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Chiefs, Fisher still negotiating rookie deal

Sports

July 23rd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) – The Kansas City Chiefs are still talking with the agent for No. 1 overall pick Eric Fisher, but the right tackle has yet to sign a contract and has not reported to training camp. Rookies, quarterbacks and injured players reported to the Chiefs’ camp headquarters on the campus of Missouri Western on Monday, giving them a few days of extra work before the full squad reports on Thursday. The first full practice is Friday.

It’s unclear when Fisher will join the mix, though coach Andy Reid said that GM John Dorsey and Fisher’s agent, Joel Segal, were talking. A rookie wage scale introduced in the latest collective-bargaining agreement took much of the drama out of rookie contract negotiations. Still, Reid said he’s not surprised the negotiations with Fisher are ongoing.

Chiefs trickle into Reid’s first training camp

Sports

July 23rd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) – The Kansas City Chiefs are arriving on the campus of Missouri Western for their first training camp under coach Andy Reid. Rookies and quarterbacks were reporting Monday ahead of the full squad, which will begin practice in earnest on Friday. The Chiefs play their first preseason game Aug. 9 at New Orleans, and then open the regular season Sept. 8 at Jacksonville.

After going 2-14 last year, Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt fired coach Romeo Crennel and general manager Scott Pioli this past offseason. Longtime Packers personnel man John Dorsey was brought in as the new GM and Reid was hired after spending the past 14 years with the Eagles. Together, they’ve overhauled the roster in the hopes of a quick turnaround.

Iowa interactive trail app under development

Ag/Outdoor, News

July 23rd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A new interactive smartphone and computer app featuring Iowa’s trails is under development and organizations behind the development hope to launch it later this year.  Once completed, the “Iowa by Trail” app will feature an interactive map that allows users to locate their position, find the closest trail and find points of interest along the way. It also will keep track of distance, weather, news and events and communicate with friends and followers about their experience.

The Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation is working with the Greater Des Moines Partnership, the Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, the City of West Des Moines, and other private partners to raise money to produce the app and website. The foundation needs $59,000.  The expected release date for the app is late this year.

Iowa early News Headlines: Tue., July 23rd 2013

News

July 23rd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press….

SIBLEY, Iowa (AP) – Officials are still investigating the cause of an explosion that injured five men performing electrical work at a manufacturing plant in northwest Iowa. The Sioux City Journal says TimeWell Drainage officials were still hunting for answers at the Sibley plant yesterday. The accident was reported shortly before noon Saturday. It happened while workers were switching power lines to a new transformer, according to the Osceola County sheriff’s office.

DECORAH, Iowa (AP) – Crews are continuing to search for the body of a man believed to have drowned at a dam on the Upper Iowa River east of Decorah. KWWL-TV reports authorities identified the man as 29-year-old Eric Langland of Decorah. Winneshiek County Sheriff’s officials say Langland was last seen struggling in the water Saturday night. A friend then saw him pulled under by the water coming over the dam.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An FBI official says a 30-year prison term for a New Jersey man convicted of sex trafficking in Iowa will protect the public from an “evil predator.” Johnelle Bell must serve 85 percent of the term, handed down Friday by a federal judge.

WESLEY, Iowa (AP) – A state patrol plane helped authorities capture a man suspected in the shooting of a northern Iowa man. The Globe Gazette newspaper reports the incident began early Sunday with a dispute between two men in Wesley, a small town about 10 miles east of Algona. Officers have arrested 25-year-old Andrew Zeitler of Wesley.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning: NE Adair, SE Guthrie Counties

Weather

July 22nd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

906 PM CDT MON JUL 22 2013

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  NORTHEASTERN ADAIR COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST IOWA...
  SOUTHERN DALLAS COUNTY IN CENTRAL IOWA...
  SOUTHEASTERN GUTHRIE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL IOWA...
  WESTERN JASPER COUNTY IN CENTRAL IOWA...
  NORTHERN MADISON COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA...
  POLK COUNTY IN CENTRAL IOWA...
  NORTHERN WARREN COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA...

* UNTIL 1000 PM CDT

* AT 905 PM CDT...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE
  EXTENDING FROM COLFAX TO 8 MILES SOUTH OF GUTHRIE CENTER...AND
  MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

  HAZARD...QUARTER SIZE HAIL AND 60 MPH WIND GUSTS.

  SOURCE...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS.

