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BRIAN L. “Swede” JOHNSON, 61, of Exira (Svcs. 12/10/16)

Obituaries

December 6th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

BRIAN L. “Swede” JOHNSON, 61, of Exira, died Dec. 3rd at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Omaha. Funeral services for BRIAN “Swede” JOHNSON will be held 10:30-a.m. Saturday, Dec. 10th, at the Exira Christian Church. Kessler Funeral Home in Exira has the arrangements.

Friends may call at the funeral home, where the family visitation is at 4-p.m. Friday, Dec. 9th.

BRIAN “Swede” JOHNSON is survived by:

His sons – Kyle (Angie) Johnson, Brad (Bridgette) Johnson, and Clint Johnson, all of Exira.

His daughters – Laura Johnson and Katelyn Johnson, both of Exira.

His brother – Bruce (Lermes) Johnson, of Exira.

His sister – Becky (Don) Akers, of Exira.

3 grandchildren, other relatives, special close friends of the family Tracy & Richard Johnston, and other friends.

FLOYD JOHN MERICAL, 84, of Earlham (Svcs. 12/7/16)

Obituaries

December 6th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

FLOYD JOHN MERICAL, 84, of Earlham, has died. A visitation for FLOYD MERICAL will be held from 2-until 3-p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7th at the Earlham United Methodist Church, followed by services at 3-p.m. Johnson Family Funeral Home in Earlham has the arrangements.

Online condolences may be left at www.johnsonfamilyfuneralhome.com

Burial will be held at a later date.

Memorials may be directed to the Earlham United Methodist Church, and/or the American Lung Association, and/or the JDRF Diabetes Association.

NWS forecast for Cass & area Counties in IA: 12/6/16

Weather

December 6th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Early This Morning: Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of light snow. Northwest wind around 15 mph with gusts to around 25 mph.
Today: Sunny, breezy, colder. High around 30. West wind 10 to 20 mph with gusts to around 30 mph.
Tonight: Partly cloudy until early morning then becoming mostly cloudy. Low 15 to 20. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph.
Wednesday: Partly sunny. High in the mid 20s. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph with gusts to around 25 mph.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy. Low around 10. Northwest wind around 15 mph with gusts to around 25 mph.
Thursday: Mostly sunny. Breezy. High 15 to 20. Northwest wind 15 to 20 mph.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy. Low around 10.
Friday: Partly sunny. High in the lower 20s.

Area Boys & Girls basketball scores from Monday, 12/5/16

Sports

December 6th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

BOYS BASKETBALL

Atlantic 67, Red Oak 37 (Scott Leonard scored 17 points, Garrett Franken had 14 and Chase Mullenix and Austin Alexander each chipped in with 10 points)

Charter Oak-Ute 76, Whiting 28

Council Bluffs, Thomas Jefferson 67, Essex 45

Lewis Central 77, Glenwood 61

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Charter Oak-Ute 59, Whiting 28

Essex 48, Council Bluffs, Thomas Jefferson 40

Shenandoah 61, Creston 55

Iowa overpowers Stetson in 95-68 win

Sports

December 6th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Cordell Pemsl muscled in 21 points Monday night as Iowa snapped a four-game losing streak with a 95-68 victory over Stetson. Isaiah Moss, a redshirt freshman, pumped in five 3-pointers and also scored 21 points for Iowa (4-5). Peter Jok collected 15 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Hawkeyes.

Leo Goodman led Stetson (4-6) with 14 points. The Hawkeyes got off to a fast start and had a 14-2 lead a little more than four minutes in. Iowa led 44-28 at halftime and raised the margin to 30 points at 90-60 on another 3-pointer by Moss, who finished with a career high in 3-pointers and points.

Iowa had surrendered 100, 92 and 98 points in its last three games, including a stunning 98-89 loss to Nebraska-Omaha, but the Hawkeyes played a much tighter game against the visitors from Florida.

No. 25 Iowa State pounds Omaha 91-47

Sports

December 6th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Deonte Burton scored 20 points and No. 25 Iowa State pummeled Nebraska-Omaha 91-47 on Monday night, snapping a two-game losing streak. Donovan Jackson had 15 for the Cyclones (6-2), who hit 15 of 29 3=pointers and rolled to their third win of 40 or more points this season.

