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RICHARD C. “DICK” ERICKSON, 81, of Griswold & formerly of Lewis (svcs 9-6-11)

Obituaries

September 2nd, 2011 by Ric Hanson

RICHARD C. “DICK” ERICKSON, 81, of Griswold (& formerly of Lewis), died Thu., Sept. 1st, at the Cass County Hospice Center, in Atlantic. Funeral services for DICK ERICKSON will be held 10-a.m. Tue., Sept. 6th,  at the Duhn Funeral Home in Griswold.

Visitation is open at the funeral home, where the family will be present from 6:30-8pm Mon., Sept. 5th.

Burial, with full military honors, will be in the Oakwood Cemetery, at Lewis.

Online condolences may be left to the family at www.duhnfuneral.com.

Richard “Dick” ERICKSON is survived by:

His sons – David Erickson of Wiota & his special friend, Lory Smith; Tim (Kim)Erickson, of Lewis; & Terry (Nona) Erickson, of Lewis.

6 grandchildren & 14 great-grandchildren.

Heat, drought lower some predictions for Iowa corn

Ag/Outdoor, News

September 2nd, 2011 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say a brutally hot July and a relatively dry summer have caused a moderate to severe drought in about a third of Iowa and have lowered expectations for the state’s corn crop. Crop yield predictions are down, and some lawns, particularly in southeast Iowa, have yellowed without adequate rain. The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicted early last month that Iowa would average 177 bushels of corn per acre, down from 182 bushels in 2009 but higher than the 165 bushels per acre last year. But the continued lack of rain has prompted some private forecasters to drop the projection for Iowa’s corn yields to as low as 164 bushels per acre.

Firm gets Iowa sports rights to 2026

Sports

September 2nd, 2011 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The University of Iowa athletics department has given the company that manages its sports marketing a contract extension through 2026 and the right to sell the name of its basketball court in exchange for guaranteed payments totaling $114 million. Learfield Communications beat out several firms in 2006 for a 10-year contract to exclusively broadcast Iowa athletic events on the radio, negotiate corporate sponsorship agreements and generate other advertising income. Iowa was guaranteed $55.1 million. But in a move that has escaped public scrutiny, records show Iowa agreed in November 2009 to extend the contract by another 10 years and give Learfield the ability to sell naming rights to the court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Cable television provider Mediacom in February secured the naming rights for terms that haven’t been released.

Pujols and Cardinals slam Brewers again, 8-4

Sports

September 2nd, 2011 by Ric Hanson

MILWAUKEE (AP) – Albert Pujols hit a grand slam and the St. Louis Cardinals completed a three-game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers with an 8-4 win Thursday. Rafael Furcal led off the game with a home run for the second game in a row and Pujols also hit a first-inning homer before his third-inning slam. Matt Holiday hit his 200th career home run in the fifth to help the Cardinals win for the sixth time in seven games and move within 7 1/2 games of the Brewers, who hadn’t been swept at home since the Dodgers did it Aug. 24-26, 2010. Milwaukee scored all of its runs on homers by Prince Fielder, Jonathan Lucroy and Corey Hart.

OLB So’oto stars as Packers beat Chiefs 20-19

Sports

September 2nd, 2011 by Ric Hanson

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) – With most of the Super Bowl champions’ marquee players on the sideline, outside linebacker Vic So’oto likely sealed up his roster spot in the Green Bay Packers’ 20-19 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Thursday night’s preseason finale. So’oto, an undrafted free agent out of BYU who ended up in Green Bay after his wife chose among multiple NFL offers, returned an interception 33 yards for a touchdown. He had 1 1/2 sacks and a forced fumble. Packers defensive lineman Howard Green, a 340-pounder, gave the Chiefs a scare when he landed directly on top of starting quarterback Matt Cassel. Aaron Rodgers played just one series for the Packers, throwing an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Tom Crabtree.

North Dakota stops Drake 16-0 in season opener

Sports

September 2nd, 2011 by Ric Hanson

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) – Mitch Sutton ran for 105 yards and North Dakota’s defense sacked Drake quarterback Michael Piatkowski four times as the Fighting Sioux won 16-0 Thursday night in the season opener for both teams. Joey Bradley completed 18 of 26 passes for 137 yards and Jake Miller ran for an 11-yard score for North Dakota. The Fighting Sioux led 13-0 at the half. North Dakota blocked a field-goal try in the first quarter, and Piatkowski fumbled at the North Dakota 8-yard line on the Bulldogs’ opening drive of the second half. Daryl Brown intercepted Piatkowski’s pass midway through the fourth quarter and returned it 38 yards to the Drake 9. Zeb Miller’s third field goal, a 32-yarder, completed the scoring.

