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NE Iowa man on mission to create “perfect pig”

Ag/Outdoor

March 29th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

An Iowan is gaining national attention for his effort to create the “best tasting pig in the world.” Carl Blake launched the experiment in 2007 and now operates a 15-acre homestead, called Rustik Rooster Farm, in rural Frederika – northeast of Waterloo. Earlier this week, Blake joined Stephen Colbert as a guest on the Colbert Report on Comedy Central.

Carl Blake on Colbert (Courtesy Rustik Rooster Farm)

Blake discussed what he calls the Iowa Swabian Hall, a breed of pig that has been winning culinary contests across the country. The formula for Blake’s succulent swine was derived from crossbreeding first conducted by King Wilhelm in Germany in the 1820s. He created the Swabian Hall by breeding Meishan Swine from China with Russian Wild Board.

Blake said he bought purebred Meishan pigs from Iowa State University and was also able to obtain Russian Wild Boar, as well. The combination is a “nearly perfect balance of not too fat and not too lean,” according to Blake. He took two piglets to New York for the appearance on the Colbert Report. The animals squealed and the crowd laughed as Blake told Colbert the piglets’ names – Hamlet and Little Smokey.

This wasn’t Blake’s television debut. He also recently appeared on Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre Foods program on the Food Channel. And the New York Times featured an article about Blake just over a month ago.

(Radio Iowa)

Posted in Ag/Outdoor |

Atlantic Parks & Rec Board approves Office & Maintenance bldg bid

News

March 29th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Board of Directors, Thursday, approved a bid from a local contractor for the construction of the department’s new office and maintenance building at Sunnyside Park. Tim Teig, from Snyder and Associates Engineers in Atlantic, said two of the three base bids they received and reviewed earlier that afternoon, were within $4,000 of each other, while the third was about $40,000 higher than the lowest bid. All of the bids were higher than the engineer’s estimated base bid of $221,500, and all included alternate additions that could be tacked-on to the base bid. Both Teig, and Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring recommended the Board approve the base bid of $244,762. Herring said Iron Specialties, of Atlantic, was the low bidder. Following the bid letting, Herring and Teig sat down with City Administrator Doug Harris, and determined it was within the budget to accept the base bid and alternate additions 1 and 2.”

The additions, which add nearly $46,000 to the base bid,  include the finishing of the exterior and an entrance canopy, which are the two highest priorities. Herring said the idea to have the exterior finished instead of just having a plain metal shell, was so that the building would fit in with the park environment, and not be an eyesore from the road.

The Parks and Rec Board agreed, and requested Teig and Herring look into adding one garage door opener to supplement the otherwise manually operated doors for the building. That matter will be discussed with the contractor when the contract is awarded. The City Council has the final say on whether the recommended bid will be awarded, during their regularly scheduled meeting on April 3rd. The other two bids for the project came from Henningsen Construction, of Atlantic, and Jensen Builders, in Ft. Dodge.

In other business, Herring said the Sunnyside tennis court reconstruction project will likely be finished ahead of schedule. He said it was originally thought the project wouldn’t be finished until August 31st. Now it appears that, weather permitting, it should be done by the end of July. That means, according to Herring, that a Youth Tennis Tournament may be possible at the end of Summer, as well as a Fall Adult Co-ed Tennis League, along with a grand opening and US Tennis Association presentation.

Posted in News |

(Podcast) Skyscan Forecast: Fri., March 29th 2013

Podcasts, Weather

March 29th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

The Freese-Notis weather forecast for Atlantic, & the KJAN listening area, and weather data for Atlantic….

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Posted in Podcasts, Weather |

Confiscated dogs won’t being going home

News

March 29th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

A judge in Pottawattamie County issued a ruling Thursday on the disposition of nearly two-dozen dogs seized from a home in Neola. According to the Daily NonPareil, Fourth District Court Judge James Heckerman ruled that 17 shih tzus and one cavalier King Charles spaniel will not be given back to Troy C. Dargin, or his mother, Cathy Eckmann, and her husband, Dennis, whose home the dogs were confiscated from on March 13th, by Pottawattamie County Animal Control. Another dog will be returned to its owner in Kansas City, Mo.

Two of the owners said health issues in the family resulted in the dogs not being cared for after March 1st.  County Animal Control Director Corbin Ranslem said  the dogs were found in cages in a garage at the Eckmann residence. Some of the small enclosers held two and three animals. Most of the food and water dishes in the kennels were empty at the time of the seizure. A majority of the animals were in “unkept condition,” one had a severe skin condition, another a heart murmur, four had umbilical hernias and five suffered from dental disease. Eight of the dogs were deemed to be in normal physical condition.

