WEST LAKE OKOBOJI, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources report a Spirit Lake man was arrested Thursday in connection with a boating incident that took place at approximately 10:35 p.m., Tuesday, near Manhattan Point on West Lake Okoboji. DNR Conservation Officers, Thursday, located a damaged boat consistent with damage to the hit and run incident, which seriously injured Vaughn Wickham of Spirit Lake, during the August 4th incident.

The boat was located in a hoist at a private residence on the north end of West Lake Okoboji. Conservation Officers obtained a search warrant and seized a 2010 28 foot Boston Whaler.  Shortly after seizing the boat, 20-year old Zachery Kruse, of Spirit Lake, turned himself in to DNR Conservation Officers and admitted to operating the boat involved in the hit and run.  Kruse was booked into the Dickinson County Jail and charged with an aggravated misdemeanor for failing to give aid in a vessel resulting in a serious injury.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Bureau was assisted by the Dickinson County Sheriff’s office and numerous helpful citizens in the investigation.

(A-P) A federal judge in Iowa has dismissed a lawsuit California Rep. Devin Nunes filed against a major media organization that alleged he was defamed in a magazine story about his family’s Iowa dairy farm. Nunes, the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, filed the $77.5 million lawsuit in September 2019 in federal court in Iowa against Esquire publisher Hearst Magazines and former reporter Ryan Lizza.

It alleges a Sept. 30, 2018, story about the farm has caused “injury to his good name and professional reputation.” Judge C.J. Williams says Nunes failed to prove that Lizza’s article contained false and defamatory statements about him.

HARLAN – Iowans interested in the results of a DNR study to improve water quality in Prairie Rose Lake in Shelby County can view a presentation on the Iowa DNR’s YouTube channel.

Prairie Rose Lake is on the state’s list of impaired waters for high levels of algae and turbidity. The current study, or DNR water quality improvement plan, shows how these problems are caused by too much phosphorus in the lake. The problems impact recreation on the lake and aquatic life.

The plan explores the amounts and sources of phosphorus entering the lake and offers potential solutions to reduce those levels and work toward fixing the problem. The document is designed as a guide for local resource agencies, partners, stakeholders and residents to improve the lake.

The presentation is available now at youtube.com/iowadnr through Sept. 8. The full document can be downloaded on the Iowa DNR’s website at the following: http://www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/WaterQuality/WatershedImprovement/WatershedResearchData/WaterImprovementPlans/PublicMeetingsPlans.aspx.

Public comments on the plan must be submitted by Sep. 8 to the following:

E-mail: jeff.berckes@dnr.iowa.gov
Mail:  Jeff Berckes, care of Iowa DNR, Wallace State Office Building, 502 E. Ninth St. Des Moines, Iowa 50319

After gathering Iowans’ comments, the DNR will forward the final plan, also called by its technical name of Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for approval.

The latest State of Iowa Drought Monitor information shows parts of nine area counties are in an Extreme Drought, while parts of several adjacent counties are in a severe-to-moderate drought. The dry conditions cover nearly two-thirds of the State, with eastern Iowa the least affected, with what is being called “Abnormally dry” conditions. Counties in an Extreme Drought include all of Audubon and Carroll Counties, 90% of Greene and Guthrie Counties, and about one-third of Cass, Dallas, Shelby and Crawford Counties. Portions of Calhoun, Sac and Boone Counties are also impacted by an Extreme Drought.

In Counties affected by an Extreme Drought:

• Pastures are dry; producers sell cattle; crops are tested for toxins; crops have pest infestation
• Seasonal allergies are worse; farmers are stressed about high feed prices
• Trees drop leaves; acorns are underdeveloped
• Warm water leads to fish kills; streambeds are low to dry

(More info. at https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?IA)

The Atlantic FFA Chapter was named the Reserve Champion Team, Monday, in the annual Iowa FFA Horse Career Development Event held at Prairie Rose Arena. FFA Advisor and Ag Education Instructor Eric Miller said the Atlantic FFA Chapter team included: Craig Becker, Carli Henderson, Taylor McCreedy, and Aspen Niklasen. Miller said team member Taylor McCreedy placed 4th, Craig Alan Becker placed 7th, Carli Henderson placed 13th and Aspen Niklasen placed 21st overall in the individual contest.

