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$1.4-million available for water quality practices in Iowa

Ag/Outdoor

July 8th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey announced today (Tuesday) that $1.4 million in cost share funds are available to help farmers install new nutrient reduction practices. The practices eligible for this funding are cover crops, no-till or strip till, or using a nitrification inhibitor when applying fertilizer.

“We continue to hear from farmers interested in doing even more to limit nutrient loss and better protect water quality and these funds will help them try new voluntary science-based conservation practices on their farm,” Northey said. “We were extremely pleased by the response last year from farmers and we are excited to have funds available again this year.”

The cost share rate for farmers planting cover crops is $25 per acre and for farmers trying no-till or strip till is $10 per acre. Farmers using a nitrapyrin nitrification inhibitor when applying fall fertilizer can receive $3 per acre.

Any farmer not already utilizing these practices can apply for this assistance. Farmers are only eligible for cost share on up to 160 acres. The funds will be made available on Thursday, July 17, but farmers can immediately start submitting applications through their local Soil and Water Conservation District office.

Farmers that have already used these practices on their farm and are ineligible for this funding are still encouraged to visit their local Soil and Water Conservation District office to discuss other cost share funding that may be available.

“By allowing farmers to try new practices on a limited number of acres at a reduced cost we want to showcase the benefits of these practices and encourage farmers to incorporate them into their operation,” Northey said.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship received $4.4 million for the Iowa Water Quality Initiative in fiscal 2015. These funds will allow the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship to continue to encourage the broad adoption of water quality practices through statewide cost share assistance as well as more intensive work in targeted watersheds.

Last year in just two weeks over 1,000 farmers signed up for cost share funding to help implement new nutrient reduction practices on 100,000 acres. The state provided $2.8 million in cost share funding was available to help farmers try a water quality practice for the first time and Iowa farmers provided at least another $2.8 million to support these water quality practices.

(Press Release)

Posted in Ag/Outdoor |

Atlantic man arrested Monday

News

July 8th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Police in Atlantic report the arrest on Monday, of 40-year old Wayne Duranceau, Jr.  He was taken into custody on a charge of Simple Assault. Duranceau, Jr. was booked into the Cass County Jail.

Posted in News |

Batter Franks (7-8-14)

Mom's Tips

July 8th, 2014 by Jim Field

  • 1 cup Bisquick
  • 2 tablespoons yellow corn meal
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 lb. frankfurters (8 to 10)

Heat deep fat to 375 degrees.  Mix Bisquick, corn meal and seasonings.  Stir in egg and milk until well blended.  Dip frankfurters into batter.  Fry until brown, 2 to 3 minutes.  Push wooden skewer into end.

For an indoor picnic, include:  baked beans, vegetable relishes, bowl of fruit, chocolate chip cookies and beverages!

 

Posted in Mom's Tips |

(Podcast) 7-a.m. News & funeral report, Tue. July 8th 2014

News, Podcasts

July 8th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

Play

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.5MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Posted in News, Podcasts |

2014 IHSBCA Baseball Week 6 Rankings * Final 1-A and 2-A Rankings

Sports

July 8th, 2014 by Jim Field

Class 4-A:

  1. Dubuque Hempstead
  2. Waukee
  3. Cedar Rapids Kennedy
  4. Iowa City West
  5. DM East
  6. Urbandale
  7. Dowling Catholic
  8. Sioux City North
  9. Fort Dodge
  10. Cedar Falls

Class 3-A:

  1. Clear Lake
  2. Waverly-Shell Rock
  3. Bishop Heelan
  4. West Delaware
  5. Fairfield
  6. Harlan
  7. Assumption
  8. Centerville
  9. Perry
  10. Williamsburg

Others receiving consideration: Saydel, Winterset, Algona

Class 2-A:

  1. North Polk
  2. Van Meter
  3. Beckman, Dyersville
  4. Wilton
  5. Roland-Story
  6. St. Albert
  7. Mt. Vernon
  8. South Winneshiek
  9. Cascade
  10. Alburnett

Others receiving consideration: Monticello; New Hampton, Treynor; Clayton Ridge/Central; Regina, Iowa City

Class 1-A:

  1. Twin Cedars
  2. Mason City Newman
  3. Van Buren (Keosauqua)
  4. St. Mary’s, Remsen
  5. LeMars Gehlen
  6. Don Bosco (Gilbertville)
  7. BGM (Brooklyn)
  8. Martensdale-St. Mary’s
  9. Exira/EHK
  10. Coon Rapids-Bayard

