w/ Ric Hanson
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Jim Field speaks with Michael Vilardi about some IRS tips.
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A Red Oak man charged in connection with a September 5th, 2011 go-cart accident that critically injured his two-year old son, was sentenced late last month to serve one-year in jail, with all but 90-days of the term suspended. According to on-line court records, on February 27th 35-year-old Shawn Michael Soar entered a written plea of guilty, to Child Endangerment causing bodily injury, and 1st offense OWI charges. The charges were reduced from felony offenses when the mother of Ryan Soar agreed to plea deal. Judge James Heckerman placed Shawn Soar on a work-release probation, and ordered him to treatment for one-year at Zion Recovery Services. He must also pay fines and related court costs amounting to $2,000, plus attorney’s fees.
The incident which lead to Soar’s arrest took place at around 9:15-p.m. September 5th, when the go-kart he and his son were riding hit a parked pickup truck, in the 700-block of East Grimes Street in Red Oak. Lab results indicated Soar’s alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit for allowed driving, in Iowa. Shawn Soar suffered minor injuries in the crash, but Ryan was flown by helicopter to a trauma center in Omaha. He was later released, but the child, who has since turned three, is still being treated for his injuries on an out-patient basis.
Class 1-A Consolation
Class 2-A Consolation
Class 4-A Semi-finals
1-A State Championship
2-A State Championship
CLASS 1-A SEMI-FINALS
CLASS 2-A SEMI-FINALS
CLASS 3-A SEMI-FINALS
The Iowa House has endorsed the idea of new protections for property owners when trespassers get injured. It means a property owner — or the person renting the property — is not liable for injuries trespassers may suffer if the property’s in good condition. Representative Mary Wolfe, a Democrat from Clinton, supported the bill. “What we’re trying to do here makes sense,” she says. “…I think it clarifies some gray areas in the law. I think it can protect homeowners, which is what we want to do.” But critics, like Representative Kurt Swaim of Bloomfield, say the bill does not protect the accidental trespasser.
“That’s the mother that’s taking her child out on Halloween night. That’s a hunter that inadvertantly gets on the wrong land,” Swaim says. “…The person who gets on the wrong land has some fault, but we don’t bar that person from any recovery.” Recovery is another way of suing for money to cover injuries or “pain and suffering.” The bill passed on a 68 to 30 vote. Only three members of the Iowa House spoke during debate of the legislation — and all three are lawyers.
(O.Kay Henderson/Radio Iowa)
Information released Thursday by the Iowa Department of Education shows the state four-year graduation rate dropped by one-half percent in 2011. Jay Pennington is chief of the department’s Information and Analysis Bureau. “I think it is concerning that it dropped a half percent from this year to last year. This year’s class of 2011 is above the class of 2009. So that’s good, I think it means that we need to, not just as a state, but schools and districts to get as many kids as possible to complete within four years,” Pennington says. The statewide four-year graduation rate is 88-point-three- percent, compared to 88-point-eight-percent in 2010, and 87-point-three-percent in 2009. Locally, Atlantic’s graduation rate was just over 88%; AHST 86%; Anita 100%; Audubon 93%; Exira 83%; Griswold and Nodaway Valley 98%, and Harlan 95%.
“The state Board of Education has a stated goal of 95-percent of students graduating. I think that 95-percent is an ambitious goal, that goal was set several years ago, in the meantime the formula has changed slightly since that formula was set,” Pennington says. He says Iowa still has one of the top graduation rates in the nation. Five of the 10 largest school districts in the state — Sioux City, Waterloo, Iowa City, Council Bluffs and Cedar Rapids — saw an increase in graduation rates.
“Seeing those larger districts with an increase in percentage is good to see, I think we need to dig in a little bit more and see the majority of districts that did see a decline and see what kind of supports are needed there,” Pennington says. Storm Lake has the lowest four-year graduation rate at 57-point-four percent. Sigourney had the next lowest at 63-percent. The state saw virtually no change in the annual dropout rate and an increase in the statewide graduation rate for students who took an extra year to finish high school.
(Dar Danielson/Radio Iowa)
See the complete list of graduation rates on this Radio Iowa link:
http://www.radioiowa.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/2010-2011GraduationDropoutRates.xls
ROBINA NORA ELMQUIST, 91, of Exira, died Thu., March 8th, at the Atlantic Nursing & Rehab Center. Celebration of Life services for ROBINA ELMQUIST will be held at a later date. Kessler Funeral Home in Exira has the arrangements.
Robina Elmquist is survived by:
Her sons – Dale (Sharon) Elmquist, of Atlantic, and Donald (Julia) Elmquist, of Albuquerque, NM.
6 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, her in-laws, other relatives and friends.
MABLE RICHTER, 96, of Anita (& formerly of Adair), died Thu., March 8th, at the Colonial Manor in Anita. Funeral services for MABLE RICHTER will be held 1-p.m. Sat., March 10th, at St. John’s Catholic Church in Adair. Hockenberry Family Care Funeral Home in Adair has the arrangements.
Visitation at the funeral home is from 6-7:30-p.m. Friday, March 9th, with a Rosary at 5:30-p.m.
Burial will be in the St. John’s Catholic Cemetery.
Mable Richter is survived by:
Her daughter – Mary Jahnke, of Arvada, CO.