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Police: Man in Des Moines street fatally hit by vehicle

News

September 28th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police say a man who witnesses reported was sitting in a Des Moines street has been hit by a vehicle and killed. Police Sgt. Paul Parizek says the incident happened around 9:30 p.m. Friday on SW 9th Street. Medics arrived to find a 62-year-old Des Moines resident had been hit by a southbound vehicle as it crossed the Racoon River. The man was taken to an area hospital, where he died.

The man’s name had not been released as of Saturday mid-afternoon. Police say the driver of the vehicle did not appear to be distracted or impaired at the time of the incident.

Joensen ordained as Roman Catholic Des Moines Diocese bishop

News

September 28th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Rev. William Joensen has been ordained as the 10th bishop to lead the Roman Catholic Diocese of Des Moines. The Des Moines Register reports that more than 1,500 parishioners witnessed the ordination Friday at St. Francis of Assisi Church in West Des Moines, the diocese’s largest. Pope Francis selected the 59-year-old Joensen, an Iowa native, to replace former Bishop Richard Pates, who retired after holding the role for more than a decade.

In his inaugural address, Joensen addressed young people, saying that “some of the church’s actions in the past merit reproach” and that reproach of that by younger parishioners was to be expected. But he implored them to You are to “be open to the wisdom passed down from generation to generation.”

No. 14 Iowa throttles Middle Tennessee 48-3

Sports

September 28th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Nate Stanley threw for 276 yards and two touchdowns, Toren Young added a career-high 131 yards rushing and 14th-ranked Iowa throttled Middle Tennessee 48-3 on Saturday, moving to 4-0 for just the second time in 10 years. Brandon Smith caught both of Stanley’s TD throws for the Hawkeyes. Iowa gained 644 yards, its most in coach Kirk Ferentz’s 21 seasons in charge. Iowa racked up 358 of those yards in the first half and scored on its first four drives, a stretch headlined by an 18-yard TD throw from Stanley to Smith, to jump ahead 24-0 midway through the second quarter.

Ihmir Smith-Marsette’s 14-yard touchdown run off a jet sweep pushed Iowa’s lead to 34-3 with 2:19 left in the third quarter. Asher O’Hara was 15 of 22 passing for 110 yards for Middle Tennessee (1-3). The Blue Raiders’ defense was gashed for over eight yards a play.

THE TAKEAWAY
Iowa: The Hawkeyes’ first drive — a nine-play, 65-yarder that lasted 3:59 and finished with a 4-yard touchdown run by Mekhi Sargent — was so clinical, so balanced and, frankly, so easy that it set the tone for the day. Iowa pushed around the undersized Blue Raiders from the opening whistle in joining its 2009 and 2015 teams with 4-0 starts.
Middle Tennessee: This was likely the most overmatched the Blue Raiders will be all year. But they’ve got enough to compete for another bowl bid with Conference USA play starting next week.

UP NEXT
Iowa plays at Michigan next Saturday. The 20th-ranked Wolverines pummeled Rutgers 52-0 on Saturday.
Middle Tennessee hosts Marshall on Oct. 5.

LISA STEIN, 55, of Atlantic (Svcs. 10/03/2019)

Obituaries

September 28th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

LISA STEIN, 55, of Atlantic, died Saturday, Sept. 28th, at the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic. Graveside services for LISA STEIN will be held on Thursday, October 3rd at 1:00pm at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Cemetery in Atlantic. Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic has the arrangements.

Visitation with family present and a luncheon will be held Thursday, October 3rd from 11:00am-1:00pm at Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic.

Online condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.

LISA STEIN is survived by:

Her Mother: Roberta Stein, of Atlantic.

Step-Mother: Marilyn Stein.

Sister: Kim Clemons (Friend Calvin Krause)

Brother: Jeff Stein.

MARILEE SOUTH, 86, of Cumberland (Celebration of Life 10/2/19)

Obituaries

September 28th, 2019 by admin

MARILEE SOUTH, 86, of Cumberland passed away on Friday, September 27, 2019, at the Greenfield Rehabilitation and Health Care Center in Greenfield. Celebration of Life services for MARILEE SOUTH will be held 10:30-a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2nd, at the First Baptist Church in Cumberland. Steen Funeral Home in Massena has the arrangements.

The family will greet friends on Tuesday evening from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Steen Funeral Home in Massena.; Online condolences may be left to the family at www.steenfunerals.com.

A luncheon will follow the service at the Cumberland Community Building.

Burial is in the Greenwood Cemetery, Cumberland, Iowa.

Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church in Cumberland.

MARILEE SOUTH is survived by:

Her husband  – R. Clair South, of Cumberland (presently located in the Greenfield Rehabilitation Center).

