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Iowa early News Headlines: Monday, 5/28/18 – Memorial Day

News

May 28th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Following the abrupt departure of one leading candidate, the five remaining Democrats running for governor are scrambling in the final days before Iowa’s June 5 primary. Candidates are working to win over supporters of state Sen. Nate Boulton, who suspended his campaign after the Des Moines Register reported last week that three women allege he touched them inappropriately years ago. If no candidate receives at least 35 percent of the vote, the nomination would be decided at a state convention.

MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) — Officials and volunteers in eastern Iowa have opened a park on a former vacant lot with hopes of increasing habitat for bees, butterflies and other insects and demonstrating the importance of such efforts. The Muscatine Journal reports that the Pollinator Park opened in Muscatine May 19. A founding member of the nonprofit Pollinator Park Project group says they hope to attract bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other flying insects with the plants.

DECORAH, Iowa (AP) — A group that keeps an eye on the eagle population in Iowa says two eaglets at a nest in Decorah have died. Television station KCRG reports that a pathogen carried by blackflies, coupled with recent high heat and humidity, led to the baby birds’ deaths. The Raptor Resource project says the birds were hatched on May 18 and May 20, considered late for eagles.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Trial has been set later this summer for a Texas man shot by a Council Bluffs officer after allegedly leading police on a chase and ramming police vehicles. The Daily Nonpareil reports that a preliminary hearing was held Friday for 28-year-old Clifton Wade, of Zavalla, Texas. Wade is charged with two counts of attempted murder of a peace officer, assault on an officer and other counts for the May 1 incident. Wade’s arraignment has been set for June 25, and his trial is set for July 31.

Posted in News |

Cardinals rally past slumping Pirates 6-4

Sports

May 27th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Harrison Bader’s pinch-hit bloop single off Pittsburgh closer Felipe Vazquez keyed a late rally and helped the St. Louis Cardinals surge past the slumping Pirates 6-4 on Sunday.
The Cardinals won for just the fourth time in 19 games when trailing after seven innings by pouncing on Pittsburgh’s bullpen. St. Louis loaded the bases off Michael Feliz (0-2) and the Pirates brought in Vazquez with one out in the eighth. Bader fought off a 99 mph fastball from Vazquez and dumped it into shallow right field to tie the game. Vazquez walked Yairo Munoz on four pitches to hand St. Louis the lead and the Cardinals added another on a fielder’s choice RBI by Carson Kelly. Vazquez has blown three straight save opportunities for the Pirates, who have dropped seven of nine.Sam Tuivailala (1-0) picked up the win with a scoreless seventh. Bud Norris worked a perfect ninth for his 11th save. Matt Carpenter went 2 for 4 for St. Louis and is hitting .422 (19 of 45) since May 16. Jedd Gyorko got the Cardinals within one with a pinch-hit, two-run single off Edgar Santana in the seventh.
UP NEXT
Cardinals: Head to Milwaukee to take on the first-place Brewers on Monday. Luke Weaver (3-4, 4.31 ERA) starts in the opener. Pre-game 12:15, 1st pitch 1:10 on KJAN.
Pirates: Host the Chicago Cubs for three games starting Monday. Chad Kuhl (4-2, 4.20 ERA) starts the opener. Kuhl is 1-4 with an 8.23 ERA in seven career starts against the Cubs.

Posted in Sports |

Farmers can now apply for state cost-sharing for water quality efforts

Ag/Outdoor

May 27th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Iowa farmers can now sign up for a cost-sharing program to help pay for water quality strategies. State Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig says it’s the sixth annual round for the program which helps farmers install nutrient reduction management practices. Naig says, “What we make available is a cost share for cover crops or converting to strip-till and no-till and for using a nitrogen inhibitor in the fall on fall-applied fertilizer.” Farmers who are planting cover crops for the first time get the highest cost share, he says, and the funding will be doled out starting in July. Naig says, “We have had 8,000 participants over the last five years and 4,600 of those have been first-time users of one of those water quality practices.”

He encourages growers to apply for the cost share program as soon as possible. “It’s good to get in early because the dollars do run out at some point,” Naig says. “We’ll make those decisions in July or into August. Folks can call the office or visit our website, Iowa Agriculture-dot-gov, or they can walk into their county conservation office and apply for the cost share there.”

Naig says farmers are only eligible for cost share on up to 160 acres.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor |

Idaho dairies invest in robotic milkers from Iowa

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 27th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Faced with an increasing shortage of workers, Idaho dairies are investing in robotic milkers. John Paetz, regional manager of Lely North America, headquartered in Pella, Iowa, says “The interest in robotic milking in Idaho is growing quite rapidly.” The company has robots installed in three Idaho dairies now, with two more scheduled to come online in July and two more scheduled for later in the year or early next.

In robotic milking, the cow decides when she wants to be milked and goes to the robotic milker. While she enjoys a snack such as a high-energy pellet, a laser-controlled device finds her teats, cleans them and dries them, then attaches and milks. When she’s done, the robot detaches and the cow wanders off. All without human intervention.

Paetz says “Larger dairies, where they’re employing 20 people, can see a big benefit initially. We’re not in the business of displacing labor, but you can do the same job with less labor.” Idaho has been behind the curve in implementing robotic milking, partly because Lely, one of the major vendors, has been migrating its marketing across the country after starting in western Europe and then heading to Canada and the East Coast. “We just started looking at the western region in the last five or six years,” Paetz said. “We don’t want our infantry to outrun our lines of support.” Across the U.S., robots are now being used in 5 percent or fewer of the dairies, he said. “But it’s accelerating.”

