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Red Oak teens arrested for Minors in Possession

News

January 4th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports two Red Oak teens were arrested Monday night for being Minors in Possession of Alcohol. 18-year old Trevor Stapleton and 17-year old Jesse Wilwerding were taken into custody after the vehicle they were in was stopped for speeding on Highway 34 at around 11:45-p.m., Monday. Officials say both teens were found to be under the influence of alcohol. In addition to being a Minor in Possession, Wilwerding, who was driving the vehicle, faces  a charge of Operating a motor vehicle While Intoxicated (OWI).

Harlan woman arrested on drug & alcohol charges

News

January 4th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Harlan Police Department Tuesday, reported 26-year old Amanda Wicker, of Harlan, was arrested Saturday on drug and alcohol charges, following  a traffic stop. Wicker was charged with OWI, driving while revoked, Possession of a controlled substance, prohibited acts, open container, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Wicker posted a $2,000 bond Tuesday, and is scheduled to appear in court for her preliminary hearing on Jan. 19th.

The H-P.D. says also, 29-year old Bruce Spray, of Harlan, was arrested last Thursday, on charges of eluding, and driving while revoked. Spray was being held in the Shelby County Jail on $2,000 bond.

A picture on Facebook resulted in a Harlan teen being charged with 3rd degree theft, an aggravated serious misdemeanor. According to Harlan Police, on Dec. 28th, Susan King filed a police report which alleged 18-year old Spencer Seyler, of Harlan, had taken an ivory necklace from her home. King produced as evidence, pictures posted on Facebook, of Seyler wearing the necklace. A complaint was signed and filed in the Shelby County Clerk of Court’s Office, on Tuesday, Jan. 3rd.

NWS Forecast for Cass & surrounding counties Jan. 4, 2012

Weather

January 4th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

402 AM CST WED JAN 4 2012

TODAY…SUNNY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 40S. WEST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW AROUND 30. WEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

THURSDAY…SUNNY…WARMER. HIGH IN THE LOWER 60S. SOUTHWEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

THURSDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE MID 30S. WEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

FRIDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. COOLER. HIGH IN THE LOWER 50S. NORTHWEST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

FRIDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE UPPER 20S.

SATURDAY…SUNNY…COLDER. HIGH IN THE LOWER 40S.

SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE UPPER 20S. HIGH IN THE MID 40S.

TUESDAY…SUNNY. HIGH IN THE MID 40S.

Romney wins Iowa caucuses, edges out Santorum by a mere 8 votes; & other caucus stories

News

January 4th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has won the Iowa caucuses, edging out former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum by a mere eight votes. Iowa Republican party Chairman Matt Strawn announced the razor-thin margin early Wednesday morning from Des Moines. Strawn says Romney got 30,015 votes, while Santorum received 30,007 votes. Romney and Santorum were never separated by more than dozens of votes, and both sides were acting like it was a win before Strawn’s announcement. Santorum had a late surge from the bottom tier. Texas Congressman Ron Paul finished third, and former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich finished fourth. Texas Gov. Rick Perry says he’ll return to Texas to reassess his bid after coming in fifth. And despite finishing even farther behind, Minnesota Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann said she’s still in the race.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The final votes that helped Mitt Romney win the Iowa caucuses arrived only after a county chairwoman was woken in a panic after midnight. Votes in the final precinct were added to the total early Wednesday morning, giving Romney a victory over Rick Santorum of just eight votes. It also made for a memorable night for Edith Pfeffer, the Clinton County Republican Party chairwoman. Pfeffer got a call from the Romney campaign asking what the figures were for the missing precinct because they hadn’t been recorded. Pfeffer said she gave the figures — 51 for Romney, 33 for Santorum — and went to bed. But she was soon awoken by a friend banging on her windows and was told she needed to report the figures to the state party.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has won most of the delegates in the Iowa Republican caucuses, edging former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum. Romney won a projected 13 delegates and Santorum won 12. Texas Rep. Ron Paul was shut out. Twenty-five delegates were at stake in Tuesday’s caucuses. The Associated Press calculates the number of national convention delegates won by candidates in each presidential primary or caucus, based on state and national party rules. Iowa Republicans use a multi-step process to elect national delegates, starting with local caucuses. In Iowa and other caucus states, the AP uses the results from local caucuses to calculate the number of national delegates each candidate will win, if the candidates maintain the same level of support throughout the process.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police agencies across Iowa are reporting no significant protests or disruptions at caucus sites, which Republican organizers had feared. Police in Des Moines and Cedar Falls say they had no calls related to Tuesday’s caucuses. Assistant Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Director Chari Paulson says no issues have been brought to her attention. The Republican Party of Iowa had warned the leaders of the 1,774 precincts that “disruption-minded individuals” might attempt to interfere with the voting. The party instructed precinct leaders to call police immediately and report incidents to the party. Occupy the Caucuses protesters insisted all along they had no plans to interfere with the voting. They encouraged some activists to show up and vote “no preference” but did not hold any major events Tuesday.

