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Rain causes worst drought area to retreat westward

Ag/Outdoor, News, Weather

May 9th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A wet spring continues to soak soil across much of the Midwest, causing the prolonged drought to retreat ever so slowly westward.  Sections of central Iowa, southeast Minnesota and western parts of Wisconsin and Missouri have seen notable improvement in drought conditions. The weekly drought monitor measures conditions up to 7 a.m. Tuesday. The report is released on Thursdays by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

It shows the drought has subsided for nearly two-thirds of Iowa, most of Missouri and Arkansas.  West of those states drought remains. A smaller portion of western Nebraska is in extreme or exceptional drought and southwestern Nebraska improved slightly.  The soil moisture is good news for corn growers who are now dodging rain storms to get seed in the ground.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News, Weather |

LOESSFEST Will Celebrate the City of Council Bluffs and the Opening of its New Park on the Missouri River

News

May 9th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

The City of Council Bluffs, in partnership with the Iowa West Foundation, will kick-off the summer season starting Memorial Day weekend and celebrate the opening of River’s Edge Park with three weeks of events showcasing all of the possibilities the park can provide. Loessfest is slated to become an annual celebration of Council Bluffs’ landscape and the community. All events for Loessfest’s inaugural year will take place at the new park in an effort to introduce this new park and to celebrate its opening.

This new park will feature the latest addition to the Iowa West Public Art Permanent Collection. Making its public debut during Loessfest on May 25 is a unique and interactive light display on the Great Lawn, entitled Rays. Rays is a $500,000 installation by artist Dan Corson, funded by the Iowa West Foundation. This eight-minute interactive lighting environment uses the five-acre Great Lawn as a canvas. The permanent display will run on the hour and half-hour and will be a “must see” in the metro area. The presenting sponsor for the initial unveiling of the light display is the Peter Kiewit Foundation.

In addition to the Great Lawn Interactive Light Display, Rays, Loessfest features an amazing line-up of events, all of which are free, thanks to generous sponsors. Also, SilverStone Group is hosting a special event for these donors and supporters. The free events include:

  •  “America’s Band,” The Beach Boys, kicks off the celebration with a free concert on the Great Lawn on May 25. Thanks to presenting sponsor, American National Bank. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets – concessions will be available. Opening for The Beach Boys is the heartland’s own Mulberry Lane at 7pm.
  • On May 26, the Omaha Symphony will play a patriotic selection appropriate for Memorial Day: Fireworks for Freedom: A Patriotic Salute. The Symphony will be joined by the SAC Band. A fantastic fireworks display will follow the performance that will be seen for miles on either side of the Missouri River.
  • The acclaimed Playing with Fire Concert series will bring world-class blues, jazz and funk to the park on May 27. Loessfest will also feature a Food Truck Festival on the 27th, offering food trucks from across the region to showcase their food offerings. Ethnic foods and other unique cuisine will be featured, giving visitors many opportunities for delicious foods

For more information, including the full schedule of events taking place this Summer,  visit Loessfest.com.

 

Posted in News |

THURSDAY, MAY 9th

Trading Post

May 9th, 2013 by admin

WANTED: Free rocks for a rock garden.  Free perennials from dividing such as: peonies, iris, coneflowers, bleeding hearts, forget-me-nots, rhubarb etc..  Especially looking for plants that attract butterflies and hummingbirds.  Call and leave a message at 712-762-3481 or 712-249-9595.

FOR SALE:  Kohler toilet, all hardware and seat included.  4 years old.  Like new condition.  $50 o.b.o.  712-254-3297.

Posted in Trading Post |

Iowa, Nebraska girls report abduction attempts

News

May 9th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

MAPLETON, Iowa (AP) – Authorities have been searching for a man or men who tried to abduct girls in western Iowa and eastern Nebraska.  The Monona County Sheriff’s Office says a girl was approached about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the city park in Mapleton. Sheriff Jeff Pratt said Wednesday that the girl didn’t get into the man’s dirty, light blue pickup and was not hurt.

On Monday an 11-year-old girl was approached by a man with a similarly described truck at a beach at the Lakeland community south of Blair in Washington County, Neb. She ran home and wasn’t harmed.  Nebraska and Iowa authorities say they’re not sure whether the incidents are connected, but they’re sharing information.

Posted in News |

Arrest reported in Adams County

News

May 9th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

A Prescott man was arrested Wednesday night in Adams County, for violating a protective order and harassment. The Adams County Sheriff’s Department reports Gary E. Lillie was taken into custody at around 10:05-p.m. on an Adams County warrant. He posted $750 bond and was released, pending a court date.

