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HAZEL M. JOHNSON, 97, of Exira (Svcs. 7-25-12)

Obituaries

July 23rd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

HAZEL M. JOHNSON, 97, of Exira, died Sun., July 22nd, at the Audubon County Memorial Hospital in Audubon. Funeral services for HAZEL JOHNSON will be held 2-p.m. Wed., July 25th, at the Exira Lutheran Church. Kessler Funeral Home in Exira has the arrangements.

Friends may call at the funeral home, where the family visitation begins at 6:30-p.m. Tue., July 24th.

Burial will be in the Exira Cemetery.

HAZEL JOHNSON is survived by:

Her children – Janice Black, of Exira; Sandra (Ed) Parsons, of Audubon; Jane (Lanny) Kite, of Marne; Jackie Pross & Ralph Cleveland, of Exira; Catherine (Craig) Schmidt, of Omaha; and John (Linda) Johnson, of Atlantic.

Her sister – June Johnson, of Council Bluffs.

21 grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren, other relatives, and friends.

Posted in Obituaries |

CONNIE F. WALTER, 65, of Exira (Svcs. 7-26-12)

Obituaries

July 23rd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

CONNIE F. WALTER, 65, of Exira, died Sat., July 21st, at the Exira Care Center. Celebration of Life Memorial Services for CONNIE WALTER will be held 10:30-a.m. Thu., July 26th,  at the Kessler Funeral Home in Exira.

Burial will be in the Brighton Township Cemetery in Marne.

CONNIE WALTER is survived by:

Her brothers – Edwin Jensen, Jr. (& wife Edwina), and Gary (Elaine) Jensen, all of Atlantic.

Other relatives, and friends.

Posted in Obituaries |

MARK A. ALBERT, 60, of Atlantic (Svcs. 7-24-12)

Obituaries

July 23rd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

MARK A. ALBERT, 60, of Atlantic, died Sat., July 21st, at Mercy Medical Center. A gathering of family and friends for MARK ALBERT will be held from 5-7pm Tue., July 24th, at the Hockenberry Family Care Funeral Home, in Atlantic.

Burial will be in the Iowa Veterans Cemetery near Adel.

MARK ALBERT is survived by:

His mother – Betty Albert, of Atlantic.

His daughter – Carrie Albert, of Atlantic.

His son – Jason Albert, of Atlantic.

His brothers – Michael and Monte Albert.

and 3 grandchildren.

Posted in Obituaries |

Excessive Heat Warning timing expanded for Cass & area counties

News, Weather

July 23rd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

COUNTIES: SAC-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD….

416 AM CDT MON JUL 23 2012

EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT WEDNESDAY…

HEAT WILL PERSIST INTO WEDNESDAY EVENING BEFORE A COLD FRONT LOWERS READINGS ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. HIGHS WILL BE IN THE UPPER 90S TO AROUND 105 DEGREES. BECAUSE DEWPOINTS WILL BE IN THE 60S…HEAT INDICES WILL ONLY BE A FEW DEGREES HIGHER THAN THE ACTUAL TEMPERATURE BUT WILL STILL RANGE FROM 105 TO 110 DEGREES.

THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND SOME HUMIDITY WILL CREATE A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE LIKELY IF SIGNIFICANT PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT OBSERVED. THE PROLONGED NATURE OF THE HEAT…BOTH DAY AND NIGHT…WILL ACCUMULATE OVER TIME. PERSONS EXPECTED TO BE OUTDOORS FOR SEVERAL DAYS NEED TO EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION IN THEIR ACTIVITIES.

Posted in News, Weather |

Nat’l. Weather Svc. forecast for Cass & area Counties in Iowa

Weather

July 23rd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

339 AM CDT MON JUL 23 2012

…EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT WEDNESDAY…

TODAY…SUNNY. VERY HOT. HIGH AROUND 100. SOUTHWEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE LOWER 70S. SOUTHWEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

TUESDAY…SUNNY…HOT. HIGH IN THE UPPER 90S. SOUTHWEST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

TUESDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE MID 70S. SOUTH WIND AROUND 10 MPH. HIGHEST HEAT INDEX READINGS AROUND 100 THROUGH MIDNIGHT.

WEDNESDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGH IN THE UPPER 90S. SOUTHWEST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH. HEAT INDEX READINGS 100 TO 105.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT…THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY. LOW IN THE LOWER 70S. CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS 60 PERCENT.

THURSDAY…PARTLY SUNNY WITH A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. NOT AS WARM. HIGH IN THE UPPER 80S.

Posted in Weather |

Excessive Heat Warning timing expanded for parts of western/sw Iowa

News, Weather

July 23rd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

COUNTIES: HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE

325 AM CDT MON JUL 23 2012 NWS/VALLEY, NE

…HEAT WAVE CONTINUES…

A PROLONGED PERIOD OF EXCESSIVE HEAT WILL CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY ACROSS ALL OF THE AREA AND ACROSS SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA AND SOUTHWEST IOWA INTO WEDNESDAY. AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT WEDNESDAY…

MOST HIGH TEMPERATURES SHOULD REACH 100 TO 105 DEGREES EACH AFTERNOON THROUGH WEDNESDAY WITH HIGHEST HEAT INDEX VALUES IN THE 100 TO 108 DEGREE RANGE. THE PROLONGED NATURE OF THIS HEAT WAVE MAKES IT ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS FOR THOSE WHO WORK OUTDOORS OR DO NOT HAVE AIR CONDITIONING. IF YOU MUST WORK OUTSIDE…TAKE PLENTY OF WATER BREAKS IN THE SHADE AND IF POSSIBLE SCHEDULE MORE STRENUOUS ACTIVITIES FOR MORNING OR IN THE EVENING.

