The latest on IA Officer shootings: Both graduated from Simpson College

November 2nd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

An Iowa college says two Des Moines-area police officers who were ambushed and killed were both graduates of its criminal justice program. Simpson College President Jay Simmons says the deaths of Des Moines Sgt. Anthony Beminio and Urbandale officer Justin Martin are tragic and the loss is “almost too much to bear.”

Police say a white man with a history of racial provocations and confrontations with police killed the two officers in separate incidents early Wednesday. Beminio graduated from Simpson College in Indianola in 2001 and played football.

Martin graduated last year. Professor Fred Jones remembers him as a “kind, gentle, compassionate man” who went into police work because he wanted to serve the public. Martin had interned at the Urbandale Police Department during his senior year.

Simpson’s wrestling team will wear blue socks to honor the officers at its meet Thursday.

Posted in News |

Cyclones’ Morris named Preseason AP All American

Sports

November 2nd, 2016 by admin

Grayson Allen of Duke and Ivan Rabb of California lead The Associated Press’ preseason All-America team.

Jason Hart of Villanova, Dillon Brooks of Oregon and Monte Morris of Iowa State round out the team released Wednesday.

Allen, a 6-foot-5 junior guard, received 61 votes from the 65-member national media panel that selects the weekly poll. Rabb, a 6-11 sophomore, had 55 votes, two more than Hart, a 6-5 senior swingman.

Brooks, a 6-7 junior forward, was named on 30 ballots and Morris, a 6-3 senior guard, had 24.

Sophomore Thomas Bryant of Indiana and freshmen Markelle Fultz of Washington and Josh Jackson of Kansas all received 18 votes.

Posted in Sports |

Chiefs’ Smith to miss game vs Jaguars; Foles to start

Sports

November 2nd, 2016 by admin

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith will miss Sunday’s game against Jacksonville after his head bounced hard off the turf twice during last weekend’s game in Indianapolis.

Nick Foles will start in his place and Tyler Bray will serve as the backup.

Smith said Wednesday he never failed any of the concussion tests administered after each of the blows, the second of which knocked him from the game. But after consulting with coach Andy Reid and others in the front office, it was decided he would not be active this week.

Smith will run the practice squad and hopes to play next week at Carolina.

Foles was sharp in relief against Indianapolis, going 16 of 22 for 223 yards with two touchdowns and no picks in the Chiefs’ 30-14 victory.

Posted in Sports |

Chiefs’ Jamaal Charles has exploratory surgery on knee

Sports

November 2nd, 2016 by admin

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Running back Jamaal Charles had exploratory surgery on his right knee Wednesday as the Chiefs try to determine why there is lingering pain from reconstructive surgery last season.

The surgery was performed by Dr. James Andrews, who has repaired both of his torn ACLs.

Charles was placed on injured reserve, which means he will miss at least eight weeks. The four-time Pro Bowl running back could conceivably return for the playoffs, but that appears to be a longshot.

Charles tore his right ACL in Week 5 last season. The Chiefs hoped he would be ready this season, but a series of setbacks limited him to 12 carries over three games

The Chiefs are also likely to be without Spencer Ware for Sunday’s game against Jacksonville. He had not passed the league’s concussion protocol after getting hurt last weekend in Indianapolis.

Posted in Sports |

Accounts set-up for slain Officers’ Memorial contributions

News

November 2nd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The Des Moines Police Officer’s Credit Union has set up two accounts to accept memorial contributions for Sgt. Anthony Beminio and Officer Justin Martin.

Sgt. Beminio

Officer Martin

Donations can be made through debit or credit cards via the Square Store at https://squareup.com/…/des-moines-police-officers-credit-un….

They will also accept in-person donations at each of their locations. Checks can be made payable to “Officer Justin Martin” or “Officer Justin Martin Memorial Fund” and can be mailed to the Credit Union’s main office at 423 East Court Avenue Des Moines, IA 50309.

Posted in News |

STEM Council awards new STEM BEST Partners in Iowa

News

November 2nd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Governor’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Advisory Council has awarded 10 new STEM BEST® (Businesses Engaging Students and Teachers) Partners across Iowa. STEM BEST Partners transform typical K-12 classroom environments and methods to unite the workplace with the classroom and develop clear pathways from STEM education to STEM careers in the state. Since 2014, the STEM Council has established eight STEM BEST Partners that currently serve as examples of these school-business partnerships.

