DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Farmers finally caught up this week as favorable weather for harvest put them ahead of the normal for the first time this growing season. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says 75 percent of corn in Iowa is now harvested, 4 percentage points ahead of the 5-year average. Some corn has higher moisture content than desirable for storage and farmers are leaving it in the field to allow it to further dry. Drying corn with propane-powered dryers increases cost and cuts into profits.

Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey says limited propane supply also is creating challenges. The soybean harvest is 95 percent complete, four days ahead of normal. Nationally, 73 percent of corn is harvested, better than 71 percent average and soybeans are at 86 percent, which is near the average.

STORM LAKE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say high winds caused a trailer full of turkeys to overturn on the side of a highway in northwest Iowa. The Sac County Sheriff’s Office says 760 turkeys were in the trailer when it was blown over Sunday night on Highway 20.

A semitrailer helping to carry the turkeys was headed to a processing plant in Storm Lake when the driver pulled over due to a mechanical malfunction. The trailer was unhooked from the power unit and dollied. The accident happened as the trailer was dollied.

Officials say 70 percent of the birds died. Emergency responders cut holes in the trailer to help remove turkeys that were dead and alive.

AMES, Iowa (AP) – Gunshots were reported on the Iowa State University campus in Ames, and officials say a suspect is in custody.  Iowa State University police say the incident happened Monday morning on central campus as part of a vehicle chase by Ames police. One person was sent to the hospital, but no students were injured. The university posted on its website there is no threat to the community. Police say people should avoid an area that is cordoned off.

The Iowa State Daily, the university’s student newspaper, reports an alert was sent to ISU students at 10:55 a.m. saying the threat was over. The Iowa State Daily reports Warren Madden, the university’s senior vice president, says police told him the pickup truck involved in the incident was stolen.

The Iowa Department of Public Health reports the Iowa Influenza Surveillance Network has identified three strains of flu currently circulating in Iowa – H1N1 (2009 pandemic strain), H3N2 (regular seasonal flu strain), and Influenza B. While influenza activity remains at a low level, the identification of three circulating strains means that without a flu vaccination, an individual could become ill with the flu three different times. The flu vaccine, which is plentifully available, covers all three strains of flu that have been detected.

IDPH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend annual influenza vaccinations for everyone 6 months of age and older. A person’s decision to receive the vaccination or not impacts their entire community, as a yearly flu vaccine not only protects the individual from illness, but also those around them. It’s especially important to be vaccinated if you have regular contact with people more vulnerable to the complications of flu, including babies, children with asthma, and the elderly. IDPH also recommends pregnant women be vaccinated to protect themselves, and to pass on some immunity to their baby.

The flu is a serious respiratory illness caused by viruses. The flu comes on suddenly and symptoms may include fever, headache, tiredness, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, and body aches. Illness typically lasts two to seven days, and often puts healthy people in bed for days. Influenza may cause severe illness or even death in people such as the very young or very old, or those who have underlying health conditions.

Influenza is not a ‘reportable disease’ in Iowa, which means doctors are not required to notify IDPH each time a patient tests positive for influenza; however, IDPH conducts year-round influenza surveillance through the Iowa Influenza Surveillance Network. This surveillance indicates what types of influenza viruses are circulating and how widespread influenza illness is. For more information about where and what kind of influenza is in Iowa, go to www.idph.state.ia.us/Cade/Influenza.aspx?pg=FluHome.

Contact your health care provider or local health department to find out where the vaccine is available in your community or use the Flu Vaccine Finder at www.flu.gov/.

Dealing with the time change that took place this weekend and getting all your clocks reset is just one of the issues you’ll face as the season changes. Dr. Steve Zorn with Iowa Sleep says you now will be coming home from work in the dark, and that can cause problems. “There’s data that accident rates are worse in the evening — people aren’t used to driving in the dark as much at that time of day,” Zorn says. He says drivers will eventually adjust.

