From the daily archives:

Monday, December 28, 2009

Drake prepares to open MVC play

by Todd Kimm on December 28, 2009

in Sports

The Drake basketball team opens Missouri Valley Conference play on Tuesday night at home against Bradley. Drake coach Mark Phelps says all the players have returned to campus even though it took a little longer due to the weather over the weekend. Phelps says they were due back on the 26th but had some guys who couldn’t get back, so they practiced with what they had.

Drake is 5-7 on the season but Phelps says the Bulldogs are a confident team heading into the start of conference play. He says they realize they have been close in 6 of 7 losses and they recognize they have pieces to play at a high level, they just need to do it more consistently.

Junior guard Ryan Wedel has been a key addition to the Bulldogs. The transfer from Arkansas State leads the team in scoring. He says Wendel is doing a great job and is playing very well, but says he can still get better and had not fully gotten his game legs after sitting out one year.

After jumping out to a quick start Bradley is 5-5 but Phelps says the Braves showed how good the could be when they knocked off Illinois. He says they are a talented, well balanced team that will be hungry after losing three games.

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Another “safe haven” baby; 14th since 2001

by O. Kay Henderson 12/28/09 4:30 PM

Iowa’s “safe haven” law has been used for the 14th time and an unwanted baby will soon be adopted. Roger Munns, a spokesman for the Iowa Department of Human Services, says the baby was born on December 21. 
“A newborn baby boy was brought to an Iowa hospital shortly before Christmas after a home delivery.  The [...]

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DNR may rope off parts of state parks due to budget cut

by Pat Curtis 12/28/09 3:51 PM

Declining state revenues could limit Iowans’ access to areas of state parks next year. Iowa Department of Natural Resources spokesperson Kevin Baskins says just over half of the D.N.R.’s $15.4 million budget comes from the general fund. “If you look over the last two fiscal years, our appropriation has dropped about 26%. So, obviously, that’s [...]

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Vilsack says he must “walk the walk” on better eating choices

by O. Kay Henderson 12/28/09 2:54 PM

U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says Americans have “serious challenges” with sodium and sugar and a U.S.D.A. pilot project in the new year will try to find a way to steer shoppers to more nutritious food. 
Vilsack toured a Hy-Vee near the Des Moines airport this morning to see a new system which rates the nutritional value of [...]

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Blowing snow causing trouble on roadways

by Radio Iowa Contributor 12/28/09 2:03 PM

The snow has stopped, but high winds are continuing to cause problems by blowing the snow on the ground across roadways. One of the worst areas is on Interstate 80 between Mitchellville and Altoona. Iowa State Trooper Doug Cutts says there’s no way to counter the slick spots caused by the blowing snow.
He says they [...]

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Iowa is 163 today

by Radio Iowa Contributor 12/28/09 2:01 PM

Iowa turns 163 years old today. Iowa became the 29th state on this date in 1846. Now listed as one of the top ten safest states in which to live, according to insurance company data, Iowa is often referred to as the “American Heartland” and as the “Food Capital of the World.”
After the Louisiana Purchase [...]

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Snowfall builds to record level in many areas

by Dar Danielson 12/28/09 12:42 PM

Some of the recent snowfalls have not been record-breaking by any means — but when added all together — they’re leading to overall records across the state. National Weather Service forecaster, Brad Small, says the latest record fell in the capital city.
Small says Des Moines set the record for the highest snowfall on record for [...]

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