Officials with the Wallace Foundation for Rural Research and Development, located at the Armstrong Research Farm near Lewis, say they intend to establish teams to identify research/education needs in southwest Iowa, and propose projects to be
conducted at the Armstrong Research Farm, the Neely-Kinyon Research
Farm, or on private farms in the Wallace Foundation southwest Iowa area.

Eligible projects must be consistent with the Wallace Foundation mission:To provide a framework for local people to accelerate agricultural research, technology transfer, and rural development in southwest Iowa.

Proposed team focal areas include: fruits and vegetables; crops and soils; livestock; niche markets, farm business management, and local foods; and, resources, membership and youth involvement in the Wallace Foundation.

Applications for participation on a team will be received through calendar year 2016.

If interested, contact the Wallace Foundation, 53020 Hitchcock Avenue, Lewis, IA 51544.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (5.2MB)

Subscribe: RSS

The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.3MB)

Subscribe: RSS

The City of Macedonia in Pottawattamie County, is under a Boil Water Order until at least 3-p.m. Friday. While the specifics as to why the order was issued are currently not available, according to the Macedonia City Clerk,  a Boil Order is usually placed in effect during periods of water line repairs or construction.

MIAMI (AP) — Authorities have brought back to the United States a man whom they identified as the first U.S. fugitive turned over by the Cuban government since its recent thaw in relations with the U.S. The Marshals said in a news release Tuesday that Shawn Wegmann, of Muscatine, is wanted in Iowa on federal firearms charges.

Investigators say Wegmann arrived in Havana on Oct. 31 aboard a 13-foot Boston Whaler that he stole from a Key West marina. He was arrested by Cuban border guards.

Wegmann is scheduled for a court hearing in Miami on Wednesday. Authorities say he is from Kirklin, Indiana. He is likely to be returned to Iowa to face weapons charges. It was not immediately known if he had a lawyer

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

Information provided by the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office indicated Tom Moore, a Republican from Griswold, has won a Special Election to fill a vacant Iowa House District 21 seat. The vacancy was created by the death in October, of Jack Drake, a Republican from Griswold.

According to the polls results, Moore received a total of 1,409 votes. His opponent, Democrat Tim Ennis, of Corning, received 853 votes. Both men were nominated to run in the Special Election by separate nominating conventions held last month.

The results are unofficial until the votes are canvassed.

By County, here is the vote break-down: (candidate/votes/% of votes cast)

Cass – Ennis 327 (30.94%)      Moore – 730 (69.06%)     [Write-In’s  2]

Adams – Ennis 255 (57.3%)    Moore – 189 (42.3%)

Pottawattamie – Ennis 16 (17.2%)    Moore – 77 (82.8%)

Union – Ennis 255 (38.2%)    Moore 413 61.8%)

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office released details on two recent arrests and one stolen vehicle recovery.

On December 5th at approximately 12:36pm the Sheriff’s Office recovered a 2002 Buick LeSabre that was reported stolen from Moline, IL.  The vehicle was found parked in the 400 block of East 6th Street in Villisca.  The theft is still being investigated by the Moline, IL Police Department and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.

On Tuesday, December 8th at 11:25am Officers arrested 26-year-old Mykel Allen Thoren of Atlantic on a Cass County Warrant for Failure to Appear on 3rd Degree Burglary and 3rd Degree Theft charges.  Thoren is being held on $10,000 bond.

Also Tuesday at 12:50pm Deputies arrested 54-year-old Ronald Dean Kammerer Jr. of Red Oak on a Pottawattamie County Warrant for Failure to Appear on non-payment of child support.  Kammerer Jr. is being held on $1,000 bond.

(updates previous version of this story, 12/9/15)

NEOLA, Iowa (AP) — A small western Iowa city will need help with emergency services from neighboring communities after 12 members of its volunteer fire department resigned. A consultant for the city of Neola says the firefighters quit Monday night and four remain. Clint Fichter says Neola will be covered temporarily by fire departments in Minden and Underwood. Fichter says he expects the city to hire new firefighters over several months.

A state audit report this year said a former city clerk for Neola misspent more than $230,000 over five years. About $47,000 was linked to the fire department’s bank account. The newspaper reports emails between Neola’s acting fire chief and the mayor-elect showed suggestions by the mayor to streamline how firefighters would be hired in the future.