 18th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

…WIND CHILL ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CST THIS MORNING…

EARLY THIS MORNING…MOSTLY CLOUDY. VERY COLD. WEST WIND NEAR 5 MPH.

TODAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. VERY COLD. HIGH 10 TO 15. SOUTHWEST WIND NEAR 5 MPH.

TONIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY THROUGH MIDNIGHT…THEN MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW AFTER MIDNIGHT. CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW EARLY IN THE MORNING. NOT AS COLD. LOW ZERO TO 5 ABOVE. SOUTHEAST WIND NEAR 10 MPH. CHANCE OF SNOW 40 PERCENT.

TUESDAY…LIGHT SNOW LIKELY IN THE MORNING…THEN SNOW IN THE AFTERNOON. SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 2 TO 3 INCHES. HIGH 15 TO 20. EAST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH. CHANCE OF SNOW 80 PERCENT.

TUESDAY NIGHT…CLOUDY. A 50 PERCENT CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW THROUGH MIDNIGHT. LOW AROUND 10. EAST WIND NEAR 10 MPH.

WEDNESDAY…PARTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE MID 20S. SOUTHEAST WIND NEAR 5 MPH.

 

Posted in Weather |

Iowa early News Headlines: Monday, 1/18/16

News

January 18th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

BOXHOLM, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have identified the mother and three children killed a house fire in the central Iowa town of Boxholm. Rick Lampe with the Boone County Sheriff’s Department says 27-year-old Amber Sorenson, 9-year-old Riley Sorenson, 6-year-old Autumn Sorenson and 4-year-old Brayden Sorenson all died in the fire. The fire was reported around 12:45 a.m. Sunday when the temperature was 6 degrees below zero Fahrenheit in the town of about 200.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa inmate serving a life sentence for a 1979 murder has died in prison at age 69 after battling skin cancer. The state Department of Corrections says Robert Lee Kern died Saturday at the Iowa State Penitentiary. Officials said Kern died of natural causes.

MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) — Iowa authorities have identified the 41-year-old man who was wounded during a confrontation with police. The state Division of Criminal Investigation says Timothy Seefeldt is expected to recover from a gunshot wound in his upper body. The incident began after a large SUV was stolen from a Muscatine restaurant parking lot.

HOLLIS, New Hampshire (AP) — After months of predicting a comeback for their preferred candidates, Republican establishment leaders now concede the first two contests on the presidential election calendar are Donald Trump’s and Ted Cruz’s to lose. Many GOP traditionalists fear that each candidate would be a disaster in the November general election.

Posted in News |

Saturday Wrestling results 1/16/2016

Sports

January 17th, 2016 by admin

ADM Tournament

The Atlantic Trojan wrestling team captured the team championship at the ADM Tiger Invitational on Saturday.  The Trojans scored 189 points, beating out host ADM by 16.5 points. Red Oak finished 8th.  Atlantic had four individual champions in Kole Hansen (106), Carter Cox (113), Chase McLaren (120), and Zac Stork (182). Atlantic also got two runner-up finishes and two third-place.

Ron Scott Duals at Mount Ayr

  • Shenandoah 8-0 Champions
  • Harlan  7-1 Runner-up
  • Riverside 5-3
  • Mount Ayr 4-4
  • St. Albert 1-7

Nebraska City Duals

Clarinda-4th

Basehor-Linwood Tournament

Glenwood- 5th in a 37 team tournament

Matt Malcom won the 160 pound title while Anthony Sherry was 2nd at 170 for the Rams.

Kuemper Duals Tournament

Missouri Valley won all five of its duals to win the Kuemper Catholic tournament on Saturday. Missouri Valley beat Guthrie Center 59-15, Storm Lake 49-26, Johnston 56-18, Kuemper Catholic 52-19 and Audubon 54-22.
Kuemper Catholic- 3rd
Audubon- 6th

WDM Valley Duals Tournament

Lewis Central- 3rd with a record of 2-2.  The Titans beat Spencer 54-21 and Cedar Falls 41-32. The Titans fell to champ Southeast Polk 49-24 and to WDM Valley 65-3.

Centerville Tournament

The Creston/Orient-Macksburg Panthers won the Centerville Invite with 216 points.  Ottumwa finished second with 161.5. The Panthers had four champions on the day.

Griswold Duals Tournament

  1. Treynor 5-0
  2. Southwest Valley 4-1
  3. East Mills
  4. Exira-EHK
  5. Griswold
  6. Tri-Center

Treynor won by defeating East Mills 42-36, Southwest Valley 48-28, Tri-Center 51-18, Griswold 57-24 and Exira-EHK 51-18.

