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City incentive: No property taxes for 10 years on new homes

News

September 6th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

PERRY, Iowa (AP) – City officials in the Dallas County city of Perry are considering a growth incentive: No property taxes for 10 years on new homes. The Des Moines Register reports city leaders hope the plan will lure builders and potential residents to Perry, which sits within commuting distance of the Des Moines metropolitan area.

City Administrator Sven Peterson says Perry hasn’t fully recovered from the recession and is losing residents to Adel, Waukee and other cities. City leaders are expected to approve the plan Tuesday. Another Dallas County town, Adel, implemented its tax abatement program in 2011. It has seen 327 new homes built since then, compared with 82 homes in the six years prior to the program.

ICCI blasts DNR on Clean Water Act rules for CAFOs

Ag/Outdoor

September 6th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is offering a progress report three years into its five-year work plan agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency to clean up the state’s waters. Jess Mazour, with the Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, says many confined animal feeding operations, or CAFOses), still don’t have a Clean Water Act permit.

“They have done a ton of inspections, they’ve gone after a bunch of manure spills, but nothing has resulted in a Clean Water Act permit,” Mazour says. “There’s still not a single hog confinement in Iowa with a Clean Water Act permit, so that’s a problem. One of the things they were supposed to do as part of this work plan was to identify factory farms around the state that they didn’t have in their database already.”

She says there are more than 5,000 CAFOs that are still not accounted for in the D-N-R work plan. Mazour also says the E-P-A needs to take over from the Iowa D-N-R in order to enforce the Clean Water Act and bring those CAFOS in line. “We, in Iowa, cannot wait longer, our water can’t wait,” she says. “DNR has proven for now three years that they don’t take this seriously and they’re not willing to do their job to enforce the Clean Water Act. Yeah, it’s absolutely fine if the EPA steps in and cracks down.”

Mazour says all CAFOS should have to have a Clean Water Act permit before they’re allowed to operate. “We want every hog confinement in Iowa to have a Clean Water Act permit because, one, they’re five-year permits, so they have to be renewed which means we can shut down bad actors, and two, it increases the amount of fines we can give for manure spills. Right now, DNR has a max of $10,000 and that’s just not enough. It’s become a cost of doing business.”

She says permitted operations can faces fines of $37,500 per day when they’re in violation. Mazour says Iowa is going through a water crisis with a record number of waterways polluted.

(Radio Iowa)

Atlantic City Council to appoint Brink to vacant seat; hear request from pig owner

News

September 6th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The City Council in Atlantic will meet during a regular session Wednesday, beginning at 5:30-p.m. in their chambers at City Hall.

On the agenda is an order to appoint Gerald Brink to a vacant, At-Large City Council seat. Public notice was filed earlier with regard to the the City’s intention to fill the seat left vacant by the resignation of former Councilman Bob Cord, who has moved from the area. And, the City’s Personnel and Finance Committee has recommended Brink be appointed to the seat. If the Council approves the appointment, Wednesday, the public may file a petition to hold a special election, but that action must be taken within 14-days of the Council’s decision.

The Council, Wednesday, will also hold a Public Hearing on the plans, specifications and Form of Contract for the Bull Creek culvert replacement project, followed by a resolution approving the project, which will serve to replace the collapsed portion of the culvert located just southeast of the 8th & Walnut Street intersection. Cost estimates for the project exceed $200,000, and will be funded from bond monies issued for the Bull Creek project.

"Pumba," the pot bellied pig.

“Pumba,” the pot bellied pig.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will hear a request from resident Darci Coatney, with regard to her being allowed to keep a pot bellied pig at 805 Chesnut Street. During their meeting Aug. 17th, the City’s Community Protection Committee met and heard from Coatney’s neighbor, who complained of the smell and issues with flies at her home, which she said she could not sell, because of the odor coming from the home where the pig is located. Following the Aug. 17th hearing, the CPC determined the current ordinance was sufficient to deal with the issue, and referred the matter back to the Council.

Coatney has written a letter to the City, stating Police came to her home twice since they got the pig named “Pumba,” at around this same time last year. The visits were with regard to complaints about the animal. The first time was in Oct. 2015, the second on Aug. 10th, 2016. She questions why she wasn’t told she wasn’t allowed to have a pot bellied pig at her residence (in accordance with City Code), during the first visit by Police. Her records show the animal has been neutered, and is current on its vaccinations.

And finally, the Council, Wednesday, will act on an order to temporarily close designated City streets this Friday, Sept. 9th, for the purpose of holding a Homecoming Parade. The route is from 10th & Linn west on 10th & Chestnut, north on Chestnut to 2nd Street, east on 2nd to Walnut, and then south on Walnut to 6th Street. The streets will be closed beginning at 2:30-p.m.

