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Construction update on $240 million Prestage Foods plant coming to Iowa

Ag/Outdoor

September 4th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

The president of the North Carolina based company that’s building a pork processing plant in north-central Iowa is providing an update on the $240 million project. Ron Prestage says a lot of work this summer was done “below ground” on the site in southern Wright County. “We’ve already dug one of the two wells,” Prestage said. “That well is almost 2,000 feet deep and will produce 2,000 gallons of water a minute. So, it’s a big well. We’re going to do another one this winter, primarily as a backup.”

Just over a year ago, the Prestage Foods project near Eagle Grove was awarded $11.5 million in state tax credits. Construction of the actual buildings on the site is now underway. Prestage expects the buildings will be done and equipment installed by NEXT fall, but the processing of animals won’t happen right away. “As you can imagine, having to train a new workforce, get all the equipment fine tuned – there’s a lot of computerization that’s going to be in this plant,” Prestage said. “It’s going to take a lot of work and coordination to get all of those things operating smoothly.”

The first hogs to be killed in the plant will likely come in November of 2018, according to Prestage. The facility will be one of the larger employers in the area. “There are going to be 1,000 employees working directly for us, but that doesn’t include a lot of other supportive roles that’ll be played by truck drivers and a lot of other people,” Prestage said.

Prestage chose to locate the pork plant near Eagle Grove after Mason City officials rejected plans for the plant in their city.

(Radio Iowa)

Posted in Ag/Outdoor |

Grant Writing Workshop set for Sept. 13th, registration needed by 9/11

News

September 4th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

A grant writing workshop is scheduled to be presented in Red Oak September 13th for representatives of nonprofits, local government, and schools. Participants across Southwest Iowa are encouraged to attend.

Grant Writing 101, a workshop sponsored by ISU Extension and Outreach – Montgomery County, will provide hands-on training in seeking and writing successful grant applications. The workshop will be presented from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 13, at Wilson Performing Arts Center, 300 Commerce Drive, Red Oak.

The cost of the workshop is $15, which includes a light meal that will be served at the start of the program. Registration is required by noon, September 11; call the Montgomery County Extension office at 623-2592 to register.

Participants are asked to bring a laptop computer or iPad/tablet device, if possible, to use to search online for grants and other resources during the workshop. The training will be presented by Jane Nolan Goeken, a Community and Economic Development program specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Goeken has more than 29 years of experience working with federal, state, local and foundation grant programs. In addition to writing successful grant applications, she has served as a grant application reviewer and administrator, and has helped set up grant award and review programs.

Goeken will assist workshop participants in exploring various public and private funding sources, and provide instruction and tips on planning projects and writing successful grant applications. For more information about the workshop, contact Jane Goeken at jngoeken@iastate.edu or 712/240-2504; or Rachel Bergren, Montgomery County Extension Program Coordinator, at rbergren@iastate.edu or 623-2592.

Posted in News |

Deere exec says consumers worldwide growing dependent on food exports

Ag/Outdoor, News

September 4th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

A John Deere executive says expanding U.S. trade is not just important for manufacturers, it’s important for consumers around the globe. “Today, about 15 or 16 percent of the world population relies on trade to solve their food needs. By 2050, that’s estimated to be north of 50 percent.”

Jim Field is president of John Deere’s Agriculture and Turf Division. He says it’s “vital” to enhance trade relationships. “If you look at the U.S. and you say there’s about 325 million acres of stable cropland and you project forward what is going to be the productivity enhancements and improvements that we would suggest we should see over the next 40 years and then you project forward what’s going to happen with domestic consumption here in the U.S., export has got to be part of the game,” Field says, “because we’re going to overproduce.”

Field says expanding exports of U.S. ag commodities is a security issue as well, since hunger and famine spawn instability. The U.S. currently has “free trade” agreements with 20 of the world’s 195 counties.

(Radio Iowa)

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

Skyscan forecast & weather data for Atlantic: 9/04/17

Weather

September 4th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Labor Day (Today): Partly cloudy. NW @ 10-20. High near 80.

