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ISU coach addresses radio rumor

November 10, 2008 By

Iowa State coach Gene Chizik is denying an internet rumor that somehow made its way into a newspaper and a Dallas radio host denies he was the source of it. At issue are comments attributed to radio host Brian Estridge that Chizik told am Oklahoma State assistant coach that he was unhappy at Iowa State.

Chizik says he spoke to the host of the show who assured him that everything was not true. "As for me, I want to make one thing very, very clear. Anybody who knows myself, my wife, my family they know that we are firmly entrenched here in Ames, "Chizik says, "we love this university, we love this community, we love this football team, we love the people we work for."

Estridge says he did not have any conversation with an Oklahoma State coach and does not know any of them. Chizik says he is happy at Iowa State and is still glad he left his job as defensive coordinator at Texas to take over the program. He says two years ago if he had the same choice, he would have taken it.

The Cyclones are in the midst of an eight game losing streak but Chizik says he enjoys the challenge of turning the program around. He says he feels blessed every day to be there, and while he says no one loves the circumstances of his job and coming in every day and working with the players. Chizik says it’s amazing the players still come in and work as hard as they do and it’s a pleasure to be around.

The Cyclones are coming off a heartbreaking loss at Colorado in which they squandered an 11 point lead in the second half. Chizik says the two no-huddle drives got them "off kilter" and they couldn’t get a pass rush going.

Iowa State closes out the home slate against a Missouri team that will be trying to lock up the Big 12 North division title. Chizik says the Cyclones are not approaching this game as an opportunity to play the role of spoiler. He says they don’t talk a lot about that, as he says they prefer to see it as another opportunity to win a game. Chizik says the players probably know and don’t have to read the news to know they will be an underdog. The Cyclones are 2-8 overall and 0-6 in the Big-12. 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

Lawyers for former Creston police officers want trial moved

November 10, 2008 By

The trial for two former southwest Iowa police officers accused of second-degree sexual abuse could be moved because of pre-trial publicity. Attorneys for former Creston Police Chief James Christensen and Former Assistant Chief John Sickels have asked for a change of venue for their clients.

Christensen and Sickels were fired from their jobs following the alleged rape in April of a female bartender at the Crestmoor Golf Club in Creston. Sickels is alleged to have raped the woman while Christiansen looked-on. Both men have pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Their trial is set for December 15th. The case is being prosecuted by the Iowa Attorney General’s office at the request of the Union County Attorney.  

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

House Republicans elect new leader

November 10, 2008 By

House republicans have elected a new leader. Representative Kraig Paulsen of Hiawatha was elected as the leader of the Republicans, replacing Christopher Rants of Sioux City, who had been the leader since 1992. The change comes after the party saw its number of seats drop from 56 down to 44 .

Paulsen said earlier he has no ill will toward Rants, and says it’s larger than Rants as the Republican "brand" has been watered down. Republicans lost majority control of the House in 2006. 

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With: ,

New technology being tested at Emmetsburg ethanol plant

November 10, 2008 By

Prototype corn cob harvesting technology is being tested at an ethanol plant near Emmetsburg. Project Liberty is the nation’s first commercial cellulosic ethanol plant and it will rely on farmers supplying corn cobs and other field waste.

Scott Weishaar the director of business development for Poet, says they’re working through the return on investment for farmers, but they feel it will be a sustainable system. "What we really want to be able to do is to show the data — here’s the fuel consumption, here’s the slowdown in time, here’s the capital cost — so there can be a true business case decision," Weishaar says. "These farmers are very knowledgeable and just like any business, they will ask those questions to make sure that it’s a long-term and sustainable model."

He says when the plant ramps up to its goal, thousands of acres of corn cobs and stover will be needed from area farmers. Weishaar says, "We hope for several dozen as quickly as next year and then as we come on-line with Project Liberty, that number will grow exponentially to where we’ll need three or 400,000 acres of corn cobs when we’re at production." He says the economic impact from the Emmetsburg plant could range from 25-to-35 million dollars per year.

The plant is a joint investment of POET, the U.S. Department of Energy and the State of Iowa. The plant aims to produce 125-million gallons of ethanol a year, 25-million just from corn cobs.

 

Filed Under: Agriculture Tagged With: ,

Fiscal Partnership report says low income Iowans pay larger percentage of taxes

November 10, 2008 By

A report released today by the Iowa Fiscal Partnership says lower-income households in Iowa pay a much greater share of their income in state and local taxes than high-income families. Christine Ralston helped write the report for the I.F.P.

She says the bottom 60% of earners — people making $50,000 and less –pay more than 10% of their income in state and taxes. Ralston says the top 5% pay 7.6% or less, and the top 1% pay just over 6% of their income in taxes. The top income earners make over $320,000 a year.

Ralston says lower income families are especially hard hit by the state sales tax. "And it’s important to note that this tax which is one that takes more from those who have earned less has doubled in the last 25 years, actually 26 years, it’s nearly 7% today, up from 3% in 1982 and 4% in 1991," Ralston says. Ralston says contrary to popular belief, sales taxes hit harder on the low income than property taxes.

Ralston says for all but the very bottom and the very top of income earners, the property tax is the lowest percentage of taxes paid. Ralston says the Iowa Legislature should expand the Earned Income Tax Credit again to provide more relief for lower-income families.

Filed Under: Human Interest, Politics & Government Tagged With:

Iowa City police break up convenience story robbery

November 10, 2008 By

Police in Iowa City broke up a robbery of a convenience store last night. Police spokesperson Sergeant Troy Kelsay says two officers with the department’s Street Crimes Action Team were following a suspicious vehicle that did not have working tail lights. As the officers called for a patrol unit, the suspect vehicle stopped at a convenience store.

Officer Andy Rich arrived on the scene and noticed two men from the car, one carrying a large knife, were robbing the store. Kelsay says Rich approached the men as they were leaving the store. “He confronted them at gunpoint and ordered them to stop and get down on the ground,” Kelsay said.

“One (suspect) complied, while the other ended up fleeing and was apprehended by the SCAT officers and one of our K-9 units.” An investigation found the suspects threatened to cut and shoot the convenience store clerk. Kelsay says no gun was displayed during the robbery, but officers did recover a knife and a bag of cash. No one was injured.

The suspects arrested are identified as 29-year-old Ahkinea Cox and 26-year-old Frederick Reid. Both are charged with first degree robbery. Cox is also charged with drunk driving and interference with official acts. Reid is also charged with possession of cocaine.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

Death in Hamilton County called suspicious

November 10, 2008 By

A suspicious death is under investigation in north-central Iowa. The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department received a report at 3:41 Sunday afternoon of an unresponsive male at a rural location near Webster City.

The individual found is identified as Isidro Martinez. He was found by a co-worker slumped over a gate in a hog confinement at the location. It is not known where Martinez was from or how old he is. Law enforcement and emergency personnel responded to the scene to find Martinez deceased.

The sheriff’s department and the State Division of Criminal of Investigation are conducting an investigation into the death. 

Filed Under: Crime & Courts
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