United Group Insurance

Iowa women win at Indiana.

Sports

February 6th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Hawkeye women outscored Indiana 48-33 in the second half to roar away to an 83-64 victory on the road in Big Ten play on Sunday. Kamille Wahlin had 22 points and six assists while Mellisa Dixon had five three pointers and finished with 19 points. It was Iowa’s first game without standout guard Jamie Printy, who is out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury. Iowa coach Lisa Bluder says it will take a complete team effort to replace Printy. Iowa is 6-5 in the Big Ten and 14-10 overall.

Recent hazing cases provide “teachable moment”

News, Sports

February 6th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

An instructor at the University of Northern Iowa is hoping the publicity surrounding several recent hazing incidents in Iowa schools serves as a “wake up call” to coaches, athletes and others about the problem. Jennifer Waldron, and associate professor of health, physical education and leisure services, has conducted several studies on hazing or bullying in sports. Waldron says many athletes she interviewed perceived hazing as just harmless fun, when in reality, the conduct could be illegal. “There’s also huge a social acceptance and social pressure…so many athletes talk about, ‘it’s not something I wanted to do, but I wanted to be seen as a real teammate or I wanted to be accepted by my teammates, so I went through it even though I wasn’t necessarily comfortable with or it made me stressed out,’ or there are other ramifications of it,” Waldron said. Waldron said some athletes she questioned noted their coaches even played a role hazing, while others enforced a strict, no tolerance policy toward such activity.

“Most of the athletes said their coach knew that hazing was going on, but as long as no one got hurt and there were no ill consequences the coach heard about, then it would be okay,” Waldron said. Hazing or bullying cases involving high school wrestling team have surfaced in Iowa this season. In at least three cases, criminal charges have been filed.  “I’m hoping that, we in the state, use this as a teachable moment and try to be proactive before more cases break,” Waldron said. Waldron has given lectures at anti-hazing workshops and is currently collecting data on better prediction methods in initiation rituals among sports teams.

(Pat Curtis/Radio Iowa)

PAUL WILLIAM NIHSEN, 77, of Minden (Svcs 2-8-12)

Obituaries

February 6th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

PAUL WILLIAM NIHSEN, 77, of Minden, died Fri., Feb. 3rd, at the Midlands Living Center. Funeral services for PAUL NIHSEN will be held Wed., Feb. 8th at 11-a.m. at the Minden United Church of Christ. Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Avoca has the arrangements.

————————————————————————–

The family will greet friends at the church from 10am-11am Wed. (one-hour prior to the service).

Burial will be in the Minden Cemetery at a later date.

PAUL NIHSEN is survived by:

His wife – Judith Nihsen, of Minden.

His daughter – Kelly (Mark) Martin, of Shelby.

His sons – Nick (Lorie) Nihsen, of Kevil, KY; & David (Kerri) Nihsen, of Omaha, NE.

His brothers – Harley (Shirley) Nihsen, of Minden; Grant (Lois) Nihsen, of Crescent; & Elden (Beth) Nihsen, of Council Bluffs.

Sisters-in-Law: Erma Nihsen of ELKhorn, NE & Lavon Nihsen of Council Bluffs.

12 grandchildren & 12 great-grandchildren.

Bluffs Grocery Store robbed Sunday

News

February 6th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

Police in Council Bluffs are looking for a man they say robbed a grocery store Sunday evening. Sgt. Chad Geer, with the Council Bluffs P-D’s Criminal Investigations Division says at around 6:55-p.m., a black male entered the Aldi’s Store at 3135 Manawa Center Drive, and demanded money. The suspect, who was described as being about 5-feet, 10-inches tall, left the store with an undetermined amount of cash. No injuries were reported. The incident remains under investigation.

Forecast for Cass & surrounding counties, Monday (2-6-12)

Weather

February 6th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

351 AM CST MON FEB 6 2012 NWS/ Des Moines 

FREEZING FOG ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM CST THIS MORNING

for CASS, ADAIR, ADAMS. AUDUBON, GUTHRIE, CARROLL, CRAWFORD, MADISON, UNION, TAYLOR & RINGGOLD COUNTIES.

….DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 10-A.M. FOR MONONA, HARRISON, POTTAWATTAMIE, MILLS, MONTGOMERY, FREMONT & PAGE COUNTIES….

TODAY…CLOUDY UNTIL LATE AFTERNOON THEN BECOMING PARTLY SUNNY. AREAS OF DENSE FREEZING FOG IN THE MORNING. HIGH IN THE MID 30’S. SOUTHWEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. ISOLATED FLURRIES AFTER MIDNIGHT. LOW IN THE LOWER 20’S. WEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH SHIFTING TO THE NORTH AROUND 15 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 25 MPH AFTER MIDNIGHT.

