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Iowa early News Headlines: Saturday, 6/9/18

News

June 9th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Board of Regents has announced that one of its members has resigned. Dr. Subhash Sahai resigned Friday, with less than a year before his term was set to expire. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that Sahai was appointed to his seat in 2013. His term was set to expire April 30. Sahai is currently the medical director of the Van Diest Family Health Clinic in Webster City. No reason was given for Sahai’s resignation in the board’s news release announcing it.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — Police in the northern Iowa’s Mason City say two apartment complexes near an overflowing creek have been evacuated. Police say the decision to evacuate Autumn Park and Chelsea Creek apartment complexes on Friday came after nearly 6 inches of rain fell in the area, swelling nearby Chelsea Creek. Police said the creek’s water levels were slowly receding Friday, but that the threat of more rain later Friday and Saturday still posed a flooding threat.

ESTHERVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Police in northwestern Iowa are investigating the death of an infant from Estherville. Estherville police said Friday that 11-month-old Jasmine Rodriguez Sebastian died Wednesday at a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, hospital, two days after she was taken there for undisclosed reasons. Estherville police, the Emmet County Attorney’s Office, the Iowa Department of Human Services and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation are investigating the girl’s death.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police say that body found on a Des Moines sidewalk was that of a 17-year-old boy. Police identified him as Tyrese Parson, who lived in Des Moines. The body was found early Friday morning. Police say he’d been shot and that the case is being investigated as a homicide. No arrests have been reported.

Langer takes 1-shot lead at PGA Tour Champions event in Iowa

Sports

June 8th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Bernhard Langer returned for a three-week break to shoot an 8-under 64 and take the first-round lead Friday in the PGA Tour Champions’ Principal Charity Classic. Langer closed the bogey-free round with a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th at Wakonda Club. The 60-year-old German star took the brief break in part to attend his son’s high school graduation.

“I think I have a pretty good idea now how to play the golf course,” Langer said. “When I had to get up and down I got most of them up and down, and just bogey-free is always fun.”

Glen Day and Woody Austin were a stroke back, and defending champion Brandt Jobe was at 66 with Jerry Kelly, Tom Lehman and Doug Garwood. Day opened 66-67 last year at Wakonda, then faded with a 76. “That was real easy. I had about three Coors Lights, we got in the car, drove home. It was no big deal,” said Day about moving past his finish in 2017. “That’s long gone.” On Friday, he had four birdies in a six-hole stretch on his final nine.

Austin, in search of his fourth senior win, shot a 31 on the front nine. Jobe struggled so much during the pro-am Thursday that he spent an extra two hours hitting balls in an effort to correct his swing. “It was worth it. I needed to,” Jobe said.

Mark Calcavecchia, the 2016 winner, withdrew after two holes for what tour spokesman Chris Richards said were family reasons.

Psychologist: No one is immune from lure of suicide, rates rising in Iowa

News

June 8th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Two high-profile celebrity deaths this week have vaulted suicide back into the headlines, as suicide rates in Iowa are rising. T-V chef Anthony Bourdain and fashion designer Kate Spade reportedly took their own lives. Dr. Jonathan Sikorski, a psychologist in Omaha-Council Bluffs, says Spade was known to have depression, anxiety and may have been bipolar, all of which can be treated.

“Bipolar, absolutely, depression, absolutely, you have that chemical imbalance but really, when it comes to suicide, no one is immune,” Dr. Sikorski says. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for Iowans between the ages of 15 and 34. A report from the Centers for Disease Control finds the suicide rate in Iowa rose more than 36-percent between 1999 to 2016. Sikorski says to be watchful of certain signs in friends, co-workers and loved ones.

“If you see them all of the sudden talking about how they feel like they’re being a burden to others or they have pain they feel is just unbearable or they, all of the sudden, start giving things away,” he says, all could raise a red flag. Sikorski says people can sometimes be pushed over the edge without being clinically depressed or suffering from other mental health issues.

“There’s always that risk that you have this right combination of little sleep and just life stressful events,” he says, “that no one’s really above being in that point of desperation.” Sikorski, who works at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, says if you believe a friend or family member is at risk, you should sit down with them and have a talk.

“One of the best things you can do is just straight-up asking them,” he says. “Say, ‘I know you’ve been feeling really low and having a hard time. Do you feel safe? Have you thought about hurting yourself or others?’ Talk to them about if they have any reason to live. A lot of times when people are really down, they’re like, ‘I don’t want to be here but I have my kids.'” On average, one person dies by suicide in Iowa every 20 hours. For help, contact the Iowa chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. (https://afsp.org/)

(Radio Iowa)

Member of Board of Regents resigns abruptly

News

June 8th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

A member of the nine-person board that governs the three state universities has abruptly resigned. Subhash Sahai (suh-BAHSH suh-HY), a doctor from Webster City, was appointed to the Board of Regents by Governor Terry Branstad in 2013. His six-year term was scheduled to end next spring. The board’s president announced Sahai’s immediate departure from the board in a news release, but gave no reason for Sahai’s resignation.

