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Burn Ban Active in Jasper County

NEWTON — A burn ban is now active for all of Jasper County.

Jasper County EMA reported yesterday that director Jamey Robinson requested the burn ban from the State Fire Marshal’s Office. Upon investigation, the Fire Marshal’s Office found that conditions in Jasper County are such that open burning constitutes a danger to life or property. Therefore, open burning is prohibited in Jasper County until further notice.

Violations of open burning bans are simple misdemeanors.

Jasper County is the only county in the No Coast Network listening area to have enacted a burn ban at this time, but conditions are still dangerous all around the state for burning. For as long as the weather stays dry and windy, area residents are advised to postpone any open burns until conditions become more favorable.

North Mahaska Runners Score PRs and Season Bests at Williamsburg

WILLIAMSBURG – North Mahaska did not score as high in the races as they have been but the cross country runners did perform well.  Four of the personal bests came from the girls’ team and the boys scored two season bests. Junior high runner Jade DeBoef also record a personal best.

The teams competed at arguably the highest competitive meet of the season at Williamsburg. For varsity girls there were five Class 3A ranked teams, two from 2A and three from 1A. On the boys’ side, five 3A; three 2A and two 1A.

Emmerson Jedlicka had the highest finish of the North Mahaska runners taking 17th overall. She had a personal record of 20 minutes 15 seconds to lead the Warhawks to 15th in the team race. No. 8 Mount Vernon-Lisbon was first with 67 points and No. 4 Solon was second with 71.

Ava Huffman set a personal mark of 21:29.2 to place 45th. Amber Knockel placed 100th in 24:54.9 to set a personal record; Alivia Schock was 103rd, 25:05.9 for a personal best. Breckyn Schilling was 112th in 27:08 and Abby Van Weelden 113th in 27:09.

Even with the higher placing than normal the team excelled as their times were better.

On the boys’ side, No. 4 Mount Vernon-Lisbon won the meet with 58 points.

Ben Yang placed 95th for a season best time of 19:14.5. Axl Patterson took 102nd in 20:01.2 followed by Kincaid Mitch in 109th in 20:29.0, which was also a season best. Jeb Goemaat was 123rd in 22:52.2 and Cain Grandia took 126th in 23:14.2. As a team NM placed 19th with 516 points.

DeBoef set a personal record in the junior high girls’ race in 10:33.5. She placed 31st. Addelynn Jedlicka placed 71st in 12:01.2 and Mallory Schippers, 99th in 13:29.6.

Doctor charged in connection with Matthew Perry’s death is expected to plead guilty

LOS ANGELES (AP) — One of two doctors charged in the investigation of the death of Matthew Perry is expected to plead guilty Wednesday in a federal court in Los Angeles to conspiring to distribute the surgical anesthetic ketamine.

Dr. Mark Chavez, 54, of San Diego, signed a plea agreement with prosecutors in August and would be the third person to plead guilty in the aftermath of the “Friends” star’s fatal overdose last year.

Prosecutors offered lesser charges to Chavez and two others in exchange for their cooperation as they go after two targets they deem more responsible for the overdose death: another doctor and an alleged dealer that they say was known as “ketamine queen” of Los Angeles.

Chavez is free on bond after turning over his passport and surrendering his medical license, among other conditions.

His lawyer Matthew Binninger said after Chavez’s first court appearance on Aug. 30 that he is “incredibly remorseful” and is “trying to do everything in his power to right the wrong that happened here.”

Also working with federal prosecutors are Perry’s assistant, who admitted to helping him obtain and inject ketamine, and a Perry acquaintance, who admitted to acting as a drug messenger and middleman.

The three are helping prosecutors in their prosecution of Dr. Salvador Plasencia, charged with illegally selling ketamine to Perry in the month before his death, and Jasveen Sangha, a woman who authorities say sold the actor the lethal dose of ketamine. Both have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.

Chavez admitted in his plea agreement that he obtained ketamine from his former clinic and from a wholesale distributor where he submitted a fraudulent prescription.

After a guilty plea, he could get up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced.

Perry was found dead by his assistant on Oct. 28. The medical examiner ruled ketamine was the primary cause of death. The actor had been using the drug through his regular doctor in a legal but off-label treatment for depression that has become increasingly common.

Perry began seeking more ketamine than his doctor would give him. About a month before the actor’s death, he found Plasencia, who in turn asked Chavez to obtain the drug for him.

“I wonder how much this moron will pay,” Plasencia texted Chavez. The two met up the same day in Costa Mesa, halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego, and exchanged at least four vials of ketamine.

After selling the drugs to Perry for $4,500, Plasencia asked Chavez if he could keep supplying them so they could become Perry’s “go-to.”

Perry struggled with addiction for years, dating back to his time on “Friends,” when he became one of the biggest stars of his generation as Chandler Bing. He starred alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004 on NBC’s megahit sitcom.

Fall community trout stocking starts October 18

DES MOINES — Eighteen lakes across Iowa are gearing up to receive trout this fall. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will release between 1,000 to 2,000 rainbow trout at each location as part of its cool weather trout program that brings trout to areas that cannot support them during the summer months.

The fall community trout stockings are a great place to take kids to catch their first fish. A small hook with a night crawler or corn under a small bobber or small simple spinners, such as a Panther Martin or Mepps, is all you need to get in on the fun.

Bringing trout to cities and towns offers a “close to home” option for Iowans who might not travel to northeast Iowa to discover trout fishing. A family-friendly event is often paired with the stocking to help anglers have success and fun while fishing. Check the Iowa DNR Trout Fishing website to see which lakes are having events.

The popular program is supported by the sales of the trout fee. Anglers need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout. The daily limit is five trout per licensed angler with a possession limit of 10.

Children age 15 or younger can fish for trout with a properly licensed adult, but they must limit their catch to one daily limit. The child can purchase a trout fee which will allow them to catch their own limit.

2024 Fall Community Trout Stocking Schedule

Oct. 18, Moorland Pond, Fort Dodge, Noon

Oct. 18, Big Lake, Council Bluffs, 3 p.m.

Oct. 18, Sand Lake, Marshalltown, Noon

Oct. 24, Ottumwa Park Pond, Ottumwa, 11 a.m.

Oct. 25, Prairie Park Fishery, Cedar Rapids, 10 a.m.

Oct. 25, Liberty Centre Pond, North Liberty, 10:30 a.m.

Oct. 26, Emma Young Pond, Clinton, 10 a.m.

Oct. 26, Industrial Park Pond, Fairfield, 11 a.m.

Oct. 26, Discovery Park Pond, Muscatine, Noon

Oct. 28, Terra Lake, Johnston, Noon

Oct. 28, Triumph Park East & West, Waukee, 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 31, Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake, Ames, Noon

Oct. 31, Lake Petocka, Bondurant, Noon

Nov. 5, Scharnberg Pond, Spencer, Noon

Nov. 5, Bacon Creek, Sioux City, 1:30 p.m.

Nov. 8, Heritage Pond, Dubuque, 11 a.m.

Nov. 8, North Prairie Lake, Cedar Falls, 11:30 a.m.

Nov. 27, Blue Pit, Mason City, 11 a.m.

Find more information about trout fishing in community lakes on the DNR trout fishing webpage.

Jasper County Woman Charged with Insurance Fraud

DES MOINES — Antonia Maddison, age 46, of Sully, was charged with one count of Insurance Fraud – Application Submission (Class D Felony), following an investigation by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau.

The charges against Maddison stem from an investigation that began in July 2024. According to a criminal complaint filed by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau, Maddison added a vehicle and driver to her auto insurance policy in an attempt to obtain coverage for a recent accident. She failed to disclose the accident and made other false statements to her insurance company in order to receive benefits to which she was not entitled.

On September 12, 2024, a criminal complaint was filed in Jasper County. Maddison’s attorney appeared in court on her behalf at an initial appearance on October 1, 2024. No additional information will be provided at this time.

Iowans with information about insurance fraud are encouraged to contact the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau at 515-654-6556.

William Penn Defeats Grand View for First Conference Win

OSKALOOSA — The Statesmen women’s soccer team notched its first Heart of America Athletic Conference victory of the season as it held off rival Grand View 2-1 Tuesday.

WPU (3-3-5, 1-2-2 Heart), which snapped a five-game losing streak to the Vikings,controlled much of the play, outshooting Grand View (1-5-2, 0-4-1) by a 20-7 margin.

Despite recording 11 shots in the first half, William Penn was held scoreless until the second period.  The hosts finally scored, doing so at the 60:09 mark when Luca Szucs (Sr., Gyor, Hungary, Exercise Science) sent a corner kick to Emma Brandt (So., Cologne, Germany, Sports Management), who headed the ball past the goalkeeper.

The navy and gold doubled their lead exactly three minutes later when Lilly Cote (Jr., Sioux City, Iowa, Psychology) tallied a goal off a rebounded shot by Szucs in the 64th minute.

WPU stood tall defensively, but eventually allowed a Viking goal via a penalty kick with just seven minutes remaining.  The Statesmen stiffened from there, though, and did not permit the equalizer to be scored.

Cote led William Penn’s shot tally with five attempts, while Brandt posted four. Szucs added three shots, and Alessia Piombo (So., Traverse City, Michigan, Business Management), Lina Regadane (So., IJmuiden, Netherlands, Business Management), and Sian Bah (Jr., London, England, Political Science) each contributed two.

North Mahaska Volleyball Continues Roll Through SICL

MONTEZUMA – It took four sets against a determined Montezuma squad, but North Mahaska’s volleyball team reigned supreme 3-1 Monday. The Warhawks won on Monte’s floor, 25-11, 25-19, 23-25, 25-14. The victory sets up a match against the other undefeated South Iowa Cedar League team, Belle Plaine Thursday at North Mahaska.

First year head coach grace Ceresa was a bit nervous going against the Bravettes knowing the intensity of the rivalry.

“I was a bit scared coming in here tonight,” said Ceresa. “It is such a big rivalry I was not sure what to expect.”

North Mahaska jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first set and continued to build the lead not allowing Montezuma to earn more than two points on any rotation. Set two was a little closer as Montezuma made some adjustments and stayed close. North Mahaska led 21-18 as senior Regan Grewe stepped to the line to serve. She scored two of her three service aces on points 22 and 24. Montezuma misplayed a ball and gave the Warhawks the win.

A net serve by the Warhawks and two aces by Chloe Snook put Montezuma ahead 5-2. NM had three net serves in the set to aid Monte’s run. Ceresa said Monte changed the way they handled the ball at the net and caused problem for the Warhawks.

“It started going sideways in the third set and we didn’t make the adjustment,” said Ceresa. “They began using (Sydney( Burgess in the middle and did a lot of tipping and we didn’t react to it. We made the adjustments in the final set.”

The final set still saw North Mahaska struggling slightly at the service line. They had four serves that hit the net or was out of bounds. The Warhawks did pick up two aces in the final set.

“We obviously want more aces than errors, but I am not upset if we are serving aggressively,” said Ceresa. “I wasn’t really happy with the serves that hit the bottom of the tape.”

North Mahaska befuddled the Montezuma front line with their work at the net. Nataliya Linder drilled 19 kills and blocked or assisted on six blocks. Grewe powered down 11 kills from the outside and Sydney Andersen added six. Andersen led in service aces with four, Grewe hit for three and Carly Lake added another.

Dikembe Mutombo, a Hall of Fame player and tireless advocate, dies at 58 from brain cancer

PORTLAND (AP) — Dikembe Mutombo, a Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game, died Monday from brain cancer, the league announced. He was 58.

His family revealed two years ago that he was undergoing treatment in Atlanta for a brain tumor. The NBA said he died surrounded by his family.

“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.”

Mutombo was distinctive in so many ways — the playful finger wag at opponents after blocking their shots, his height, his deep and gravelly voice, his massive smile. Players of this generation were always drawn to him and Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid, who was born in Cameroon, looked to Mutombo as an inspiration.

“It’s a sad day, especially for us Africans, and really the whole world,” Embiid said Monday. “Other than what he’s accomplished on the basketball court, I think he was even better off the court. He’s one of the guys that I look up to, as far as having an impact, not just on the court, but off the court. He’s done a lot of great things. He did a lot of great things for a lot of people. He was a role model of mine. It is a sad day.”

Mutombo spent 18 seasons in the NBA, playing for Denver, Atlanta, Houston, Philadelphia, New York and the then-New Jersey Nets. The 7-foot-2 center out of Georgetown was an eight-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection and went into the Hall of Fame in 2015 after averaging 9.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game for his career.

He also was part of one of the league’s most iconic playoff moments, helping eighth-seeded Denver oust top-seeded Seattle in the first round of the 1994 Western Conference playoffs. That best-of-five series marked the first time a No. 8 beat a No. 1 in NBA history.

“It’s really hard to believe,” Toronto President Masai Ujiri said Monday, pausing several times because he was overcome with emotion shortly after hearing the news of Mutombo’s death. “It’s hard for us to be without that guy. You have no idea what Dikembe Mutombo meant to me. … That guy, he made us who we are. That guy is a giant, an incredible person.”

Mutombo last played during the 2008-09 season, devoting his time after retirement to charitable and humanitarian causes. He spoke nine languages and founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997, concentrating on improving health, education and quality of life for the people in the Congo.

And on occasion, LeBron James pointed out with a laugh on Monday, Mutombo didn’t necessarily improve the health of others.

