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Iowa will pay anti-abortion protesters’ legal bills

News

December 2nd, 2019 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The state of Iowa has agreed to pay $130,000 in legal bills for two eastern Iowa anti-abortion rights protesters who successfully challenged a portion of the state’s disorderly conduct law.

Anthony Miano and Nicholas Rolland, both of Davenport, frequently read aloud from the Bible and preach on public sidewalks outside abortion clinics. They sued Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller and Johnson County Attorney Janet Lyness last year after Miano was found in violation of a law making it a simple misdemeanor to create loud and raucous noise near residences or public buildings that cause unreasonable distress to occupants.

On Sept. 26, U.S. District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger found a section of the Iowa Code unconstitutionally vague because it subjects speakers to criminal punishment based on the reactions of third parties. She ordered the state to pay legal fees for Miano and Rolland.

On Monday, the Iowa Appeal Board approved payment of $127,300 to the Virginia-based American Center for Law & Justice, a Christian-based activist group, and $6,742 to Iowa-based Munro Law Office.

Posted in News |

Judge halts enforcement of Iowa’s newest ag-gag law

Ag/Outdoor, News

December 2nd, 2019 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A federal court judge says the state of Iowa cannot enforce its latest attempt to stifle undercover investigations of livestock farms and denied the state’s efforts to dismiss a lawsuit challenging this year’s so-called ag-gag law.

The Republican-led legislature passed the state’s second such law in March, two months after a federal judge struck down the previous 2012 law, saying it violated constitutional free-speech rights. The new law created a trespass charge for undercover investigators. Lawmakers claimed they crafted it more narrowly to avoid free speech claims.

However, U.S. District Judge James Gritzner said in his ruling filed Monday that the animal rights and civil rights groups filing the lawsuit had raised enough legal issues to allow the case to proceed. Gritzner also prohibited the state from enforcing the law while the lawsuit moves forward.

Similar laws in Idaho and Utah have been struck down as unconstitutional.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

AP Women’s College Basketball Top 25 12/02/2019

Sports

December 2nd, 2019 by admin

The top 25 teams in The Associated Press’ women’s college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Dec. 1, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and last week’s ranking:

Record Pts Prv
1. Stanford (23) 8-0 740 3
2. Louisville (5) 8-0 708 8
3. Oregon 6-1 662 1
4. UConn (2) 6-0 657 4
5. Oregon St. 7-0 623 7
6. South Carolina 8-1 609 5
7. Baylor 7-1 597 2
8. Florida St. 7-0 517 12
9. Maryland 7-1 507 9
10. Mississippi St. 8-1 472 10
11. UCLA 7-0 430 11
12. Texas A&M 5-1 429 6
13. NC State 8-0 397 12
14. Indiana 6-1 368 17
15. Kentucky 7-0 367 14
16. DePaul 6-1 291 16
17. Tennessee 7-0 230 20
18. Gonzaga 6-1 218 22
19. Michigan St. 6-1 184 15
20. Arizona 7-0 182 24
21. Miami 5-2 144 19
22. Missouri St. 7-1 101 –
23. Arkansas 7-1 94 25
24. Michigan 6-1 42 –
25. LSU 7-1 41 –

Others receiving votes: Syracuse 29, Florida Gulf Coast 28, South Dakota 27, West Virginia 24, Minnesota 10, Notre Dame 5, North Carolina 5, Rutgers 3, Northwestern 3, Purdue 2, Colorado 1, Creighton 1, TCU 1, Drake 1.

