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Vilsack leaving farm country tips for 2018 Farm Bill

Ag/Outdoor

January 2nd, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Out-going U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack has some suggestions for farmers and others who will lobby congress about items in the NEXT Farm Bill. “We faced a very difficult challenge with the recent Farm Bill because the conversation started something like this: ‘We’ve got to save $23 billion,'” Vilsack says. “That was the first thing out of the box. The powers that be decided that saving money was the most important aspect of the Farm Bill.”

Vilsack says, as a result, corn and soybean farmers from the Midwest were “pitted against” southern farmers who raise cotton and produce sugar as the 2014 Farm Bill was written. Vilsack is urging groups in the farm sector to be more vocal advocates of federal crop insurance subsidies and other U-S-D-A programs that provide grants for rural development. Key members of congress say negotiations on the 2018 Farm Bill could begin later THIS month.

“So it’s going to be incredibly important for us to start the conversation with: ‘What is the need in rural America?’ because rural America is an important place. It’s where we get our food. It impacts our water. It’s our feed stock for our energy sources. It’s where we recreate. It’s our military families and, oh yeah, it gives everybody else in the country the ability to do something other than farming because we’re tremendously productive,” Vilsack says. “It’s an important place. It deserves to have a conversation, first and foremost, as to what the need is.”

Vilsack, the former Iowa governor, has been the nation’s top ag official for the past eight years. In 1889, Grover Cleveland was the first president to include an agriculture secretary in his cabinet. There have been 30 ag secretaries since then, five of whom came from Iowa. “Tama Jim” Wilson served three presidents, from 1898 to 1913. Edwin Meredith, founder of the Des Moines-based Meredith publishing company, served a year in President Wilson’s cabinet. Henry C. Wallace and his son, Henry A. Wallace, also did stints as the country’s agriculture secretary during the last century.

(Radio Iowa)

Posted in Ag/Outdoor |

Preview: Iowa faces Florida today in Outback Bowl

Sports

January 2nd, 2017 by Ric Hanson

It’s game day in Tampa as the Hawkeyes meet the Florida Gators in the Outback Bowl. Iowa is hoping to keep the winning streak they started at the end of the regular season going. Junior linebacker Josie Jewel says that’s been the focus in their preparation for this game — trying to get in the same routine that they had in the last couple of weeks where they had success. Senior defensive back Desmond King says they have to continue doing what they do best to stop Florida’s offense.

“Just taking pride in our values — being tough, smart and physical on the field — that’s something that we always buy into. And just go out there and play with that chip on our shoulders every game,” Kings says. Iowa’s offense has struggled during the season and faces a tough Florida defense, but King doesn’t think that makes it tougher on the Hawkeye defense. “I don’t think it is pressure, I think it’s just our job as a defense,” King says. “We are supposed to go out and do what you’ve got to do and get the ball back for the offense.”

If the Hawkeyes are able to break their recent pattern of falling behind early, and win against Florida, it would end a six-year run without a bowl game victory. Both Iowa and Florida come into the game at 8-4. Kickoff is at noon Iowa time today (Monday). Pre-game coverage begins at 10-a.m., on KJAN.

(Learfield Sports)

Posted in Sports |

TIMOTHY LEE HEILIG, 69, of Avoca (Svcs. 1/5/17)

Obituaries

January 2nd, 2017 by Ric Hanson

TIMOTHY LEE HEILIG, 69, of Avoca, died Sat., Dec. 31st, at home. Funeral services for TIMOTHY HEILIG will be held 10:30-a.m. Thursday, Jan. 5th, at the Pauley-Jones Funeral Home, in Avoca.

Friends may call at the funeral home on Wednesday, from 6-until 8-p.m.

Burial will be in the Shelby Cemetery at Shelby.

