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Iowa early News Headlines: Tue., March 20th 2012

News

March 20th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Senate has passed a measure that would give more state support to the University of Northern Iowa than the University of Iowa and Iowa State University. The Democrat-led Senate voted to provide the universities $34 million more than the current year’s funding. Governor Terry Branstad has proposed a $20 million increase. The bill now returns to the Republican-led House.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — The head of the Iowa State University Foundation is stepping down as the university’s new president shapes his executive leadership team. Dan Saftig spent nine years at the helm and the foundation generated more than $1 billion in gifts and commitments. ISU President Steven Leath took office in January and has set a first-year fundraising goal of $100 million.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) —Governor Terry Branstad says he’ll work with lawmakers to restore funding for unemployment assistance and worker compensation. Last week, the Iowa Supreme Court nullified the Iowa Workforce Development’s budget. The governor wants lawmakers to focus on restoring the agency’s funding to prevent 200 layoffs and keep it operating for the remainder of the fiscal year.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — An Iowa man has been sentenced to six months in prison over tax returns for his Nebraska-based business. Sioux City resident Patrick Bohall had pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return in 2003 and admitting he failed to file a tax return for 2004 to 2006. Bohall owns Legacy Financial Services in South Sioux City.

ISU Assistant Easley Leaves Program

Sports

March 19th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State associate head women’s basketball coach Jack Easley is leaving the program after nine seasons. The Cyclones announced Monday that Easley will leave the team at the end of June. Easley spent the past nine seasons working with coach Bill Fennelly, and the pair helped Iowa State to 198 wins during that time. Easley previously spent one season as an assistant at Providence and 19 years with Oklahoma State before joining Iowa State. Iowa State finished 18-13 this season and was knocked out of the NCAA tournament in the first round by Green Bay on Saturday.

CARL BYLUND, 82, of Avoca (3-23-12)

Obituaries

March 19th, 2012 by Jim Field

CARL BYLUND, 82, of Avoca died Sunday, March 18th at Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha.  Funeral services for Carl Bylund will be held on Friday, March 23rd at 10:30 am in the Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Avoca.

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Visitation will be held on Thursday from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the funeral home with the family greeting friends from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

Burial in the Graceland Cemetery in Avoca.

Carl Bylund is survived by:

Wife: Donna

Daughters: DeAnna (David) Woeppel of Waterloo, NE; Cindy Mandelkow of Colorado Springs, CO; Barb Bylund of Avoca.

Son: William (Reva) Bylund of Avoca.

Sister: Lavonne Peterson of Exira.

5 Grandchildren

6 Great-Grandchildren

LINN DALE JOHNK, 61, of Council Bluffs (3-24-12)

Obituaries

March 19th, 2012 by admin

LINN DALE JOHNK, 61, of Council Bluffs died Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at home.  Memorial Services for LINN DALE JOHNK will be held on Saturday, March 24th at 11:00 am in the First Presbyterian Church in Walnut.  Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Avoca has the arrangements.

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Burial will be in the Layton Township Cemetery in Walnut.

LINN DALE JOHNK is survived by:

Aunt: Vera (Milton) Mueller of Walnut.

And many cousins.

Atlantic Police report 3 arrests

News

March 19th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Three people were arrested in Atlantic, Saturday. According to the Atlantic Police Department, 23-year old Cara Larsen, of Atlantic, was arrested for 4th Degree Criminal Mischief. 20-year old Jesse Luft, of Villisca, was arrested on a charge of Simple Assault. And, 27-year old Devin Pritchett, of Atlantic, was arrested for 2nd offense OWI. All three suspects were booked into the Cass County Jail.

Top Ten of Iowa’s Best Burger contest named

News

March 19th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Two southwest Iowa restaurants among the top 10 nominees for the Iowa Beef Industry Council and Iowa Cattleman’s Associations’ “Iowa’s Best Burger”  contest. The nominations were submitted by burger lovers from all over the state, when they answered the question “Who has Iowa’s Best Burger?” After counting the votes, the top ten restaurants for 2012 are ready to move on to the next level: the selection of Iowa’s Best Burger, which will be announced the first week of May. Among the nominees, is The Farmer’s Kitchen in Atlantic, and the Coon Bowl III, in Coon Rapids

In its third year, Iowa’s Best Burger contest received over 4,250 nominations that named 212 restaurants. Elaine Utesch, a Correctionville farmer who is chairman of the Iowa Beef Industry Council said “The nominations covered restaurants over 130 Iowa communities.”  Nominations for the contest were made from Feb. 13th through March 16th, 2012. The Top Ten restaurants were the top vote-getters when all on-line, paper and faxed ballots were counted. 