Posted in Sports |

AP Men’s College Basketball Top 25 12/02/2019

Sports

December 2nd, 2019 by admin

The top 25 teams in The Associated Press’ college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Dec. 1, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and last week’s ranking:

Record Pts Prv
1. Louisville (48) 7-0 1599 2
2. Kansas (3) 6-1 1497 4
3. Maryland 8-0 1446 5
4. Michigan (9) 7-0 1429 —
5. Virginia (5) 7-0 1424 7
6. Ohio St. 7-0 1244 10
7. North Carolina 6-1 1162 6
8. Kentucky 6-1 1096 9
9. Gonzaga 8-1 1095 8
10. Duke 7-1 1083 1
11. Michigan St. 5-2 964 3
12. Arizona 9-0 875 14
13. Oregon 6-2 785 11
14. Auburn 7-0 698 18
15. Memphis 6-1 652 16
16. Seton Hall 6-2 629 13
17. Florida St. 7-1 562 —
18. Baylor 5-1 466 19
19. Dayton 5-1 386 —
20. Colorado 6-0 371 21
21. Tennessee 6-1 331 17
22. Washington 5-1 222 23
23. Villanova 5-2 192 22
24. Butler 7-0 165 —
25. Utah St. 7-1 112 15

Others receiving votes: Florida 111, Xavier 91, San Diego St. 89, Saint Mary’s (Cal) 86, Oklahoma St. 85, Texas Tech 43, West Virginia 28, Purdue 24, DePaul 18, Arkansas 17, Indiana 13, Penn St. 9, Stephen F Austin 7, Oklahoma 6, Liberty 5, Notre Dame 2, Richmond 2, VCU 2, Delaware 1, SMU 1.

Posted in Sports |

November below normal in temperature and precipitation, above in snow

News, Weather

December 2nd, 2019 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa/KJAN weather data) — State Climatologist Justin Glissan says November was below normal in a couple of areas. “Temperature wise — we were at 32-point-four degrees Fahrenheit — which is four degrees below average,” according to Glissan. “Looking at the precipitation side of things, we were at one-point-four inches. Which is about six-tenths below average.

In Atlantic, our average High for the month was 45, the average Low was 23, and we received just .85” (eighty-five one-hundredths) of an inch of precipitation (including both liquid and frozen forms), which was one-inch below normal. Statewide, Glissan says snowfall was the one area that was above normal for November. “We had four-point-four inches statewide — which is about two inches above average. And a majority of that fell in the northern part of the state,” Glissan says.

Atlantic was on the low side of the snow, however, at just 1.1 inches for the month. We entered the winter season on Sunday and Glissan says the outlook calls for more precipitation than normal in the coming months. “We’re looking at December, January, February. We do have a precipitation signal in the climate outlook that show us an elevated change of wetter than normal conditions all across the upper Midwest. In fact stretching from Seattle all the way to the east coast and down to Missouri,” Glissan says. “So yes, we’re in that higher probability of wetter than average conditions.”

He says there isn’t a clear read on what the temperatures will be like. He says we are in what’s called an E-C or equal chance of above, below or average temperatures moving into winter. Glissan says December is normally the third driest month of the year.

Posted in News, Weather |

Epenesa, Duncan named B1G Players of the Week

Sports

December 2nd, 2019 by admin

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa junior defensive end A.J. Epenesa has been named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week and junior kicker Keith Duncan has been named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week, following Iowa’s 27-24 win at Nebraska. The announcement was made Monday by the Big Ten office.

Epenesa (6-foot-6, 280-pounds) is a native of Glen Carbon, Illinois, (Edwardsville High School) and earns the fourth weekly honor of his career and second of the season (Minnesota). Duncan (5-foot-10, 180-pounds), a graduate of Weddington, North Carolina, High School, earns his third weekly honor of the season (Iowa State, Illinois), and fourth of his career.

Epenesa set career highs in tackles (14) and tackles-for-loss (4.5-22 yards), with nine solo tackles and two sacks against Nebraska. Epenesa has recorded six sacks in his last five games. He leads the team with nine and ranks sixth in the Big Ten in sacks per game (0.75). His nine quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles are also team bests.

Epenesa is also one of five candidates for the Lott IMPACT Trophy Defensive Player of the Week (http://lottimpacttrophy.org/ player-of-the-week-2019/).

