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Motte not cleared to throw, may need surgery

Sports

April 10th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals closer Jason Motte faces reconstructive elbow surgery if his condition does not improve in the next three weeks or so. Motte, who had a career-high 42 saves last season, has been shut down since late March because of a strained right elbow. He was not cleared to throw after an MRI exam Tuesday didn’t show sufficient improvement.

General manager John Mozeliak said the team should have a good idea by early May whether the 30-year-old Motte would be able to pitch this season. The news comes a day after stand-in closer Mitchell Boggs was charged with six earned runs in one-third of an inning in the Cincinnati Reds’ nine-run ninth inning.

Posted in Sports |

Iowa early News Headlines: Wed., April 10th 2013

News

April 10th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Republican Party of Iowa has set the dates for the 2014 caucuses and conventions. The precinct caucuses will be Jan. 25, the county conventions March 8, the district conventions April 26 and the state convention June 14. The party meetings come as Iowa Republicans are struggling to map out the state GOP’s future.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Senate has approved legislation that would require children enrolled in the state’s voluntary preschool program to attend regularly. The Senate passed the bill 32 to 17 yesterday. It earlier passed the House and now moves to Gov. Terry Branstad. The measure would allow school districts to require that children enrolled in preschool attend regularly.

MANCHESTER, Iowa (AP) — The murder trial of an eastern Iowa man accused of shooting his grandparents in the head has been reset for later this year. Isaiah Sweet’s trial is now set for Oct. 16. He is charged with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the deaths of Richard and Janet Sweet in May 2012. Their bodies were found on Mother’s Day in their Manchester home.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa officials are monitoring the weather’s impact on pheasant numbers in the state. The Department of Natural Resources says spring nesting season is a critical time for pheasants. Their counts in the state could decrease if temperatures in April and May are below normal and rainfall is above normal. The opposite weather would lead to an increase.

Posted in News |

Lynn strikes out 10 as Cardinals top Reds 5-1

Sports

April 10th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Lance Lynn struck out 10 in six sharp innings and rookie Matt Adams connected for his first career pinch-hit homer as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-1 on Tuesday night. Reds starter Bronson Arroyo (1-1) retired the first 15 batters. The Cardinals broke through in the sixth, with Adams hitting a two-run homer and Allen Craig and Carlos Beltran also driving in runs.

St. Louis bounced back nicely a day after the Reds roughed up the bullpen for nine runs in the ninth inning of a 13-4 rout that made for a sour home opener. Brandon Phillips had a sacrifice fly and Shin-Soo Choo had two hits for Cincinnati. The Reds were held to five hits, ending a run of four consecutive games with double-figure hit totals. Choo has four straight two-hit games.

Posted in Sports |

Man Arrested on Probation Violation Warrant

News

April 9th, 2013 by admin

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of 35-year old Jeremy Joel Binns of Council Bluffs today (Tuesday). Binns was arrested on a Montgomery County District Court Warrant for Violation of Probation. Binns is being held on $10,000 bond.

Posted in News |

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued until 1-a.m. Wed. for far SW IA

News, Weather

April 9th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

THE SEVERE STORMS PREDICATION CENTER IN NORMAN, OK., HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 545 PM CDT TUE APR 9 2013, UNTIL 1-A.M. WED., APRIL 10TH.

THE WATCH COVERS FREMONT, MILLS, MONTGOMERY & PAGE COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST IOWA.

Posted in News, Weather |

EUGENE “GENE” WESTPHAL, 89, of Fontanelle (Svcs. 4/12/13)

Obituaries

April 9th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

EUGENE “GENE” WESTPHAL, 89, of Fontanelle, died Tue., April 9th, at the Good Samaritan Society in Fontanelle. Celebration of Life  services for GENE WESTPHAL will be held 1:30-p.m. Fri., April 12th, at the St. John’s Catholic Church in Greenfield. Steen Funeral Home in Fontanelle has the arrangements.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 11th from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Steen Funeral Home in Fontanelle with the family greeting friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday evening. Online condolences may be left to the family at www.steenfunerals.com.

