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Atlantic girls pick up home win over Kuemper Catholic

Sports

December 15th, 2020 by admin

The Atlantic girls basketball team got back to .500 on the season with a 60-48 home win over Kuemper Catholic. The Trojans were led by 19 points from Haley Rasmussen and 13 from Maycie Waters.

Waters dropped in 8 in the opening quarter to help Atlantic grab a 19-10 lead by the end of the first. The Trojans got up by 17 at halftime and had a 15 point edge heading into the final quarter. Kuemper would trim the lead down to single digits in the fourth but Atlantic made enough plays down the stretch to keep them at bay.

Atlantic improves to 3-3 with the win and will travel to Lewis Central for their next game on Friday. We’ll have that game on KJAN and KJANTV.

Kuemper falls to 0-5 on the season and are set to face South Hardin on Saturday.

Work release escape of Dequan White

News

December 15th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS – The Iowa Department of Corrections, Tuesday night, said 26-year old Dequan Terez White, who was convicted of Robbery 2nd Degree and other crimes in Pottawattamie County, failed to report back to the Council Bluffs Residential Facility as required Tuesday afternoon.

Dequan White

White is a black male, height 5’11”, and weighs 198 pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on September 9, 2020.  Persons with information on White’s whereabouts should contact local police.

Person found dead in home near N. Iowa community of Dows

News

December 15th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

DOWS, Iowa (AP) — A person was found dead in a home near the small northern Iowa community of Dows. The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday that a 911 caller on Monday afternoon reported a male person had been shot at a home in rural Dows.

Deputies responded and found a person who was dead. An autopsy is planned at the Office of the State Medical Examiner in Ankeny. The identity of the person killed will be released after relatives are notified.

 

Tyson plant in Storm Lake sued over worker’s COVID-19 death

Ag/Outdoor, News

December 15th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

STORM LAKE, Iowa (AP) — The family of a 65-year-old Iowa man is suing Tyson after he died of COVID-19 while working at the company’s pork plant in Storm Lake. Michael Everhard, of Fonda, died June 18, three weeks after he contracted the virus. His family contends in a lawsuit that Tyson didn’t implement proper safety precautions to protect Everhard and other employees from the virus.

Several Tyson executives at the plant are also named in the lawsuit, which was filed on behalf of Everhard’s three children. A Tyson spokeswoman said the company has implemented several safety measures that meet or exceed federal guidelines designed to slow the spread of the virus.

 

2020 KJAN Kindergarten Christmas

Podcasts

December 15th, 2020 by admin

KJAN’s annual visit to a Kindergarten classroom in the Atlantic School District brought to you by the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce. This year we visited with Mrs. Rasmussen’s class.

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Iowa women’s hoops game at Ohio State has been postponed

Sports

December 15th, 2020 by admin

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The women’s basketball game between the University of Iowa and Ohio State University, scheduled for Saturday at 11 a.m. (CT) in Columbus, Ohio, has been postponed by Ohio State due to an increase of positive coronavirus tests within the program.

The decision to pause and postpone was made jointly by the Ohio State Department of Athletics and its sports medicine staff in consultation with the Big Ten Conference.

Both institutions will work with the Conference office to identify potential rescheduling options later this season.

The Hawkeyes will return to action on Tuesday as they host Western Illinois inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. (CT) and will be streamed on BTN+.

12 Hawkeyes earn All-Big Ten Offensive Honors

Sports

December 15th, 2020 by admin

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Twelve University of Iowa football offensive student-athletes earned All-Big Ten honors, by league coaches and media. The Big Ten Conference made the announcement on Tuesday. Defensive honors will be announced Wednesday and special teams Thursday.

Three Hawkeyes – senior left tackle Alaric Jackson, sophomore running back Tyler Goodson, and redshirt sophomore center Tyler Linderbaum – were named first-team All-Big Ten selections. Goodson and Jackson were selected by coaches and media, while Linderbaum’s first-team selection was by the media.

Linderbaum was a second-team All-Big Ten selection by Big Ten coaches. Senior offensive guard Cole Banwart was also a second-team selection by both coaches and media.

