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A Cass County man is set to receive a $1,000 cash award for his work in sustainable agriculture. Bernie Havlovic, of Lewis, will receive recognition and the 2011 Spencer Award for Sustainable Agriculture award during a ceremony Thursday, March 1^st, in Ames. Havlovic is the superintendent of two Research and Demonstration (R&D) farms, the Armstrong ISU R&D Farm near Lewis, and the Neely-Kinyon R&D Farm in Adair County, south of Greenfield. He’s conducted agricultural research since the 1970’s, but has been involved in farming since childhood, while growing up in east-central Nebraska. Havlovic was the ninth out of 14 children born to his parents. He says his siblings helped out with the farming activities, but the opportunities to farm on his own were limited, so he went to graduate from ISU and work for the University’s Agronomy Department before moving on the work in the Research Farm system. 

He says that gave him an opportunity to farm, and get a better understanding of how crops grow and what affects their growth. He says he’s able to turn that knowledge around and show visitors to the research farms how new practices foster productivity in farming, and, provide an education to a wide variety of people. That includes “Master Gardeners,” and school children. Havlovic says interest in horticulture has really grown over the years, and blossomed from the simple “Green Thumb” gardener, to people who grow grapes for locally produced wine, and to those who use the “High Tunnel” structures to earn a living growing specialty crops. He says one of the latest special products being used in agricultural, is a material called “Bio-char,” which is a centuries old charcoal product created by a process known as “pryrolysis.”   Havlovic says it’s a material designed to make the soil more usable and sustainable. 

Havlovic and Michael Natvig, who owns a 420-acre organic farm in eastern Iowa’s Howard County, will share the Spencer Award for their efforts in developing sustainable farming practices and enhancing the stability of family farms, during the quarterly meeting of the Leopold Center Advisory Board, in Ames. The presentation of those awards will take place at around 11:30-a.m. Thursday, at the Hilton Garden Inn. The award, which was established in 2001 by an endowment from the Spencer family, was named in honor of Norman and Margaretha Spencer, who farmed near Sioux County, for 40-years. Learn more about the award at www.leopold.iastate.edu/spencer-award.

w/ Ric Hanson

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GRINNELL, Iowa (AP) – A 20-year-old college student is expected to survive injuries she received when struck by a train near downtown Grinnell. Anika Manzoor was struck just before 5 p.m. Monday. Manzoor was hit after she fell while she and two friends were crossing tracks just west of downtown. The two other people were not struck. Iowa Interstate Railroad officials say the train was going about 21 mph, headed to Chicago from Council Bluffs.  Manzoor was taken to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

(Nat’l. Weather Service/Des Moines) — A strong storm system will push through the region today into Wednesday with the surface low tracking from NE Nebraska northeastward toward Minneapolis and into central Wisconsin by Wednesday. This system will bring a mix of winter precipitation to much of northern Iowa today, and spread rain showers and thunderstorms across central and southern Iowa mainly this afternoon into tonight. There is a slight risk of severe weather across portions of southwest Iowa with large hail the main severe threat. Strong west to northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts to 45 mph are possible during the day Wednesday as the system lifts northeast of Iowa.

An Atlantic man was arrested Friday, on a charge of Public Intoxication, 3rd and subsequent offense. The Atlantic Police Department says 50-year old Robert Atkinson was booked into the Cass County Jail.

ADEL, Iowa (AP) – A central Iowa man accused of fatally shooting another man says in court documents that he fired a rifle to scare him, not kill him.  Brandon Madren, of Adel, is charged with first-degree murder and reckless use of a firearm causing injury in the Feb. 18 shooting of Nathan Greene, also of Adel. Court documents show the gunshot that killed Greene was fired from a third-story apartment window.

Madren told police that Greene tried to kick down his apartment door, then left the building and was standing on Madren’s car in the parking lot. Madren says Greene was threatening him when Madren fired a rifle, hitting Greene in the chest. Madren remains in the Dallas County jail on $500,000 bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

The Atlantic City Council Wednesday, will hold public hearings on loan agreements amounting to $4.95-million, followed by action from the Council on a resolution expressing the City’s intent to enter into a General Obligation Corporate Purchase and Refunding Loan Agreement, and approval of a bond purchase agreement with Ruan Securities. The hearings and action will come during a Special Council Meeting that begins 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, at City Hall.

City Administrator Doug Harris says the bonds will help to cover nearly $4.9-million altogether, in Capital Improvement Projects (for Streets, Storm Water, Park and Building Improvements as well as Equipment Acquisition), and, the refunding of 2007 General Obligation Bonds. Harris says refunding the 2007 G-O Bonds will save the City $45,845 in interest, over the next 5-years.

The Council will consider a resolution authorizing the issuance of 2012 G-O Bonds during its meeting on March 7th. In other matters, the Council this Wednesday, will enter into a closed session to discuss collective bargaining strategy, following the conclusion of regular business.

The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education will meet tonight, in the High School Media Center. During the 7:30-p.m. work session, the Board will hear from and/or discuss the Building Leadership Team (BLT), and hold discussion on the Fiscal Year 2013 Budget. No action will be taken during the work session.