United Group Insurance

Group to Discuss Replacements in Case Aggies Leave

Sports

August 30th, 2011 by Jim Field

     The Big 12 board of directors has formed a committee to discuss schools that could replace Texas A&M if the Aggies leave the league as expected.  Missouri Chancellor Brady Deaton, who serves as the board chairman, said Tuesday that the committee could also address the possibility of expanding the conference even if Texas A&M stays put.
     The Aggies are interested in joining the Southeastern Conference and they received a letter from Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe on Monday outlining the withdrawal procedure if they decide to leave.  Deaton says the Big 12 board has not received notification that the Aggies plan to leave.

New Big Ten Features Nebraska, 4 Fresh Coaches

Sports

August 30th, 2011 by Jim Field

     The bigger Big Ten is ready to go.  After talking about the move for more than a year, the biggest addition – No. 10 Nebraska – will begin its season Saturday and all 12 conference members are in action this week in a league that will have two divisions and a title game for the first time.  Cornhuskers coach Bo Pelini says there’s a sense that finally they can focus on football.  It was a tumultuous offseason in the conference with four new coaches hired, including Ohio State’s Luke Fickell after the 18th-ranked Buckeyes dealt with a scandal that cost Jim Tressel his job.  The season kicks off when No. 11 Wisconsin hosts UNLV on Thursday night.

Iowa’s Derby Moves into Backup Role

Sports

August 30th, 2011 by Jim Field

     IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz says quarterback A.J. Derby will likely open the season as the backup to junior James Vandenberg.  Derby, a 6-foot-4, 232-pound redshirt freshman from Iowa City, would get the nod over James Wienke as the reserve behind Vandenberg. Ferentz on Tuesday praised Derby for his size, quick feet and competitiveness. But it appears unlikely that the Hawkeyes will prepare special packages for Derby simply to get him on the field.  Derby could see playing time as early as Saturday, though, when the Hawkeyes host FCS school Tennessee Tech.  Iowa has won its last 10 openers by an average of 31.5 points, allowing backups like Derby to get experience.

Iowa officials downplay effect of FEMA decision

News

August 30th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa officials say they don’t expect the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s decision to  freeze disaster aid in the wake of Hurricane Irene to affect the state’s recovery from flooding along the Missouri River. FEMA has announced it will freeze disaster aid to parts of the country recovering from tornadoes, drought, flooding and wildfires.

FEMA has enacted similar restrictions when disaster relief funds dipped below $1 billion. The fund currently stands at $800 million. John Benson of Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management says he doesn’t expect the decision to affect the state’s recovery from disasters, including flooding along the Missouri River.

FEMA says the restrictions will not affect individual aid to disaster survivors but will apply to longer-term repairs, rebuilding and mitigation projects.

Backyard and Beyond 8-30-11

Backyard and Beyond, Podcasts

August 30th, 2011 by admin

Lavon speaks with Barb Fuller, ISU Nutrition and Health Program Specialist, about how canning has changed over the years.

Play

Entrepreneurs wanted in Shelby County

News

August 30th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

The Shelby County DevelopSource is looking to invest in entrepreneurs in a new program. The Shelby County DevelopSource has released a program entitled the “Shelby County New Enterprises competition.”  Entrepreneurs with business ideas to implement within the borders of Shelby County could be the winners of up to $30,000.

Shelby County New Enterprises is a program to cultivate local economic development by both inspiring and financially supporting local entrepreneurs. The program is open to all start-up and expansion businesses located in, or are willing to locate to, Shelby County. The funds from the program can go towards studies or research, equipment, property or marketing for the winning business.

Shelby County DevelopSource Board Chairman, Rick Burchett says, “Encouraging and supporting entrepreneurship is a key to maintaining business momentum in our business county.” You can access an application form by logging on to www.developsource.com or by contacting M.J. Broomfield at 712-755-3569. The deadline to submit an application to the Shelby County New Enterprises is Friday, October 28th.

A panel of judges will select the finalists and all finalists have the opportunity to present their business plan on Friday, November 18th.

Webinar to Address Flood Recovery for Cropland

Ag/Outdoor, News

August 30th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

AMES, Iowa–As waters recede from farmland that has been covered for several months by Missouri River flooding, Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Extension are jointly planning a workshop for Monday, Sept. 12 to address cropland issues. The workshop will be conducted via webinar at several viewing sites in both states from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Extension agriculture staff will host the workshop sites and facilitate questions to the panel.

Topics to be covered during the webinar and extension presenters include: sedimentation and debris removal, Shawn Shouse, ISU Extension ag engineer; managing post flooding soils: flooded soil syndrome, Mahdi Al-Kaisi, ISU Extension soil specialist; cover crops for soil health, Paul Jasa, UNL Extension engineer; and leases and crop insurance on flooded land, William Edwards, ISU Extension farm management specialist. Rick Koeslsch, UNL associate dean of extension, will moderate the panel.

“It is important for us to share information with those tasked with caring for farmland post flooding, but it is also important for Extension to hear the concerns and specific issues these folks have on their land,” said Shawn Shouse, extension ag engineer and planning committee member. “There is science that we can apply to this situation, but there is much that comes from farmer experience.”

Physical damage to farm ground may include obvious things like erosion and sand deposition. But some effects are invisible, having to do with the loss of soil microbes and soil structure. Land managers need to start planning and acting as the waters recede so that the soil can be productive again for next year.