“It usually seems to last a couple of weeks, and then it disappears,” Zorn says. The doctor also treats sleep disorders that are a more longer term problem at this time of year. One of them is Season Affective Disorder or SAD. “Season Affective Disorder is a condition where some people are more sensitive to the lack of light and as a result, when it is dark in the winter months and the earth is rotated, you just don’t get the same amount of sunlight in a 24-hour period,” according the Zorn. He says one of the symptoms of SAD is insomnia.

“It is a depression, and you just don’t feel as good as you normally would like to feel,” Zorn explains. “Some people say that they feel they are in a hole looking up.” The doctor says one treatment is simply getting more light into your life. “There are what’s called light boxes, and they have a higher intensity light. I would think about 10-thousand lux. You can get these now in many places,” Zorn says. Zorn says people with more severe problems may need to be treated with medication.

(Radio Iowa)

The Atlantic Police Department reports the arrest on Sunday of an Atlantic resident on an assault charge. 43-year old Darren Towne was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault by Strangulation, and Domestic Abuse Assault causing injury. Towne was booked into the Cass County Jail.

The Atlantic Area Chamber’s 13th Annual Scrooge Contest, sponsored by Hockenberry Family Care and Great Western Bank, is underway during the month of November. Eleanor Hoover organized the contest back in 2002 just one year after the inaugural Lighted Parade.

The competition has candidates raising money and collecting non-perishable food items for the Atlantic Food Pantry.

Jeff Christensen

Hans Kringel

Rachel Johnson

Heather McKay

David Miller

Vickie Retallic

The 2013 candidates include: Vickie Ratallic, HyVee; Rachel Johnson, Villa Dance and Aunt B’s; Jeff Christensen (donations delivered to Fareway, Pizza Ranch and Cass County Farm Bureau); Heather McKay, Atlantic Community School District; David Miller, Boy Scouts Troop 54 (donations can be delivered to Meyer and Gross Real Estate); and Hans Krengel, Howard’s Clothing.

The Scrooge Candidate who raises the most points serves as the Grand Marshal in the Lighted Parade Dec. 7th at 6 p.m. in Downtown Atlantic. Cash donations are worth two points on the dollar and non-perishable items are worth one point.

Past Scrooge’s have included Devin Ferguson 2002, Eleanor Hoover 2003, Rex McDermott 2004, Tonia Goft 2005, Rick Harlan 2006, Mary Ann Moorman 2007, Dana Halder 2008, Tammy Wise & Janet Huey 2009, Ritchie Anderson 2010, Janet Cappel 2011 and Melanie Petty 2012.

Donations to a candidate can be made by delivering food or funds to their drop off locations or the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce. For more information please call the Chamber at 712.243.3017 or email chamber@atlanticiowa.com

Voters will be heading to the polls Tuesday, to cast their ballots for local elected officials. In most locations, the polls are open from Noon until 8-p.m. In Cass County, there are races for City Council seats in Marne, Massena and Wiota. In Marne, 6 candidates are running for 5 open seats (2-year terms) on the City Council, including incumbents Alan Cranston, Randy Henningsen, Lanny Kite, and Angela Redler. They face challenges from newcomers Randy L. Fischer and Lori Holste.

In Massena, four people, including incumbent Robert McKnight, are running for two seats on the Council (4-year terms). Challengers include Jackson R. Bissell, Kevin McCunn and Doug Venteicher. And in Wiota, incumbents Kathryn Havens and Deanna Spry faces a challenge from newcomers Jeff Lillard and Lamar K. Spies for three open seats on the City Council (4-year terms).

Polling sites are as follows: In Anita – at the Anita Community Center; Atlantic…1^st Ward Zion Lutheran Church, 2^nd Ward – Atlantic Public Library, 3^rd Ward – Cass County Community Center, 4^th Ward – United Church of Christ, 5^th Ward – the Heritage House; The polling site in Cumberland is the Community Building, in Griswold it’s at the Community Center, in Lewis, voters head to the Public Library, in Marne ballots will be cast the City Hall. In Massena, the polling site is at the Public Library, and in Wiota, it’s at City Hall.

