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Orchestra from Lviv, Ukraine to perform in Iowa March 3

News

December 22nd, 2022 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – An orchestra from Ukraine will be performing in Iowa next year. The Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra will be touring in the United States — and David Stuart, board chairman of the Ames International Orchestra Festival Association, says they’re booked for March 3rd in Ames.

“We appreciate not only what they’re going by going through, but what they are doing to responding to that by going out in the rest of the world and performing concerts as ambassadors from the Ukraine,” Stuart says. Two months after Russia started its offensive in Ukraine, the orchestra had just finished performing “Prayer for Ukraine” at an outdoor concert in Lviv when air raid sirens went off. The video of that moment was widely shared online.

Stuart says one way of preserving culture is performing music and the orchestra from Lviv is doing that in the midst of war.   “I think artists of all sorts — musicians, orchestras, actors, actresses, opera companies — go perform when they can,” Stuart says, “in spite of the difficulties in what may be going on around them.” One of the pieces the Lviv orchestra will perform in Ames is from Dvorak’s New World Symphony, which many believe has a connection to a small northeast Iowa town.

“Rumors, so to speak, are he did a lot of work on that symphony when he was in Spillville,” Stuart says. The Lviv orchestra’s concert in Ames will be held March 3rd in C.Y. Stephens Auditorium on the Iowa State University campus. Tickets went on sale Wednesday.

Posted in News |

$2.86 is average price for regular unleaded in Iowa

News

December 22nd, 2022 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Gas prices continue to fall in Iowa, with the price for regular unleaded well below three dollars in most Iowa cities. According to Triple A, the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline was two-86 ($2.86) on Wednesday. That’s a nickle below the average price in the middle of last week and 17 cents lower than it was a year ago. Diesel prices are also declining in Iowa, down to an average of four-dollars-and-33 cents a gallon ($4.33). While that’s 16 cents lower than last Wednesday, it is still 23 percent higher than a year ago.

According to the Iowa Department of Agriculture, propane and heating oil prices dropped in the past week, too.

Posted in News |

Federal regulations mean decisions for Iowa Horse industry

News, Sports

December 22nd, 2022 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A federal agency called the Horse Racing Integrity and Safety Authority is set to take over the over the regulation of drug testing for thoroughbred horses in January. Iowa Racing and Gaming Administrator, Brian Ohorilkoh  says that will impact Iowa’s only horse track at in Altoona.

“The intent is for uniformity across the country. It’s something that some states view it favorably — many states do not — but what we do know is that there will definitely be some changes in terms of how racing is regulated,” he says, “not only at Prairie Meadows, but at every racetrack throughout the country. ” The federal government has assessed Iowa a fee of more than one million dollars for these services. If the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission picks up and conduct the tasks outlined in the different federal regulations, the state will receive a credit of approximately 400-thousand dollars. That leaves around 650-thousand dollar that the race track and horse industry have to figure out a way to pay.

“And that, you know, at this point is really kind of the major factor in terms of how those fees will be paid, who will pay for them and how that those payments will trickle down and impact the rest of the industry in terms of number of people that are able to continue to participate number of starters per race,” Ohorilkoh says. He says Prairie Meadows already pays the state a fee — but it includes more than horse racing.

“The regulatory fees currently for Prairie Meadows are just north of a million dollars. And that includes the regulation of casino gambling, sports betting, thoroughbred racing and quarter horse racing,” Ohorilkoh says. Regulators and the groups involved in horse racing have has some discussion on the issue, and Ohorilkoh says that will continue.

“We’re working towards compliance and in trying to determine what will everyone will play and how it will be paid for,” he says. The I-R-G-C has hired a company that is conducting a study of the horse racing industry. Ohorilkoh says the potential impact of the federal regulation is one of the things included in the study. It will also look at things like the scheduling of races and the marketing of the track and how to maximize its benefits.

Posted in News, Sports |

Eastern Illinois stuns Iowa Wednesday afternoon

Sports

December 21st, 2022 by admin

Eastern Illinois outscored Iowa 31-14 to start the second half and handed the Hawkeyes an embarrassing 92-83 loss in Iowa City, a game the Hawkeyes led by 14 in the opening half.

 

Iowa coach Fran McCaffery. Eastern Illinois made 21 of 29 shots in the second half as the Hawkeyes fall to 8-4.

 

Filip Rebraca led Iowa with 24 points and eight rebounds but says he needed to be better with Kris Murray and Connor McCaffery out with injury.