Epenesa led the Big Ten and ranked ninth in the nation last season with 10.5 sacks. He earned preseason All-America honors from six publications and was named to watch lists for the Nagurski, Bednarik, Lott, and Hendricks awards.

Duncan connected on a 48-yard field with one second remaining to help lead Iowa to a 27-24 win over Nebraska. It was Duncan’s second field goal of the game (49, 48). His 29 field goals made are the most in the NCAA this season, a single-season school record, a Big Ten record, and tied for the sixth-most in NCAA single-season history.

Duncan is 29-of-34 on field goal attempts this season, including 14-of-18 on tries of 40-plus-yards, and is a perfect 25-of-25 on PATs. Duncan’s 38 career made field goals are the sixth-most all-time in school history. He is also one of three finalists for the Lou Groza Award.

Iowa (9-3, 6-3) will learn its bowl destination Sunday, Dec. 8.

Posted in Sports |

Iowa considers settling stalking lawsuit filed by 3 workers

News

December 2nd, 2019 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The state of Iowa is proposing to settle a lawsuit filed by three men who worked at the Department of Revenue and claimed they were harassed by another male coworker who followed them into the restroom and secretly videotaped them. The lawsuit was filed by Daniel Wagner, Lloyd Lofton and Joshua Bates, who claim when they reported Kenneth Neal Kerr’s intrusive behavior to supervisors they failed to appropriately act, and it continued for several years.

Kerr was investigated and fired in 2015. He was charged and pleaded guilty in 2016 to invasion of privacy and sexually motivated stalking. The three men sued their supervisors and the state in 2017. The State Appeal Board will consider a recommendation by the state solicitor general to settle the lawsuit for $900,000 at a meeting Monday.

Posted in News |

Bedford man arrested for OWI/1st offense

News

December 2nd, 2019 by Ric Hanson

A traffic stop Nov. 28th in Page County resulted in the arrest of 20-year old Cody Dale Sleep, of Bedford. He was taken into custody for O.W.I. 1st Offense and transported to the Page County Sheriff’s Office where his bond was set at $1,000.

Posted in News |

Clarinda man arrested for alleged Election Misconduct & Perjury

News

December 2nd, 2019 by Ric Hanson

The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports a Clarinda man was arrested sometime over the past couple of weeks on felony Election Misconduct and Perjury charges. On November 19th, the Page County Attorney presented a complaint to the Page County Sheriff, alleging 29-year old Bradley Aeron Haley, of Clarinda, committed the offenses, following a complaint filed by the Page County Auditor. The Page County Sheriff’s Office then began an investigation into the complaints. Haley was arrested in Clarinda, and was being held in the Page County Jail on $10,000 bond pending future court appearances.

Posted in News |

Vehicle vs. pedestrian accident in Red Oak Saturday evening

News

December 2nd, 2019 by Ric Hanson

Authorities in Red Oak say Red Oak Police and Red Oak EMS/Fire took a report Saturday evening of a vehicle versus pedestrian accident in the alleyway of 108 W. Elm Street. Upon further investigation, it was discovered 64-year old Russell Duane Tyler, of Shenandoah, was backing his van, when he struck Wanda M. Olson, pinning her between his van and a van owned by a woman from St. Joseph, MO.

Olsen was transported by EMS to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital for medical evaluation. Officials say the accident happened on private property. Damage to the second van was estimated at $400.

In other news, Red Oak Police are investigating a vehicle hit-and-run property damage accident. Officials say sometime between 9:30-p.m. and 11:50-p.m. Friday, someone sideswiped two legally parked vehicles on Eastern Avenue. Damage to a 2014 Chrysler 200 owned by Ricky Behrens, of Red Oak, and a 2007 Town and Country Van owned by Dale Fish, of Red Oak, amounted to $5,500 altogether. The incident remains under investigation.

Posted in News |