Results of the City of Atlantic election will be canvassed by the Board of Supervisors beginning at 1-p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7^th, with the rest of the County’s results to be canvassed on Tue., Nov. 12th, beginning at Noon.

In Adair County, there is one race we’ll be following, and that’s in Fontanelle, where Rodney Dukes, Ron Reed and Jim Warrior are running for two seats on the City Council. In Adams County, Jerry M. Anderson and Edward E. Harlow are vying to become Mayor, in Carbon, and in Corning, the race for Mayor includes candidates Timothy Paul Blaisure, Janet Scheilzwood, Jilly Steele-Moralez, and Courtney Turnis. Also in Adams County, six people are running for 5 positions on the City Council in Nodaway. The candidates include incumbents Hartford Cooper, Christine Dunn, Becky Poen and Christine Wiechman, along with challenger Renee Boysen.

In Audubon County, there is a race for three open City Council At-Large seats, in Audubon. The candidates include Delyte A. Borkowski, Jason Hocker, Teresa Murray and Thomas R. Nielsen.

In Montgomery County, two candidates seek the 2^nd Ward seat on the City Council, including Jerry Daffler and Bill Haufle, while three others are running for an At Large seat. They include incumbent Fred Pilecki, and challengers Roger Waggener and Rusty Williams.

There are several contested races to watch across the KJAN listening area once the polls close Tuesday evening at 8.

In Guthrie County, for instance, Emily Chapman Olesen, Jamie Galivan, Deanna Gibson and Ruth Riley are vying for three seats on the City Council in Bagley. In Bayard, Dean Hopkins, Gary Allen Long, Ben Sease and Tom Wardyn are also hoping to fill three seats on the City Council. Another Council race in Guthrie County, is in Casey, where Marilyn Harden, Dan Irlbeck and Robbi Sneller are running for two open seats. In Guthrie Center, Ruth Ann Newell, Randy Nickel and Dennis Patrick are competing for two seats on the Council. And, in Menlo, four candidates are vying for two seats on the City Council. They include Deanna L. Harwood, Larry Jacobson, Bob Sudbrock and Briana Wolfe.

In Shelby County, there are races for seats on the City Council in Harlan, Westphalia and Tennant. Candidates for the three seats in Westphalia include Brian Arkfeld, Julie Goetzinger, Diane Hall and Bill Holzer. In Tennant, Dennis A. Oellerich, Harold Peters and Mark W. Tearney are hoping voters chose them for two seats on the Council. In Harlan, Mike Kolbe and Corey Sorensen will compete for city council Ward 3. Current councilmember Kate Kohorst was appointed to Ward 3 after former member Orv Roecker passed away earlier in the year. Kohorst decline to run for the position. Another Harlan City Councilmember Keith Kaufman is stepping down from his position in Ward 1. Jay Christensen is running unopposed for Kaufman’s seat.

And in Pottawattemie County, there are races for the City Council in Carson, Carter Lake, and Council Bluffs, where there is also two men running for Mayor. Other Council races include those in Macedonia and Walnut, and a challenge for the Mayor’s job in Neola.

Polls open at 7-a.m. Tuesday in Avoca, Carter Lake Council Bluffs, Crescent, Minden, Neola, Treynor, Underwood and Walnut, while elsewhere, they open at Noon. All polls close at 8-p.m.

Authorities in Cass County say charges are pending following an accident that occurred Sunday night, west of the Atlantic airport. Officials say a 2007 Dodge driven by 35-year old Michael John Hansen, of Atlantic, was traveling north on 585th Street at around 9:40-p.m., when the vehicle ran through a stop sign at the T-intersection with Highland Road (Cass County Road G-30).

Photo courtesy Mike Kennon, Cass County Emergency Mgmt. Agency

The car hit a power pole and came to rest in the ditch north of the intersection. Two juveniles in the vehicle were transported by private vehicle to the Cass County Memorial Hospital, while Hansen was taken to the hospital by Medivac Ambulance. All of the victims suffered minor injuries.

The accident remains under investigation.