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Former Cyclone Deon Broomfield named Safeties Coach

Sports

February 19th, 2021 by admin

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State head football coach Matt Campbell announced today that Deon Broomfield, a former standout for the Cyclones in the defensive secondary (2010-13), who already has five years of collegiate coaching experience, has been added to the staff as safeties coach.

“Deon is a person we have paid close attention to as he has moved up the coaching ranks,” Campbell said. “He is an energetic coach who will fit perfectly among our staff. He has a proven record of developing talent in the secondary and we are excited to have him return to his alma mater.”

Broomfield spent a season (2020) as a defensive assistant with the Houston Texans prior to his return to Ames.

From 2017-19, Broomfield mentored the cornerbacks at Indiana State. Rondale Green was an All-MVC performer and Kaelb Newman ranked second in the MVFC and ninth nationally in forced fumbles (3) under his watch.

He was the cornerbacks coach at Western Illinois in 2016 and the safeties coach at Carthage College (Wis.) in 2015.

Broomfield was a standout defensive back for the Cyclones from 2010-13, tallying 133 tackles, four forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, 16 pass breakups and three interceptions in his career.

He started 18 games in his career, including all 12 games in his senior season in 2013. He was fourth on the team in tackles (57) and led the team in pass breakups (6) in his final campaign.

Broomfield is remembered for two significant plays in his Cyclone career. In Iowa State’s upset win over No. 2 Oklahoma State in 2011, Broomfield made the key third-down stop to force the Cowboys into a missed field goal attempt late in the fourth quarter. He also had a key interception in the second OT. ISU eventually won the game, the school’s only victory over a team ranked in the top-two nationally, in double overtime.

In his senior season, Iowa State staged its largest comeback in school history (24 points) in a 52-44 triple overtime win at West Virginia. Broomfield made the final tackle of the game, stopping the Mountaineer two yards short of the goal line on fourth down.

The Palm Bay, Fla., native earned his degree from Iowa State in 2013 and was a member of the Buffalo Bills practice squad in 2014.

Iowa regents consider plan to replace UNI-Dome fabric roof

News, Sports

February 19th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — More than 20 years after it was installed, the University of Northern Iowa plans to replace the UNI-Dome’s fabric roof. The Courier reports that the estimated $7 million to $8 million project was advanced by the Iowa Board of Regents’ property and facilities committee earlier this week. Regents are expected to approve the plan at a meeting Wednesday.

Michael Hager with UNI told the committee that the project would replace only the fabric center portion of the roof. The rest of the roof is a plastic polymer that was installed in 2010 and is under warranty until 2040. The fabric portion, which was last replaced in 1999, was found to be deteriorating in 2019.

 

Cass County Master Gardener Honored with State Award: volunteer donated over 400 hours of time in 2020

Ag/Outdoor, News

February 19th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

Cass County Master Gardener, Todd Turner, was honored by the Iowa Master Gardener Program as an Outstanding Master Gardener for the 2020 Year.  Todd was one of 15 honorees statewide this year.  The award is given to Master Gardeners who have invested more than 400 hours of volunteer time in a year.

Todd Turner and his wife pose in their garden in summer of 2020 (Photo submitted)

The Cass County Master Gardener group has members in many surrounding counties and Todd spent the majority of his volunteer hours working on food donation gardening and local food distribution events. He helped expand the LiveWell Montgomery County Giving Garden, and facilitated donations to 4 food pantries in Red Oak and 1 food pantry in Elliott. In addition to his home garden which is 7500 sq. ft., and the Giving Garden, he also helps with a produce garden at the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital.  Excess produce from Todd’s garden was also donated to the Grow Another Row project and other pantries in Cass County. These donations amounted to 2500 lbs. of fresh produce in 2020. In addition to growing many varieties of vegetables, Todd also enjoys growing unusual varieties, often bringing them to meetings to quiz the members on what he has brought.

Todd is not the only Cass County Master Gardener to be honored by the state program in recent years. In 2016 LaVon Eblen was also recognized as an Outstanding Master Gardener for investing over 400 volunteer hours in the Master Gardener program for the year. In 2019 LaVon was also recognized for over 1000 total hours volunteered as a Master Gardener in Cass County with the Lifetime Service Award.

LaVon Eblen is awarded the Lifetime Master Gardener Award by Extension Director Kate Olson

In total, during the 2020 growing year, Cass County Master Gardeners volunteered over 1,000 hours of service. The Master Gardener Program, offered statewide by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, trains volunteers to develop their knowledge and skills in horticulture. These volunteers then give back to their communities through gardening service and education. The goal of the Master Gardener program is to support horticulture education and community service.  Local Master Gardeners provide many hours of volunteer service and gardening education within their local communities, including demonstration gardens, horticultural education, community grants and scholarship programs, and resources for problem solving in the garden.  Education courses are available throughout Iowa on a regular basis. Applications for the Fall 2021 Program will open on March 1. For more information on the program, contact Cass County Extension Director Kate Olson, at 712-243-1132 or keolson@iastate.edu.

(Update) Police: Suspect injured in shootout with Davenport officer

News

February 19th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Police say a suspect has been injured but is expected to recover following a shootout with a Davenport police officer. The Quad-City Times reports the incident began Thursday morning with a report of an armed robbery. Police developed a suspect in that crime, and just before 6 p.m., a Davenport officer reported that he had spotted a car being driven by the suspect in the earlier robbery. Several police cars converged on the suspect’s car, and police say the suspect rammed one of the police cars before becoming stuck in a snowbank.

Police said that’s when the suspect and an officer exchanged gunfire, although police have not said who fired first in the shootout. Police identified the injured suspect as 30-year-old Clarence Washington of Davenport.

