The recent spell of warm and sunny weather has allowed many farmers to either finish come very close to completing this year’s harvest. The latest U-S-D-A crop report shows 94 percent of the corn crop has been harvested — and for the first time this year the harvest is not behind the five-year average. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey talked about harvest. “It’s really coming along very good, we have some parts of Iowa that are done, and the tillage is done and fertilizer going on the ground,” Northey says.

He doesn’t expect it to take too much longer before all the combines have finished their work. “We do see a lot of progress, the forecast is good, the conditions are very good now, the corn is drying down and I would imagine within the next week or so there won’t be too many acres left in the field,” Northey says.

The numbers he’s hearing on the harvest are good for corn. “Average yield in Iowa across all acres expected to be199 bushels and acre,” Northey says. “And 59 bushels and acre for soybeans. Again that’s a record.” Northey, who farms near Spirit Lake says his harvest is completed after some weather setbacks.

“We had a little wet spell in the middle, so we had a little bit of mud in the middle. And I had a little too much rain in May when I planted some of the corn, so we had some stand issues. My corn crop wasn’t the best I’ve had — it was a little bit better last year than this years,” Northey says.

The Agriculture Secretary says he has some post-harvest work left to do before wrapping everything up for the years. While harvest is winding down in most of the state, southwest and south central Iowa still have more than 10 percent of the corn crop and almost 10 percent of the soybean crop remaining to be harvested.

(Radio Iowa)

A man with a history of controlled substance violations was arrested again, Monday afternoon, in Red Oak. Red Oak Police say 28-year old Matthew Stephen Hyland, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 4:45-p.m.following a traffic stop at the intersection of Highway 34 and N. 4th Street, after police found Hyland to be in possession of marijuana. Hyland was charged with felony Possession of a Controlled Substance (3rd or Subsequent offense), as well as Driving While Revoked. He was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $5,000 cash bond.

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

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State University President Steven Leath damaged a private plane in a hard landing in 2014 _ 11 months before he banged up a university aircraft in remarkably similar fashion. Documents obtained under the open records law show Leath was flying in gusty conditions in August 2014 and “landed hard” in a crosswind, causing propeller damage.

DOUGHERTY, Iowa (AP) — Family of a Mason City resident killed five years ago in a crash say they are disturbed someone stole an item left at a roadside memorial to the man. Heidi Hanson, of Mason City, told the Globe Gazette there isn’t a gravesite for her father, Marlin Hanson, so relatives and friends visit a memorial at the site near Dougherty where he died in a 2011 grain truck crash. In October, they pounded in a wind vane with an eagle cutout, as Hanson loved the birds. Recently they realized it had been stolen.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Some 200 rallies protesting the Dakota Access oil pipeline are slated Tuesday across the United States, at Army Corps of Engineers offices, federal buildings and banks that have helped finance the project. Pipeline opponents are seeking to draw the attention of President Barack Obama and get his administration to reject a crossing at a Missouri River reservoir in southern North Dakota.

LEON, Iowa (AP) — Police in the southern Iowa city of Leon are investigating what authorities are calling a suspicious death. Leon police, with help from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, were called to a home Sunday morning after two people found a man’s body. The body was identified as 53-year-old Steven Dabb, of Leon. The body was in a home where Dabb lived and had recently been destroyed by a fire.

Iowa’s Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds is trying to put to rest persistent rumors that Governor Terry Branstad will retire before his four-year term ends, putting Reynolds into office and setting her up as the incumbent in 2018. The governor has long denied any such intention. Reynolds was asked at the administration’s weekly news conference if the governor is about to step down.

” No. Listen. What does he say at almost every stop? You follow him, what does he end almost every sentence with? Proud of what we’ve done, we’ve got a great story to tell. We’re not done yet,” Reynolds says. There has been some speculation that Branstad might join the Trump administration as the Ambassador to Chine because of the governor’s close relationship with China’s president.

Reynolds also shot down that idea. The governor is currently on a trade mission to China. Branstad has made clear he is grooming Reynolds to eventually become governor. Reynolds wouldn’t comment on whether Branstad himself will run again in 2018.

