(Walnut, Iowa) – Multiple area fire departments were dispatched to a field fire this (Saturday) afternoon, north of Walnut, in Pottawattamie County. The blaze was reported to have occurred near 540th and Timber Road. Marne Fire was dispatched at around 1:10-p.m., to assist Walnut, Elk Horn, Kimballton and Shelby Fire fighters.

Audubon County Emergency Management officials said Saturday (Today), that “fire departments within Audubon County and surrounding areas have had a busy 24 hours. We are asking that if you have previously (within in the last month) burnt your brush pile or burn pit, please check it to verify there are no hot ashes. The current conditions are favorable for reigniting those sources. Audubon county remains in a very high risk for fire danger.”

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Meyer & Gross Real Estate, will be hosting a Drive-In Movie experience next Saturday, October 7th. Chamber Programs Director Kelsey Beschorner says “Drive-In Movie Night has become an annual tradition that I look forward to every year. We are excited to bring this classic movie to the big screen this fall. The Drive-In is a fun, nostalgic experience for community members and those in the surrounding area to enjoy. This also gives us the opportunity to show off our town and encourage people to shop and eat before coming to the movie.”

The Drive-In Movie will be at the Cass County Fair Grounds in the grandstand area beginning around 8:30 PM with a showing of “Matilda”. Cars may begin parking at 7 PM. The screen is 60 feet long with a high definition projector. Speakers will be available next to the screen for people to utilize. A transmitter will be provided for those enjoying the movie from their car. Attendees will turn their radio to a certain station and the transmitter will play the audio through their car speakers.

Entry is $25 per car vehicle and tickets can be purchased at www.atlanticiowa.com or day-of at the gate. People are welcome to bring lawn chairs and blankets to sit on. Inside parking for the Drive-In is limited, so pack a chair or blanket as precaution. Concessions will be available for purchase on the fairgrounds.

For more information, visit www.atlanticiowa.com, call the Chamber at 712.243.3017 or email chamber@atlanticiowa.com. The Drive-In is sponsored by Meyer & Gross Real Estate and Nishna Valley Family YMCA.

RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee, this week, announced her Small Business of the Week: Dunlap Livestock Auction of Harrison County. Throughout this Congress, Ranking Member Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties. 

“I want to congratulate the Schaben family and the team at Dunlap Livestock Auction for their longstanding dedication to maintaining an open and competitive marketplace that brings together not only livestock buyers and sellers but the entire Dunlap community,” said Ranking Member Ernst. “Dunlap Livestock Auction honors agriculture traditions while also innovating to meet modern-day needs, and I can’t wait to see their continued success in western Iowa.”

From their first auction of less than thirty head of cattle, hogs, and sheep to now regularly moving thousands of cattle through each sale, the Schaben family has grown Dunlap Livestock Auction into a prominent and well-respected livestock marketplace in Harrison County. Jim and Ruth Schaben purchased Dunlap Livestock Auction in 1950 and have continued to expand the business since, selling the company to their sons, Jay, Jim Jr., and John in the early 1990s. Today, they also offer home and estate, farm machinery, gun, and real estate auctions for clients throughout the Midwest and remain committed to serving their community and the cattle industry.

(Iowa DNR) – Drivers are advised to stay alert as they travel Iowa’s roadsides over the coming weeks. Autumn deer behavior, crop harvest and peak travel times for motorists combine to hike the risk of vehicle-deer collisions in Iowa.

From the middle of October until the third week of November, Iowa bucks become more active in the pursuit of does during the breeding season. Motorist may be distracted by the first deer that crosses not seeing the pursuing buck. This adds to multiple scenarios of fast moving, unpredictable deer crossing highways.

The crop harvest is already in full swing, concentrating deer into remaining cover that is often brushy creeks, trees or fence lines which often intersect with roads. A third factor will be the change away from daylight savings time on November 5, placing more Iowans behind the wheel during the deer-heavy dawn and dusk periods.

A few ways to give drivers an edge during this period are to reduce speed, increase following distance from other cars, and to sweep eye movements from ditch to ditch, especially during those low light periods and when approaching those brushy or tree lined ‘funnels’ near roads. Drivers are also encouraged not to ‘veer for deer,’ leaving the lane of traffic could cause a collision with another vehicle or a roadside obstacle, such as a utility pole or culvert.

Iowa’s deer herd is managed to provide a harvest of between 100,000 and 120,000 annually, that is achieved by providing additional opportunities for hunters to harvest does. Last year, Iowa hunters reported harvesting nearly 110,000 deer.

DES MOINES – Gov. Reynolds has announced the appointment of Renee Schulte of Urbandale to serve as Chair of the Iowa Board of Parole. Schulte began her new role today (Friday), September 29, 2023.

“Renee’s extensive background in mental and behavioral health will help protect our communities while advancing our goals of supporting the successful re-entry of parolees and reducing recidivism,” said Governor Kim Reynolds. “I look forward to working alongside Renee in this new role.”

