DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Corn farmers are feeling the impact of a cool, wet spring but are still expected to bring in a record crop this year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says in its monthly report released Wednesday that farmers are expected to bring in 14 billion bushels of corn this year. That’s 135 million bushels less than last month’s estimate, reflecting the impact of the cooler spring. But that’d still beat 2009’s 13.1 billion bushel record. Last year, farmers harvested only about 11 billion bushels because of the drought.

The changes are not expected to significantly affect food prices for consumers. The UDSA says the amount of corn expected to be harvested per acre will be reduced to 156.5 bushels per acre down from 158 bushels estimated a month ago.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

BELMOND, Iowa (AP) — Weather officials say multiple tornadoes have touched ground in northern Iowa, causing damage to homes and businesses. The National Weather Service says spotters reported yesterday at least two tornados on the ground alongside one another near Hampton in Franklin County. Another tornado was reported near Belmond in nearby Wright County.

BELMOND, Iowa (AP) — The owner of a restaurant in northern Iowa says a tornado has “demolished” part of his business. Duwayne Abel, owner of Cattleman’s Steaks and Provisions in Belmond, says a tornado swooped in yesterday through his business’ parking lot. He says the south side of the building is “pretty much demolished.” Abel says no one was in the restaurant when the tornado hit.

BELMOND, Iowa (AP) — Alliant Energy says more than 1,200 customers in northern Iowa are without power due to severe weather affecting the region. The company says crews are working to restore power in the Belmond area in Wright County after severe weather damaged transmission and distribution lines. Alliant spokesman Justin Foss says it may take several hours for power to be restored.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Police say a suspicious package that was destroyed in Iowa City was an electronic art piece. Iowa City officials said yesterday that the package that was destroyed by a bomb squad Sunday evening was a piece created by artist Russell Jaffe. The Johnson County bomb squad used a water cannon to destroy the item.

A Pottawattamie County man was arrested today (Wednesday) on an outstanding Audubon County warrant. According to the Audubon County Sheriff’s Office, 25 year old Zachary Alan White, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail and transported to the Audubon County Jail. White was charged with eluding and driving while barred.

The charges stem from a pursuit by law enforcement in Audubon County on March 20th, 2013. The pursuit continued through Cass County and ended in Pottawattamie County where he was taken into custody. White is being held in the Audubon County Jail and will appear before the magistrate on Thursday, June 13th.

Much of the country will see severe thunderstorms today and parts could even see a storm called a derecho (Dur-ray-shoh). But National Weather Service meteorologist, Frank Boksa, says don’t expect to see it here. “It would not be in Iowa, or if it was, it would probably initiate in very far eastern Iowa, but it would be more in the Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana area,” Boksa says. Iowa saw a derecho back in July of 2011 that did a lot of damage to homes, trees and power lines.

A derecho is basically a very widespread, long-lived line of thunderstorms. And they are very fast moving and they produce extreme damaging wind. By they I mean 65-70-75-miles-an-hour or more,” according to Boksa. Iowa won’t see anything like that, but will see some heavy thunderstorms. “Thunderstorms will develop kind of over northeastern and far eastern Iowa and then push off into Illinois and Indiana this afternoon,” Boksa says. “We should see some strong storms out of this, but it should be fairly short lived. We should pretty much be done with it in central Iowa by seven p-m and in eastern Iowa certainly by 10.” The weather is expected to continue a pattern of a few dry days followed by thunderstorms and rain through the next week. Boksa says that’s pretty much the norm.

“This is the time of year for thunderstorms. We do get a fair amount of rain and thunderstorms in May and June, so it’s not atypical by any stretch,” he says, “in fact I think the peak of severe weather in June is about the 15th.” The rains are not quite as welcome this June after a record wet spring that’s kept farmers out of the fields and led to flooding in many parts of the state.

