The weather is starting to get warmer, but and Iowa State University extension crops specialist says farmers should not worry about getting into the fields just yet. Joel DeJong says there’s no hurry to get equipment in the fields. “No I don’t think they need to be overly concerned, it’s still reasonably early. We still have frost a couple feet deep. We need to get that frost out first,” DeJong says.

He says they are starting to see some signs that the frost is starting to go out of the ground. DeJong says trying to get into the fields too early could cause added problems, as the frost traps water in the ground. “Until we get that deeper frost out, I’m a little concerned you might be creating some compaction with some of these tilling tools,” DeJong says. He says the rain in the forecast could help draw some of the frost out of the ground.

DeJong has noticed some farmers applying fertilizer. He says he’s mostly seen farmers putting manure on the fields from feed lots, and he says the ground is “kind of passable” for those applications. The Iowa Agriculture Department reports that farmers in south-central Iowa have been able to get in more time in the fields than other parts of the state.

(Radio Iowa)

Students with the Guthrie Center High School Speech Teams will perform during the Tiger Speech Showcase this evening at 7 o’clock in the Guthrie Center High School Auditorium.  The cost of admission is your free-will donation. School officials say the large group and individual events team members will perform the speeches that have earned them success this year.

The Choral Reading group will perform “Legendary”, written and directed by Mrs. Kelsey Little. There will also be one Group Improvisation team to entertain the audience. Individual Events speakers will include Maria Ahrens in All-State-nominated Poetry, as well as Acting, McKenzie Hawkins in Storytelling, Neta Boyer in Original Oratory, Whitney Bates with Literary Program.

Other Individual performers include Morgan Woolman in Solo Musical Theatre, Matthew Vannatta in Prose, Cassidy Simmons in Expository Address, Samuel Vannatta in Prose, Ross Rumelhart in Improv, and Anita Alvarez in Literary Program.

Several of the district’s Individual Events speakers recently earned a trip to State.

Authorities in Fremont County say a man from Texas was arrested early this (Friday) morning after an investigation into an incident at a truck stop. The Sheriff’s Office says deputies were called to the Cubby’s Truck Stop in Percival at around 1-a.m., following a report of an intoxicated man who would not leave the store. Prior to the deputies’ arrival, the man took off in a 2004 Ford pickup.

Authorities caught up with the suspect’s vehicle on Interstate 29 near the 19-mile marker, and found the driver, 40-year old Francisco Javier Avila, of Buckles, TX.,  to allegedly be intoxicated, with open containers of alcohol in the vehicle.

Avila was arrested on suspicion of OWI 3rd or subsequent offense and Open Container charges, as well as Operating without a valid License. Additional charges are pending. Avila was booked into the Fremont County Jail and held on just over $5,950 bond.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports overall, dry conditions persist for most of Iowa. In their latest Water Summary Update, the DNR says precipitation average for the past two weeks has been 0.76 inch — a half inch less than normal. The continuing drought is reflected in the change of stream flows across the majority of the state. The lowest conditions are in the Raccoon and Des Moines river basins, which have less than 10 percent of normal stream flow.

Shallow groundwater levels are lower in southwest, west central and south central Iowa. Adequate spring rainfall will be critical to recharge the alluvial and shallow bedrock aquifers. Conditions are close to normal for northeast Iowa, which had near normal rainfall during the past two weeks.

For a more thorough review of Iowa’s water resource trends March 27 through April 9, go to http://www.iowadnr.gov/watersummaryupdate.

GLENWOOD, Iowa (AP) – Officials in the southwest Iowa city of Glenwood are using buckets to catch sewage from a damaged main. The state Department of Natural Resources said in a news release Thursday that city officials recently discovered a corrosion hole in the sewer main while working on lines in the area.  Officials are not sure how muck sewage has leaked, since they believe the hole likely developed during winter.

