(Radio Iowa) – A survey finds Iowa had the highest cash rent average for cropland this year at 233-dollars an acre, three-dollars an acre higher than last year. Farmers across the country are paying an average of 141-dollars per acre to rent cropland. That’s up two-dollars from last year. Iowa State University Extension ag economist Wendong Zhang says cash rents closely follow farmland values. “Iowa has seen about 20% growth, evidenced by many of the auction prices as well as the expert opinion survey,” Zhang says. “Iowa land values have shown about 18% growth from last July to July 1st of this year.”

He says having cash rents follow farmland values is supported by their recent survey of farm managers and ag lenders. “Typically, the cash rent to land value ratio, regardless of the change over the past decade, people have all anticipated this to be around 3.1%,” Zhang says. “In general, when the land markets goes up, then land prices goes up, then the cash rent typically tracks that as well.” Zhang expects the farmland values and cash rents to remain high. “In the near future, we will likely see this level of high land value, high cash rent to stay because the interest rate is still fairly low,” Zhang says. “Even though we have seen some increase in supply, in general, it’s still limited due to COVID payments and other things.”

Of the top five states, Iowa had the highest cash rent average followed by Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska and Minnesota.

A garage fire in Atlantic remains under investigation. The blaze at 800 Olive Street was reported at around 2:50-a.m.  Atlantic Fire Chief Tom Cappel II told KJAN News the structure was fully engulfed in fire when the first crew arrived on the scene.

Photos submitted

The house sits on the corner of 8th and Olive, with the garage directly to the south. Chief Cappel says the garage was a complete loss.

A house to the south of the garage sustained heat damage to its vinyl siding. No injuries were reported. Fire crews were on the scene for about an hour.

There was a storm in the area at the time, but Cappel didn’t think lightning played a role in the fire. Atlantic Police and the Cass County Sheriff’s Office assisted the Fire Department at the scene.

Atlantic Fire responded to a garage fire at around 3-a.m. today (Wednesday). The incident occurred at 800 Olive Street. When firefighters arrived, smoke and flames were coming from the structure, which was not attached to a residence. Additional information as to the cause, was not immediately available.

Photo’s submitted to KJAN News.

The Cass County Auditor’s Office reports by the close of business on Tuesday, Aug. 24th, one additional candidate had filed nomination papers in advance of the Nov. 2nd City Elections. Atlantic 5th Ward Councilman Richard “Dick” Casady filed papers for re-election to his seat on the Council. No other names were added to the list that began when the filing period opened on Monday.

Candidates who filed their nomination papers for Mayor in Atlantic include Councilpersons Pat McCurdy, Grace Garrett and Kathy Somers. Shirley Jensen filed Monday in her bid to sit on the Parks and Rec Department Board.

(Updated/Griswold, Iowa) Iowa Republican Senator Joni Ernst, from Red Oak, drew a reporter-estimated crowd of about 100 people during stop in Griswold, Tuesday afternoon. Speaking at the Griswold Community Center, Ernst answered questions from those who submitted them in advance. She skipped her traditional opening statements and went directly to the Q&A for about an hour. One of the first questions she was asked, came from Nathan Berg, of Atlantic, who said he understands Ernst and Governor Reynolds were in favor of bringing 13,000 Afghan refugees to Iowa. Ernst that amount was incorrect. He also asked about the vetting process for those refugees.

She said Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds had suggested about 2,000 refugees would come to the State. Refugees are already arriving at Ft. McCoy, Wisconsin. According to reports, as many as 22,000 refugees may be dispersed among three sites across the country. Ernst referenced another time, when Governor Robert Ray allowed mass amounts of refugees into Iowa.

Those arriving now, or soon in Iowa, started their process of vetting, “months and months ago,” according to Ernst. Ernst said there is no way they can get all Americans out of Afghanistan before the Taliban’s August 31st deadline. The Special Immigrant Visa program started in 2009. Applicants must provide a letter of recommendation and proof they were employed to support U.S. government activities in Afghanistan. Refugees with these visas are now being flown to other countries before their arrival in the United States. According to the Department of Defense, they’re undergoing biometric screening, which means checking palm or finger prints or using facial recognition software to confirm the person’s identity. President Biden, Tuesday afternoon said that the U.S. is on track to complete its evacuation mission by the 31st, and he does not plan to have American troops in the country past that date.