(Radio Iowa)

The Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Wednesday), approved increasing the fee for new or renewed licenses for concealed weapons permits. Sheriff Darby McLaren requested the $10 increase to help cover the cost of a laminating machine that will create a photo ID/permit, which will replace the current, paper permit for concealed weapon licenses. McLaren said he based the increase on what other area counties are charging for a similar service, and the service was based on demand. He said a lot of people have requested the laminated permits since the state law was changed to allow those types of permits to be issued in that form. 

McLaren said the new permits can also be used as a second form of identification, when it’s required. The Cass County Emergency Management Agency will use the machine to create IDs for firefighters at no charge. Part of the cost for the lamination machine will be absorbed by the EMA, the other part will be paid for by the increased license fee.

Currently concealed license fees run $50 and the license is good for 5-years. With the increase, anyone renewing or wishing to receive a permit for such weapons, will have to pay $60. And, if your current permit is in need of replacement due to age or damage, you can get a laminated version for the $10 fee, as well.

In other business, the Board of Supervisors approved the full-time appointment ofCathy Downy, of Atlantic, to the Veteran’s Affairs Commission, effective July 1^st. Her term will expire in three-years. Downy was serving in an interim capacity on the Commission, since Jerry Putnam resigned from the post in March, 2012.

A fire overnight about five-miles west of Atlantic completely destroyed a home and its contents, but no one was injured. Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees said no one knew it had happened until after sunrise. McNees said Dave Freund, who is a neighbor of Wayne Preister,who was renting the home, both notified the fire department the house had burned. When crews arrived there was nothing left to do but put out some hot spots.

Smoldering remains of the home on Indian Creek St., near Atlantic. (Cass Co. EMA/photo)

McNees said his department, along with the Cass County Emergency Management Agency conducted an investigation and notified the State Fire Marshal’s office. The cause of the blaze will be listed as undetermined, because there is so little evidence to go on.  He said it could have been caused by lightening or was the result of an electrical problem, but that’s not official. No one was home at the time. 

The call about the fire came at 56575 Indian Creek Street in at around 7:30-.am. No injuries were reported.

A Harlan woman was cited for striking an unattended vehicle, recently. The Harlan Police Department reports a 1998 Chevrolet driven by Kristen Hoffman, of Harlan, was traveling south on 9th Street on May 30th, when she noticed a truck owned by David Archibald, of Harlan. Hoffman however, failed to notice a trailer behind the truck, and struck the trailer, forcing it forward, where it collided with the truck. A wrecker had to be called-in to lift Hoffman’s car off the trailer.

Damage from the incident amounted to $7,500.

The Harlan Police Department reports an Avoca man faces drug charges following a traffic stop June 5th (last Wednesday). 44-year old Stephen Andrew Weber was charged with Possession of drug paraphernalia. Another person, 50-year old Christina Lynn Hansen, of Harlan, was arrested during the same traffic stop, on a charge of driving while barred.

The H-PD says also, they took a report last Thursday (June 6th), of a purse being taken from a car parked on Country Club Parkway. The incident remains under investigation. Officials say they have received many reports of that type of theft, and they remind people to take the keys from your vehicle and lock its doors, when it is not in use.

A Walnut High School and Iowa State University graduate has been named City Administrator for the City of Clinton, in eastern Iowa. According to radio station KROS, Jessica Kinser, who has served as the Interim City Administrator for the past five-months, was officially given the job during a meeting Tuesday night of the Clinton City Council. Prior to serving as the Interim Administrator, Jessica was hired as the city’s Finance Director. 

Kinser served as the City Manager in Griswold from Feb. 2010 through October, 2011, before accepting the Finance Director’s job in Clinton. She was also a Financial Analyst for Ottawa County, Michigan and served as a Program Assistant at ISU.  Kinser graduated from ISU with a Masters in Public Administration in 2007. She also has Bachelor of Science Degrees in Political Science and English.

In a statement released to the media, Kinser said “I am honored and humbled to be selected as the City Administrator for the City of Clinton, and would like to thank the Mayor and City Council for the opportunity to serve.  I have worked for the City for a year and a half, and I have seen how quickly things change and opportunities arise, and I am excited for the known and unknown that lies ahead.” 

The latest area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson…

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