The Iowa Farmers Union says Representative Jack Drake, from Griswold, was awarded the 2011 “Friend of the Family Farmer Legislator Award,” during the organization’s Annual Convention held over the weekend, in Ames. Drake, who represents House District 57, serves as chair of the House Agriculture Committee. He’s served in the Iowa House of Representatives since 1992. 

As the chair of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriation Subcommittee, the IFU says he was instrumental in ensuring the structure and funding was present for the Local Food and Farm Plan.  The groups says Drake’s knowledge of the need for expanded agricultural markets in Iowa aided tremendously in the passage of the bill’s language. Iowa Farmers Union President Chris Petersen said at the convention “The Iowa Farmers Union is proud to honor Representative Jack Drake’s contribution to Iowa’s rural communities and promotion of a healthier local food system this year.”

Nearly 100 Iowans gathered for the event, which was co-sponsored by Iowa State University’s Sustainable Agriculture Student Association. They discussed the state and federal policies that affect farm operations and rural communities.  The awards ceremony recognized nine individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary efforts in support of family farms, local food and the growth of sustainable agriculture in Iowa over the past year.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors will act Wednesday morning, on an annual Resolution pertaining to Livestock Facility Construction Evaluations. The Resolution needs to be approved in order for the County to submit to the DNR, its recommendations, if any, with regard to the approval or disapproval of a confinement feeding operation, based on the scoring that facility has received using the Master Matrix.

The Supervisors will also discuss maintenance and operation of the Southlawn Memory Gardens Cemetery, and possibly act on revisions to the County’s Indigent Burial and Cell Phone Policies. The Board is also scheduled to receive a report and Fiscal Year 2013 Funding Agreement from the Cass County Library Association.

Their meeting begins at 9-a.m Wednesday, in the Supervisor’s Board Room at the Courthouse in Atlantic.

w/ Ric Hanson

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A truck driver from Illinois missing since last Friday was found dead in his still running semi Monday evening, in Pottawattamie County. Sheriff’s Department spokesman Sgt. Dwayne Richie says 58-year old Terry Ross, of Monmouth, IL, was found by deputies after a fellow trucker located Ross’ semi along an Interstate 80 rest stop near Minden, which was under construction. Ross worked for Liberty Trucking, in Burlington, Iowa.

Riche told KJAN News the trucking company notified law enforcement agencies along Ross’ route that he hadn’t been responding to their calls. One of the agencies which was notified, was the Des Moines Police Department. Riche says an officer with the Des Moines P-D called the Sheriff’s Office to inform them of the situation.

He says Ross’ cell phone had been “pinged” and an approximate location was given of 385^th Street in Pottawattamie County. The officer also gave a description of the truck. Riche says an officer was dispatched at 7:05-p.m., but was unable to locate the semi.

The semi was still covered in snow when it was discovered by Liberty Truck driver John Gatton, of Cole Valley, IL.  Gatton called 9-1-1 after he knocked on the cab of the running semi, and received no answer. Sgt. Riche says the cause of death remains under investigation, but no foul play is suspected.

w/ Ric Hanson

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The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports an Atlantic woman was arrested Friday on a charge of OWI/2^nd offense. 61-year old Patricia Jean Kinkade-Dorsey was brought to the Cass County Jail and released Saturday, on $2000.00 bond.

The Sheriff‘s Department reports also, they are investigating the theft of a motorcycle from rural Atlantic. Authorities received word on November 30^th a blue and yellow 2006 Honda CVR 1000 track bike was stolen. The cycle has no mirrors, no turning signals and no passenger pegs.

The Cass County Sheriff’s office encourages anyone with information about the incident to please call the Cass County Crimestoppers number at 800-233-3336. Callers can remain anonymous. A reward may be available for any tips leading to the recovery of the stolen item.

A new report suggests Iowa’s construction industry is recovering. An analysis from the Associated General Contractors of America compared October of 2010 to October of this year. It found a four percent increase in construction jobs in the state Iowa. The Quad Cities market saw the largest increase, with a 12 percent jump in the number of construction jobs this fall compared to last fall. There was a four percent bump up in the Des Moines-area construction industry, but just a one percent increase in the Cedar Rapids area. The Omaha/Council Bluffs metro saw a three-percent decline in the number of construction jobs this October compared to October of 2010.

Go to www.radioiowa.com to see the full report.

(Radio Iowa)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A new director has been named for the Department of Veterans Affairs Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System. Dr. Marci Mylan has been associate director at the VA Health Care System in Minneapolis. She will replace Al Washko, who retired March 31 after holding the Nebraska-western Iowa post for more than seven years.

The system serves more than 161,000 veterans who live in 104 counties in Nebraska, western Iowa, and portions of Kansas and Missouri. Mylan holds a doctorate in clinical psychology and a master’s degree in health care administration. She takes over in Omaha on Jan. 15.

Police in Atlantic said Monday, an accident late Saturday morning in the downtown area caused $1,700 damage to the vehicles involved, but no one was injured. Officials say a vehicle driven by Verlain Rathkamp, of Griswold, was traveling south on Chestnut Street at around 11:35-a.m. in front of Cappel’s Hardware Store, when a vehicle driven by Philip Cullen, of Wiota, began to back out of a parking stall in front of the store, and the vehicles collided.   No citations were issued.

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County says a tractor trailer driver who had been missing, was found dead inside the cab of his semi Monday at a rest stop which is under construction, near Shelby. Corporal Nick Amdor, with the Pott County Sheriff’s Office, says the 58-year-old trucker from Monmouth, Ill., appeared to have died of natural causes, but Amdor declined to release the man’s name until his relatives had been notified.

Amdor says it appears the man died Friday evening or Saturday morning.  His body was found in the cab’s sleeper compartment. The semi was still covered in snow when a co-worker found the truck and the body about 7:15 p.m. Monday. The trucking company he had worked for, out of Burlington, had asked its drivers to be on the lookout for the semi-trailer truck, and had notified law enforcement offices along the driver’s route.

Corporal Amdor says while the rest stop near Shelby is under construction,  truckers are still able to pull in for the night to get some sleep.