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Offline Iowa nuclear plant eyed as site of solar project

News

March 18th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A decommissioned eastern Iowa nuclear plant could become the site of a new massive solar energy project. The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that NextEra Energy of Florida this week laid out plans with nearby landowners to build a solar farm near the now-idle Duane Arnold Energy Center. The company said the project, planned for 2023, could bring in a $700 million capital investment and about 300 construction jobs. The solar farm would stretch across 3,500 acres near the plant in Palo and would produce up to 690 megawatts of solar energy — even more than the nuclear plant had generated.

 

Iowa COVID-19 update for 3/18/21: No LTC outbreaks; 426 new cases; nine additional deaths

News

March 18th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Department of Public Health’s Coronavirus dashboard, today (10-a.m., Thursday), shows 436 additional positive test results for COVID returned from the labs, for a total of 372,219, and nine additional deaths, for a pandemic total of 5,666. Long-Term Care facility deaths account for 2,224 of the total number of deaths across the state.

There are NO Long-Term Care (LTC) facility outbreaks to report. Hospitalization data show: 171 Iowans are hospitalized with COVID (10 more than on Wednesday); 41 are in an ICU; 27 people were admitted to a hospital across the state, and 19 patients remain on a ventilator.

RMCC Region 4 hospitals (those in western/southwest Iowa) show those hospitalized with COVID are at 16, eight people are in an ICU, there were three people admitted, and four people remain are on a ventilator.The 14-day and seven-day positivity rates are steady at 3.9% each.

In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases by County; The # of new cases since yesterday {+} – if any; and the total number of deaths in each county to date:

  • Cass, 1,386 cases; {+1}; 52 deaths
  • Adair, 947; {+1}; 31
  • Adams, 329 {+3}; 4
  • Audubon, 495 {+1}; 9
  • Guthrie, 1,189 {+3}; 28
  • Harrison County, 1,815; {+1}; 70
  • Madison County, 1,613; {+0}; 18
  • Mills County, 1,666; {+1}; 20
  • Montgomery, 1,048 {+3}; 36
  • Pottawattamie County, 11,023; {+13}; 149
  • Shelby County, 1,263 {+0}; 34
  • Union County,  1,280; {+0}; 31

There are NO Iowa nursing homes reporting Covid outbreaks this morning

News

March 18th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – From one to none. Another positive milestone in Iowa’s pandemic experience, as the state website with coronavirus data now shows there are NO Covid outbreaks in Iowa nursing homes this (Thursday) morning. State officials say a nursing home is cleared from being labeled with Covid outbreak status if the facility goes 28 days without a new positive case among residents and staff. Yesterday, the Vista Wood Care Center, which Radio Iowa incorrectly reported Tuesday as being in the town of Wapello rather than in Wapello County — was shown to have two active cases. A total of 13 residents and staff had tested positive for the virus in March. The facility has now gone four weeks without a new case of Covid.

Last spring, the state of Iowa began listing classifying nursing homes as being the site of a Covid outbreak is at least three residents tested positive for the virus. This (Thursday) morning, the state website shows 22-hundred-24 long term care residents have died of Covid during the pandemic. State officials say they do not have a list of how many of Iowa’s 436 nursing homes had Covid outbreaks.

Atlantic Parks & Rec seeks renters for raised garden bed boxes

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 18th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

If you have a “Green thumb” or an interest in growing your own produce or even flowers, the Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department is offering you the opportunity to do so, through the use of one of 10 raised garden bed boxes in the Community Gardens at Mollett Park. The park is located at 1020 E. 3rd Street Place, which curves off of N. Mulberry Street and has a cul-de-sac. Parks and Rec Director Bryant Rasmussen says when you rent one of the boxes. you can plant just about anything, and they even give you some of the tools needed to make your garden grow.

The raised gardens are designed to show people they can become self-sufficient by raising their own food for themselves and/or others.

The raised beds allow nutrients in the soil to be stored in the box, and they allow for proper soil drainage.

The boxes can be rented for $35 each.