Tonight: P/Cldy. Low 48. NW @ 10-20 diminishing late.

Tomorrow: P/Cldy. High around 70. NW winds @ 15-25.

Wednesday: Mostly Sunny. High 68.

Thursday: P/Cldy. High 70

Sunday’s High in Atlantic was 84. Our (24-hour) Low at 7-a.m. will be 53. Last year on this date, the High in Atlantic was 79 and the low was 64. The Record High in Atlantic on this date was 101 in 1918. The Record Low for this date was 33 in 1891.

Posted in Weather |

(Update to earlier posted report) Anamosa policeman killed in off-duty crash

News

September 4th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

An Anamosa police officer was killed in a crash this weekend. 40-year old Mitchell Kelchen, of Bellevue, died when the SUV he was riding in was struck head-on by a mini-van.The accident happened Saturday morning around 7:30 am on Highway 62 in Jackson County. The Iowa State Patrol says Kelchen’s wife, 40-year old Tina Kelchen, was driving their SUV southbound when the northbound mini-van, driven by 60-year old Marjorie Hendrickson of Bellevue, crossed the centerline and struck them head-on. Officer Kelchen was killed.

Tina Kelchen and Hendrickson were both injured and airlifted to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. Mitchell Kelchen had been with the Anamosa Police Department for about a year, having served with the Dyersville Police Department prior to that. He was a 1994 graduate of Western Dubuque High School. Numerous law enforcement agencies across the state have expressed their sympathy.

The Anamosa Police Department posted a Facebook photo Saturday of a police squad vehicle with a blue stripe on the windshield parked in front of the police station, where the community has been laying flowers in honor of their fallen officer.

(Radio Iowa)

Posted in News |

Iowa early News Headlines: Labor Day (Monday), 9/4/2017

News

September 4th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — When a major tech company announced recently it planned to build two data centers in Iowa, Gov. Kim Reynolds saw it as a clear win. She touted the deal with Apple Inc. as one that will create jobs, spur economic growth and elevate Iowa’s status. Yet the project includes a price tag of $208 million in state and local tax breaks, a detail that has Reynolds facing criticism for backing it amid a state budget crunch. It’s become political fodder for next year’s gubernatorial race.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Equipment manufacturer John Deere has hired about 250 workers in Dubuque since last fall thanks to surging demand for new products. The Telegraph Herald reports that the John Deere Dubuque Works facility employs 1,300 production workers, its highest total since 2000. There are another 1,300 employees at the plant who work in other capacities such as engineering, sales and marketing. General Manager Mark Dickson says he predicts adding another 50 workers by October.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A former West Des Moines preschool employee convicted for showing up to work drunk is back behind bars after officials say she showed up drunk to her sentencing. The Des Moines Register reports that at 43-year-old Angela Hircock’s sentencing Thursday, a breath test showed her blood alcohol level at .178. The legal limit to drive is .08. Her probation sentence was then set aside and she was arrested.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Police are investigating after officials at a Waterloo mosque say four people were found setting fires in the mosque’s parking lot. Ibrahim Shehata, president of the Islamic Foundation of Iowa in Waterloo, told the Courier that four people _two adults and two children _ were found Wednesday night using an accelerant to light cans on fire in the parking lot, including near the entrance door and some vehicles. No one was injured and no damage was reported.

Posted in News |

Chiefs owner sued over New Mexico investment deal

Sports

September 4th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The owner of the Kansas City Chiefs is being accused in a lawsuit of improperly receiving hundreds of millions in state investment money through a kickback deal with New Mexico officials.

The Kansas City Star reports Sunday the New Mexico State Investment Council filed the lawsuit late last month against Clark Hunt and HFV Asset Management over the politically influenced investment deals. Hunt didn’t comment to the newspaper on the lawsuit Sunday morning. Hunt’s father, Lamar, founded the Chiefs franchise and is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The lawsuit says Hunt made a deal 12 years ago with two men with political connections who promised to steer New Mexico investment money to a hedge fund in exchange for payments. Hunt was a partner in the hedge fund.

