United Group Insurance

USDA Report 08-25-2011

Ag/Outdoor, Podcasts

August 25th, 2011 by admin

Denny Heflin reports. …

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Chiefs’ Cassel has Paid his Dues on Climb to Top

Sports

August 25th, 2011 by Jim Field

     KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – There may be no more important piece to the Kansas City Chiefs’ puzzle this season than quarterback Matt Cassel.  After paying his dues at USC and with the New England Patriots, Cassel was given a chance to shine when he was traded to the Chiefs. His first season was one of progress, but his tremendous growth last year was a big reason the Chiefs went 10-6 and won the AFC West.  Coach Todd Haley understands that the team’s fortunes again rest on Cassel’s right arm.  Haley said the biggest thing that Cassel needs to do is understand his own players, and the match-ups they create. That has been difficult with wide receivers Jonathan Baldwin and Steve Breaston missing time because of injuries.

Berkman Wants to Stay in St. Louis

Sports

August 25th, 2011 by Jim Field

     ST. LOUIS (AP) – Lance Berkman would like to stay in St. Louis, no matter how the Cardinals finish the season.  The Cardinals signed Berkman to a one-year, $8 million free
agent contract last December and he’s having a big comeback year with 29 homers, 78 RBIs and a .290 average. He’s been healthy, too, appearing in 114 games and making routine plays in right field.  Berkman said Wednesday he believes the Cardinals are not far away from being contenders, although they’re fast running out of time this year. The Cardinals are 10-13 since acquiring Edwin Jackson and Rafael Furcal at the trade deadline and are 10 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers, who are on a 24-5 tear.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 25th

Trading Post

August 25th, 2011 by Jim Field

GARAGE SALE: Saturday 27th Aug 8-12pm. 1506 Baker Street, Atlantic, Ia.  Xbox 360, Playstation 2, games, Clothing infant to adult sizes, plus size maternity, coats, baby items (swing, bouncer, stroller/carseat combo w/ bases) Harvard air hockey table (pictures available at sale), toys, various kitchen and household items.

WANTED: good used twin size or full size bed-phone #712-254-1447.

FOR SALE: I have a 27 inch T.V. with remote and has the av jacks x2 $25 obo and I have a 13 inch T.V. with remote and av jacks $15 for sale don’t have room for them would like gone asap. 712-254-6231.

WANTED TO BUY: Homegrown apples,  712-243-2072.

FREE TO GOOD HOME: 2 yr old male yellow lab. Shots are current, neutered, dew claws removed and is house trained. Needs a good home preferably in the country where he can run. Comes with any treats, food, toys, etc. left.  Baby on the way is the reason he needs a new home. 712-789-0688.

FOR SALE: 42″ Pohlen riding lawn mower, excellent condition, new belts, blades and battery. $495; 8 HP Briggs & Stratton vertical shaft engine, new piston rings, runs fine $100; 20″ Coast to Coast push mower, runs fine $65. 712-268-2656.

2011 First Iowa Girls High School Volleyball Rankings

Sports

August 25th, 2011 by Jim Field

Class 1A
School
2010 Record
1
Tripoli
35-6
2
LeMars Gehlen Catholic
28-7
3
Holy Trinity Catholic
38-10
4
Boyden-Hull
25-5
5
East Union
30-7
6
Ar-We-Va
25-9
7
Adair-Casey
25-7
8
Coon Rapids-Bayard
24-7
9
Marquette Catholic
23-11
10
Stanton
27-3
11
Central Lyon
20-11
12
Iowa Christian Academy
18-9
13
Bedford
35-5
14
Janesville
26-9
15
Lisbon
14-14
Class 2A
School
2010 Record
1
Western Christian
47-3
2
Grundy Center
38-6
3
Lake Mills
43-1
4
Dike-New Hartford
35-9
5
Mediapolis
43-4
6
Pella Christian
26-12
7
Sumner-Fredericksburg
25-7
8
Sheldon
36-3
9
Clarinda
26-6
10
Mount Vernon
41-0
11
Sioux Central
21-8
12
Unity Christian
29-7
13
West Branch
29-7
14
West Liberty
22-13
15
Gilbert
27-10
Class 3A
School
2010 Record
1
Sioux City Bishop Heelan
47-9
2
Waverly-Shell Rock
49-2
3
Williamsburg
25-9
4
Dubuque Wahlert
22-10
5
Union
28-5
6
Charles City
33-8
7
West Delaware
40-4
8
Solon
20-7
9
MOC-Floyd Valley
23-13
10
Marion
14-15
11
Red Oak
22-12
12
Algona
33-5
13
Sergeant Bluff-Luton
20-19
14
Nevada
30-12
15
Maquoketa
17-13
Class 4A
School
2010 Record
1
Ankeny
28-4
2
Iowa City High
33-6
3
Cedar Rapids Kennedy
36-8
4
Iowa City West
37-7
5
Waukee
22-9
6
Dowling Catholic
20-10
7
Urbandale
35-9
8
Bettendorf
24-8
9
Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln
29-21
10
West Des Moines Valley
20-16
11
Sioux City East
29-16
12
Cedar Falls
23-13
13
Pleasant Valley
21-11
14
Sioux City North
26-15
15
Dubuque Hempstead
19-16

Crops scouts sample Iowa’s corn & soybean fields

Ag/Outdoor

August 25th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

More than a hundred crop scouts are visiting corn and soybean fields across Iowa and six other states this week. As part of the annual Pro Farmer Crop Tour, the scouts are collecting samples to gauge the potential of the Midwestern corn and soybean crops. Pioneer agronomist Chris Woerner says the rain showers that moved through the region this month were very beneficial for the soybean crop.

