The Iowa Transportation Commission Tuesday, approved nearly $3.5 million for eight State Recreational Trails Program projects. Two of the projects are located in the KJAN listening area. The State Recreational Trails Program was created in 1988 with the purpose of developing and maintaining recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both motorized and non-motorized trail users. Funding is available to cities, counties, state agencies, local governments, and nonprofit organizations through an annual application-based program.

In southwest Iowa, the  Farragut to Shenandoah Trail Connection received  $487,500 from the Commission, and in west central Iowa, the Raccoon River Valley Trail to High Trestle Trail Connector (in Dallas County) received  $92,897.

Due to the Federal government shutdown, the USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) has not completed the weekly crop progress and condition report that is released weekly during the growing season. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey issued a statement Monday on harvest progress, however.

Northey said “Unfortunately due to the Federal government shutdown we will not have a crop progress report this week. In general, what I’m hearing from around the state is that many farmers were able to start harvesting before the wet weather moved in late last week. If we get several days of dry, warm weather this week as forecasted, that will help crops dry down and farmers will again be busy harvesting both corn and soybeans.”

State Climatologist Harry Hillaker, with the Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship says weather-wise, the big news of the week was the severe weather impacting northwestern Iowa on Friday (4th) evening. Damage surveys are ongoing, however it would appear that this was Iowa’s largest tornado event for so late in the year since the outbreak of November 12, 2005. Tornado damage was reported from Woodbury, Plymouth, Cherokee and Buena Vista counties with large hail and high winds reported from an additional 15 counties across north central, southwest and central Iowa.

The past reporting week began with dry weather prevailing from Sunday (29th) through Wednesday (2nd) afternoon. Thunderstorms developed over western Iowa late Wednesday and spread across far northern and far southern Iowa on Thursday (3rd) morning. Thunderstorms brought widespread moderate to heavy rain from west central into east central Iowa late Thursday into Friday afternoon with a few reports of large hail and high wind in central Iowa. Friday evening’s storms were mostly confined to about the northwest one-half of the state with the heaviest rains centered upon Worth, Mitchell and Floyd counties. Weekly rain totals varied from only 0.02 inches at Fairfield to 5.19 inches near Colwell in Floyd County.

The statewide average precipitation was 1.19 inches while normal for the week is 0.69 inches. This was Iowa’s wettest week in 14 weeks (late June). Meanwhile, unseasonably warm and humid air dominated the state from Monday (30th) through Friday (4th) with afternoon highs reaching into the 80’s each day over much of Iowa. Sunday (29th) and Saturday (5th) at the beginning and end of the period brought seasonal temperatures. Temperature extremes varied from afternoon highs of 88 degrees at Sioux City on Wednesday (2nd) and at Donnellson, Fort Madison and Keokuk on Friday (4th) to Saturday (5th) morning lows of 37 degrees at Hawarden, Le Mars, Rock Rapids, Sibley and Sioux Center. Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged 7.7 degrees above normal.

There is no shortage of outdoor activities to participate in this month, here in Cass County. The Conservation Board reports a Geocaching Class and “Magical Forest” Outdoor Hike are planned for October 19th and 26th, respectively.

The “Geocaching 101” class will be held 1-p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19th, at the Outdoor Educational Classroom, located two-miles south of Massena on Highway 148, and then left into Tucson Road for two-miles. During the class, you’ll learn about a newer technology to help you explore nature. Time will be spent on “Caching” with GPS units, and learning about the technology. You can bring your own GPS unit or use one available during the class. Pre-registration is requested by calling 712-769-2372. Let them know at that time, if you plan on bringing your own GPS.

And, the 22nd bi-annual Halloween Hike will be held on Saturday, Oct. 26th, beginning at 7-p.m., in the Camblin Addition of Sunnyside Park, in Atlantic. The event is for people of all ages, and is designed to both educate and entertain. Kids 12 and under are encouraged to arrive early to get their faces painted. Hikers will enjoy tasty treats and warm drinks after the hike.

Pre-registration is required (Call the number mentioned above, or by e-mailing lkanning@casscoia.us. If you plan to call, please leave a message with your name, phone number, the number of persons in your group and what time you wish to depart on the hike).

During the “Magical Forest” Hike, small groups will depart every 12 minutes, with the last group leaving the Camblin Addition at 8:10-p.m.  If you’d like to volunteer as one of the characters persons on the hike will encounter, please call the Conservation Department. That number again is 712-769-2372.

