Some homeowners are worried after seeing leaves being stripped from trees and plants by Japanese beetles, but an Iowa State University horticulturist says there’s not a lot that can be done. Extension horticulturist, Richard Jauron, says the conditions were right and the beetles apparently came out a little early this year. He says it doesn’t appear to be a statewide issue. “Some areas have huge numbers while other areas have just a few. So, it really kind of depends, it’s more spotty than widespread,” Jauron says.

He says you may see more Japanese beetles in your yard because you have some of their favorite trees and plants to munch on.    Linden trees for example, are a favorite. “If you have a linden tree — and if you have a large population in your area — there’ll be thousands in that tree feeding on the foliage. So, it really kind of depends on the area and the tree.” Jauron explains. “Some plants they love. They like grape vines, they like roses, they like raspberries, they like birch trees.”

There are other trees and plants that they don’t care to eat. “Like maples, oaks, lilacs vibernums. It really kind of depends on the plant,” Jauron says, “so if you have plants in your yard that they really don’t like, you may not see that many.”

The bugs have a green metallic head with copper-colored wing covers. Jauron says there’s not a good way to get rid of the Japanese beetles once they decide to make your tree their meal. “We would typically suggest just to ignore it if you can. And that’s because even though they may eat most of the foliage and essentially defoliate the tree — they are not going to kill it– and that’s the bottom line,” Jauron says. “And trying to control them at this point, it’s basically impossible.”

There are some plastic traps you can buy that will catch the Japanese beetles, but Jauron says they may do more harm than good by attracting more beetles to your area. “So if you have a trap in the yard, you may actually have more in the yard than you would otherwise. So, we typically don’t recommend their use,” according to Jauron.

Jauron says the Japanese beetles will stick around until the end of July or early August. If you had a bad beetle infestation this year, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll return again next year. Jauron says weather conditions dictate their population, as cold weather can kill off the grubs in the ground that emerge as beetles.

(Radio Iowa)

ONAWA, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say a 41-year-old man has died from injuries suffered in a Monona County house fire. Firefighters were dispatched to the Onawa home around 9:30 p.m. on July 3rd. Neighbors reported hearing a big bang before the flames erupted.

One person at the home, Dallas Seward, was injured. Ronald Humphrey of the Iowa State Fire Marshal Division confirmed Tuesday that Seward died Sunday at an Omaha, Nebraska, hospital. Humphrey also says the cause of the blast and resulting blaze is still being investigated.

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

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The Adams County Sheriff’s Office says a Ringgold County man was arrested at around 4:15-a.m. today (Tuesday). 46-year old Chad O’Kelley, of Diagonal, was taken into custody following a traffic stop on a 2003 Ford F-150. O’Kelley was prohibited from driving due to a prior OWI. He was arrested for Driving While Revoked. His bond was set at $1,000.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater, Tuesday (today) issued a report on arrests that took place over the past week or so. Last Thursday, Deputies arrested 41-year old Mandi Lea Stowers, (also known as Mandi Lea Driskill) of Blockton, and formerly of Orient, for Possession of a Controlled Substance (PCS) and Violation of Probation on original charges of PCS/3rd offense, Theft in the 3rd, Criminal Mischief in the 2nd and Trespass. Stowers was being held in the Adair County Jail on bond amounting to $7,000.

41-year old David Loren Lehman, Jr., of Bondurant, was arrested the night of July 5th, following a traffic stop on I-80, during which a deputy noticed a small amount of marijuana on the passenger seat. Lehman admitted when asked, that considerably more pot was under the driver’s seat. The deputy found a white jar with a large amount of marijuana inside. Lehman was released July 6th on a $1,000 bond or surety.

Sheriff Vandewater says a Menlo woman was arrested July 5th on a warrant for Forgery. 48-year old Kaydean May Darling was subsequently released on her own recognizance. Also arrested July 5th, was 33-year old Amanda Olivia Speed, of Greenfield, for Driving While Barred. She was later released on a $2,000 bond or surety.

And, on July 2nd, 35-year old Justin Patrick Beaman, of Adel, was arrested on an Adair County warrant for Probation Violation. He was released the next day on a $2,000 bond.

Officials with the Creston Police Department report a man was arrested Monday afternoon on a warrant out of Appanoose County. 35-year old Roy Daugherty, of Clearfield, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center on an Appanoose County warrant for OWI 2nd offense, and Driving While Barred.

Daugherty was released from the Union County to the custody of Appanoose County.

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

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An internationally-renowned opera singer from Iowa is honored for his generosity toward a campaign to fight malaria. Simon Estes, a native of Centerville, is credited with helping raise over half-a-million dollars for “Nothing But Nets” — an organization that distributes nets and other malaria treatments to protect families in sub-Saharan Africa.

