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Judge rules Becker competent to stand trial

October 5, 2009 By

A judge today ruled the Parkersburg man accused of shooting legendary high school football coach Ed Thomas to death is competent to stand trial [Compentency Ruling PDF].  A trial date for Mark Becker will be set later.

Becker is accused of first degree murder.  Witnesses say Becker walked into onto Aplington-Parkersburg school grounds early June 24, 2009, and shot Thomas at point-blank range in a temporary weight-lifting room set up for the football team.

The judge ruled Becker is able to “appreciate” the charge against him, understand what will happen in his upcoming trial and assist in his defense.

During a competency hearing last month, two psychiatrists who had examined Becker said he suffers from paranoid-schizophrena and hallicinates.  Becker, a former Aplington-Parkersburg football player, has a court-appointed attorney for his upcoming trial and she indicated several weeks ago that she would argue her client was insane at the time of the murder.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, Uncategorized

Des Moines man charged after running down police officer

October 5, 2009 By
Elvin Redmond

Elvin Redmond

The man who is accused of running over a Des Moines cop with his pickup truck is now facing a long list of charges. Radio Police say 37-year-old Elvin Redmond drove directly over Officer Nick Lloyd’s head and body Sunday afternoon outside an apartment complex on the city’s southeast side.

Lloyd and fellow Officer Jason Noble encountered Redmond after responding to the report of a man beating up two women. Des Moines Police Sergeant Lori Lavorato says several people saw Redmond ram his pickup into the squad car and then drive over Lloyd when the officer was knocked to the ground.

Hear officer Noble’s radio call about the incident here: Officer Noble’s radio call :10 MP3

“It was just chilling what they were describing…watching this happen,” Lavorato said of the witness statements to investigators. “A couple of them were pretty shook up…they couldn’t believe this guy would intentionally try to kill a police officer with his vehicle.”

Charges filed this morning (Monday) against Redmond include attempted murder, assault on a police officer, possession of narcotics and drunken driving. Officer Lloyd was flown to an Omaha hospital with a broken pelvis and teeth.

Hear officer Lloyd’s radio call on the incident here: Officer Lloyd’s radio call. :09 MP3

“Nick’s a very happy-go-lucky guy and he finds humor in everything,” Lavorato said. “So, he’s probably in a huge amount of pain, but he’s probably trying to make other people laugh while he’s lying on the hospital bed.” Redmond has a lengthy criminal history. Court records show he pleaded guilty to assault on a police officer in 2002.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

It’s national 4-H week

October 5, 2009 By

A decades-old program that aims to build life skills in kids from grades K through 12 is celebrating its rural roots this week. Cheryl Entriken is the 4-H youth leader in central Iowa’s Hamilton County and says there are special activities and promotions underway as part of National 4-H Week.

“We’ve encouraged our 4-Hers to make 4-H known in their communities,” Entriken says. “Some of them will be making posters they’ll have displayed in businesses. Some of them will be doing special ‘green acts’ or kindness acts for individuals who have done special things for them throughout the year, just to show their appreciation.”

Earlier this year, there was a shakeup with the Iowa State University Extension service, which oversees the 4-H program in Iowa. Entriken says the program will continue to serve the needs of youth across the state in providing them the leadership skills they need. She says a new campaign is underway.

Entriken says, “It’s called ‘We’re Going Places,’ and they want others to know that the 4-H program is a wonderful opportunity to expand on their learning experiences and to help them develop into wonderful young citizens.” Entriken says 4-H is not just for farm kids. She says all sorts of programs and workshops are being offered, in things ranging from sewing and cooking to photography and camping. One new program is in robotics.

Young people from 9 to 14 are encouraged to learn how to build and program robots and work with teams to expand their knowledge in science technology. Anyone interested in being a part of the 4-H program, youth or volunteers, can call the nearest ISU Extension Office or visit the website: “www.extension.iastate.edu/4H/“.

Contributed by Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City

Filed Under: Education Tagged With:

Iowa Red Cross official part of national panel

October 5, 2009 By

The leader of an Iowa Chapter of the American Red Cross has been named to the President’s Advisory Council on the national Red Cross. Iowa Rivers chapter executive director, Mary Dooley, says 21 chapter representatives from across the country are meeting. Dooley is the only Iowan in the group, and will present the view of the rural chapters.

She says one of the goals of the advisory council is to get a broad section of people from throughout the country to listen to the ideas Red Cross is proposing. Dooley says the council doesn’t have the final say, but believes there’s value in giving their perspective. Dooley has led the Iowa Rivers Chapter for 18 years and likes the opportunity to give her input.

Dooley says she’s passionate about the mission of helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. She says it reaches into the core of our American society. The Iowa Rivers Chapter is based in Marshalltown and serves Marshall, Jasper, Tama, Poweshiek and Hardin counties. The advisory council will meet in Washington, D.C. this week.