While Iowa is one of the nation’s top food producers, people in some areas of the state don’t have easy access to fruits and vegetables. Courtney Pinard, a research scientist, says a study finds neighborhoods that lack access to healthy foods have obesity rates 52-percent higher than communities with ready access to fresh produce.  “A lot of communities are considered what we call food deserts and that’s when the distance to the nearest full-service grocery store is more than a mile for urban areas and for rural areas, it’s ten miles,” according to Pinard.

Pinard, who works at the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition in Omaha, says”Many communities, especially in Iowa, do have this challenge.” While many Iowans have large supermarkets nearby featuring well-stocked produce sections, she says not everyone is as fortunate. “They don’t really have access and for the majority of the population, the middle- to upper-income, they don’t really see that but, if you go into a store in a lower-income community, even the quality of the products might not be the same,” Pinard says. “The fresh fruits and vegetables just don’t even look that good.”

Efforts are underway to improve all Iowans’ access to five food categories: fruits, vegetables, lean meats, low-fat dairy and whole grains. Pinard says, “Moving forward, we’d like to have a national program to be able to support the type of work that we’re doing and also just to increase food access in our communities.”

The Farm Bill, which is still tied up in Congress, is expected to include funding for what’s called the Healthy Food Financing Initiative. The program promises to improve access to healthy food, bringing with it health benefits and revitalized communities by creating jobs and supporting small businesses.

(Radio Iowa)

Shelby County Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Seivert says the Fire Danger index in the County will remain in the “Moderate” category through at least this Thursday, Oct. 10th. With winds expected to increase this week to around 30 miles per hour, Seivert says open burning should be avoided, especially on Tuesday.

Extension education officials and more than 6-million young people from across the country are celebrating National 4-H week, which runs October 6^th through the 12^th. Beth Irlbeck, Cass County Extension Youth Coordinator says the week will be marked with of a lot of different activities.

The Iowa 4-H Foundation has dedicated each day to one of the four “H’s” of 4-H (Head, Heart, Health and Hands), with the final day celebrating the 4-H color, green.  Irlbeck says area businesses are showing their support of the organization, through window displays created by several community clubs.

There are 15 4-H Clubs in Cass County, with more than 300 members and 30 volunteers. Cass County Extension will be hosting a coloring contest for all kindergarten through third grade youth. You can visit the extension’s website, download the coloring sheet and return it to the Extension Office. On Saturday, Oct. 12^th, during Atlantic’s HarvestFest, there will be additional activities for youth, and opportunities to learn more about 4-H. Extension personnel will be available during the event, from 10-a.m. until 4-p.m. She says there’s also a petting zoo in the parking lot of the Orschelen’s Store on 7^th Street in Atlantic this Saturday.

Irlbeck says one area 4-H has been focusing on recently, pertains to STEM. She says for the upcoming year, they plan on offering many great opportunities for youth in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math – STEM. They’re also activities designed to expand on communication, citizenship, healthy lifestyles, leadership, and other important skills.

To find out more about the 4-H program in Cass County, contact the Cass County Extension and Outreach Office at 712-243-1132.

Andrea Farrior and Chris Parks discuss the latest information from the Atlantic Animal Shelter.

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w/ Dr. Keith Leonard

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The Atlantic City Council voted unanimously to approve making a contribution of $3,008.80 to the Cass County Agricultural & Educational Association (commonly referred to the as “Fair Board”) for the newly constructed cattle barn on the Cass County Fair Grounds.

Last August, the Board asked the Council to waive the $3,500 building permit fee for the construction of the open cattle barn. The Council came to the conclusion that the old fee schedule be adjusted for such structures, and later amended the building permit fee schedule, to reduce the per-square foot fee, and cap the total building fee for unattached, accessory structures, at $500.

Under the new fee, the Fair Board would have only had to pay the $500 fee, but it is not retroactive, and therefore does not apply to permits issued prior to Sept. 4th. The Board paid the $3,500 fee, but then stopped payment on the check while the matter was being debated and resolved among City officials.

With the Council’s approval Wednesday night, the Fair Board will write a check for $3,500, which the City will cash. The City will in-turn write a check to the Fair Board minus the $500 permit fee the Board would have been charged under the new fee structure. Councilperson Kathy Somers explained that having the City make a contribution to the Fair Board in the manner approved, is no different than the City approving tax abatements and other incentives in town. She said “So why wouldn’t we want to support our own County Fair with an improvement to their building in Atlantic?”

The main reason the Council decided to make the donation as described, was so that there would be a clear “paper trail” showing the Fair Board paid the original building permit fee as required under the old fee structure.

w/ Kate Olson

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