(Radio Iowa)

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest today (Monday), of an Anita man on Burglary and other charges. 37-year old Matthew Robert Prall faces charges that include Attempted Burglary in the 3rd degree, Escape from Custody, Public Intoxication, Disorderly Conduct, and Interference with Official Acts. Prall was brought to the Cass County Jail and held on $3,600 bond. In addition, a juvenile male was charged in the incident, with Criminal Mischief in the 4th degree, and Minor In Possession of Alcohol.

Last Friday, Cass County Deputies arrested 24-year old Drew Ashton Gagnon, of Missouri Valley, on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Gagnon was taken to the Cass County Jail and remains held on $5,000 bond.

And, on Saturday, Cass County Deputies were called to the scene of an accident near 71555 Oxford Road, where a 1997 Pontiac Bonneville driven by 17-year old Alexandria Michelle Becker, of Wiota, was pulling out of a driveway. The car struck an eastbound cattle trailer attached to a 2000 Ford F350 pickup. The pickup was driven by 55-year old Jon Charles Groves,  of Massena. No injuries were reported. Damage to Becker’s car is estimated at $1,000; damage to Groves’ trailer is estimated at $1,200.

The Atlantic Police Department released details Monday on several recent arrests.

On Thursday, November 10th Officers arrested 18-year-old Dustin Jones of Atlantic on three Cass County Warrants for Controlled Substance Violations.  He was taken into custody and transported to the Cass County Jail and booked in.

Also on Thursday Officers arrested 26-year-old Francis Kirchner of Villisca for Possession of Controlled Substance (Marijuana) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was taken to the Cass County Jail and booked in.

Finally Thursday APD arrested 18-year-old Austin Boggs of Atlantic for Theft 5th Degree. He was cited into court and released.

On Saturday, November 12th Atlantic Police arrested 56-year-old James Cisar of Atlantic on Cass County Warrants for OWI 1st Offense and Possession of Controlled Substance (Marijuana). He was taken into custody and booked in to the Cass County Jail.

Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) are monitoring the site of a manure spill, in Carroll County. At around 5:30-p.m. Friday, a landowner reported a manure spill about three miles northwest of the city of Breda.

The DNR investigated the spill Friday and Saturday, finding that an unknown amount of manure flowed into an underground tile intake after a tanker became stuck in a marshy area. With Carroll County’s help, DNR traced the manure underground through tile lines to an unnamed tributary which eventually flows into the Boyer River. There were no dead fish seen below the spill area.

The manure came from an Iowa Select facility during land application by a commercial manure applicator company owned by Mark Schroeder. Schroeder and Iowa Select plugged the tile intake and dammed the area around the spill, pumping the diluted manure to a nearby crop field.

Pumping will continue for a few days because of the marshy conditions. The DNR is monitoring the cleanup and will consider appropriate enforcement action.

The Glenwood Police Department reports two arrests. Today (Monday), 24-year old Blake Conn, of Glenwood, was arrested for Possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond was set at $1300 cash or surety. Conn was also was arrested for being a fugitive from justice, for which there was no bond set.

And, last Friday, Glenwood Police arrested Kevin Shea, of Iowa City, for OWI 1^st offense. His bond was set at $1000 cash or surety.

LEON, Iowa (AP) — Police in the southern Iowa city of Leon are investigating what authorities are calling a suspicious death. Leon police, with help from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, responded to a home Sunday morning after two people found a man’s body. The body was identified Monday as 53-year-old Steven Dabb, of Leon. The body was in a home where Dabb lived that had recently been destroyed by fire.

Police say the Office of the State Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy, which didn’t find “major trauma” to the body. Toxicology tests that could indicate the cause of death could take six to eight weeks. Decatur County Attorney Lisa Jeanes says there is no indication the public is at danger.

Leon is a city of 2,000 people, about 60 miles south of Des Moines.

The Shelby County field/grassland Fire Danger index will remain in the “Moderate” category this week. Emergency Management officials say if you are planning any large burns, contact your local fire chief or the Emergency Management Office. Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Seivert says high winds are predicted this week, so the Fire Danger index could change. Stay tuned for further updates.