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Iowa State and UNI meet in basketball in Cedar Falls

November 30, 2010 By

Iowa State and U.N.I. collide Wednesday night for the 46th time when the teams play in the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls. The Cyclones are 6-0 after a lopsided win over Montana State and this will be the first road test for coach Fred Hoiberg’s team. Hoiberg says it will be a great atmosphere and the first real road test for his team against a very well coached team.

This game will match an Iowa State team that averages just over 84 points per game against a UNI squad that is giving up just under 58 points per game. Hoiberg says Ben Jacobsen is as good a defensive coach as there is in basketball and it will be tough to score a bunch of points against them.

Hoiberg says the Cyclones want to push the tempo, and play the same way they have by scoring in transition, penetrating and kicking the ball out.

U.N.I. coach Ben Jacobsen says Hoiberg has brought in a new style of play at Iowa State. Jacobsen says they have opened up the floor in transition and in the quarter court and that has opened up a lot of opportunities, and they have made lots of three’s.

Jacobsen says a key for the Panthers will be to limit easy baskets as the Cyclones push the ball on made or missed shots and they will have to do a good job of getting back. He says they will be challenged defensively as they have to defend guys who can put it on the floor and can shoot from long range.

Jacobsen says the game will feature two front lines that like to get out and run. Iowa State opened the in-state series with a victory over Drake while this will be the first game the Panthers in a series that will determine the mythical state champion. Jacobsen says they are great games for the state and fun for the fans to be a part of, not matter which in-state teams are playing.

By Elwin Huffman KOEL Oelwein

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: , ,

Wartburg opens wrestling season hosting Central

November 30, 2010 By

The Iowa Conference wrestling season gets underway tonight for 18-time defending conference champion Wartburg when they host Central College. The Knights have seven wrestlers rated in the National Wrestling Coaches’ Association’s top 10, and head coach Jim Miller says his team may get even stronger after Christmas.

Miller says they have three guys going part-time right now as they only have a semester left and it is up to them if they come back.

Wartburg was last in action the weekend before Thanksgiving, rolling to a 4-0 day at the Olivet College duals in Michigan.

Junior Byron Tate and senior John Helgerson are top-ranked at 197 and heavyweight respectively, and Miller says that will give his team some extra push at the end. Miller says their strength is at those two weights and he says if they are even going into those matches, you have to feel good about it.

Wartburg has won 142 Iowa Conference dual matches in a row.

 By Austin Draude, KQCR, Parkersburg

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With:

Four inmates hospitalized after fight at state penitentiary

November 30, 2010 By

Four inmates are hospitalized after a fight involving knives at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison. Iowa Department of Corrections spokesperson Fred Scaletta calls the incident “isolated but serious.” It’s unclear exactly what happened, but it occurred just before the noon hour.

“We came across four inmates who had some stabbing injuries and they’ve all been transported to a local hospital for treatment,” Scaletta told Radio Iowa. “So, we’re not able to really get into asking questions. We’re still trying to sort things out. We’re not really sure what happened.”

The names of the injured prisoners have not been released. Their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. Scaletta says no prison employees were hurt and they may not have seen the fight. “It’s my understanding that they discovered it, so I believe it happened at a time when staff weren’t visibly watching,” Scaletta said. “It did not happen in an area that’s clearly visible by staff.”

The Iowa State Penitentiary complex houses nearly 1,000 inmates – more than half of which are considered Iowa’s most dangerous criminals.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

Lake Delhi task force supports use of public funding for rebuilding dam

November 30, 2010 By

A task force appointed by Governor Chet Culver supports the use of public funding to rebuild a dam that failed in northeast Iowa. The dam breach in July drained Lake Delhi and flooded fields and communities downstream on the Maquoketa River. The task force distributed its final report at a meeting today in Marion.

Chairman Brett Mills, who also serves as director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development, says the backing of public funding to restore the recreational lake includes stipulations. “It says the task force would support a project that involves public investment in the dam provided that the engineering study, reasonable costs, public ownership control and environmental concerns are addressed and there’s unfettered public access,” Mills said.

The report indicates public ownership of the dam would ensure participation in federal programs designed to help with the structure’s upkeep. Lake Delhi Recreation Association President Jim Willey calls the report “a step in the process,” adding “there’s a long way to go.”

