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Heifer Development meeting set for Cass County Feb. 1st

Ag/Outdoor, News

January 26th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

A meeting sponsored by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach “Heifer Development: Breeding & Selecting for Longevity & Profit” will be held on Monday February 1, 2016, 5-9 pm at Cass County Community Center in Atlantic.

Record-high cattle prices of 2014 and early 2015 followed by the recent price decline of the feeder and fed cattle markets may have placed some financial stress on cow-calf producers. High-priced replacement females will need to be productive for several years in order to be profitable investments. Presenters will focus on current genetic and phenotypic selection tools that can be utilized to improve cow longevity and enhance lifetime productivity in your herd.

If registered 3 days prior to event, a registration fee of $20 can be paid at the door. Walk-in registration fee will be $25. Please register by Friday January, 29 to ensure a meal will be available. Please call 515-294-2333 or email beefcenter@iastate.edu to register or contact Chris Clark Extension Beef Specialist at 712-250-0070 or by email at caclark@iastate.edu for more information.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

Special Weather Statement:

News, Weather

January 26th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

SAC-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON COUNTIES IN THE KJAN LISTENING AREA…(6:16-A.M.)

…ROADS MAY REMAIN SLICK FOR THE MORNING COMMUTE…

TRAVEL COULD STILL BE HAZARDOUS IN SPOTS THIS MORNING WITH ICING AND SNOW FROM MONDAY STILL ON THE ROADS…AND BRISK NORTHWEST WINDS PRODUCING AN ADDITIONAL COATING OF SHALLOW BLOWING SNOW OVERNIGHT. MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO SLOW DOWN…DRIVE DEFENSIVELY…AND PLAN FOR EXTRA TRAVEL TIME.

Posted in News, Weather |

Iowa poultry official reacts to USDA stockpiling bird flu vaccine

Ag/Outdoor

January 26th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Even before the recent avian influenza outbreak in Indiana, the U-S-D-A began stockpiling up to 500-million doses of a new vaccine for bird flu. Some Iowa poultry industry officials oppose vaccinating because of export market consequences. Randy Olson, executive director of the Iowa Poultry Association, says even with those concerns, it’s good to have that supply of vaccine if it’s needed.

“None of us want to be in a position where we’re forced to make the decision about vaccination because it certainly comes with a lot of complicating factors,” Olson says. “If we happen to have another break this spring, it’s good that USDA is planning in advance.” He says the biggest concern about vaccinating is with potential trade partners.

“One of the considerations is clearly international markets,” Olson says. “If we vaccinate for avian influenza in the U.S. and we’re not able to maintain regionality, then foreign countries will consider our poultry population to be endemic with avian influenza.” Olson says instead of relying on vaccine, Iowa’s poultry producers are ramping up their biosecurity efforts to prevent the disease from reoccurring in the spring.

“We certainly are planning for the spring,” Olson says. “Our farms are doing a great job of improving biosecurity, in some cases, making very expensive capital improvements to keep security on their farms and try to keep intruders like foreign birds out.”

A total of 77 poultry operations statewide had bird flu outbreaks last year and more than 31-million chickens and turkeys were wiped out in Iowa, which was by far the worst-hit state. Losses in Iowa are estimated near one-billion dollars. Operations in 14 other states were also infected, claiming 50-million birds and more than three-billion dollars.

(Radio Iowa)

Posted in Ag/Outdoor |

EUGENE SANDHORST, 63, of Atlantic (Svcs. 01/30/2016)

Obituaries

January 26th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

EUGENE SANDHORST, 63, of Atlantic, died Mon., Jan. 25th, at Atlantic Specialty Care. Funeral services for EUGENE SANDHORST will be held Saturday, January 30th at 11:00am at Zion Lutheran Church in Atlantic. Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic has the arrangements.

Open visitation will be held 8:00am-5:30pm Thursday and Friday at Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic.  Visitation with the family will be held one hour prior to the service on Saturday, January 20th from 10:00am-11:00am at the church.

Online condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.

Burial will be in the 1st Lutheran Cemetery, south of Wiota, following a lunch at the church.

EUGENE SANDHORST is survived by:

Sisters: Donnis (Wayne) Kessler of Atlantic.  Janet (Gene) Larsen of Walnut.

Sister-in-law: Sharon Sandhorst of Atlantic.

Nieces, Nephews, Other Relatives and Friends.