Creighton rolls past Drake 76-59

Sports

January 4th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Doug McDermott had 24 points and Creighton never trailed in rolling to a 76-59 victory over Drake Tuesday night. The Bluejays (12-2, 2-1 Missouri Valley), who fell out of the Top 25 on Monday, scored the game’s first 11 points and held a double-digit lead from the 12:49 mark in the first half. McDermott was 9 for 12 from the field and made all six of his free throws. He also had seven rebounds, matching the game’s highest total. Antoine Young had 18 points and six assists, and Gregory Echenique contributed 10 points and four blocked shots for Creighton, which shot 60 percent from the floor in the game. Ben Simons had 17 points and was the only player in double figures for Drake (8-6, 1-2). The Bulldogs shot 37 percent from the field.

Iowa approves Wellmark’s rate increase

News

January 3rd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Iowa has approved a 9.3 percent rate increase by Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield for individual health insurance premiums. The Gazette says Iowa Insurance Commissioner Susan Voss approved the request last week. The decision means rate increases of up to $45 a month beginning April 1 for 86,000 individual Wellmark policyholders ages 65 and under.

Wellmark insures about 1.8 million Iowa residents, most through employers. The Des Moines-based company proposed the increase, citing rising health care costs. The increase follows an 8.5 percent rise last April and an 18 percent increase in 2010. In the decision, Voss says the “balancing” of the needs of consumers and the solvency of an insurance carrier must be weighed carefully. She says there’s no evidence the increase is discriminatory or excessive.

WANDA LEE BERG, 78 of Cumberland (SVCS 1-5-12)

Obituaries

January 3rd, 2012 by admin

Wanda Lee Berg, 78 of Cumberland, died on Monday, January 2nd at the Atlantic Nursing and Rehab Center.  Funeral services for Wanda Lee Berg will be held on Thursday, January 5th at 10:30 AM at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wiota.  Hockenberry Family Care Funeral Home in Atlantic is in charge of the arrangements.

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Visitation will be held on Wednesday, January 4th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Hockenberry Family Care Funeral Home in Atlantic. 

Burial will be at First Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery in Wiota.

Memorials may be directed to Wiota First Evangelical Lutheran Ladies Aid. 

Wanda Lee Berg is survived by:

Her husband Delmax Berg of Cumberland

Her children Rex Berg of Atlantic and Lin (Kurt) Briley of Omaha

Her sister Norma (Jerry) Anderson of Denver, CO

Two grandchildren

ISU’s Schroll leaves program

Sports

January 3rd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State coach Bill Fennelly says starting guard Jessica Schroll has abruptly left the team. Fennelly tells the Ames Tribune that Schroll, a junior, informed him she was seeking to transfer on Saturday. The university released a statement shortly after last Friday’s win over New Hampshire that Schroll was taking a leave of absence for personal reasons. Schroll averaged 6.9 points a game and had 10 starts for the Cyclones this season. Iowa State (9-2) opens Big 12 play at Oklahoma on Wednesday night.

Perry man received 3 citations after rollover accident in Guthrie County

News

January 3rd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa State Patrol says a Perry man was cited Monday, following a non-injury rollover accident in Guthrie County. 36-year old Jose Fuster Rodriguez was cited for Failure to Maintain Control, Failure to Have a Valid License, and for having no proof of insurance. Officials say Rodriguez was traveling west on 180th Street about 2-miles east of Yale, when the 1995 Ford Aerostar van he was driving went onto the north shoulder of the road. Rodriguez over-corrected, causing the van to roll into the north ditch. The vehicle was declared a total loss. The accident happened at around 4:15-p.m., Monday.

Iowa to revisit ban on lead shot for dove hunting

Ag/Outdoor, Sports

January 3rd, 2012 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa lawmakers are expected to take up the issue of using lead shot in dove hunting this year. The issue surfaced in 2011 ahead of the state’s first dove season in 90 years. The Natural Resources Commission banned lead shot over concerns that it has been linked to the poisoning of birds and other animals. But hunters say lead shot is less expensive and more effective than alternatives. A legislative panel voted in August against the commission’s ban, saying it’s a decision the Legislature should make. If lawmakers don’t act on the issue, the ban will go into effect. The Des Moines Register says Sen. Dick Dearden says he’ll seek a vote this year. The Des Moines Democrat introduced the original dove hunting bill.