Iowa Takes New Steps To Discipline Unruly Fans

Sports

September 2nd, 2011 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The University of Iowa has some new ways of dealing with unruly fans at Hawkeye football games.  Some disruptive fans could, for example, be given warning cards by stadium security. Associate Athletics Director Rick Klatt says the idea came from a different venue where it’s been successful. He says the cards will be used to notify fans if their behavior is inappropriate. Klatt says the goal is not to kick anyone out of a game but to put them on “a kind of notice.” Fans also will be able to send text messages to security if they see unruly behavior, including during the pregame. University police also will patrol several checkpoints near Kinnick Stadium, conducting random checks of those areas.

FEMA grants Iowa more time to appeal flood aid

News

September 2nd, 2011 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved Iowa’s request for more time to appeal the agency’s decision rejecting flood aid to five counties along the Missouri River. Gov. Terry Branstad says he received word Thursday that the deadline has been extended to Oct. 7. FEMA notified the state on Aug. 4 that activation of the Federal Individual Assistance Program for Fremont, Harrison, Monona, Pottawattamie and Woodbury counties was denied. The program helps homeowners, renters and businesses by providing grants and loans.

Iowa had 30 days to appeal. Branstad asked for an extension because the flood water is slowing recede and more damage will surface.

I-29 interchange reopens in Sioux City

News

September 2nd, 2011 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – An interchange on Interstate 29 in Sioux City has reopened, nearly three months after it was closed because of flooding on the Missouri River. The Iowa Department of Transportation says in a news release Thursday that the I-29 and Hamilton Blvd. interchange has fully reopened to traffic. Transportation officials say the roadway has been cleaned and repainted, and all traffic control devices restored. The ramps on the south side of the interchange had been closed since June 4.

2011 Second Iowa Girls High School Volleyball Rankings (9/1)

Sports

September 1st, 2011 by Jim Field

Class 1A

School
Record
LW
1
Tripoli
0-0
1
2
LeMars Gehlen Catholic
2-0
2
3
Holy Trinity Catholic
5-0
3
4
Boyden-Hull
3-0
4
5
East Union
6-0
5
6
Ar-We-Va
3-0
6
7
Stanton
1-0
10
8
Adair-Casey
5-1
7
9
Coon Rapids-Bayard
8-2
8
10
Marquette Catholic
3-1
9
11
Janesville
2-0
14
12
Lisbon
5-0
15
13
Iowa Christian Academy
3-1
12
14
Bedford
4-1
13
15
Algona Bishop Garrigan
1-0
NR
Dropped Out: Central Lyon (11)
Class 2A
School
Record
LW
1
Western Christian
0-0
1
2
Grundy Center
3-0
2
3
Lake Mills
2-0
3
4
Dike-New Hartford
0-0
4
5
Mediapolis
6-0
5
6
Pella Christian
6-1
6
7
Sumner-Fredericksburg
0-0
7
8
Sheldon
3-0
8
9
Mount Vernon
0-1
10
10
Edgewood-Colesburg
4-0
NR
11
Clarinda
1-1
9
12
Unity Christian
1-1
12
13
West Branch
2-1
13
14
West Liberty
0-0
14
15
Sioux Center
4-0
NR
Dropped Out: Sioux Central (11), Gilbert (15)
Class 3A
School
Record
LW
1
Sioux City Bishop Heelan
0-0
1
2
Waverly-Shell Rock
2-0
2
3
Williamsburg
1-0
3
4
Dubuque Wahlert
1-1
4
5
Union
2-0
5
6
Charles City
0-0
6
7
West Delaware
0-0
7
8
Solon
2-0
8
9
Red Oak
1-0
11
10
Marion
0-0
10
11
MOC-Floyd Valley
1-1
9
12
Maquoketa
5-0
15
13
Bondurant-Farrar
4-0
NR
14
Oskaloosa
1-0
NR
15
Algona
2-2
12
Dropped Out: Sergeant Bluff-Luton (13), Nevada (14)
Class 4A
School
Record
LW
1
Ankeny
1-0
1
2
Iowa City High
1-0
2
3
Cedar Rapids Kennedy
3-0
3
4
Dowling Catholic
2-0
6
5
Urbandale
10-1
7
6
Waukee
4-1
5
7
Iowa City West
2-2
4
8
Cedar Falls
6-1
12
9
CB Abraham Lincoln
0-0
9
10
Bettendorf
3-2
8
11
Sioux City East
0-0
11
12
Sioux City North
1-0
14
13
Southeast Polk
7-1
NR
14
Pleasant Valley
3-2
13
15
Dubuque Hempstead
1-1
15
Dropped Out: West Des Moines Valley (10)