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Atlantic Trojan girls tennis season update with Coach Mike McDermott

Sports

April 26th, 2024 by admin

The Atlantic Trojans girls tennis team lost 5-4 to Harlan Cyclones in a Hawkeye 10 regular season matchup on Monday April 22nd. The Trojans are currently 5-8 overall and 4-5 conference record in the Hawkeye 10 Conference.

Coach McDermott says it’s been a real whirlwind season for the Trojans.

The Trojans were excited with a third place at Atlantic invite.

Coach McDermott says the Hawkeye 10 Conference is one of the premiere athletic conferences in southwest Iowa.

Midway through the year coach McDermott is still looking at ways to strengthen his lineup.

The next Trojans girls tennis matches will be at the Hawkeye 10 Tournament in Denison on Wednesday May 1st. That Tournament will get underway at 9:30 a.m.

 

Hazardous Weather Outlook, 4/26/24

Weather

April 26th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

National Weather Service Des Moines IA
437 AM CDT Fri Apr 26 2024

Today and tonight: Severe weather including a few tornadoes, large hail, and strong wind gusts are possible late this afternoon into this evening. Isolated heavy rainfall may also occur.

Saturday through Thursday: Severe weather including locally heavy rainfall remains in the forecast for Saturday and Sunday over central Iowa. (For more details, see the latest DSS Packet at
https://www.weather.gov/media/dmx/DssPacket.pdf)

SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT…

Spotter activation may be needed later today, Saturday, and Sunday.

Audubon Wheeler girls tennis update with coach McKenzie Nissen

Sports

April 26th, 2024 by admin

The Audubon Wheelers girls tennis team picked up a tough 8-1 regular season loss to Kuemper Catholic yesterday at Graham Park in Carroll. The Wheelers only have two regular season matchups remaining on the year.

Coach McKenzie Nissen says there has been a lot growth on this years Wheelers tennis program.

The coaches and upperclassman have been working really hard with the junior varsity team to prepare them for some varsity action.

Coach Nissen elaborated on the challenges adding two new schools to the Wheelers tennis program.

The Wheelers will face the opponents of Southwest Valley and Clarinda to end the regular season next week. Coach Nissen said she always enjoys the competition of both of those teams.

The Wheelers next tennis meet will be Tuesday April 30th, where they will host Southwest Valley in Audubon. That tennis matchup will start at 4:00 p.m.

Regulators deny late requests to delay carbon dioxide pipeline decision

Ag/Outdoor, News

April 26th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Des Moines, Iowa; Iowa Capital Dispatch) – In a split vote, the Iowa Utilities Board has declined to solicit more evidence before it decides whether to issue a pipeline permit to Summit Carbon Solutions, according to a Thursday board order.

In recent months, the company has more than doubled the number of ethanol producers to which its system would connect and added 340 miles of pipe — a roughly 50% increase. It indicated in March it would file 14 new permit requests for that expansion with the IUB while its initial permit application was still pending.

The IUB is poised to make a decision for the first permit, and pipeline opponents seized on the expansion to make an 11th-hour bid to delay the decision. The Sierra Club of Iowa argued that the evidentiary record should be reopened and the permit applications consolidated, which would potentially elongate the process for many months.

The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation did not ask for a consolidation but sought to reopen the record to determine how the expansion will affect the initial proposal. Board member Joshua Byrnes agreed with the Farm Bureau: “The board should demand that the route for a project of this size and magnitude be the product of comprehensive planning to ensure the final route is the most efficient to accomplish the project’s objectives and to minimize the impact on Iowa landowners.”

Some have suggested that the initial route and expansion plans could be revamped to reduce the total miles of pipeline. Sweeping changes could significantly delay the project’s approval. “Because the company voluntarily chose to open the door to the expanded ethanol plant partners, I believe it is fair to at least ask about the potential impact the additional trunk and lateral pipelines may have on the proposed pipeline,” Byrnes wrote in his dissent Thursday.

Summit objected to the requests, in part, because of the potential delays to its initial permit process that has been ongoing for more than two years. The company said its requests for separate permits for the extensions fit with board procedure despite the fact the board has yet to rule on the initial permit, and that it could seek to amend the conditions of the initial permit if needed to accommodate the extensions.