Posted in News, Weather |

Final Design Revealed for Largest Open Skatepark in U.S. – to be Built in Iowa

Sports

July 23rd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The final design plans for a massive skateboarding park in Iowa’s capital city were revealed this weekend. One of the backers of the project, Dan Rogers, says “the best skatepark builders in the world” have designed the park in Des Moines.  “I know it’s supposed to be the biggest, greatest thing ever and you hear that a lot and it’s usually a letdown, but this time it won’t be,” Rogers said. “This is going to be the best park for sure in the Midwest, if not in America, when this thing’s done.”

Des Moines Skate Park conceptual design

Rogers knows a thing or two about skateparks. The Tipton native is a professional skateboarder who now lives in California and co-owns Subsect Skateshop in Des Moines. He recruited fellow pro skaters Lance Mountain and Colby Carter of California Skateparks to design the project. Rogers believes the park, to be located near Wells Fargo Arena, will draw international skateboarding competitions to Iowa.

“There’s actually potential to have a world renowned event here in Des Moines for skateboarding,” Rogers said. He also predicts the park will draw more young people to stay in Iowa or move to Des Moines. The skatepark will be built on the west bank of Des Moines River and – at 65,000 square feet – will become one of the largest open skateparks in the U.S.  “The way the land is contoured – it’s a site specific design. You couldn’t really build this anywhere else, the way this park is going to be laid out. That makes it very unique and that will attract skateboarders from all over the world,” Rogers said. Fundraising is underway for the Des Moines Regional Skatepark, which will cost roughly $3.5 million to build. Rogers is hoping a groundbreaking can be held sometime next year.

Posted in Sports |

Greyhound pulls out of Omaha – Burlington Trailways takes over

News

July 23rd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Greyhound bus line will no longer offer service into and out of Omaha, beginning next month. According to the Omaha World Herald, Burlington Trailways, based in West Burlington, IA, will assume Greyhound’s abandoned routes, effective August 16th. The final day for Greyhound service to Omaha is August 15th. Burlington’s routes include stops in Indianapolis, Denver and Chicago, to name just  a few. Customers who prefer to travel on Greyhound, will find the nearest depot in Kansas City, MO.

The move by the Dallas, Texas-based Greyhound, means the company will end more than 80-years of service to the Omaha area. A company spokesman said its decision was based on an evaluation of its routes on a nationwide basis. Burlington Trailways’ Vice President Marty Bradley told the World-Herald the change will primarily be in name, only. The company, he says, will continue to operate out of the downtown station at 16th and Jackson Streets, in Omaha.

The paper says B-T will take over all of Greyhound’s Omaha routes, including the one from Omaha to Chicago, which features stops in Des Moines, Iowa City, Davenport, Iowa, and Moline, Ill. The fee the company charges for its fares, are expected to be comparable, to those charged by Greyhound.

Posted in News |

Separate motorcycle crashes in Harrison County claim two lives

News

July 22nd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Harrison County roads proved to be deadly for two Nebraska men over the weekend. Sheriff’s Officials say 62-year old Patrick J. Cronin, of Omaha, died Friday afternoon when the motorcycle he was riding missed an S-curve on the Loess Hills Trails — formerly Iowa Highway 183 — and hit a railroad bridge. Cronin, who was not wearing a helmet died at the scene of the crash, which happened at around 5-p.m., Friday, about 1.5-miles south of Missouri Valley.

Less than 24-hours later, 48-year old Michael R. Beck, of Decatur, NE, died, when the 2004 Harley Davidson he was riding left Interstate 29 northbound near the 94.5 mile marker, and crashed into the  median near Little Sioux. The State Patrol says Beck — who was wearing a helmet when the accident happened at around 2-p.m., Saturday — was flown by Lifenet helicopter to Creighton University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Posted in News |

WAYNE RAY, 80, of Greenfield (Svcs. 7-25-12)

Obituaries

July 22nd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

WAYNE RAY, 80, of Greenfield, died Sun., July 22nd, at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines. Funeral services for WAYNE RAY will be held 10:30-a.m. Wed., July 25th, at the First Presbyterian Church in Greenfield. Steen Funeral Home in Greenfield has the arrangements.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, July 24th, from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting friends from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Steen Funeral Home in Greenfield. Online condolences may be left to the family at www.steenfunerals.com.

Memorials may be directed to the Wayne Ray memorial fund to be established by the family.

Burial will be in the Greenfield Cemetery with full military graveside rites by the Greenfield American Legion Head-Endres Post No. 265 and V.F.W. Post No. 5357.   

WAYNE RAY is survived by:

His wife Joyce.

His three children: Wendell (Diane) Ray of Greenfield, Iowa, Linda (Al) Polito of Monticello, Iowa, and Ann Ray of Cincinnati, Ohio;

5 grandchildren, his sister-in-law Judy Laurens, other relatives and friends.

Posted in Obituaries |