SHELBY, IA – The Board of Directors of Carstens 1880 Farmstead has decided to postpone Farm Days this year until September 11 & 12, 2021,  due to COVID-19 safety considerations. The Board, at its June meeting, had decided to proceed with the Saturday evening chicken dinner/fundraiser this year.  Now plans have changed again at the farm.

During a recent Board meeting it was decided that it would be too difficult to provide physical distance for the dinner, plus the on-going COVID-19 situation could impact attendance.  The Board decided to cancel the chicken dinner plans this year.  Farm Board President Mel Hursey said “We know it is disappointing to cancel the chicken dinner.” Those who attend Carstens Farm Days know that the soil on the farm grows a large quantity of flavorful potatoes.  This year the potato harvest, or digging, will go on as planned during the traditional Farm Days weekend.

The public is invited to come to the farm and gather the freshly dug potatoes.  Gates will be open from 10 am – 4 pm on Saturday, September 12.  Potatoes will be on the ground and on a trailer as in past years.

Hursey says “Anyone who wants to have a supply of Carstens potatoes is welcome to come and pick them up on Sunday, September 13.” The Board is asking that a donation be made to the farm by anyone who gathers potatoes.  The donation will be used to help with the maintenance of the farm.  Hursey added, “Come out and see the farm, have some fun and get a supply of good spuds.”

LECLAIRE, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Bureau is requesting the public’s assistance with any information related to a serious crash that happened around 7:00p.m. Sunday, August 16 on the Mississippi River at LeClaire. Law enforcement investigators are asking for anyone with information that may have witnessed the crash or know anything about the crash between a large black center-console boat and a blue and white 19-foot Bayliner runabout boat to contact authorities immediately.

Anyone with information should contact DNR Conservation Officer Travis Graves at (563) 349-8953 or Travis.Graves@dnr.iowa.gov. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous can do so. Further information about the crash will be released this week.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The Creston Police Department reports four recent arrests, with two persons arrested on drug charges. 32-year old Marrell Beaman, of Creston, was arrested at around 5:15-a.m. Saturday, for Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana – 3rd or subsequent offense, Possession of (drug) paraphernalia, and Public Intoxication. Beaman was released from the Union County Jail on a Promise to Appear in court. Saturday evening, 41-year old Crystal Mack, of Creston, was arrested for OWI/2nd offense; PCS/2nd offense, Possession with the Intent to Distribute, Deliver or Manufacture, and Failure to Affix a drug tax stamp. Mack was being held in the Adams County Jail on a $20,000 bond.

Last Friday, 26-year old Austin Jones, of Creston, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on a Montgomery County warrant for Violation of Probation. He was later transferred to the custody of Montgomery County Deputies. And, early Sunday morning, 43-year old Toby Simpson, of Creston, was arrested for Public Intoxication and Unlawful Possession of prescription pills. He was later released on a Promise to Appear in court.

Creston Police said also, a man residing in the 600 block of N. Pine Street reported Friday, that sometime between 12-a.m. and 8-a.m., Friday, someone entered his home and stole a gun safe, stun gun, and other miscellaneous items. The loss was estimated at $800.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:05-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Radio Iowa) – A southeastern Iowa couple has died in a Missouri plane crash. A plane crashed Sunday afternoon near Lake of the Ozarks in central Missouri – killing Scott and Amy Lowe of Mount Pleasant, Iowa. They were aboard a single engine plane that went down in a heavily wooded area. Authorities on the scene say the investigation could take a while because the crash site has steep hills, is covered with trees, and is not easily accessible. Plus, the plane had quite a bit of destruction.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the crash.

(Thanks to Alisa Nelson, Missouri Net)

One person was injured during a motorcycle accident Saturday evening on I-29, in Fremont County. The Iowa State Patrol reports 47-year old Stuart Moore, of Waterloo, was operating a 2013 Victory motorcycle southbound near mile marker 21 at around 7:20-p.m., when the cycle went out of control and overturned several times, before coming to rest in the median.