The two other IUB members — Erik Helland and Sarah Martz — overruled Byrnes and agreed with Summit about reopening the record. Their decision about the initial permit request “will be based upon the evidence already presented,” Helland and Martz wrote. All three board members denied the request to consolidate the permit applications.

Summit’s initial proposal includes about 690 miles of pipe that would connect to a dozen ethanol plants and transport their captured carbon dioxide to North Dakota for underground storage. The project has been delayed by setbacks in the Dakotas, where Summit’s first proposals were rejected by state regulators.

Hinton Community School District sued by students, families over wrestling abuse allegations

News

April 26th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

HINTON, Iowa (KCAU) — The Hinton Community School District (CSD) and several officials are being sued by two students through their families over allegations of abuse within the junior varsity wrestling program. KCAU reports the two lawsuits were filed in Plymouth County and are directed at Hinton CSD, former wrestling head coach Casey Crawford, wrestling assistant coach Bradley “Woody” Skuodas, Hinton superintendent Ken Slater, and former Hinton athletic director Brian DeJong. All four were employed by Hinton CSD at the time of the incidents detailed in the lawsuits.

The lawsuits accuse Crawford, Skuodas and DeJong of “encouraging” bullying, hazing and violence by the students on the team. They also accuse Hinton CSD of failing to address the behavior despite reportedly being aware of it. At the center of the lawsuits is a series of incidents that allegedly occurred during two wrestling trips, and involved the use of sex toys. Afterward, the alleged victimized students were sexually exploited when photos and videos of the incidents were shared to the team’s Snapchat group chat, according to the lawsuits. The trip allegedly had no supervision, room checks or bag checks.

Coaches became aware of the usage of these items and allegedly took them away. But the incidents allegedly happened again at another wrestling site city.  Again, the coaches were apparently aware of what was going on, but they did not tell the victims’ parents. The parents of the victims found a video showing the incidents on a child’s phone. They then showed it to other parents and an assistant coach. According to the lawsuits, the coach “told parents that he would initiate the reporting process, but simultaneously commented that this could negatively affect the wrestling program.”

The lawsuits accuse Hinton CSD of not being communicative enough with the parents of the victims of the alleged abuse. Additionally, the lawsuits accused the wrestling practices as being a “breeding ground for harassment and bullying.” Coaches allegedly “allowed, encouraged and led” games that resulted in injuries to students. The lawsuits accuses all defendants of one count of negligence against all defendants, one count of negligent training and supervision of employees against Hinton CSD, and two counts of loss of consortium against all defendants.

The lawsuits demand a jury trial and for a judgment “in an amount to be determined at trial, together with interest, all costs incurred herein, and for all such other relief that is just and equitable under the premises” on all counts.

On Feb. 14, 2024, two wrestling coaches were placed on paid administrative leave. One of them was still on leave, while the other had gone back to work. Two students were “reassigned” soon after. On March 18, the head wrestling coach formally resigned from his position as wrestling head coach, though he also said in his resignation letter that he hoped to continue teaching math at Hinton.

School board members have since discussed possible school trip policy changes, such as bags checks, printed itineraries, and contact information.

Skyscan Forecast for Atlantic & the Nishna Valley: Friday, April 26, 2024

Weather

April 26th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Today: Showers and thunderstorms.  Some of the storms could be severe and produce heavy rainfall. High near 69. SE winds 20-40 mph. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms. Some could be severe. Low around 52. S/SW winds @ 15-30 mph.  New rainfall amounts between a 1/10 & 1/4 of an inch possible.
Saturday: Partly sunny w/a 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. High near 76. S/SW winds 5-10 mph. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Sat.Night: Showers and thunderstorms. Low around 57.  New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms. High near 71.  New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Sunday Night: A 60% chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Low around 44.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 67.

Thursday’s High in Atlantic was 64. Our Low this morning was 49.We received .56″ of rain in Atlantic (From 7-a.m. Thursday up until 7-a.m. today). Last year on this date, the High in Atlantic was 65, and the Low was 36. The All-Time Record High on April 26th in Atlantic, was 92, in 1987 & 1989. The Record Low was 15, in 1907. Sunrise: 6:24. Sunset: 8:12.