Her children – Lee (Jenny) South, of Spencer, Nebraska; Vicki (Mike) Morrison, of Massena; Connie (Ted) Henkenius of Arlington, Nebraska, and Cody South, of Martinez, California.

Her sister – Ruth (David) Melena, of Sun City, AZ

12 grandchildren; 23 great grandchildren; other relatives and friends.

Vaping-related illness cases rise in Iowa

News

September 28th, 2019 by admin

Cases of severe respiratory illness associated with vaping continue to be reported across the U.S. and in Iowa. Nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported 805 cases and 12 deaths. In Iowa, there have been 23 reported cases and no deaths. Of the 23 Iowa cases, ages range from 17 to 60 and 18 have reported the use of THC. Mirroring national statistics, most of the cases (78%) have been male. All Iowa cases have recovered.

Nationally, most cases have reported the use of vaping and e-cigarette products containing THC; however, vaping products and devices that do not contain THC have also been reported among affected states. Case numbers will likely continue to increase as this investigation continues.

Iowans should not use vaping and e-cigarette products since the cause of this outbreak is not yet clear and the long-term health impacts of these products are unknown. Patients with a history of vaping who are experiencing breathing problems should seek medical care. Health care providers should ask patients with respiratory illness about the use of vaping and e-cigarette products. Health care providers are asked to report severe respiratory illness in patients with a history of vaping or e-cigarette use to the Iowa Department of Public Health (1-800-362-2736).

To learn more, visit https://idph.iowa.gov/ehi/lung-disease-vaping. Weekly Iowa case counts may also be found on this page.

2020 Democratic hopeful Delaney replaces Iowa state director

News

September 28th, 2019 by admin

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate John Delaney’s Iowa state director has left his 2020 campaign in the first-in-the-nation caucus state.

Monica Biddix had been his state director since January but served on his campaign since June 2018, starting first as his communications director. She said in a statement to The Associated Press on Friday that she was leaving to “pursue other opportunities.”

His campaign announced later Friday that it had named Brent Roske the new Iowa state director. Roske earlier served as Democratic presidential candidate Marianne Williamson’s Iowa state director.

The former Maryland congressman launched his presidential campaign in 2017, making him the longest-campaigning candidate in the field. But he has failed to gain much traction and routinely polls at the bottom of the pack.

He’s scheduled to visit Iowa this weekend.

Oskaloosa mother pleads guilty in toddler daughter’s death

News

September 28th, 2019 by admin

OSKALOOSA, Iowa (AP) — An Oskaloosa woman has pleaded guilty in the 2014 death of her 17-month-old daughter.

Des Moines television station KCCI reports that Alicia Ritenour pleaded guilty Thursday to child endangerment causing death. KCCI says she received a sentence of 50 years in prison with credit for time served.

Ritenour was convicted of first-degree murder in November 2014, but a judge set aside her conviction in December and ordered a new trial after agreeing with her that her trial attorney had been ineffective.

Police went to Ritenour’s Oskaloosa apartment in January 2014 following a 911 call and found 17-month-old Ava Ritenour dead. An autopsy showed she died of head trauma.

Iowa home to 24.9 million pigs, a new record and up 6%

Ag/Outdoor, News

September 28th, 2019 by admin

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa now has 24.9 million pigs on farms, a record number and up 6% from last year.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released the figures Friday for the quarter ending Sept. 1. It showed Iowa farms have just over 1 million breeding pigs and 23.9 million market hogs, or those raised for meat.

The growth in hog numbers comes as environmental groups are trying to force the state to slow expansion of pig farms. A state court judge on Sept. 10 said two environmental groups may proceed to trial in their lawsuit alleging the state’s policy of expanding hog farms and its voluntary farm pollution controls violate the rights of citizens to clean water in the Raccoon River.

The USDA says the national inventory of pigs is at 77.7 million, the highest number for Sept. 1 since records began in 1988.

I-680 from Omaha into Iowa, I-29 stretch in Iowa reopen

News

September 28th, 2019 by admin

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Portions of interstates in Omaha and across the Missouri River in western Iowa have reopened after being closed for several days for flooding.

The Interstate 680 bridge spanning the Missouri River from Omaha to the Interstate 29 interchange in Iowa reopened Friday afternoon, as did I-29 in Iowa from Crescent to Council Bluffs.

The Iowa Department of Transportation tells the Omaha World-Herald that floodwaters have receded and cleanup is complete on the roadways.

The department cautioned that rainfall expected in the area could cause additional flooding that would require the exit and entrance ramps in the area to close again with little or no advance notice.

Flood-related closures continue on both directions of I-29 between the Crescent and the Loveland exits and on Iowa Highways 275 and 333 near Hamburg.