Contributed by Randy Van, KCOB, Newton

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters

Radio Iowa high school football poll 10/5/09

October 5, 2009 By

Class 4A
1. Iowa City High (6-0), LW #1 @ CR Prairie
2. Dowling Catholic (6-0), LW #2 @ #9 Urbandale
3. Marshalltown (6-0), LW #3 @ Ames
4. Clinton (6-0), LW #4 vs Pleasant Valley
5. Linn-Mar (6-0), LW #5 vs Cedar Falls
6. Bettendorf (5-1), LW #6 @ Davenport Central
7. Ankeny (5-1), LW #8 @ Indianola
8. Dubuque Hempstead (5-1), LW (X) vs CR Xavier
9. Urbandale (5-1), LW #7 vs #2 Dowling Catholic
10.Ottumwa (5-1), LW #10 @ DSM North

 

Class 3A
1. Harlan (6-0), LW #1 @ Clarke (Osceola)
2. Clear Lake (6-0), LW #2 @ Iowa Falls-Alden
3. Carroll (6-0), LW #3 @ #6 Ballard
4. Centerville (6-0), LW #4 @ #9 Grinnell
5. Sioux City Heelan (5-1), LW #5 vs Storm Lake
6. Ballard (Huxley) (6-0), LW #6 vs #3 Carroll
7. Union (LaPorte City) (6-0), LW #7 vs #8 Marion
8. Marion (6-0), LW #8 @ #7 Union
9. Grinnell (6-0), LW #9 vs #4 Centerville
10.Maquoketa (6-0), LW #10 vs Mount Vernon

 

Class 2A
1. Solon (6-0), LW #1 vs Camanche
2. Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley (6-0), LW #2 vs #8 Western Christian
3. North Fayette (6-0), LW #3 vs Dyersville Beckman
4. Iowa City Regina (6-0), LW #4 vs West Liberty
5. Cascade (6-0), LW #5 vs Jesup
6. Mid-Prairie (Wellman) (5-1), LW #6 vs Columbus Jct.
7. Osage (6-0), LW #8 vs Roland-Story
8. Western Christian (Hul) (6-0), LW #9 @ #2 B-H/Rock Valley
9. Bondurant-Farrar (5-1), LW (X) @ West Marshall
10.Davis County (Bloomfield) (5-1), LW (X) @ Mediapolis

 

Class 1A
1. Council Bluffs St. Albert (6-0), LW #1 vs Clarinda Academy
2. West Branch (6-0), LW #2 vs Iowa Valley
3. Emmetsburg (6-0), LW #3 vs Belmond-Klemme
4. Prairie Valley (Gowrie) (6-0), LW #4 vs Ogden
5. South Winneshiek (6-0), LW #5 vs #7 Denver @ UNI-Dome
6. West Lyon (5-1), LW #6 @ West Sioux
7. Denver (6-0), LW #7 vs #5 South Winneshiek @ UNI-Dome
8. Griswold (6-0), LW #9 vs Logan-Magnolia
9. HMS (Hartley) (5-1), LW #10@ Lawton-Bronson
10.Clayton Ridge (5-1), LW (X) @ Maquoketa Valley

 

Class A
1. North Tama (6-0), LW #1 @ G-M-G
2. Central Elkader (6-0), LW #2 @ DonBosco
3. AHST (Avoca) (6-0), LW #4 @ Bedford
4. Southern Cal (5-1), LW #6 vs Rockwell City-Lytton
5. Madrid (5-1), LW #3 @ Earlham
6. Cedar Falls NU High (6-0), LW #9 @ Rockford
7. North Mahaska (6-0), LW #8 @ English Valleys
8. Mason City Newman (5-1), LW #5 vs Tripoli
9. Clay Central-Everly (5-1), LW #7 vs Akron-Westfield
10.LeMars Gehlen (5-1), LW #10 vs River Valley

 

Eight-man
1. Lenox (6-0), LW #1 vs Mormon Trail
2. North Sentral Kossuth (6-0), LW #2 vs Harris-Lake Park
3. CAM (Anita) (6-0), LW #3 vs Elk Horn-Kimballton
4. Tri-County (Thornburgh) (6-0), LW #4 vs Twin Cedars
5. Stanton (6-0), LW #5 vs East Mills
6. Preston (6-0), LW #6 @ Olin
7. Armstrong-Ringsted (5-1), LW #7 vs Ruthven-Ayrshire
8. Ankeny Christian (5-1), LW #8 vs Murray
9. Remsen St. Marys (6-0), LW (X) vs Remsen-Union
10.West Central (Maynard) (5-1), LW #9 vs Dunkerton

 

Filed Under: Radio Iowa Poll, Sports

Key legislator says film office audit “mind-boggling”

October 5, 2009 By

A key state legislator says an auditing firm’s review of the state Film Office is “mind-boggling. “The review released this morning found, for example, that state tax credits for in-state purchases were improperly awarded to film makers for out-of-state activity.  Senator Joe Bolkcom, a Democrat from Iowa City who is chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, read the report online.

“It’s mind-boggling to be in this position, to see what has just been a complete lack of oversight of this program,” Bolkcom says. “It’s quite unfortunate.”

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Business, Politics & Government Tagged With: , , , ,

Film Office audit finds “questionable” activity

October 5, 2009 By

State officials have just released an auditing firm’s review of the state’s tax credit program for film makers  — a review which found a variety of “questionable” actions in the Iowa Film Office.  The Attorney General has issued a statement, saying a criminal investigation is underway, as there are “several” instances when state law was not followed.

Supporters of the program hoped the tax credits would help Iowans find jobs in the film industry and lead to economic activitity in areas where filming was underway. But the auditing firm found “the majority of purchases of property and labor appeared to have originated from out-of-state sources” on some of the productions which got tax credits.  According to the auditing firm, “some of the purchases listed on the report clearly indicated an out-of-state address, however, they were included as qualified Iowa expenditures” eligible for the tax credit.

[Read more...]

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