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Health care professionals urge caution in Iowa heat

News, Weather

July 11th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Iowa News Service) – Health care experts are reminding Iowans to be careful in the summertime sun. From sunburns and bike safety to water accidents and sports injuries, they remind people sometimes virtual care is available and reduces the time to see a provider.

Dr. Donna O’Shea, chief medical Officer of population health for UnitedHealthcare, said the company provides various tips to staying safe in the sun but reminds Iowans it is important to pay close attention to danger signs when outside for an extended period of time in Iowa’s sometimes sweltering summertime heat and high humidity.

“There is such a condition as overheating and heatstroke,” O’Shea pointed out. “It’s important to recognize those signs early. The signs of overheating do include headaches, nausea or dizziness. And it can be especially important to watch children because their internal cooling systems aren’t fully developed yet.”

Iowa has escaped the deadly heat which had more than 36 million Americans under a warning in recent days, but temperatures are expected to reach into the mid-90s next week with higher humidity. O’Shea reminded people medical assessment for a variety of injuries is also available virtually, 24/7.

She noted virtual care can be crucial in the state’s rural areas where people often can’t make it quickly to an urgent care facility or for helping decide if they need care for less serious conditions. And it’s available 24/7. “If it’s related to hydration or heat stroke, if you’re able to keep fluids down, virtual care can help you determine how much, how long to wait before you go to the emergency room,” O’Shea explained. “Same thing even for sunburns or bike safety. Do I need to go in? Do you think I need stitches? We don’t think about that.”

O’Shea also reminded people to watch kids around water since drowning is the number one cause of death for children between the ages of one and four. The state health department said it is the leading cause of death by unintentional injury of young children in Iowa.

Posted in News, Weather |

High School Baseball Scores from Wednesday

Sports

July 10th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

Hawkeye Ten 

Lewis Central 10, LeMars 2
Harlan Community 3, Council Bluffs Lincoln 0

Raccoon River Conference

Boone 11, Nevada 8

Other Scores

Valley 6, Dowling Catholic 2

Posted in Sports |

High School Softball Regional Scores from Wednesday

Sports

July 10th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

Class 1A

Region 3 

Collins-Maxwell 12, Glidden-Ralston 0
Ankeny Christian 9, Coon Rapids-Bayard 8
Earlham 15, CAM 1
Riverside 2, Woodbine 1

Region 4 

Martensdale-St Marys 10, Lenox 0
Orient-Macksburg 11, Stanton 1
Griswold 6, St. Albert 0
Essex 13, Fremont-Mills 11

Class 2A

Region 2

Audubon 9, East Sac County 0
Emmetsburg 13, Sioux Central 10
MVAOCOU 12, Pocahontas Area 4

Region 3

Van Meter 11, ACGC 0
Logan-Magnolia 9, AHSTW 1
Treynor 10, Underwood 0
Missouri Valley 4, Shenandoah 0

Region 4

Regina Catholic 12, Woodward-Granger 0
Ogden 6, Madrid 3
Kuemper Catholic 4, Manson-NW Webster 2

Region 5

Cardinal 3, Grand View Christian 0
Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont 12, Van Buren County 1
Interstate-35  8, Southwest Valley 0
Pleasantville 10, Nodaway Valley 0

Posted in Sports |

Riley Miller leads Audubon softball to shutout win over East Sac County

Sports

July 10th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

The Audubon Wheeler softball team had another impressive win on the year beating the East Sac County Raiders 9-0 in the Class 2A Region 2 quarterfinal round on Wednesday night. A massive part of the Wheelers success was the steadfast pitching from freshman Riley Miller. The ball game started off hitless in the first inning, but a tough tone was set by Miller early on striking out the first 3 Raiders batters she faced. In the bottom of the second inning Audubon managed to score 2 quick runs from two RBI singles one by Addie Hocker and the other by Anna Larsen. Then with two outs in the bottom of the second, Mattie Nielsen hit a 2-run homer to have Audubon up 4-0. The Wheelers added on to their lead in the bottom of the third with a bunt and dropped catch at home to make the game 5-0.

East Sac County continued to struggle at the plate only managing to get their first hit in the top of the fifth from Kamryn Ross. Up until the fifth inning Miller had collected 9 strikeouts. Ross’s hit could not create a rally and the next Raider hit a line fly towards left for out number three. In the bottom of the sixth inning Audubon produced 4 more runs starting with 3 straight base hits, including a Jordan Porsch 2 RBI single to build a 7-0 score.  The Wheelers wouldn’t stop there as Larsen had another big swing aimed at right field to bring in 2 more runs. Making the score 9-0 for Audubon. The top of the 7th showed some life for East Sac County as they garnered 2 base hits to put 2 runners on, but Miller would put away the final two batters with a strikeout and pop fly.