Moore and his passenger, 40-year old Vivian Dillard, of Leavenworth, KS, were thrown onto the roadway, but were able to walk into the median unassisted. Both riders were wearing their helmets. The Patrol says their lives were saved by using a helmet. Vivian Dillard was transported by Tabor Rescue to Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs, for treatment of her injuries.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

UNDATED (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is asking the federal government for nearly $4 billion to help recover from the unusual wind storm that struck the state on Monday killing at least three people in the state, leaving thousands without power and extensively damaging crops. Reynolds says she’s filing an expedited presidential major disaster declaration for $3.99 billion. In a statement released Sunday Reynolds says early damages assessments indicate more than 8,200 homes were destroyed or have major damage and 13 million acres of corn has been lost, about a third of the state’s crop land. Costs include $3.78 billion in agriculture losses, $100 million for private utilities, $82 million for homes and $45 million for public assistance.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Authorities are investigating a fatal weekend shooting in Waterloo. Waterloo Police said the shooting was reported around 11:45 p.m. Saturday. When officers and paramedics arrived, they found a 49-year-old man with gunshot wounds. The victim was taken to a local hospital where he later died. His name wasn’t immediately released on Sunday. No arrests were reported Sunday morning.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa authorities reported 573 additional coronavirus cases and two more deaths linked to the virus Sunday. The state said there had been 52,221 virus cases and 975 deaths linked to COVID-19 as of 10 a.m. Sunday, according to Iowa’s online virus tracker. The number of infections is believed to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and experts believe people can have the virus without feeling sick. The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Iowa has risen over the past two weeks from 472.14 new cases per day on Aug. 1 to 501.43 new cases per day on Aug. 15.

PALO ALTO COUNTY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have arrested a 29-year-old Iowa man on suspicion of murder in connection with a body found last month in a lake. The Palo Alto County Sheriff’s office said Allan Michael Dean Schwidder, of Emmetsburg, Iowa, was arrested Friday night on suspicion of first-degree murder in connection with a body found on July 22 in Virgin Lake near Ruthven, Iowa. Authorities identified the victim as 27-year-old Rollin Bontrager, of Washington, Iowa. The cause of his death was not released. The sheriff’s office said Schwidder was arrested after two homes and three vehicles were searched in Emmetsburg as part of the investigation. Schwidder is being held on $1 million bond.

DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds has formally requested an expedited Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for Iowa communities and counties that have been severely impacted by the devastating derecho storm that occurred on Monday, August 10th, 2020.

“From cities to farms, Iowans are hurting, many still have challenges with shelter, food, and power. Resilience is in our DNA, but we’re going to need a strong and timely federal response to support recovery efforts,” said Gov. Reynolds. “I have formally requested an expedited Presidential Major Disaster Declaration to secure this critical federal assistance as quickly as possible. This past week I had conversations with President Trump and Vice President Pence, both have pledged the full support of the federal government. I am very grateful for their continued partnership and commitment during this disaster.”

In the request to the president, Gov. Reynolds also indicated the State of Iowa will need an estimated $3,998,010,354 from our federal partners to recover from this unprecedented event.

The governor requested funding under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Individual Assistance Program for twenty-seven counties. These counties include: Audubon, Benton, Boone, Cass, Cedar, Clarke, Clinton, Dallas, Greene, Grundy, Guthrie, Hardin, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Johnson, Jones, Linn, Madison, Marshall, Muscatine, Polk, Poweshiek, Scott, Story, Tama, and Washington counties.  Individual Assistance Program funding provides disaster-impacted homeowners and businesses with programs and services to maximize recovery, including assistance with housing, personal property replacement, medical expenses and legal services.

Gov. Reynolds also requested funding under FEMA’s Public Assistance Program for the repair or replacement of public infrastructure and debris removal, for sixteen counties. These counties include: Benton, Boone, Cedar, Clinton, Dallas, Jasper, Johnson, Jones, Linn, Marshall, Muscatine, Polk, Poweshiek, Scott, Story, and Tama counties.

Work to develop the request letter began immediately following the severe storms and involved a multi-level approach led by the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Historically the department works with local officials to gather damage estimates that would be included in the request letter. In this instance, many local agencies are still responding to the impacts and have not been able to complete detailed damage estimates. The governor asked the department to leverage technology as well as historical data to create the damage estimates found within the request letter. This allowed local agencies to continue to focus on immediate response needs while allowing the department to create the letter signed by the governor.

“With rapid approval, this declaration will provide a significant level of federal resources to support the state and local response,” Gov. Reynolds continues. “ While it is unconventional for a major disaster declaration request of this magnitude to be assembled and approved within a matter of days, it is essential that our request is expedited and approved as quickly as possible.”

The damage estimates included in the governor’s request to the president were generated by using photographs, aerial photography, and GIS analysis. The current estimate is 8,273 homes being destroyed or suffering major damage. Additionally, it is estimated that $23.6 million of damage occurred to public public infrastructure with an additional $21.6 million in cost associated with removal and disposal of debris from the storm.