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NFL-WEEK 17 FLEX SCHEDULE: Giants-Cowboys moved to prime time

Sports

December 25th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL has moved the Dallas Cowboys’ game at the New York Giants to decide the NFC East title to prime time on New Year’s Day. The game will kick off at 8:20 p.m. (Eastern) with the teams both at 8-7. The winner goes to the playoffs and the loser goes home. Also next Sunday, Baltimore at Cincinnati, Cleveland at Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay at Atlanta have been moved to 4:15 p.m. EST. No times have been set for Carolina at New Orleans and Chicago at Minnesota. The Ravens lead the AFC North and need a victory to clinch. Pittsburgh also is 11-4, but Baltimore swept the Steelers. Cincinnati must win to clinch the last AFC wild card.

In the NBA….

UNDATED (AP) — The NBA unwraps its lockout-shortened season on Christmas Day with a handful of games on the holiday schedule. Things will get going in New York, where the Knicks await a Boston Celtics team that swept them out of last season’s playoffs in the first round. An NBA Finals rematch follows, with defending champion Dallas hosting Miami. The Lakers welcome the Chicago Bulls and league MVP Derrick Rose to town for Game 3 of the day. L.A. all-star Kobe Bryant is nursing a wrist injury but says he intends to play. Next it’ll be Orlando at Oklahoma City, followed by the L.A. Clippers at Golden State.

Saturday’s NFL Scores & Highlights

Sports

December 25th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

UNDATED (AP) — After a decade of losing, the Detroit Lions are in the playoffs. And the San Diego Chargers are out. With their fans chanting “PLAYOFFS” for the final minutes, Detroit got there for the first time since 1999 as Matthew Stafford threw three touchdown passes in the first half to beat the Chargers 38-10. Following the game, coach Jim Schwartz and the players did a victory lap at Ford Field, high-fiving fans in the front row. The Chargers missed the postseason for a second straight year after making it five times in a six-season stretch. And that might cost coach Norv Turner his job after his underachieving team fell to 7-8.

Elsewhere around the NFL:

—Baltimore and Pittsburgh continue to share the AFC North lead after getting to 11-4 with wins on the day before Christmas. But the Ravens hold the tiebreaker and will be division champs with a first-round bye if they win at Cincinnati next Sunday. The Ravens managed to hold off upset-minded Cleveland 20-14. Ray Rice ran for 87 yards and caught one of Joe Flacco’s (FLAK’-ohz) two touchdown passes.

— Backup quarterback Charlie Batch directed Pittsburgh to a 27-0 romp over the Rams while starter Ben Roethlisberger (RAWTH’-lihs-bur-gur) rested an ankle injury. Rashard Mendenhall accounted for 116 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

The Giants have bragging rights in the New York area after a 29-14 win over the Jets. Ahmad Bradshaw ran for two TDs and Victor Cruz caught three balls for 164 yards, including a 99-yard scoring reception that set a franchise record. The G-Men will be NFC East champs if they beat Dallas next Sunday night at the Meadowlands.

—The Cowboys will enter that game on a down note. The Philadelphia Eagles, who were eliminated from the playoff hunt earlier in the day, still had enough incentive to whack Dallas 20-7. Cowboys QB Tony Romo injured his throwing hand on the first series and did not play afterward.

— Tom Brady rallied New England to a 27-24 win over Miami that clinched a playoff bye for the Patriots. The Pats’ star quarterback ran for two touchdowns and threw for third score to help bring his team back from a 17-0 halftime deficit and post its seventh straight W.

— Tim Tebow (TEE’-boh) threw a career-high four interceptions and Denver dropped a 40-14 decision in Buffalo that snapped the Bills’ seven-game skid. Denver lost its second in a row while squandering a chance to inch closer to clinching its first playoff berth since 2005. The Broncos fall to 8-7 and into a first-place tie with Oakland in the AFC West.

— Sebastien Janikowski’s 36-yard field goal 2:13 into overtime lifted the Raiders past the Chiefs 16-13 in Kansas City. It was his third of the game.

— David Akers kicked four field goals, including a 39-yarder with 2:57 left to give San Francisco a 19-17 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. Akers set an NFL single-season record with his 42nd field goal, breaking the record set by Arizona’s Neil Rackers in 2005. The win keeps the Niners in position for No. 2 seed and a first-round bye in the playoffs.

— Cam Newton broke Peyton Manning’s single-season rookie record for passing yardage in Carolina’s 48-16 whacking of Tampa Bay. Newton threw for 171 yards and three TDs, including a 91-yard scoring pass to Brandon LaFell that is the longest in franchise history. It’s the Buccaneers ninth straight loss.

Cincinnati survived a fourth-quarter rally by Arizona and beat the Cardinals 23-16 to keep its postseason hopes alive. Rookie QB Andy Daulton had two TD passes to help the 9-6 Bengals secure only their third winning record in the last 21 years.

Tennessee is still alive in the playoff race thanks to a 23-17 win over Jacksonville that snapped a two-game losing streak. Matt Hasselbeck threw for 350 yards and a touchdown. The 8-7 Titans head to Houston for their finale with a chance at their first winning record since 2008.

Minnesota snapped a six-game losing streak by topping Washington 33-26. Joe Webb threw for two scores and ran for a third after subbing for starting quarterback Christian Ponder, who suffered a concussion early in the second half. Adrian Peterson suffered a torn knee ligament that tempered the win. The victory takes the Vikes out of the hunt for the No. 1 draft pick, which now will go to either Indianapolis or St. Louis.

Western IA News (podcast) 12-25-11

News, Podcasts

December 25th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson….