Posted in Sports |

Atlantic City Council approves Prairie Hills Final plat

News

December 21st, 2022 by Ric Hanson

(Updated) [Atlantic, Iowa] – The Atlantic City Council met Wednesday evening, and adopted two Resolutions. The first was for the Final Plat associated with the Prairie Hills Development Subdivision, in Atlantic. The second Resolution was to Amend the City of Atlantic’s Personnel Policy, “By repealing and replacing Series 100 and Series 200 Codes through 206, with New Codes numbered as the same.”

City Administrator John Lund says he and Mayor Grace Garrett spent a considerable amount of time the past Spring, Summer and Early Fall, going through the City’s Personnel Policy, and the Personnel and Finance Committee met in September and reviewed the proposed changes. The Committee has endorsed the proposed amendments as written. In his report to the Council, John Lund, who conferenced-in by phone, said “Everything now is really about budget. I will be working on that over the next week.” He said they hope by then he has more more concrete numbers to work with.

The State Legislature convenes January 9th. The Council will have to digest all the information Lund will have available, when they meet in January (2023). Mayor Grace Garrett reminded the Council of the importance of getting to Des Moines in January and having Council persons get to know the “decision makers, and what it’s going to take to continue to allow a rural America, specifically Iowa, to continue to thrive.”

In other business, the Council heard from Atlantic native Ali Pieken, with regard to the development of a Splash Pad. Ali is a member of the Splash Pad Executive and Fund Raising Committees tasked with overseeing the project. She was also at a meeting of the Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department Tuesday afternoon. Pieken said what’s been decided so far, is for a bean-shaped splash pad area with 5,000-square feet of play space.

Ali Pieken speaks about the Atlantic Splash Pad project (12-21-22)

The facility will have features for all ages and water comfort levels, including a “toddler bay,” shade and seating. The bean-shaped space calls also for a sand volleyball course, dual-play playground equipment that will compliment the Splash Pad.

Splash Pad layout, 12-2022

In other news, Mayor Grace Garret reported that in-person interviews with two finalists for the Parks and Rec Director’s job will take place on December 29th.

Posted in News |

DEBORAH JO COOLEY, 68, of Griswold (Memorial Svc. 12/30/22)

Obituaries

December 21st, 2022 by Ric Hanson

DEBORAH JO COOLEY, 68, of Griswold, died December 20, 2022, at the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic. A Memorial service for DEBORAH COOLEY will be held 1:30-p.m. Dec. 30, 2022, at Faith Lutheran Church in Griswold. Rieken Duhn Funeral Home in Griswold is assisting the family.

Deborah’s family will hold a celebration of life at the Griswold Community Building on Friday, December 30, 2022, at 6:00 PM.  Everyone is invited to come.

Inurnment will be at Noble Center Cemetery south of Lyman.

DEBORAH JO COOLEY is survived by:

Her fiancée – Stan Shaw, of Atlantic.

Her daughters –  Laura Church, of Harlan;  Katherine (John) Garavalia, Megan Schroder, and Allison Shaw, all of Griswold,

Her sons – Phillip Church, of Griswold, and Justin (Lindsey) Shaw, of Atlantic.

Her brothers – Larry (Judy) Wallace, of Missouri, TX; David (Christie) Wallace, and Brian (Mitsy) Wallace, all of Griswold, and Kevin (Deborah) Wallace, of Bartlette, IL;

Her sister – Marcia (Brad) Proctor, of Rogers, AR.

14 grandchildren, 1 great-grandson Wesson; other relatives and friends.

Posted in Obituaries |

Iowa women defeat Dartmouth

Sports

December 21st, 2022 by admin

The Iowa women’s basketball team picked up a 92-54 win over Dartmouth on Wednesday afternoon at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Catlin Clark led the way with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists.

The Hawkeyes jumped out to a 34-19 lead by the end of the first quarter and balloned the lead to 54-24 by halftime. The Hawkeyes had 42 points in the paint and scored 24 on fast breaks.

Clark eclipsed the 2,000 career point plateau in her 75th career game, which ties her for the fastest NCAA Division I women’s player to do so with Elena Delle Donne.

Clark is the first Iowa men’s or women’s basketball player to eclipse more than 2,000 points, 550 assists, 520 rebounds, 110 steals, and 40 blocks in a career.

The Hawkeyes improved to 10-3 on the season and will next up host Purdue on December 29th at 8:00 p.m.

