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The future isn’t bright for Iowa’s last flock of prairie chickens

Ag/Outdoor, News

April 10th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s lone prairie chicken population appears to be struggling to sustain itself. The Iowa D-N-R and Missouri officials brought in about 500 birds from Nebraska between 2011 and 2015 to bolster a small, existing flock. The chickens were released in the Kellerton Grasslands Conservation Area in Ringgold County and a nearby natural area in Missouri. Iowa D-N-R biologist Chad Paup says there are now fewer than 50 birds in the area. “We cannot really put our finger on it,” Paup says. “Do we still not quite have the habitat they need? Do we not have the size that they need? Do we not have the large enough expanse of grasslands that they really need?”

Kellerton is a roughly four-thousand acre grassland area, and Paup says the birds might need a larger, contiguous area to sustain a bigger flock. Paup says the species’ future in Iowa doesn’t look bright. “There’s not going to be a lot of support, quite frankly, for going out and spending tens of thousands of dollars to transport more chickens back here,” Paup says.

When European settlers first arrived in Iowa, the prairie chicken was everywhere, and unlike almost every other wild creature, its numbers increased during the early years of the settlement movement. After a few decades though, they were overharvested by the millions for meat and nearly wiped out. Paup made his comments on IPR’s Talk of Iowa program.

(reporting by Michael Leland, Iowa Public Radio)

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

WEEK OF APRIL 10, 2023

Trading Post

April 10th, 2023 by Jim Field

FOR SALE: Antique spring wagon seat. Made of Oak and has been refinished and varnished. Call for more information and price at 641-745-7548. Located in Greenfield

FOR SALE:  Yamasa Slot Machine for Sale.  Instructions inside.  Works fine.  Does not take coins.  Comes with keys and lots of tokens.  $300.00.  Call 712-249-5206.  SOLD!

FOR SALE:  Trailer, KNOP, black in color, approx. 5 x 8, wooden floor, tailgate that raises and lowers, perfect for moving brush and/or golf carts or mowers or moving to a different home. It has always been kept inside and is in excellent condition. $1,000 or best offer.  Call 712-249-1994 and leave a message if no answer.

WANTED:  a small forklift.  Call 712-355-1566.

FOR SALE:  New Holland skid loader, 55 HP, turbo diesel, super boom, asking $16,000.  Also, a CAN-AM motorcycle with only 900 miles for $11,000.  Call 712-355-1566 in Council Bluffs.

FOR SALE: Gravely zero turn home/commercial mower with owner’s manual. Has new solenoid and switch. Runs great! Very well taken care of. Has 635.1 hrs on it (over 1500 hrs is high for a zero turn) 45 in deck. Husband passed away and I don’t like using the zero turn. Asking $2,200.  Bought at Ed’s Lawn Equipment in Atlantic in 2020…used only 1 1/2 seasons. Call 515-523-1350. Located in Stuart.

FREE: 3 wood fence panels. Cleaning up the yard and just want them gone. Call 712-789-9385. GONE!

FOR SALE: One ton folding shop crane…new in box. Never used. Asking $250. Call Jim at 712-250-1769.

FOR SALE: A small couch for $25 and a recliner for $5. Call 712-249-3282.

WANTED:  Looking for yards to mow in Atlantic. Please call or text Travis (712)249-2941. NO MORE OPENINGS
WANTED:  Canning jars.  Call 712-363-4286.

FOR SALE:  Approximately 15 rhubarb plants. Asking $3 each. Also have Peony bushes for sale. Asking $10 obo. Call 712-249-5160.

WANTED:  Local family needs helping moving ASAP.  Any help would be very greatly appreciated! Call 712-249-5160.

WANTED: Small cart or wagon to pull behind a 4-wheel scooter. Call 712-243-4016.

FOR SALE: Side by side refrigerator, light yellow color. Clean and works great. Asking $75.00. Call 712-249-6880.

FOR SALE:  Elliptical machine and a Treadmill…bought new in 2016, barely used. Also 2 ten speed bikes and a snow plow for a riding mower. Call for pricing and questions…712-250-1255.

WANTED:  a weed sprayer.  Also, looking for a forklift and a 4 X 4 ATV.  Class 712-355-1566.

FOR SALE: 2 row John Deere planter. Perfect for planting sweet corn. Price reduced to $360 obo. 4- 20 ft 6×6 cedar wood beams. Cost $360 new…asking $1500 for all 4. All shapes and sizes of Clip Stone for support walls, asking 50 cents and up. 712-355-1566.

