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Heartbeat Today 01-02-2014

Heartbeat Today, Podcasts

January 2nd, 2014 by admin

Jim Field speaks about New Year’s resolutions and some apps that can help you accomplish your goals.

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7AM Newscast 01-02-2014

News, Podcasts

January 2nd, 2014 by admin

w/ Ric Hanson

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Wind Chill Advisory Cancelled for far west/sw Iowa counties

Weather

January 2nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

COUNTIES: MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MONTGOMERY-PAGE-
713 AM CST THU JAN 2 2014

    …WIND CHILL ADVISORY IS CANCELLED…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA/VALLEY HAS CANCELLED THE WIND CHILL ADVISORY.  THE COMBINATION OF TEMPERATURES NEAR ZERO AND NORTH WINDS AROUND 5
MPH WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE WIND CHILL VALUES OF 5 TO 15 BELOW ZERO FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS…BUT VALUES OF 20 BELOW ZERO  ARE NO LONGER EXPECTED. THUS THE ADVISORY HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

A WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON, FOR SAC-CRAWFORD-CARROLLAUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR AND RINGGOLD COUNTIES.

Multistate Beef Conference January 14th in Creston

Ag/Outdoor

January 2nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Officials with ISU Extension say the Tri-State Beef Conference will be Tuesday, January 14th, at Southwestern Community College in Creston. Chris Clark, ISU Beef Specialist, says the conference agenda has information for cow-calf, stocker and feedlot operations. The topics and speakers will provide timely information on relevant topics and all were chosen based on producer input.

This year, Extension specialists from all three states – Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska – will present information in person at the Iowa location. The program starts with 5:30 p.m. registration and the first session beginning at 6 pm. Dinner and two more presentations follow. The cost is $20 per person and includes the meal and a copy of the conference proceedings.

Pre-registration is required by Friday, January 10, by calling the Page County Extension Office at 877-596-7243.

 

Remaining hunting seasons starting to close Jan. 10th in Iowa

Ag/Outdoor, News, Sports

January 2nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources says  the state’s pheasant, late muzzleloader and archery deer, and archery fall turkey seasons close on Jan. 10th. The January antlerless deer season is Jan. 11th through the 19th, in select counties. Furbearer seasons, squirrel, quail, partridge and grouse remain open until Jan. 31st. Rabbit season is open until Feb. 28th. Crow season is Jan. 14th to March 31st. Beaver trapping season closes on April 15th.

For waterfowl, the north zone Canada goose season closes Jan. 3rd, and the light goose season closes on Jan. 12th. The south zone for Canada goose season closes Jan. 10th and the light goose season closes Jan. 17th. The Missouri River zone Canada goose season and light goose season both close on Jan. 17th.

The light goose conservation order season is open Jan. 18th to April 15th statewide; additional regulations apply. Don’t forget, all 2013 Iowa hunting and fishing licenses expire on Jan. 10th, 2014. All hunters and anglers will need a 2014 license to hunt or fish beginning Jan. 11th.

Adventure Ready Giveaway Launched New Hunting and Fishing Licenses in 2013

Ag/Outdoor, News

January 2nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has capped its successful year-long campaign to introduce several new hunting and fishing licenses. DNR officials say Iowans purchased more than 68,000 of the new licenses during the last 12 months. As part of the promotion, the DNR hosted a weekly drawing of $50 gift cards donated by Iowa retailers; any Iowan purchasing a qualifying license was eligible for one of 37 gift cards from April through the end of December.

Among the retailers donating gift cards was: Bass Pro Shops of Altoona and Council Bluffs, and Cappel’s Ace Hardware, in Atlantic Each of the other retailers donated between one and three gift cards. DNR Director Chuck Gipp said “We greatly appreciate the partnership of license retailers from all across Iowa that participated and helped make the new license offerings successful.”

The number of new hunting and fishing licenses sold between January 1 and December 31, 2013 included:

· 16,439 Angler’s Specials (three-year fishing licenses);

· 6,356 Hunter’s Special (three-year hunting licenses);

· 6,388 Bonus Line Licenses (license to fish with one additional line; the regular fishing license allows two); and

· 38,975 Outdoor Combo Licenses (hunting, fishing and habitat stamp combination license).

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources introduced the new licenses after surveying hunters and anglers to find what license offerings most interested them. The new licenses provide convenience by bundling several privileges into one purchase, or by offering the opportunity to purchase for three years instead of just one.

