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Researchers tackling disease that’s harming pork production

Ag/Outdoor

July 22nd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

U.S. Department of Agriculture researchers are working to solve a swine disease that has a major negative effect on the pork industry. USDA scientist Dr. Joan Lunney says Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome, or PRRS, costs U.S. pork producers money and pigs every year. “Overall, in the United States, PRRS costs us 642-million (dollars) a year and if you take into account veterinary costs, it’s one billion a year in the U.S. alone,” Lunney says. For young pigs, being sick means respiratory problems and loss of growth, so it’s a major issue in terms of production.

“In the adult sow, if she gets PRRS when she’s pregnant, she can lose her litter, and/or her litter becomes sick and some pigs die in utero or are very unthrifty when they’re born,” Lunney says. To alleviate this situation, Lunney and her colleagues in Beltsville, Maryland — just outside of Washington D.C. — have discovered a genetic marker that shows which pigs are resistant to the effects of PRRS.

“We’ve been able to show that there is a region on swine chromosome four that is associated with decreased viral levels and increased growth,” Lunney says. “So, this is really important because it means that we can help farmers now to decrease the effect of PRRS in their herds.” With this knowledge, producers and animal breeders could introduce PRRS tolerant swine into their herds thereby reducing the effects of the virus.

“They would be buying pigs that are resistant, but not completely resistant to PRRS,” Lunney says. “This is not a situation where we have zero PRRS. It is a 15-percent decrease in PRRS and an 11-percent increase in growth traits.” The researchers are now trying to find the exact gene that leads to PRRS tolerance in hopes of developing a vaccine and treatment. Iowa is the nation’s top pork producing state, with approximately 30 million hogs raised in Iowa each year.

(Radio Iowa)

Missouri Valley laments loss of Big Ten opponents

Sports

July 22nd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — The commissioner of the Missouri Valley Football Conference — which includes two schools from South Dakota and one from North Dakota — says her league would be hurt the most if the Big Ten Conference stops scheduling smaller Division One colleges. The Big Ten says it is unlikely to schedule Football Championship Subdivision teams now that Rutgers and Maryland are joining the league and a playoff system is being planned in the upper tier of Division One.

Missouri Valley commissioner Patty Viverito tells the Sioux Falls Argus Leader that her league has close ties to the Big Ten, mainly because teams from the conferences are located in the same area. Viverito says there’s always a lot of interest in games between Missouri Valley and Big Ten teams.

Iowa early News Headlines: Mon., July 22nd 2013

News

July 22nd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

SIBLEY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities are trying to determine what caused an explosion that injured five people performing electrical work at a manufacturing plant in northwest Iowa. The Osceola County Sheriff’s office says the explosion happened at the Timewell Tile plant in Sibley on Saturday morning while workers were switching some power lines to a newer transformer. Lieutenant Seth Hoffman says five men sustained burns in the accident. Some of the burns were extensive, but authorities didn’t immediately release their names yesterday.

TOLEDO, Iowa (AP) — Human rights lawyers are questioning the Iowa Juvenile Home’s use of solitary rooms for teen girls in foster care for months at a time. The Des Moines Register reports the state-run home where as many as 57 youths with behavior issues are treated uses isolation cells and sometimes withholds classroom instruction to control behavior.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s 911 system is working again after a problem that routed some calls to out-of-town call centers. The Des Moines Register reports problems started Friday evening and continued until Saturday. David Lingren, executive director of the Iowa Communications Network, says most of the system was operating normally by Saturday morning.

DECORAH, Iowa (AP) — Authorities believe that someone who was reported missing on the Upper Iowa River this weekend likely drowned. KCRG reports rescue crews were still looking for the person yesterday. Witnesses say someone went underwater near a dam east of Decorah on Saturday.

Audubon City Council to act on loan agreement

News

July 21st, 2013 by Ric Hanson

The Audubon City Council is set to meet Monday evening, to act on a resolution authorizing an amendment to a loan and disbursement agreement between the City, and the Iowa Finance Authority (IFA). The Council will also act on authorizing and providing for the re-issuance of the $2.066-million Sewer Revenue Capital Loan Note, Series 2002. The action is needed in order for the City to take advantage of a new, IFA reduced the interest rate from 3-percent to 1.75-percent.

The Council will also act on Audit proposals, and a motion to accept them, along with approving a request from the Audubon Chamber of Commerce pertaining to the T-Bone Celebration.

The meeting begins in the Audubon City Hall’s Council Chambers, at 7-p.m., Monday.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning: SE Pottawattamie/NW Mills Counties

Weather

July 21st, 2013 by Ric Hanson

627 PM CDT SUN JUL 21 2013

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…

SOUTHWESTERN POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST IOWA

NORTHWESTERN MILLS COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST IOWA… UNTIL 715 PM CDT

* AT 623 PM CDT…A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR BELLEVUE…OR 8 MILES SOUTH OF OMAHA…MOVING SOUTH AT 15 MPH.