“I feel very honored and humbled to have been able to save children’s lives in Africa,” Estes said. The 79-year-old Estes said most people are likely unaware the disease, caused by a mosquito bite, claimed 429-thousand lives worldwide in 2015. Most of the deaths occurred in Africa. Estes first learned of the problem in 2010 when he performed at the closing ceremony for the World Cup soccer tournament in Johannesburg, South Africa.   

“The moderator mentioned that every 30 seconds, a child was dying from malaria because they didn’t have a net under which to sleep that had been chemically treated,” Estes said. “One-million children were dying every year and 90-percent of the deaths were in sub-Saharan Africa.” Proceeds from CD sales of Estes’ album “Save The Children, Save Their Lives” have benefited the Nothing But Nets campaign, which presented Estes with a “lifetime impact award” on Monday at an event on the Ankeny campus of Des Moines Area Community College.

In December of 2013, Estes gave a benefit concert at Hilton Coliseum in Ames where he performed with 1,100 students from 52 high schools across Iowa. The choir was named the “Iowa Students Care Choir.” The concert raised $100,000 for the Nothing But Nets campaign.

(Radio Iowa)

(Corrects headline and 3rd paragraph to say “500 poles or pieces of equipment”, not “vehicles“)

Governor Kim Reynolds has signed a proclamation urging Iowans to abide by a new state law that penalizes motorists who fail to slow down or pull into another lane when passing a utility maintenance vehicles. “Utility workers already have very dangerous, high-risk jobs,” Reynolds says, “so moving over and slowing down protects not only those utility workers, but also you and everyone else on the road.”

Corey Birkel, a lineworker for Alliant Energy, is based in Dubuque and he’s
“more concerned” about passing drivers than the high-voltage lines he’s fixing.  “There are more distracted drivers out there on the roads today,” he says. “Even when we put our bright orange cones out and turn on our flashing lights, they don’t always see us or change the way they drive.”

While there have been no fatal accidents involving motorists and utility crews, more than 500 MidAmerican utility poles or pieces of equipment have been struck by a passing motorist so far this year. Jim Dougherty is MidAmerican’s vice president for electric delivery. “The reason we collect that statistic and then communicate it to our employees is to raise awareness around the phenomenon of distracted driving,” Dougherty says. “Whatever the cause of that is, it’s a reality for our employees.”

John Dvorak, safety director of the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives, says last fall line R-E-C crews working at the side of Iowa roads reported many “close calls.” “Our crews set up bright orange cones, signs and our bright yellow trucks with their flashing lights activated,” Dvorak says. “People still didn’t give them room to do their work.”

Motorists who fail to slow down or move over when passing a utility vehicle now — because of the new law — can be fined or, in extreme cases, can lose their drivers license. Since 2002, Iowa law has required motorists to keep a reasonable distance when passing emergency vehicles like police squad cars, fire trucks and ambulances.

(Radio Iowa)

Republican Senator Joni Ernst says she’s willing to bring Democrats into the negotiations on health care, although Ernst concedes many of her G-O-P colleagues are opposed to it.
[RIkayJEHarlan1] :21 :across the aisle.”
(as said) “I think you’d lose a lot of support from the Republican Conference because they really want their ideas addressed before they move on to, maybe, the Democratic Conference, but I want to find a way forward,” Ernst says. “…If that means, you know, visiting with other members, that’s o.k. I think you saw a lot of support here for working across the aisle.”

Ernst held a town hall meeting in Harlan Monday morning and spoke with reporters afterwards. Other Republicans have criticized Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for suggesting it may be necessary to strike a bipartisan deal with Democrats since Republicans on their own haven’t agreed on a plan to repeal and replace the health care law. Ernst says if working with Democrats is what McConnell decides is necessary, she won’t criticize. “We have to find a solution,” Ernst told reporters in Harlan today. “We know the path we’re on is unsustainable.”

Ernst says the Affordable Care Act has created a “monopoly” in Iowa because there’s just one insurance company left for Iowans who qualify for federal subsidies and shop the so-called “exchange” to get a policy. Ernst took a number of questions about health care from people at Monday morning’s town hall in Harlan. Some expressed concerns about losing their insurance because of a pre-existing condition. Others complained the G-O-P’s plan to get rid of minimal coverage requirements for insurance policies will dramatically escalate out-of-pocket expenses. Ernst says she’s not sure what will wind up in the final plan. “I remain optimistic that we will find a way forward,” Ernst said.

Ernst says she’s offering her own amendments to the senators are who writing the G-O-P’s plan, but she’s not ready to publicly reveal those ideas yet.

(Radio Iowa)