The Page County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a report of animal neglect involving cattle. According to Sheriff Lyle Palmer, his office received a complaint Saturday with regard to the condition of cattle in Section 7 of Colfax Township. When deputies went to investigate, they observed the animals and made contact with the person who was responsible for their care. The deputies were advised that cattle were being moved the following day, and that a veterinarian was coming to look at the cattle today (Monday).

The deputies confirmed the cattle were moved on Sunday to another location in Page County, where they could be more closely monitored by their care taker. No citations have been issued in connection with the incident, and Palmer says deputies will continue to monitor the situation. The investigation remains on-going.

Police in Clarinda are investigating an incident of vandalism, which was reported to authorities on Friday. Officials say Barker Implement reported windows had been broken out of two combines that were on the dealership’s property, for servicing and repair. A dollar amount of the damage was not available, and no arrests have been made.

An investigation into a theft from a farm east of Hamburg has resulted in two arrests. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office said Sunday, 33-year old Christopher Lynn Rakes, of Riverton, and 46-year old David Mark Hilgerson, of Shenandoah, were both taken into custody on charges of 1st degree theft.The men were being held in the Fremont County Jail on $10,000 bond each.

The charges stem from an investigation into the October theft of grain bin fan motors from the Mike Stenzel farm at 3263 300th Street, in Fremont County. 12 electric motors, and 12 aluminum fan blades, valued at $11,000 altogether, were taken.

A granary in Portsmouth has closed its doors and filed for bankruptcy. G & R Grain Company Incorporated, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on January 1^st, in the Southern District Court of Iowa. Farmers found out about the move when they attempted to sell or pick up their grain. A simple sign on the door indicated the company’s actions.

The notice said “This property and all of the assets of the company are under the jurisdiction of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Iowa. It is anticipated that Deborah L. Petersen will be appointed as Trustee.” It also provided a telephone number for concerned persons to call.

Petersen said affected farmers would need to file a claim on the bankruptcy for money owed them, with their own attorney. Details on the disposition of the stored grain will be released sometime next week. Petersen said the next steps are to liquidate the assets and collect the accounts receivable.

She said also, a partial distribution of the funds and assets could come by this summer as long as things go well with the courts and selling the assets. The last date to file a claim is May 20^th, 2013. The meeting on the matter will take place February 19^th, 2013 in Council Bluffs.

More information on the G & R Grain Company Inc. bankruptcy case can be obtained by calling Deborah Petersen at 712-328-8808, or the U-S District Court’s Case Information system, at 1-866-222-8029. The case number, is 13-00001.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

ST. LOUIS (AP) – Holiday storms that pounded much of the nation with snow and rain did little to ease the overall grip of the worst U.S. drought in decades.  The weekly U.S. Drought Monitor report released Thursday shows that about 61 percent of the continental U.S. remained in some form of drought as of Tuesday, down less than a percentage point from the previous week. That number has been above 60 percent largely since July.

More than 21 percent of the lower 48 states are in extreme or exceptional drought, the two worst categories. That’s down slightly from the previous week.  All of Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and South Dakota are in drought.   But some areas in the Southeast are emerging from drought after heavy rains since Christmas Day.

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JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) – A group that monitors the biodiesel industry in Iowa says a record has been set for production.  The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association says the state’s biodiesel plants produced 184 million gallons in 2012. That’s up from the previous 2011 record of 169 million gallons.

IRFA Executive Director Monte Shaw says he expects more production in the new year after Congress reinstated the biodiesel tax incentive that had expired. He says that will be beneficial for jobs, the environment and energy security.

The group, which represents the state’s liquid renewable fuels industry, says soybean oil accounted for more than 70 percent of production. Animal fats came in second at 18 percent. Canola oil, inedible corn oil, and used cooking oil made up the remaining 10 percent.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The bill Congress approved Tuesday night providing tax relief for most taxpayers also helps wind energy and ethanol producers by extending tax credits designed to encourage continued development.  States like Texas, the nation’s leading wind energy producer, and Iowa, the leading ethanol maker, should benefit from the incentives. Many of the credits had expired in 2012.

The bill extends to the end of the year a production tax credit for wind energy on any facility under construction before the end of 2013.  The bill also extends a $1.01-per-gallon tax credit for cellulosic ethanol made from corn plants, grasses, algae, and sources other than corn kernels. The bill allows ethanol makers to depreciate equipment for new plants placed in service in 2013 and extends biodiesel production tax incentives for two years.