Others receiving consideration: Janesville; Glidden-Ralston; Lawton-Bronson, Lisbon; Pleasantville; Logan-Magnolia; Underwood

Posted in Sports |

Monday Girls Softball Regular Season Results

Sports

July 8th, 2014 by Jim Field

Hawkeye 10:

  • Harlan 6, Atlantic 5 (8 innings)
  • Harlan 15, Shenandoah 1 (4 innings)
  • Creston 12, St. Albert 0 (3 innings)

Posted in Sports |

Local band members to “Let Freedom Swing” this weekend

News

July 8th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Members of the “Popcorn Button” band will once again take to the stage this weekend in Atlantic,  for a night of music and dancing. The band will host a free, public dance at the Atlantic Elks Lodge on Saturday, July 12th, beginning at 7-pm and ending at 10. Dancers and listeners of all ages and abilities are invited to attend!

Popcorn Button consists of members of various different backgrounds. Many of the members hail from the Atlantic community, including current Atlantic High School Students, AHS alumni, as well as students from Iowa State University, the University of Iowa, the University of Northern Iowa, and also musicians from the community at large.

This dance, titled “Let Freedom Swing”, is a free public event. Everyone, no matter their dancing ability, is encouraged to attend. A free will donation will be accepted at the door to help defray costs of the event. All excess money will be given back to the community in the form of donations or through the Popcorn Button Community Music Scholarship, an award given to help young musicians pay the costs involved with attending band camps, honor hands, or taking private lessons.

For more information, contact Cody Ihnen at info@popcornbutton.org.

Posted in News |

Farmers to begin mowing and haying roadsides

Ag/Outdoor, News

July 8th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Motorists are being reminded to be on the lookout for equipment that’ll be moving through Iowa’s roadside ditches soon. Bob Younie, with the Iowa Department of Transportation, says land owners and others who’ve obtained a permit are allowed to harvest hay from state highway roadsides. The annual program benefits both parties.  “It gives farmers a chance to get some hay and it also means the DOT doesn’t have to put labor into doing the mowing and cutting down tall grass,” Younie said. The mowing and haying of roadsides is not allowed to start until July 15.

Photo courtesy IA DOT

Photo courtesy IA DOT

“The reason for that is to give ground nesting birds, pheasants and so on, a little bit of maturity so they can get out of the way of mowers and haying equipment,” Younie said. There’s no cost for farmers to obtain a permit from the DOT to harvest roadside hay. The permit simply outlines where the mowing and haying is allowed and various safety requirements, such as the use of a fluorescent green vest.

Those doing any haying are also asked to move big bales as soon as possible. “We don’t want those sitting on the right-of-way for any extended period of time,” Younie said. Only one cutting in a roadside area is allowed per year. The roadside harvesting and mowing takes place each year between July 15 and September 1.

(Radio Iowa)

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

The Freese-Notis Skyscan Forecast for Atlantic & the KJAN listening area: 7/8/14

Weather

July 8th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

(correction to High) Monday’s High in Atlantic was 86. Our low this morning, 63 (as of 5:40-a.m.). We had a “trace” of rain in Atlantic Monday evening.

Today – Sunny & breezy. High 81. NW @ 15-25.
Tonight – Mostly clear. Low 54. NW-W @ 5-10.

Wednesday – Partly to Mostly Sunny. High 82. NW wind around 5 mph.
Wed. Night – Partly cloudy w/a slight chance of showers & thunderstorms. Low 63.

Thursday – Partly cloudy w/a 20% chance of showers & thunderstorms after 1pm. High near 84. S-Se wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Thu. Night – Mostly cloudy w/a 60% chance of showers & thunderstorms. Low around 68. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Friday – A 30% chance of morning showers & thunderstorms, otherwise partly sunny, with a high near 86.

Posted in Weather |

Stormy wet weather beginning to stress Iowa crops

Ag/Outdoor, News

July 8th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The trend toward strong storms and too much rain is beginning to take a toll on Iowa crops. Farmers report yellowing corn plants, a sign of too much moisture, and stress to soybean plants. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says in its weekly crop update that 76 percent of Iowa corn is in good to excellent shape, a decrease of 3 percentage points from the week before. Soybeans are blooming ahead of schedule and 73 percent of the crop is good to excellent, condition, down 2 percentage points.

Farmers struggled to get into fields again last week, the third consecutive week farmers had fewer than three days to work in the fields. This time of year weed control spraying, adding supplemental nitrogen fertilizer, and baling hay are common activities.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |