United Group Insurance

Iowa consumers reminded to ‘Be Loyal, Buy Local’ after Black Friday

News

November 11th, 2022 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – While many Iowa retailers are already offering holiday-themed bargains, the Black Friday shopping blitz is two weeks from today (Friday), followed immediately by Small Business Saturday. Jayne Armstrong, director of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Iowa District Office, says 97-percent of Iowa’s businesses are small businesses and it’s vital for our economic livelihood to support them all year, not just on November 26th.

“It’s always important because it really is a significant sales period for a lot of small businesses, particularly our retailers, as we go into the holiday season,” Armstrong says, “but we still have a lot of small businesses that are struggling.” The worst of the pandemic may be behind us, but it left significant scars for some merchants which continue to need the routine patronage of Iowa consumers. Armstrong says COVID taught many of us a lesson about how much we rely on the neighborhood mom-and-pop businesses.

“I really do think that America woke up,” Armstrong says. “When something’s not there that you’re used to and that a lot of people tend to take for granted, and then when we were shut down or businesses were struggling coming back, I think people kind of woke up to just how local all this is.” She notes, there’s an obvious advantage for consumers to “Be Loyal, Buy Local,” instead of shopping online, since when you find and buy an item at a brick-and-mortar store, there’s no worry about it being delayed or lost during the shipping process.

www.sba.gov

Deere pens new partnership with US Army Reserves

News

November 11th, 2022 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s largest manufacturing employer is using this Veterans Day to announce a new partnership targeting those who’ve served. Quad Cities-based Deere & Company is signing an agreement with the U.S. Army Reserve Private Public Partnership Office. Deere says it will help service members and their families access career opportunities as they transition to civilian life.

A news release says the agreement enables Deere to provide active-duty soldiers, who are transitioning into the Reserves, meaningful education and skills that will make them top candidates for future potential employment. The new agreement builds upon the Department of Defense’s “SkillBridge” program, which helps to place active-duty military members in civilian jobs during their final six months of military service.

A labor department report says U-S Army Reserve members are facing unemployment rates two to three times the national average.

https://www.deere.com/MilitaryCSP

Veterans Affairs Director gives keynote speech at Veteran’s Day ceremony

News

November 11th, 2022 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The new executive director of the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs gave the keynote speech during a cold, windy Veterans Day ceremony today (Friday) at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery near Van Meter. Todd Jacobus is a veteran, and says service members entered the military in different ways.

He says that the oath was to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Jacobus says that service makes our world a safer place.

Iowa Veterans Affairs Director Todd Jacobus

Jacobus says without Americans willing to volunteer for service, our diplomatic rulers would not be in a position to engage in the diplomacy required to prevent armed conflict.

Jacobus was appointed by the governor to lead the Veterans Affairs Department, and he is also the commandant of the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown. He is a retired Colonel of the United States Army and Iowa Army National Guard, serving 33 years and taking part in three overseas missions.

2022 8-Player District 9 Football Honors

Sports

November 11th, 2022 by admin

ETHEL A. SCHLUETER, 96, of Atlantic (Memorial Svc. 11/15/22)

Obituaries

November 11th, 2022 by Ric Hanson

ETHEL ANNA MARIE [RODEKOHR] SCHLUETER, 96, of Atlantic, died Thursday, November 10, 2022, at Cass Health in Atlantic. Memorial service for ETHEL SCHLUETER will be held 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15th, at Zion Lutheran Church in Atlantic. Schmidt Family Funeral Home in Atlantic has the arrangements.

Visitation at Zion Lutheran Church will be held one hour prior to the service, Tuesday (from 10-until 11-a.m.).

A luncheon will be held following the service in the fellowship hall of the church.

Interment will take place at Atlantic Cemetery.

ETHEL SCHLUETER is survived by:

Sons: Dennis Schlueter of Marne. Ross (Nancy) Schlueter of Atlantic. Lonn (Sandy) Schlueter of Anita.

Daughters: Sharol McCutcheon of Harlan. Gail Schlueter of Denison. Traci Schlueter of Atlantic.

Son-in-Law: Leo Mincks of Ankeny.

16 Grandchildren

30 Great-Grandchildren

Numerous Nieces and Nephews.

