United Group Insurance

New Director for IWCC in Harlan

News

May 15th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Officials at Iowa Western Community College have announced a new director has been hired for the Shelby County campus in Harlan. For the past three years, Kelli Klaassen has served as director at IWCC, in Harlan. On April 22nd, the Harlan Community School District hired Klaassen to replace the retiring Terry Cox as Superintendent Secretary and District’s Board of Education Secretary.

Yesterday (Tuesday), Iowa Western announced Lori Stitz as the new director for the Shelby County Campus. Stitz says she has worked at the college for nearly 20 years in the economic and Workforce Development office for 19 of those years. Last September she switched to the continuing education office in Council Bluffs as business coordinator for continuing education.

Stitz will transition from her job in Council Bluffs in June, and hopes to be working full time in Harlan starting in July.

(Joel McCall/KNOD – Harlan)

 

Kosmacek, Burt & Dinsdale Twins to be Inducted in IGHSAU Track & Field Hall of Fame

Sports

May 15th, 2013 by Jim Field

Tri-Center of Neola’s Meredith Kosmacek, Cedar Falls’ Faith Burt and Brooke and Blaire Dinsdale of North Tama will be inducted into the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s Track and Field Hall of Fame this Saturday at the State Track & Field Meet in Des Moines.

Kosmacek, who graduated from Tri-Center, Neola in 2004, won seven state titles.  She, along with fellow inductee Faith Burt, is one of just two sprinters to win four state crowns in the 100-meter dash. Her time of 12.26 her senior season remains the Class 1A state meet record and her personal best time of 11.9 seconds is tied for 11th on Iowa’s all-time list. Koscmacek also won three 200 meter dash titles and won the 100-meter dash at the 2002 Drake Relays, defeating fellow hall of famers LeNeisha Waller and Audra Bark.

Kosmacek went to run at Northern Iowa and competed for the Panthers from 2005-to-2008.

Burt, who graduated from Cedar Falls in 2008, also enjoyed a stellar career as a sprinter. Burt won 13 state titles and was a four-time winner of the 100-meter dash. Burt won four state crowns as a freshman while winning three state crowns her sophomore, junior and senior seasons.  Burt established herself as the premier sprinter in Iowa by becoming just one of two athletes to win three Drake Relays 100-meter titles. In addition to her 100 meter crowns, Burt also won three state titles in the 200 meters and was a part of six state championship relay teams.

Burt went on to become a 16-time indoor and outdoor Division III all-American at Wartburg, winning three national indoor championships and two outdoor crowns. She helped the Knights win three NCAA Division III national indoor team championships and two national outdoor crowns. She is the school record holder in six events, including the indoor 55 and 60-meter dashes and the outdoor 100 meter dash.

Identical twins Brooke and Blaire Dinsdale dominated the middle distance and distance races for North Tama from 2005 to 2008. The duo helped the Redhawks win three consecutive Class 1A  track & field titles and one cross country team crown championship, earning eight state championships each.

Brooke won two state titles in the 1500 and 3000 meters along with one state crown in the 800 meters. She anchored the distance medley to three state championships, won two state cross country crowns and three Drake Relays titles. She was named the 2006 Iowa High School Track and Field Gatorade Athlete of the Year. She still owns Class 1A state meet record in the 3000 (10:08.96) and the 800 (2:09.60).

Blaire was a three-time champion in the 400 hurdles, a two-time state champion in the 800 meters with one state crown in the 400 and 1500 meters. Blaire also won three Drake Relays championships and a 1A state cross country title in 2007. She was named a high school all-American by USA Today in 2006. She is the 1A state record holder in the 1500 (4:37.75) and teamed with Brooke on the 1A record-setting distance medley relay team (4:05.37)

The Dinsdale twins finished first and second in seven different state contests. Blaire’s best time of 2:07.39 ranks second on Iowa’s all-time list in the 800 meters while Brooke’s top time of 2:08.52 in the event ranks third. Brooke also owns the ninth fastest time in the 1500.

Both girls earned track scholarships to Nebraska, helping the Cornhuskers win Big 12 and Big 10 team indoor championships. The twins combined to earn seven All Big 12 honors. Both girls also earned Academic all-Conference honors.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15th

Trading Post

May 15th, 2013 by Jim Field

FOR SALE: Wooden play set with slide, climbing robe, ladder, and rope ladder. Also a wooden swing set with room for 3 swings. Asking $125 for both. Call Matt at 249-6818.  SOLD!

WANTED: Looking for a Verizon flip phone, nothing fancy. Please call 712-250-0788.

WANTED: Need small used tires, 155/12/76’s for a Geo Metro. Also interested in a used lawn mower with a bagger and a small lawn mower trailer. Call 712-304-4262.

FREE TO A GOOD HOME:  7 month old Husky mix house trained. Call or text for pics or if have questions 579-4449.

Branstad to sign expanded DNA sampling bill

News

May 15th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Gov. Terry Branstad is set to sign a bill into law that would require people convicted of certain aggravated misdemeanors to submit DNA samples.  The bill signing is scheduled for this (Wednesday) afternoon. The measure would require adults convicted of crimes like aggravated misdemeanor assault and theft to submit DNA samples to the federal DNA database.  Currently, only convicted felons and sexual offenders must submit samples.

The Senate changed the bill to exempt deferred judgment cases and misdemeanors related to hazardous waste, agricultural production and gambling. Traffic offenses are also exempt unless a person has three operating while intoxicated convictions in 12 years.