LeMars Tournament

  1. Sibley-Ocheydan’s 239
  2. AHSTW 196
  3. Sioux City North 137.5

The AHSTW Vikings crowned two champions: Gabe Pauley (152) and Erik Jorgensen (195).  The Vikings had three others take second and two finish third.

Perry Tournament

Logan-Magnolia- 7th scoring 113 points. Sergeant Bluff-Luton won the tournament with 191 points.

Posted in Sports |

Cards chairman DeWitt says he’s met Kroenke “once or twice”

Sports

January 17th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt says he has zero insight on the Rams’ move to Los Angeles. In fact, he says he’s met Rams owner Stan Kroenke only “once or twice.” Kroenke has been with the Rams since they relocated to St. Louis in 1995. That was the same year DeWitt’s group purchased the Cardinals from Anheuser-Busch, but there’s been virtually no intermingling.

The Cardinals are regularly one of the biggest draws in the major leagues and had attendance of 3.5 million last season. DeWitt said at the team’s annual Winter Warmup fan festival on Sunday that he believed St. Louis can support an NFL team. But, he added: “I just don’t really know Stan Kroenke.”

 

Posted in Sports |

No. 16 Iowa beats Michigan 82-71

Sports

January 17th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Jarrod Uthoff scored 23 points and No. 16 Iowa beat Michigan 82-71 on Sunday for its first 5-0 start in the Big Ten in 19 years. Peter Jok had 14 of his 16 points in the second half for the surging Hawkeyes (14-3, 5-0), who could make a big leap in Monday’s rankings after a tumultuous week for many of the nation’s top teams.

Iowa broke open a tight game with a 16-3 run midway through the second half, and Jok buried a 3-pointer that made it 76-68 with 2:34 left. Derrick Walton Jr. had 16 points for Michigan (13-5, 3-2). The Wolverines played their fourth straight game without star Caris LeVert, who was out with a left leg injury.

Posted in Sports |

Southern Illinois tops Drake 81-76 to stay unbeaten on road

Sports

January 17th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Anthony Beane scored 26 points, Bola Olaniyan had 11 points and 14 rebounds and Southern Illinois beat Drake 81-76 on Sunday to remain unbeaten on the road. Beane’s 3-point play capped SIU’s 9-0 run for a 37-29 lead late in the first half. Olaniyan scored the final five points of the half for an 11-point lead as Drake only made one field goal in the final five minutes.

Drake took its first lead of the second half at 61-59 on Reed Timmer’s 3-pointer with nine minutes left. But Drake didn’t hit another field goal until Timmer’s at the 3:20 mark. Southern Illinios made 4 of 6 free throws in the final 35 seconds to seal it.

Leo Vincent added 12 points for Southern Illinois (16-3, 5-1 Missouri Valley), while Sean O’Brien and Austin Weiher chipped in 10 apiece. Timmer finished with 27 points for Drake (5-13, 0-6), which lost its 10th game in the last 11.

Posted in Sports |

Atlantic Parks and Rec Board to meet Monday evening

Ag/Outdoor, News

January 17th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Members of the City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Department Board of Directors will meet Monday evening in the City Council’s Chambers at City Hall, beginning at 5:15.

On the agenda are updates on: the 2017 Budget proposal; the Kiddie Korral at SunnysidePark; Boat ramp project near the Schildberg Rec Area; The Bull Creek/Schuler Elementary School Trail; A Transportation Alternatives Program grant for Lake #2 at the Schildberg Rec Area; a Cass County Community Foundation grant request; Vision Iowa grant; and an update on On-line Shelter Reservations.

Old business will cover an update on the Nishna Valley Connector Trail. And, in his report to the Board, Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring is expected to talk about the parking lot installation at the Dog Park in the Schildberg Rec Area, as well as remind the public Sunnyside Park remains open to sledding, disc golf and walking. The gates to the park remain closed to vehicle traffic, however.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

Reid says Chiefs had headset problems at New England

Sports

January 17th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Chiefs coach Andy Reid says his team experienced problems with their headsets during Saturday’s playoff loss in New England, though they worked fine in the crucial final minutes of the game. Reid said the problem occurred in the first half between the coaching staff and the radio in quarterback Alex Smith’s helmet.

But Reid said they cut out “just a little bit, not much,” and did not think that they were anything out of the ordinary. It’s not the first time that headsets had trouble at Gillette Stadium. In the regular-season opener, Pittsburgh complained the coaches’ headsets were filled with the Patriots’ radio broadcast of the game. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin later said his coaches have had problems with headsets every time they play at New England. The Patriots beat the Chiefs 27-20 on Saturday.

Posted in Sports |