An Iowa State University graduate is paving the way as a new type of designer in the auto industry. Adam Carlson from Davenport graduated from Iowa State with dual degrees in mechanical engineering and industrial design, which earned him the nickname of “Purple Squirrel” when he went to work at Ford Motor Company. “A purple squirrel is actually an H-R term to basically let management know that they are looking for something that is very hard to find,” Nelson says. He says the nickname was as unusual, but he knows why he got it.

“It was very hard to find somebody with an industrial design as well as mechanical engineering, so the nickname stuck. At this point they just call me Adam, it’s understood what I do, but it was quite the nickname to have right from the git go,” Nelson says. He says the work involved in dual degrees may be a reason why there aren’t more people like him.

“I think a lot of it is education, both degrees are each a four-year degree,” according to Nelson. “And it is very hard to find somebody who does both the technical side of the engineering as well as the aesthetic side of the design. So, it is utilizing both sides of the brain– both right and left.” Nelson says there also seems to be a tendency to have people focus on just one area of expertise.

“Yeah, I think we definitely pigeonhole individuals into a certain field,” Nelson says. “…For me it was something that I didn’t want, I wanted to do both. I wanted sketch and draw and create, as well as to actually understand the mechanical principles. To actually bring a product to life.” Nelson says knowing mechanical issues can help you create something on the design side quicker with less mistakes that have to be redone. For example, if a certain angle looks good on a car, but you know mechanically it may create more drag and higher gas mileage, you can change it early on.

“In the automotive industry prototypes are incredibly expensive. Usually you go to market and the first round of prototypes you use hard tooling, and if you make a mistake somewhere along the way and you have to throw out millions of dollars of tools for production, that gets incredibly expensive,” Nelson explains. While he may be a purple squirrel now, Nelson says there will be more and more openings for people who have the same skills.

“What we’re finding, is that we need more people who have an understanding of the virtual world and drawing up shapes, but also people can talk the language of engineering and communicate well. And it may not just be between design and engineering, but it also may be between design and business or engineering and business,” Nelson says. Nelson is 24-years-old and his work involves designing and building to deal with wind noise in cars.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today (Monday) commented on the Iowa Crops and Weather report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service.  The report is released weekly from April through October. Northey said “In general, crops remain in very good condition with both 83 percent of corn and soybeans rated in good or excellent condition.  Fortunately, most areas of the state have adequate moisture as we head into August, which is a critical time, especially for soybean development.”

The weekly report is also available on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s website at www.IowaAgriculture.gov or on USDA’s site at www.nass.usda.gov/ia.  In summary…Relatively dry conditions throughout the week were ideal for crop development and allowed Iowa farmers 5.4 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending July 31, 2016, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Activities for the week included cutting hay and aerial spraying of corn with fungicide and insecticide.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 2 percent very short, 10 percent short, 82 percent adequate and 6 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 2 percent very short, 12 percent short, 81 percent adequate and 5 percent surplus.

Ninety-five percent of the corn crop reached the silking stage, five days ahead of last year and almost two weeks ahead of the five-year average. Thirty-five percent of the corn crop reached the dough stage. Isolated reports of corn starting to dent were received from across the State. Corn condition rated 83 percent good to excellent. Soybeans blooming reached 90 percent, 6 days ahead of the previous year. Sixty-four percent of soybeans were setting pods, 5 days ahead of last year. Soybean condition rated 83 percent good to excellent. Seventy-eight percent of the oat crop for grain or seed was harvested, 2 days ahead of both last year and the average.

The second cutting of alfalfa hay reached 93 percent, more than 2 weeks ahead of last year and 10 days ahead of normal. The third cutting of alfalfa hay was 28 percent complete, 6 days ahead of average. Hay condition was rated 73 percent good to excellent, while pasture condition was rated 61 percent good to excellent. Reduced temperatures improved livestock conditions which were reported to be good.

The statewide average precipitation last week was .18″ (of an inch), while normal for the week is .94″ (of an inch). It was the driest week in eleven weeks (since mid-May).

Police in Council Bluffs are investigating the armed robbery of a convenience store. Authorities say at around 1:26-p.m. today (Monday), officers with the Council Bluffs Police Department responded to the Shell Speedy Mart (at 3624 9th Avenue) for an armed robbery at the business. The suspect had fled the area prior to the arrival of officers. A cashier at the business told officers that the suspect entered the business and pointed a handgun at him stating “Give me the money”.

The suspect fled with an undetermined amount cash belonging to the business. The suspect is described as a Black male 5’8” to 6’0” tall, approximately 250 lbs., estimated to be in his mid-twenties and wearing dark clothing. This case remains under investigation by the Council Bluffs Police Department.

Anyone having any information about the robbery is encouraged to contact the Criminal Investigations Division at (712) 328-4728 or Crime Stoppers at (712) 328-7867

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad says he’s meeting with Iowa groups this summer to discuss a new proposal to fund water quality initiatives in the state, but it’s unclear if he’ll have backing in the Democratic-controlled Senate. Branstad told reporters Monday he’s traveling Iowa to meet farmers, educators and community leaders to pitch a plan that would use some money typically designated for school infrastructure to pay for water improvement.

The idea is similar to a funding proposal that didn’t pass during the legislative session. The new plan would use a different funding formula and go into effect later. Branstad was vague about whether he has support in the Democratic-led Senate, where leaders haven’t commented on the plan. Branstad noted he may have more success if Republicans take control of the chamber.

Montgomery County Auditor Stephanie Burke said today (Monday), the filing period for all counties with regard to the November 8th General Election, will begin on Monday, August 8, 2016 and will run through August 31, 2016 at 5 P.M.  This applies to NPPO candidates and candidates nominated by petition for county and township officers. Anyone with questions regarding the number of signatures necessary for each petition should contact the Montgomery County Auditor’s office 712-623-5127 or visit the Secretary of State website www.sos.iowa.gov

Saturday, October 29, 2016: VOTER PRE-REGISTRATION DEADLINE for election.  There is Election Day registration, but specific documentation must be provided.  If possible, register before Election Day.

Friday, November 4, 2016: Deadline to Request Absentee Ballot by mail is 5:00 p.m.

Tuesday, November 8, 2016   ELECTION DAY:Polls open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Polling Places: Red Oak Gold Fair Building, Red Oak Fire Station, Red Oak First Christian Church, Elliott Community Building, Stanton Fire Department, Grant Fire Department and Villisca Community Building

ABSENTEE BALLOTS WILL BE AVAILABLE AFTER SEPTEMBER 29, 2016, AT THE AUDITOR’S OFFICE TO BE VOTED THROUGH MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2016. Those requesting by mail should send requests as soon as possible.

Party Affiliated Candidates On Ballot:

County Offices

Montgomery County Auditor

Stephanie Burke (Rep) – Incumbent

Montgomery County Sheriff

Joseph Sampson (Rep) – Incumbent

Supervisor District #3

Bryant Amos (Rep) – Incumbent

Supervisor District #5

Donna Robinson (Rep)- Incumbent

Interested candidates may also file papers for the following offices: Township Trustees, Township Clerks, County Hospital Trustees, Soil and Water Conservation Board, and County Agricultural Extension.

Other offices on the ballot will include:

Red Oak School District -a School Board Vacancy on the General Ballot.

Montgomery County Supervisor District #2 vacancy.

The Montgomery County Auditor’s Office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.  If anyone has questions about voter registration, absentee ballots, or voting, call the Auditor’s office—712-623-5127 or visit www.montgomerycountyiowa.com.  Montgomery County Auditor & Commissioner of Elections also has a Facebook page.

Iowa’s public school system is one of the best in the country, according to an analysis by the personal-finance website WalletHub. Iowa is ranked 11th on WalletHub’s list of “Best School Systems in America.” The report examined each state across 17 metrics, ranging from student-teacher ratio to average SAT and ACT scores to dropout rate. Iowa has the lowest dropout rate in the country at 9.5 percent.

The report places Massachusetts at the top of the list of states with the best school systems — with New Jersey, Connecticut, Vermont, and Wisconsin rounding out the top five.

On the web at https://wallethub.com/edu/states-with-the-best-schools/5335/

(Radio Iowa)

State climatologist Harry Hillaker says most of the state got more rain than normal in July. “Statewide averaging a little bit over six inches — and typically you get about four-point-two inches or rainfall during the month,” Hillaker says.

In Atlantic, at the KJAN Studios, we received 7.78” of rain during the month, which was 3.16” more than average. The most rain fell on July 11th (1.25″), July 17th (1.38″), July 19th (1.68″), and July 27th (1.5″). Hillaker says there was one area of the state that missed out on the extra rain.  Hillaker says “The far northwest corner along the South Dakota border, where some areas are only roughly about half the usual amount of rain up that way. And fortunately they had had fairly good rainfall earlier this season, but  got left out for the most part during July.”

All the rainy days were offset by the sunny ones when it came to the average temperature. “Overall averaged out to just two-tenths of a degree cooler than usual,” Hillaker says. “Had a couple of episodes of unusually cool weather, one to start off the first three or four days of the month where our temperatures were well below normal, a very cool Fourth of July for example.”

In Atlantic, the average high of 83 was 2.17-degrees cooler than the normal, while the average low of 62 was one degree cooler than normal. The warmest day was July 21st (92 degrees), while the coolest morning was the 17th (51 degrees). Hillaker says Iowa also had one week near the end of the month where high heat and humidity made it feel “pretty miserable” outside.

He says we had heat index of 110 degrees or higher four days in a row from the 20th to the 23rd.  The heat index factors in what it feels like with the heat and humidity combined. ” And the highest heat index reading of 119 degrees came in Shenandoah,” according to Hillaker. That was on July 21st.

(Radio Iowa/KJAN weather data)

SAC CITY, Iowa (AP) – Authorities have released the name of a crop-dusting pilot who was killed when his plane crashed in western Iowa. The plane wreckage was discovered around 9:45 a.m. Friday by a crew responding to a power outage about 3 1/2 miles south of Sac City. The Sac County Sheriff’s Office said Monday that a preliminary investigation shows the plane clipped the static lines on high-voltage lines and came down in a cornfield.

The Sheriff’s Office says in a news release that the pilot has been identified as 44-year-old Mark Watson, who lived in Burlington.  An autopsy has been ordered.

Iowa Republican Congressman Steve King has announced he’ll hold a Town Hall meeting next Monday (August 8th), in Onawa. The meeting takes place from 11:30-a.m. until 12:30-p.m., at the Onawa Public Library (707 Iowa Avenue).

The Glenwood Police Department reports three, recent arrests. Today (Monday), 22-year old Colton McDaniel, of Pacific Junction, was arrested for Attempted Burglary and Domestic Abuse Assault. McDaniel was being held in the Mills County Jail without bond, until making an appearance before a Magistrate Judge.

Saturday, Glenwood Police arrested 26-year old Herndon Buie, of Ashford, AL, on a charge of Public Intoxication. Bond was set at $300. And, on Friday, 55-year old Carl Carlson, of Shenandoah, was arrested in Glenwood for 4th degree Theft and Trespassing. Bond was set at $1,300.