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Partial building wall collapse in downtown Cedar Rapids – No injuries

News

July 26th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Emergency responders in Cedar Rapids were called to the scene of a partial building collapse, Friday night. KCRG-TV reports the incident in downtown Cedar Rapids caused damage to a vehicle below. The incident was reported at around 10:45 p.m., and was initially thought to have been caused by a possible explosion. Brick and limestone from the Iowa Building at the corner of Third Street SE and Fourth Avenue SE were seen strewn on the ground surrounding the building, and a car parked on Fourth Avenue SE received significant damage from the fallen parts of the building. No injuries were reported.

Officials believe that the brick and attached decorative building features from the seventh floor and above became detached from the main structure. There appeared to be no explosion. The owner of the building will be required by the city to have the building assessed to determine if there is a risk of any additional collapse or damage.

Sidewalks and streets in the area will be disrupted until analysis of the building’s integrity is completed.

2020 Cass County Fair Results – Additional Info.

Ag/Outdoor

July 26th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Results from the 2020 Cass County Fair in the following categories can all be found on-line here: Poutry Show;Goat Show-All Results-Dairy Goat;Sheep Show – Sheep Awards; Rabbit Show – All FFA-4H;Horse Show Awards;Pet Show; All Static Exhibits -State Fair Static. Some of the results include a video or slide show.

Check back on the Cass County ISU Extension website (linked above), for additional results as they become available.

2020 Cass County Fair FFA Meat Goat Awards

Ag/Outdoor

July 26th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Award/Participant/FFA Chapter/Parents/Trophy Sponor

CHAMPION FFA MEAT GOAT:

  • Makenna Potter/Griswold FFA/Brent & Amy Potter/Anita Veterinary Clinic

Reserve Champion FFA Meat Goat:

Hannah Carlson/Atlantic FFA/Mike & Pat Carlson/R&B Feeds

CHAMPION FFA BREEDING DOE:

Natalye Scholl/CAM FFA/Chris & Jodi Scholl/FFA Association

Reserve Champion FFA Breeding Doe: Natalye Scholl – Atlantic Locker, Sponsor.

FFA GOAT SHOWMANSHIP

FFA DAIRY GOAT SHOWMANSHIP:

Taylor McCreedy/Atlantic FFA/Marty & Shelby McCreedy/Renew Ag Supply

MEAT GOAT SHOWMAN: Natalye Scholl

Runner-Up: Rio Johnson/Atlantic FFA/Melissa & Jim Johnson/G&S South Devons & Miller Club Lambs

CHAMPION FFA DAIRY GOAT: Taylor McCreedy; Sponsor – Berg Electric

Reserve Champion FFA Dairy Goat: Taylor McCreedy – FFA Assoc. Sponsor

CHAMPION 4-H MEAT GOAT:

Karly Byers/Griswold Clubsters/Derrick & Tiffany Byers & Chrissy Kirchner/In Memory of Kenny Evans

Reserve Champion 4-H Meat Goat: Natalye Scholl/Benton Franklin/Sponsor – Rod & Malena Sothman Family.

SUPREME CHAMPION 4-H BREEDING DOE: Natalye Scholl; Sponsor – Cass County Fairboard

Reserve Champion 4-H Breeding Doe: Natalye School/Benton Franklin/Sponsor – Cass County Fair Board.

CHAMPION SENIOR 4-H BREEDING DOE:

Taylor McCreedy/Cowpokes; Trophy Sponsor – Alan & Nettie Beattie Family

Reserve Champion Senior 4-H Breeding Doe: Jacob Rattenborg/Grove H.O.T/Stacie & Joel Hansen/Trophy Sponsor – Alan & Nettie Beattie Family.

CHAMPION YEARLING 4-H BREEDING DOE: Natalye Scholl/Benton Franklin/Sponsor- R&B Feeds.

Reserve Champion: Taylor McCreedy/CowPokes/Trophy sponsor – Cass Co. Fairboard

CHAMPION JUNIOR 4-H BREEDING DOE: Natalye Scholl/B-F/Cass Co. Fairboard

Reserve Champion: Ryleigh Harrison/Griswold Clubsters/Carrie & Matthew Harrison/Trophy Sponsor – Faith Lutheran Church of Griswold.

CHAMPION SENIOR 4-H MEAT GOAT SHOWMAN:

Taylor McCreedy/Cowpokes/Jerry & Kathee McCrory Family – Trophy Sponsor.

Runner-up: Jacob Rattenborg/Grove H.O.T/Stine Seed – Trophy Sponsor.

CHAMPION INTERMEDIATE 4-H MEAT GOAT SHOWMAN:

Ryleigh Harrison/Griswold Clubsters/Cass Co. Fairboard – Trophy Sponsor.

Runner-up: Brocker Henderson/Benton-Franklin/Petty Show Lambs – Trophy Sponsor.

CHAMPION JUNIOR 4-H MEAT GOAT SHOWMAN:

Caden Will/Benton Franklin/Amanda & Cody Will/Sponsor – Cumberland Telephone Co.