Rounding out Iowa’s All-Big Ten honors on the offensive side of the ball are eight honorable mentions: senior running back Mekhi Sargent (coaches & media), junior guard Kyler Schott (coaches & media), sophomore tight end Sam LaPorta (coaches & media), senior wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette (coaches), sophomore guard Cody Ince (media), redshirt sophomore quarterback Spencer Petras (media), junior tackle Mark Kallenberger (media), and senior tight end Shaun Beyer (media).

Jackson, a Detroit, Michigan, native, earns his third career All-Big Ten postseason honor. Last season he was a third-team All-Big Ten selection. In 2018, he garnered second-team honors. Jackson has started all eight games for the Hawkeyes at left tackle this season and has helped lead Iowa’s offensive line that was recently named a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award. Jackson has 42 career starts, all at left tackle.

Goodson, from North Gwinnett, Georgia, earns his first career postseason nod by the conference. He leads the Hawkeyes and ranks second in the Big Ten with 762 rushing yards. Goodson’s seven rushing touchdowns are tied for third most in the Big Ten. He has four 100-yard rushing games this season and has the longest run by a Big Ten player this season after his 80-yard touchdown scamper in the fourth quarter against Wisconsin.

Linderbaum, a Solon, Iowa native, earns his second career Big Ten postseason honor after being named honorable mention by league coaches and media last season. Linderbaum has started all eight games at center for the Hawkeyes. Linderbaum has helped lead an offensive line that is setting the tone for an offense that is averaging 31.8 points per game – second most in the Big Ten.

Banwart, an Ottosen, Iowa, native, earns his first career postseason honor. Banwart is one of three Iowa offensive lineman to start all eight games this season. He has started at both right and left guard.

Sargent, from Key West, Florida, earns his first career postseason honor. He has rushed for 432 yards on 76 attempts to rank sixth in the Big Ten in yards per carry (5.7). His seven rushing touchdowns this season are tied for the third most in the conference. He is one of 11 players in school history to record 20 career rushing touchdowns.

Schott, a Coggon, Iowa, native, earns his first career postseason honor, after rotating on Iowa’s offensive line at the guard position. He missed three games this season due to illness.

LaPorta, a Highland, Illinois, native, earns his first career postseason honor. LaPorta has a team-high 27 receptions and ranks second on the team with 271 receiving yards. He scored his first career touchdown in Week 7 at Illinois.

Smith-Marsette, who was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week Monday, is an honorable mention All-Big Ten wide receiver for the third time in his career. The Newark, New Jersey, native has a team-high 345 receiving yards this season and ranks 18th in career receiving yards (1,615) on 110 receptions.

Ince and Kallenberger are Iowa’s fifth and sixth offensive linemen to garner Big Ten postseason honors. It is the first career postseason honor for both. Ince has started six games and Kallenberger has four starts while missing two games to injury.

Petras, a San Rafael, California, native, earns his first career postseason honor. Petras is 92-of-156 with 1,088 passing yards and eight touchdowns to only two interceptions during Iowa’s six-game winning streak. Petras’ 245 pass attempts are the most in the Big Ten and his 1,569 passing yards rank third most in the conference.

Beyer, a Shellsburg, Iowa, native, earns his first career postseason honor. Beyer has 11 receptions for 158 yards, including his first career touchdown on a 16-yard reception at Illinois.

Iowa Farmers Union leader urges legislators to address water quality issues

Ag/Outdoor, News

December 15th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The president of the Iowa Farmers Union says he’s reaching out to state lawmakers in hopes they make addressing the state’s water quality issues a top priority in the new legislative session opening January 11th. Aaron Lehman says Iowa has a lot of work to do on clean water issues and farmers need to be an integral part of that. Lehman says, “Finding out what that state investment will be and whether Iowa will fund our Natural Resources Trust Fund, as voters passed it ten years ago, will be the largest question before the legislature.”

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted multiple vulnerabilities in the state’s food production system and Lehman says he’d like to see legislators create more opportunities for smaller meat processors across the state. “Developing the infrastructure for our smaller processors is critically important, as is developing other links in our food system chain, which is very much relied upon by our citizens,” Lehman says. “In Iowa, the startling thing is, all the food we eat in Iowa, less than 15-percent of it comes from Iowa.”

