United Group Insurance

Golston is leader of Iowa defensive line

Sports

June 5th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — Senior defensive end Chauncey Golston is the leader of an Iowa defensive line that lost three starters from a year ago. Golston posted nine and a half tackles for a loss last season, including three sacks, for a Hawkeye team that finished 10-3.

Golston says the important thing is to lead by example.

Veteran players return to campus for voluntary workouts beginning Monday.

Dubuque man sentenced to 139 months on child porn charges

News

June 5th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — A Dubuque man will spend more than 11 years in prison on child pornography charges. Thirty-seven-year-old Mark Curtis Junior pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography, and once count of transportation of child pornography. Court information disclosed that Curtis had searched the internet for images and videos of child pornography.

He downloaded some 25-thousand images that depicted children ranging in age from infants to pre-teens. He was sentenced to 139 months in federal prison.

Record sales for Iowa fishing licenses announced during free fishing weekend

Ag/Outdoor, News

June 5th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — Plenty of Iowans are hooked on fishing during the pandemic as a record of nearly 200-thousand fishing licenses have been sold statewide this spring, which is up 30- to 40-percent from a year ago. Joe Larscheid, Fisheries Chief of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says this is a free fishing weekend, today (Friday) through Sunday.

“Any Iowa resident can fish for free,” Larscheid says. “There’s bluegills and crappies close to shore. The fishing’s excellent. It’s a great chance if you haven’t got your license yet to get out with friends and family and enjoy Iowa’s natural resources.” The popularity of some outdoor activities is booming with so many people working from home due to COVID-19 concerns.

Larscheid says to use common sense and keep a good six feet of distance between yourselves and others while fishing. “We have a lot of lakes in Iowa, a lot of ponds and rivers, there’s lots of places to spread out,” Larscheid says. “If there’s a bunch of people along one part of a shore, just find a part of the shore where you can practice social distancing and just get out and have fun. We’ve got plenty of room for everybody.”

Sales of fishing licenses in Iowa have been the best this spring since 2002, the year they became available electronically. “We have record license sales in March, April and May,” Larscheid says. “A lot of people are out there fishing. It’s like opening day every day. People are staying home, they’re staying closer to home. Being outside, it’s easier to practice social distancing and have fun with your family and friends.” Iowa fishing licenses are available in several types, including yearly, seven-day, or even just 24-hour licenses.

Find a list of stocked lakes and ponds that are easily accessible in parks and along trails on the DNR’s interactive Iowa Community Fisheries Atlas at iowadnr.gov.

21 more COVID-19 cases in Pott. County, plus an additional death

News

June 5th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Officials with Pottawattamie County Public Health (PCPH), Friday, announced there are 21 new (positive) cases of COVID-19 to report. One is from Oakland and the other twenty are from Council Bluffs. They also regret to announce a 10th COVID-19 related death. The latest case is a 61-to 80-year old man from Council Bluffs. A total of 195 persons have recovered from the virus. Five are hospitalized and 145 are self-isolating. Based on PCPH contact tracing investigations, a total of 96 Pott. County COVID-19 cases are the result of community spread.

Six of the case positives are epi-linked, while the others were tested between May 31st and June 4th. According to Friday’s Iowa Coronavirus dashboard (coronavirus.iowa.gov), 3,964 Pottawattamie County residents have been tested for COVID-19, with 317 showing positive results. Including epi-linked cases, PCPH reports a total of 363 COVID-19 cases.

An inmate at the Pott. County Jail has tested positive for the virus. PCPH has conducted the case investigation and the contact investigation. The individual is currently in isolation. PCPH says it is working closely with jail staff and Pott. County Risk Management to ensure the virus mitigation procedures in-place contain the spread of COVID-19 within facility.

 

Atlantic Rotary Club joins food supply effort

News

June 5th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

The Rotary Club of Atlantic has joined with other Rotary Clubs in the Southern half of Iowa to supply nearly 400,000 meals to families and individuals impacted by COVID 19. Officials say the Club donated $500.00 in cash through Rotary District 6000 to the Food Bank of Iowa and its sister Food Banks, which can provide four meals for every dollar contributed.

The food supplies are then distributed on an equitable formula to local food pantries in communities throughout the southern half of the state.

In addition to the donation to the Food Bank of Iowa, the Atlantic Rotary Club also donated $1,000.00 in cash to the Atlantic Food Pantry. Local Club President Brian Harris said that “Service Above Self” has long been the motto of Rotarians throughout the world, and our club saw the need to help.

Ninth Case and Additional Death Associated with COVID-19 in Montgomery County Confirmed

News

June 5th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

A ninth case of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has been confirmed in Montgomery County. Officials said Friday the new case is an elderly adult (over 80) and currently in isolation. The total number of positive cases, as of Friday, was nine, with six persons having recovered from the virus. The number of persons tested to date in Montgomery County, is 386.

Sadly, officials say an additional death associated with COVID-19 was also reported, bringing the total number of deaths from COVID-19, to two.

Serology testing shows 56 have been tested, one person tested positive for COVID-19, 55 have tested negative.

Court allows amusement park death lawsuit to move forward

News

June 5th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Supreme Court has ruled that the wife of a man killed in an accident at an amusement park in 2016 can proceed with a federal lawsuit and that the park’s insurance company may have to pay damages. The court ruled Friday that the insurance company for Adventureland Park in Altoona must provide a defense for the operator of a water ride.

The lawsuit accuses Adventureland employee Stuart Glen of negligence that led to the death of his co-worker Stephen Booher. Gladys Booher, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is seeking damages including loss of earnings, physical and mental pain and suffering, burial expenses and punitive damages.

Waterloo plant to pay $80K for 2019 spill that hurt worker

News

June 5th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — A Waterloo chemical plant will pay a nearly $80,000 civil penalty to settle violations of federal Clean Air Act following a spill last year that hurt a worker there. The federal Environmental Protection Agency says Hydrite Chemical has also taken necessary steps to return its facility to compliance.

In April 2019, a worker received burns from liquid sulfur that spilled as it was being unloaded from a tanker rail car. Firefighters who responded to the accident sulfur melts at about 240 degrees, and the element is liquefied when it is loaded into rail cars and then reheated for unloading.

Capsized Iowa kayakers found

News

June 5th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

WINNESHIEK COUNTY, Iowa (Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier) — Two kayakers who capsized and were swept away in the Upper Iowa River have been found. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports the kayakers were found uninjured Thursday. The Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office says the 53-year-old man and 43-year-old woman from Ames were kayaking near Bluffton when they capsized and were separated in the fast-moving waters.

The man made it to shore and got help from a nearby resident. But the woman went missing. The Decorah Fire Department used a drone to find the woman. She had been stranded on the bank of the river.

LORA RUSSEL, 59, of Stuart

Obituaries

June 5th, 2020 by Jim Field

LORA RUSSELL, 59, of Stuart died Thursday, June 4th at her home.  Per her wishes, cremation has taken place.  Services for LORA RUSSELL will be held at a later date.  Johnson Family Funeral Home-Stuart Chapel has the arrangements.

————————————————————————–

Memorial contributions may be made to Vicki Clayton in care of the funeral home.

Online condolences may be left at www.johnsonfamilyfuneralhomes.com.