  IMPACT...HAIL DAMAGE TO VEHICLES IS EXPECTED. EXPECT WIND DAMAGE TO
           ROOFS...SIDING AND TREES.

Severe Thunderstorm Watch extended until Midnight

Weather

July 22nd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 430…PREVIOUSLY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING…IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT TONIGHT FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS

IN IOWA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 28 COUNTIES

IN CENTRAL IOWA

BOONE DALLAS JASPER MARSHALL POLK POWESHIEK STORY

IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA

APPANOOSE CLARKE DECATUR LUCAS MADISON MAHASKA MARION MONROE RINGGOLD

UNION WARREN WAYNE

IN SOUTHEAST IOWA

DAVIS WAPELLO

IN SOUTHWEST IOWA

ADAIR ADAMS CASS TAYLOR

IN WEST CENTRAL IOWA

AUDUBON GREENE GUTHRIE

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF…ADEL…ALBIA…AMES…ATLANTIC… AUDUBON…BEDFORD…BLOOMFIELD…BOONE…CENTERVILLE…CHARITON…CORNING…CORYDON…CRESTON…DES MOINES…GREENFIELD…GRINNELL…GUTHRIE CENTER…INDIANOLA…JEFFERSON… KNOXVILLE…LAMONI…MARSHALLTOWN…MOUNT AYR…NEWTON…OSCEOLA… OSKALOOSA…OTTUMWA AND WINTERSET.

Chiefs announce shakeup in player engagement

Sports

July 22nd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – The Kansas City Chiefs have restructured their player engagement department less than a year after one of their players was involved in a murder-suicide near Arrowhead stadium.  Kirsten Krug, the Chiefs’ vice president of administration, will oversee the department. She will work alongside B.J. Stabler, who has experience in crisis management.

Last season, Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher shot his girlfriend to death and then drove to the team’s practice facility. Belcher then shot himself in the head while general manager Scott Pioli, coach Romeo Crennel and assistant coach Gary Gibbs watched from the parking lot.

Chiefs president Mark Donovan said in a statement Monday the franchise worked with the NFL to restructure its player engagement department with ideas taken from around the league. The new-look department will utilize a team of external resources to help players and staff with mental, emotional and physical wellness, along with mentoring and career development.

Iowa topsoil moisture declines in hot dry week

Ag/Outdoor, News

July 22nd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – After a very wet start to this planting season, Iowa crop conditions are quickly reversing from too wet to too dry.  The USDA says topsoil with adequate or surplus moisture declined 22 percentage points last week from the week before with 43 percent of the state’s topsoil now adequate or in surplus. Temperatures statewide averaged 4.8 degrees above normal and average precipitation was barely measurable while normal for the week is just over an inch.

Corn and soybeans remain behind schedule with just 35 percent of the corn crop tasseled, behind the five-year average of 70 percent. Overall, corn is about 10 days behind normal in development.  Thirty-six percent of the soybean crop is blooming, behind the normal 70 percent.

Storm Report for Monday, July 22nd 2013

Weather

July 22nd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Hail events reported to and from the National Weather Service include:

9:04-p.m. Quarter-sized hail reported by spotters in Guthrie Center.

8:30-p.m. Quarter-sized hail and winds of 40-50mph near Bagley, in Guthrie County.

8:22-p.m. Nickel -to Quarter-size hail at Avoca in Pottawattamie Co.

8:12-p.m. Quarter-sized hail 3 miles NE of Shelby in Shelby County.

7:17-p.m. 1/2 dollar-sized hail 4 miles South of Missouri Valley in Pottawattamie Co.

7:10-p.m. Quarter-to half-dollar sized hail 1 mile S. of Missouri Valley in Harrison Co.

ERMA LOHRMANN, 94, of Manning (Svcs. 7-29-2013)

Obituaries

July 22nd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

ERMA LOHRMANN, 94, of Manning, died Mon., July 22nd, at the Carroll Health Center. Funeral service for ERMA LOHRMANN will be held at 3:00-p.m. Mon., July 29th in the Zion Lutheran Church in Manning. The Ohde Funeral Home in Manning has the arrangements.

There is no visitation.

Burial will be in the Manning Cemetery.

ERMA LOHRMANN is survived by:

Children, Larry Lohrmann of Denison; Geno Lohrmann of Manning; Curt Lohrmann of Carroll; Rick Lohrmann of Manning; Kerry Sturm of Manning; and Brenda Warnke of Scranton

Sister-in-law, Viola Segebart of Denison

14 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren.