Iowa News

FARMLAND FRENZY        Farmland sales brisk because of tax law changes        (Information in the following story is from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com)        DENVER, Iowa (AP) – Farmland sales are happening at a brisk pace this fall partly because farmers are worried about the tax increases that may take effect January 1st if Congress can’t address the fiscal cliff.        The worries about possible increases in capital gains and estate taxes are adding to the normally busy time for farmland sales after harvest in Iowa and Nebraska.        Des Moines lawyer Bill Hannigan of the Davis Brown firm tells the Des Moines Register that anyone thinking of selling farmland should do so before the end of 2012.        Jim Hain, vice president of agricultural sales for Omaha-based Lund Company says his firm is the busiest it has been with farmland sales. He says the possible tax law changes and the current high prices have prompted more people to sell.

CHILD BURNED        Dubuque man arrested after child treated for burns        (Information in the following story is from: KWWL-TV, http://www.kwwl.com)        DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) – A Dubuque man faces charges after doctors treat a 2-year-old child for severe burns and head trauma.        Waterloo television station KWWL reports that police were called to Finley Hospital in Dubuque on Friday night after the toddler was brought in with severe burns.        Doctors also found the child had suffered a head injury. The toddler was flown to an Iowa City hospital and is reported to be in critical condition following surgery.        An investigation led officers to arrest a 34-year-old Dubuque man on suspicion of child neglect.

MOTORCYCLE FATALITY        Man killed in Iowa crash of motorcycle, car        (Information in the following story is from: The Gazette, http://www.gazetteonline.com/)        CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – A motorcyclist is dead after his bike collided with a car this week in eastern Iowa.        The Gazette newspaper reports that the crash happened Thursday afternoon in Cedar Rapids.        Investigators say the motorcycle was traveling south when it collided with a car traveling north.        The driver of the motorcycle was flown to St. Luke’s Hospital, where he later died.        Police have not yet released the motorcyclist’s name.

ATV DEATH        Northern Iowa man killed in ATV crash        (Information in the following story is from: The Messenger, http://www.messengernews.net)        WEST BEND, Iowa (AP) – One man has died and another has been seriously injured after an all-terrain vehicle hit a tree in the northern Iowa community of West Bend.        The Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Department tells the Fort Dodge Messenger that the crash happened Wednesday night. Killed in the crash was 51-year-old Glenn Gearhart of West Bend.        The injured person, identified only as a 28-year-old, was initially treated at Palo Alto County Hospital in Emmetsburg, then flown to an unidentified hospital.        Sheriff deputies report that the accident occurred on private property.

FALLING TREE DEATH        Northeastern Iowa man killed by falling tree        (Information in the following story is from: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, http://www.wcfcourier.com)        PARKERSBURG, Iowa (AP) – A Parkersburg man has died after being struck by a falling tree.        The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that 49-year-old Mitchell Johnson died after being struck by the tree Saturday.        The Butler County Sheriff’s Office has not yet released details of the accident.        Johnson’s death was confirmed by Redman-Schwartz Funeral Home in Parkersburg, which is in charge of funeral arrangements.        Johnson was a volunteer firefighter with the Parkersburg Fire Department.

TRACTOR FATALITY        Authorities ID man killed, girl injured by tractor        (Information in the following story is from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com)        CAMBRIDGE, Iowa (AP) – Authorities have identified a man killed and a 9-year-old girl injured when a tractor they were on rolled in central Iowa this weekend.        The Des Moines Register reports that the accident happened Saturday morning near Cambridge.        Story County Sheriff’s Captain Barry Thomas says 42-year-old Noel Shepley was pronounced dead at the scene. Shepley’s 9-year-old daughter, who was also riding the older-model tractor, was pinned and had to be freed when deputies arrived.        Thomas says an autopsy has been scheduled for Shepley.        Thomas says his daughter was conscious and alert as the tractor was pulled off. She was flown to Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines.        Preliminary reports show the tractor’s tires may have dropped off the road, causing it to roll.

DRUNKEN TODDLER        Iowa mom pleads guilty in drunk toddler case        (Information in the following story is from: KCRG-TV, http://www.kcrg.com)        IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa City mother arrested after her 23-month-old son was found to be legally drunk has pleaded guilty to felony child endangerment and neglect or abandonment charges.        Natasha Kriener was charged in February after doctors found the toddler had a blood-alcohol level of .09 percent, above the state’s legal limit of .08 percent. Police said the toddler’s father had taken him to the hospital because he was crying and had poor balance.        Cedar Rapids television station KCRG-TV reports that the 27-year-old Kriener pleaded guilty Monday. She had been set to go to trial in September, but failed to appear for a hearing and disappeared for nearly three months. She was arrested November 1st on a warrant.        She faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of the charges.

FORT MADISON FIRE        Historic Fort Madison hotel burns to ground        (Information in the following story is from: KWQC-TV, http://www.kwqc.com)        FORT MADISON, Iowa (AP) – An historic Fort Madison hotel building has burned to the ground, and the flames claimed two businesses housed in the building.        Davenport television station KWQC reports that the fire broke out around 4 a.m. Saturday, and flames quickly engulfed the old Metropolitan Hotel, which housed a book store and a computer repair company.        It took two hours for nearly 40 firefighters from four fire departments to get the fire under control. Firefighters kept the flames from spreading to nearby buildings.        Investigators expect to begin searching for the cause of the fire on Monday.

GRINNELL-JACK TAYLOR        Grinnell’s Taylor finishes with 21 in loss        GRINNELL, Iowa (AP) – Jack Taylor’s encore for his record-setting performance was OK, just nowhere near his previous game.        Taylor scored 21 points, but Grinnell College lost 131-116 to William Penn on Sunday night. He was 6 for 21 from the field, making 3 of 13 attempts from 3-point range, in the first loss of the season for the Pioneers (3-1).        Everyone from LeBron James to Carmelo Anthony was talking about Taylor after he scored 138 points on Tuesday night, shattering the NCAA record of 113 set by Rio Grande’s Bevo Francis against Hillsdale in 1954. He was 52 of 108 from the floor in the memorable performance, including 27 for 71 from 3-point range.        William Penn (12-0) was 50 of 80 from the floor and had seven players score in double figures.

OBIT-HAL TROSKY JR        Former White Sox pitcher Hal Trosky Jr. dies        CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – Hal Trosky Junior, who briefly played in the major leagues and was the son of the late Cleveland Indians great Hal Trosky Senior has died in Iowa. He was 76.        Mike Trosky, the younger Trosky’s son, says his father died Friday at a hospice house in Hiawatha after being diagnosed with lung cancer in August.        Trosky was born in Cleveland and played five seasons in the minors after being signed by the Chicago White Sox out of high school.        In 1958, he pitched two games for the White Sox. The Iowa Baseball Hall of Famer stopped playing after the 1961 season.        His father played first base for Cleveland from 1933 to 1941 and the White Sox in 1944 and 1946. He hit 216 homers with Cleveland – the fifth-most in franchise history.

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