The U-S-D-A weekly crop report shows farmers got some field work done last week, but wet conditions — including snow in northern Iowa — slowed things down. Iowa State University Extension crop specialist, Joel DeJong, covers northwest Iowa, and says farmers are off to a good start as they move toward planting. “And as I think as the conditions warm up and dry up and if we can stay dry this week, I think early next week we can see a lot of planters in the field,” DeJong says.

Soil temperatures dictate when farmers will start putting seeds in the soil. “We’d like to see 50-degree soil temperature at four inches and rising, is kind of what our goal is. We’ve been measuring temperatures all the way into the upper 40’s, it’s dropped back just a shade again, because we cooled back again,” DeJong says. “If you want a real rough rule-of-thumb of what the temperature is at four-inch depth, you average the last three days of temperatures and you are usually pretty close at this stage of the game — unless there is a huge swing — and then sometimes it isn’t quite right.”

DeJong says there are some reports of drought-like conditions, but sub-soil moisture levels in northwest Iowa seem to be sufficient. Dejong says they took several measurements last November down to five feet, which is the rooting depth for corn and bean growth, and the numbers were a little higher. “And that doesn’t go away the winter time, it takes crops or plants growing in it to have it go away. So that tells us that we are at least average at all out sites or maybe a slight bit above average at this stage of the game,” DeJong says.

The U-S-D-A report shows soil moisture levels are adequate for most areas of the state. DeJong says most Iowa farmers will probably plant this year’s corn crop between April 20th and May 10th.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton will begin raising money to pay for her second bid for the White House the same way she plans to start campaigning: small. Clinton is forgoing the celebrity-studded fundraisers that marked her husband’s presidency, as well as the high-dollar private events put on this year by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. Instead, Clinton’s initial appeals for money will be for small-dollar donations collected over the Internet.

CHEROKEE, Iowa (AP) — A Cherokee man has been sentenced in connection to a lengthy standoff with police. Thirty-six-year-old Joshua Allender was sentenced Monday to up to 10 years in prison. He took a plea deal in March to intimidation with a dangerous weapon and assault on a peace officer, dropping attempted murder, assault and weapons charges.

GARNER, Iowa (AP) — Another doctor has testified in the trial of a former Iowa lawmaker accused of sexually abusing his wife, saying the woman’s mental capacity deteriorated rapidly in the months before the alleged incident. Dr. John Brady, medical director of Garner’s Concord Care Center, testified in the third-degree sexual abuse case against 78-year-old Henry Rayhons. Prosecutors allege Rayhons had sex with his wife, Donna Lou Rayhons, in May at the nursing home after being told his wife was no longer mentally capable of consenting. She died in August.

The Iowa Department of Education recently released its figures for graduation and drop-out rates for schools across the State. Atlantic School District Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein said at Monday night’s School Board meeting, Atlantic’s four-year graduation rate was down slightly from last year’s 89.12-percent to 87.40-percent this year. The five-year graduation rate is 89.13-percent, which is down slightly from 2012’s 90-percent.The drop-out rate continues to decline, however. Last year it was 1.54-percent, which Amstein said is below the statewide average.

Atlantic School Board members don new headsets designed to make it easier for persons attending the meetings to hear Board conversations better.

This past year (2014), the dropout rate was 1.05-percent, which is also below the state average. Amstein said the district is doing well in preventing dropouts, but needs to work harder on the graduation rate. He said also, the Iowa Assessment data was received last week, but he didn’t have the numbers crunched to provide the board during their meeting Monday evening, but overall he says, “I think we did pretty well.

Atlantic he says, will start the 2015-16 School Year on August 24th, now that Governor Branstad signed the School Calendar Bill last week. And, the district will not have to make up three days missed due to snow earlier this year, prior to the end of the current school year. That’s because the district, which runs on an hourly calendar instead of a daily calendar, more than exceeded the State recommended 1,080 instructional hours of education. Atlantic has had 1,115.76 hours on the books so far this current year.  The district will continue with the hourly calendar in the coming school year, which will also exceed the state recommended hours. Staff members will continue to meet as required for those three days, however, but Amstein said there are plenty of activities planned for those persons.

And, the price for school lunches during the 2015-16 School Year will increase 10-cents across the board. When the year begins, High School lunch will run $2.60, Middle School and Schuler lunches will be $2.55, and lunch at Washington Elementary will cost $2.30. The increases were recommended by Food Service Director DeeAnnSchriener, as she strives to meet the State goal of $2.70 within the next three-years. The lunch prices for Atlantic have traditionally been lower than those of other schools in the Hawkeye 10 conference, according to Amstein.

