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USDA official discusses increased efficiency of ethanol plants

Ag/Outdoor, News

March 14th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

An economist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture says ethanol plants are becoming more efficient. Last month, the agency increased its forecast of corn needed for ethanol by 50-million bushels, but a more recent forecast reduced it by 50-million. The USDA’s Acting Chief Economist, Rob Johansson, says this is a case of less means more. “We’re finding…we’re using less corn to make a gallon of ethanol. So, our ethanol refining is becoming more efficient,” Johansson says.

Iowa leads the nation in ethanol production, creating nearly 30-percent of all ethanol. Across the country, ethanol plants are expected to use 5.2 billion bushels of corn this year. That is 1% less than previous forecasts but nearly one-and-a-half percent more than in 2014. Iowa’s 43 ethanol plants produced 3.9 billion gallons of the fuel in 2014, a new production record, according to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association.

(Radio Iowa)

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

Family Fun in the Kitchen 03-14-2015

Podcasts, Family Fun in the Kitchen

March 14th, 2015 by Jim Field

OAT AND WHEAT SEEDED BREAD

Makes four 1-pound loaves. May be doubled or halved.

2 cups whole wheat flour
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
11/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 Tablespoons flaxseed
3/4 cup pumpkin seeds, plus more for crust
3/4 cup sunflower seeds, plus more for crust
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2 packets granulated yeast
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
3 cups lukewarm water
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Mix dry ingredients and seeds together.Combine liquid ingredients together; stir into dry ingredients.
Use 14-cup food processor, heavy-duty mixer or hands.
Cover (not airtight); allow to rest at room temperature until it rises & collapses, about 2 hours.
Refrigerate 24 hours up to 4 days loosely covered.
Prepare for baking: dust surface of refrigerated dough with flour; cut into grapefruit size pieces.
Dust with a little more flour; shape into ovals by stretching surface to bottom rotating as you go.
METHOD #1: Sprinkle seeds on a silicone mat on a cookie sheet; place ovals allowing space to spread. For baking after rising, slide silicone mat onto heated baking stone.
METHOD #2: Sprinkle seeds over cornmeal on a cookie sheet.
Allow loaf to rest & rise covered loosely with plastic wrap for 90 minutes.
Thirty (30) minutes before baking time, preheat oven to 400 degrees. If using baking stone place on middle rack.
(optional step Place an empty low-sided metal pan on lower rack. Pour hot water into metal pan; quickly close oven door to trap steam which creates a crisper crust.)
Before baking, “paint” loaves with water and sprinkle with seeds. Bake for about 40 minutes until richly brown and firm.
Cool on rack before slicing. May be frozen.

This recipe (with slight variations) is from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg, M.D. & Zoe Francois.

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Posted in Podcasts, Family Fun in the Kitchen |

Saturday Boys High School Championship Schedule

Sports

March 14th, 2015 by admin

Class 3A Consolation – WILLIAMSBURG (24-2) VS. XAVIER, CEDAR RAPIDS (17-9) –  12:00 PM

Class 4A Consolation – IOWA CITY, WEST (24-1) VS. DES MOINES, HOOVER (22-2) –  1:45 PM

Class 3A Championship – LEMARS (22-4) VS. WAHLERT CATHOLIC, DUBUQUE (17-9) – 6:05 PM

Class 4A Championship – NORTH SCOTT, ELDRIDGE (22-3) VS. PLEASANT VALLEY (23-2) – 8:05 PM

 

Posted in Sports |

7AM Sportscast 03-14-2015

Podcasts, Sports

March 14th, 2015 by admin

w/ Chris Parks

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Posted in Podcasts, Sports |

7AM Newscast 03-14-2015

News, Podcasts

March 14th, 2015 by admin

w/ Chris Parks

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Posted in News, Podcasts |

DEBRA ANN PETERSEN, 57, of Walnut (Svcs. 03-17-2015)

Obituaries

March 14th, 2015 by admin

DEBRA ANN PETERSEN, 57, of Walnut died Friday, March 13th at her home.  Celebration of Life Services for DEBRA ANN PETERSEN will be held Tuesday, March 17th at 11:00am in the Peace United Church of Christ in Walnut.  Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Avoca has the arrangements.

Visitation will be held Monday, March 16th from 4:00pm-7:00pm at the Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Avoca with family greeting friends from 5:00pm-7:00pm.

Burial will be in the Layton Township Cemetery in Walnut.

DEBRA ANN PETERSEN is survived by:

Father: Robert Lafrentz of Walnut.