“Using webinar technology helps us reach the most people on both sides of the river without having them travel great distances,” said John Wilson, UNL Extension educator and event co-chair. “It also allows for informal discussion at each site among those who have been most affected by the flood and with extension staff.”

In Iowa, the workshop will be held at the following ISU Extension offices: Fremont County in Sidney, Harrison County in Logan, Mills County in Malvern and Monona County in Onawa. ISU Extension in West Pottawattamie County is hosting the session at the Lied Multipurpose Center, 3501 Harry Langdon Blvd, Council Bluffs and Woodbury County Extension is hosting at a site to be determined. Nebraska viewing sites will be in Auburn at a site to be announced, in Blair at the Blair City Hall Council Chambers, in Dakota City at the USDA Service Center, in Falls City at the Courthouse, in Omaha at the Douglas/Sarpy Extension Office and in Tekamah at the City Auditorium. The Extension agriculture educator hosting the workshop at each location will be available after the webinar to address additional questions and concerns, if needed.

The webinar will also be available in South Dakota at the Davison County Extension Complex in Mitchell and in Kennebec at the Lyman County Courthouse. Further information on the Flood Recovery for Cropland Workshop, including additional sites and information as it becomes available, is available on ISU and UNL extension websites: www.extension.iastate.edu/topic/recovering-disasters and flood.unl.edu .

(Press Release from Cass Co. Extension)

LORETTA CABLE, 80, of Griswold (9-3-2011)

Obituaries

August 30th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

LORETTA CABLE, 80, of Griswold, died Mon., Aug. 29th, at Bryan LGA East Hospital, in Lincoln, NE.  Services for LORETTA CABLE will be held on Saturday, September 3rd at 10:30 am at the Griswold United Methodist Church.  Duhn Funeral Home in Griswold has the arrangements.

Open visitation will be held at the Duhn Funeral Home with the family present Friday from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm.  On-line condolences may be left at www.duhnfuneral.com.

Burial will be in the Griswold Cemetery.

Loretta Cable is survived by:

3 sons:  Michael (Terri) of Danville, CA, Alan (Judy) of Lincoln, NE, Steven (Joan) of Waunakee, WI.

1 sister:  Phyllis (George) Rush of Griswold

6 grandchildren

 

Workforce Development touts new access points for job info

News

August 30th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

Officials in the state’s Workforce Development agency today (Tuesday) are touting their work to set up an “access point system” to replace the 37 Workforce Development offices that are closing. On Monday Governor Branstad told reporters he’s confident he’ll beat a lawsuit challenging his decision to close those offices. The agency at the center of the controversy issued a news release today touting the convenience of having “Virtual Access Points,” or, “VAPS.” Spokesperson Kerry Koonce says the access points are set up in places like libraries, schools and National Guard Armories, and offer more than you can get by just logging in on your own computer.

Koonce says you can do a lot of things by accessing the website, but you can’t do the assessment testing on the website as it can’t be programmed that way. She says they have a live chat setup with staff available from eight a-m until eight p-m Monday through Friday and 10 a-m to two p-m on Saturday on the access points, while the regular offices close at 4:30. Koonce says the access points have more resources available.

She says there are pieces within the labor market information that she says are difficult to pull up in the web, while it is broken down better in the resource room. And she says you can call the 800 number to get access to a workforce professional. Koonce says the access points don’t take any special equipment.

Koonce says they can put the information onto a computer that is already open to the public at a location, or bring in a Workforce office computer. She says they will use computers from the offices that’re being closed, so there won’t be any cost involved. Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds says she and the governor recently visited Denison and saw the value of the new system first-hand. “The (Denison) superintendent was there and he just opened up the high school with some evening hours,” Reynolds says.

Koonce says you can still apply for a job, or file for unemployment on the Workforce Development website, but the 135 access points will offer the expanded services. In southwest Iowa, VAPS will be located at libraries in Harlan, Atlantic, Sidney, Tabor, and Red Oak. Other locations include Southwestern Community College in Red Oak, the Taylor County Neighborhood Center, and Taylor County Veteran’s Affairs office, both in Bedford, and at the Montgomery County Veteran’s Affairs Office in Red Oak. Iowa Workforce Development Offices in Atlantic, Glenwood, Red Oak, Shenandoah and Clarinda are set to close tomorrow (Wednesday). The IWD office in Harlan closed last Friday.

Adair Supervisors to discuss redistricting and hog confinement permit

News

August 30th, 2011 by Ric Hanson

The Board of Supervisors in Adair County will discuss a redistricting & representing plan during their meeting Wednesday morning, in Greenfield. The meeting begins at 9-a.m. with discussion about redistricting set for 9:15. The Adair County Supervisors will also set the date for a Public Hearing and first reading of an ordinance on the matter.

In other business, the Board will receive and discuss correspondence with regard to Taylor Site number one, which pertains to a proposed large hog confinement facility. On August 20th, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources denied a request to build a 5,000 head hog confinement in Adair County. The DNR said an evaluation of the proposal indicated it failed to meet the requirements necessary for approval. The Adair County Board of Supervisors recommended the DNR deny the construction permit because of problems with the application and community opposition. The operator, Twin Lakes Environmental Services LLC, a manure management company based in Rockwell City, had 14 days to appeal the decision.

The Adair County Supervisors will also discuss a petition for waiver or variance pertaining to the sanitary landfill, and set the date for a public hearing on the 1st reading of an ordinance on the Local Option Sales Tax, as it pertains to the City of Stuart. Other topics for discussion, include a Cass County Hospital Involuntary, and West Central Mental Health, contracts.