Railroad officials whose trains travel on several hundred miles of track across Iowa are urging hunters to resist the temptation to hunt on railroad property. Mark Vaughn, assistant general manager for the Iowa Northern Railroad, says walking on or near the tracks is illegal and it’s dangerous because it can take a mile or more for a train to stop. “We urge everyone to only cross the tracks at approved public crossings,” Vaughn says. “If you have to get to your favorite hunting spot or fishing hole, we also caution everyone on the dangers of walking across railroad trestles and bridges. Those areas are particularly dangerous because there is no place to go when a train approaches.”

Vaughn say the company’s trains often carry unusual and oversized freight, like wind turbine components and tractors from the Deere Assembly plant in Waterloo. He says those items could be dangerous if someone is walking nearby. Vaughn says, “Locomotives and railcars typically overhang the track by at least three feet on either side and the various cargos we carry can extend over even further, in addition to loose straps and tie-downs or cables that could extend farther over than those limits as well.”

Besides facing the dangers, Vaughn says those who trespass on railroad property could be arrested and fined. Union Pacific railroad crews in Iowa have been busy in recent weeks touching up “No Trespassing” signs along the tracks. The railroad has also launched a project called U-P CARES which stands for Crossing Accident Reduction Education and Safety.

(Radio Iowa)

Cass County Naturalist Lora Kanning reports the Cass County Conservation Board would like to thank their business sponsors Cappel’s Ace Hardware and Robinson’s True Value, for donating prizes to the Lighted Halloween Campground. The Board would also like to thank everyone who signed up to decorate a site, and thanks also for sharing your Halloween décor with everyone!

(left to right) Johnson family, Gary Vetter and Melissa Ehrman-Johnson. (Photo provided)

On Saturday October 25th at Cold Springs Park in Lewis, 192 people voted for their favorite site. The first place winner was Site 2, the Johnson (Terri Ehrman) family, second place winner was Site 4, the Vetter family, third place winner was Site 1, the Johnson family, fourth place was Nichols family and fifth place was Kinney family.

Officials with the Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) say Iowa’s furharvester season begins at 8 a.m., Nov. 1 and hunters and trappers can expect to find a significant increase in the raccoon population over last year. Other furbearing animals have a mixed outlook population-wise.

Vince Evelsizer, furbearer and wetland biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says “Muskrat numbers are better, but not like the heyday of 30 or 40 years ago. The coyote harvest nearly doubled last year and their numbers are relatively stable to slightly lower. Our red fox numbers vary by region with better numbers in central Iowa.”

The fur market outlook is weak for raccoon pelts going in to the season, while muskrat, coyote and fox seem pretty decent. According to Evelsizer, time will tell if the market improves for raccoons later in the season. He says harvest is highest during the first 2-3 weeks of the season and drops off significantly after Thanksgiving. The number of trappers has increased each of the past four years topping 20,000 last year. And he says “I suspect the numbers of furharvesters will remain stable or slightly decrease this year, due to the fur market, especially raccoon pelt prices.”

Furharvester are reminded to work with their local DNR contact to get their CITES tag and to collect the intact skull or complete lower jaw of otters and bobcats. Evelsizer said furharvesters should go through their equipment and brush up on the rules and regulations before going out.

The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency said Thursday that a slight increase in the fire danger can be expected for the next few days. Mostly sunny skies with above average winds over the next couple of days will facilitate drying of the grass and crops.

Officials say residents should use caution when responding to field fires. Some of the low lying ground is very soft and the weight of fire fighting vehicles may result in getting stuck in places difficult to get out of.

Fire Danger signs will be moved into the “Moderate” risk category, from now through Monday November 3rd.

w/ Denny Heflin

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(RALSTON, Iowa) Oct. 29, 2014—West Central’s board of directors today announced their unanimous decision to name Milan Kucerak President and CEO-elect following Jeff Stroburg’s retirement at the end of the fiscal year.

Milan Kucerak President and CEO elect. West Central Cooperative.

Kucerak, who has served as the company’s Executive Vice President of Dairy and Animal Nutrition since 2006, will be the fourth President/CEO in the cooperative’s more than 80 year history.

