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Carpenter’s 2-run homer in 11th lifts Cards over Reds 7-5

Sports

April 12th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

CINCINNATI (AP) – Matt Carpenter hit a two-run homer off Kevin Gregg in the 11th inning, lifting the St. Louis Cardinals over Cincinnati 7-5 Sunday in a game that featured the major league debut of Cuban right-hander Raisel Iglesias for the Reds.
Carpenter’s 392-foot drive to center on a full-count pitch from Gregg (0-1) followed Kolten Wong’s single.  Carlos Villanueva (1-0) pitched two innings, working out of a bases-loaded jam in the 10th by striking out Todd Frazier.

St. Louis took two of three in the series and has won 13 consecutive three-game series against Cincinnati. Iglesias allowed three runs and five hits in five innings with two walks and four strikeouts. Signed last July to a $27 million, seven-year contract, he became the first Reds player since Mike Leake in 2010 to reach the majors without playing a minor league game.

Research shows soaring nitrate levels in Iowa rivers

Ag/Outdoor, News

April 12th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa farmers efforts to control the spread of nitrates in recent years appears to be helping but research shows that levels of the fertilizer byproduct have soared in the state’s major rivers. The Des Moines Register reports  that nitrate levels have more than tripled since the 1950s to more than 7 milligrams per liter in 2010.

Researcher Keith Schilling says the upward trend in nitrate levels is unmistakable. Schilling studies nitrate levels for the Iowa Geological Survey at the University of Iowa. Last month, the Des Moines Water Works sued Buena Vista, Calhoun and Sac counties over high nitrate levels. The utility has invested in costly measures to control nitrates in drinking water.

Three western IA men graduate from DPS Basic Academy

News

April 12th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Three western Iowa men graduated Friday, from the 39th Iowa Department of Public Safety Basic Academy. The three were among nine recruits to be sworn in as peace officers for the State of Iowa during the commencement ceremony held at the Iowa Army National Guard Freedom Center at Camp Dodge.

(The graduates are shown in the pictures below with IA Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds and Gov. Terry Branstad. Click on the picture to enlarge)

Trooper Austen Farver, from Atlantic, is assigned to District 16. Trooper Farver attended Des Moines Area Community College where he obtained his Associates degree in Criminal Justice.

Trooper Austen Farver

Trooper Austen Farver

Trooper Michael Kannas

Trooper Michael Kannas

Trooper Matthew Raes

Trooper Matthew Raes

Trooper Michael Kannas, from Corning, is assigned to District 3. Michael attended Iowa State University majoring in Criminal Justice.

Trooper Matthew Raes, from Council Bluffs, is assigned to District 16. Matt attended Thomas Jefferson High School in Council Bluffs. While in high school, Matt took college classes through Iowa Western Community college.

For the past 21 weeks, the recruits have completed courses on laws of arrest, search and seizures, defensive tactics, arrest techniques, precision driving, firearms, emergency management services, criminal law, human relations, physical fitness and motor vehicle law, along with many other courses.

Iowa looks to rebound after 7-6 season

Sports

April 12th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Perhaps the most crucial spring practice session of Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz’s 17-year tenure reached the halfway point Saturday. For the third spring game in a row, the Hawkeyes travelled to West Des Moines, Iowa – just minutes away from the state capitol and about a 30-minute drive from Iowa State’s spring scrimmage on Saturday.

Iowa is coming off a disappointing 7-6 season and must replace key starters on both sides of the ball. The offensive and defensive lines are in flux, and C.J. Beathard has taken over at quarterback for Jake Rudock, who will transfer after losing the starting job. “It’s our ninth practice,” Ferentz said. “Depth is always an issue in spring practice and it’s certainly something we’ll continue to develop.”

Red Oak woman arrested for OWI Sunday morning

News

April 12th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

A traffic stop early this (Sunday) morning in Montgomery County, resulted in the arrest of the driver of a 2012 KIA, on an OWI charge. 23-year old Whitney Marie Stephens, of Red Oak, was pulled over in the 2300 block of Highway 48, at around 1:45-a.m.

Stephens was charged with OWI/1st Offense, and brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where she was being held on $1,000 bond.