In other business, the School Board approved a recommended 3.2-percent settlement with the District’s Certified Staff. The move will cost $306,000, and is based on the assumption the district will receive $252,000 (1.25%) in State Supplemental Aid for 2015-16.

A Corning man was arrested on drug charges after the execution of a search warrant by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office on Monday.  At 10:55am Sheriff’s Officials searched a residence at 720 Benton Avenue in Corning after they received a report of a man giving meth to a person under the age of 18.   27-year-old Clayton Nathaniel Parsons was arrested and charged with Conspiracy to Deliver Meth and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  Officers discovered meth packaged up for resale during the search.  Parsons is being held on $25,300 bond.

Audubon Police Chief Matt Starmer reports four recent arrests. Starmer said Monday, that 23 year old Cassandra Preston Burcham-Hoagland, of Audubon, was arrested Sunday for Disorderly Conduct. Burcham-Hoagland was released on promise to appear.

On Saturday, Audubon Police arrested 50 year old Mitchell Lee Thompson,
of Audubon. Thompson was arrested on warrants for Possession of Marijuana/3rd
offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. The warrants stemmed from an incident that took place in Audubon on April 6th. The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the arrest.

Last Friday, 21 year old Samantha Christine Schmidt, of Audubon, was arrested for Harassment. Schmidt was processed and released on promise to appear.

And on April 4th, 58 year old Phillip Alan Rustvold, of Audubon, was arrested for Operating a Motor Vehicle While Intoxicated. Rustvold was taken to the Audubon County Jail for processing and released.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Two former egg industry executives have been sentenced to three months in jail for their roles in a major 2010 salmonella outbreak that sickened thousands. Austin “Jack” DeCoster and his son Peter were sentenced Monday on shipping adulterated food charges. They will remain free while appealing the sentence.

The DeCosters wanted to avoid jail, but U.S. District Judge Mark Bennett heeded prosecutors’ calls for a tough punishment because of the widespread harm the outbreak caused. Prosecutors also said the DeCosters knew their Iowa egg facilities were at risk for contamination.

Federal health officials linked 1,939 illnesses to the outbreak but estimate up to 56,000 people may have been sickened. The Quality Egg company paid a $6.8 million fine as part of a plea agreement, and the DeCosters paid $100,000 apiece.

A woman from Nebraska was sentenced today (Monday) to a term of probation for her role in the 2014 thefts of cattle from two farms in Cass County. The Cass County Attorney’s office reports 42-year-old Amy Springer, of Omaha, pled guilty to the a felony charge of Theft in the 2nd degree. Because Springer had no previous record, she was given a deferred judgement and sentenced to two-year’s probation.Springer was released from the Cass County Jail late this (Monday) morning.

Springer, along with 57-year old Ervin J. Jacob, of Omaha, was charged in connection with the theft of cattle from Freund Brothers Farms near Lewis. The stolen cattle were unloaded to unsuspecting buyers at various Iowa and Nebraska sale barns.

Jacob faces charges that include Ongoing Criminal conduct and three counts of Theft in the 2nd Degree.  His Pre-trial conference is set for May 11th, with trial scheduled for May 27th.

A third person allegedly connected to the crime, 49-year old James Michael Brunzo, Jr., also of Omaha, was being held without bond in the Pottawattamie County Jail on charges of Theft in the 1st Degree and Burglary in the 3rd Degree.  Both men have entered pleas of Not Guilty to the charges.

SIBLEY, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say they’re searching for the person who dumped a bag of dead puppies near a northwestern Iowa bridge. The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office says the bag was located near a bridge north of Sibley, Iowa on Northwest Boulevard. The sheriff’s office received a report of the puppies April 6.

The Sioux City Journal reports that the puppies have been described as medium or large breed dogs. Officials say they were seemingly left near the bridge sometime in the winter. The case remains under investigation.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The case of an Urbandale man accused of robbing a central Iowa bank at gunpoint has been sent to a federal grand jury.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa says 35-year-old Hussam Fayiz Abusharkh appeared in federal court Friday on a criminal complaint. He is accused of robbing the Farmers and Merchants State Bank in St. Charles on March 25, when Madison County deputies responded to reports of a man with a handgun ordering employees to fill a bag with money.

Abusharkh turned himself in to authorities Thursday on a state first-degree robbery charge. A judge ordered that Abusharkh remain detained pending the grand jury’s review of his case.