712 Digital Group - top

ANDREW “Andy” JACOB REDINBAUGH, 26, of Shelby (Visitation 12/27/20)

Obituaries

December 22nd, 2020 by Ric Hanson

ANDREW “Andy” JACOB REDINBAUGH, 26, of Shelby, died Sunday, in an accident on I-80. The family of ANDY REDINBAUGH will greet friends from 1-until 4-p.m. Sunday, Dec. 27th, at the Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Avoca.

ANDREW “Andy” REDINBAUGH is survived by:

His mother – Christi (Steve) Evans, of Shelby.
His father – Mike Redinbaugh, of Neola.
His sisters – Cheryl Hawkins (Jason Engle), of Avoca; Tricia Madsen, and Amanda (Ian) Spohn, all of Shelby.
His brother – Dusty Redinbaugh, of Shelby.
His nephews and nieces.

Arrest made in the 1988 disappearance of a southwest Iowa woman’s daughter

News

December 22nd, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(HAYWARD, Calif., A-P) California authorities say they have charged a convicted killer with the 1988 kidnapping and slaying of a 9-year-old girl, whose mother now lives in southwest Iowa. Michaela Joy Garecht disappeared from a market in the San Francisco Bay Area after riding her scooter there with a friend. Her body has never been found. Police say they only recently were able to match a partial palm print at the scene to David Misch, who’s in prison for killing a woman. Misch was charged Monday with murder and kidnapping. He’s scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday.

Michaela Garecht, 9, went missing from outside a Hayward shop in 1988.

Michaela’s mother, who is undergoing treatment for breast cancer, issued a statement to the media in California, Monday. It reads:

“Over the years, I often wondered whether I really wanted to know the truth of what happened to Michaela,” she wrote. “I wondered if I would be able to take it. When I received news of the kidnapper having been identified, I asked the hard questions of Detective Purnell, of what method this man used to kill his victims, and received answers, and they were not easy.

“When I had doubted whether I would want to know, it always came back to, if Michaela could experience it, I could hear it. Because it’s not about me. It’s never been about me, about my feelings. It is and always has been about Michaela. What I have been through is nothing. What I feel is not important. It is only about Michaela.”

Linderbaum named Rimington Trophy Finalist

Sports

December 22nd, 2020 by admin

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa sophomore center Tyler Linderbaum has been named one of three finalists for the Rimington Trophy, which is awarded to the nation’s premier center in college football.

Linderbaum joins Austin Blythe (2015) and Bruce Nelson (2002) as Iowa’s third finalist in school history.

The center with the most first team votes on three All-America teams (Walter Camp Foundation, Sporting News, and Football Writers Association of America) will determine the winner of the Rimington Trophy. The winner of the Rimington Trophy will be announced during The Home Depot College Football Award show Jan. 7, 2020 on ESPN. 

Linderbaum, a Solon, Iowa, native, was named first-team All-American by Pro Football Focus on Monday. He has started every game at center over the past two seasons.

In eight games this season, Linderbaum helped anchor an Iowa offense that ranks second in the Big Ten in fewest sacks allowed, first downs, and fourth down conversions and scoring offense, and third in red zone offense.

The 15th-ranked University of Iowa football team will face Missouri in the 2020 TransPerfect Music City Bowl on Dec. 30 in Nashville, Tennessee. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. (CT) from Nissan Stadium and the game will be televised on ESPN.

Nixon named finalist for Outland Trophy

Sports

December 22nd, 2020 by admin

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa junior defensive lineman Daviyon Nixon has been named one of three finalists for the 2020 Outland Trophy, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) announced Tuesday. The Outland Trophy is presented to the nation’s best interior lineman on offense or defense.

Nixon is the only defensive lineman out of the three finalists. In the last 20 years, only seven defensive linemen have won the Outland Trophy. The Outland Trophy winner will be announced Jan. 7, 2021 live on The Home Depot College Football Awards show on ESPN.

Tristan Wirfs was a semifinalist for the award last season. Four Hawkeyes have won the Outland Trophy in school history: Brandon Scherff (2014), Robert Gallery (2003), Alex Karras (1957), and Cal Jones (1955). Only three programs in the nation have more Outland Trophy recipients than the Hawkeyes.

Nixon, a Kenosha, Wisconsin, native, was named the Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year and the Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year in the Big Ten last week. He leads the Big Ten in tackles for loss (33), tied for the conference lead in sacks (5.5), and has the most tackles by a Big Ten defensive lineman (41).

Nixon has also registered one interception, one PBU, and one forced fumble. Nixon returned his first career interception 71 yards for his first career touchdown in Iowa’s 41-21 win at Penn State.

Nixon has helped lead an Iowa defense that ranks second in the conference and 11th in the nation in total defense, third in the Big Ten and seventh in the nation in scoring defense (16.0), third in the Big Ten and 11th nationally in rush defense (107.6), and fifth in the conference in passing defense (206.1).

Nixon is the only player in the nation to be named a finalist/semifinalist for the Outland Trophy, Bednarik Award, and Nagruski Trophy.

Iowa’s defense has played 22 straight games without surrendering 25 points – the longest streak in the nation among Power 5 teams.

The 15th-ranked University of Iowa football team will face Missouri in the 2020 TransPerfect Music City Bowl on Dec. 30 in Nashville, Tennessee. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. (CT) from Nissan Stadium and the game will be televised on ESPN.