Davenport trial continued until 1/24/2023

News

November 11th, 2022 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – A Judge presiding over the case of an Atlantic man facing multiple felony charges, has approved a continuation of the proceedings until January, 2023. 53-year-old Edward Allen Davenport had been set to go to trial on Nov. 29th. Davenport faces Class-D Felony charges that include Assault while participating in a felony, Willful Injury Causing Bodily Injury, and Going Armed with Intent, and a Class-B Felony charge of Burglary in the 1st Degree. A Pre-trial conference will now take place Jan. 9, 2023, at 9-a.m. in Atlantic, with trial on Jan. 24th at 9:30-a.m.

Authorities say at around 2:20-a.m. on Sept. 5, 2022, Atlantic Police were notified an assault had occurred at a residence in the 800 block of Walnut Street, in Atlantic. During an investigation, officers made contact with the victim, who stated they had been assaulted by being struck multiple times with an object.

The victim said shortly after she arrived home, there was a knock at the door. A man entered the residence and began assaulting the victim. An investigation determined the suspect was Edward Davenport. On Sept. 6th, Officers made contact with Davenport and arrested him in connection with the incident that occurred the previous day. He was being held in the Cass County Jail on a $60,000 cash-only bond.

Davenport was previously arrested August 21st on two felony drug charges, along with one aggravated misdemeanor and a serious misdemeanor drug charge. He plead not guilty to those charges and was released on a $25,000 bond the day he was arrested on the assault charges. In August 2021, as part of a plea agreement, Davenport plead guilty to an aggravated misdemeanor charge of Operating a Vehicle without owners consent. He was facing a felony charge of Theft in the 1st Degree.

2022 Class A District 8 Football Honors

Sports

November 11th, 2022 by admin

First Team Offense
Quarterback Drew Kluender Woodbury Central 11 6’2 180
Running Back / Full Back Michael Turner Tri-Center 12 6’2 180
Running Back / Full Back Jackson Dewald Westwood 12 5’10 205
Running Back / Full Back Alexis Manzo Missouri Valley 12 5’10 175
Wide Receiver / Tight End Eric McGill Woodbury Central 11 6’0 170
Wide Receiver / Tight End Kyan Schultzen Woodbury Central 12 6’2 175
Wide Receiver / Tight End Caleb Garnand Lawton-Bronson 12 6’0 165
Offensive Lineman Chase Copeland Woodbury Central 12 6’3 210
Offensive Lineman Blase Sanford Woodbury Central 12 5’10 190
Offensive Lineman Grant Brix Logan-Magnolia 11 6’6 265
Offensive Lineman Kent Elliott Tri-Center 12 6’4 250
Offensive Lineman Nicio Adame Logan-Magnolia 12 5’11 230
Offensive Lineman Devin LaBrune Westwood 11 5’11 215
Offensive Lineman Dylan Waite Westwood 12 6’2 240
Kicker Zach Butler Woodbury Central 10 5’11 165
Offensive Utility Will DeStigter Woodbury Central 12 6’0 175

First Team Defense
Defensive Lineman Tom Heilman Westwood 12 5’10 170
Defensive Lineman Daltyn Pitt Logan-Magnolia 12 5’10 185
Defensive Lineman Marcus Silva Lawton-Bronson 10 6’1 220
Defensive Lineman Owen Ward Tri-Center12 6’2 170
Linebacker Max McGill Woodbury Central 12 5’8 168
Linebacker Wyatt Reisz Logan-Magnolia 12 5’11 175
Linebacker Isaac Wohlhuter Tri-Center 11 6’3 180
Linebacker Cowan Jaminet Lawton-Bronson 10 6’2 185
Defensive Back Calvin Wallis Logan-Magnolia 12 6’1 185
Defensive Back Holden Skow Tri-Center12 5’9 150
Defensive Back Tarick Rowe Logan-Magnolia 12 5’10 150
Punter Drew Kluender Woodbury Central 11 6’2 180
Return Specialist Cooper Irlmeier IKM – Manning 12 5’10 180
Defensive Utility Cooper Perdew IKM – Manning 12 5’10 180

Offensive Player of the Year Michael Turner Tri-Center 12 6’2 180
Defensive Player of the Year Max McGill Woodbury Central 12 5’8 168
Lineman of the Year Grant Brix Logan-Magnolia 11 6’6 265
Head Coach of the Year Matt Straight Logan-Magnolia
Assistant Coaches of the Year Justin Locke Woodbury Central
Chad Moseman Lawton-Bronson
District Champion Team Woodbury Central

Iowa women’s basketball signs Johnson and Jones

Sports

November 11th, 2022 by admin

IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa women’s basketball coach Lisa Bluder announced on Wednesday that Kennise Johnson and Ava Jones signed a National Letter of Intent to attend the University of Iowa.