New Mexico awarded $300 million to the hedge fund and paid millions in management fees. The lawsuit said one of the investment funds lost $13 million during the period. “Hunt sought to gain unfair advantage by paying for influence over the process,” New Mexico officials said in the lawsuit.

The accusations are tied to the pay-to-play scandal that took place during administration of former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson. New Mexico has already negotiated more than $30 million in settlements related to the pay-to-play investment scandal.

Posted in Sports |

Cards power past Giants on homers by Bader, DeJong, Martinez

Sports

September 4th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Harrison Bader hit a tiebreaking homer leading off the sixth after Madison Bumgarner homered in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the San Francisco Giants 7-3 on Sunday to gain ground again in the wild-card race.

Paul DeJong hit a solo homer in the fourth for the first St. Louis hit and Jose Martinez followed with a drive to nearly the same spot over the left-field fence. It was the seventh time the Cardinals hit consecutive homers this year.

Luke Weaver (4-1) struck out nine over seven innings to just miss a third straight start with double-digit Ks, helping St. Louis move within three games of Colorado for the NL’s second wild card.

Posted in Sports |

TJ boys and SE Polk girls take titles at Lynx XC Meet

Sports

September 3rd, 2017 by admin

The Denison-Schleswig girls and Thomas Jefferson boys took titles at the Abraham Lincoln 49th Annual Lynx Cross Country Invitational on Saturday in Council Bluffs.

Girls Individual

  1. Raegan Andersen, Denison-Schleswig 19:21.96
  2. Amber Aesoph, Bishop Heelan 19:30.08
  3. Ellie Mendlik, Denison-Schleswig 19:37.46
  4. Grace Larkins, Southeast Polk 19:40.37
  5. Hannah Hutchinson, Bishop Heelan 19:56.61

Girls Team

  1. SE Polk 60
  2. Bishop Heelan 79
  3. Glenwood 85
  4. Denison-Schleswig 109
  5. Harlan 125
  6. AL 140
  7. Lewis Central 181
  8. TJ 203
  9. Shenandoah-Essex 213
  10. Red Oak 232
  11. Missouri Valley 331
  12. St. Albert 333

Boys Individual

  1. Charlie Saulsbury, Bishop Heelan 17:04.51
  2. Gage Graeve, Missouri Valley 17.11.71
  3. Jordan Hustak, Missouri Valley 17:26.70
  4. Zack Booton, Thomas Jefferson 17:30.11
  5. Aidan Booton, Thomas Jefferson 17:30.74
  6. Archie Powers, Thomas Jefferson 17:31.83

Boys Team

  1. TJ 38
  2. Lewis Central 90
  3. Missouri Valley 123
  4. AL 126
  5. Harlan 152
  6. Bishop Heelan 156
  7. Shenandoah-Essex 170
  8. Red Oak 172
  9. St. Albert 175
  10. Denison-Schleswig 177

Posted in Sports |

High School Volleyball Tournament Scoreboard Saturday 9/2/2017

Sports

September 3rd, 2017 by admin

Clarinda Tournament

Round Robin

  • Clarinda 21-21 Griswold 14-17
  • Clarinda 21-22 Nodaway Valley 13-20
  • Clarinda 21-21 Stanton 6-8
  • Nodaway Valley 21-15-15 Stanton 18-21-13
  • Sidney 21-21 Clarinda 14-16
  • Sidney 21-19-15 Shenandoah 19-21-13
  • Sidney 21-21 Griswold 15-5
  • Shenandoah 21-21 Griswold 9-7
  • Shenandoah 21-21 Stanton 9-10
  • Shenandoah 21-21 Nodaway Valley 8-14
  • St. Albert 21-21 Griswold 5-9
  • St. Albert 21-21 Nodaway Valley 7-9
  • St. Albert 20-21-15 Sidney 22-15-9
  • St. Albert 21-21 Stanton 4-12

Semifinals

  • Sidney 18-21-15 Shenandoah 21-14-8
  • St. Albert 23-21 Clarinda 21-16

Final

  • St. Albert 17-21-15 Sidney 21-16-8

Iowa City Tournament

  • Lewis Central 21-21 Ankeny Centennial 18-15
  • Lewis Central 22-19-15 City High 20-21-5
  • Lewis Central 21-21 Davis County 10-13
  • Lewis Central 21-21 Durant 9-10
  • Lewis Central 21-21 Western Dubuque 19-8