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

Boulton’s exit leaves Iowa governor candidates scrambling

News

May 27th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Following the abrupt departure of one leading candidate, the five remaining Democrats running for governor are scrambling in the final days before Iowa’s June 5 primary.

Candidates are working to win over supporters of state Sen. Nate Boulton, who suspended his campaign after the Des Moines Register reported last week that three women allege he touched them inappropriately years ago.

Polls have indicated retired businessman Fred Hubbell is leading the race, and Boulton’s departure could help him top the 35 percent mark required for the nomination. If no candidate reaches that threshold, the nomination would be decided at a state convention.

The other candidates are union leader Cathy Glasson, physician Andy McGuire, party activist John Norris and former Iowa City mayor Ross Wilburn.

The nominee will face Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds.

Posted in News |

Iowa city opens park to help pollinators thrive

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 27th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) — Officials and volunteers in eastern Iowa have opened a park on a former vacant lot with hopes of increasing habitat for bees, butterflies and other insects and demonstrating the importance of such efforts. The Pollinator Park opened in Muscatine May 19. Volunteers planted new plants during the ceremony.

The nonprofit hopes to attract bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and other flying insects with the plants. Volunteers from Nature Conservancy of Iowa, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Muscatine County Conservation Board and City of Muscatine helped with the project. Bridgestone Bandag donated most of the seeds, which are all native species, and Muscatine Community College donated the greenhouse.

Pollinator Park will take up to four years to be fully developed. It will also feature benches, a pathway and signage to explain how an active prairie is sustained.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

Heat Advisory this afternoon for Dallas Polk & Warren Counties (5/27)

Weather

May 27th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Dallas-Polk-Warren-Counties
351 AM CDT Sun May 27 2018

…HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM CDT
THIS EVENING…

The National Weather Service in Des Moines has issued a Heat
Advisory, which is in effect from 1 PM this afternoon to 8 PM CDT
this evening.

* TEMPERATURE…Temperatures in the upper 90s with heat index
values near to a few degrees above 100 degrees within the Des
Moine metro area.

* IMPACTS…Heat illnesses are possible for those active outdoors
or those susceptible to heat illnesses, such as children and the
elderly.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A Heat Advisory means that a period of hot temperatures is
expected. The combination of hot temperatures and high humidity
will combine to create a situation in which heat illnesses are
possible. Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned
room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and
neighbors.

Take extra precautions, if you work or spend time outside.
When possible, reschedule strenuous activities to early morning
or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and
heat stroke. Wear light weight and loose fitting clothing when
possible and drink plenty of water.

To reduce risk during outdoor work, the occupational safety
and health administration recommends scheduling frequent rest
breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome
by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat
stroke is an emergency, call 9 1 1.

Posted in Weather |

Pavement buckles/blows up due to the heat/humidity in s.w. Iowa

News, Weather

May 27th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

There were several reports of pavement buckling and blowing-up in southwest Iowa, Saturday, due to the combination of extreme heat and humidity. A section of Interstate 80 buckled in Cass County between Exits 64 and 70, forcing traffic to be rerouted for a time. More than a couple of vehicles were damaged by driving over the uplifted section of pavement. In Fremont County, a section of 250th Street blew out near 290th Avenue, west of Riverton. And, there were reports of a road buckling near Treynor. Transportation officials in Minnesota and Wisconsin were warning motorists of similar, dangerous road conditions, Saturday.

Example of Pavement blow-up incident

Pavement buckles are most common when the weather quickly goes from cool to very hot, causing pavement to expand. This can cause concrete slabs of pavement to push against each other, and if the pressure becomes great enough the pavement can buckle. With weather conditions expected to be extreme again today, be cautious if you plan on traveling, and anticipate the unexpected (Such as a sudden change in pavement conditions). Keep your eyes on the road, scanning ahead for obstructions, and a firm grip on the steering wheel.

Posted in News, Weather |

Skyscan Forecast & weather data for Atlantic (New Record High temp. set Saturday!)

Weather

May 27th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Today: Isolated showers and thunderstorms after 3pm. Sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Calm wind becoming west 5 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Tonight: Isolated showers and thunderstorms before 7pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 68. Southeast wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 10%.
Memorial Day: Sunny, with a high near 93. Calm wind becoming south southeast 5 to 9 mph in the morning.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 68. Southeast wind 6 to 8 mph.
Tuesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. South southeast wind 6 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.
Tuesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 86.

Yesterday’s High in Atlantic was 100, which broke the old record of 96 set in 1926. Our Low this morning (as of 6-a.m.) was 61. Last year on this date our High was 70 and the Low was 50. The record High in Atlantic on this date was 91 in 1931. The Record Low was 31, in 1907.

Posted in Weather |

Area High School Baseball Scores from Saturday, 5/26

Sports

May 27th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Baseball:

Bishop Heelan Catholic, Sioux City 8, LeMars 1
Boone 4, Lewis Central 2
Johnston 10, Lewis Central 0 (6 innings)
Van Meter 8, Coon Rapids-Bayard 1

St. Albert 14 Lawton-Bronson 4

St. Albert 13 Logan-Magnolia 3

Softball:

Atlantic 13 Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton 0

Mount Ayr 14 Treynor 3

Red Oak Tournament –

Red Oak defeated Riverside in the semi-finals, 8-3 & the won the Championship over Shenandoah, 10-5.

Winterset Tournament –

Harlan 18 Nodaway Valley 0

Interstate 35, Truro 16 Chariton 3

Interstate 35, Truro 5 Harlan 2

Posted in Sports |