TIMOTHY HEILIG is survived by:

His brother – Ted (Judy) Heilig, of Shelby.

as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Posted in Obituaries |

ALMA WILWERDING, 76, of Papillion, NE (Svcs. 1/4/17)

Obituaries

January 2nd, 2017 by Ric Hanson

ALMA WILWERDING, 76, of Papillion, NE, died Saturday, Dec. 31st, at Selected Specialty Hospital, in Papillion. A Mass of Christian Burial for ALMA WILWERDING will be held 10:30-a.m. Wed., Jan. 4th, at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Defiance. Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Harlan has the arrangements.

Friends may call at the funeral home from 4-until 8-p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 3rd, with a Wake Servce at 7-p.m.

Graveside services will be held 3-p.m. Wed., at the St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery in Northboro, IA.

ALMA WILWERDING is survived by:

Her daughters – Pat (Jerry) Bissen, of Harlan; Joanne (Mike) Erlbacher, of Earling; Kinda Barragan, of Defiance; Diane (Dave) Lothridge, of Omaha, & Julie Mathison, of Stanton.

Her son – Denny (Lou) Wilwerding, of Omaha.

Her brother – Gary (Chery) Bredensteiner, of Lincoln, NE.

13 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.

 

Posted in Obituaries |

NE man arrested in Montgomery County, on Mills County warrant

News

January 2nd, 2017 by Ric Hanson

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says a man from Nebraska was arrested Sunday afternoon on a warrant out of Mills County. 31-year old Jared Wayne Gatlin, of Bellevue, NE., was pulled over at around 1:45-p.m. following a traffic stop. Gatlin was taken into custody on a Mills County warrant for Contempt of Court, the bond for which was set at $2,500. Gatlin was turned over to Mills County Deputies.

And, Red Oak Police say 37-year old Philip Michael Eshelman, of Red Oak, was arrested just before 8-p.m., Sunday, for Driving While Suspended. He was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 bond.

Posted in News |

NWS forecast for Atlantic & the area, 1/2/2017

Weather

January 2nd, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Early this morning: A chance of drizzle. Cloudy, with a steady temperature around 36. East southeast wind around 7 mph.
Today: A chance of drizzle or freezing drizzle before 9am, then drizzle likely between 9am and 1pm, then rain likely after 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 41. East southeast wind 5 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. Little or no ice accumulation expected.
Tonight: A chance of rain before 7pm, then a chance of drizzle between 7pm and midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 21. Blustery, with a light and variable wind becoming north northwest 12 to 17 mph in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, with a temperature falling to around 22 by 10am. Wind chill values as low as 5. Blustery, with a north northwest wind 17 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 6. Blustery, with a north northwest wind 13 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 16.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 14.

Posted in Weather |

Freezing rain advisory until Noon (1/2/17) for Audubon-Guthrie-Carroll-Crawford-Sac Counties

Weather

January 2nd, 2017 by Ric Hanson

334 AM CST MON JAN 2 2017

LIGHT FREEZING RAIN EXPECTED INTO EARLY MONDAY AFTERNOON… .FREEZING RAIN OR FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL DEVELOP AND SPREAD ACROSS PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL INTO NORTHERN IOWA THIS MORNING AND CONTINUE INTO EARLY AFTERNOON.

AREAS FARTHER SOUTH MAY HAVE A BRIEF PERIOD OF ICING BUT WILL QUICKLY CHANGEOVER TO ALL RAIN AS TEMPERATURES WARM. TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE ADVISORY AREA WILL REMAIN BELOW FREEZING INTO THIS AFTERNOON ALLOWING FOR ICE ACCUMULATIONS.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY, WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TODAY.

* SHORT TERM TRENDS…VERY SPOTTY LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE IS EXPECTED TO BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD THROUGH 6 AM.

* STORM TOTAL ICE ACCUMULATIONS…LESS THAN ONE TENTH INCH.

* IMPACTS…VERY ICY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED LEADING TO HAZARDOUS TRAVEL WITH SLICK ROADS…PARKING LOTS AND ALL UNTREATED SURFACES. SLIPS AND FALLS WILL BE POSSIBLE AS WALKING SURFACES BECOME SLICK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN OR FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS. SLOW DOWN AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

Posted in Weather |

Winter Weather Advisory until Noon today (1/2/17) for Harrison-Shelby-Monona Counties

Weather

January 2nd, 2017 by Ric Hanson

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA/VALLEY HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR FREEZING DRIZZLE…WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TODAY.

