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Wisconsin is favored to rule in B1G West

Sports

July 4th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The college football preview magazines are hitting the newsstands and most expect Wisconsin’s domination of the Big Ten West Division to continue. Phil Steele says with Alex Hornibrook back at quarterback, Johnathan Taylor at running back and the nation’s top ranked offensive line the Badgers are loaded on offense. He expects the defense to be strong again despite some losses. Steele says Iowa could make a run at the division title if they can knock off the Badgers in Kinnick Stadium. He expects Nebraska to show improvement under first year coach Scott Frost even though the Huskers face a demanding schedule.

(Learfield Sports)

More on farmland ownership survey

Ag/Outdoor

July 4th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

The survey on farmland ownership released last week by Iowa State University Extension shows those who own the land here are getting older and also have more education. I-S-U extension economist Alejandro Plastina says farmland ownership has increased among those age 65 to 74 and those 75 and above. “That has increased substantially through time when we consider those two categories together in 2017,” Plastina says.  Those who are 75 and older owned 35 percent of the land while those 65 to 74 owned 25 percent. He says the older landowners run bigger operations. Plastina says those owners 75 and older only represent 26 percent of the total number of owners — so there are fewer of them — but they own more land.

He says when dig deeper into the numbers you can see more of the the impact of age on ownership. “Owners 55 years old and younger — they own 16 percent of the farmland — but they account for 25 percent of all owners,” Plastina explains, ” so the scale of these farms is much smaller for the younger farmers.” This survey is done every five years and Plastina says it continues to show the owners of the land stay close to it. “Fifty-five percent of the farmland in Iowa is owned by farmers who live on the owned farmland. Either on the farmland surveyed or other owned farmland in Iowa,” Plastina says.

Plastina says the survey gives an indication of how the methods and science of farming has changed. More and more farmland owners now have a college or graduate degree.”They account for almost 40 percent of all farmland (owners) as of 2017, and that portion was 17 percent in 1982,” according to Plastina.  The survey finds 57 percent of all farmland is owned by someone who does not actively farm the land. Twenty-three percent of those owners who do not farm are retired farmers — while the rest is owned by those with no farming experience.

(Radio Iowa)

El Nino is coming along with potential for warmer winter ahead

Ag/Outdoor, News, Weather

July 4th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

An El Nino Watch is being issued by the Climate Prediction Center, as conditions become favorable for the development of another round of Pacific Ocean warming. Meteorologist Dennis Todey, director of the U-S-D-A’s Midwest Climate Hub, based in Ames, says we’ll likely feel the impact in a few months. “We could see an El Nino occur probably into the fall, is what I would guess we’re looking at,” Todey says. “There is a fairly decent pool of warm water in the subsurface in the equatorial Pacific. When you start seeing that and the computer models all line up I’d say, yeah, we’re probably headed that way.”

Farmers across Iowa will need to take particular note as the weather pattern often shifts the region’s climate. Todey says the impacts of the developing El Nino will be felt late this year into next. “We have an increased chance of being warmer during the wintertime with El Nino,” he says. “The storm track moves up a little bit further north, you may have more mixed-precipitation-types of storms with the warmer temperatures than overall snowfalls.”  Todey says they are also watching the current warming trend across the Northern Plains. “Even if you’ve got decent soil moisture, warmer temperatures start to extract more water from the soil because of higher atmospheric demand,” Todey says. “We’re getting to that time of year where corn is starting to use more water anyway. That’s a more immediate concern and then it becomes how much more precipitation are we really going to get, and that’s been a tough call so far this year.”

Todey says a La Nina — or cooling of the ocean — ended last year and we’ve been in a neutral phase since then.

(Radio Iowa)

Red Oak man arrested for Public Intox.

News

July 4th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

A Red Oak man was arrested Tuesday evening on an alcohol-related charge. Red Oak Police report 34-year old Kirby David Stoneking was taken into custody for Public Intoxication at around 7:45-p.m. in the 100 block of W. Coolbaugh Street. Stoneking was brought to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center, and held on a $300 bond.

