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HCSD Board approves design of new Merrill Field sports complex

News, Sports

November 26th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

The Harlan Community School District has approved a contract to develop and design the new Merrill Field. During their meeting Monday, the board of education agreed to a contract with FEH Associates out of Sioux City. The Harlan Community Education Foundation gifted the school district $600,000 during the board meeting. The Foundation has collected $950,000 in the bank for the $1.5 million project. However, the rest of the money has been donated but not collected. Superintendent Justin Wagner said the rest of the donations are guaranteed by a local bank. “The Education Foundation has taken out a loan, which it can do, with Farmer’s Trust and Savings and what it does is the bank guarantees the additional pledges that are still hanging out there.”

The $600,000 was given at the moment because that’s what the school can liquidate and that money will be set inside the school’s coffers and accounts in the next 7 to 10 days. Now that the money is close at hand, the board approved the contract with the designer FEH to get the drawings and specifications completed for the project. Wagner and other school officials met with the designer earlier on Monday to discuss the contract before presenting it to the board.

The contract states FEH Associates will be responsible for the overall coordination of the project, field verification as well as construction documents such as demolition around the bleacher areas, bleacher replacement and new fencing around the track. EDA Inc, Sundquist Engineering and Midwest Tennis and Track are also named as contractors for the Merrill Field renovation project. Each entity is in charge of certain aspects such as the field lighting, new drainage system and the entire track and field area. The Harlan Community School district will be responsible for the scoreboard installation, new ticket booth and coordinate site drainage issues with the City of Harlan.

Wagner told the board the designer fee is normally around 5 percent of the whole project and the contract states FEH Associates fee will not exceed $100,000. He said the actual design plans and specs will come at the December 20th school board meeting. The final say on the design will ultimately be approved by the school district but Wagner said the education foundation hopes to give a recommendation to the board.

Wagner says in the next 60 days or so the school board should see the plans and design, determine the cost and move forward with bids. The school district plans to begin the project on March 1st, 2014.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

Economist: plenty of demand for record corn crop

Ag/Outdoor

November 26th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

An ag economist with Iowa State University Extension predicts there will be plenty of demand for this year’s record corn crop. Earlier this month, the USDA predicted U.S. corn growers will produce 14 billion bushels and ISU Ag Economist Chad Hart says the 4.9 billion bushels forecast for ethanol use seems about right. “Things look like they’re stabilizing for the ethanol industry, so I think that 4.9 (billion bushels) number is a pretty good one,” Hart says.

The USDA estimate for corn used for ethanol was raised about 200 million bushels compared to the last report in September. Iowa is expected to lead the nation in corn production with over 2.2 billion bushels. Hart says if there is a bullish argument for corn, it’s in the potential for strong exports.  “We’ve already seen some tremendous response there,” Hart says. “In 2012, the corn market export got cut in half. We’ve seen it rebound and the USDA is putting it at 1.4 billion bushels. I think we could get up around 1.6 (billion) because of the pace we’ve seen thus far. We’ve got some customers out there for our corn.”

Hart says there is one country in particular that has a big demand for U.S. corn: China. “China does not like to buy corn. They like to be self-sufficient, but this year, even with a record corn crop domestically in that country, they’re still importing a lot of corn from us,” Hart says. “In fact, during the government shutdown, they were our biggest buyer of corn.”

The USDA’s final crop report for this season, released Monday, shows 97-percent of Iowa’s corn acreage is harvested. Dry conditions continue to threaten the next growing season. Around 55-percent of Iowa’s crop acreage is rated as short to very short of subsoil moisture as the soil freezes.

(Radio Iowa)

KC Chiefs mascot hurt during practice at Arrowhead

Sports

November 26th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – A man who has performed as the Kansas City Chiefs’ mascot since 1989 is recovering in a hospital after being injured while practicing a skit for Sunday’s game against San Diego.  Chiefs spokesman Ted Crews confirmed Monday that Dan Meers, who performs as KC Wolf, was injured Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium. Crews declined to say what Meers was doing when he was hurt, the extent of his injuries or the hospital where he was taken.

According to the website mascothalloffame.com, Meers formerly performed as the St. Louis Cardinals’ mascot “Fredbird,” and before that was “Truman Tiger,” the University of Missouri’s mascot.  Crews says Meers’ prognosis is good and he is expected to make a full recovery.

Villisca man arrested Tuesday morning in Clarinda

News

November 26th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest early this (Tuesday) morning, of  a Villisca man. Charles A. Mace, Jr., was taken into custody at around 12:45-a.m. on a warrant charging him with Providing False Identification Information. Mace, Jr.  was located by authorities in Clarinda and transported to the Montgomery/Page County line, where he was turned over to Montgomery County authorities.

He was being held in the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center on $300 bond.

(podcast) Skyscan Forecast: Tue., 11/26/13

Podcasts, Weather

November 26th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

The Freese-Notis weather forecast for Atlantic from Meteorologist Harvey Freese, and weather information for Atlantic from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson…

Play

KJAN listening area forecast: Tue., 11/26/13

Weather

November 26th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

404 AM CST TUE NOV 26 2013 – Nat’l. Weather Service/Des Moines

TODAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. BREEZY…COLDER. HIGH IN THE MID 20S. NORTHWEST WIND 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. COLDER. LOW ZERO TO 5 ABOVE. NORTH WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

WEDNESDAY…SUNNY. HIGH IN THE MID 20S. NORTHWEST WIND NEAR 5 MPH SHIFTING TO THE SOUTH IN THE AFTERNOON.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW 10 TO 15. SOUTH WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

THANKSGIVING DAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE MID 30S. NORTHWEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW 15 TO 20. HIGH IN THE MID 30S.

FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE MID 20S. HIGH 36 TO 42.

Alleged copper theft attempt leaves a Bluffs man with severe burns

News

November 26th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

A Council Bluffs man who allegedly was involved in a botched attempt to steal cooper wiring from a power pole, may end up losing parts of both hands, after he suffered fourth-degree burns over the weekend. The Omaha World-Herald reports the unidentified man in his 40’s, who has not been charged, suffered severe enough wounds that a partial amputation of his hands may be necessary. His injuries occurred after an alleged, attempted theft Saturday afternoon.

Officials say at around 3:30 p.m., MidAmerican Energy crews responded to a downed power pole near 20001 225th St., northeast of Council Bluffs between the city and Underwood. Crews found the pole had been cut with a chain saw. MidAmerican contacted the sheriff’s office, which began an investigation that led to Jennie Edmundson Hospital. That’s where a man had recently been admitted with fourth-degree burns. Sheriff Jeff Danker told the paper the man’s burns were electrical and that the suspect entered the hospital around the time deputies were dispatched to 225th Street.

Danker says Police believe the suspect and another man cut down the power pole in an attempt to access the transformer and likely harvest copper. After the man burned himself, the accomplice drove to the hospital, dropped off his partner and fled. Danker estimated damage to the power equipment at $10,000. About 200 people lost power as a result. The sheriff said he’s confident an arrest will be made in the case as the investigation continues.

Medical personnel eventually transported the man from Jennie Edmundson to the burn unit at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, according to hospital staff, where he was in fair condition.

High School Basketball Scores from Mon., 11/25/13

Sports

November 26th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Abraham Lincoln 43, Atlantic 24

Creston 58, Orient-Macksburg 18

Earlham 72, Iowa Christian Academy 29

Buss leads Northern Iowa past La Salle 65-50

Sports

November 26th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands (AP) — Nate Buss came off the bench to score 23 points and grab 12 rebounds, both career highs, to lead Northern Iowa to a 65-50 win over La Salle and a third-place finish in the Paradise Jam tournament. The Panthers, who lost to Maryland in the semifinals Sunday night, led by three after a half, but went on a 12-2 run early in the first half. La Salle fell to Providence in the other semifinal.

La Salle (3-4) did not score for more than six minutes at a stretch twice in the second half – during Northern Iowa’s run and again from the 7:12 mark of the half until Steve Zack converted a pair of free throws with :59 left.

Seth Tuttle had 15 points for Northern Iowa (3-3). Zack finished with 13 points to lead the Explorers, with 10 points from Tyrone Garland

No. 17 Iowa State thumps UMKC 110-51

Sports

November 26th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

AMES, Iowa (AP) — DeAndre Kane had 20 points and eight rebounds, and 17th-ranked Iowa State trounced Missouri-Kansas City 110-51 Monday night for its fifth straight win. Sherron Dorsey-Walker added 17 points for the Cyclones, who used a 27-0 run midway through the first half to put away the Kangaroos.

Iowa State, which was hosting a game as a ranked team for the first time in eight years, held UMKC scoreless for 7½ minutes and led 52-17 at halftime. The Cyclones also finished with their most points under fourth-year coach Fred Hoiberg.