Audubon man arrested Saturday for a parole violation

News

April 12th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office reports 55-year old Kent Clarence Henriksen, of Audubon, was arrested at around 6:30-p.m. Saturday, on an outstanding Department of Corrections warrant for Parole Violation. Henriksen initially resisted arrest, but was taken into custody and transported to the Audubon County Jail, where he was being held without bond, until a further court order. Audubon Police assisted in conducting the arrest.

Traffic stop results in the arrest of a NE man on drug charges in Montgomery County

News

April 12th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

A Nebraska man was arrested on drug charges Saturday evening, after the SUV he was driving was pulled over for speeding, in Montgomery County. Sheriff’s officials say a 2013 Ford Expedition driven by 43-year old Robert Michael Smith, of Omaha, was pulled over at around 6:15-p.m. on Highway 34. During the course of the stop, the Montgomery County K9 Unit was deployed and K9 “Rex” alerted to the presence of narcotics coming from the vehicle.

A search of the SUV resulted in the recovery of about 48 grams of a substance suspected to be marijuana, prescription medications, and numerous items of drug paraphernalia. Smith was arrested on charges that include Possession of Marijuana, Unlawful Possession of Prescription medications, and Possession of drug paraphernalia. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond.

Shenandoah man arrested on four charges, Saturday

News

April 12th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Police in Red Oak arrested a Shenandoah man Saturday afternoon on multiple charges. 21-year old Tyler Lynn Gobert was taken into custody at around 4:50-p.m. on three counts of Unauthorized Used of a Credit Card, and Interference with Official Acts. Gobert was arrested in the 400 block of east Sunset Avenue and brought to the Montgomery County Jail, where he was being held on $2,000 cash bond.

NWS weather forecast for Atlantic & the area, 4/12/15 (Updated 5:12-a.m.)

Weather

April 12th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Today: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 68. Windy, with a south wind 11 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before midnight. Cloudy during the early evening, then gradual clearing, with a low around 40. South wind 8 to 13 mph becoming north northwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 64. Breezy, with a north northwest wind 7 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.
Monday Night: Clear, with a low around 37. Northwest wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 69. South southeast wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 44.

Wednesday: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 62.

Iowa early News Headlines, Sunday, 4/12/2015

News

April 12th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The time is approaching when Iowa lawmakers typically start wrapping up their work for the year, but with budget negotiations moving slowly, it doesn’t look like the Legislature will be adjourning any time soon. May 1 is the final day of expense payments for the part-time lawmakers, as well as the last day for much of the temporary staff and the student pages who work in the Legislature. With just three weeks to go, lawmakers in the Republican-majority state House and Democratic-controlled Senate are still far apart on how much additional funding to provide for K-12 education and remain at odds over basic budget issues. Republican House Speaker Kraig Paulsen declined to predict when the session may end.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The fraud trial for a former lottery worker accused of buying a Hot Lotto ticket and setting up a scheme to try to cash it in is scheduled to begin Monday. Eddie Tipton of Norwalk faces two counts of fraud. He was arrested in January after authorities claimed he had bought the ticket in December 2010. It was worth about $14 million. As director of information security for the Multi-State Lottery Association based in Des Moines, Tipton wasn’t allowed to play or win prizes.

CLINTON, Iowa (AP) — The author of a new report looking at police staffing levels is urging Clinton to hire new officers to deal with the eastern Iowa city’s serious crime problem. The Clinton Herald says researcher Tim Freesmeyer presented the report Thursday to the City Council following a two-year examination of the Clinton Police Department.

MITCHELLVILLE, Iowa (AP) — Some inmates are sleeping in temporary bunk beds at the overcrowded Mitchellville state women’s prison. Warden Patti Watchtendorf tells the Des Moines Register that 84 bunk beds have been installed as a short-term solution. Watchtendorf says she anticipates the issue will be solved when a prison construction project is fully completed this fall.

PEOSTA, Iowa (AP) — A small, single-engine plane has made an emergency landing on a rural eastern Iowa road. The Dubuque Telegraph Herald reports that no one was injured when the emergency landing was executed Saturday morning on the Peosta road. The pilot, Adam Maritz of California, found a stretch of Cox Springs Road without nearby power lines and landed the plane.

CHARITON, Iowa (AP) — Those in Iowa planning a road trip through the south central part of the state should prepare for delays due to road construction. Des Moines television station KCCI reports that four lanes of Interstate 35 will be cut to two lanes starting Thursday. The construction area will run from just south of the Iowa Highway 2 interchange to just north of the Decatur County Road J-14 interchange.