Breece Hall one of three finalists for Doak Walker Award

Sports

December 22nd, 2020 by admin

Iowa State running back Breece Hall runs the ball against West Virginia during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020, in Ames, Iowa. (AP Photo/Matthew Putney)

DALLAS – Iowa State sophomore running back Breece Hall has recorded one of the greatest individual seasons in school history in 2020.

The Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year received another incredible honor today as one of three finalists for the Doak Walker Award, announced by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum.

The Doak Walker Award, given annually to the nation’s best running back, will determine its winner live during The Home Depot College Football Awards, Jan. 7 on ESPN.

Hall joins Alabama’s Najee Harris and Clemson’s Travis Etienne as finalists.

A native of Wichita, Kan., Hall has made a swift rise to one of the nation’s elite running backs in 2020 by leading the nation in rushing yards (1,436) and 100-yard rushing games (8).

With 75+ rushing yards and at least one rush TD in all 11 games season, Hall has been the most consistent running back in the nation. His 11-game streak with a rushing TD is the longest active streak in the nation and the best string in the history of Cyclone football.

The versatile back is among the nation’s leaders in rushing TDs (19- 2nd nationally), overall TDs (21- 3rd nationally) and scoring (126- 3rd nationally).

Hall’s 21 touchdowns and 126 points scored both equal school marks.

Hall, who is averaging 130.5 rushing yards per game, has caught 21 passes for 170 yards and two TDs to help him average 146.0 yards from scrimmage per game.

Hall has also proven to be one of the most elusive and explosive backs nationally. He leads the nation in yards after contact (861), and is second in the nation in first down rushes (69) and third nationally in 20-yard rushes (14).

He has lost just one fumble in 475 career touches.

In the Big 12, Hall was the best in virtually every statistical category. He averaged 139.3 yards per game and had 16 touchdowns in nine league games. Hall has 12 100-yard rushing games in his career with 11 vs. Big 12 teams, including one against every team in the league.

Statistics alone makes Hall’s season incredible, but perhaps his biggest accomplishment on the year is his impact on winning. The Cyclones, currently ranked 10th nationally in the CFP poll, claimed first place in the Big 12 regular-season standings and a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game for the first time in school history.

ISU will play in its first-ever New Year’s Six Bowl against Oregon in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl (Jan. 2).

Wrong-way Davenport cyclist is killed in head-on crash

News

December 22nd, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Davenport police are investigating a fatal crash involving a bicycle. Police say a motorized bicycle was headed the wrong way on a one-way street in a residential neighborhood just north of Davenport’s downtown after 10 o’clock on Monday night. Investigators say the cyclist, a 46-year-old man, hit an oncoming car head-on.

He was taken to Genesis East Medical Center where he died of his injuries. Police say the victim was from Davenport but haven’t released his name.

Lottery says don’t give tickets as gifts to those under age

News

December 22nd, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – As you look for some last-minute gifts for Christmas, the Iowa Lottery is running its annual “appropriate gifting” campaign. Lottery spokesperson, Mary Neubauer, explains: “That campaign is just our gentle reminder to folks that we have always considered lottery tickets for the adult marketplace or the grownups on your list,” Neubauer says. Someone who is under 21 can’t purchase a lottery ticket and they can’t cash it in if they win. “So we just encourage people if they are giving lottery tickets as gifts to reserve those for folks who are 21 and older,” she says.

Neubauer says there a lot of gifts that have restrictions on them and their goal is to give a simple reminder to everyone that lottery tickets fall into that category.”Because this is not the year that we need to be coming out with a really harsh message for folks. I think we’ve all had more than enough things to worry about this year, and we wanted to be really gentle in our approach this time — but still get that message across,” Neubauer says.

Neubauer says the appropriate gifting campaign goes along with their message of playing responsibly and not overextending yourself when buying Iowa Lottery tickets.

Audubon School Board tables award of project bids

News

December 22nd, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Plans by the Audubon School Board to award bids for the Building Project were “Shot down,” according to Superintendent Eric Trager, by significantly higher than anticipated quotes. Bid day for the renovation project was last Friday (Dec. 18th). Trager said they’re trying to figure out now, how to get the project back to what they originally estimated it to be.

Trager said the bid market right now is all over the board. The reasons vary, he says, but there’s no doubt the year of COVID has something to do with it.

He said they’re trying to work with the low bidders to figure out where they can maintain efficiency without compromising quality. Work on the restroom asbestos abatement project was postponed until they Board knows where they stand on the other projects. Bids for the project came in last Wednesday.

In other business, the Audubon School Board approved two new hires. Brittany Williams was hired as Junior High Girls Basketball Coach, and an Associate. In addition to the long discussion with regard to bids, the Board talked about their Return To Learn Plan for the Second Semester.

Backyard & Beyond 12-22-2020

Backyard and Beyond, Podcasts

December 22nd, 2020 by Jim Field

LaVon Eblen visits with Emily McDermott, Outreach Specialist, with West Central Development.

Play

Three dead after wrong-way wreck near West Branch

News

December 22nd, 2020 by Ric Hanson

WEST BRANCH, Iowa (AP) — An investigation continues into a wrong-way accident that killed three people on an Iowa interstate highway. The Des Moines Register reports that the accident happened about 4:30 a.m. Monday on Interstate 80 near the town of West Branch in Cedar County. The Iowa State Patrol says 20-year-old Eric Nunez of Plano, Illinois, was driving a 2015 Nissan Altima eastbound in the westbound lanes when the car struck a Dodge Grand Caravan driven by 70-year-old Robert Larson of West Liberty.

Nunez, Robert Larson and Teresa Larson, 68, also of West Liberty, all died in the crash.