DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa farmland values have increased this year, reversing several years of declines, but industry experts say the change likely isn’t a signal that the agricultural economy is improving. Steve Bruere is president of Peoples Co., a farm management and brokerage firm. He tells The Des Moines Register that a lack of farms on the market has driven up the value.

The Realtors Land Institute’s Iowa chapter says farmland values climbed nearly 3 percent to almost $6,700 an acre for the year ending in September. Farm prices dropped in 2011 after a drought increased corn and soybean prices. Iowa agricultural income has dropped nearly 70 percent since 2013, bringing in $2.6 billion last year.

Bruere says if a downturn in the farm economy continues, farm sales may increase and values would be reduced.

The former Navy Seal most often credited with killing Osama Bin-Laden was in northwest Iowa Thursday night. Robert O’Neill told the crowd gathered at the 32nd Annual Siouxland Chamber of Commerce Banquet that he took part in roughly 400 combat missions, but the one most people are interested in hearing about is the May 2011 shooting of the founder of al-Qaeda. “That one sunk in right away, not because we got (Bin-Laden), but because we lived,” O’Neill said. “It’s never not interesting to go through that one.”

Bin-Laden was said to be the mastermind behind the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S. that killed nearly 3,000 people. The 41-year-old O’Neill recalled meeting family members of 9/11 victims. “Everyone was crying, people with heads in their hands, and they told me ‘there will be no closure for 9/11, but this helps with the healing – a real face and a real name, someone who was there and saw (Bin-Laden dead), there’s no conspiracy about it.’ That’s when I started to realize if I can help this many people in this room, I could help thousands,” O’Neill said.

Robert O’Neill in Sioux City

In his book, “The Operator,” O’Neill wrote about the Bin-Laden mission and others he was involved in – including the 2005 rescue of Navy Seal Marcus Luttrell. O’Neill told the group in Sioux City the lessons learned in his combat training can be applied to business and everyday life.  “Even if I had a decision already made when I was a team leader, I would always ask for input from others anyway, to make sure they knew they were apart it,” O’Neill said. “I talk a lot about stress management and how stress is in your mind, it’s a choice and you can drop it anytime you want. You can only get as stressed as you allow yourself.”

O’Neill joined the U.S. Navy at the age of 19, one year after graduating from high school in Butte, Montana. He left the Navy in 2012 and now works as a public speaker.

(Radio Iowa)

A new report shows the drought zone in Iowa has greatly expanded. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 70 percent of Iowa is abnormally dry or in some form of drought. A week ago, the report indicated about half of Iowa in those conditions. The area of extreme drought has expanded as well. All or parts of seven counties in south central and southeast Iowa are now in extreme drought.

Rain is falling in western Iowa this morning. More than three inches of rain falls, on average, in Iowa during the month of September. So far this month, there are significant sections of the state that have had NO rain.

(Radio Iowa)

An Army veteran from central Iowa has embarked on a journey to run across the state — from west to east — as a way of drawing attention to veteran suicide and P-T-S-D. Josh Jorgensen left Council Bluffs on Thursday and plans to spend ten days running the 330 miles to Burlington. Jorgenson, who’s from Adel, is a member of Team Fidelis, a national group that’s working to end the epidemic of veteran suicide.

Jorgensen says, “I found this to be a way to raise awareness for our organization and also to reach out to the veterans themselves who maybe don’t think there’s a finish line there, that are struggling at the moment.”

Jorgensen, who served in Iraq as a member of the 101st Airborne, says he’s been planning the run for more than a year but was thrown a curve ball when he was told he had to have open heart surgery six months ago. “I wasn’t going to let that be a barrier if it didn’t have to be,” he says. “When I got wheeled in to my operation, I told the doctor, ‘Hey, make sure I get off the table and I’ll do the rest.'”

While he knew he could postpone the run because of the surgery, he decided to go ahead with it as the cause is so important to him. To further challenge himself, Jorgensen is making the border-to-border run across Iowa while wearing a military-issued gas mask which covers his entire face. He says the mask helps him to start conversations about veteran suicide and P-T-S-D.

“We can create the awareness of the help that we’re trying to get for other veterans and the struggles they’re going through,” he says. He plans to run about 33 miles a day across Iowa and should reach the Mississippi River next weekend. (More info. at www.teamfidelis.org)

(Radio Iowa)

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.4MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Police in Creston report two men were arrested on separate charges, Thursday. 31-year old Joshua David Coulter, of Creston, was arrested at his residence, at around 5-a.m. Thursday. Coukter was taken into custody on a Union County warrant for Revocation of Pre-trial Release, and additional charges of Interference with Official Acts, Domestic Abuse/1st offense, and Assault Causing Bodily Injury. Coulter was being held without bond in the Union County Jail, until seen by a judge.

And, 21-year old Jacob Jack Davis, of Shannon City, was arrested at around 12:50-p.m. Thursday, in Creston, on a Union County warrant for Theft in the 3rd Degree. He was being held in the Union County Jail on a $1,000 cash only bond.

Creston Police said also, a resident of the 600 block of S. Mulberry Street, in Creston, reported Thursday morning, that someone stole his 1991 Harley Davidson FX-STS. The theft occurred while the motorcycle was at the corner of Elm Street and Highway 34. The loss was estimated at $2,000.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.1MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Grant, Ia. –The Grant United Methodist Church will hold its annual Fall Bazaar Sunday, Sept. 17.   The day’s events will begin at 10 a.m. with a worship service featuring an old-fashioned hymn sing led by Mary Grundman, granddaughter of long-term Grant pastor Rev. A. Breeling.

Following the service from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., the church will serve a home-cooked meal that includes:  ham balls, roast beef, mashed potatoes, Harvard beets, buttered corn, assorted salads, pies and desserts, and coffee, tea or lemonade. The dinner costs $9 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under.  All money raised supports the Grant United Methodist Women and their work for mission projects and the Grant church.

This year’s auction will again include a quilt, handmade crafts and rugs, fresh garden produce, baked goods and more.

The Grant United Methodist Church, founded in 1855, is a multigenerational church focusing on concern for its neighbors and providing a center of worship for all ages.  Worship services are celebrated at 9:30 a.m. each Sunday.

The Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources reports Iowa resident deer hunters who are interested in additional doe tags can now purchase them. If you have already purchased one doe tag, the cost of each additional doe tag is reduced to $13.00. The DNR says while thousands of doe tags are still available across the state, you’re encouraged to purchase as soon as possible to ensure you get the tags you want; eight of the 63 counties offering doe tags are sold out, and an additional 18 counties have less than 500.

You can check current quotas here: https://jc.activeoutdoorsolutions.com/iowadnr/app/locFindPage.do?licnYear=2017&lottery=5&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

or read more about Iowa deer hunting, here: http://www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Deer-Hunting?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Police in Council Bluffs are investigating a home invasion and robbery. Authorities say at around 3:34-a.m. today (Friday), police responded to 3423 Ave C for a home invasion. The homeowner said he awoke to find an intruder in his home. When the homeowner went to confront the suspect, the suspect fled from the residence on a bicycle.

As of this time, authorities say it appears the suspect took the victim’s wallet. No injuries were reported from the encounter. Anyone with information regarding this burglary is urged to contact Council Bluffs Police at (712) 328-4728 or Crime Stoppers at (712) 328-STOP (7867).