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Crop conditions continue to deteriorate in drought

Ag/Outdoor, News

September 12th, 2023 by Jim Field

The heat and drought have continued to cause Iowa crops to deteriorate. The U-S-D-A crop report out Monday shows the corn condition declined by three percentage points in the last week where 46 percent is rated in good to excellent condition. Soybeans took a bigger hit, dropping five percentage points to average 44 percent in good to excellent condition. Dolph Ivener found issues in his cornfield in western Iowa that started with brown leaves.

Ivener estimates big swings in yields from 200 bushels per acre on his farms with heavier rainfall to around 40 in spots stifled by a third year of drought.

The crop report shows that 38 percent of the corn crop has reached maturity, which is one week ahead of last year and six days ahead of normal.

ISU expert helps Ukrainian farmers learn to raise hogs

Ag/Outdoor, News

September 12th, 2023 by Jim Field

Farmers in Ukraine are now raising hogs thanks to a little help from Iowa State University. Justin Brown, an I-S-U professor of veterinary diagnostic and production animal medicine, is leading a series of webinars just for Ukrainian farmers. Due to the prolonged war with Russia, Brown says corn producers in Ukraine aren’t able to export much, if any, of their grain.

Brown says the response to the I-S-U webinars has been very good. He presents them early in the morning and they air in Ukraine around the lunch hour.

Brown prepares his presentation slides in English and sends them to the president of the Association of Ukrainian Pig Breeders, who translates them into Ukrainian, while the lectures themselves are dubbed in that language for the Ukranian farmers.

Those questions are translated live, along with his answers. The last of the webinars will be presented this month.

Skyscan Forecast for Tuesday, September 12, 2023

Ag/Outdoor, Weather

September 12th, 2023 by Jim Field

Today:  Sunny with a high near 75.  Calm wind becoming west northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight:  Mostly clear with a low around 47.  Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
Wednesday:  Sunny with a high near 76.  Light and variable wind.
Thursday:  Sunny with a high near 77.  South wind 5 to 10 mph.
Friday:  A chance of showers in the afternoon.  Partly sunny with a high near 78.
Saturday:  Mostly sunny with a high near 74.

Six charged in Montgomery County drug investigations

News

September 12th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department reports that over the last several months, Deputies conducted multiple investigations with regard to the distribution of methamphetamine. Six search warrants were executed between Sept. 5th and 7th, resulting in the seizure of a large amount of meth and cash. Six suspects face numerous felony charges.

On Sept. 5th, 26 year-old Destiny Anderson was arrested at 107 East Elm Street in Red Oak on three total counts of delivery of meth and unauthorized use of a credit card. And, 60-year-old Bruce Fitzwater was arrested at 121 West 3rd Street in Villisca on three total counts of meth delivery, and one count of possession of meth with intent to deliver. Both suspects are in custody on $100,000 bond.

32-year-old Dustin Hunake was arrested Sept. 6th, in Red Oak, on one count each of delivery of marijuana and delivery of a schedule 2 prescription drug. His bond was set at $100,000, also.

Three suspects were Sept. 7th: 59-year-old Dale Sawtelle was arrested at 106 West Walnut in Red Oak on three counts of meth delivery and one count of possession of meth with intent to deliver. Bond was set at $25,000; 62-year-old Ronald Dean Kammerer, Jr., was arrested on single counts of meth delivery and possession with intent to deliver meth. Bond was set at $75,000. Other felony drug charges are pending; And, 53-year-old Fred Welch, IV, was arrested at 1507 North 1st Street in Red Oak, on three counts of meth and one count of meth possession. Bond was set at $25,000.

Skyscan Forecast for Atlantic & the Nishna Valley: Tue., Sept. 12, 2023

Weather

September 12th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

Today: Sunny, with a high near 75. Calm wind becoming west northwest around 6 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 47. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.
Tomorrow: Sunny, with a high near 76. Light and variable wind becoming southwest around 6 mph in the morning.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 77.
Friday: A 30 percent chance of showers after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 78.

2024 Iowa GOP Caucuses likely to keep same-day voter registration policy

News

September 12th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The state law Governor Reynolds signed June 1st would let Republicans set new voter registration rules for the Iowa Caucuses — but Iowa G-O-P chairman Jeff Kaufmann says requiring Caucus-goers to have registered as a Republican voter weeks in advance is unlikely.

