(Des Moines, Iowa) – Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources report Snowy Owls are making their way into the state, looking for food on their way south. You can observe the winged wonders, but please, give them space so they can hunt undisturbed. If your presence changes the behavior of an owl (Ex: it flies or looks right at you) you’re too close and you may be causing undue stress. Do not approach an owl unless it is obviously injured or struggling to fly, and always consult a licensed wildlife rehabilitator before intervening.

Snowy Owls breed in the open landscapes of the Arctic Tundra. During summers with abundant food (particularly lemmings), many young are produced, and the following winter, many of those young owls disperse south into the US to look for winter prey. When large numbers of owls move south in winter it’s called an irruption. Although it’s not a large irruption year, at least a dozen snowy owls have been seen in Iowa so far this season, with many arriving in the last two weeks. Unlike other owls, Snowy Owls are active during the day (diurnal) and can be spotted in open areas, like agricultural fields and airports, looking for food. Snowy Owls are sit-and-wait predators and often sit in one spot for hours at a time. They commonly perch on wooden fence posts and telephone poles, or find a spot to sit on the ground.

Although some people may worry that Snowy Owls will be susceptible to heat stress in an unseasonably warm Iowa winter, there is little evidence to suggest that a few days of temperatures in the 70s will be too much for the birds to handle. In their breeding range, days in the 50s are common and Snowy Owls have been observed surviving the winter as far South as Florida where average daily highs are in the upper 60s all winter long. More pressing threats are human-related (Ex: collisions with vehicles and power lines).

The DNR is interested in learning more about Snowy Owls wintering in Iowa and the threats they face, so if you happen to find a dead Snowy Owl, please report it to Iowa DNR’s Avian Ecologist Anna Buckardt Thomas (anna.buckardt@dnr.iowa.gov, 515-823-3945) and/or the State Wildlife Veterinarian Dr. Rachel Ruden (rachel.ruden@dnr.iowa.gov, 515-823-8544).

If it is safe to do so, you may retrieve dead owls using gloves and a garbage bag. Keep in a cool place but avoid freezing until you can turn over to a wildlife biologist or conservation officer. Remember, unless you are transferring to the Iowa DNR or other permitted entity, it is illegal to be in possession of a migratory bird carcass under federal law.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa State University Extension’s annual farmland survey released today (Tuesday) shows a surge in the estimated value of farmland that hasn’t been seen in a decade. Wendong Zhang oversees the survey and spoke about the results. “The statewide average as of November 2021, is up 29 percent,” he says. Zhang is an associate professor of economics at I-S-U, and says the average price is a first in some 80 years of surveys.

“The nominal land values as reported –nine-thousand-751 dollars — as the record high since we have recorded data in 1941. So, the nominal land values in Iowa reach the highest that we have ever seen,” Zhang says. Zhang says the nominal value is higher than the 2013 land value peak — but when adjusted for inflation — it would be an increase of 21 percent. He says the values took off after a few drops and steady numbers the last few years.

“The last time we have seen the land value changes increase close to or higher than 30 percent was in 2011,” according. “In 2011 we saw slightly higher than 31 percent. Before that, we’d have to go to the 1970s.” The top-quality farmland increased 30 percent, the middle went up 27 percent and the low quality increased by 26 percent. He says the price of corn and soybeans was a big driver in the prices.

“The factor that is noted by most respondents is higher commodity prices. When you are thinking about the corn prices and the soybeans prices, they’re substantially higher. At least 20 if not 20 to 40 percent higher,” he says. Zhang says competitive bidding for land in the central part of the state and the northern area helped drive up prices. He says the northern area land is desired for livestock production. Zhang says this year’s harvest also helped the values.

“We are getting stronger than expected yields despite the weather challenges early in the growing season. We are actually seeing fairly phenomenal crop yields this year for both corn and soybeans. So that helps improve your per bushel prices. The prices are higher and the yields are better than expected,” Zhang says. He says federal pandemic payments factored into the mix as well.

“Those will benefit the farmers and provide at least an additional 15 to 16 BILLION dollars more into the ag economy in general,” Zhang says. All counties saw an increase — and for the ninth consecutive year — Scott and Decatur Counties reported the highest and lowest land values. Scott County saw a 30 percent increase to 13-thousand-852 dollars an acre. Decatur County increased 31-point-five percent five-thousand-62 dollars and acre. Clayton and Allamakee Counties reported the largest percentage increase, 36-point-four percent.

The smallest percentage increase was 23-point-two percent in Keokuk County.

(Radio Iowa) – The former medical director in the Iowa Department of Public Health who resigned this fall is now working in Virginia. Caitlyn Pedati — the state epidemiologist and medical director for the Iowa Department of Public Health — resigned in October. Axios was first to report Pedati started a new job last Friday in the Virginia Department of Health, as district director for Virginia Beach. Pedati is quoted in a news release from the City of Virginia Beach as saying she’s excited to return to her home state. Pedati grew up in northern Virgina. According to Axios, Pedati’s annual salary is 75-thousand dollars less than what she had been paid by the State of Iowa. Pedati frequently spoke at the news conferences Governor Kim Reynolds held early in the pandemic and the governor gave Pedati a significant pay boost in mid-2020.

The acting director of the Iowa Department of Public Health said in October that there would be a nationwide search for a new medical director, but no one has been hired yet for the position.

(Radio Iowa) – An investigation is underway into a fire that gutted a downtown Malvern business Monday night. Agencies from four southwest Iowa counties responded to the fire at Mulholland Grocery. Mills County Emergency Management Coordinator Larry Hurst says the county’s communications center received a call shortly after 5:30 p.m. from a store employee reporting a fire in the back of the building.

After establishing a command center upon arrival, Hurst says Malvern firefighters realized they needed help from surrounding agencies.

Twenty-nine area agencies responded to the scene, including 22 fire departments, three rescue units, two emergency management agencies and Mills County Sheriff’s Office. Hurst says securing adequate water supplies was a major challenge.

Hurst says firefighters brought the fire under control at around 11 p.m., but Malvern’s unit stayed at the scene until early Tuesday morning extinguishing hot spots. Malvern says the Mulholland building is a total loss, and some adjoining businesses suffered damage.

Hurst says he’s proud of not only the “all hands on deck” approach to the fire from various agencies, but also the Malvern community’s response.

An investigator from the State Fire Marshal’s Office will be continuing with an investigation into the cause of the fire.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors, today (Tuesday), approved a request from a family, for the spreading of cremains of a person whose urn was shallow buried on property that’s changed hands in ownership. The urn – with the top of the container less than three-feet below the surface, in section 17 of Bear Grove Township was disinterred when the property was sold, and the family has asked permission of the new property owner to scattered those cremains. The owner graciously agreed to allow the family to proceed.

Board Chair Steve Baier said Iowa Code allows for the spreading of ashes on PRIVATE PROPERTY. Prior to the Board’s approval, Baier read the Resolution as written.

The Board heard a brief report from County Engineer Trent Wolken, who said Secondary Roads Department personnel have been conducting additional “grub clearing,” and are hauling dirt to the culvert on Indian Creek Road, in an attempt to get as much done this week as possible, and getting the contractor ready for dirt.

He said also, an offer has been extended to and accepted by a candidate who had applied and was interviewed for an open position in the Secondary Roads Department. Wolken will have their name on the agenda for approval by the Board. There were 13 applicants for the job and six candidates interviewed. The interviews concluded Monday.

The Cass County Supervisors tabled action on the establishment of an abatement plan for property improvements to certain classes of property in the non-incorporated portion of the County, while additional research on such matters is conducted.

They passed a Resolution pertaining to $1-million in General Obligation Capital Loan Notes (Series 2022A and 2022B), in authorizing a form of Loan Agreement, providing for the issuance and levying of a tax to pay for the Notes, along with approval of the Tax Exemption Certificate.

And, the Board set January 11, 2022 as the date for a public hearing on an amendment of the Fiscal Year 2021-22 Cass County Budget.

(Anita, Iowa) – The CAM School Board met Monday evening at the High School, in Anita. They current Board retired and adjourned after some old business.

That’s CAM Superintendent Paul Croghan, who said they welcomed Todd McKee who had previously served on the Board and was re-elected, along with new Board member Cara Murphy. The new Board then gavelled-into session, with the election of officers and other administrative matters.

Lindsay Jahde was re-appointed as Board Secretary/Treasurer. Paul Croghan said also, the Board approved two staff contracts, Monday evening.

(He said contracts were approved for Jenni Follman – Junior High Girl’s Basketbal, and Trent Golz for Junior High Wrestling.)

There were no resignations to come before the Board. In other business, the Board approved the disposal, through an online auction system, of Bus #9, which has a leaking diesel fuel tank, as well the lease of eight International buses from Hogland for the next school year.

The Board also approved a bid of $29,000 for the repair of locker rooms at the high school. And they discussed the district’s facilities and the (failed) Nov. 2nd bond referendum results.

(Radio Iowa) – A bipartisan bill targeting meth breezed through the U-S Senate last (Monday) night that was co-sponsored by Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley and California Democrat Dianne Feinstein. Grassley, a Republican, says the bill aims to bring better help to addicts and greater punishment for dealers. “The bill designates meth as an emerging threat,” Grassley says, “and directs the Office of National Drug Control Policy to develop a nationwide plan to address the rising use of meth.” Grassley says the legislation, called the Methamphetamine Response Act, aims to fight addiction in rural communities and beef up the government’s ability to fight the drug.

“This bill unanimously passed the Senate last night,” Grassley says. “It’s now up to the House to act so that we can get this bill on the books and prevent more devastation in our communities caused by that poison.”  Opioids and fentanyl are getting a lot of national attention, according to Grassley, because those highly addictive substances are “flooding across the Southern border” and they keep evolving to stay ahead of law enforcement. While opioids are a big worry, he says meth is also a primary concern. “This drug is not new, however drug traffickers are finding new and harmful ways to increase methamphetamine’s potency and distribution,” Grassley says, “and obviously, this is spiking overdose rates.”

A state report found the number of overdose deaths in Iowa in 2020 from opioids, like fentanyl, and stimulants such as meth, hit a record high of 369. That death rate is up almost 18-percent from the previous year.

(Malvern, Iowa) – The owner of a fourth-generation family-owned grocery store in Malvern, issued a statement on social media this (Tuesday) morning. Tom Mulholland wrote in a Facebook post, “To the firefighters and first responders that came from miles around; I say “THANK YOU. Firefighters from every community within 30 miles came to help, 17 communities was the number I heard, and it was the efforts of all of them that saved my neighbors, and mere words cannot express my gratitude for that. I am facing many headaches, issues, and problems from this fire for months to come, but knowing that my neighbors are not injured or facing devastating losses that they had no control over makes this easier.”

He also apologized for a boil order issued, when the City of Malvern’s water supply was exhausted to help fight the fire. “I apologize for the inconvenience it will cause for hundreds of people,” Mulholland said. He added, “I have reached out to people at my warehouse and they are working on getting a water delivery to the community as soon as they can. I wish I could do more to help.”

Part of Mulholland’s early-morning post included a message to his great grandfather and grandfather who ran the store more than a decade ago: “I am sincerely sorry for the loss of what so many worked so hard for, for well over a century. The blood, sweat, and tears of many rest there, and memories for many more.”  Tom Mulholland promised he would work to insure employees are taken care of. But less than 12-hours after the fire, the future of the business was uncertain.

Mulholland Grocery Store fire (Photo from the Mulholland Grocery Facebook page)

Mulholland wrote “To my customers; I have no idea what the future holds at this time. If you had already placed orders with us for the holidays, I apologize that you will be forced to scramble to cover what you were expecting. To my friends, customers, and supporters near and far, again, words cannot express the gratitude for the love and support I have been shown over the past 12 hours.”

The first crews arrived on the scene at around 5:45-p.m. For the next six-hours, over a dozen fire departments and numerous personnel worked to contain the flames and prevent adjacent structures from burning. Just before the roof collapsed at 7:30-p.m. an urgent “Evacuate the roof!” call went out, with firefighters scrambling to safety. No injuries were reported. A cause of the blaze was not immediately known.

Among the fire departments and emergency personnel responding to the scene at 409 Main Street in Malvern, in addition to Malvern Fire, were crews and equipment from: Hastings, Silver City, Glenwood, Macedonia, Carson, Sidney, Henderson, Randolph, Shenandoah, Oak Township Fire and Pacific Junction.

(Harlan) – Shelby County Emergency Management Coordinator Alex Longo reports Shelby County will be in a burn ban, effective immediately, and lasting until 8-a.m. Thursday, Dec. 16th.  A Burn Ban is issued by local or state officials, at the request of local fire chiefs, during periods of extremely dry conditions or under other conditions, when open burning may constitute a danger to life or property.

There is a High Wind Warning in effect for Wednesday across most of Iowa. Any fires that do start, either accidentally or otherwise, can be explosive and spread quickly. Violating the Burn Ban is a simple misdemeanor, punishable by a fine. For more information, call 712-755-2124.

More area News from Ric Hanson.

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