HAZARD…HALF DOLLAR SIZE HAIL AND 60 MPH WIND GUSTS. SOURCE…RADAR INDICATED. ONE INCH DIAMETER HAIL WAS REPORTED AT BELLEVUE AT 623 PM CDT.

IMPACT…HAIL DAMAGE TO VEHICLES IS EXPECTED. EXPECT WIND DAMAGE TO ROOFS…SIDING AND TREES.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE…

OMAHA…COUNCIL BLUFFS…BELLEVUE…PAPILLION…LA VISTA… PLATTSMOUTH…RALSTON…OFFUTT AFB AND CAMP MAHA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A

BUILDING. TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM…AND MAY LEAD TO

FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS.

Hail reports Sunday evening (7/21)

Weather

July 21st, 2013 by Ric Hanson

5:06-p.m. — 1-inch diameter hail 3 miles S/SE of the Audubon Airport (storm spotter obs.)

4:55-p.m. — Nickel-sized hail 4 miles NE of Council Bluffs

4:22-p.m. — Golfball-sized hail (1.75″) 6 miles E/NE of the Audubon Airport (Law enforcement observed)

Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Pottawattamie & Mills Counties

Weather

July 21st, 2013 by Ric Hanson

BULLETIN – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
510 PM CDT SUN JUL 21 2013

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…SOUTHERN POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST IOWA…EXTREME NORTHWESTERN MILLS COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST IOWA…* UNTIL 545 PM CDT

* AT 507 PM CDT…A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR COUNCIL
BLUFFS…OR 11 MILES EAST OF OMAHA…MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 5 MPH.

HAZARD…QUARTER SIZE HAIL AND 60 MPH WIND GUSTS.

SOURCE…RADAR INDICATED.

IMPACT…HAIL DAMAGE TO VEHICLES IS EXPECTED. EXPECT WIND DAMAGE TO
ROOFS…SIDING AND TREES.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE…
COUNCIL BLUFFS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A BUILDING. TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM…AND MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS.

Severe Thunderstorm Waring until 5:30-p.m.: Audubon/Guthrie Counties

Weather

July 21st, 2013 by Ric Hanson

441 PM CDT SUN JUL 21 2013

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…
CENTRAL AUDUBON COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL IOWA…
WEST CENTRAL GUTHRIE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL IOWA…

* UNTIL 530 PM CDT

* AT 436 PM CDT…A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 6 MILES EAST OF
AUDUBON…AND MOVING SOUTH AT 10 MPH.

HAZARD…PING PONG BALL SIZE HAIL AND 60 MPH WIND GUSTS.

SOURCE…RADAR INDICATED.

IMPACT…PEOPLE AND ANIMALS OUTDOORS WILL BE INJURED. EXPECT HAIL
DAMAGE TO ROOFS…SIDING…WINDOWS AND VEHICLES. EXPECT
WIND DAMAGE TO ROOFS…SIDING AND TREES.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE…
EXIRA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
BUILDING.

Wainwright wins 13th, Cardinals edge Padres 3-2

Sports

July 21st, 2013 by Ric Hanson

ST. LOUIS (AP) – Adam Wainwright worked eight sharp innings for his National League-leading 13th win and Allen Craig made a game-ending leaping catch at the left field wall as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the San Diego Padres 3-2 on Sunday.

Craig has 12 hits and six RBIs during a seven-game hitting streak for the Cardinals, who took two of three in both series against the Padres this season. The St. Louis defense turned three double plays behind Wainwright (13-5), who allowed two runs with seven strikeouts and worked around two walks.

Yonder Alonso singled three times with an RBI for the Padres. Eric Stults (8-8) allowed three runs on eight hits in six innings, stranding two runners in the second and fifth.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Audubon & Guthrie Counties

Weather

July 21st, 2013 by Ric Hanson

GUTHRIE IA-AUDUBON IA-
415 PM CDT SUN JUL 21 2013

…A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEASTERN AUDUBON AND NORTHWESTERN GUTHRIE COUNTIES UNTIL 445 PM CDT…

AT 414 PM CDT…A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 7 MILES NORTHEAST  OF AUDUBON…AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

HAZARD…PING PONG BALL SIZE HAIL AND 60 MPH WIND GUSTS.

SOURCE…RADAR INDICATED.

IMPACT…PEOPLE AND ANIMALS OUTDOORS WILL BE INJURED. EXPECT HAIL
DAMAGE TO ROOFS…SIDING…WINDOWS AND VEHICLES. EXPECT WIND
DAMAGE TO ROOFS…SIDING AND TREES.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE…
MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF EASTERN AUDUBON AND EXTREME WESTERN GUTHRIE
COUNTIES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
BUILDING.