Posted in Sports |

Atlantic coaches win vote for best Christmas attire against Nodaway Valley

Sports

December 21st, 2022 by admin

The results are in for the Coach’s Christmas outfit fundraiser that was contested this past Saturday during the Atlantic vs Nodaway Valley basketball doubleheader. The Atlantic coaches won by a vote of 596-404. $400 was raised between the Fareway donation & the money raised at the game. The money will be donated to the Atlantic PD for the Family Dreams Christmas program.

Posted in Sports |

Reid Kagy named ISU Director of Football Strength and Conditioning

Sports

December 21st, 2022 by admin

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State head football coach Matt Campbell announced today that Reid Kagy (KEG-ee) will join the Cyclone staff as Director of Football Strength and Conditioning.

Kagy, a former Iowa State assistant strength coach, spent the last two seasons as Boise State’s Director of Sports Performance.

“Reid and I have a phenomenal relationship, having recruited him out of high school to college and watched his transition and journey to being a head strength coach,” Campbell said. “He knows what the core values and tenets of being a football program that has the ability to transform. I think he’ll have a huge impact on our program, not just on the field, but in a multitude of different ways.”

Kagy joined the staff at Boise State in January of 2021 and helped the Broncos to a pair of bowl games in his two seasons, including a spot in the Frisco Bowl in 2022.

The 2022 Broncos went 10-4 this season and won the Frisco Bowl, while also earning a spot in the Mountain West Championship game. Boise State outgained their opponents by more than 1,200 yards (102.2 ypg) and dominated the line of scrimmage with 27 sacks and just 14 allowed.

Prior to Boise State, Kagy spent two seasons at Oregon. In his role as assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Ducks, Kagy helped the team win back-to-back Pac-12 titles and the 2020 Rose Bowl, in addition to an appearance in the 2021 Fiesta Bowl where they faced Iowa State.

The Bloomville, Ohio, native, was an assistant for the Iowa State strength and conditioning program from 2016-18. The Cyclones won eight games in each of his final two seasons, winning the 2017 Liberty Bowl and reaching the 2018 Alamo Bowl.

Kagy spent two years as an assistant strength and conditioning coach and one as a graduate assistant coach at Cincinnati. He worked with baseball, football, women’s golf, men’s soccer, swimming and track and field.

He was also a strength and conditioning intern at Toledo (2013) and UAB (2012) prior to his arrival at Cincinnati.

Kagy is a 2012 Ohio State graduate. He transferred to Ohio State after playing football at Mount Union for two seasons (2007 and 2008). He was a member of Mount Union’s 2008 Division III national championship team.

Posted in Sports |

Iowa State announces 2023 football recruiting class

Sports

December 21st, 2022 by admin

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State head football coach Matt Campbell announced the addition of 21 early signees from the high school ranks, as well as two four-year transfer student-athletes and 13 preferred walk-ons during the 2023 early signing period on Wednesday.

The high school class ranks 35th nationally according to Rivals, the second-highest ranking ever by the outlet, and features 10 offensive players and 11 defensive players joining Iowa State from 10 different states.

“We are very excited about this outstanding group of young men that will be joining our program,” Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell said. “This class is excited about joining this University and is a group that we believe will impact our program positively in many ways over the course of the next five years. It is important to our program to recruit high-character young men that take great pride in their academics and in playing the game of football. This class embraces our values and we look forward to the future with them.”

With a priority on recruiting players that come from winning programs, Campbell and his staff signed eight players that have competed in state championship games and another six that reached the quarterfinals in their high school careers. 

The class features seven signees from the State of Iowa, including four-star quarterback and Cyclone legacy JJ Kohl. The Ankeny, Iowa, native, is the second-highest ranked recruit in the internet rankings era according to 247sports.com. Kohl, whose father Jamie was a kicker for the Cyclones in the 90s, is the ninth-ranked quarterback in Rivals rankings after passing for 42 touchdowns the last two seasons at Ankeny High School.

Kohl’s senior year teammate Jamison Patton, a three-star safety and a top-50 athlete nationally by Rivals, is the highest-rated defensive player in the class. 

Another Iowan, Southeast Polk’s Abu Sama III was the Des Moines Register’s All-Iowa Player of the Year after helping the Rams to their second consecutive Class 5A title. Sama was the talk of the state after breaking the title game record with 372 rushing yards and six touchdowns. He rushed for 1,408 yards and 28 touchdowns as a senior.

The Cyclones added two four-year college transfers in this class. Former four-star running back Arlen Harris Jr. (Stanford), who joins the Cyclones as a redshirt freshman transfer, and redshirt sophomore linebacker Zach Lovett (Missouri).

The spring Signing Day will be February 1.

Posted in Sports |