Iowa State knew it had to take the Mavericks (4-5) seriously after they stunned Iowa on Saturday. The Cyclones never let Omaha think it had a chance, storming ahead 36-9 after just 12 minutes.

Iowa State, which fell six spots in Monday’s AP Top 25 poll but remained ranked for the 61st week in a row, held the Mavs to 28 percent shooting. The Cyclones, not typically known for their defense, have held three of their last four opponents to 56 points or less. Tra-Deon Hollins had 13 points to lead the Mavs.

Iowa/Regional News Headlines: Tuesday, 12/6/16

News

December 6th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:50 a.m. CST

CANNON BALL, N.D. (AP) — A tribal leader says it’s time for Dakota Access oil pipeline opponents to leave a camp along the pipeline route in southern North Dakota where they’ve been protesting for months. The Army has denied a permit for the pipeline to cross under a Missouri River reservoir in the area. Standing Rock Sioux Chairman Dave Archambault said Monday that he doesn’t expect any developments for months.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Republican-controlled Iowa Senate has eliminated a committee that focused on economic growth, and the decision has sparked criticism from the new minority party. Caleb Hunter, a spokesman for Senate Republicans, released an email Monday that says the Senate Economic Growth Committee will no longer exist when the Iowa Legislature returns in January. Hunter says such a committee is redundant and unnecessary.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Department of Education is disputing $1.6 million in charges from a Minnesota company over a software system that repeatedly failed during mandatory statewide elementary school testing. Invoices from Sept. 29 show ongoing financial disputes between the department and TIES services. The state has paid about $551,000 of the nearly $2.2 million billed by TIES. TIES executive director Mark Wolak says the company is focused on ensuring it fixes the issues.

HIAWATHA, Iowa (AP) — A naked man who led police to find a dead body in Hiawatha is accused of breaking into and trying to burn down a church. Cedar Rapids station KCRG-TV says 32-year-old Joseph Hubbard was found wandering naked Friday morning. Police say that led them to conduct a welfare check at a nearby home, where they found the body of 56-year-old Deborah Roman.

Tuition to rise 2 percent next year at 3 Iowa universities

News

December 5th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa (AP) — Thousands of undergraduates at Iowa’s three public universities will pay at least 2 percent more in tuition next year — and maybe an additional 2 percent the following year. The Iowa Board of Regents voted Monday to raise tuition for resident undergraduate students for the 2017-2018 academic year.

The proposal also envisions a 2 percent increase for the 2018-2019 year, but that could be adjusted depending on how much funding that state lawmakers approve for the universities this spring. The vote means that tuition will increase to $7,270 at the University of Iowa and $7,240 at Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa.

The vote came during a meeting at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.

Iowa’s top insurance regulator resigns

News

December 5th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s top insurance regulator has resigned. Gov. Terry Branstad’s office announced Monday that Iowa Insurance Commissioner Nick Gerhart’s resignation will be effective Dec. 23. Deputy Commissioner Doug Ommen will serve as interim insurance commissioner.

Gerhart helped oversee the insurance and securities market in Iowa, including the sale of health insurance. He has made final decisions regarding rate increases on individual health insurance plans offered in the state. Gerhart says in a news release that his term was ending soon and it was the right time to move toward other opportunities and focus on family.

Branstad named Gerhart commissioner in 2012 and he formally took over the post in early 2013. Gerhart previously worked in the private sector.

Clarinda Police Chief warns of Soc. Sec. phone scam

News

December 5th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The Clarinda Police Department wants to remind citizens that if a call is received from an individual representing himself as a Richard Anderson with the Social Security Administration, the CALL IS A SCAM!!! The caller will promise a significant increase in the citizen’s social security benefit, but will require that bank account numbers, birth dates, etc. be provided. The Social Security Administration DOES NOT CONDUCT BUSINESS THIS WAY. IF you receive a call of this type, hang up immediately. DO NOT provide any personal or financial information.  Several calls like this have been made in recent days to area citizens.