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USDA Announces Emergency Grazing on CRP Acres in Iowa

Ag/Outdoor

April 10th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

(Revised) USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director Amanda De Jong today (Wednesday) announced that effective immediately, emergency grazing use of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres is approved in Iowa through May 14, 2019. The authorization was granted to address the impacts of the recent extreme weather, including flooding. Participation is limited to livestock producers who lost pasture or fences due to the flooding.

“By allowing emergency grazing, we expand the available resources to help Iowa producers respond to recent weather events,” De Jong said. Producers who are interested in the use of emergency grazing of CRP acres must request FSA county office approval before moving livestock onto the acres. Producers whose livestock grazing land was adversely impacted by the flood, must file a CCC-576 Notice of Loss or provide written certification of that loss. The request must include a modified conservation plan, with grazing provisions, from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

CRP participants can allow others to use their CRP acres under this emergency grazing authorization; however, the livestock owners will also need to complete FSA paperwork indicating their grazing land was adversely impacted by severe weather. There will be no reduction in CRP rental payments to CRP contract holders who use the emergency grazing authorization. CRP contract holders are not permitted to charge livestock producers for the emergency grazing option.

For more information on eligible practices or to request approval for emergency grazing use of CRP acres, contact your local FSA office or visit www.farmers.gov/service-locator.

Mills County Sheriff’s report: 2 arrested on drug charges

News

April 10th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

Two women have been arrested on separate drug charges in Mills County. The Sheriff’s Office reports 25-year old Myrissa Taylor Comstock, of Coin, was arrested Tuesday night for Possession of Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Her bond was set at $1,300.

And, at around 5:10-a.m. Wednesday (today), 18-year old Monica Nicole Price, of Pacific Junction, was arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Her bond was set at $300.

Red Oak woman arrested on warrant Wednesday

News

April 10th, 2019 by Jim Field

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of a Red Oak woman on a warrant Wednesday. At approximately 1:43pm Deputies arrested 28-year-old Carley Marie Whitaker of Red Oak on a valid Iowa District Court Warrant for Contempt-Resist Order or Process of District Court. Whiteaker was booked in to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $1,000 cash bond.

Secretary Pate asks voters to respond to No Activity notices

News

April 10th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate asks Iowans who receive a “No Activity in 4 Years” mailing from his office to respond quickly. This will avoid having their voter registration status changed to inactive. The “No Activity” notices are being sent to voters who have not voted in any election and have not updated their voter registration information in the past four years. The purpose of the mailing is to ensure Iowa’s voter rolls are up-to-date.

“This mailing is part of the routine process we undertake to ensure our voter rolls are as accurate as possible. It’s a crucial component for having clean and fair elections across the state,” Secretary Pate said. The “No Activity in 4 Years” mailing is required by federal law. Iowans who receive the mailing should check the relevant box, sign the card and return it quickly to their county auditor. If the voter no longer lives at that address, the current resident should note that information on the card and place it in the mail.

Inactive voters can update their registration status to active anytime, including on Election Day. A sample of the “2019 No Activity in 4 Years” mailing is available at this link.

2019 World Pork Expo in Des Moines is cancelled over swine fever concerns

Ag/Outdoor, News

April 10th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — For only the second time in its history, the National Pork Producers Council has cancelled the World Pork Expo in Des Moines. Jim Monroe, the council’s communications director, says the decision was made out of an abundance of caution. “We think the chances that African Swine Fever could spread to the U.S. swine herd by holding the event are very, very remote,” he says, “but we can’t say that it’s zero.”

African Swine Fever is a viral disease that causes high death rates in pigs. It does NOT present human health or food safety risks. Monroe says an outbreak of the disease in the U.S. would be a devastating economic below to the livestock industry. “There’s already a challenging environment that pork producers are operating in and if we had an outbreak of African Swine Fever or Foot and Mouth Disease, for example, that would immediately close our export markets,” Monroe says.

The National Pork Producers Council has hosted the World Pork Expo since 1987. The only other time the annual event was cancelled was in 2001, when Foot and Mouth Disease was detected in Europe. Despite the EXPO’S cancellation, the National Swine Registry, Certified Pedigree Swine and American Berkshire Association are still planning a live hog show at the Iowa State Fairgrounds that typically runs in conjunction with the World Pork Expo. The groups have been working to confirm logistics for the events from June 2nd through the 8th and will provide those to exhibitors once all those details are finalized.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10th

Trading Post

April 10th, 2019 by Jim Field

FOR SALE:  Broiler chickens, duck eggs and chicken eggs…also golden pup.  Call 712-579-1981.

Have you seen this missing teen?

News

April 10th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is seeking the public’s help in finding a missing 17-year-old Nebraska boy. Kevin Stewart, a white male with brown hair and green eyes, has been missing from Boys Town since Jan. 3, 2019. He’s described as being 5-foot-8 and 120 pounds and may be in the Carter Lake, Iowa area. If you have any information, please immediately call 911 or NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or the Boys Town Police Department at 1-402-498-1170.

Kevin Stewart

Des Moines officials: US courthouse design not a good fit

News

April 10th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Some Des Moines officials say the initial design for the new federal courthouse downtown is a disappointment. The reaction comes after a private meeting last month between city leaders and the General Services Administration, which is overseeing the $137 million riverfront project. City communications director Jen Schulte says city leaders had asked that the courthouse be designed to interact with the Principal Riverwalk and make it inviting to pedestrians.

Schulte told The Des Moines Register that those aspects either weren’t incorporated or were included with the caveat they could be engineered as the agency works to control the project’s budget. The GSA pledged two weeks after the meeting to make several changes, including creating access to the riverwalk, incorporating publicly accessible green spaces and investigating ways to use public art.

2 arrested in Glenwood

News

April 10th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

The Glenwood Police Dept. reports two arrests. 48-year old Lonnie Ritchison, of Glenwood, was arrested today (Wednesday), for providing false identification information, driving under suspension, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of a controlled substance. His cash or surety bond was set at $5,900. On Tuesday, 35-year old Anthony Anglen, of Glenwood, was arrested on a Mills County warrant for Probation violation. His cash-only bond was set at $1,000.

Spring Tree Vouchers available from Atlantic Trees Forever

Ag/Outdoor, News

April 10th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

Atlantic Trees Forever spokesperson Dolly Bergmann said today (Wednesday), that Spring tree vouchers are now available from the Atlantic Trees Forever. Tree vouchers are a great way to help individuals with the cost of purchasing a tree to plant. The vouchers are worth $30 off the price of a tree, and can be obtained at Pymosa Farms, north of Atlantic.

Bergmann advised that there are a limited number of vouchers available and said officials at Pymosa Farms could help you determine what kind of tree would do best for your location. The business is located at 50979 Buck Creek Road, Atlantic. Bergmann suggests you contact owner Tim Reavis at 402-659-1213 before driving to the farm to make sure someone is available to help you since he and his employees may be out planting trees.