Will corn yield in Iowa meet USDA projection?

Ag/Outdoor

September 6th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Some crop experts are questioning the very high corn yield numbers put out by the USDA in August. The agency estimates Iowa’s average corn yield at 197 bushels per acre, five bushels better than last year’s record yield.  Todd Claussen, director of agronomy with Landus Cooperative in Ames, says he’s seeing a lot of variability from field to field. “I get that every day — ‘Boy, the crop looks great’ — and yes, it does look good at 60 miles per hour,” Claussen said. “But when you get out in it, don’t get me wrong, it’s not bad, there’s no catastrophe here — but we’re quite variable,” Claussen said.

Reduced stands are an issue in some fields, according to Claussen. “If you dropped 33,000 or 34,000 (seeds), you’ve got a lot of 27,000 to 28,000 (plants today) — so we’re short of ears,” Claussen said.corn-ear-late-August-2016 Jordan Carstens, who farms near Bagley in west-central Iowa, says tip-back on corn ears will shave the high-end off his yield potential. “We got into some heat there in July, when things were really going there, pollinating,” Carstens says. “Some of the tip-back I’m seeing, it’s on ears that probably would have been 45 kernels long and they went back to 34 or 35.”

The term “tip-back” means the kernels don’t fill all the way out to the end of the ear. Still, Carstens expects “a really good” corn crop. “You never really know until you get the combine in the field and start weighing stuff up, but I think we’ll have a decent fall,” Carstens said.

The USDA crop report issued on August 12 estimated the 2016 total U.S. corn production at an all-time record level of 15.15 billion bushels. The projection, if accurate, would best the previous record U.S. corn production of 14.2 billion bushels in 2014.

(Radio Iowa/Brownfield Ag News)

WILMA J. JUHL, 93, of Pella & formerly of Audubon (Svcs. 9/8/16)

Obituaries

September 6th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

WILMA J. JUHL, 93, of Pella (& formerly of Audubon), died Saturday, Sept. 3rd, at the Comfort House in Pella. Funeral services for WILMA JUHL will be held 11-a.m. Thursday, Sept. 8th, at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Audubon. Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon has the arrangements.

Friends may call at the funeral home, with the family visitation to be held from 10-am until the time of service on Thursday, at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, in Audubon.

Burial will be in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Audubon.

WILMA JUHL is survived by:

Her children – Bonne (Carlos) Chase, of Pella; Marsha Laub, of Hamburg, NY; and Mark Christensen, of Riverside, CA.

Her step-children: Twyla Juhl, and Merlin (Dee) Juhl, all of Omaha.

Her sister – Helen Lauritsen, of Audubon.

Other relatives, and friends.

6 arrested in Adams County on Burglary & other charges

News

September 6th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports several people were arrested Sunday evening on Burglary and other charges. At around 7:15-p.m., deputies noticed two vehicles parked at Blacktop Services, in Mt. Etna. Six people were inside the building. Inside the vehicles, authorities found political signs taken from yards in Corning, and a marijuana pipe with a marijuana grinder.

25-year old Michael Sickels, 22-year old Blade Fox, 19-year old Kendra Wilkinson, and 18-year old’s Sydney Dimmler, Cheyenne Goodnight and Aaron Comstock, were all arrested on Burglary charges. Wilkinson and Goodnight face additional charges of Theft, while Fox was also charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. The suspects live in Adams, Taylor and Union Counties.

They were booked into the Adams County Jail and held on $5,000 bond, each. (updated bond amount 11-a.m. 9/6/16)

KJAN listening area forecast from the NWS: 9/6/16

Weather

September 6th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Early This Morning: Mostly clear. South wind 5 to 15 mph.

Today: Mostly sunny. Hot and humid. Breezy. High in the upper 80s. South wind 10 to 20 mph with gusts to around 30 mph. Highest heat index readings around 100 in the afternoon.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy. A chance of thunderstorms until early morning…then thunderstorms likely early in the morning. Low in the lower 70s. South wind 5 to 15 mph. Gusts up to 25 mph through midnight. Chance of thunderstorms 70 percent.

Wednesday: Thunderstorms. High in the lower 80s. South wind 5 to 15 mph. Chance of thunderstorms 80 percent.

Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms through midnight…then partly cloudy after midnight. Low in the mid 60s. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Thursday: Mostly sunny. High in the lower 80s. North wind around 5 mph shifting to the east in the afternoon.

Friday: Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of thunderstorms. High in the upper 70s.