KENNISE JOHNSON
Guard, 5-foot-4, Joliet, Ill. (Example Academy)
– No. 3 guard in the state of Illinois
– No. 13 overall prospect in Illinois
– In her junior year she won the Prep School National Championship
– Averaged 11.3 PPG, 6.2 APG, 5.9 RPG, and 3.1 SPG in her junior season
– Plays for Example Academy under head coach Barry Bradford, who was also her AAU coach for Example Sports

AVA JONES
Forward, 6-foot-2, Nickerson, Kan. (Nickerson HS)
– No. 84 player in ESPN’s 2023 HoopGurlz player rankings
– Averaged 20.8 PPG and 15.4 RPG in her junior season
– Reigning 3A girls player of the year in state of Kansas
– MVP of the Central Kansas League
– During her sophomore year, she averaged 20.8 PPG, 15.4 RPG, and 2.4 APG
– In 2021-22, she was named all-Reno County girls player of the year

Iowa men’s hoops signs 3

Sports

November 11th, 2022 by admin

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa head men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery announced on Thursday that Owen Freeman, Brock Harding, and Pryce Sandfort have signed a National Letter of Intent to attend the University of Iowa.

OWEN FREEMAN
Forward, 6-foot-11, 225 pounds
Moline, Illinois (Moline HS)

  • Transferred from Bradley-Bourbonnais HS to Moline HS for his senior season
  • Senior year prep teammate of co-signee Brock Harding
  • Bradley Bourbonnais record holder in highest field goal percentage in a season (.682), established in 2022
  • Named Red Division Player of the Year, first-team all-state, all-area, and all-conference as a junior
  • Averaged a double-double as a junior: 18.5 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and two blocks
  • Two-time team Most Valuable Player and team captain
  • Led Bradley-Bourbonnais to its first-ever Red Division Conference championship
  • Single game career highs: points (32), rebounds (20), blocked shots (6), and assists (9)
  • No. 20 ranked power forward nationally according to Rivals
  • Also competed at Mid-Pro Academy with Harding — the No. 1 ranked independent team in the country — going 20-0 in 17-under in summer competition
  • Pangos All-American
  • National Honor Society inductee and High Honor Roll distinction as a sophomore and junior

BROCK HARDING
Guard, 6-foot-1, 160 pounds
Moline, Illinois (Moline HS)

  • Senior year prep teammate of co-signee Owen Freeman
  • Two-time first-team all-state and Western Big 6 honoree
  • Metro Player of the Year after leading team to 28 wins and averaging 19.3 points, 5.6 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.8 steals as a junior
  • Recognized on the 2022 Pekin Christmas Tournament First Team
  • Averaged 16.5 points, 6.9 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.6 steals as a sophomore
  • Scored over 1,000 points
  • Team captain
  • Netted a career-high 40 points versus Normal West High School
  • Also competed at Mid-Pro Academy with Freeman — the No. 1 ranked independent team in the country — going 20-0 in 17-under in summer competition
  • Most Valuable Player at the NY2LA Circuit
  • National Honor Society honoree and Honor Roll distinction all three years

PRYCE SANDFORT
Forward, 6-foot-7, 190 pounds
Waukee, Iowa (Waukee Northwest HS)

  • Led Class 4A in points, blocks, field goals made, 3-pointers made, free throws made and defensive rebounds, and ranked second in total rebounds in 2022
  • Led his team as a team captain to 20 victories and the state quarterfinals as a junior
  • Averaged 26.2 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 2.9 blocks, shooting 52.6 percent from the field — including 40.5 percent from 3-point range — and 89.2 percent from the foul line his junior season
  • Single game career highs: points (42) and rebounds (17)
  • Earned first-team all-state (4A) and all-conference honors as a junior
  • No. 27 ranked small forward nationally according to Rivals
  • Enters his senior season with 1,047 career points
  • Helped Waukee HS to the state championship in 2021 as a sophomore, averaging 7.8 points. 2.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 0.7 blocks per outing, shooting 56 percent from the field — including 50 percent from 3-point territory — and 79 percent from the foul line
  • Averaged 9.3 points, 1.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 0.2 blocks in helping lead Waukee HS to 23 victories and finishing the postseason as state runners-up as a freshman
  • Also competed for D1 Minnesota’s AAU team, averaging 16.2 points, 6.2 rebounds, and two assists per game
  • Three-time academic all-state
  • Older brother, Payton, is a sophomore on the Iowa Men’s Basketball Team