TRADE:  A CAN-AM with 900 miles, willing to trade for an ATV 4 x 4.  Call 712-355-1566.

FOR SALE:  A portable cement cutter (with $140 blade) for $150.  Also, large, galvanized creep feeder with 8 bays for $650.  Call 712-355-1566.

FOR SALE: 3 tall, wooden bookshelves. $30 each. Call 712-789-9385.

FOR SALE: A large load of split wood ready for camp fire use. Will deliver. To find out more, call 712-363-4286.

FOR SALE: 2004 FORD Freestyle van (silver). Low miles. Asking $3,500. Call 712-243-6253.

WANTED:  Looking for parts for a John Deere 2 bottom plow, call 712-304-4851.

Posted in Trading Post |

Creston Police: 2 arrests and a damage report

News

April 10th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports two recent arrests. Saturday afternoon, 23-year-old Garrett Breann Abel, of Creston, was arrested at her home on an Animal At Large charge. Abel was cited and released at the scene. And, at around 5:47-p.m. Friday, 28-year-old Patrick Riley Iiams, of Creston, was arrested at the intersection of Commerce and Adams. Iiams was charged with Driving while Suspended and OWI 1st Offense.He was transported to the Union County Jail and later released on bond.

Creston Police said also, a man residing at 1501 W. Townline reported late Thursday morning, that someone damaged his clothes and electronic equipment in his dorm room. The loss was estimated at $1,500.

Posted in News |

IHSSCA Boys Soccer Rankings 04/09/2023

Sports

April 10th, 2023 by admin

Iowa High School Soccer Coaches Association
Boys Soccer Rankings
04/09/2023

Class 1A

1. Treynor
2. West Central Valley
3. Hudson
4. Gladbrook-Reinbeck
5. Western Christian
6. Unity Christian
7. AHSTW
8. Beckman Catholic
9. Hillcrest Academy
10. Tri-Center
11. West Branch
12. West Liberty
13. Pella Christian
14. Iowa City Regina
15. Riverside
16. DM Christian

Class 2A

1. Gilbert
2. Assumption
3. Bishop Heelan
4. Nevada
5. Knoxville
6. Center Point-Urbana
7. Harlan 
8. Greene County
9. Chariton
10. Grinnell
11. Hampton-Dumont-CAL
12. Aplington-Parkersbrug
13. Glenwood
14. Williamsburg
15. Perry
16. Independence

Class 3A

1. DM Hoover
2. ADM
3. Fort Madison
4. Humboldt
5. Dallas Center-Grimes
6. LeMars
7. Newton
8. Washington
9. Webster City
10. Marion
11. Storm Lake
12. Urbandale
13. Fairfield
14. Carlisle
15. Spencer
16. Mount Vernon

Class 4A

1. Dowling Catholic
2. CR Kennedy
3. Dubuque Senior
4. Ankeny Centennial
5. Muscatine
6. Valley
7. Pleasant Valley
8. Bettendorf
9. SC North
10. DM Roosevelt
11. Linn-Mar
12. Johnston
13. Ottumwa
14. DM East
15. CR Prairie
16. SE Polk

Posted in Sports |

Special meeting of the Shelby County Supervisors set for Tuesday

News

April 10th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Harlan, Iowa) – A Special Meeting of the Shelby County Board of Supervisors will take place 9-a.m. Tuesday (April 11), in the Supervisor’s Board Room at the Courthouse in Harlan. On their agenda is “Consideration of changing [the] effective date of the 28E Law Enforcement Agreement, to April 15, 2023.”

There will also be information with regard to a Secondary Roads Amendment, and related discussion.

Posted in News |

BEVERLY HARTRANFT, 90, of Omaha (formerly of Elk Horn, IA) – Svcs. 4/12/23

Obituaries

April 10th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

BEVERLY HARTRANFT, 90, of Omaha (formerly of Elk Horn, IA), died Friday, April 7, 2023, at Astoria Senior Living, in Omaha. Funeral services for BEVERLY HARTRANFT will be at 11 AM on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, at Elk Horn Lutheran Church (Elk Horn, IA). Ohde Funeral Home has the arrangements.

Visitation at the Elk Horn Lutheran Church is from 10-until 11-a.m., Wednesday.

Burial is in the Elk Horn Lutheran Cemetery.

BEVERLY HARTRANFT is survived by:

Her son – Steven Logelin, of Omaha

Her daughter – Christine Beavers, of Omaha.

Numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.

