Thanksgiving is ten days away and Iowans will likely be paying a little more for the centerpiece of the feast, according to poultry science expert Ron Kean. “Turkey prices will be up slightly this year,” Kean says. “We’re still suffering some effects from the avian influenza outbreak. Probably, prices will be up 10 to 15% from last year.”

Prices will be even higher, he says, for fresh turkeys or organic turkeys. “For frozen turkeys, the typical price will be maybe $1.15 to $1.20 a pound, would be my expectation,” Kean says. “And again, there will always be sales and some stores will cut that price to get you in the store.”

The bird flu wiped out about 10% of nation’s turkey production this spring. Iowa had more than 70 outbreaks of bird flu in 18 counties, which led to some 32-million turkeys and chickens being euthanized. There is concern migrating wild birds — ducks and geese — will bring another round of avian flu as they make their way south this fall but, so far, so good.

(Radio Iowa)

The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department’s Board of Directors will meet this (Monday) evening in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall. The meeting begins at 5:15-p.m.

New Business/Action items on their agenda include: an update on a meeting with City Administrator John Lund, with regard to the Parks and Rec Department’s 5-year plan; Updates on – the Kiddie Korral Project at Sunnyside Park and Boat ramp near the Wastewater Treatment Plant; The Schildberg Campground project; and, the Bull Creek/Schuler Elementary School walking/biking trail project. Other discussion, under Old Business, will pertain to the Nishna Valley Connector Trail Project.

In their report to the Board, Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring and Assistant Director Seth Staashelm will discuss the City of Atlantic’s Website and related Parks and Rec Dept. pages on the site, the upcoming Harvest Festival, and closure of the park restrooms and the closure of Sunnyside Park for the season.

A trio of area school board meetings are set to take place this (Monday) evening. In Anita, the CAM School Board will gather for their 6:30-p.m. session in the CAM High School Media Center. On their agenda is approval of the time for the 2016 graduation ceremony, discussion and consideration pertaining to the purchase of an oven for the north elementary school kitchen as well as a bid on a 1999 Chevy Suburban, and, discussion and/or possible action on renewal of the voter approved PPEL (“Peppel”) election.

In Audubon, the School meeting at the High School gets underway at 7-p.m. Among the items on their agenda this evening is action: on Policy Review Committee recommendations; a Swimming Cooperative agreement for Fiscal Year 2017; and, Approval of a SINA (School In Need of Assistance) Plan. The Audubon School Board will also discuss: a preliminary three-year building and grounds plan, and a Football classification change.

The Exira-EHK School Board meeting also gets underway at 7-p.m. During the session at the High School in Exira, the board will act on the resignation of District Superintendent/High School Principal, Dean Schnoes. Schnoes, who has served as Superintendent for the past six-years, announced last month that he would be retiring at the end of the 2015-16 school year. He plans on moving to northwest Iowa to help his son farm.

The Exira-EHK Board will also discuss and/or act on the following:
Approving the changing of Parent Teacher Conferences from March 15th to March 14th; Approval of a bid for snow removal at the Middle School; Approve a Resolution for Land Removal; and, approval of the 1st reading of 200 Board Polices for review.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Sioux City officials are preparing to vote on a pledge for the city to provide $2 million and 12 acres for an agriculture exposition and learning center near the former site of a food manufacturing facility. The Sioux City Journal reports the city council will be asked Monday to vote on the pledge, which will be contingent on a $1 million pledge from Missouri River Historical Development and a $2 million pledge from Woodbury County.

The city’s commitment would take $200,000 annually for 10 years from the capital improvement plan budget. The proposed project at the site of the former John Morrell Plant will cost about $11 million to $14 million total. Member of the Ag Expo and Learning Center Board, Dennis Gann, says the facility could open as early as 2017 if all the funding is secured.

A Treynor high school wrestler was struck and killed by an SUV Friday as he was running with two of his teammates. The Daily NonPareil says according to the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, 14-year old Tristan White was jogging just before 4-p.m. Friday on a gravel road a few miles south of the city limits.