“Kucerak has been a trusted manager and proven leader for the producers of this cooperative since he joined West Central in 2006,” said Chairwoman of the West Central board of directors, Sue Tronchetti. “He brings to the organization diverse management experience, a global perspective, and a strong accounting and financial background. “Kucerak is the right choice to lead West Central,” Tronchetti added. “We remain focused on serving our customers and stockholders and engaging our staff.”

She stated Kucerak’s introduction as President and CEO, effective Feb. 1, 2015, is the result of the board’s long-term approach for developing leadership from within the company. Beginning Nov. 1, Jeff Stroburg and Milan Kucerak will begin an operational transition and leadership hand-off. As part of that change, Stroburg will devote his time to the unification study between West Central and Key Cooperative. President/ CEO-elect Kucerak will oversee daily cooperative operations, including executive team management.

Jeff Stroburg President and CEO. West Central Cooperative.

Of Stroburg’s retirement, Tronchetti stated, “In his 15 year tenure, this cooperative has grown to 27 locations in twelve counties, become one of the country’s 15 largest grain companies, and established itself as an innovative leader in the biofuels industry. We thank Jeff for his service and wish him well in the future.”

West Central® is a farmer-owned cooperative connecting producers of agricultural products to a global network of processors and end-users. The company manages for success by deliberately pursuing fresh ideas and recognizing value opportunities at every turn. Headquartered in Ralston, Iowa, West Central’s agronomy, animal nutrition and grain businesses span 12 Iowa counties with 27 locations. In 2013, the company was ranked #41 on the USDA’s list for largest farmer-owned cooperatives nationwide based on revenues and assets.

(Press Release)

w/ Kate Olson

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CHARITON, Iowa (AP) — Residents in a southern Iowa county have been creating works of art from hay bales for Halloween. Lucas County’s annual hay bale art contest features more than 30 entries in three towns this year. The roadside pieces include a large gray and white cat, a caterpillar famed for its hunger, and a character from the Disney movie “Cars.”

Lyle Asell, committee chair for the three-year-old contest, says the pieces boost tourism. Visitors have been spotted snapping photos of them and chatting with their creators. Asell says people were skeptical of the contest in its first year, but that the number of entries continues to grow.

Members of the community vote for their favorite pieces, which have been on display for more than a month. The winners will be announced Saturday.

Residents of Atlantic awoke Sunday morning to a smell that wafted throughout the town and rural areas of Cass County as winds began to pick up from the southeast at 15-to 30-miles per hour, prompted dozens of people to complain on social media sites and ask “What is awful smell?” The odor was compared to sewage backups, cat litter boxes and even decaying bodies.  Others thought the odor came from manure being spread on farms south of town. Many were under the mistaken impression it was coming all the way from Southwest Iowa Egg, near Massena.

Rich Hall, General Manager of Southwest Iowa Egg Cooperative near Massena, told KJAN News, today (Monday), the odor definitely didn’t come from their facility. He says he lives half-way between southwest Iowa Egg and Atlantic, and there was “Absolutely no odor,” at his house. He said he was in Atlantic Sunday afternoon and also smelled the offensive odor, but stated clearly that “It had nothing to do with Southwest Iowa Egg.”

Hall says he’s not the only one who can verify the odor did not come from Southwest Iowa Egg. He says “I can line up a lot of people that would there was no odor between Massena and Atlantic. I have no idea what it was. I don’t know what it could have been.”

The operation has approximately 850,000 laying hens producing over 16 million dozen eggs annually. A byproduct of the business is chicken litter which provides nutrients for about 4,000 acres of farm land. Hall says “It dumbfounds me that we would be associated with the odor in Atlantic, because we aren’t anywhere close to Atlantic with any of our equipment or any of our facilities.”

Officials with the Shelby County Emergency Agency said today (Monday, Oct. 27th) the Fire Danger rating continues to be LOW through this Thursday, meaning the danger from runaway fire is minimal at this time.

When the rating is in the LOW or green category on the sign, you are asked to call in and report your burning projects to dispatch at 755-2124 and notify your local fire chief. The next update will be  Thursday morning, October 30th.