Husband: Max Petersen of Walnut.

Daughter: Melissa (Mike) Akers of Walnut.

Son: Danny (Ashlee) Petersen of Walnut.

Step-Daughter: Nicki (Jeff) Ranney of Harlan.

Step-Son: Scott Petersen of Harlan.

Sisters: Diane (Brent) Petersen of Walnut. Dona Grooms of Walnut. Doreen “Sus” (Henri) Day of Boulder City, NV.

3 Grandchildren

4 Step-Grandchildren

Posted in Obituaries |

EMMERT MARTIN ANDERSEN, 92, of Denison (formerly of Audubon and Milford) (Svcs. 03-16-2015)

Obituaries

March 14th, 2015 by admin

EMMERT MARTIN ANDERSEN, 92, of Denison (formerly of Audubon and Milford) died Friday, March 13th at Eventide Lutheran Home in Denison.  Funeral services for EMMERT ANDERSEN will be held Monday, March 16th at 2:00pm at the Harbor of Joy Lutheran Church in Milford.  The Pfannebecker Funeral Home in Denison has the arrangements.

A luncheon will immediately follow the services at the church on Monday.

Friends may call from Noon until service time on Monday at the Harbor of Joy Lutheran Church in Milford.

Graveside Memorial Services will be held at a later date to be announced in April at Arlington Heights Cemetery in Audubon.

EMMERT MARTIN ANDERSEN is survived by:

Wife: Eleonora Andersen of Denison.

Children: Linda Hansen of Audubon.  Connie (Ken) Quirk of Brookings, South Dakota.  Brian (Francine) Andersen of Audubon.  Alice (Tim) Baughman of Denison.

Sisters: Else Aden of Muskegon, Michigan.  Eleanor (Edwin) Hansen of Sparta, WI.

12 Grandchildren

22 Great-Grandchildren

1 Great-Great Grandchild with another expected in 2015.

Nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Posted in Obituaries |

Shelby County traffic stop leads to drug arrest

News

March 14th, 2015 by admin

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office released details on Friday about a traffic stop in the early morning hours of March 10th that led to a drug arrest of a Manning teen.

A Shelby County Deputy stopped a vehicle in the 1900 block of Linden Road for an equipment violation. During the stop drug paraphernalia and methamphetamine were found inside the vehicle.  The driver was a 17-year-old female juvenile from Manning.  She was taken into custody and charged with Delivery of a Controlled Substance (methamphetamine) which is a Class B Felony.

The juvenile was then transported to the Juvenile Detention Center in Council Bluffs where she is currently being held awaiting a detention hearing.

Posted in News |

Iowa State holds off Oklahoma in Big 12 Semifinals

Sports

March 14th, 2015 by admin

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – No. 13 Iowa State rallied from a double-digit deficit for the fourth straight game, then watched Oklahoma’s Ryan Spangler miss a point-blank layup at the buzzer that gave the Cyclones a 67-65 victory over the No. 15 Sooners in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals Friday night.

Georges Niang had 13 points, Jameel McKay added 12 and Monte Morris had 11 for the second-seeded Cyclones (24-8), who needed a buzzer-beater to beat Texas in the quarterfinals.

The defending champions will play No. 9 Kansas, the top seed, for the title Saturday night.

Buddy Hield had 16 points to lead the Sooners (22-10), who blew an early 11-point lead but still had plenty of chances down the stretch to win the game.

Isaiah Cousins added 14 points, and TaShawn Thomas and Jordan Woodard added 13 points apiece for the fourth-seeded Sooners, who still haven’t played for the title since 2003.

Posted in Sports |

Treynor rallies to beat Regina 51-46 for 2A Title

Sports

March 14th, 2015 by admin

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Nolan Chapman scored 17 points and Treynor rallied from an 11-point deficit in the second half to beat Iowa City Regina 51-46 Friday night and win the Class 2A state championship.

Treynor (24-3) got back in it by trapping Regina’s guards to force turnovers. It took the lead for good at 46-44 when Matt Deitchler went up in a crowd to score on a putback with 2:24 left. The Cardinals then made 5 of 6 free throws to wrap it up and claim their first championship in their 14th trip to state.

Jacob Flathers added 14 points and 11 rebounds for Treynor. Trey Robinson scored 13 points. Deitchler finished with five.

Drew Cook led Regina (22-5) with 23 points, including 5-for-6 3-point shooting. But it wasn’t quite enough to give the Regals their sixth championship.

Posted in Sports |