Skyscan Forecast for Atlantic & the area – Wednesday, 7/4/2018

Weather

July 4th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Today: **HEAT ADVISORY from Noon until 8-p.m.** Partly cloudy, warm & humid w/isolated afternoon showers possible. High 93. Heat Index 105. S @ 10-20 mph.

Tonight: Becoming mostly Cloudy w/a 30% chance showers & thunderstorms, mainly after midnight. Low 70. S @ 5-10.

Tomorrow: Mo. Cldy w/scattered showers possible early. High 84. N @ 10.

Friday: P/Cldy. High 84.

Saturday: P/Cldy. High 86.

Tuesday’s High in Atlantic was 91. Our Low 68. Last year on this date, the High in Atlantic was 89 and the Low was 62. The All-time Record High for this date in Atlantic was 111 in 1936. The Record Low was 41 in 1967.

Heat Advisory (update, 4-a.m. 7/4) in effect until 8-pm.

News

July 4th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

**A HEAT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM TODAY (WEDNESDAY), FOR ALL BUT THE NORTHWEST CORNER COUNTIES IN IOWA**

Heat Advisory (Counties in orange) from Noon-to 8-p.m (7/4/18)

* TEMPERATURE… Temperatures in the lower 90s coupled with dewpoints in the middle 70s will result in heat indices between 100 and 105 degrees in most areas, and from 105 to 110 degrees in the far west/southwest counties.

* IMPACTS…Heat illnesses are possible for those active outdoors this afternoon. Vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly are especially susceptible. Those planning outdoor holiday activities need to take necessary precautions to beat
the heat.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A Heat Advisory means that a period of hot temperatures is expected. The combination of hot temperatures and high humidity will combine to create a situation in which heat illnesses are possible. Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned
room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.

Fewer Iowa cities allowing use of fireworks in second year of state law

News

July 4th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Fewer communities are allowing their residents to use fireworks this year, the second Fourth of July holiday since Iowa lawmakers legalized fireworks sales in the state. Many cities made changes to their fireworks policies after receiving numerous complaints last year. Marion, in Linn County, is among the communities limiting when fireworks can be used – from noon till 11 p.m. on the Fourth. Marion Police Department spokesman Tom Daubs is hopeful it will mean fewer complaints than last year.

“But, if you have too many people violating that, and too many people are upset and present a case to cancel the fireworks, I can see a case where we would go along the lines of a Waterloo or other communities and cancel it,” Daubs says. “But, I don’t think we’re to that point yet. I hope we’re still hoping people will use their common sense and be respectful, and we’ll see how it shakes out.”

Waterloo Fire Chief Pat Treeloar says local leaders banned the personal use of fireworks after getting about 800 complaints last year. He hopes this will be a quieter Fourth. “We’re certainly under the impression that the first year, last year…I think the novelty will wear off a little bit,” Treeloar says. “We’re sure hoping that our complaints and calls for service go down.”

Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, and Dubuque are among the other cities NOT allowing personal use of fireworks this year. Cities such as Council Bluffs and Sioux City, like Marion, ARE allowing their use, but for a shorter period of time than last year. Today (Wednesday) is the last legal day for fireworks use in Atlantic. They are permissible on private property only, from Noon until 11-p.m.  After today, fireworks are allowed from 6-p.m. New Year’s Eve 2018 through 12:15-a.m. New Year’s Day, 2019.

(Radio Iowa)

Governor Kim Reynolds touts ‘moxie’ and ‘disruptive voices’ of women

News

July 4th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

As Iowa’s first female governor seeks election to a full term as governor, she is calling on women to be “disruptive voices” in the workplace. Kim Reynolds has been the chief executive of the State of Iowa for 406 days — ever since Terry Branstad resigned to become U.S. Ambassador to China. Last week, Reynolds spoke about female empowerment at a gathering of women bankers in West Des Moines.

“Iowa needs women who are competitors and provide the big ideas that shape how we live and work now and in the future,” Reynolds said, “women who are not afraid to challenge outdated concepts and they see problems not as barriers, but as opportunities.”

