w/ Jim Field and Stacie Linfor
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Just in time for National Work Zone Awareness Week, the Iowa Department of Transportation is launching a new website to keep motorists better informed on the location of major Iowa DOT construction projects that may impact travel. The site, www.iowadot.gov/travel.html#/highwayconstruction, lists interstate and state highway construction projects’ details.
For calendar year 2014, the Iowa Department of Transportation is anticipating approximately $700 million in repairs to Iowa’s state highway system. Cities and counties across the state will have numerous projects underway as well. Remember, in a work zone, a flagger has the same authority as a regulatory sign, so you can be cited for disobeying his or her directions.
Mark Bortle, the Iowa DOT’s traffic safety field engineer, says “We’re excited about the new website for a number of reasons. First, it will help the public get the information they need any time of the day or night. Of course, they can always call one of our offices, but sometimes that isn’t as convenient as just logging on. Launching the site just in time for Work Zone Awareness Week is just another reminder to keep an eye out for the many family members, friends, and neighbors out working on the roads. The work is being done to improve safety for all of us.”
Basic travel can also be found at www.511ia.org or call 511 (in Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide).
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Shelby Miller still hasn’t discovered a way to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates. And while the St. Louis Cardinals right-hander will certainly get plenty of shots over the next few years, he appears no closer to figuring it out now than he was a season ago after the Pirates jumped on him late in a 12-2 loss on Friday night.
The 23-year-old Miller tied a career high by allowing five earned runs in 5 1-3 innings while falling to 0-5 with a 5.92 ERA against the Pirates. He is 16-5 with a 2.34 ERA in his 33 other major league appearances.
Pedro Alvarez homered twice and scored three runs as Pittsburgh cruised in the first meeting between the two clubs since the Cardinals won Game 5 of the NL division series last October on their way to winning the National League pennant.
The start of the game was delayed 1:05 by rain, the third straight time a Cardinals’ game was delayed by weather. The series continues today (Saturday). RHP Joe Kelly will make his season debut for the Cardinals against Pittsburgh’s Francisco Liriano (0-0, 0.00).
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — State prosecutors have requested a change of venue for the trial of a Council Bluffs doctor charged with sexually abusing a 5-year-old girl. Officials say in a motion filed Wednesday that it would be “difficult, if not impossible” to find a fair or impartial jury in Pottawattamie County because of Dennis Jones’ ties to the community. They also cited extensive media coverage of the case.
The Daily Nonpareil reports the Attorney General’s Office is handling the case because Jones served as an expert witness for the Pottawattamie County Attorney’s Office. Jones is accused of inappropriately touching a girl outside of his pediatrics practice and faces a second-degree sexual abuse charge. Court documents show authorities found child pornography during a search of Jones’ home. His attorneys maintain their client’s innocence.
BARBARA CARFREY, 43, of AUDUBON, died Feb. 13th at her home in Audubon. A Celebration of Life Memorial service for BARBARA CARFREY will be held on Wed., Apr 9th at 10:30am, in The Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon.
Burial will be in the Arlington Heights Cemetery in Audubon.
BARBARA CARFREY is survived by her family and friends.
FOR SALE: 2 – 1500 watt car stereo amplifiers $100 each or $175 for both; 8 smaller car stereo amplifiers – $20 each or $100 for the group. 712-304-4998.
The President of Casey’s General Stores today (Friday), recognized Division of Criminal Investigation Special Agent Shelby McCreedy for her selfless actions of stopping an attempted robbery at an Atlantic Casey’s convenience store, while off-duty.
Casey’s President/CEO Robert Myers presents a letter of gratitude to Special Agent Shelby McCreedy. (DPS Photo)
CEO Robert Myers presented Special Agent McCreedy with a framed letter of gratitude from Casey’s for what he says was “going above and beyond the call of duty.”
On January 29th, 2014, 22-year old Brady Thomas Salberg entered the Casey’s store and informed the cashier he had a weapon and demanded the money in the cash register. Special Agent McCreedy noticed the incident unfolding, instructed people in the parking lot not to enter the store, and had her son call 911. Special Agent McCreedy entered the store and ordered Salberg to the floor and held him there until officers from the Atlantic Police Department arrived.
Salberg was taken into custody and charged with 2nd Degree Robbery, a Class C Felony.
JOYCE HANSEN, 87, of ELK HORN died Fri., Apr. 4th at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan. Funeral services for JOYCE HANSEN will be held on Mon., Apr 7th at 11am at The Elk Horn Lutheran Church in Elk Horn. The Ohde Funeral Home in Kimballton is in charge of the arrangements.
Friends may call the church after 10am on Monday morning.
JOYCE HANSEN is survived by:
Her husband, Paul Hansen of Elk Horn.
Her children: Susan Hansen of Kimballton; Linda (Jim) Ballantyne of Boone; Benjamin (Michaela) Hansen of Munich, Germany; Jung Hansen of Medford, OR; and Mark (Monica) Hansen of Minneapolis, MN.
Her Siblings: Alice Hansen of Mesa, AZ; Carol McNair (Robert DeVoe) or Ashland, OR; Jane Wittrup of Albuquerque, NM; John (Rita) Griffith of Seattle, WA; and Gene Griffith of Sohoma, CA.
7 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.
A new health report finds nearly seven-percent of all Iowans have diabetes and the numbers are climbing every year. Chris Carmichael, national spokesman for the Tour de Cure, says the cause of diabetes is still a mystery, but both genetics and environmental factors like obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles. “It’s a growing concern nationally,” Carmichael says. “Nearly 26-million people have diabetes and if this trend continues, by 2050, one in three adults will have diabetes.” In Iowa, the latest studies find six-point-nine percent of the population has diabetes, or about 207-thousand Iowans.
“Almost everybody has been touched by diabetes in some form, whether you have it yourself or a family member or a friend,” Carmichael says. “That’s why we need to get out, get active and raise some money to eventually find a cure that stops it.” Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, a hormone needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. Several bicycling fundraisers for diabetes research are planned in the coming months in Iowa and in the region.
“Go to diabetes.org/tour and you can find out all the information you need to know in order to get signed up and start fundraising for Tour de Cure events,” Carmichael says. Events include: May 31st in Omaha, June 7th in Clive, June 28th in Coralville and July 12th in Sioux Falls. Most have family-friendly rides as short as five or ten miles, with longer options of 20, 50 and 100 miles.
(Radio Iowa)
JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack says he’s confident the agricultural economy will remain strong despite an expected drop in farm income next year as corn prices lag and a pig virus reduces herds. Vilsack, in an interview Friday for “Iowa Press,” the Iowa Public Television program, says this year’s farm income is expected to be slightly under last year’s record but significantly above the 10-year average.
He says another record year of exports for beef, poultry and pork products will help keep the farm economy strong. Challenges include the pig virus, which can be deadly for new-born pigs. Vilsack says it is worrisome but efforts are underway to come up with a vaccine, and the department is working with farmers to minimize losses through herd management.