Willey says preserving lake residents’ autonomy is a concern. He says one of “best options” would involve Lake Delhi becoming a municipality. Officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency have denied a request for disaster aid because the dam is privately owned. Governor Culver has asked FEMA to reconsider that decision. The cost of replacing the dam is estimated at six million dollars.

Filed Under: Environment & Conservation, Fires/Accidents/Disasters, Politics & Government

Two hen houses from Wright County cleared to ship eggs again

November 30, 2010 By

The F.D.A. has now cleared parts of an Iowa egg farm at the center of a salmonella outbreak to begin shipping whole eggs once again. The F.D.A. says it has notified Wright County Egg of Galt that it can resume shipping eggs from two hen houses on one of its six farms.

Wright County Egg stopped shipping whole eggs in August after the multi-state outbreak of salmonella poisoning. F.D.A. commissioner Margaret Hamburg said in a statement that after four months of “intensive work by the company, and oversight, testing and inspections by the F.D.A.” the eggs are safe to ship.

Hamburg says the company removed contaminated hens and cleaned and sanitized their houses, and a biosecurity plan has been implemented to minimize the risk of contamination from other houses. The F.D.A. also says the severe rodent problem has been corrected and the feed mill was cleaned and disinfected to eliminate contaminated feed.

The F.D.A. says over the past six weeks they collected and analyzed 40 feed samples, 236 environmental samples and 13,900 shell eggs, and determined eggs could be shipped from the two houses. The F.D.A. says it will continue to conduct environmental and egg sampling and will conduct periodic inspections to verify the effectiveness of the safety measures in place.

The F.D.A. says it corrective actions continue to be implemented for Wright County Egg’s remaining houses. The agency says it will work with Wright County Egg officials to assure appropriate steps are taken before permitting resumption of shipping from the other houses and farms.

See the F.D.A. letter to Wright County Egg farm here: www.fda.gov/downloads/food/NewsEvents/WhatsNewinFood/ucm235213.pdf

Filed Under: Agriculture, Health & Medicine, Politics & Government

Starmont High student charged in bomb threat

November 30, 2010 By

Authorities say a Starmont High School student is facing a felony charge after a bomb threat last week. The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office says 16-year old Megghan Recker of Stanley was charged Monday with False Reports.

Starmont schools were evacuated last Tuesday after note revealing a bomb threat was found in a restroom at the high school. Authorities were called in to investigate and search the school grounds, but an explosive device was never found.

Recker, who is a junior at Starmont, has been referred to juvenile court services and will make an appearance at a later date. She has been released to her parents until then. The case remains under investigation, and the sheriff’s office says more students could be charged.

By Janelle Tucker, KMCH, Manchester

Filed Under: Crime & Courts, Education

Branstad plans to end state tax credits for movies, TV shows

November 30, 2010 By

Governor-elect Terry Branstad says he plans to end a program that had extended state tax breaks for movie and television productions filmed in Iowa.

The tax credit program was suspended over a year ago when questionable spending came to light. Criminal charges have been filed against the former manager of the film office as well as a couple of  movie-makers. 

“We did create the film office back when I was governor before and we had success, significant success without the tax incentives,” Branstad says. “We had ‘Field of Dreams’, ‘Bridges of Madison County’, ‘Miles from Home’ and many other successful films, so I don’t think we should rule out the possibility of film-making in Iowa, but I think we need to make sure that whatever we do is cost-effective and the taxpayers’ interests are always protected.”

The state film office has been part of the Iowa Department of Economic Development. Once Branstad takes over as governor, he may move the film office to the Department of Cultural Affairs.

“We are evaluating what to do with that and whether that should be in a different agency or where it should be, but no final decision has been made with regard to the film office,” Branstad says. “We certainly do not intend to get back into the tax credit situation there. I think that was a bad idea, badly run and we’re not going to go that direction.”

A state audit released last month found problems with over $25.5 million worth of the tax credits that had been awarded. Claims lacked proper documentation to show expenditures qualified for the credit, according to the state auditor. 

A Minneapolis filmmaker has pleaded guilty to first-degree theft in connection with the scandal and he’s promised to testify against another filmmaker and against the former manager of the film office during their trials.

Filed Under: Business, Crime & Courts, Human Interest, Politics & Government, Recreation & Entertainment Tagged With: , ,
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