When looking back on the Wheelers strong win against the Raiders, Head Coach Andrea Schwery acknowledged the effort from her team on the night.

Miller had another impactful evening with 7 innings pitched, no runs, 13 strikeouts, and giving up only 4 hits. Nielsen swung well in the box going 2-4 with 2 RBI’s. Larsen also stuck out with her 2 hits and 3 RBI’s. Coach Schwery believes that her team’s confidence, needs to be a focus in their next round of post season play.

Audubon’s next game will be at home for the third round of regional play against the Ridge View Raptors. Coach Schwery will be preaching to her team to never underestimate an opponent.

East Sac County finishes the year with a record of 10-15.

Posted in Sports |

Utah and K-State favored in Big 12 football race

Sports

July 10th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Big-12 newcomer Utah is the preseason favorite. The Utes finished 8-5 in their final season as a member of the Pac-12 and were without standout quarterback Cam Rising due to a knee injury. He returns for the new season.

That’s Utah coach Kyle Whittingham who feels confident heading into the season.

Whittingham made hs comments at Big-12 Media Days in Las Vegas. Kansas State is picked for second but no Wildcat player made the preseason all-conference team.

That’s K-State coach Chris Klieman (kly-mun) who says preseason polls are meaningless.

Posted in Sports |

Atlantic City Council approves moving ahead with ISU Mayor’s Design Project

News

July 10th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic, Wednesday evening, heard an update from Mayor Grace Garrett, with regard to a visit late last month from a design team from Iowa State University, and a tour they took of the City, along with some City officials, in advance of a project selected by the Mayor. Garrett said she was one of six mayors from across the State chosen in April, and invited to join the “Mayor’s design workshop.”Other mayors include those from Council Bluffs, Marshalltown, Ottumwa, Cedar Falls and Fort Madison.

The workshop will be held July 30-31, 2024, in Ames. The goals of the program are to assist mayors in addressing complex design and planning challengers. They offer design,m financing strategies and implementation ideas.

Councilperson Elaine Otte said the City could choose one of two projects that would make the best improvements to the City. One was Bull Creek, the other was some sort of a safety building at the Schildberg Recreation Area. Councilman Jim Behrens said if the Bull Creek project is chosen, the ISU team will work with the Army Corps of Engineers, to overcome any issues the Corps has with the problematic area, including erosion and storm water run-off.

The Mayor chose to offer a comprehensive plan for Bull Creek.  She will make a presentation to the ISU Design Team on the project, and over the next 18 months, ISU plans to have a follow-up workshops involving the resource team. Studio courses will be developed for students around the project, to include support for preferences to address specific needs for the City of Atlantic, as they pertain to Bull Creek.

There is no charge to the City for input from the ISU Design Team.

Posted in News |

Atlantic City Council approves parking restrictions for the Cass County Fair & RAGBRAI; Camblin Hills-related matters

News

July 10th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic, Wednesday evening, passed an Order temporarily restricting parking on Palm Street, from 7th to 11th, and 10th Street, 150-feet west of the intersection with Palm. The restrictions are with regard to the Cass County Fair, and will be in effect from 6-a.m. July 27th, to 6-a.m. July 28th.

They also approved Temporary Road Closures and No Parking restrictions on select streets during the requested dates and times for the 2024 RAGBRAI ® event that takes place July 22nd & 23rd. The City expects at least 25,000 people coming to town on their bicycles, as well as support vehicles, event vendors and more. On a related note, Atlantic Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bailey Smith reported all those who were looking to find temporary housing for the large bicycling event, have found a place to stay. “We placed everybody,” she said.  A map of the route into and out of town can be found at https://atlanticragbrai.com/maps/

Bailey reports they have 211 volunteers to help make the event as smooth as possible for locals and those coming into town, but they could still use another 20-to 50 or so more, people to help. That includes traffic control, trash clean-up during and after the event. Volunteers will receive a free, orange shirt identifying them as being associated with the event..

