(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.

Republicans in the Iowa Senate are pressing to require a face-to-face review with a pharmacist whenever a Medicaid recipient in Iowa gets a new prescription from their doctor. Senator Bill Dix, a Republican from Shell Rock, says it’s about controlling costs. “Medical therapy management is a concept that is utilizing local pharmacists in meeting with patients who’ve been prescribed medications from their doctor and making sure there are no harmful interactions,” Dix says, “that they’re taking them properly and also looking to find potential savings if they can use generics and things like that.” 

In 2005, the legislature in Minnesota set up a system which pays licensed pharmacists to conduct these sorts of consultations with Minnesotans who quality for government-paid health insurance. Dix says Iowa has had a similar pilot program and it’s time to expand it statewide for Iowans who qualify for Medicaid.  “In the pilot project that medical therapy management technique has shown to potentially save the state million of dollars, on top of what’s currently being saved,” Dix says. “It holds strong promise to save taxpayers a lot of money and to ensure better care of the patients.” 

Medicaid provides health care to Iowans who are disabled, low income and to thousands of children whose parents cannot afford health insurance. In addition, many senior citizens on Medicare are part of similar medical therapy management programs, as a result of the prescription drug benefit extended to seniors a decade ago. A 2006 study found 65 percent of elderly patients were prescribed a drug that was unnecessary. And a study conducted last year found nearly half of all Americans used at least one prescription drug in the previous month.

(O. Kay Henderson/Radio Iowa)

Officials with the ISU Extension Service in Cass County have released the schedule for the 2012 Cass County Fair, which runs from July 26th through the 31st. (The complete schedule can be found at http://www.extension.iastate.edu/NR/rdonlyres/FD79263F-7EEC-4FD2-9AAE-9A47B9EACD65/164027/2012Schedule_CassCountyFair.pdf )

Events begin Thursday, July 26th, with the Swine, Rabbit, Horse, Poultry, Dairy and beef entry sign-ins, entry and judging of 4-H static exhibits, and a food sale at the Community Center. Later that same evening, the King and Queen Contest will take place, along with Senior Recognition.

Friday’s activities (July 27th) include: the Rabbit, Horse and Feeder Calf shows; and a bull riding competition. On Saturday, July 28th, there’ll be a Sheep and Pet show, livestock judging, and ATV races.

Events Sunday (July 28th) include: the Swine, Poultry, Dog and Horse Fun shows; Decorator’s showcase; and a Tractor Pull.  Sunday and Monday afternoon, there will also be a “Skid Loader Rodeo.”

The last full day of activities on Monday, July 30th, will include: the Beef, Dairy/Dairy Goat, and Goat shows; Best of Iowa; a watermelon feed; Style show and building awards; and Grand Champion Beef selection. The Fair concludes Tuesday morning, July 31st, with the Livestock Sale. Clean-up activities will occur the following day.

For more information on the 2012 Cass County Fair, call 712-243-1132, or e-mail xcass@iastate.edu. On the web at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass

A custom feedlot owner operator from Adams County told attendees at Sunday afternoon’s Rolling Hills Heifer Project banquet and awards program in Atlantic, that when he purchases feeder cattle, whether it be from auctions or through private sale, he takes a lot of time asking questions about the animals’ health, quality and when, where, and how he will harvest and market the animals. Todd Drake, who owns Nodaway Valley Feeders, in Nodaway, said his decision is ultimately impacted by how healthy the cow is. He says he likes to purchase cattle which come directly from the mother cow, complete with a round-to-modified live vaccine, about three-weeks prior to shipment.

Drake says cattle which are weaned have more value to him, depending on the time of the year. He says he also likes to buy cattle which are on a “non-starch” diet, or those who eat very little corn. He says he doesn’t want the cattle to be “huge” before he buys them. He recommends forage based diets for the animals. As for quality, Drake says the types of animals that bring in the most money at his feedlots, are those with capacity, and spring of rib depth. He says he wants cattle “That can consume a lot of dry matter.” Cattle “With some width between their front legs and plenty of spring of rib,” appear to be their lowest cost of gains or best dry matter conversions.

Drake says it’ important for the animal to have some size. He says they like to have steers that finish out at around 1,350-pounds, and heifers that finish at 1,250-pounds. Drake says he has not preference when it comes to color and breed of the cow, but the bottom-line on closeouts is, that those animals with at least three-quarters English blood in them provide the best closeouts. That would include those animals bred to Charolais, Simmental, and some exotics. The “half-and-half” bloods…such as a Charolais bred to an Angus cow…don’t work as well, he says, when it comes to dry matter conversion.

Drake says he spends a lot of time on marketing the animals he gets into his feedlot, and get them harvested before it gets too hot, or late in the fall. He left the young people at Sunday’s meeting with a phrase to remember when purchasing their own cows in the future. He says great calves to buy should grade about 70% choice and about 70% one and two yield grades. Many of the animals he purchases come from Florida, Montana, the Sand Hills of Nebraska and elsewhere, but the majority comes from northern Missouri and southern Iowa.

w/ Ric Hanson

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