Runner-Up: Nollan Smith/Griswold Clubsters/Ryan & Windy Smith/Sponsor – STINE Seed.

OVERALL SUPREME CHAMPION MARKET GOAT:
Makenna Potter/Griswold FFA/Trophy Sponsor – Kim Tibken Graphic Design

OVERALL SUPREME CHAMP BREEDING DOE:

Natalye Scholl/Benton Franklin/ Natalye Scholl – Trophy Sponsor

OVERALL RESERVE SUP. CHAMPION BREEDING DOE: Natalye Scholl/ Sponsor  R&B Feeds.

Audubon School Board to approve RTL plan, Monday

News

July 26th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Members of the Audubon Community School District’s Board of Education are set to act on approving the District’s Return-To-Learn plan, Monday. The Board meeting takes place at 7-p.m. in the High School Boardroom. Other action items on their agenda include: Approving Rick Engel as the Board & District Council; Approve Courtney Walter & Paul Lynch as Equity Coordinators, and approve Cass Muzney as Asbestos Manager.

The Audubon School Board will also approve Eric Trager, Quentin Stanerson, Sam Graeve, and Jill Hermansen as the District’s Level 1 Investigators, as well as Matt Starmer for Level 2 Investigator. Other action items include: approving the transfer of $992 to the Nutrition account to pay delinquent accounts; Paying an Asbestos Abatement from General Fund, and applying to the School Board Review Committee (SBRC) for MSA. They will also act on any Personnel matters to come before the Board.

Updates on their agenda are with regard to Asbestos Abatement, and the Building Project, the latter of which will include the Design and Budget Review processes, along with approval of final plans, and information with regard to bidding dates.

Iowa COVID-19 update: 7/26/20

News

July 26th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

The State’s Coronavirus dashboard, late this (Sunday) morning showed 389 more positive, confirmed cases of COVID-19 and no new deaths from the virus. The IDPH says: 449,608 Iowans have been tested for COVID-19; 42,016 tested Positive; 406, 032 tested Negative; 29,604 have recovered from the virus, and 826 have died. Hospitalization data show: 226 are hospitalized across the State from COVID-19, six more than reported Saturday; 77 patients are in an ICU, up 5 from yesterday; 34 were admitted to a hospital since Saturday, an increase of 4 from the last report, and 29 persons were on ventilators, up one from Saturday. Cass County reports one new positive case, for a total of 37, and one more recovered, for a total of 29.

Hospitals in western/southwest Iowa report: three more hospitalized, for a total of 11; five persons are in an ICU (up 1 from yesterday); two were admitted since Saturday, and one person remains on a ventilator.

Long-Term Care facility (LTC) data show no change in the number of outbreaks (22), 607 staff/patients have tested positive for COVID-19, 147 have recovered, and 447 have died (unchanged from Saturday).

Current County Positive case counts, and the number of reported recoveries ( )

  • Cass: 37, (29)
  • Adair: 20, (16)
  • Adams: 12, (Recovery data not available)
  • Audubon: 26, (no recovery data available)
  • Guthrie: 118, (66)
  • Montgomery: 36, (20)
  • Pottawattamie: 1,032, (741)
  • Shelby: 133, (126)

TURNER RUSSELL, 23, of Atlantic (Svcs. 7/31/20)

Obituaries

July 26th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

TURNER RUSSELL, 23, of Atlantic, died Friday, July 24th, at home. Funeral services for TURNER RUSSELL will be held 10-a.m. Friday, July 31st, at the Evangelical Free Church, in Atlantic. Roland Funeral Service has the arrangements. (The service will be live-streamed at www.rolandfuneralservice.com shortly before service time, with additional overflow seating at the funeral home for those who wish to gather. Masks are recommended, and social distancing will be followed at the service.)

Visitation at the funeral home is on Thursday, July 30th,from Noon until the time of family visitation at 4-p.m. The family visitation is from 4-until 7-p.m., Thursday.; Online condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.

Burial is in the Atlantic Cemetery.

Memorials may be directed to the fund for a scholarship fund to be established in Turner’s name.

TURNER RUSSELL is survived by:

His Parents – Ronald (Pamela) Russell, of Atlantic.

His Sister – Lauren Russell, of Atlantic.

Pott. County man arrested on a drug charge Saturday, in Montgomery County

News

July 26th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Pottawattamie County was arrested on a drug charge at around 3:55-p.m. Saturday. 23-year old Daniel Steven Meehan, of Council Bluffs was arrested for Possession of Marijuana. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail, booked-in, and held on bond

Hazardous Weather Outlook for Cass & area Counties: 7/26/20

Weather

July 26th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Today and tonight: Hot and humid conditions are expected to persist today, mainly across the southern half of the state with highest heat index values of 100 to 105.