Another question had to deal with what Ernst thought the final changes would be to estate taxes, particularly with regard to how it will affect farmers.

Ernst said any changes made now to the next reconciliation package, may not work, because democrats will likely make them retroactive. She describes the issue as “A train wreck waiting to happen.” Karen Bagshaw, of Massena, asked why Republicans can’t use the 25th Amendment to remove President Biden (who Bagshaw said was “Not my president”) from office?

Audubon County Emergency Management has informed KJAN that a portion of the city of Kimballton is without power this afternoon. A cooling station is opening up beginning at 4:30 p.m. at the Kimballton Town Hall at 207 North Main Street. No timeframe is currently known on when power may be restored to residents affected.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says the withdrawal of U-S forces from Afghanistan should not be rushed. “Whatever Trump or Biden wanted to do on reducing the number of troops or pulling out, they should have never set a date,” Grassley says. President Trump’s Administration negotiated an agreement in early 2020 that called for a withdrawal by May 1st of this year.

This spring, President Biden said the withdrawal would happen by September 11th, but in July Biden moved up the timeline to the end of August. “The president is commander in chief and I hope that he does not have an automatic deadline of August 31, so that we leave Americans over there that could be taken hostage,” Grassley says, “and that we would leave SIVs over there that could be executed.”

Afghans being granted Special Immigrant Visas — S-I-Vs — worked with the U-S government or the U-S military over the past two decades. Grassley says he believes the Pentagon should have come with a withdrawal plan that gradually flew Americans and allies out of Afghanistan.  “It seems to me common sense would dictate…you’d do all that without letting the enemy know what you’re doing,” Grassley says. “…Any artificial deadline would lead to sure death for a lot of people that don’t deserve it.”

Grassley says it was a big mistake for President Obama to release five Taliban prisoners from Cuba in a swap for an American hostage AND for President Trump to agree to a prisoner swap of five-thousand Taliban for about a thousand people the Taliban were holding. Grassley, a Republican, voted against the Gulf War in 1991, but supported the resolution authorizing the Bush Administration’s push into Afghanistan after the September 11th attacks.

The Harlan Police Department reports one arrest was made recently and a few citations were issued. Last Thursday, 18-year-old Daija Suzanne Buttry, of Harlan, was cited for driving while suspended following a traffic stop. On Friday, 41-year-old Anthony Sherman Davis, of Persia, was arrested following at traffic stop. Davis was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with driving while suspended and no proof of insurance.

On Saturday, Selena Elizabeth Gomez Argueta was cited for driving while suspended following a traffic stop. And, on Monday, 34-year-old Heather Kay Scheffler, of Harlan, was cited for driving while suspended following a traffic stop.

There was also one accident to report. On Tuesday (Aug. 24th) vehicles driven by Mallorie Messinger and Shirley Schaben, both of Harlan, collided at 12th and Durant Streets in Harlan. The accident happened when both vehicles, a 2014 Dodge Durango driven by Messinger, and a 2012 Ford Fusion driven by Schaben, met in the middle of the intersection at about the same time.

The SUV was turning east from North 12th Street onto Durant, while the Fusion continuing eastbound on Durant. As Messigner was making the turn, the Fusion accelerated from the stop sign and struck the front driver’s side wheel of the SUV, causing disabling damage to both vehicles.

Des Moines – The Iowa Department of Corrections reports Chadwick Eugene Trader, convicted of Burglary 2nd Degree and other charges in Polk County, failed to report to the Fort Des Moines facility as required yesterday.  Trader is a 42-year-old white male, height 6′ 0″, and weighs 211 pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on 5/27/21.  Persons with information on Trader’s whereabouts should contact local police.

Chadwick Trader

The Atlantic School District’s Board of Education will hold a Special Meeting Wednesday afternoon, in the Schuler Media Center. During the 4-p.m. session, the Board will review the strategic plan & discuss district goals for the 2021-22 school year. They will also act on Open Enrollment Applications, and two resignations:

• Megan Mewhirter, Middle School Special Education Paraeducator
• Kerri Denison, English Language Learner (ELL) Paraeducator.

They will also act on Contract Recommendations for:

• Stephanie Kloewer, Bus Monitor
• Monte Dressler, Bus Mechanic/School Bus Route Driver
• Chris Kennedy, Substitute Car Route Driver & Preschool Bus Monitor.

The meeting will be viewable live on YouTube.