Left to right: Craig Alan Becker, Taylor McCreedy, Aspen Niklasen, Carli Henderson. (Photo submitted)

Craig Alan Becker said, “I really enjoyed the opportunity to go to a contest with some other members of our chapter. As a team, we were really happy with our results from the day. I also really appreciate the effort made by the FFA association to make sure we could make this day possible”

The team also took home 1st place in the Reasons and Questions class with McCreedy placing as the top individual for the day. “It was a great experience and I’m thankful we had the opportunity to compete. McCreedy said, earning a runner up team finish was awesome and shows we’ve worked hard to compete with the best FFA teams in the state.”

FFA teams from 10 chapters participated in this year’s Career Development Event designed to provide the student an opportunity to display their agricultural knowledge and skills in the area of Equine Science. The 38 individual contestants evaluated halter and performance classes. They also answered questions over the classes and gave oral reasons to explain their placings. A written examination was included along with a team problem solving competition.

The Iowa FFA Horse Career Development Event was made possible with support from Farm Credit Services of America through the Iowa FFA Foundation. The Horse Career Development Event was coordinated and held at the Prairie Rose Arena in Elkhart, Iowa. The official judge was Sierra Hagedon of Marshalltown, Iowa. She was assisted in reasons taking by Shianne Votora, Camryn Norton and Sierra McCullough. Horses were provided by Kyle DeFreece Show Horses, Hockenson Quarter Horses and Terra Gait Stables.

w/Brandon Schuering.

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(Radio Iowa) – As drought conditions worsen in western Iowa and spread eastward, it’s raising concerns about crop production and the quality of the fall harvest. Mark Licht, a cropping systems specialist at Iowa State University, says while the dry area is expanding, it remains a lesser part of Iowa’s overall ag production. “In the grand scheme of things, this is a smaller area. If we go back and we think about 2018, that was a relatively small area in southeast Iowa stretching into a little bit of central Iowa, so this is a little bit larger than 2018, but not nearly as large of an area as 2012.”

Licht predicts the autumn harvest -will- be hurt by the summer heat wave and continuing dry spell.  “It will definitely drop yields in the west-central crop reporting district. It may affect yields slightly in the central Iowa crop reporting district,” Licht says, “but you have to keep in mind, there are parts of the state, eastern Iowa, that look really good right now.” While some farmers are being significantly impacted, Licht says the drought area isn’t big enough to have much of an impact on overall commodity prices. “Even with the dry conditions worsening in areas, they may be able to offset some of that but it’s a little bit hard to predict,” he says.

Licht made his comments during an I-S-U webinar on weather and drought problems.

WEST LAKE OKOBOJI, Iowa – The DNR Law Enforcement Bureau is seeking the public’s help in locating a boat involved in a hit and run on Tuesday, August 4, 2020 at approximately 10:35pm, near Manhattan Point on West Lake Okoboji. A boat, traveling northbound hit another boat from behind just off Manhattan Point, injuring Vaughn Wickman, 52, of Spirit Lake, who was operating the boat that was hit. The boat that caused the crash then fled the scene.

Wickman was transported to a local hospital by ambulance where he was treated for injuries sustained in the crash. DNR Conservation Officers and local law enforcement attempted to locate the boat involved, and also utilized the Dickinson County thermal imaging drone, but were not able to locate the boat. Conservation Officers continue to investigate the incident.

Anyone with information related to this hit and run investigation, including witnesses or anyone who sees a boat with new front end damage or scrape marks, is asked to contact DNR Conservation Officer Steve Reighard immediately at (712) 260-1018 or Steve.Reighard@dnr.iowa.gov. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should state that when sharing pertinent information related to this case.

w/Kate Olson.

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(Radio Iowa) – An analysis prepared for the National Corn Growers Association concludes American corn farmers will lose 89 dollars an acre in revenue this year — due to the pandemic. Chris Edgington, who farms near St. Ansgar, is the association’s new vice president. “There’s some economists predicting that are projecting….the 2021 crop year will be impacted,” he says.

A prediction from a University of Illinois economist suggests 2020 revenue from U.S. corn sales will dip to a 14-year low. “We’ve got a lot of challenges,” Edgington says. “We’ve got a lot of great product that we need to get moved and we’re just looking for homes to get it out of the bins so we can put this year’s crop in there.” The economic analysis done for the Corn Growers indicates that even after calculating the additional payment from federal farm programs, there’s a 15-dollar per acre drop in revenue related to the 2019 corn crop.

“COVID is definitely causing some challenges in the country,” he says. “Exports are a challenge. Demand for both ethanol and livestock have both been hit pretty hard at times and so those things rise right to the front when we get together as a group and talk.” Edgington is part of a three-generation operation. He farms with his father, his brother and his son.