Thunderstorms are also expected today into tonight, moving generally from north to south across the state. There is a marginal risk of severe thunderstorms across much of central Iowa with the main concern from strong to damaging thunderstorm winds. Locally heavy rainfall is also possible.

Monday through Saturday: Some isolated thunderstorms are expected late in the work week across Iowa. The severe threat appears low at this time.

Midwest Sports Headlines: 7/26/20

Sports

July 26th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt homered, Adam Wainwright pitched six solid innings, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-1 on Saturday. Wainwright pitched out of a bases loaded, no-out jam in the second, giving up just one run. He retired 14 of the final 15 batters he faced as the Cardinals beat the Pirates for the 12th time in their last 13 games. The Pirates managed just three hits. Josh Bell had a single and scored Pittsburgh’s lone run.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Greg Holland struck out the top of Cleveland’s order to strand the tying run at second base and Maikel Franco hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning to give the Kansas City Royals a 3-2 win over the Indians in just the third major league game decided by the debated extra-inning runner rule. Holland fanned César Hernández, José Ramírez and Francisco Lindor for the unique save. Jorge Soler and Salvador Pérez hit back-to-back homers in the first for Kansas City. Royals right-hander Brady Singer pitched five solid innings in his major league debut.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes acknowledges there is “some risk” in returning to the team facility for training camp. But he is comfortable with the protocols established by the NFL and its players’ union to ensure a safe environment leading to the season. Mahomes spoke with a group of local reporters on Zoom on Saturday. The Super Bowl MVP was at the facility along with rookies and select veterans one day after the league and union agreed to a proposal opening camps in earnest next week.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Matt Crafton won his first race in three years Saturday when the three-time and reigning Trucks Series champion held off Christian Eckes over the final 20 laps to win the second race of a doubleheader at Kansas Speedway. The 19-year-old Eckes, chasing his first career win, came across in second for the second week in a row. Grant Enfinger was third, Tanner Gray fourth and Ben Rhodes rounded out the top 5 on a stifling afternoon under the sun.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — NASCAR Hall of Fame member Maurice Petty has died. He died Saturday and no cause was given. He was the son of Lee Petty and brother of Richard Petty, and his ability to turn a wrench earned him the nickname “The Chief” in the garage. Maurice Petty was the first engine builder to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. He helped the Petty family dynasty win 198 races and seven championships in NASCAR’s premier series. Maurice Petty was 81 years old.

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma has moved its football opener against Missouri State up a week to Saturday, Aug. 29. The Sooners said the NCAA approved a waiver request from both schools to change the date to allow more schedule flexibility amid the coronavirus pandemic. Oklahoma is set to face Tennessee in another home game Sept. 12, then travel to Army for a Sept. 26 contest.

Iowa News Headlines: Sunday, July 26, 2020

News

July 26th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 4:25 a.m. CDT

NORFOLK, Neb. (AP) — The suspect in the shooting death of a northeast Nebraska woman has been arrested in Sioux City, Iowa. Sioux City police say Deshawn Gleaton Jr. was arrested without incident Friday night. He is facing a possible first-degree murder charge in the killing of 29-year-old Hailey Christiansen in Norfolk on Friday morning. Christiansen was found suffering from a gunshot wound at a Norfolk home and died during surgery. Gleaton was out of prison on bond on suspicion of third-degree domestic assault and first-degree trespassing. Authorities say Christiansen was the victim in those cases.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds’ office has lifted a cap on the number of COVID-19 tests a Dubuque clinic will be able to perform. Earlier this week, the governor’s office said Epic Health and Wellness could not conduct more than 100 tests per day. Officials said the clinic was not able to handle the volume of tests it was administering, leading to long lines and unusable samples. On Friday, the governor’s office said the cap would be lifted but testing would be done only by appointment, starting Monday. The governor’s spokeswoman said the clinic had cooperated in making scheduling changes to improve its testing procedures.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack says he’s “deeply concerned” about a report showing that the first known coronavirus outbreak at an Iowa meatpacking plant was far more severe than the state publicly acknowledged. Loebsack wrote a letter to Gov. Kim Reynolds requesting information about the state’s response to the outbreak at the Tyson Foods pork processing plant in Columbus Junction. The letter came two days after The Associated Press reported on documents showing Tyson officials told safety inspectors on April 30 that 522 employees were known to be infected. A dozen were hospitalized and two died. But at a May 5 news conference, the Iowa Department of Public Health said that only 221 workers at the plant had tested positive.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a proclamation extending an order that bars and restaurants require patrons to remain at least 6 feet apart to limit spread of the coronavirus. The proclamation signed Friday also extends other requirements, including that bars and restaurants patrons each have seats at a table or bar and that operators maintain “increased hygiene practices.” In addition, the governor’s order extends existing rules for fitness centers, casinos, senior citizen centers and other businesses. Reynolds actions came as Iowa’s online virus tracker showed a total of 820 deaths from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. It also showed 451 new confirmed cases by 10 a.m. Friday from the day before, bringing the state’s total to nearly 41,000 cases.