Lehman says he also expects legislators to address property tax relief in the upcoming session. “We’ve got a lot of details to figure out on how those efforts can actually reach the farm and reach our fields,” he says. “There’s a lot yet to be figured out with that but I think it will be something that the legislature’s likely to take up.” Lehman acknowledges state lawmakers will have a lot on their plates in the new year, including crafting the all-important state budget.

Iowa farmland values increase slightly

Ag/Outdoor, News

December 15th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The annual Iowa State University Land Value Survey finds a modest one-point-seven percent statewide increase in the value of an acre of farmland in 2020. Survey leader Wendong Zhang says there was a big difference in price changes based on the type of land. “Nearly flat for higher quality and six-point-seven percent growth for low-quality land,” Zhang says. “Overall across the nine crop reporting districts, only southwest Iowa saw a modest one percent decline. While the other eight crop reporting districts reported a zero to three percent growth.”

That puts the average price of an acre of ground at seven-thousand-559 dollars ($7,559). He says continued low interest rates were part of the reason for the slight land value increase.  Zhang says another driver is a recent rally in commodity prices because of surging exports and improved trade prospects. Zhang says the federal payments to farmers from the pandemic had some impact — but he doesn’t think we’ve seen their full impact yet.

“About 46 BILLION dollars was a significant portion of the COVID relief payments and that has resulted in the 30 to 40 percent growth in U-S farm income and that certainly has stabilized the market. But it takes multiple years for changes in government payments and interest rates to be fully capitalized in the land market,” according to Zhang. Scott County and Decatur Counties reported the highest and lowest values, respectively for the eighth straight year. Despite having the highest overall value — land values in Scott County decreased 178 dollars per acre to 10-thousand-659.

Decatur County saw average values increase 264 dollars per acre to three-thousand-849 ($3,849). He says the lower value land has an increasing demand outside of the normal crop production. “For the lower quality land, it seems that one of the factors is a strong demand for recreational acres might behind the six-point-seven percent growth compared to the one-point-seven percent average statewide,” he says. Zhang says people want that land for pasture and timber grounds for hunting and it is even more appealing with social-distancing requirements in place.

Zhang says this survey didn’t show the impact of the political landscape — but another indicates it could impact land issues in the future. He says a Purdue University survey that shows farmers are more concerned about whether there will be more environmental regulations, less farm subsidies and less support for ethanol. “So there are some and concerns.” Zhang says on the other side their is some thought that there could be fewer questions about trade issues with a new administration. He says the land values are likely to continue slowly improving.

Zhang says they asked professionals about the value one year and five years from now and they project stable land values with maybe a slight increase in the next 12 months. He says the projection for the next five years is an increase of value between five and ten percent.

McCreedy signs with Iowa Central for Cross Country and Track

Sports

December 15th, 2020 by admin

Atlantic senior Taylor McCreedy made her college decision official on Tuesday by signing her scholarship agreement with Iowa Central Community College. McCreedy celebrated the occasion with her family and coaches at a ceremony at the Atlantic High School. McCreedy said the decision came down to Iowa Central and Dordt and she ultimately felt the academic and athletic fit was at Iowa Central.

Iowa Central Head Cross Country Coach Nick Ekel said they know Taylor has what it takes to succeed at the next level because of what she has fought through in her athletic career already.

Taylor said another reason she was drawn to Iowa Central was because their coaching staff continued to maintain a positive relationship with her, even when she was recovering from injury. Her parents also echoed those sentiments and felt that Iowa Central kept supporting her and it makes them feel better that they know the coaching staff will always have her best interest in mind. Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Dee Brown said he thinks Taylor will bring the right attributes to the program.

McCreedy was a four time State Qualifier for the Trojans and finished as high as 6th place at the State Meet. Taylor said she is excited to get back to her old pre-injury self and see what she can accomplish.

The Tritons program has been very successful. The Women’s Indoor Track and Field team and the Women’s Cross Country team both just finished as NJCAA National Runner-Ups this year.