Kaufmann’s son, State Representative Bobby Kaufmann, is a senior advisor on Trump’s campaign and was lead sponsor of the bill that originally suggested Caucus-goers would have to be registered as a Republican — or a Democrat — at least 70 days before Caucus Night. That provision was removed before the bill became law. The Iowa G-O-P chairman says the party’s state central committee is discussing other ways to ensure the integrity of the Caucuses.

On Caucus Night in 2016, 21-thousand Democrats and independent voters switched their voter registrations to Republican that evening. Entrance polls suggested Trump won nearly a third of Caucus-goers who registered as Republicans that night. Kaufmann says there would be push back from caucus-goers if same-day registration wasn’t allowed — and some campaigns have already begun planning for it.

Kaufmann made his comments during an appearance on “Iowa Press” on Iowa P-B-S.

JANEILLE KENWORTHY, 79, of Atlantic (Celebration of Life 9/22/23)

Obituaries

September 12th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

JANEILLE KENWORTHY, 79, of Atlantic, died Monday, September 11, 2023, at Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs.  A Celebration of Life Memorial Service for JANEILLE KENWORTHY will be held 11-a.m. Friday, Sept. 22nd, at Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic.

Open visitation, the family will not be present at a specific time, will be held from 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Thursday, September 21st at Roland Funeral Home in Atlantic. 

Burial will be in the Atlantic Cemetery.

Memorials are suggested to the Atlantic Public Library, 507 Poplar Street, Atlantic, Iowa 50022.

Condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.

JANEILLE KENWORTHY is survived by:

Son: Brian (Josue Flores) Kenworthy

Sisters: Jacqueline (Larry) Pringle, Jolene (Robert) Corey and Judy (Robert) King.

Atlantic XC Claimed Third and Fourth at Mike Carr Invitational

Sports

September 11th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

(Ballard) — The Atlantic Trojans Boy’s Cross Country Team finished fourth in the Class B Field at the 43rd Annual Mike Carr Invitational Cross Country Meet hosted by Ballard on Monday. Alex Sonntag was the top runner for the Trojan Boys in 19th place, Devon Fields was 20th, Bennett Whetstone 25th, Tyrell Williams 27th, Braden Spurr 30th, and Luke Irlmeier at 36th.

For the Trojans Girl’s team they finished third. Claire Pellett ran well and had a second-place finish, Belle Berg finished ninth, Katrina Williams finished 19th, Makenna Schroeder, 27th, and Faith Altman, 35th.

Team Standings (Boys): 

  1. Des Moines Christian
  2. Solon
  3. Nevada
  4. Atlantic
  5. Madrid

Individual Results (Boys):

  1. Brick Kabela, Solon
  2. Caleb Ten Pas, Des Moines Christian
  3. Carter Holland, Nevada
  4. Collin Houg, Des Moines Christian
  5. Clay Warson, Madrid

Team Standings (Girls): 

  1. Solon
  2. Des Moines Christian
  3. Atlantic
  4. Madrid
  5. Roland Story

Individual Standings (Girls): 

  1. Eva Fleshner, Woodward Granger
  2. Claire Pellett, Atlantic
  3. Madelyn Grothus, Madrid
  4. Katelyn Brandhorst, Madrid
  5. Meryl Casady, Des Moines Christian

Work release escape of William Slack

News

September 11th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

BURLINGTON, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Corrections reports 29-year-old William Thomas Slack, convicted of Sexual Abuse 3rd Degree in Van Buren County, failed to report back to the Burlington Residential Correctional Facility as required Saturday evening.

Slack is a white male, height 5’11”, and weighs 179 pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on August 1, 2023.

Persons with information on Slack’s whereabouts should contact local police.

William Thomas Slack (IDOC photo)

Council Bluffs Police investigate juvenile’s drowning at a closed pool

News

September 11th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – An employee of Pirate Cove Water Park in Council Bluffs, early Monday morning, discovered the body of a person in the pool. Authorities says police and rescue personnel were called to the park at 915 N. 21st Street, a little after 7-a.m. a for a report of a man down. Responding personnel located a deceased 12-year-old male in the  deep end of the pool, which was closed for the season and not open to the public this past weekend.

Investigators believe that the victim jumped the fence and gained access to the pool. It is believed that the victim entered the deep end of the pool and accidentally drowned. The boy’s family was notified. The police department will not be releasing the name of the victim at the family’s request.

The victim recently began attending Wilson Jr. High School in Council Bluffs.