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No lions or tigers but yes, that’s a black bear in eastern Iowa. Oh, my!

News

June 15th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A large black bear is being spotted lumbering through fields in eastern Iowa. Multiple still and video posts on Facebook show the big adult bear ambling through a green cover crop near the Clinton County town of Welton on Sunday.

Nan Holst (photo) via Radio Iowa

At least a dozen people are also seen along the fence rows, hopping out of their pickups to gawk and shoot their own photos. Late last week, what appears to be the same bear was seen to the north in Jackson County near Maquoketa and Preston.

Iowa does not have a breeding population of black bears, but Wisconsin, Minnesota and Missouri do. Iowa DNR officials say if you spot a bear, keep your distance and don’t approach it, as it’s likely just passing through.

Posted in News |

Quad Cities Deere plant makes thousands of face shields for VA workers

Ag/Outdoor, News

June 15th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — Health care workers at dozens of Veterans Affairs facilities nationwide are being provided with protective face shields made at a John Deere plant in the Quad Cities. In April, the seeding factory in Moline, Illinois, switched from making farm equipment to P-P-E. Project leader David Ottavianelli says more than 400-thousand shields were produced and a quarter of them were sent to those who care for veterans.

Ottavianelli says, “That led to us eventually delivering over a 135,000 shields to approximately 40 different VA facilities in about 26 states.” Although production on the face shields has wrapped up, Ottavianelli says they can easily switch back if COVID-19 begins to surge again. “We’ve learned a lot in this conversion so we actually have the facilities that if needed could be converted back over to produce this plus we also understand those supplies chains so we’ll be able to get that material quickly,” he says.

Ottavianelli says the additional shields that were not distributed to V-A facilities have been sent to Homeland Security facilities in Iowa and Illinois to be part of their inventory.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

So far, so good for Iowa’s corn and soybean crops

Ag/Outdoor, News

June 15th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — With virtually all of the state’s corn and soybean crops planted, most of them well ahead of schedule, farmers across the region are reporting the plants look to be emerging in very good shape. Kelvin Leibold is a farm management specialist with the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in north-central Iowa.

“We started off this spring with a very favorable planting season, for the most part, and that helped us out,” Leibold says. “We ended up with a bit more rain than we wanted and we saw the corn plants struggle a bit to go from the primary root system to the main root system, but now we’ve got enough heat and we seemed to pop through that.” Some areas of the state have water standing in the fields, though Leibold says he’s crossing his fingers that the weather will cooperate.

“We do have some areas around that have standing water in the potholes because we’ve had some pretty significant rainfall events,” Leibold says. “But we’re going to go into the hotter, warmer, drier part of the year with a good soil profile and that should help us sustain yields as we move forward.” Leibold says many growers are looking forward to the opportunity for record yields this fall.

“Hopefully, we can avoid serious events like hail storms, although we’ve had a couple of issues with that already this year,” Leibold says. “That’s always a concern as we get through the season, but none the less, there is optimism for some outstanding yields as we go forward here the rest of the summer.” While some fields are wet, it’s a far cry from 2019 when prolonged flooding forced a number of Iowa producers to abandon their acres for the entire growing season.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

Pott. County COVID-19: 11th death reported

News

June 15th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Officials with Pottawattamie County Public Health (PCPH), Monday afternoon, reported an 11th COVID-19 related death. The case was a woman age 81 or older, from Council Bluffs. In addition, PCPCH said there were 30 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, June 13th, 11 new cases on Sunday, June 14th, and Four new cases on Monday, June 15th. Of the newly reported cases, one is from each Carson, Carter Lake, and Crescent, and the rest are from Council Bluffs.

Three of the cases were epi-linked, while the others were tested between June 1st and the 13th. According to the State Coronavirus dashboard, as of Monday, 6,448 Pottawattamie County residents had been tested for COVID-19, with 510 (7.9%) testing positive. Including epi-linked cases, PCPH accounts for a total of 568 COVID-19 cases.