Rasmussen says a couple of the main rules are, to make sure what you’re growing doesn’t encroach on a neighboring garden box, and that any use of chemicals not be sprayed or drift onto adjacent boxes. For more rules and regulations, or more information, contact Bryant Rasmussen, Atlantic Parks & Rec Director, at (712)-243-3542.

(Podcast) KJAN News, 3/18/21

News, Podcasts

March 18th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

More area and state news from Ric Hanson.

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CHAD EDWARDS, 51, of Fontanelle (Celebration of Life June 12, 2021)

Obituaries

March 18th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

CHAD EDWARDS, 51, of Fontanelle, died Feb. 18th, in Omaha. A Celebration of Life service for CHAD EDWARDS will be held at 2-p.m. Saturday, June 12th, 2021, at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fontanelle. Please feel free to wear Iowa Hawkeye, Dallas Cowboy or Bridgewater-Fontanelle attire to the service. Steen Funeral Home in Fontanelle has the arrangements.

Food and fellowship will be held at the Greenfield Golf and Country Club immediately following the service at the church.

Burial will be held at a later date.

Memorials may be directed to Chad Edwards memorial fund to be established by the family at a later date.

CHAD EDWARDS is survived by:

His Wife – Kathy (Branson) Edwards, of Fontanelle.

His Mother and Father: Robert Diane (Wiggins) Edwards, of Greenfield.

His sister – Valerie Edwards (Gabe Sloss), of Kiron.

Other relatives, in-laws, and friends.

Garza named USBWA First Team All-America, Oscar Robertson Trophy Finalist

Sports

March 18th, 2021 by admin

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa senior Luka Garza was voted to the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) First-Team All-America team. The announcement was made by the USBWA on Wednesday.

Joining Garza on the first team are Ayo Dosunmu of Illinois, Gonzaga’s Corey Kispert, Jared Butler of Baylor, and Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham.

Among the first-team selections, Garza, Dosunmu, and Kispert are the finalists for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, presented to the national player of the year by the USBWA. The winner of the award will be announced on April 1 in a virtual event in conjunction with the Final Four in Indianapolis, the hometown of Oscar Robertson.

The USBWA is one of four outlets used by the NCAA to determine its consensus All-America teams (Associated Press, National Association of Basketball Coaches, United States Basketball Writers Association, and Sporting News). Garza has already been named to the first-team All-America squad by Sporting News and the Associated Press. The NABC is expected to make its announcement in the coming days.

Iowa has had an All-American in three of the last six seasons. Garza is a two-time first-team honoree (2020, 2021), while Jarrod Uthoff was a second-team selection in 2016.

Garza is also a finalist for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, Naismith Trophy, Wooden Award, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, Senior CLASS Award, and the Lute Olson Award.

Garza (6-foot-11, 265 pounds) has led the eighth-ranked Hawkeyes to 21 victories this season, including wins in eight of their last 10 contests. The Washington, D.C., native leads the nation in total points (687); player efficiency rating (35.84); 30-point games (7); field goals made (258); and 20-point games (19). Garza is seventh nationally in free throw makes (134) and attempts (188), and 10th in double-doubles (13).

The two-time Big Ten Player of the Year averaged 21.9 points per game during the 20-game conference schedule, becoming the third player since 1990 to lead the Big Ten in scoring in consecutive seasons (Michigan State’s Steve Smith and Evan Turner of Ohio State).

Garza broke the Iowa’s 32-year old scoring record held by Roy Marble on Feb. 21, 2021. His 2,246 points rank eighth-best in Big Ten history. In addition to ranking first in career scoring, Garza is tops at Iowa in conference scoring (1,399), total field goals made (847), field goal attempts (1,558), and 40-point games (2); second in rebounds (916) and 30-point games (12); fourth in double-doubles (34); fifth in blocked shots (153); sixth in free throw makes (439) and attempts (625); and 13th in 3-pointers made (113). He is the only men’s basketball player in Big Ten history to accumulate 2,200 points and 900 rebounds.