Deputy Aaron Pattee told the paper White and the other teenagers were headed south when a southbound 2003 Jeep Liberty struck him, throwing him some distance. CPR was performed by a deputy and a Treynor fire department member who went to the scene when they heard the 911 dispatch. White was taken by helicopter to the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, where he was pronounced dead.

Police in Red Oak, Sunday, arrested a man who violated the terms of a court order issued for No Trespassing at 307 E. Market Street. Authorities say 24-year old Kristopher James Koon, of Red Oak, was taken into custody on the property at around 2:35-p.m.  He was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and charged with Trespass. His bond was set at $300.

Nine Iowa businesses have won rural development grants from the U-S-D-A worth more than one-point-two million dollars. Among them, is Sawmill Hollow, in Missouri Valley, which received $250,000 in grant funds to help market an organic aronia berry product line in 15 key markets.

U-S-D-A Rural Development State Director, Bill Menner, says the grants are part of the “Value-Added Producer” program. “These grants are intended to help ag producers add value to their products. Sometimes they’re doing feasibility studies, sometimes it’s working capital, sometimes it’s helping them to promote the products. But these are all value-added producers who are doing really interesting things in rural communities,” Menner says.

The producers make and grow a variety of items, including goat cheese and lotions. “There’s an orchard that’s going to produce hard cider,” Menner says, “three different dairies using working capital to enhance or increase their production, and there’s even a grower out in western Iowa who is growing what are called aronia berries — which are the new super fruit.” The grants range from 43-thousand up to 250-thousand dollars.

“These producers have to show us a plan for their business, they have to show us how they’ll use the money, they have to have feasibility built into it. It’s actually a pretty complicated process,” Menner says.

Also included among the grant recipients, was Penoach Winery and Nursery in Adel, which received $48,000 in grant funds will be used to assist the winery to expand markets and increase sales.

(Radio Iowa)

A man and woman from Illinois suffered minor injuries during a rollover accident Sunday night, in Pottawattamie County. The Iowa State Patrol reports the driver of the car, 20-year old Marcos Alonzo, and his passenger, 18-year old Nancy Moreno-Martinez, both of Melrose Park, IL., were traveling west on Interstate 80 at around 8:35-p.m., when the 2007 Dodge Caliber they were in went off the road to the left, about 3-miles northeast of Council Bluffs.

Alonzo over-corrected, causing the car to enter a ditch on the right, where it slid sideways until coming into contact with a post and concrete drainage system. The impact caused the vehicle to roll over before it came to rest in a waterway, on its passenger side.

Both subjects were transported to Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs by Underwood Rescue. Moreno-Martinez suffered a broken right hand and was admitted for observation, while Alonzo was treated and released. Authorities said both were wearing their seat belts when the crash took place.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Construction work will continue on Interstate 29 in the Sioux City area through winter, so drivers won’t get much of a break this year. The Sioux City Journal reports the seven-year widening project is reaching one of its most-complicated stages. So even as this year’s work wraps up, new projects will be getting started.

Iowa Department of Transportation’s Dakin Schultz says seven bridges will be replaced during the next phase of the project, and work on two of those bridges will start during winter. Schultz says next year will be a tough one for motorists because of all the projects that are planned that will require detours.

Major construction is expected to continue in 2019, but some finishing work may stretch in to 2020.

Authorities in Montgomery County report two arrests took place Saturday. Red Oak Police arrested 24-year old Kiley Brian Caron, of Red Oak, at around 9:45-p.m., on charges of Domestic Abuse Assault and Interference with Official Acts. Caron was transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where he was being held without bond pending an appearance before a magistrate.

And, at around 7:20-p.m., Saturday, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 21-year old Cody Benjamin Carrol Johnson, of Stanton, on a Page County warrant for Domestic Abuse Assault. Johnson was turned over to the Page County Sheriff’s Office and held on a $300 cash bond.