Sahai came with his family from India to Iowa in 1967 when he was 18 years old. He went to the University of Northern Iowa and Iowa State and earned his medical degree from the University of Iowa. He’s been a doctor in Webster City since 1976. Sahai was absent from yesterday’s (Thursday’s) Board of Regents meeting. In 2015, Sahai was the only member of the board of publicly raise concerns about the private meetings other board members had with Bruce Harreld before Harreld applied to be president of the University of Iowa.

Sahai supported Harreld’s hiring, but argued the private meetings left the impression Harreld had been chosen before the formal hiring process started. Governor Kim Reynolds will name a replacement to serve out the remaining 10 months of Sahai’s term on the Board of Regents.

(Radio Iowa)

Flooding sees 2 Mason City apartment complexes evacuated

News

June 8th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — Police in the northern Iowa’s Mason City say two apartment complexes near an overflowing creek have been evacuated. Police say the decision to evacuate Autumn Park and Chelsea Creek apartment complexes on Friday came after nearly 6 inches of rain fell in the area, swelling nearby Chelsea Creek.

Police said the creek’s water levels were slowly receding Friday, but that the threat of more rain later Friday and Saturday still posed a flooding threat. Because of that, the apartment residents were being asked to stay away from the complexes. Police say a Salvation Army emergency shelter will remain open until the threat passes.

City officials say water still covered low-lying roads in the city on Friday.

Wastewater discharge near Carroll stopped

News

June 8th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

CARROLL—Wastewater flowed into a drainage ditch on the east side of Carroll Thursday afternoon after a bridge contractor struck a sewer main. The Iowa DNR says Dixon Construction and the city of Carroll acted quickly to plug the pipe and divert the untreated wastewater.

Carroll city officials estimate less than 500 gallons were released near the intersection of U.S. Highway 30 and N. Grant Road. An unknown amount of wastewater traveled 1.4 miles through a drainage ditch before reaching the Middle Raccoon River.

The city hopes to complete repairs today (Friday) once parts are available. DNR will continue to monitor the situation and consider appropriate enforcement action.

Girls State Soccer Semifinals Scoreboard 06/08/2018

Sports

June 8th, 2018 by Jim Field

Class 1A Semifinals

Davenport Assumption 5, Center Point-Urbana 1
Bishop Heelan 1, Iowa City Regina 0

Class 2A Semifinals

Lewis Central 2, Spencer 0
Waverly-Shell Rock 3, Pella 1

Class 3A Semifinals

Ankeny Centennial 2, Waukee 0
Ankeny 2, West Des Moines Valley 1

(update) Body found on sidewalk identified as that of Des Moines teen

News

June 8th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police say a body found on a Des Moines sidewalk was that of a 17-year-old boy. Police identified him as Tyrese Parson, who lived in Des Moines. Officers and medics sent the scene around 6:30 a.m. found the body. Police say he’d been shot and that the case is being investigated as a homicide. No arrests have been reported.

Estherville infant death investigation

News

June 8th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Officials with the Estherville Police Department say the death of an 11-month old child is under investigation. Jasmine Rodriguez Sebastian was transported to Avera Holy Family Hospital in Estherville at around 2:48-p.m., Monday, and subsequently transferred to a hospital in Sioux Falls, SD. Jasmine died at the hospital Wednesday, June 6th. The Estherville P-D, Emmet County Attorney’s Office, Iowa Dept. of Human Services, and Iowa DCI are investigating the circumstances surrounding her death. Additional information will not be released by authorities at this time.

CHARLES D. VIETH, 96, of Atlantic (Gathering of family & friends 6/15/18)

Obituaries

June 8th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

CHARLES D. VIETH, 96, of Atlantic, died Friday, June 8th, at the Heritage House, in Atlantic. A gathering of family and friends for CHARLES VIETH will be held 3:30-p.m. Friday, June 15th, at the Heritage House, in Atlantic. Hockenberry Family Care Funeral Home in Atlantic has the arrangements.

Memorials may be directed to the Heritage House Good Samaritan Fund.

A private family burial will be held.

CHARLES D. VIETH is survived by:

His wife – Ruth Vieth, of Atlantic.

His daughter – Ellen (Dr. John) Barnard, of New Albany, GA.

His son – Christopher (Laura) Vieth, of Lansing, MI.

and 3 grandchildren.