Posted in Obituaries |

NWS forecast for Cass & area Counties, 1/26/16

Weather

January 26th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

346 AM CST TUE JAN 26 2016

EARLY THIS MORNING…CLOUDY…BREEZY. NORTHWEST WIND 10 TO 20 MPH.

TODAY…PARTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 20S. NORTHWEST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH.

TONIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW 10 TO 15. WEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH SHIFTING TO THE SOUTHWEST AFTER MIDNIGHT.

WEDNESDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE MID 30S. SOUTHWEST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 25 MPH.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY THROUGH MIDNIGHT THEN BECOMING PARTLY CLOUDY. NOT AS COLD. LOW IN THE UPPER 20S. WEST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH.

THURSDAY…SUNNY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 30S. NORTHWEST WIND AROUND 10 MPH.

FRIDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE MID 40S.

 

Posted in Weather |

Man who leaped from bridge into the Missouri River has died

News

January 26th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

A man has died after authorities say he jumped from the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge into the Missouri River. The Omaha World-Herald reports authorities were called to the bridge linking Council Bluffs and Omaha, at around 11:15-a.m., Monday, after they received word a man had stepped over the bridge railing. As they were enroute, rescuers were told the man had jumped from the bridge. The air temperature at the time was around 29-degrees.

Council Bluffs River Rescue and the Omaha Fire Department were on the scene. Authorities found the man, pulled him out of the river, and transported him by ambulance to Creighton University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead about 1:30-p.m.

The man’s identity has not been released.

 

Posted in News |

Iowa to see no impact from ruling on teenager life terms

News

January 26th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A U.S. Supreme Court decision that makes retroactive a 2012 ruling striking down automatic life prison terms for people sentenced as teenagers is not expected to have much impact in Iowa since the state’s Supreme Court already extended the federal court ruling.

The federal court justices on Monday voted 6-3 to extend the 2012 decision to previous cases involving teenage killers. Now, even those who were convicted long ago must be considered for parole or given a new sentence.

Iowa’s high court in the 2013 appeal of Jeffrey Ragland had already concluded the federal court’s 2012 ruling applies retroactively to teenagers previously sentenced to life. The Iowa Attorney General’s office says the ruling affected 39 Iowa juvenile life offenders and most of them have already been resentenced.

Posted in News |

No. 14 Iowa State beats No. 4 Kansas 85-72

Sports

January 26th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Monte Morris scored 21 points, Georges Niang had 19 and No. 14 Iowa State blew past Kansas 85-72 on Monday night for its fourth straight win. Abdel Nader added 17 points for the Cyclones (16-4, 5-3 Big 12), who have beaten three of the top four teams in this week’s Top 25. Iowa State overcame a sluggish start with a 24-7 run midway through the second half, and Niang’s three-point play made it 80-67 with 2 minutes left.

Perry Ellis had 23 points and Frank Mason III scored 16 to lead Kansas (16-4, 5-3), which lost its third straight road game. The Jayhawks have lost four of their last five against the Cyclones, a first for a Bill Self-coached team against a Big 12 opponent.

Posted in Sports |

Weather forces cancellations/postponements of area basketball games, 1/25/16

Sports

January 26th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

BOYS BASKETBALL
POSTPONEMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS
Woodbine vs. Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton, ppd.
Westwood, Sloan vs. Missouri Valley, ppd.
Southwest Valley vs. Red Oak, ppd.
East Mills vs. Shenandoah, ppd.
Bedford vs. Fremont Mills, Tabor, ppd.

GIRLS BASKETBALL
POSTPONEMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS
Woodbine vs. Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton, ppd.
North Nodaway, Mo. vs. South Page, College Springs, ppd.
Creston vs. Essex, ppd.
Southwest Valley vs. Red Oak, ppd.
Atlantic vs. Treynor, ppd.
Missouri Valley vs. Westwood, Sloan, ppd.

Posted in Sports |

Iowa lawmakers seek clarity on early literacy initiatives

News

January 25th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A group of Iowa lawmakers say they want more clarity from education officials on the implementation of early literacy initiatives in the state. Members of the Senate Education Committee told officials from the Iowa Department of Education on Monday that they want more data on how some state dollars are being used to improve reading proficiency for students between kindergarten and third grade.

A 2012 state law aimed at improving literacy for young students includes monitoring, programming and testing. It also requires a summer reading program for third-graders, though education groups have expressed concern about how it will be funded and implemented.

Some lawmakers suggested state officials give school districts more guidance on programming for students. A department spokeswoman says the agency appreciated the meeting and will provide follow-up information.

Posted in News |