People who apparently have nothing better to do with their time have damaged property meant for the enjoyment and relaxation of others, in Atlantic. During Monday evening’s meeting of the Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department’s Board of Directors, Director Roger Herring said it’s believed persons from out of town destroyed a park bench at the Schildberg Recreation Area. The incident involving the very first new bench to be installed by a local Eagle Scout wasn’t discovered, until a week ago, when Herring went out to mow.

He says the bench was gone, and next to a picnic table was a round burn mark. Herring learned someone had pitched a tent and camped there the previous weekend. It didn’t take long for him to realize the campers tore apart the bench as used it as kindling for a campfire. Evidence of the fact included the discovery of the bench’s nuts and bolts in the campfire site. Herring says they have received leads in the case, and they don’t point to anyone local.

In another incident, Herring says someone took trash from a can at the City Park in downtown Atlantic last weekend, and dumped it in the men’s restroom. With the heat and humidity allowing the refuse to “Ferment” over the weekend, when the incident was discovered by Park workers, the stench nearly overwhelmed their senses. The culprits didn’t do any other damage, and even returned the trash can to its proper place.

City Councilman Chris Jimerson, who represents the Council on the Parks and Rec Board, mentioned also, that sometime over the weekend, persons on motorcycles tore up the Soccer Field by the Little League Park.  Herring says he believes that young people who are bored, are responsible for “That kind of Mickey Mouse stuff.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The latest crop report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows Iowa’s cornfields have been hit hard by the wet spring. Twelve percent of the crop is in poor condition, worse among the 18 leading corn growing states. Monday’s report says 4 percent is very poor while 34 percent is fair and 50 percent is good or excellent. Eleven percent of corn plants haven’t emerged from the ground yet and 6 percent of the crop hasn’t been planted. Normally the crop is all in by now and 99 percent emerged.

The USDA already assumes the average amount of corn expected to be harvested per acre in the U.S. to be reduced to 156.5 bushels per acre down from 158 bushels estimated a month ago.

A Shelby County company that produces honey, is planning an expansion of their facilities. Smitty Bee in Defiance is prepping to add close to 20,000 square feet to their plant. The expansion is set to increase capacity by close to 50 percent. The company says the new space is for bottling room, offices, and additional warehouse space and research and development labs. 

Smitty Bee sales have soared to the highest ever in the 80 years of production in part because of the increasing finds of health benefits in honey. The fourth generation family owned operated honey packer and producer says they remain committed to the quality of honey customers have consumed over the years and the expansion will continue to help maintain the high standards along with building the business. 

Smitty Bee in Defiance provides a wide variety of honey products to both industrial and retail customers and can be found at many local grocery stores.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa Supreme Court decision in a dispute over the value of shares in a farm business two cousins inherited from their fathers gives additional clout to minority shareholders in closely held family businesses and could have wide-sweeping effect on inherited family business operations.  The court’s decision released Friday centers on cousins Jack and Bob Baur who have argued over the value of Jack’s shares in Baur Farms Inc. since the early 1990s. 
 
Jack Baur sued alleging Bob and the farm corporation engaged in oppressive conduct by refusing to buy Jack’s shares at a fair market value. The high court says minority shareholders may reasonably expect to share proportionally in a corporation’s gains, setting a new standard in disputes over the value of shares in family corporations.

w/Marissa Hovde speaking with Andrea Farrior of the Atlantic Animal Shelter discussing this week’s pets available for adoption.

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Cass County Extension and the Cass County Conservation Board say they have once again teamed-up to offer their annual summer day camp programs to local youth. Officials say there is still time to get registered for several upcoming camps, but registration deadlines are approaching fast, so you shouldn’t delay signing-up.

The “To Earth and Beyond” camp at the Anita Community Center, is for those who have completed 3rd through 5th grade. It will be held on Friday, June 28^th, from 8-a.m. to 5-p.m. The camp will explore all of the solar system, landing at Earth at the end of the day to learn about rocks, plates, earthquakes and volcanoes. Participants will learn through hands-on activities, interactive games and creating projects to take home. Registration deadline is Tuesday June 18th.

For older youth interested in fishing, archery, hiking and Dutch oven cookery, the “Outdoor Adventure Camp” is the place to learn. The camp will be held on Tuesday, July 11 from 8-a.m. to 5-p.m., at Cold Springs State Park in Lewis. Outdoor Adventure Camp is for those who have completed 6th, 7th or 8th grades. Registrations for the camp are due by Monday, June 24th.

The cost for either camp is $10 per child. To sign up for a camp, stop by the Cass County Extension Office in Atlantic to fill out a registration and health form, along with a $10 payment, by the deadlines listed. More information and registration forms are also available online at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass to print and return. If you have any questions, please check the Cass County Extension website, call the Cass County Extension Office at 712-243-1132, or stop by the Extension Office at 805 W. 10^th St in Atlantic.

w/ Dr. Keith Leonard

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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.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports Marvin Lande, from Guthrie Center, is this week’s winner of the Iowa DNR’s Adventure Ready Gift Card Giveaway. Lande won a $50 gift card generously donated by Mills Fleet Farm. Hunters and anglers who purchase one of four new licenses in 2013 will be automatically entered into a weekly drawing for a $50 gift card.

To participate in the drawing, Iowans can simply purchase one of the four qualifying licenses at any license retailer or on the DNR’s website at www.iowadnr.gov. The four qualifying licenses are:

• Bonus Line License – resident and nonresident anglers can fish with one additional line (with the purchase of the annual fishing license, which allows two lines), for $12.
• Outdoor Combo License – annual resident hunting/fishing/habitat combo license for $47.
• Angler’s Special – a three-year resident fishing license for $53.
• Hunter’s Special – a three-year resident hunting license with habitat included for $86.

The DNR will draw every Monday at noon and announce the weekly winner on its website and through Twitter on Tuesday afternoon. The promotion will run through December 23, 2013. Fin and Feather is sponsoring the June 18 gift card drawing. Weekly winner announcements, gift card sponsors and complete drawing details can be found at www.iowadnr.gov/giveaway.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa farmers endured another wet week largely keeping them out of the fields. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says in Monday’s crop update that 92 percent of Iowa’s corn is now planted. Usually planting is all but completed by now. Eighty-six percent is rated in fair, good, or excellent shape while 14 percent is poor or very poor.

Just 60 percent of the soybean crop is planted much lower than the normal 95 percent and 39 percent has emerged while average is 83 percent. Planting and emergence for soybeans are the latest since 1993.

State Climatologist Harry Hillaker says temperatures were below normal every day last week at all locations in the state. The statewide average rainfall was 1.1 inches slightly under average of 1.2 inches.