Atlantic City Hall building

In other business, the Atlantic City Council received a report from the City’s Planning and Zoning Commission, which met Tuesday evening. City Administrator John Lund said the Commission had received some concerns with regard to the impact of storm-water run-off to the Camblin Hills housing and childcare development project, and the surrounding properties. City Engineer Dave Sturm addressed those concerns. Sturm said “There’s no doubt this development will increase the run-off from this parcel, however about 75-percent of this site [has] a ridgeline that runs from Lot 1 to Lot 48…that drains into the existing detention basin that comes off of Loma Circle.” That basin, he said, was designed and installed about 25-to 30-years ago to control the run-off to Bull Creek, and to have the capacity for the development of the land to be developed.

Sturm said “When this project is complete, we will clean-out that basin,” to remove some of the silt that’s been deposited over the years , but it is still adequate to handle the increased run-off from the development project. And, the Childcare Center will have its own detention basin. Another detention basin will be added on the southwest side of the housing development. Following the P&Z and Engineer Sturms reports, the Atlantic City Council approved the preliminary plat for the Camblin Hills Project, and the 1st Reading of an ordinance changing the Zoning Classification from R-2 (Low Density-Single Family) residential to R-4 (Multi-family) residential, and amending the Zoning Map to reflect the change.

Posted in News |

Trial in shooting death of Algona police officer set for closing arguments

News

July 10th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) -The defense rested without calling any witnesses in the Kyle Ricke murder trial today.

The defense is not disputing that Ricke killed Algona police officer Kevin Cram last September, but says it was not premeditated.

Prosecutors called DCI investigator Evan Thompson to testify as he interviewed Ricke after his arrest in Minnesota following the shooting. Thompson says Ricke told him he blacked out and could not remember what happened during the shooting. But Thompson says Ricke did know what he’d done before the shooting and after.. Jurrors also heard from the state medical examiner as well before the prosecution wrapped up its case.

Officer Kevin Cram (Algona PD photo)

Closing arguments are tomorrow in Spriti Lake.

Posted in News |

Fundraiser to support Iowa Senate leader and others with brain cancer

News

July 10th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – There’s a fundraiser in Ankeny tomorrow night to support cancer research and medical expenses for State Senator Jack Whitver and other families with medical expenses related to a diagnosis of brain cancer.

State Senator Brad Zaun said over 450 tickets have already been sold. “This isn’t about Republican-Democrat,” Zaun says. “It’s not about politics. It’s about trying to help out the Whitver family.”

Whitver, who is 43, announced in mid-May he is undergoing treatment for a brain tumor. Dan McCarney, Whitver’s coach when Whitver was a starting wide receiver for the Iowa State football team, has helped plan the event and current Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz is among those who’ll attend.

Zaun said many of Whitver’s former teammates from Iowa State are coming, too, including some who’d be familiar names to longtime Iowa sports fans. “Like Seneca Wallace and Lane Danielson and some of those people,” Zaun said. “Certainly Jack had a lot of big plays himself when he was at Iowa State.”

Zaun, who described himself as a Hawkeye fan, says it’s been a privilege to listen as Whitver’s former coach and teammates talk about Whitver.

“He’s certainly done some incredible things as a former athlete, walking on at Iowa State,” Zaun said. “I always tell him: ‘Hey, listen. This cancer’s nothing because you beat the heck out of the Hawkeyes. You can certain beat this cancer after beating the Hawkeyes. Jack’s in good spirits.”

Iowa State beat Iowa in four of the five seasons Whitver was on the Iowa State football team.

The money raised at Thursday’s event are going to a foundation. Proceeds that aren’t used to cover Whitver’s out-of-pocket expenses for cancer treatment will be used to support cancer research and other families facing a similar diagnosis.

Whitver and his wife Rachel are the parents of three children. Whitver was first elected to the Iowa Senate in 2011 and has been Senate Majority Leader since March of 2018.

Posted in News |

Morning Availability for Iowa Golf Tournament in Memory of Chris Street

Sports

July 10th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The annual University of Iowa Basketball Golf Tournament in memory of Chris Street will be held on Monday, Aug. 26, at Finkbine Golf Course with a rain date of Aug. 27.

For those interested in participating, which is a four-person best ball, team spots are available for the 8 a.m. (CT) shotgun start. The $800 entry fee includes golf, cart, tournament participant bag, continental breakfast, lunch and a post-tournament awards ceremony at Kinnick Stadium.

Prizes will be awarded to the top three teams in each of the five flights. There are also hole prizes on all 18 holes, contests on Hole 4, 8 and 17 as well as a raffle and a silent auction.

To reserve a spot for your team, either email (shelly-deutsch@hawkeyebasketball.com) or call Iowa Basketball at 319-335-9744 and ask for Shelly. The deadline is Aug. 12, unless sold out beforehand.

Posted in Sports |