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Weak farm income hurts economy in rural parts of 10 states

Ag/Outdoor, News

September 15th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Bankers say weak farm income continues to weigh down the economy in rural parts of 10 Plains and Western states. The overall rural economic index for the region remained in negative territory and declined to 37.3 in September from August’s 41.1. Survey officials say any score below 50 on any of the survey’s indexes suggests a decline in that area.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says farm income is expected to decline 12 percent over last year. That is limiting spending by farmers and hurting the economy in rural areas. Bankers from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming were surveyed.

Goss says the number of farm loan defaults hasn’t increased significantly over the past year, but more loans are being restructured.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

Atlantic Police investigate field vandalism

Ag/Outdoor, News

September 15th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Officials with the Atlantic Police Department are asking for your help in solving an incident of field vandalism. Authorities say last Sunday (September 11th), a person reported that a bean field had been mowed through, causing several paths of damage. Officials say it appears that the field was mowed with a bush hog.

The land is located on the southeast corner of Buck Creek Rd. and Iowa Ave., in between the railroad tracks and the Schildberg Recreation Area. Anyone having information about the incident is encouraged to contact the Atlantic Police Department.

Area where a bean field was vandalized.

Area where a bean field was vandalized.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

Harlan Police report (9/15/16)

News

September 15th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The Harlan Police Department has issued an update on recent arrests and incidents. Officials say on Sept. 8th, two juvenile males were cited for possession of tobacco by persons under legal age when an officer observed them smoking at the skate park.  The juveniles were cited and released to their parents.

On Sunday, Sept. 11th, 64-year old Larry Meurer, of Harlan, was arrested when officers were called to an altercation between neighbors in the 1300 block of Hawkeye Avenue.  Meurer was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with intoxication in public.

This past Monday, 30-year old Cory Hunter, of Harlan, was taken into custody when officers were called to the 500 block of 12th Street for a domestic disturbance.  Hunter was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with domestic abuse assault for allegedly assaulting Gloria Sammons, also of Harlan.

And on Wednesday,  55-year old Denise Heilesen-Winchell was arrested on two active Shelby County warrants.  Heilesen was taken to the Shelby County Jail.

Posted in News |

IDA ALVENA JOHNSON, 97, of Avoca (Svcs. 9/17/16)

Obituaries

September 15th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

IDA ALVENA JOHNSON, 97, of Avoca, died Thu., Sept. 15th, at home. Funeral services for IDA JOHNSON will be held 3-p.m. Sat., Sept. 17th, at the Pauley-Jones Funeral Home, in Avoca.

Friends may call at the funeral home from 1-until 3-p.m. on Saturday.

Burial will be in the Oak Hill Cemetery at Hancock.

IDA JOHNSON is survived by:

Her daughter – Linda Jacobsen, of Avoca.

Her sister – Ruth Frye, of Seymore, IA.

2 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.

Posted in Obituaries |

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15th

Trading Post

September 15th, 2016 by Jim Field

FOR SALE: Various sizes of barn doors (barn is being torn down)—-make an offer with cash only & must be picked up immediately or they will be burned along with the remainder of the building! Anita area—–call 254-3265.

FOR SALE: Humminbird Jimmy Houston Flasher , Portable, works good, Runs off 2 6 Volt batteries. Can be used on a boat or for ice fishing. $50.00, located in Walnut, Call 712-784-3182, Please leave a message if no answer.

0915161029

Posted in Trading Post |

Severe storms possible in eastern NE & western IA today (9/15)

Weather

September 15th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

AREA COUNTIES: MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE–       1049 AM CDT THU SEP 15 2016

THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY THIS AFTERNOON INTO EVENING AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL NEBRASKA. ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS WILL BE FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE WEATHER…INCLUDING THE POTENTIAL FOR LARGE HAIL…DAMAGING WINDS…FLOODING RAINFALL AND A FEW TORNADOES.

FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY: NON-SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE ALONG THE COLD FRONT AS IT ADVANCES SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE AREA ON FRIDAY.  THERE WILL BE MORE CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY OF NEXT WEEK.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT…

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON INTO EVENING.

Posted in Weather |

Expanded NW IA fertilizer plant nearly ready to begin production

Ag/Outdoor

September 15th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The one-point-seven BILLION dollar expansion of a fertilizer plant in northwest Iowa is nearly complete. The C-F Industries plant just south of Sioux City is entering the cleaning and start-up phases before full production begins. Woodbury County Supervisor Mark Monson has been briefed on this phase of the project. “When they start, there’s gases that come off the process that they have to burn off, so they’ll be 200 foot of fire above the 320 foot stack, and I believe there’s a little bit of noise with that,” Monson says. “So they’re going to do a public campaign to let people know things are okay out there.”

The expansion started in the fall of 2013 and, at its peak, more than five-thousand construction workers were on the site. Monson says there are about 29-hundred workers on the site this week. “By the end of September, they hope to have around 2500, end of October around a thousand,” Monson says. It’s unclear when the expanded plant at Port Neal — near Salix — will be running at full capacity.

“Mid-November, they think they might be up and running, although they didn’t nail that down,” Monson says. “Could be later than that.” Ammonia is the basic ingredient for nitrogen-based fertilizer in liquid form. The expansion will triple the plant’s daily output of ammonia. The plant also will begin producing urea, a granular ingredient in solid nitrogen fertilizer.

(Radio Iowa)

Posted in Ag/Outdoor |

Iowa teen spared jail time in child molestation case

News

September 15th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) – An online petition is calling for an Iowa judge’s removal after a 19-year-old man was spared jail time after pleading guilty to a child molestation charge involving a toddler. KTVO-TV reports Kraigen Grooms pleaded guilty to a count of engaging in a lascivious act with a child in July.

Wapello County Attorney Gary Oldenburger tells the station that Grooms received a 10-year suspended sentence and five years of supervised release Monday. He’s also required to register as a sex offender. The station reports that law enforcement told them after Grooms’ 2014 arrest that there was videotaped evidence of Grooms assaulting a 1-year-old.

The petition seeks Judge Randy DeGeest’s removal from office.

Posted in News |

Backyard & Beyond 9-15-2016

Backyard and Beyond, Podcasts

September 15th, 2016 by Jim Field

LaVon Eblen visits with Kathleen Ziemer about butterflies.

Play

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (25.0MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Posted in Backyard and Beyond, Podcasts |

BETH ANNE TOWNE, 36, of Griswold (Svcs. 9/18/16)

Obituaries

September 15th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

BETH ANNE TOWNE, 36, of Griswold, died Tue., Sept. 13th, at home. A Memorial service for BETH TOWNE will be held 2-p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18th, at the Griswold United Methodist Church. Rieken-Vieth Funeral Home is assisting the family.

Visitation with the family will be held one-hour prior to the Memorial service, at the Griswold United Methodist Church.

Interment will be held at a later date, in the Center Ridge Cemetery.

BETH ANNE TOWNE is survived by:

Her parents – Orlo and Chery [Reynolds] Towne, of Griswold.

Her brothers – Mitch (Keri) Towne, of Lowry City, MO., and Daniel (Kelly) Towne, of Oakland.

Her sister – Keri (Chris) Jahnke, of Lewis.

other relatives and friends.

Posted in Obituaries |