According to Reynolds, this is a “time of transformation” for women in Iowa. “Iowa needs women who share their intellect and their creativity to drive diversity of thought in the workplace and women with transformational attitudes and disruptive voices that aren’t afraid to confront the status quo,” Reynolds said. Reynolds has said she sought a seat at the decision-making table from her very first days in the state senate. This is her advice to women who are reluctant to voice their opinions in the workplace:

“First of all, you don’t have to know everything and you don’t have to be perfect. You just have to have a passion for what you’re doing and your willingness to make a difference. If I…had waited until I thought I knew everything until I ran for office, I guarantee you that I would have never ran.”

Reynolds first ran for office in 1994. She wound up serving as Clarke County Treasurer for 14 years. As Reynolds prepared to run for the state senate, she attended a candidate event and a man walked right past her to asked her husband what senate seat he was running for.  “That poor guy, he felt so embarrassed. He was just mortified that he hadn’t thought it might be me that was running for the state senate and not my husband,” Reynolds said.

It happened again this year, as the governor and her husband, Kevin, were entering an event at the National Governor Association meeting in Rhode Island. “The people at the check-in said…not to me, to Kevin: ‘Governor, which state is it that you’re here with?’ And again, poor (Kevin), he’s like: ‘Well, I’m not the governor. I’m the first dude. It happens to be her that’s the actual governor of the State of Iowa,” Reynolds said.

Women who are forging a path in business and in politics have “moxie” according to Reynolds. “I love that word because it’s defined as having spirit, determination, courage, energy, know-how and attitude,” Reynolds said.

(Radio Iowa)

Midwest Sports Headlines: 7/4/18

Sports

July 4th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

PHOENIX (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt hit a three-run homer, Zack Greinke pitched effectively into the seventh inning and the Arizona Diamondbacks ended a four-game losing streak with a 4-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. Goldschmidt followed a four-hit night on Monday with a three-run homer off Jack Flaherty in the fifth inning.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Yan Gomes hit a grand slam in the sixth inning and the Cleveland Indians rallied to beat the Kansas City Royals 6-4. The Indians lead the American League with eight grand slams and it was their second in two nights.

DENVER (AP) — The Denver Nuggets have agreed to a deal with rookie forward Michael Porter Jr. Porter was taken by the Nuggets with the 14th overall pick in the draft last month. He was considered a top-five pick before a back injury that required surgery limited him to three games at Missouri last season.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster has been suspended without pay for the first two games of the regular season for violating the NFL’s conduct and substance-abuse policy. The NFL said Foster will also be fined for violations from a weapons offense and misdemeanor drug charge that were resolved earlier this offseason. Foster will miss San Francisco’s games against Minnesota and Detroit before being allowed to return on Sept. 17 before the Niners play Kansas City.

Iowa early News Headlines: Wed., July 4th 2018

News

July 4th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:45 a.m. CDT

PANORA, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have identified a man shot and killed over the weekend by a Panora police officer in central Iowa. The Iowa Department of Public Safety says in a news release Tuesday that 26-year-old Joshua Reed, of New Virginia, Iowa, was the man killed Sunday night. Officers called to a Panora apartment complex say they found Reed in a hallway and ordered him to drop a knife. After he refused to do so, police say Officer Rock Armstrong shot him.

CLIVE, Iowa (AP) — Officials in central Iowa say flooding from heavy rains this past weekend damaged the Clive Library and the Clive Aquatic Center. The Polk County Emergency Management Agency said in a news release Tuesday that the library and aquatic center had closed because of damage from storm water. Both have since reopened. A special flood-debris pickup has also been scheduled for Clive, a suburb of Des Moines, on Friday for residents and businesses in some areas.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has ordered flags on state grounds to be flown at half-staff to honor five employees of a Virginia newspaper shot to death last week. The Iowa order asks that U.S. and state flags be flown at half-staff Tuesday until sunset. Iowa will join Annapolis, Maryland, and other states lowering U.S. flags in honor of those killed at the Capital-Gazette. President Donald Trump has also ordered U.S. flags on federal property to be flown at half-staff.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Department of Public Safety has fired a state trooper who was on paid leave for 10 months. The department told The Associated Press that trooper Wade Karp was terminated Tuesday for violating rules governing employee conduct. The move comes one week after AP reported that Karp had been kept on paid leave since Sept. 5, 2017 and collected about $50,000 in salary since then.