As of Monday, 291 persons had recovered from the virus, 237 were self-isolating, and seven were hospitalized. Based on PCPH tracing investigations, 150 cases are the result of community spread. The demographics of persons who have tested positive are as follows:

  • 286 are men
  • 282 are women
  • 41 are under 17 or younger
  • 255 are age 18-to 40.
  • 176 are age 41-to 60.
  • 83 are persons 61-to-80
  • 13 are those age 81 or older.

Posted in News |

2 new cases of COVID-19 in Mills County

News

June 15th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Mills County Public Health Officials on Monday, confirmed two new cases of COVID-19. One cases is person age 18-to-40. The other is a person 41-to 60-years of age. Both cases were contracted through community spread.

The latest data brings to 24 the number of positive COVID-19 cases in Mills County, with 21 of those persons having recovered from the virus. Officials say 1,596 people have been tested for the virus in Mills County.

Posted in News |

ROSE ANN LARSEN POLDBERG, 90, of Kimballton (6-18-2020)

Obituaries

June 15th, 2020 by Jim Field

ROSE ANN LARSEN POLDBERG, 90, of Kimballton died Sunday, June 14th at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan.  A Celebration of Life Memorial Graveside service for ROSE ANN LARSEN POLDBERG will be held on Thursday, June 18th at 11:00 am in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Kimballton.  Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon has the arrangements.

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Friends may call at the funeral home.

Burial in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Kimballton.

ROSE ANN LARSEN POLDBERG is survived by:

Children:  Joni (Steve) Christensen; Jordan (Pam) Larsen; Ryan (Stacie) Larsen.

Step-Daughters:  Susan Hoegh; Connie (Paul) Lykke; Anne Bendz.

Sisters:  Phylis Miller & Barbara Larsen

7 Grandchildren

9 Great-Grandchildren

Step-Grandchildren

Step-Great-Grandchildren

Other relatives and friends

Posted in Obituaries |

Mills County Sheriff’s report 06/15/2020

News

June 15th, 2020 by admin

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports five recent arrests.

On Friday, June 12th Deputies arrested 58-year-old John Mark Boyer of Faucett, MO for OWI 2nd Offense at 10:17 p.m. on 189th Street. He was taken to the Mills County Jail and held on $2,000 bond.

On Saturday, June 13th Deputies arrested 50-year-old Douglas Mark Berggren of Red Oak for Driving While Barred. He was arrested at 11:49 p.m. at 370th and Compass Avenue. He was taken to the Mills County Jail and held on $2,000 bond.

Also arrested Saturday, June 13th was 34-year-old Dane Eugene Matthew Hansen of Bellevue, NE for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was arrested at 11:55 a.m. and held in the Mills County Jail on $1,300 bond.

On Sunday, June 14th Deputies arrested 56-year-old Jeffrey Patrick Bogart of Omaha, NE on charges of Drug Possession/Delivery, Possession of Controlled Substance, Drug Tax and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was arrested at 3:28 a.m. on 189th Street. Bogart was booked into the Mills County Jail on $31,300 bond.

Also arrested Sunday at 1:19 p.m. was 19-year-old Nathan Edward Lee Richardson of Malvern for Driving While Revoked. He was arrested at the intersection of 300th Street and Paddock Avenue. Richardson was booked into the Mills County Jail on $1,000 bond.

Posted in News |

2020 Governor’s Charity Steer Show will go on in some fashion

Ag/Outdoor, News

June 15th, 2020 by admin

Plans are underway for the 38th Annual Governor’s Charity Steer Show (GCSS) to be held on August 15, 2020.

The event, which raises money for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa, would typically be held at the Iowa State Fair. However, with the postponement of the 2020 fair, show organizers are actively making adjustments to plans.

“The Governor’s Charity Steer Show is a long-standing tradition and benefits a very good cause,” says Tanner Lawton, Iowa Cattlemen’s Association staff member and co-chair of this year’s GCSS. “We’ve known for the past few weeks that the show and auction probably wouldn’t be the same as it has been in years past, but our priority is making sure that we have a successful fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House Charities in Iowa.”