Iowa lawmakers appear close to concluding session

News

May 15th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa lawmakers appear close to concluding the 2013 legislative session, though they may put a health care debate on hold.  Democratic Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal says he expects to start voting on budget bills on Wednesday. He declined to predict a final day for the session, but says legislators were close to deals on education policy and property tax reductions.

Lawmakers have not found a compromise on whether to expand Medicaid or to pass an alternate health care plan offered by Gov. Terry Branstad. One option for the Legislature would be to conclude the session without finishing the debate and to return later on that issue in a special session.

Gronstal says discussions were underway about the best approach on health care because “common ground is elusive.

Cass Supervisors approve abatement for Lewis property

News

May 15th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

The Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Wednesday) approved the abatement of taxes for a property owned by the City of Lewis, which Auditor Dale Sunderman said was procured in February, and for which taxes were owed. Sunderman said the structure was burned out and the City acquired it through the legal process, but doesn’t want to take care of it. He said when the City receives taxes that are due, they have a choice of whether or not to pay the taxes immediately, or not paying them. If the City chooses not to pay, according to Code, the Board of Supervisors “Shall abate the taxes.”

The taxes on the property were $1,130, but interest and costs through May amount to $1,219, which is the amount the Board voted unanimously to abate for a period of one-year. Sunderman said the City hopes to have a buyer for the property.

The Board also passed a resolution to add a locally funded bridge deck replacement project to the FY 2013 road construction program. The project was not originally in the current program. Engineer Charles Marker explained that his budget does not need to be amended because they are currently “under-run,” and, the County is currently under for the DOT’s budget. 

Marker said because the deck on Jackson Road, leading to the landfill, was badly deteriorated, the bridge was repaired and the deck surface replaced. In order to comply with DOT requirements, the project was moved up from the FY 2014 budget to the current fiscal year. Marker says there area also three local projects in the County’s construction program which the Secondary Roads Dept. will handle, but because they are working on culverts and not able to get to the other projects in the current fiscal year, they are currently under budget.

And, the Supervisors Wednesday voted four-to-one to appoint Atlantic resident Roger Carter to fill a vacancy position on the County Zoning Board of Adjustment. The position was left open by the resignation in March, of former Board member Forrest Teig. Carter, who will fill the remained of Teig’s term through Dec. 21st, 2015, was one of two applicants for the voluntary post. He spoke before the Board Wednesday, about his interest in the job, his civic involvement, and desire to become more involved in local government.

Carter, who has lived in Atlantic since 1984, is a former rehab counselor for Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services. He retired from that position in June, 2010.

Backyard and Beyond 05-15-2013

Backyard and Beyond, Podcasts

May 15th, 2013 by admin

Lavon Eblen speaks with Megan Christofferson about learning more about Down Syndrome.

Play

GLORIA J. MYERS, 64, of Walnut (Svcs. 5/17/13)

Obituaries

May 15th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

GLORIA J. MYERS, 64, of Walnut , died Sun., May 12th, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Funeral services for GLORIA MYERS will be held 10-a.m. Fri., May 17th, at the 1st Presbyterian Church in Walnut. Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Avoca has the arrangements.

The family will greet friends at the funeral home on Thursday, from 7-to 9-pm.

Burial will be in the Fullerton Cemetery in Fullerton, NE.

GLORIA MYERS is survived by:

Her brother – Ed Myers, of Broomfield, CO.

Her nieces and nephew, cousins and friends.

8AM Sportscast 05-15-2013

Podcasts, Sports

May 15th, 2013 by admin

w/ Jim Field

Play

IA DNR: Campsites in high demand for the Memorial Day weekend

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 15th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Campers looking to reserve a campsite at an Iowa state park with electricity for Memorial Day weekend are nearly out of luck. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says to date, Clear Lake State Park has one site, Marble Beach has two and Pilot Knob has eight.  Officials say the Wilson Island State Recreation Area near Missouri Valley, is open for day use only. Once construction begins, the DNR expects to close the park completely.

Kevin Szcodronski, chief of State Parks Bureau for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says  the Memorial Day weekend has traditionally been the kick off to summer with campgrounds filled to capacity. Campers without sites should arrive as early as possible and may want to have a back up park in case all the sites are taken. He said also that campers should plan to go through their equipment before hitting the park to prevent any surprises. It’s also good to review campground rules and etiquette, like getting firewood locally, watching the noise level after quiet hours and picking up after yourself.

Tips

·        Keep track of the weather and have a plan in case of severe weather

·        Plan to arrive as early in the day to set up the site, look for potential problems and avoid those areas

·        Prepare ingredients for meals before leaving home for less time cooking and more time playing

·        Bug spray, sun screen and a basic first-aid kit are must haves

·        Check the registration kiosk for activities in the area

·        Don’t burn trash

·        Don’t bring fireworks

      ·        Be a good neighbor. Observe quiet hours and pick up after yourself

Firewood

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship requires all firewood sold or acquired in Iowa to have the county and state of harvest location on the label of packages and the delivery ticket for bulk firewood.  The rules were added to prevent the spread of invasive species. The rules only apply to firewood sold and acquired in Iowa.

The rule also requires the Iowa DNR to collect firewood from campers that does not have a label.

Park Updates are available at:

www.iowadnr.gov/Destinations/StateParksRecAreas/ClosureInformation.aspx