Coon Rapids-Bayard Tournament

Red Pool

  • Atlantic 22-18-15 AHSTW 20-21-11
  • Atlantic 21-21 Paton-Churdan 15-7
  • Atlantic 21-21 Panorama 16-19
  • AHSTW 22-21 Paton-Churdan 20-17
  • Panorama 21-21 AHSTW 15-14
  • Panorama 21-17-15 Paton-Churdan 15-21-10

Black Pool

  • CAM, Anita 21-21 Ankeny Christian 17-19
  • CAM, Anita 21-21 Cardinal 11-17
  • CAM, Anita 21-15-15 Coon Rapids-Bayard 13-21-13
  • Cardinal 22-21 Ankeny Christian 20-18
  • Coon Rapids-Bayard 21-20-15 Ankeny Christian 16-20-7
  • Coon Rapids-Bayard 21-21 Cardinal 12-14

Semifinals:

  • Atlantic 21-16-16 Coon Rapids-Bayard 18-21-14
  • CAM, Anita 21-21 Panorama 19-16

3rd Place: Coon Rapids-Bayard 21-21 Panorama 14-18
Final: Atlantic 21-21 CAM, Anita 16-16

Sioux City North Tournament 

  • Denison-Schleswig 21-22 Sioux City West 17-20
  • Denison-Schleswig 21-21 MVAO/COU 13-19
  • Sioux City East 21-21 Denison-Schleswig 18-18
  • Sioux City North 21-21 Denison-Schleswig 16-11
  • Siouxland Christian 21-21 Denison-Schleswig 14-15
  • MOC-Floyd Valley 21-21 Denison-Schleswig 8-8
  • Sioux City East 21-21 MVAO/COU 11-7
  • Sioux City North 21-21 MVAO/COU 7-19
  • MVAO/COU 21-21 Sioux City West 14-9

 

Missouri Valley Tournament

  • Boyer Valley 21-21 Woodbine 13-12
  • East Mills 21-21 Boyer Valley 18-13
  • East Mills 21-21 Exira/EHK 14-13
  • East Mills 21-21 Woodbine 7-11
  • Exira/EHK 21-21-15 Boyer Valley 9-23-12
  • Exira/EHK 21-21 Woodbine 13-16
  • Missouri Valley 21-21 Exira/EHK 15-14
  • Missouri Valley 21-21 East Mills 13-12
  • Missouri Valley 21-21 Boyer Valley 10-11
  • Missouri Valley 21-21 Woodbine 7-9
  • Tri-Center 21-21 Exira/EHK 9-7
  • Tri-Center 21-21 Boyer Valley 12-10
  • Tri-Center 21-19-15 East Mills 10-21-3
  • Tri-Center 22-21 Missouri Valley 20-14
  • Tri-Center 21-21 Woodbine 10-8

 

South Central Calhoun Tournament 

  • Audubon 21-21 Belmond-Klemme 17-19
  • Audubon 21-21 West Central Valley 10-6
  • IKM-Manning 21-21 Audubon 13-9
  • IKM-Manning 21-21 Belmond-Klemme 5-11
  • IKM-Manning 21-19-15 Greene County 11-21-11
  • IKM-Manning 21-21 West Central Valley 15-8
  • Greene County 21-21 Audubon 15-10
  • South Central Calhoun 21-21 Audubon 12-12
  • South Hamilton 21-21 Audubon 9-13
  • South Central Calhoun 21-21 IKM-Manning 19-14
  • South Hamilton 21-19-15 IKM-Manning 19-21-8

Omaha North Tournament

Quarterfinals: Thomas Jefferson 19-25-25 Mercy 25-21-23
Semifinals: Lincoln High 25-25 Thomas Jefferson 19-16
Third Place: Omaha Central 25-25 Thomas Jefferson 21-22

 

Posted in Sports |