The hole has been temporarily patched but it appears to still be dripping. Buckets are being used until there’s a permanent fix. The city also plans to hire a contractor to reroute the sewer main.  Officials believe nearby Keg Creek has been affected. They’re encouraging residents and pets to avoid the area.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A Sioux City man has been sentenced to 100 years in prison for committing sex acts with a child over several years.  Daniel Harbeck received the sentence Thursday in Woodbury County District Court. He must serve 70 years before he is eligible for parole. The 37-year-old Harbeck was sentenced on seven counts of second-degree sexual abuse. Court documents say Harbeck admitted to multiple sex acts with the child between 2010 and 2013. The child is now 8 years old.

The Sioux City Journal reports Harbeck was ordered to serve four of the sentences consecutively. The other three will be served concurrently. Woodbury County Attorney Patrick Jennings tells the newspaper that he hasn’t seen a 100-year sentence in a sex abuse case during his 12 years as a prosecutor.

ORANGE CITY, Iowa (AP) – A northwest Iowa day care provider charged with murder in the death of a 3-year-old girl is seeking a change of venue for her upcoming trial. The Sioux City Journal reports an attorney for 34-year-old Rochelle Sapp says publicity surrounding the case would make it hard for the woman to receive a fair trial in Sioux County.

Sapp has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and child endangerment in connection to the death of Autumn Elgersma last year. An autopsy ruled that the girl died of blunt force head injury.  Sapp’s attorney, Edward Bjornstad, filed the motion Monday. No trial date has been set.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An effort to reopen the Iowa Juvenile home closed by Governor Terry Branstad in January has been rejected by the Iowa House. House Minority Leader Mark Smith, of Marshalltown on Thursday attempted to tack on a provision to the health and human services budget to reopen the facility in Toledo and revamp programming for delinquent girls. The amendment failed in a 48-to-51 vote.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A nonprofit group that supports low-income families who can’t afford to bury their children would receive state funds under a budget provision approved by the Iowa House. While debating the health and human services appropriation yesterday, lawmakers adopted an amendment to provide $100,000 to the organization Sing Me To Heaven.

WEST FARGO, N.D. (AP) – Titan Machinery says it is closing eight construction stores across the country, including two locations in Iowa. The company based in West Fargo, North Dakota on Thursday cited a slow recovery in construction sector among the reasons for the move, which will leave 128 people unemployed. The stores being closed in Iowa are located in Clear Lake and Oskaloosa.

GLENWOOD, Iowa (AP) – Officials in the southwest Iowa city of Glenwood are using buckets to catch sewage from a damaged main. The state Department of Natural Resources said in a news release yesterday that city officials recently discovered a corrosion hole in the sewer main while working on lines in the area.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal says he will sponsor a bill legalizing the sale of medical marijuana in Iowa, reviving an issue once thought dead this year. The persistent efforts of woman who have children with epilepsy changed lawmakers’ perceptions on the issue.

New policy measures cannot be raised late in the legislative session unless leaders in the House or Senate bring them up. Since Gronstal, a Democrat, will sponsor a bill its fate relies on Minority Leader Bill Dix, a Republican, to sign on too to move it forward. Dix says he will make that decision when a bill is presented to him.

Gov. Terry Branstad has talked recently with governors who have signed bills legalizing use of cannabis plant oil that isn’t smoked and doesn’t create a high.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Iowa’s human resources agency has released a list of hundreds of former workers who are barred from returning to state employment.  Its release came days after its now-fired director repeatedly told lawmakers no such list existed.

A spreadsheet released by the Department of Administrative Services identifies 975 workers who’ve been disqualified from future employment because they were either fired or resigned before termination, dating to 1990. The majority are barred from any of the executive branch’s 42 agencies.

The department released the data to The Associated Press four days after its then-director Mike Carroll told lawmakers that “there is no list.” Gov. Terry Branstad fired Carroll on Tuesday. The AP reported last month that state government has continued the little-known practice of barring former workers despite questions about its legality.