The top ten restaurants will be visited by a secret panel of judges who will evaluate the nominee’s hamburgers by proper temperature for serving a ground beef patty, appearance and taste. The winner will be named the first week of May as a kick-off to May Beef Month, and will receive a plaque and a media prize package that will include an on-site live radio announcement. All Top Ten restaurants will receive a certificate. To continue to learn more about the contest, you can visit www.iabeef.org or “friend” the Iowa Beef Council Facebook© page. You’ll also find a map showing the locations of the Top Ten restaurants. 

Last year, 3,500 nominations for the Best Burger title were received. The winner was the Rusty Duck in Dexter, while Sac County Cattle Company of Sac City won the inaugural event in 2010.

Arrests made in tractor weight and copper thefts

News

March 19th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office says two people were arrested Friday in connection with the thefts of tractor weights and batteries from numerous pieces of farm equipment in Fremont County, and northwest Missouri. 23-year old Joshua Robert Dasovich and his future mother-in-law, 42-year old Rhonda Kay Corbett, both of Council Bluffs, faces charges of Conspiracy, Trespassing and Possession of Burglary tools. Each faces 15 counts of burglary, 18-counts of theft, and eight counts of Criminal Mischief.

Sheriff’s officials say Dasovich and Corbett allegedly broke into at least 14 different, empty farmhouses and machine sheds. The pair allegedly stole copper from air conditioning units and furnaces, propane tanks and other items. Some of the stolen tractor weights were recovered at Alters Salvage, in Council Bluffs.

The couple was being held in the Fremont County Jail on $5,000 cash bond, each. The Atchinson County Missouri Sheriff’s Office also has requested a “hold” on both suspects.

Lane restrictions on I-29 north of Iowa 2 begin April 2nd

News

March 19th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Department of Transportation reports  asphalt resurfacing and bridge construction work on northbound Interstate 29 north of Iowa Highway 2 will require shifting traffic to one lane in each direction in the southbound lanes at two locations beginning Monday, April 2n, weather permitting. The asphalt resurfacing project is between Iowa Highway 2 (exit 10) and Fremont County Road J-34 (exit 15) near Percival. The bridge construction work is between Fremont County Road J-24 (exit 20) near Thurman and Fremont County Road J-10 (exit 24) near Bartlett. A 16-foot width lane restriction will be in place. The $6.9 million dollar resurfacing and $1.2 million dollar bridge projects are expected to be completed by late summer.

Telephone cable recovered in Fremont County

News

March 19th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office is looking for the owner of a large amount of commercial telephone cable. The cable was recovered March 11th by Sheriff’s deputies, with the assistance of the Tabor Police Department. Anyone with information as to the owner of the cable, is asked to call the Fremont County Sheriff’s Department at 1-800-432-9240.

Sheriff’s Officials report also, Corey Ware, of Thurman, was arrested March 11th on felony charges of Domestic Assault and burglary. The burglary charge they said, was not related to the discovery of the telephone cable. Ware was being held in the Fremont County Jail on $6,000 bond.

Ex-Cardinals Manager Tony La Russa Has Book Deal

Sports

March 19th, 2012 by Jim Field

NEW YORK (AP) — Retired St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa is ready to look back on his amazing career.

William Morrow announced Monday that “One Last Strike: Fifty Years in Baseball, Ten and a Half Games Back, and One Final Championship Season,” is tentatively scheduled to come out this fall. The book will be co-written by Rick Hummel, a longtime reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

La Russa retired last fall after managing the Cardinals to a dramatic World Series title.

The 67-year-old La Russa spent more than 30 years as a manager. His career included three World Series championships — two with St. Louis, one with the Oakland Athletics — and six league championships.

William Morrow is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.