TUESDAY…CLOUDY. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF LIGHT SNOW IN THE MORNING…THEN SCATTERED FLURRIES IN THE AFTERNOON. BREEZY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 20’S. TEMPERATURE STEADY OR SLOWLY FALLING IN THE AFTERNOON. NORTH WIND 15 TO 20 MPH. CHANCE OF SNOW 20 PERCENT.

TUESDAY NIGHT…CLOUDY…COLDER. LOW 5 TO 10 ABOVE. NORTH WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

WEDNESDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 20’S. WEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW 5 TO 10 ABOVE. HIGH IN THE LOWER 30’S.

Dense Fog Advisory (Update 3:10-a.m.)

Weather

February 6th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT & PAGE Counties…

DENSE FOG ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM CST THIS MORNING

* VISIBILITY…WIDESPREAD VISIBILITIES OF A QUARTER MILE OR LESS ARE EXPECTED IN THE ADVISORY AREA.

* IMPACTS…WITH TEMPERATURES BELOW FREEZING AND WIDESPREAD FOG…FREEZING FOG ON SURFACES IS LIKELY WHICH MAY CREATE SLICK SPOTS…ESPECIALLY ON UNTREATED ROAD SURFACES. THE DENSE FOG WILL ALSO MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT IN THE ADVISORY AREA.

*PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A DENSE FOG ADVISORY MEANS VISIBILITIES WILL FREQUENTLY BE REDUCED TO LESS THAN ONE QUARTER MILE. IF DRIVING…SLOW DOWN…USE YOUR HEADLIGHTS…AND LEAVE PLENTY OF DISTANCE AHEAD OF YOU.

Dense Fog Advisory for far west/southwest IA until 9-a.m. Monday

Weather

February 6th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

COUNTIES: MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-FREMONT
DENSE FOG ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CST MONDAY

* VISIBILITY…WIDESPREAD VISIBILITIES OF A QUARTER MILE OR LESS ARE EXPECTED IN THE ADVISORY AREA.

* IMPACTS…WITH TEMPERATURES BELOW FREEZING AND WIDESPREAD  FOG…FREEZING FOG ON SURFACES IS LIKELY WHICH MAY CREATE SLICK SPOTS…ESPECIALLY ON UNTREATED ROAD SURFACES. THE DENSE FOG WILL ALSO MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT IN THE ADVISORY AREA.

(updated 4:29-a.m.) FREEZING FOG ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM CST MONDAY

Weather

February 6th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

(Issued 412 AM CST MON FEB 6 2012 NWS/Dsm)

COUNTIES INCLUDED IN THE ADVISORY: CRAWFORD-CARROLL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A FREEZING FOG ADVISORY WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM CST MONDAY. 

* VISIBILITY…VISIBILITIES WILL RANGE FROM ONE EIGHTH TO ONE HALF MILE. 

* IMPACTS…IN ADDITION TO LOW VISIBILITIES…FROST COVERED ROADS ARE POSSIBLE WITH ICY CONDITIONS POSSIBLE. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… 

A FREEZING FOG ADVISORY MEANS VISIBILITIES WILL FREQUENTLY BE REDUCED TO LESS THAN ONE QUARTER MILE. IF DRIVING…SLOW DOWN…USE YOUR HEADLIGHTS…AND LEAVE PLENTY OF DISTANCE AHEAD OF YOU. ALSO…BE ALERT FOR FROST ON BRIDGE DECKS CAUSING SLIPPERY ROADS.

RUSSELL STRABLE, 61, of Massena (Svcs 2-9-12)

Obituaries

February 6th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

RUSSELL STRABLE, 61, of Massena, died Sat., Feb. 4th, at the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic.  Funeral services for RUSSELL STRABLE will be held 10:30-a.m. Thu., Feb. 9th, at the Steen Funeral Home in Massena.

Family visitation at the funeral home is from 5-7pm Wed., Feb. 8th. Online condolences may be left to the family at www.steenfunerals.com

Memorials may be directed to the Russell Strable Memorial Fund, to be established by the family.

Burial will be in the Victoria Township Cemetery, south of Massena.

RUSSELL STRABLE is survived by:

His wife – Dixie, of Massena.

His children – Rusty Strable, of Sheldahl, and Kristie (Merle) McKinzie, of Polk City.

His step-children: Pam Aincham, of Atlantic, and Brian Swails (Mitzie Hamilton), of Omaha, NE.

3 grandchildren,  3 great-grandchildren, 1 step-grandchild, other relatives, and friends.

Omaha man dies after fall at Iowa casino

News

February 5th, 2012 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — An Omaha man has died from injuries sustained in a fall at a Council Bluffs casino. The 62-year-old man fell Friday afternoon at Ameristar Casino-Hotel. Council Bluffs Emergency Medical Service Operations Manager Rick Benson said that the man was going from the second floor to the third floor of the casino on an escalator when he stumbled and fell over a railing, dropping 20 to 25 feet to the first floor. The man was taken to an Omaha hospital, where he died. Benson declined to release the man’s name.