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Chiefs top Bolts 31-21 to earn No. 2 seed, first-round bye

Sports

December 29th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

Mecole Hardman and Damien Williams led the Chiefs to a 31-21 victory over the Chargers that allowed Kansas City to leapfrog New England for the No. 2 seed in the AFC and a first-round playoff bye. Hardman returned a kickoff 104 yards for a touchdown and Williams ran for 124 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu (32) intercepts a pass intended for Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams (81), as cornerback Rashad Fenton (27) watches, during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

His second came just as the Dolphins were scoring the go-ahead TD in their 27-24 win in Foxborough. The combination of outcomes means New England will play next week while the Chiefs can begin preparing for the divisional round.

Body of missing Nebraska man found in Iowa pond Saturday

News

December 29th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY, Iowa (AP) — The body of a missing Nebraska man was pulled from an icy Iowa pond on Saturday. Pottawattamie County Sheriff Jeff Danker said the body of 39-year-old George McNamara was pulled from the water after a search Saturday. He had been reported missing from Bellevue, Nebraska, since Dec. 22.

Officials said a car crash was reported Dec. 22 near the Mormon Bridge. Deputies found a vehicle but no driver that day. Authorities found McNamara’s body on Saturday after a dive team searched a pond near the crash site. An autopsy is planned.

Iowa Hawkeye women fall to NE in their Big 10 opener, Saturday

Sports

December 29th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

LINCOLN, Neb. (Via HawkeyeSports.com) University of Iowa sophomore center Monika Czinano posted a double-double with 17 rebounds and 16 points in a Big Ten women’s basketball opener Saturday, but the Hawkeyes fell to Nebraska, 78-69, at Pinnacle Bank Arena. The Hawkeyes (9-3 overall, 0-1 Big Ten) lost for just the second time since Nov. 20; Nebraska improved to 11-1, 1-0.

Czinano, the nation’s field goal percentage leader, was 6 of 8 from the field. Iowa senior Kathleen Doyle scored a game-high 19 points and made 10 of 14 free throws. Freshman McKenna Warnock made all three of her 3-point attempts and scored a career-high 14 points.

The Hawkeyes shot just 37 percent from the field (21 of 57). Five Nebraska players scored in double figures, led by Kate Cain with 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Midwest Sports Headlines: 12/29/19

Sports

December 29th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

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

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Ian Books threw for 247 yards and one touchdown to lead 14th-ranked Notre Dame to a 33-9 victory over Iowa State in the Camping World Bowl. Tony Jones Jr. scored on an 84-yard run and finished with 135 yards rushing. Game MVP Chase Claypool had seven receptions for 146 yards and one TD. Brock Purdy threw for 222 yards without an interception for Iowa State. The sophomore quarterback was unable to get the Cyclones in the end zone, though, after throwing for 27 touchdowns during the regular season. The Fighting Irish finished the season on a six-game winning streak a year removed from an appearance in the CFP national semifinals.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Marcus Zegarowski and Ty-Shon Alexander combined to make 14 of 19 shots from the floor, scoring 19 points apiece, and Creighton steamrolled NAIA-member Midland College 91-54. Zegarowski knocked down 7 of his 10 shots and added six assists, while Alexander nailed 7 of 9 shots for the Bluejays (11-2). Damien Jefferson had 13 points and 11 rebounds for his first career double-double.

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — David Roddy and Kris Martin each scored 17 points, Nico Carvacho was 7-for-7 shooting for 14 more and Colorado State put away Doane 87-62. The scrappy NAIA Tigers took a 5-3 lead on an Anthony Laravie 3-pointer and didn’t give it up until there were six minutes left in the first half. Even then, Doane twice came within a point of the Rams deep into the second half. That’s when the Rams righted themselves and tore off on a 23-4 run over 9:42 to put the win away.

LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) — Jake Hendricks had a season-high 21 points as Wyoming defeated Nebraska Wesleyan 82-68. Hunter Maldonado had 19 points and seven assists for Wyoming (5-9), which snapped its four-game home losing streak. A.J. Banks added 12 points. Kenny Foster had 11 points and eight rebounds for the home team. Wyoming totaled 41 points in the first half, a season best for the team.