No. 2 seed Iowa (21-8) will open NCAA Tournament play on Saturday against 15th-seeded Grand Canyon (17-6). Tipoff is scheduled for approximately 5:25 p.m. (CT) at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis.

Joens earns AP Honorable Mention All-America Honors again

Sports

March 18th, 2021 by admin

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State women’s basketball junior Ashley Joens earned honorable mention All-America honors for the second-consecutive year.

The Iowa City, Iowa native, averaged a career-best 23.6 points per game, while shooting a career-best 46.7 from the floor. She added 9.2 rebounds per game. Joens led the Big 12 in scoring, for the second-straight season and ranks ninth nationally in scoring.

Joens’ was also honored yet again as a unanimous selection to the All-Big 12 First-Team, along with a Top-5 Finalist for the Cheryl Miller Award. She was recently named a Second-Team All-American by Sports Illustrated.

Joens has tallied 613 points on the season, which ranks fourth in school history. Her 1,615 career points are just five points shy of tying Alison Lacey (1,620) for 10th in school history.

Iowa State returns to the court on Monday, March 22 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Iowa State earned a No. 7 seed and will take on 10th-seeded Michigan State.

Clark named AP All-American

Sports

March 18th, 2021 by admin

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa freshman Caitlin Clark was named a second team AP All-American, the Associated Press announced on Wednesday.

Clark is the eighth Hawkeye to be named an AP All-American, and is the first Iowa women’s basketball freshman to earn the distinction. She joins Hawkeye greats Kathleen Doyle, Megan Gustafson, Samantha Logic, Jaime Printy, Kachine Alexander, Cara Consuegra, and Amy Herrig. P. Sue Beckwith, MD, Head Coach Lisa Bluder has coached seven of the eight AP All-Americans.

In 27 contests this season, Clark averaged 26.7 points, 7.2 assists, 3.8, 3-pointers and shot 47 percent from the field. She registered double figures in all but one of Iowa’s games, including 11 30-point games and 13 additional 20-point games. Clark assisted on five or more baskets 21 times and recorded double-doubles in nine contests, including one triple-double.

Clark leads the nation in total points (720), points per game (26.7), total assists (195), and 3-pointers made (103). She ranks second in assists per game (7.2) and 3-pointers per game (3.81), ranks seventh in free-throws made (141), 29th in free-throw percentage (86), and 38th in 3-point percentage (40.6).

Clark, the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, was a unanimous first team All-Big Ten and Big Ten All-Freshman Team selection. She was also named a member of the Big Ten All-Tournament team.

Clark is a Naismith Player of the Year semifinalist, a Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year finalist, and a Dawn Staley Late Season finalist.

Clark and the Hawkeyes are headed to San Antonio, Texas, for the 2021 NCAA Tournament. Iowa will play Central Michigan in the first round on Sunday, March 21 at 11 a.m. (CT) inside the Alamodome.

Iowa State volleyball adds match at Creighton on March 27

Sports

March 18th, 2021 by admin

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State has added a match to its volleyball schedule, ISU announced Wednesday. The Cyclones will travel to Omaha on Saturday, March 27 to take on Creighton in a 4 p.m. match at D.J. Sokol Arena.

The Cyclones and Bluejays have been familiar foes over the years, as this will mark the fifth-straight season the two programs have met. The last meeting came in the 2019 NCAA Volleyball Championship First Round in Minneapolis, which the Bluejays won 3-0. The two teams last met in Omaha in 2018, with the hosts picking up a 3-1 win that day.

Creighton, No. 24 in this week’s AVCA Top 25, currently own an 8-2 overall record, 5-1 against Big East competition. The Bluejays are coming off a 2-0 weekend at Butler and make a trip to Kansas State this weekend prior to taking on the Cyclones next Saturday. The match will serve as Creighton’s final tune-up before hosting the Big East Tournament Apr. 2-3.

Iowa State’s next scheduled match will be at home on Friday, March 26 against Wayne State. The match at Hilton Coliseum will start at 4 p.m.