Posted in Obituaries |

Cass County Supervisors to hold a Public Hearing on proposed Maximum Tax Levy

News

April 10th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors will hold their regular weekly meeting beginning at 9-a.m., Tuesday (April 11). The meeting is held in the Supervisor’s Board Room in the Cass County Courthouse. Here are the action and/or discussion items on their agenda:

1. Call to order
2. Approve Agenda
3. Approve minutes from the April 4, 2023 meeting
4. Public Comments
5. Declare April as Child Abuse Awareness month as encouraged by the Cass County Child Abuse Prevention Council
6. Proclamation of National Public Safety Telecommunications Week April 9 through 15, 2023
7. Update from Griswold housing development nonprofit organization on infrastructure and stormwater management projects and request for ARPA funds
8. Public Hearing on Proposed Maximum Property Tax Levy
9. Approve Resolution 2023-09 Setting Maximum Property Tax Dollars for Fiscal Year 2024
10. Set date of public hearing on proposed Fiscal Year 2024 budget for Tuesday, April 25, 2023
11. Discuss/Approve Resolution 2023-10 Amending Cass County’s Official Publication to Atlantic News Telegraph and use Anita Tribune and Griswold American as Information Sources for Constituents
12. Discuss/Approve Resolution 2023-11 to Support the Present Local Option Sales and Service Tax
13. Quarterly Report from Micah Lee, Cass County Conservation
14. Report from County Engineer, Trent Wolken
15. Appointments:
• Southwest Iowa Housing – Norma Hemphill

Posted in News |

Montgomery County Board of Supervisors meeting agenda

News

April 10th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors will meet in a regular session beginning at 8:30-a.m. Tuesday (April 11), in their Courthouse Meeting Room. Here’s a look at their agenda, under New Business:

a. Approve Engineer Contract
b. Approve Sheriff’s Report of Fees in the amount of $5,161.34 for the month of March
a. Approve Recorder’s Report of Fees in the amount of $21,550.34 for the month of March
b. Approve claims payable for Wednesday, April 12, 2023
c. Approve Amendment to Class F Retail Alcohol License (LF) License # LF0000308 for the Red Oak Country Club
d. Approve Agreement for Assignment of Montgomery County Tax Sale Certificate No. 2021-00279 parcel 641227251014000 to Apple Grove Investments, Inc

*Please note, this is a public meeting; however, it may be conducted via ZOOM
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86185141628
Meeting ID: 861 8514 1628
Dial by your location +1 312 626 6799 If you are calling in, Press *9 to raise your hand if you wish to speak.31

Posted in News |

Red Oak woman arrested Monday morning on a drug charge

News

April 10th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A traffic stop at around 1:30 this (Monday) morning, south of Red Oak, resulted in a woman’s arrest on a drug charge. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports 29-year-old Ashley Nicole King, of Red Oak, was arrested for Possession of Methamphetamine/1st offense – a serious misdemeanor. King was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

Posted in News |

State water situation better than fall

News, Weather

April 10th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The D-N-R expert who keeps tabs of waterflow levels in the state says March was dry, but overall we are heading into spring in good shape. Tim Hall says snow and rain have help cut down some dry areas. “It sets us in a much better position than we thought we might be coming out of last fall. Typically, we don’t see a lot of moisture in the wintertime, but we had a lot of moisture in December, January, February,” he says. “We were a little bit short for March, but it doesn’t put us in too bad of shape going into the growing season.”

Iowa’s new Drought Plan lists the state in a “Drought Watch,” which Hall says is a signal to keep a close eye on what’s happening.  “And what that really means is could have a wet April and the watch could go away and we could go back to normal,” Hall says. “We can have a dry April, and then we’d have to look at what would happen to those conditions. So it kind of puts us on the edge.” He says there are still some dry areas in the state, but things are much better thanks to those wetter months. “And what we have to watch carefully is the supply side of water. And hopefully, if we get normal to just slightly above normal rainfall in April, I think we’ll be okay,” he says. But if March was the start of a string of dry months, then we could be in a more challenging situation.”

Hall says the improvement is not a signal we have enough water not to worry about it. “There’s a difference between being smart about how we use water and sort of these extreme conservation measures. And as we’re into normal conditions across much of the state –that’s not a that’s not a call to start wasting water,” Hall says. “Be careful with what you do. And, and, you know, certainly people like their green lawns, but let’s just not get carried away. Fix your faucets that leak, fix your toilets that leak, you know, those are just generally responsible things to do with water.”

He says we should try to not waster water whether we are in a drought situation, or have normal levels.

Posted in News, Weather |