Iowa early News Headlines: 12/29/2019

News

December 29th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 4:40 a.m. CST

HUMBOLDT, Iowa (AP) — Democratic presidential hopeful Amy Klobuchar says the tour she completed of all 99 Iowa counties is a sign she will go everywhere and represent everyone. It’s also central to her strategy for the lead-off presidential caucuses. Klobuchar is hoping to capitalize on caucus rules that can reward candidates who leave Democratic-heavy areas to meet smaller groups of voters in less populated counties. The stakes are high as Klobuchar tries to catch the top candidates, Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. The caucuses are Feb. 3.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Sioux City man has pleaded not guilty to vehicular homicide while driving recklessly in the June death of a bicyclist. The Sioux City Journal reports that 37-year-old Edy Guevara entered the plea Friday in Woodbury County District Court. He also pleaded not guilty to operating while intoxicated. Authorities say Guevara had alcohol and marijuana in his system when the vehicle he was driving hit 64-year-old Charles Fluharty on June 13 in Sioux City. Police say Guevara later told officers he was texting on his phone when he hit Fluharty, who died a week after the crash.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A dozen people have applied to fill a vacant seat on the Iowa Supreme Court left by the sudden death in November of Chief Justice Mark Cady. Court officials say the State Judicial Nominating Commission will conduct interviews on Jan. 9 of the applicants. Those interviews, to be held in in the Iowa Supreme Court courtroom in Des Moines, are open to the public. Following the applicants’ interviews, the commission will select three nominees to be forwarded to Gov. Kim Reynolds. The Republican governor will then have 30 days to appoint the new justice from the three nominees.

NWS forecast for Atlantic & the area: Sunday, 12/29/2019

Weather

December 29th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

Today: A slight chance of rain between 3pm and 4pm, then a chance of snow. Cloudy, with a temperature falling to around 33 by 5pm. Breezy, with a southwest wind 13 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Tonight: A 40 percent chance of snow, mainly before 5am. Cloudy, with a low around 22. Blustery, with a west wind 13 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
Monday: A 30 percent chance of snow, mainly between 8am and 2pm. Cloudy, with a high near 29. Wind chill values as low as 5. Windy, with a west northwest wind 18 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 33 mph. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of snow before midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 20. Blustery, with a west northwest wind 18 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 32. Breezy.
New Year’s Day: Sunny, with a high near 43.

Saturday’s High in Atlantic was 50. Our Low this morning, 37. We received .6” rain Saturday through 6-a.m., today (Sunday). Last year on this date, the High in Atlantic was 21 and the Low was 6. The record High for Dec. 29th in Atlantic, was 60 in 1984. The Record Low was -22 in 1917.

(UPDATE) 1 hurt in Adair County I-80 crash, Saturday

News

December 28th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

(In an update to our post Saturday afternoon) — The Iowa State Patrol says a man from California suffered severe injuries during a crash between two semi-tractor trailers on Interstate 80 westbound, in Adair County.

Photos from the Stuart Fire Department’s Facebook page

The crash happened at around 3:42-p.m., near Stuart. Authorities say a 2019 Volvo truck driven by 32-year old Alexander Kucherenko, of Fort Meyers, FL., was stopped with westbound traffic in the right lane, due to the left lane being temporarily blocked from a separate crash. A 2017 Freightliner truck driven by 32-year old Massoud Babak, of Livermore, CA, was also heading west on the interstate and it was approaching the Volvo at interstate speed but couldn’t stop in time. Babak tried to avoid hitting the Volvo by veering into the right lane, but his semi struck the right rear end of the Volvo’s trailer.

Babak — who was wearing a seat belt — was transported by Stuart Rescue to Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines. Kucherenko was not injured in the crash. The Freightliner was a total loss. Stuart Police assisted the Patrol at the scene.

Fatal crash in Story County late Saturday morning

News

December 28th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

One person died and four others were injured during a collision late Saturday morning, in central Iowa’s Story County. According to the Iowa State Patrol, a 1998 Nissan pickup driven by 68-year-old John Paulson, of Radcliffe, crashed into a 2000 Dodge pickup driven by 38-year old Michael Manke, of Nevada (IA), after Paulson failed to yield the right-of-way.  The accident happened at the intersection of 170th Street and 55th Avenue in Gilbert, at around 11:30-a.m.

The Patrol says Paulsen failed to yield. A passenger, 68-year old Marcia Olson, of Story City, died at the scene. Paulson, Manke, and his passengers, 37-year old Christina Wittrock along with a three-year old boy both of whom are from Nevada, were injured in the crash. All were wearing seat belts. They were transported to area hospitals.

 

Numerous accidents reported on I-80 west of Stuart: SLOW DOWN

News

December 28th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

Law enforcement and Rescue crews were called to the scene of what apparently started out as a two vehicle accident about a mile west of Stuart on I-80 westbound. Since the first calls went out at around 3-p.m., (Saturday), numerous other incidents have been reported.

Stuart Fire was requested to send more personnel for traffic control. Additional details are currently not available.

Biden leaves it unclear if he would honor Senate subpoena

News

December 28th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden is seeking to clarify his assertion that if the Senate subpoenas him to testify in President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, he will defy the order. But he’s still not made it clear what he would do. In Iowa on Friday, the Democratic presidential contender told The Des Moines Register that he stood by his position that he would defy an order from the Republican-controlled Senate to be a witness in the proceedings.

On Saturday, he tweeted what he called a clarification. He said he’s always complied with lawful orders. Yet he also said any such subpoena would not, in his view, have “any legal basis.”