Cyclones move on to game against Iowa

Sports

September 6th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Iowa State coach Matt Campbell says the Cyclones have moved on to this week’s 64th meeting in the series against Iowa. The Cyclones are looking to bounce back from a season opening 25-20 loss to Northern Iowa. It will be Campbell’s first taste of the rivalry with the Hawkeyes. Campbell says the Cyclones need to focus on getting better and not playing up their role as underdog.

Campbell has some history he can show his team. Two years ago the Cyclones opened with a loss to North Dakota State and two weeks later beat the Hawkeyes 20-17 in Kinnick Stadium and in 2007 the Cyclones lost to UNI 24-13 and the very next week beat Iowa 15-13. A decision Campbell and the Cyclone coaches must make this week is how often will they throw the direction of Iowa All American corner Desmond King.

This will be the first time Cyclone senior center Brian Bobek has played in this game but it is not his first involvement in a rivalry with the Hawkeyes. Bobek played at Minnesota before transferring to ISU. Bobek says while the Cyclones have moved on they have not forgotten about the mistakes that cost them on Saturday.

Iowa State quarterback Joel Lanning looks forward to the game. Lanning says the Cyclones will bounce back from the loss to UNI.

(Radio Iowa/Learfield Sports)

Clinton promises campaign ‘of issues, not insults’

News

September 6th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton is promising to “say no” to ANTI-union proposals if she’s elected president — and that includes rejecting a “Right to Work” law at the national level.   “Unions not only raise incomes and provide benefits for union members, but because of unions everybody is better off,” Clinton said, to applause. “And that’s a message I’m going to talk about every single day in this campaign.” Clinton was the closing speaker at the annual Labor Day “Salute to Labor” in the Quad Cities.

She touted the 256-page policy book she and her running mate Tim Kaine are released today (Tuesday). “I’ll tell you why we did this book,” Clinton said. “I think if you run for president, you ought to tell people what you want to do. Right? And what I’ve tried to do in this book…is to lay out a blueprint for America’s future.” The book’s title is “Stronger Together.” That was the theme of the Democratic National Convention in July and is the name of Clinton’s campaign plane.

Several times during her speech yesterday, Clinton stressed the need to unify the country. “We’re going to run a campaign of issues, not insults,” Clinton said, to applause. Clinton made a brief pitch on behalf of Iowa Democrats who’re on the General Election ballot and offered a list of proposals she’d advance as president, like raising the national minimum wage. She also drew cheers by promising to reject “unfair trade deals” like the Trans Pacific Partnership.

“I hope you will get involved in this campaign for these last two months,” Clinton said. “…We need everybody involved. There has never been a more important, consequential election in our lifetimes.” Clinton spoke with reporters on her campaign plane as she flew into the Quad Cities. Clinton answered questions about how she handled email during her tenure as secretary of state. Clinton also raised concerns about Russian cyberattacks that might interfere with the U.S. election.

A spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee called Clinton “dishonest” and accused Clinton of the “reckless mishandling of classified information” with the email set-up she used as secretary of state.

(Radio Iowa)

Iowa early News Headlines: Tue., 9/6/2016

News

September 6th, 2016 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:00 a.m. CDT

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A Davenport man faces a first-degree murder charge after authorities say he killed his girlfriend during an argument. The Quad-City Times reports that 55-year-old Thomas James Lopez was charged following the woman’s death Sunday afternoon. Davenport police say Lopez assaulted 37-year-old Melissa Lewis at their home on Aug. 31. According to an affidavit, Lopez slapped, choked and pushed her, causing her to fall back and hit her head on a window sill.

CLIVE, Iowa (AP) — An overnight shooting at an event center in Clive has killed two people and injured two others. Authorities say 29-year-old Johnny Lee Ollie Jackson of Des Moines died outside of 7 Flags Event Center. Another victim, 44-year-old Kevin Lee Hall of Des Moines, died on the way to a local hospital. Authorities say 31-year-old William Dale Celander and 25-year-old Kelly Christopher Love Jr. suffered non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.

FORT MADISON, Iowa (AP) — A group plans to ask Lee County officials to create a task force to study the impact of increasing the county’s minimum wage. The Fort Madison Daily Democrat reports that county supervisors will discuss the issue at their meeting Tuesday. The request came from a group calling itself the Lee County Raise the Wage Coalition.

VENTURA, Iowa (AP) — A herd of 40 goats is helping to clear nuisance vegetation at an Iowa state park. The Globe Gazette in Mason City reports that the goats will graze on non-native honeysuckle, buckthorn and other plants that have crowded out native vegetation. The goats belong to “Goats On The Go” in Ames.