The STEM Council’s executive committee voted unanimously on Monday to award and support 10 of 14 proposed partnerships that bring to the table a total cost-share commitment of $566,234 and more than 60 business and community partners. Nearly $250,000 in STEM Council investment is made possible through a combination of state and private funds and is divided equally among the 10 awardees to purchase equipment and provide teacher training.

Among the newest STEM partnership districts, is the IKM-Manning Schools. Each selected program submitted an in-depth proposal, considering factors like education driven by industry need, rigorous, relevant and dynamic STEM curriculum and authentic partnerships.

To learn more about the model and the current eight STEM BEST partners, visit www.IowaSTEM.gov/STEMBEST.

Posted in News |

Slain Iowa Police officers identified

News

November 2nd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

(Will be updated)

Des Moines Police Sgt. Paul Parizek has identified the two Police Officers killed in the shootings early this (Wednesday) morning. The Officers were Sgt. Anthony “Tony” Beminio with the Des Moines Police Department, and Officer Justin Martin of the Urbandale Police Department.

Officer Martin

Sgt. Beminio

Sgt. Beminio had served on the Des Moines Police force since 2005, while Officer Martin was with the Urbandale P-D since 2015. Martin was single, while Beminio was married with children.

The suspect, 46-year old Scott Michael Greene, of Urbandale, was arrested after he surrendered to a state Department of Natural Resources officer. Sgt. Parizek says Scott Michael Greene flagged down the officer in rural Dallas County, west of Des Moines, and presented his identification. He was taken into custody and is now being treated at a Des Moines hospital.

Parizek says Greene is suspected in the killings but hasn’t yet been charged.

Posted in News |

Hancock man arrested following an incident at an Avoca bar

News

November 2nd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports one person was arrested following an investigation into an incident at a bar, in Avoca. Authorities say 40-year old Charles Raymond Bird, of Hancock, was arrested at around 3:30-a.m. today (Wednesday), after a Pott. County Deputy located him walking down an alley near his home. Bird allegedly harassed customers at the bar. He left the scene only to return again a short time later, and after leaving for a second time, was driven home by a resident in Avoca.

Bird was charged with Disorderly Conduct and Public Intoxication. Authorities say at the Pott. County Jail, Bird was too intoxicated to be booked-in. He was transported by medics to Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs and held prior to being returned to the jail.

Posted in News |

Iowa Insurance Division Hosts “Iowa Fraud Fighters” Lunch and Learn in Creston

News

November 2nd, 2016 by Ric Hanson

CRESTON, IA – The Iowa Insurance Division (IID) announced today (Wednesday), it will host an Iowa Fraud Fighters lunch and learn public education program on Nov. 17 at the Supertel Inn and Conference Center, 800 Laurel Street in Creston. The program will educate and empower Iowans to combat and report investment and insurance fraud.The lunch and learn series is a new initiative of IID’s statewide “Iowa Fraud Fighters – Shield Your Savings” public education program.

“Over the last three years, we’ve held 18 Iowa Fraud Fighters forums throughout Iowa,” said Iowa Insurance Commissioner Nick Gerhart. “This lunch and learn series brings our important fraud-prevention message to more Iowa communities.”

According to Gerhart, con artists are targeting Americans age 60 and older, swindling more than 7 million Americans out of almost $3 billion each year. Unfortunately, many smart Iowans have fallen victim to these very slick and sophisticated investment scammers, and some have lost their entire life savings.

“Our goal in holding a Creston lunch and learn program is to help educate Iowans on common scams and arm them with tools and tips to prevent and report fraud,” said Craig Goettsch, IID director of investment education and community outreach, as well as a Creston program presenter and panelist. “Whenever there is a possibility to make changes – such as open enrollment for both Medicare and the ACA plans, it is prime time for scammers to call and misrepresent themselves as a government agency, ask for personal information or account numbers, and try to steal your identity. Medicare will never call you and ask you for personal information, such as your Medicare number, which most likely is your Social Security number.”Registration for the lunch and learn begins at 11:30 a.m., lunch is served at noon and the program concludes at 1:30 p.m. Informational booths staffed by the Iowa Insurance Division and Iowa Attorney General’s office will be open prior to the lunch for attendees to pick up important materials on how to prevent and report fraud, as well as Medicare-related materials from the Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP), which is a part of the Iowa Insurance Division.

To RSVP for the complimentary lunch and learn program, call toll-free at 866-559-7114, or fill out the online form at www.IowaFraudFighters.gov by Nov. 10. This free event is limited to the first 100 respondents and is funded partly from fines and settlements collected from scammers. Caretakers of senior parents and grandparents are also encouraged to attend the forum and learn more.

Posted in News |