Play

BRUCE BROWN, 86, of Redfield (formerly of Anita) – (Svcs 12-30-11)

Obituaries

December 25th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

BRUCE BROWN, 86, of Redfield (& formerly of Anita), died Sat., Dec. 24th, at the Perry Lutheran Home in Perry, IA. Memorial services for BRUCE BROWN will be held 10-a.m. Fri., Dec. 30th, at the Hockenberry Family Care Funeral Home in Adair.

BRUCE BROWN is survived by:

His wife – Ruth Brown, of Redfield.

His children – Ned Brown, of Atlantic; Rita Brown, Natalie Brown, Lindy Brown, and Pat Carnahan.

His brother – Freeman Brown.

9 grandchildren & 12 great-grandchildren.

ROBERT J. SCHMITZ, 82, formerly of Audubon (Svcs 12-27-11)

Obituaries

December 25th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

ROBERT J. SCHMITZ, 82, of Grand Island, NE (& formerly of Audubon) died Fri., Dec. 23rd, at the Veterans Home in Grand Island. Funeral services for ROBERT SCHMITZ will be held 10:30-a.m. Tue., Dec. 27th, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Audubon. Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon has the arrangements.

Friends may call at the funeral home, where the family will be present 7-p.m. Mon. (12/26), and a Rosary will begin at 7:30-p.m.

Burial will be in the St. Patrick’s Catholic Cemetery in Audubon.

ROBERT SCHMITZ is survived by:

His wife – Clara Schmitz, of York, NE.

His step-son: LeRoy Hamling, of Forsyth, MO.

His step-daughter-in-law: Joyce Hamling, of York, NE.

His sister and brother: Rita Becker, of Carroll, & Donald (Pauline) Schmitz, of Dedham, IA.

His brothers-in-law, many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

MARGARET JENSEN, 86, of Stuart (Svcs 12-29-11)

Obituaries

December 25th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

MARGARET JENSEN, 86, of Stuart, died Thu., Dec. 22nd at Mercy West Medical Center. Memorial services for MARGARET JENSEN will be held 11-a.m. Thu., Dec. 29th, at the Johnson Family Funeral Home in Stuart.

Burial will be in the South Oak Grove Cemetery.

Online condolences may be left at www.johnsonfamilyfuneralhome.com

KJAN Weather forecast for Christmas Day and beyond

Weather

December 25th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

Here’s the forecast for Cass and surrounding counties, as prepared by the National Weather Service in Des Moines at 331 AM CST SUN DEC 25 2011

TODAY…SUNNY. HIGH IN THE MID 40S. NORTHWEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE LOWER 20S. SOUTH WIND NEAR 10 MPH.

MONDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. BREEZY. HIGH IN THE MID 40S. SW WIND 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH.

MONDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE MID 20S. WEST WIND AROUND 10 MPH.

TUESDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 40S. NORTHWEST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE MID 20S. HIGH IN THE LOWER 40S.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE UPPER 20S. HIGH IN THE MID 40S.

New online map feature Iowa historical sites

News

December 24th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A new map featuring information about Iowa’s historical sites, National Register areas and cemeteries is now available online. The Department of Cultural Affairs says it has uploaded information to its Iowa Site Inventory database on almost 114,000 historical and architectural properties, 280 National Register districts and 3,500 cemeteries. It can be accessed at http://ags.gis.iastate.edu/IsitesPublicAccess/. Cultural Affairs director Mary Tiffany Cownie says the site marks the first time that the statewide inventory of cultural resources has been made available to the public in such an easy-to-use format. Information on each property on the map varies. Some entries include a photograph but others have a full National Register nomination, newspaper clippings and project reports. Specific properties can be located by searching by location, name, functions, building materials, architect and National Register status.

Raiders stay alive with 16-13 OT win over Chiefs

Sports

December 24th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Sebastian Janikowski kicked a 36-yard field goal 2:13 into overtime Saturday, giving the Oakland Raiders a 16-13 victory over Kansas City that eliminated the Chiefs from the playoff race and kept their own AFC West hopes alive. Carson Palmer threw for 237 yards and a touchdown for the Raiders (8-7). His perfectly thrown 53-yard pass to Darrius Heyward-Bey early in overtime set up Janikowski’s winning kick, allowing Oakland to avoid a second straight late-game meltdown. Kyle Orton threw for 300 yards for Kansas City, his only touchdown pass going to Dwayne Bowe with 1:02 left in regulation to tie the game. The Raiders went three-and-out, giving Kansas City the ball back with little time on the clock, and Orton hit Bowe for 25 yards and Terrance Copper for 11 more to set up Ryan Succop for a potential winning field goal on the final play of the game. Succop’s 49-yard try was blocked by Trevor Scott to send the game to overtime.

Wanted sex offender arrested in Page County

News

December 24th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

A man wanted in Oregon for Failure to Register for that State’s Sex Offender Registry, was arrested in Shenandoah on a similar charge out of Iowa. The Page County Sheriff’s Office says Rubio Aviles (A-K-A Guadalupe Berglanga) was arrested in Shenandoah Friday, after authorities received a tip he had been living and working in Shenandoah since 2005, and had failed to register with Iowa’s Sex Offender Registry.

Aviles was convicted in Oregon in 2001 on sex-related charges. With the assistance of officers with the Shenandoah Police Department, Page County Sheriff’s Deputies were about to go to Aviles’ home, when a Shenandoah Police Officer observed the mans’ vehicle leaving the residence. The officer stopped Aviles’ vehicle near the intersection of north Elm Street and west Lowell, in Shenandoah.

After speaking with Aviles, he was taken into custody for Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Registry requirements (an aggravated misdemeanor), and later posted a $2,000 bond. Prior to his release however, Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities (ICE) were contacted, and a hold was placed on Aviles , who was being held in the Page County Jail pending an investigation into the circumstances of his presence in the U-S.