 

Ex-Cyclones DB Deon Broomfield returning to coach safeties

Sports

February 19th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Former Iowa State defensive back Deon Broomfield is returning to the Cyclones to coach the safeties. Broomfield was a defensive assistant with the Houston Texans last season. Before that he coached cornerbacks at Indiana State for three years and at Western Illinois for one. He replaces D.K. McDonald. According to media reports, McDonald is set to become safeties coach for the Philadelphia Eagles. Broomfield played 50 games for the Cyclones between 2010 and 2013.

 

Cass County COVID-19 Vaccination update (2/19)

News

February 19th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

Cass County Public Health officials, Friday, reports CCHS continues to make progress administering the COVID-19 vaccine to eligible residents. At this time, Phase 1A and Tier 1 of Phase 1B are still the only eligible populations.

The Iowa Department of Public Health announced this week that they expect a delay in next week’s shipments due to adverse weather conditions across the country. At this time, Cass County Public Health does not expect these delays to have an impact on their currently scheduled appointments; should that change, they will immediately notify the patients impacted.

Backyard and Beyond 02-19-2021

Backyard and Beyond, Podcasts

February 19th, 2021 by Jim Field

LaVon Eblen speaks with Vince Furlong, Victim Advocate for the Family Crisis Support Network, about his work and services offered for crime victims in the area.

Play

Iowa COVID-19 update, 2/19/21: 15 additional deaths

News

February 19th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Department of Public Health (today, 10-a.m. Friday), reports there are 558 new positive cases in COVID-19 test results returned from the labs over the past 24-hours, for a pandemic total of 331,622 positive cases.  There were also 15 additional deaths, for a pandemic total to-date of 5,336. Statewide, 4,803 COVID deaths are attributed to Underlying causes. COVID was a contributing factor to 533 deaths. Deaths at Long-Term Care (LTC) facilities account for 2,139 of the total number of deaths.

Long-Term Care facility outbreaks declined to 27 Thursday to 24 on Friday. Officials say 675 LTC patients have tested positive for the virus, and 444 have recovered.

The State data show hospitalizations have gone from 252 Thursday to 241 today (Friday). COVID patients in an ICU increased from 59 to 60. The State says 43 people with COVID symptoms were admitted to hospitals over the previous 24-hours, and 26 patients were on a ventilator. In RMCC Region 4 (Hospitals in western/southwest Iowa), 14 are hospitalized with COVID symptoms, five people are in an ICU, two people were admitted over the past 24-hours, and two people are on a ventilator.

Iowa’s statewide positivity rate continues to decline, from 7.2% Thursday to 7.1% Friday, and the 7-day average is down to 5.1%, as compared to 5.4% Thursday.

A total of 307,596 Iowans have recovered from the virus.

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, 1,241 cases; {+2}; 48 deaths
  • Adair, 787; {+5}; 26
  • Adams, 317 {+0}; 3
  • Audubon, 465 {+1}; 9
  • Guthrie, 1,074 {+1}; 28
  • Harrison County, 1,651; {+1}; 68
  • Madison County, 1,379; {+1}; 17
  • Mills County, 1,461; {+1}; 20
  • Montgomery, 958; {+4}; 36
  • Pottawattamie County, 9,663; {+14}; 140
  • Shelby County, 1,136; {+2}; 32
  • Union County,  1,177; {+3}; 31

Class 3-A State Wrestling Quarter-Finals & 2nd Round Consolation Results

Sports

February 19th, 2021 by Jim Field

QUARTER-FINALS

120

  • Trever Anderson (Ankeny) beat Tanner Wink (Lewis Central) TECH FALL 4:00 (19-2)

126

  • Nick Walters (Sioux City North) beat Taber Dominguez (Lewis Central) FALL 4:00

138

  • Dylan Whitt (Cedar Falls) beat Carter Drake (Carroll) DECISION 8-4

145

  • Christian Stanek (Xavier, Cedar Rapids) beat Jude Ryan (CB Abraham Lincoln) DECISION 9-3

152

  • Carson Martinson (Southeast Polk) beat Abraham Dirkx (Carroll) FALL 3:17

2nd ROUND CONSOLATION

120

  • Kane Naaktgeboren (Linn-Mar) beat Tanner Wink (Lewis Central) DECISION 9-8

126

  • Carter Fecht (Waverly-Shell Rock) beat Jaxson Kuhlmann (Carroll) DECISION 8-4
  • Owen Kruse (Fort Madison) beat Taber Dominguez (Lewis Central) DECISION 7-3

138

  • Cayden Langreck (Waverly-Shell Rock) beat Carter Drake (Carroll) FALL 2:00

145

  • Ethan Emmick (Sioux City West) beat Jude Ryan (CB Abraham Lincoln) FALL 5:31

152

  • Abraham Dirkx (Carroll) beat Cole Rutter (Spencer) DECISION 8-2

195

  • Cade Sheedy (Davenport North) beat Jaxson Hildebrand (Denison-Schleswig) MAJOR DECISION 14-5

Man convicted of Iowa hit-and-run that killed professor

News

February 19th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines man who police say intentionally ran over and killed a local college instructor has been convicted of second-degree murder in the case. The Des Moines Register reports that a jury found 50-year-old Jason Sassman guilty on Tuesday. Sassman had been charged with first-degree murder in the April 5 death of 38-year-old Lauren Rice.

Police have said Sassman was using meth when he intentionally ran over Rice as she walked her dog, which also died. Rice was an instructor at Des Moines Area Community. Police say Sassman told investigators he ran down Rice because he believed she was a criminal about to kill someone.