ISU women’s hoops signs stellar 2023 class

Sports

November 11th, 2022 by admin

AMES, Iowa – For Iowa State women’s basketball, making history is happening even beyond the court. Head coach Bill Fennelly and his staff announced on Wednesday the highest-rated signing class in program history, with five student-athletes on board to join the Cyclones in 2022-23.

The new additions are forward Jalynn Bristow from Wichita Falls, Texas, forward Addy Brown from Derby, Kansas, center Audi Crooks from Algona, guard Arianna Jackson from Des Moines and guard Kelsey Joens from Iowa City. This quintet ranks at No. 10 in the 2023 ESPNw/HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings at the time of publication.

Jalynn Bristow – Forward, 6-2, Wichita Falls, Texas (Holliday)

Bristow checks in at No. 47 in the ESPNw/Hoop Gurlz Class of 2023 recruit rankings. In three seasons at Rider High School, Bristow put up 2,060 points at 22.4 per game and grabbed 1,139 rebounds at 12.4 per game, earning All-State, All-Region and District MVP all three seasons. Bristow will play her senior season at Holliday High School. Teaming up with fellow future Cyclone Addy Brown, Bristow helped lead the 17U Team Lex Nation team to a National Title at the Adidas 3SSB Tournament this past summer.

Addy Brown – Forward, 6-2, Derby, Kan. (Derby)

Brown checks in as Iowa State’s highest-rated signee on the ESPNw/Hoop Gurlz Class of 2023 rankings at No. 31. A two-time First Team All-State honoree and conference MVP and three-time all-conference honoree, Brown helped lead Derby to a Kansas Class 6A runner-up, averaging 14.5 points per game and 9.3 rebounds per game while shooting over 60 percent from the field. With fellow future Cyclone Jalynn Bristow, Brown helped lead the 17U Team Lex Nation team to a National Title at the Adidas 3SSB Tournament this past summer.

Audi Crooks – Center, 6-3, Algona, Iowa (Bishop Garrigan)

Crooks is at No. 57 in the ESPNw Hoop Gurlz Class of 2023 recruit rankings and is wrapping up a decorated prep career across multiple sports. On the basketball court, Crooks is the three-time Iowa Class 1A Player of the Year and has led Bishop Garrigan to the Class 1A state title game three times, claiming the title last season. Individually, Crooks has racked up 1,845 points at 71.1 percent shooting. She also has 955 rebounds and 287 blocks across three seasons. In track and field, she has won the last two Class 1A shot put state titles, breaking the division record last year with a throw of 45-1. In volleyball, Crooks was a three-time all-conference honoree and led the Golden Bears with 254 kills and 70 blocks this past season.

Arianna Jackson – Guard, 5-9, Des Moines, Iowa (Roosevelt)

Jackson, a four-star guard, has been a three-time All-State honoree (earning First Team honors in 2022) at Roosevelt High School in Des Moines. She helped lead the Roughriders to last year’s Class 5A State Tournament for the first time since 2008. A three-time all-conference recipient, Jackson has racked up 787 career points and 301 rebounds, leading the state in 3-point shooting percentage as a sophomore at 64.3 percent. Jackson is another multi-sport star, having made the state championships in cross country and track and field three times. Jackson is a legacy Cyclone, with her father Hez playing football for the Cyclones from 1995-99 and brother Kendell currently a linebacker with ISU.

Kelsey Joens – Guard, 5-10, Iowa City, Iowa (West Liberty)

Another member of the Joens family is headed to Iowa State and will ensure Joens family continuity in the Iowa State program following older sister Ashley’s graduation following this season. The fourth Joens sister to play Division I basketball, Kelsey earned 2022 First Team All-State honors and was a three-time all-conference selection at Iowa City High. In helping lead City High to the state tournament twice, Joens racked up 1,056 points across three seasons, including 124 3-pointers. She will play her senior season at West Liberty High School for oldest sister Courtney, who took over as head coach over the summer.