“I’m honored for the opportunity to lead the Board of Parole during this season of government reorganization,” said Renee Schulte. “My background as a mental health professional will be an asset during this time of transition as we focus on our mission to protect the public.”

Schulte served as an Iowa State Representative from 2009 to 2013 and previously was a mental and behavioral health consultant based in Urbandale. Schulte has a Master of Arts in Counseling and Educational Psychology and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from New Mexico State University.

Schulte’s appointment is subject to confirmation by the Senate.   The role was previously held by Nick Davis who resigned to pursue other opportunities.  “I appreciate Nick’s dedication to serving the people of Iowa in this critical role,” said Gov. Reynolds. “He has a bright future ahead of him and I look forward to watching him advance his career in public service.”

Des Moines – The Iowa Department of Corrections reports James Scott Hoffman, who was convicted of Robbery 2nd Degree and other charges in Polk County, failed to report back to the Fort Des Moines Reentry Center as required, Thursday.

Hoffman is a 66-year-old white male, height 5’10”, and weighs 197 pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on May 12, 2023.

Persons with information on Hoffman’s whereabouts should contact local police.

James Hoffman

(Harlan, Iowa) – Shelby County Auditor Mark Maxwell reports new practices for Shelby County owned cropland in Shelby County are being used this year. Maxwell says there will not be an auction this year.  The Board of Supervisors and the Solid Waste Board will collect sealed bids at the Auditors office until November 17th and be opened on November 21st, 2023 at the regularly scheduled Board of Supervisors meeting.  Bid packets for both properties are available at the Auditors office or by calling 755-3831 extension 6.

Shelby County and the Shelby County Solid Waste Board each have farm ground available for rent for the 2024 crop season.  The Shelby County Farm is approximately 145 acres. The Solid Waste Board Farm located at the county landfill is approximately 103 acres. Separate sealed bids are required for each farm.

The bids must be received in the Auditors office by November 17th at 4:30 pm. A 10% down payment is due upon acceptance of the highest bid by the Supervisors.

(Update 3:45-p.m.: All responding Atlantic & Marne units have been told to disregard the field fire page.)

(Elk Horn, Iowa) – Firefighters with the Marne and Atlantic Fire Departments were requested to assist other firefighters in in Shelby County in battling a field fire south of Elk Horn this (Friday) afternoon. The fire was approaching a residence in the vicinity of Highway 173 and 500^th Street.

There are also reports of a field fire in Pottawattamie County. Yesterday (Thursday), there were two separate reports of combine fires in the area.

(Radio Iowa) – The Board of Regents will seek an additional one million dollars from the Iowa Legislature to address the mental health needs of students. Regent Abby Crow of Tiffin made a motion for the money during Thursday’s meeting, citing discussions with students.

“A central point of our conversation was the need for expanded mental health services and the benefits this will bring to our students at our Regent Universities,” she says. “Student leaders also provided us with a unanimous letter imploring us as Regents to support their efforts for expanded mental health resources and funding.” Crow says it is not the first time the issue has been discussed.

“I know as regents we’ve heard these needs presented consistently in recent years by students and university administrators highlighting an opportunity we have to address a central issue that touches the lives of many,” Crow says. She says if the funding is approved, the students want to continue their involvement.

“Our student leaders at our Regent universities would be extremely grateful to be involved in further conversations going forward regarding the specific allocation of this funding,” she says, “and offer their insight as to what specific mental health related resources programming or staffing might do the most good at their respective institutions.”

The Board voted to approve the request, which will go to the Iowa Legislature in January. Crow graduated from the University of Iowa in May 2023 with a degree in human physiology and a minor in biology. Her board biography says her goal is to pursue a career in the medical field, and is currently a nursing assistant at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

(Radio Iowa) – The calendar says fall but the thermometer says summer. Forecasters say much of Iowa’s southern half will see near-record high temperatures in the low 90s today (Friday) through Sunday. State climatologist Justin Glisan says it could be the start of a trend as the El Nino pattern is setting up, which may mean Iowans will be facing a warmer-than-normal winter ahead.

“We are getting a clear signal in the climate prediction outlooks for December, January, February, meteorological winter, which are showing elevated chances of warmer conditions across the upper Midwest including Iowa,” Glisan says. “This meshes well with previous years in which we’ve seen El Nino in wintertime and into early spring.” Glisan says it’s still too early to predict how much precipitation may fall in the winter ahead, including rain, freezing rain and snow.

“So we’ve had years in which we’ve seen above-average precipitation, we’ve seen years in which we’ve been below-average,” Glisan says, “so as of right now, not a clear signal in terms of precipitation, but definitely we’re looking at the potential for a warmer winter.”

While traditional calendars have winter starting on December 21st this year, the climatological winter Glisan referred to is from December 1st through the end of February.