“Anything that’s 3-2 maturity, 3-4 maturity up, these late rains are going to make pretty good beans,” he says. “We’ve got another three weeks to go yet. We could use another rain or two in the meantime. That’s really going to help us cool down and the rains we’ve had are really helping the bean crop this year.” As he tours the corn and soybean fields, Woerner says most of the crops are maturing at a good rate and harvest this fall will likely be on schedule.

“For some of the areas that went through that five or six weeks of dry weather, some of that dryland corn might be ready to go a little bit ahead of norm, but for the most part, I’d say we’re going to be right on pace for a normal harvest.” The tour began Monday with scouts in South Dakota and Nebraska. They moved into Indiana and Illinois on Tuesday and reached Iowa on Wednesday.

Learn more at http://www.agweb.com/pro_farmer_midwest_crop_tour.aspx

(Radio Iowa)

Proposed increase in gas tax part of statewide public input meetings on improving roads

News

August 25th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

A commission established by Governor Branstad is hearing from Iowans who are interested in raising the state’s gas tax to finance improvements to Iowa’s roads and bridges. Stuart Anderson, with the Iowa Department of Transportation, says the Governor’s Transportation 2020 Citizens Advisory Commission has held three public input meetings this month in Bettendorf, Mason City and Des Moines. Commissioners have learned many Iowans are concerned about the conditions of the state’s rural roads.

Anderson says farmers have talked about lengthy detours they take because of weight restrictions on bridges. School officials have also raised concerns about the safety of rural roads. Iowa’s motor fuel tax, which has remained unchanged since 1989, raises about one-point-two billion dollars a year. Anderson says commissioners have been asking people attending the public meetings about their thoughts on increasing the gas tax.

“They’ve heard a lot of feedback that, yeah, they feel that’s a possibility,” Anderson said. “One thing that’s pretty consistent is…if funding is increased, it ought to be from funding sources dedicated to roads and bridge improvements.” He notes the state constitution requires 95-percent of the money raised by the gas tax must be directed toward road construction. The commission will hold four more public input meetings, over the next four Wednesday nights, in Storm Lake, Council Bluffs, Waterloo and Mount Pleasant.

“This is the mission of the commission to hear from the public, so we really hope a lot of people turn up at these meetings,” Anderson said. The commission is expected to complete a report outlining ideas for improving the state’s roads for consideration by the 2012 Iowa Legislature.

on the web at: www.news.iowadot.gov/newsandinfo/2011/07/governors-transportation-2020-citizen-advisory-commission-.html

(Radio Iowa)

Oakland man in the hospital following Wed. evening crash

News

August 25th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

Police in Council Bluffs arrested an Oakland man Wednesday evening, after he attempted to flee the scene of an accident. Officials say a motorcycle driven by 38-year old Michael Iwan Carter collided with a car driven by 52-year old Antoni0 Zambrano, of Council Bluffs, as Zambrano was pulling away from a stop sign at the intersection of 19th Street and 5th Avenue, in Council Bluffs.

Authorities say Carter, who had an active warrant for his arrest, tried to run from the scene, but collapsed after traveling about 80-feet. He suffered from possible head and leg injuries, and was transported by Council Bluffs Fire and Rescue to Alegent Health Mercy Hospital.

Zambrano and a passenger in his vehicle refused treatment at the scene. The accident remains under investigation.

Trial Set For NE Woman Charged in decade-old IA slaying

News

August 25th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

SAC CITY, Iowa (AP) – Trial has been set for Sept. 28 for a Nebraska woman charged in the 2001 shooting death of a man in her former home in northwest Iowa. Tracey Richter-Roberts of Omaha, Neb., is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of 20-year-old Dustin Wehde at her home in Early, Iowa. Richter-Roberts told police Wehde and another man broke into the home and attacked her and that the shooting was in self-defense. No charges were filed at the time, but the investigation was reopened in 2009 and Richter-Roberts was arrested last month.

She is being held in the Sac County jail under $1 million bond. The trial date was set by a judge, on Tuesday.

NW IA concrete company pleads guilty to price-fixing

News

August 25th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa company has pleaded guilty to being involved in a price-fixing conspiracy to sell ready-mix concrete at noncompetitive prices. The U.S. Justice Department says Spencer-based Great Lakes Concrete Inc. entered its plea Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Sioux City. An indictment filed earlier this month accused Great Lakes Concrete of participating in a conspiracy to fix prices for ready-mix concrete between January 2008 and August 2009.

Court documents show company president Kent Stewart pleaded guilty in 2010 and was sentenced in February to one year and a day in prison and fined more than $83,000. The company’s plea is the result of an ongoing investigation of the ready-mix industry in Iowa and surrounding states.