And, here’s a reminder to hunters and anglers: All 2013 Iowa hunting and fishing licenses expire on Jan. 10th, 2014. All hunters and anglers will need a 2014 license to hunt or fish beginning Jan. 11th.

Economic survey suggests optimism for Midwest

Ag/Outdoor, News

January 2nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A monthly economic report suggests supply managers surveyed in nine Midwestern and Plains states are optimistic about the regional economy over the next six months. The confidence index for the Mid-America Business Conditions Index jumped to 66.5 last month from 57.2 in November. However, the overall index rose just 2 points, to 53.2 from 51.2 in November.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says businesses tied to agriculture continue to report softer economic conditions. The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth, while a score below that suggests decline.

The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

(podcast) Skyscan Forecast: Thu., Jan. 2nd 2014

Podcasts, Weather

January 2nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

The Freese-Notis forecast for the KJAN listening area and weather information for Atlantic.

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ISU study finds “pro-social” video games help kids gain caring skills

News

January 2nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

A study led by researchers at Iowa State University finds pro-social video games have a positive influence on the kids who play them across a host of cultures, in the U-S and in seven other countries. Doug Gentile, an I-S-U psychology professor, says with more exposure to pro-social media, including video games that portray caring and cooperative behaviors resulted in higher levels of pro-social behavior.

“It is important that parents are paying attention to the games their kids play,” Gentile says. “The games have an impact well beyond just the time they’re playing. In fact, we’re seeing kids across time across years, if they’re playing pro-social games, they end up being more helpful and cooperative in the real world two years later.” In one segment of the international study, more than three-thousand young people in Singapore were studied in third, fourth, seventh and eighth grades. Over two years, students who played violent games became less likely to show empathy and behave in helpful ways, while those who played pro-social games became more empathetic and helpful.

“Parents are in a much more powerful position than they realize,” Gentile says. “They do need to pay attention to the ratings on the games and choose that have themes that they want their kids to be practicing.” One of his favorite pro-social video games is called “Animal Crossing.” Gentile says the character you play in the game has just moved to a new town and has to buy a house and get a job to pay the mortgage.

“The way you play the game is, you go around the town and you meet your neighbors and they ask you to do little favors for them, you know, carry this to another person,” Gentile says. “As you do all these favors, you’re helping to build a community and you’re doing these things that are helpful and cooperative in your community.” The most popular games tend to be violent, and I-S-U researchers say violent games can produce harmful effects on players. They note, nonviolent games with lots of pro-social content produce positive effects on children. For the study, researchers surveyed young people in Australia, China, Croatia, Germany, Japan, Singapore, Romania and the United States.

(Radio Iowa)

Bobcat population flourishing in Iowa

Ag/Outdoor, News

January 2nd, 2014 by Ric Hanson

Bobcat sightings in Iowa raise a lot of concern in the past year as the small cats were sometimes mistaken for mountain lions. The first bobcat season was held in Iowa in 2007. D-N-R furbearer biologist, Vince Evelsizer, says the return of the bobcats to Iowa is a good wildlife story. “The bobcat population is stable to increasing in some areas, and so overall it has been generally a very successful wildlife story for Iowa that all Iowans can be excited about,” Evelsizer says. The bobcat population is mainly in the southern part of the state.

The first season began with a quota for hunters that ended the season once 150 animals had been taken. That quota gradually increased to 450 last season. But Evelsizer says they felt the population was strong enough to not limit the amount of animals taken. “This year the quota was lifted, but the bag possession limit was still one per fur harvester. What it did is it gave both trappers and predator hunters a chance to harvest their animal later into the season,” Evelsizer says. It appears the bobcat season has gone well with the change.

“So far feedback has been positive in that they appreciate that opportunity,” Evelsizer says. “Success has been variable around the southern part of the state — with some folks doing well and other not as well as they hoped to. I think some of that is the cold weather that set in earlier this year.” The bobcat population came back without special help form the state. Otters on the other hand got some help being reintroduced into Iowa waters. Evelsizer says the otter limit was reduced from three to two this year to prevent too many from being taken.

“That population is doing fairly well statewide. They’re doing the best in the eastern half of the state — especially in the Cedar and Iowa River watersheds,” according to Evelsizer. To find out more about the bobcat and otter seasons, go to the Iowa D-N-R’s website at: www.iowadnr.gov.

(Radio Iowa)