The dogs’ fate has not yet been determined. The Eckmanns and Troy Dargin still face criminal charges in the incident.  The three were each arrested on 37 misdemeanor charges, including 19 counts of animal neglect, nine counts of unlicensed operation of a commercial breeder and nine counts of violation of standard care. No court date has been set in the criminal matter.

Posted in News |

Chiefs add Childress to coaching staff

Sports

March 29th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have hired former Vikings coach Brad Childress, reuniting him with Andy Reid. Childress, who spent last season as the offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns, will be the Chiefs’ spread game analyst and work on special projects. He spent five years as the Minnesota head coach (2006-10), a stint that included two division titles (2008-09). The team was 12-4 in 2009.

Childress previously spent seven seasons (1999-2005) with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he worked with Reid, the new Chiefs head coach. Childress coached the quarterbacks for the first three years and spent the final four as offensive coordinator. The hire was announced Thursday.

Posted in Sports |

NWS Forecast for the KJAN listening area: Fri., March 29th 2013

Weather

March 29th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Today: Sunny, with a high near 63. Light east wind becoming southeast 6 to 11 mph in the morning.
Tonight: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 4am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 43. South southeast wind 7 to 11 mph. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7am, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 7am and 1pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 62. South wind 7 to 11 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. Northwest wind 6 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

Sunday: Isolated showers after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 59. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Sunday Night: A chance of rain before 10pm, then a chance of rain and snow between 10pm and 1am, then a chance of snow after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 26. Blustery. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 38.

Posted in Weather |

Hoiberg, Cyclones agree on new 10-year deal

Sports

March 29th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State basketball coach Fred Hoiberg has agreed to a new 10-year, $20 million deal with the Cyclones that will run through 2023. Hoiberg, who just completed his third season with the Cyclones, finalized the contract with Iowa State President Steven Leath and athletic director Jamie Pollard on Thursday night.

Hoiberg, a former star player at Iowa State, has led ISU to back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances for the first time in 12 years. The deal is nearly identical to the one that Pollard and football coach Paul Rhoads agreed to before last season.

Posted in Sports |

Iowa early News Headlines: Fri., March 29th 2013

News

March 29th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Governor Terry Branstad’s administration has agreed to stop allowing workers in state employee unions to voluntarily contribute to their health insurance costs. The Des Moines Register reported yesterday that Branstad halted the option in exchange for unions dropping a complaint about the voluntary plan filed with the Public Employment Relations Board.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Conservative state lawmakers have threatened to withhold state funding for an Iowa community college if the school spends tax dollars on a conference for gay youths. Sixteen Republican lawmakers released a statement yesterday threatening to vote down funding for the Des Moines Area Community College, which sponsors the Iowa Governor’s Conference on LGBTQ Youth. The conference is set for April 3rd at Prairie Meadows in Altoona.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Two Iowa men have pleaded guilty and face up to 40 years in prison for conspiring to rob a store in northeast Nebraska. Federal prosecutors say 20-year-old Terrence Miles of Sioux City and 19-year-old Austin Peters of Nemaha made their pleas on Tuesday in federal court in Sioux City. Peters also is known as Austin Stadler.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State basketball coach Fred Hoiberg has agreed to a new 10-year, $20 million deal with the Cyclones that will run through 2023. Hoiberg, who just completed his third season with the Cyclones, finalized the contract with Iowa State President Steven Leath and athletic director Jamie Pollard last night.

Posted in News |

THURSDAY, MARCH 28th

Trading Post

March 28th, 2013 by admin

FOR SALE: A 2009 Fred Bear lights out bow, bought in 2009 but like new. Comes with 5 arrows with a 3-arrow hunting quiver. 70 pound bow but set at 65 pounds, the bow lets off 80% at full draw. It has a whisker bisket for the arrow rests. Sights and release do not come with it but I will consider letting the case go as well. Asking $550 OBO. Located in Atlantic, please call or text 612-719-1987.

Posted in Trading Post |

Cardinals’ Lynn delivers his best start of spring

Sports

March 28th, 2013 by Ric Hanson

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Lance Lynn delivered what was easily his best outing of spring training and three relievers made a first-inning run stand up for the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1-0 victory over the Miami Marlins on Thursday. Lynn allowed only two hits in six innings while striking out five. He retired the final 14 batters he faced. Edward Mujica, Trevor Rosenthal and Mitchell Boggs combined to allow only one hit over the final three innings to seal the victory and ensure that the Cardinals (16-14), who have one Grapefruit League game remaining, will finish with a winning record. Matt Holliday had an RBI single off Justin Nicolino for the game’s only run.

Before the game, Miami president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest said center fielder Gorkys Hernandez had not made the club and that reliever Wilson Valdez had been sent to Triple-A New Orleans.

Posted in Sports |