“My fondest memory of Dikembe Mutombo? He fractured my face on my birthday in Cleveland with an elbow,” James, the Los Angeles Lakers’ star, said while taking several minutes Monday to pay tribute to Mutombo’s life. “I never even got an opportunity to tell him about that. But yeah. I don’t remember how old … I was in Cleveland, my first stint, and I think I was turning 22 maybe?

“I went to the hole and caught one of those Dikembe elbows, and if anybody know about the Dikembe elbows, they do not feel good. He fractured my face, and I went to the hospital that night, and I wore a mask for a little bit. That is my memory of Dikembe,” James said.

James was close on the details: Dec. 29, 2004, was when that play happened, late in the first half, one day before his 20th birthday.

Mutombo told reporters that night he wasn’t sure how James got hurt. “He was laying there and I was like, ‘What happened, what happened?’” Mutombo told the Houston Chronicle after that game. “All I know, I was running to the basket. … LeBron turned around to stop me going to the basket. The collision happened.”

Ryan Mutombo, the Hall of Famer’s son, said in a tribute posted on social media that his father “loved others with every ounce of his being.”

“My dad is my hero because he simply cared,” Ryan Mutombo wrote. “He remains the purest heart I have ever known.”

Mutombo served on the boards of many organizations, including Special Olympics International, the CDC Foundation and the National Board for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

“There was nobody more qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first Global Ambassador,” Silver said. “He was a humanitarian at his core. He loved what the game of basketball could do to make a positive impact on communities, especially in his native Democratic Republic of the Congo and across the continent of Africa.”

Mutombo is one of three players to win the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year four times. The others: reigning DPOY winner Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Hall of Famer Ben Wallace.

“He was always there to talk to me and advise me on how to approach the season and take care of my body and icing after games and stretching and trying different things like yoga,” Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo said. “He will be always remembered and may his soul rest in peace.”

Philadelphia 76ers president Daryl Morey — who was with Mutombo for many seasons in Houston — was informed of his friend’s death during the team’s media day on Monday. Tears welled in Morey’s eyes as he processed the news.

“There aren’t many guys like him,” Morey said. “Just a great human being. When I was a rookie GM in this league, my first chance in Houston, he was someone I went to all the time. … His accomplishments on the court, we don’t need to talk about too much. Just an amazing human being, what he did off the court for Africa. Rest in peace, Dikembe.”

Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report

DES MOINES — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. The report is released weekly April through November. Additionally, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship provides a weather summary each week during this time.

“As we head into October, harvest activity will move into high gear with dry conditions expected to continue,” said Secretary Naig. “Although suitable for harvest, these warm and dry conditions, paired with low humidity and gusty winds, also produce an environment that can lead to field fires. I encourage everyone to be prepared, have a plan, and keep safety top of mind as you are in the field, on the road and around the farm.”

The weekly report is also available on the USDA’s website at nass.usda.gov.

Crop Report
Iowa continued to experience hot and dry conditions this week allowing Iowa farmers 6.5 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending September 29, 2024, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service.  Field activities included harvesting both corn and soybeans.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 15 percent very short, 44 percent short, 41 percent adequate and 0 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 11 percent very short, 44 percent short, 44 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus.

Corn in the dent stage or beyond reached 97 percent this week. Corn mature reached 75 percent, 1 week behind last year but 2 days ahead of normal. Corn harvested for grain reached 11 percent, 3 days behind last year but equal to the five-year average. Corn condition remained at 77 percent good to excellent. Soybeans coloring or beyond reached 95 percent. Soybeans dropping leaves reached 80 percent, 2 days behind last year but 3 days ahead of average. Soybeans harvested reached 27 percent this week, 3 days ahead of both last year and the five-year average. Soybean condition rated 77 percent good to excellent.

Pasture condition continued to deteriorate with 44 percent rated good to excellent this week.  With the continued dry conditions, some producers have had to begin hauling water to cattle.

Pella Wildlife Area to be closed for mine reclamation work starting today

PELLA, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will begin a project to restore a 165-acre portion of the Pella Wildlife Area that was previously used as a strip mine, starting Oct. 1.

The north half of the reclamation area will be closed to all public use beginning Oct. 1. The south half of the wildlife area will remain open until the reclamation work begins, likely around Nov. 1, when the entire wildlife area will be closed for public use.

The area will be reopened to the public after the project is completed in 2025.

The Iowa DNR will post signs at Pella Wildlife Area informing users of the closure and the boundaries.

For more information, contact area manager, Todd Gosselink, at 515-238-6936.

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