This historic philanthropic event has raised over $3.8 million to help provide a home away from home for families of children who are being treated in nearby hospitals. Ronald McDonald Houses are located in Des Moines, Iowa City, and Sioux City. The location for this year’s show is yet to be determined, but we should have more information in the coming weeks.

Twenty-five steers from across the state will compete for the championship designation, showmanship honors, and the People’s Choice award. Each of the steers has been raised by an Iowa youth involved in the cattle industry, and celebrities will accompany the young steer owners.

Immediately following the competition, the steers will be sold at auction with proceeds going to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa. Last year’s auction raised more than $284,000.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

Iowa COVID-19 daily update: Monday 06/15/2020

News

June 15th, 2020 by admin

(Updated 1:00 p.m.) The Iowa Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 dashboard today (Monday), shows no new deaths since Sunday, for a total of 650 deaths to date. There are 86 new positive cases, for a total of 24,047. The IDPH says an additional 108 people have recovered, for a total of 14,543, and 203,476 people have tested Negative. A total of 227,523 test results have been completed by the State Hygienic Lab and other labs.

RMCC data show 197 Iowans are hospitalized with COVID-19, that’s 6 less than Sunday. Of those, six less people are in an ICU (71 total), and 51 are on ventilators (4 more than Sunday). In addition, 19 people were admitted to a hospital for treatment of COVID-19, eight less than Sunday. In RMCC Region 4 (southwest/western IA), there were only slight changes in the stats from Sunday: Nine were hospitalized (1 more than Sunday), five were in an ICU (no change from Sunday). There were two new COVID-19 related hospital admissions, and no change in the number of patients on ventilators (2).

Long-Term Care (LTC) facility outbreaks are at 36. The number of LTC staff/patient testing positive for COVID-19 is at 1,323, Recoveries amount to 785. Unfortunately, the number of LTC facility-related deaths is up 2, to 341.

Here’s the latest county-by-county breakdown (for those with changes), with the number of positive cases, and (The number recovered):

  • Cass: 14 (14)
  • Adams: 7 (5)
  • Guthrie: 59 (42)
  • Pottawattamie: 510 (284)
  • Shelby: 49 (36)

Note: Unless there is a significant increase in the positive test results and/or deaths from COVID-19, KJAN will provide daily updates for the 24-hour period at around 6-a.m. each day

Posted in News |

Doyle out as Strength Coach at Iowa

Sports

June 15th, 2020 by admin

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa has reached a separation agreement with Executive Director of Football and Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Chris Doyle, effective June 15, 2020.

 In addition, the University of Iowa Office of General Counsel has engaged the Kansas City law firm of Husch Blackwell to conduct an independent review of issues and allegations relating to racial disparities within the football program.

As previously announced, Raimond Braithwaite will continue as interim director of the football strength and conditioning program.

Athletics Director Gary Barta was set to meet with the media at a press conference at 1:00 p.m. today. The agreement calls for Doyle to receive fifteen months of base salary (Approximately 1.1 million) in two installments in August 2020 and January 2021. Doyle will also receive health and dental benefits for a 15 month time frame or until he obtains those benefits elsewhere.

Gary Barta Statement

The University of Iowa has reached a separation agreement with Executive Director of Football and Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Chris Doyle. We wish Chris the best moving forward in his career.

Chris Doyle Statement

Iowa City has been home to our family for 21 years. I am grateful Iowa football provided an opportunity to work with incredible players, coaches, and support staff.  I have worked diligently to make a positive impact on the lives of student-athletes, support them as they speak out, and look forward to continued growth. I am confident that my record and character will be confirmed in the course of the independent review. The University and I have reached an agreement and it is time to move on from Iowa football. My family and I are looking forward to the next chapter.

In cooperation with the independent review, Iowa will refrain from comment on this matter during the review process.

Posted in Sports |