Posted in News |

Farmer Liability bill pending in House Gov’t Oversight panel

Ag/Outdoor

May 9th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

A newly-drafted bill on the fast track in the Iowa House would provide new liability protection to Iowa farmers. It’s in response to a February Iowa Supreme Court ruling that said a woman injured during a northeast Iowa farm tour had the right to sue the farm host. Representative Kevin Koester, a Republican from Ankeny, says farmers are now reluctant to allow anyone on their property for any activity.  “Something should happen in the legislature this month on that so that we relieve the concern that many folks who hunt, fish and do other recreational purposes have access to private land without it being a liability headache for the landowner,” Koester says. A state law passed in 1967 granted private property owners liability protection if they allowed recreational activities like hunting and fishing.

“There’s concern about whether or not it’s safe regarding the liability of allowing people to do what they’ve always done,” Koester says. The bill will be considered in the House Government Oversight Committee next week and is the result of discussions among legislative leaders. Koester is co-chair of that committee. A bid to address this farmer liability issue was rejected by Senate Democrats in late April. Senator Rob Hogg, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids who is a lawyer, told his colleagues not to “buy into the hysteria” about the recent Iowa Supreme Court ruling.

(Radio Iowa)

Posted in Ag/Outdoor |

Work to begin on new farm bill in Congress next week

Ag/Outdoor

May 9th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Work is set to begin on a new farm bill in both chambers of Congress next week. Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, who serves on the Senate Agriculture Committee, says they’ll take up the legislation on Tuesday. Harkin got his first copy of the committee bill last night (Wednesday) and has looked it over. “It’s basically the same kind of bill that we passed in the Senate last year,” Harkin says. “We passed it with a strong bipartisan vote, so it’s basically the same bill that we had last fall.” Farm and food bills have typically been renewed by Congress every five years and the last one passed in 2008.

“I’m very happy about the conservation provisions in it, the conservation compliance provisions, the fresh fruit and vegetable program that we have in there, so I think our bill looks pretty good,” Harkin says. “I hope we can get it through.” The full Senate passed its version of the farm bill last year and another version passed the House Ag Committee, but it never went before the full House. Congress chose to extend the current farm bill into September of this year. Harkin, a Democrat, is not highly optimistic about a resolution, given Republican Paul Ryan is still chair of the House Budget Committee.

“The Ryan budget in the House that’s going to be controlling over (their version of the farm bill),” Harkin says, chuckling, “It would just be abysmal for agriculture. I’ll have more to say about that later.” One sticking point last year was the House version of the farm bill cut the food stamp program by billions more dollars than the Senate version.

(Radio Iowa)

Posted in Ag/Outdoor |

Backyard and Beyond 05-09-2013

Backyard and Beyond, Podcasts

May 9th, 2013 by admin

Lavon Eblen speaks with Kathy Dirks, Coordinator for Harrison County Historical Village and Iowa Welcome Center, about exhibits and events as the village celebrates 75 years and the Lincoln Highway celebrates 100 years.

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (7.2MB)

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Posted in Backyard and Beyond, Podcasts |

GRACE MARIE KING, 90, of Hancock (Svcs. 5/11/13)

Obituaries

May 9th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

GRACE MARIE KING, 90, of Hancock, died Sat., May 4th, at Orchard Park in Denver, Co. Funeral services for GRACE KING will be held 11-a.m. Sat., May 11th, at the Hancock United Methodist Church. Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Avoca has the arrangements.

The family will greet friends at the Hancock United Methodist Church, from 10-am to 11-am Saturday (one-hour prior to the service).

Burial will be in the Oak Hill Cemetery at Hancock.

GRACE KING is survived by:

Her husband – Wylie King, of Hancock.

Her son – David W. King & wife Debbie, of Denver, CO.

Her daughters – Mary Grace (Calvin) McMurray, of Deer Mountain, UT, & Rebecca (George) Dreman, of Denver, CO.

Her sister – Barbara Jackson, of Lake Linden, MI.

6 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren.

Posted in Obituaries |

Trains derail in Greene County

News

May 9th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

GRAND JUNCTION, Iowa (AP) – A Union Pacific Railroad coal train has collided with another train carrying cargo containers in central Iowa derailing 20 cars and shutting down a section of the company’s mainline track.  The collision is near Grand Junction.  Union Pacific spokesman Mark Davis says about seven cars on the coal train are off the track and 13 cars of the intermodal train -which carries ocean-going containers on flatbed cars – derailed.  The cause of the collision at about 6:50 a.m. (Thursday) is not immediately clear. Investigators are on site.

Davis says the derailment has halted traffic on main tracks between Chicago and the company’s Iowa and Nebraska destinations. If tracks cannot be cleared soon trains will be detoured around the wreckage. No injuries are reported.

Posted in News |