Germany’s Till Steinforth wins Drake Relays decathlon

Sports

April 26th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Germany’s Till Steinforth became the first athlete at the Drake Relays to top eight thousand points in the decathlon since 1998. The Nebraska redshirt won seven of 10 events to finish with 8053 points.

Steinforth says there is still plenty of room for improvement.

Fines will double for illegally driving through ‘quiet zone’ railroad crossing

News

April 26th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Fines will be increasing for motorists caught ignoring crossing gates and flashing lights and illegally driving across railroad tracks in 21 Iowa locations called “quiet zones.” Trains approaching railroad crossings in these zones are not required to sound the horn, in an effort to reduce noise in urban settings. Senator Tom Shipley of Nodaway says doubling the fine for illegally crossing train tracks in an Iowa “quiet zone” will hopefully be a deterrent. “It’s just simply a matter of safety of being able to keep people from trying to beat the train because they didn’t hear the whistle,” Shipley says.

Cities are able to install flashing lights and gates to establish a “quiet zone” at a railroad crossing, but Representative Derek Wulf of Hudson says it’s expensive. “This increase of penalties will help these communities stomach that potential cost which can range anywhere from $30,000 to $1 million,” Wulf says.

The fine, starting July 1st, will be five-hundred-20 dollars ($520) for illegally driving through a railroad crossing in a quiet zone when the warning lights are on. Three railroad crossings in the city of Hiawatha were recently designated as quiet zones where train horns don’t have to be activated to warn vehicles a train is approaching. Cedar Rapids officials are hoping to take similar steps for some railroad crossings, including one that’s near a 267-room hotel in downtown Cedar Rapids.

Among the cities that have “quiet” railroad crossing in western Iowa, are those in: Creston, Denison, Sergeant Bluff and Sioux City.

Thursday High School Boys Golf Results

Sports

April 25th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

Atlantic 160, Shenandoah 173, Red Oak 193 

Medalist: Hudson McLaren, Atlantic (38)

Runner-up: Tristan Hays, Atlantic (39)

Atlantic Results: Gage Gross 41, Brady Wood & Sam Brosam 42, Roth Den Beste 49

Clarinda 161, Harlan 167 

Medalist: Braydon Ernst, Harlan (38)

Glenwood 185, St. Albert 204 

Medalist: Brody Sneed, Glenwood (42)

Kuemper Catholic 168, Denison-Schleswig 168, Lewis Central 185

Medalist: Easton Emery, Denison-Schleswig (37)

East Mills 160, Fremont-Mills 226 

Medalist: Lincoln Palmer, East Mills (37)

Sidney 179, Lenox 190, Bedford 198 

Medalist: Michael Hensley, Sidney (42)

Audubon 177, Griswold 201 

Medalist: Colten Taylor, Griswold (41)

Treynor 156, Logan-Magnolia 185 

Medalist: Ethan Konz, Treynor (36)

IKM-Manning 196, Tri-Center 219 

Medalist: Miles Nuzback, IKM-Manning (46)

CAM 187, West Central Valley 209, Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton 217 

Medalist: Chase Jahde, CAM (38)

Panorama 311, Coon Rapids-Bayard 330, Woodward-Granger 350, ACGC 383

Medalist: Evan Powell, Panorama (75)

High School Soccer Scores from Thursday

Sports

April 25th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

Boys Scores

Lewis Central 7, Council Bluffs Jefferson 0
Treynor 10, Logan-Magnolia 0
AHSTW 4, Missouri Valley 1
Gilbert 5, Nevada 4
Sioux City North 2, Sergeant Bluff-Luton 1

Girls Scores 

Treynor 7, Logan-Magnolia 0
Missouri Valley 9, AHSTW 0
Underwood 3, Tri-Center 0
ADM 4, Winterset 1
Glenwood 4, Harlan Community 0
Pella 2, Nevada 1
Dowling Catholic 1, Des Moines Christian 0