* TIMING…DRIZZLE WILL CONTINUE IN NORTHEAST NEBRASKA AND WEST CENTRAL IOWA FOR SEVERAL HOURS EARLY THIS MORNING. THERE MAY BE A BREAK IN ACTIVITY FOR A TIME AROUND SUNRISE BEFORE DRIZZLE PICKS UP AGAIN. TEMPERATURES ARE FORECAST TO REMAIN BELOW FREEZING THROUGH ABOUT NOON, SO ANY FREEZING DRIZZLE THAT DOES OCCUR WILL REMAIN ON SURFACES UNTIL THEN.

* MAIN IMPACT…SLIPPERY ROADS AND SIDEWALKS WILL CAUSE HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. DRIVERS AND WALKERS ARE ADVISED TO USE CAUTION WHILE VENTURING OUT THIS MORNING. ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL ONLY AMOUNT TO A COUPLE OF HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH, BUT THIS IS ENOUGH TO CAUSE PROBLEMS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR FREEZING DRIZZLE MEANS THAT PERIODS OF FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES, AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

Posted in Weather |

National Sports Headlines (1/2/17)

Sports

January 2nd, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Pack take division, Lions extend season…Chiefs win division…Falcons get a bye

DETROIT (AP) — The Green Bay Packers won the NFC North with their sixth straight win as Aaron Rodgers threw for 300 yards and four touchdowns in a 31-24 victory at Detroit. Davante Adams hauled in two TD passes to help the Packers end up 10-6. Matthew Stafford passed for 347 yards and two touchdowns for the Lions who clinched an NFC playoff berth when the Giants knocked off Washington, 19-10.

UNDATED (AP) — Kansas City clinched the AFC West title with a 37-27 victory at San Diego and Oakland’s 24-6 loss at Denver. Alex Smith threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as the Chiefs finished 12-4. Rookie Tyreek Hill padded the lead with a 95-yard punt return for a TD in the third quarter.

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons have earned themselves a week off as they clinched a first-round bye with a 38-32 victory against New Orleans. Matt Ryan was 27 of 36 for 331 yards and four touchdowns, leaving him with a franchise-record 4,944 yards, 38 touchdowns and just seven interceptions for the 11-5 Falcons. Saints quarterback Drew Brees (breez) became the first player in league history to throw for 5,000 yards five times.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The San Diego Chargers have fired coach Mike McCoy following a second straight last-place finish. McCoy was 27-37 in four seasons at the helm, missing the playoffs the last three years. The announcement came after the team played what may have been its final game in San Diego, two weeks before the team must decide whether to head back to the Los Angeles area.

DENVER (AP) — Denver Broncos coach Gary Kubiak told his team after the game that he was stepping down, saying the grind of coaching was taking too big of a toll on his health. Kubiak missed one game this season because of health reasons after suffering a mini-stroke while coaching the Houston Texans in 2013. The 55-year-old Kubiak leaves with two years left on his contract and one year after guiding Denver to a Super Bowl win over Carolina.

 

Posted in Sports |

Chargers fire coach Mike McCoy after 2nd last-place finish

Sports

January 2nd, 2017 by Ric Hanson

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The San Diego Chargers have fired Mike McCoy following a second straight last-place finish in the AFC West and a third straight season out of the playoffs. The team announced McCoy’s firing about an hour after the Chargers lost 37-27 to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

McCoy had said in a postgame news conference he hoped to be back next year. He won’t get that chance. McCoy was 27-37 in four seasons. John Spanos, the president of football operations, says in a statement that “our team’s disappointing performance has not matched this team’s potential and has fallen short of the demanding standards that we seek to impose throughout our organization.”

Posted in Sports |