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

Burial will be in the Fontanelle Cemetery. Full Military Graveside Rites will be held by the Fontanelle American Legion Carlson Post No. 247. A luncheon will follow the burial at the church.

EUGENE WESTPHAL is survived by:

His son – Larry Westphal of Fontanelle.

His daughter – Mary Rink and husband Ron of Fontanelle

1 granddaughter, a great granddaughter, other relatives and friends.

Posted in Obituaries |

I-80 westbound bridge near Casey open to 1 lane of traffic

News

April 9th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Department of Transportation reported Tuesday afternoon, that the inside lane of Interstate 80 westbound near Casey (Exit 83), is open to traffic. Both westbound lanes had been blocked due to an accident that happened Monday night, where an oversize load struck the bridge underpass.

Iowa DOT picture shows damage to the I-80 westbound concrete bridge support beams caused by an over-size/over-height excavator load hauled on a truck. The damage occurred late Monday night, just south of Casey.

Posted in News |

Sioux City man arrested for illegal shooting of a wild turkey

Ag/Outdoor, News

April 9th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports a Sioux City man has been arrested on several counts resulting from the alleged illegal shooting of a wild turkey north of Pisgah, in Monona County. 47-year old Phuoc Nguyen pleaded guilty to not having a valid turkey tag, illegal method of harvesting a turkey by using a rifle, shooting a turkey out of season, abandonment of dead or injured wildlife and shooting a rifle on or over a roadway. He faces fines totaling more than $700 and liquidated damages for the turkey of $200. The turkey and a Marlin .22-caliber rifle with scope were seized.

The investigation began after Chase Durfee, a technician for the DNR Forestry Bureau, was contacted by a citizen on March 19th.  Durfee identified Nguyen’s vehicle and followed it, observing Nguyen stopping at one point and moving an uncased rifle from the front to the rear of the vehicle. Jeff Poen, park ranger for Lewis and Clark State Park, stopped Nguyen’s vehicle on I-29 where an uncased gun was observed. Durfee and Poen located and recovered the turkey that had been shot on state forest land near the Boy Scout Camp, north of Pisgah. Nguyen was later charged by DNR Conservation Officer Steve Griebel.

Nguyen still faces a charge of having an uncased gun in the vehicle in Harrison County. DNR Conservation Officer Dave Tierney said this is another case that underscores the importance of citizens providing eye-witness information when they see illegal activity taking place. A good option for providing the information is through the Turn In Poachers hotline, 1-800-532-2020.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

LARRY L. KESSLER, 74, of Atlantic (Svcs. Private Commital Service)

Obituaries

April 9th, 2013 by admin

LARRY L. KESSLER, 74, of Atlantic died Sun., Apr., 7th at the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic. There will be a private commital service for LARRY L. KESSLER. Roland Funeral Service has the arrangements.

Friends may call Roland Funeral Service and condolences may be left online at www.rolandfuneralservice.com

Burial will be in the Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Van Meter.

LARRY KESSLER is survived by:

His daughter, Michelle Lake

Posted in Obituaries |

Tuesday Local Sports Postponements

Sports

April 9th, 2013 by Jim Field

  • Atlantic Middle School Boys Track meet at Atlantic has been postponed to a date TBD.
  • Girls golf vs. Glenwood at Atlantic has been postponed to a date TBD.
  • Atlantic Boys and Girls Tennis vs. Glenwood has been postponed to a date TBD.
  • The Boys Varsity Cyclone Track meet at Harlan has been postponed to Saturday, April 13th, 2:00 pm.
  • Audubon Girls and Boys Golf is postponed to a date TBD.
  • Griswold has postponed the Girls Tiger Relays today. Potential make-up date is May 2nd.

Posted in Sports |