For the 20th consecutive year, West Central® Cooperative is awarding its’ Excellence in Agriculture scholarships for area seniors pursuing agriculture-related post-secondary education. This year, seven students have each been awarded $1,500.

West Central’s president and chief executive officer, Milan Kucerak, said “This year’s seven winners are excellent examples of the bright future of agriculture. These scholarship winners are hard-working, talented young people.”

West Central’s 2015 Excellence in Agriculture winners are:

• Tyler A. Steele, son of Douglas and Lynette Steele of Anita, attends CAM High School and will be studying biochemistry at either Creighton University or the University of Northern Iowa.
• Cliffton J. Nelson, son of Kurt and Toni Nelson of Audubon, attends Audubon Community High School and will be studying agronomy at Iowa State.
• Mark E. Baudler, son of Ronald and Susie Baulder of Fontanelle, attends Nodaway Valley Community School and will be studying agricultural business at Iowa State.
• Nicole M. Huser, daughter of Tim and Marti Huser of Sac City, attends East Sac Community School and will be studying agriculture genetics at Iowa State.
• Wesley Reever, son of Tim and Lora Reever of Glidden, attends Glidden-Ralston Community School and will be studying animal science/pre-veterinary medicine at Iowa State.
• Noelle M. Gray, daughter of Bret and Melissa Schilling of Jefferson, attends Greene Co. Community School and will be studying animal science at Iowa State.
• Abigail R. Hansen, daughter of Jeffrey and Barbara Hansen of Dallas Center, attends Woodward-Granger Community School and will be studying agronomy at Iowa State.

WC’s Excellence in Agriculture program has been in place since 1994, awarding scholarships to high school seniors interested in pursuing an education in an agriculture related field. The program is open to students who are –or have parents that are – voting members in good standing of West Central (at the time of the scholarship application deadline). Applicants must have a cumulative high school GPA of 2.5 or better on a 4.0 scale.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – The City Council is expected to vote Monday on a proposal for a special baseball field for mentally and physically disabled players in Sioux City.
The Sioux City Journal reports that if the development agreement were approved, Miracle League of Sioux City would be allowed to build a $750,000 field at the Riverside Recreational Sports Complex. The project would include a playground.

If the agreement were approved, the city would give the developer a $330,000 grant. Construction would begin May 12 and end on Sept. 15. Miracle League provides baseball for people regardless of mental or physical capability. There are similar facilities in Des Moines and in Omaha, Nebraska. The field and playground would be built on custom-designed, rubberized material that would accommodate wheelchairs or other devices.

12 oz. fresh asparagus
1 tablespoon oil (olive or sesame adds flavor)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Rinse under cool running water. Break off tough ends. Leave whole. Heat a large skillet or wok until drops of water sprinkles onto skillet surface “dance”.
Add oil tilting pan to coat surface. Add asparagus, cook stirring or shaking constantly for 3 to 5 minutes until just tender and bright green. Shake soy sauce over asparagus; sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Serves 4

Notes:
If preferred to pre cook, start with boiling water in the skillet and drain before adding oil; cook for several minutes before completing cooking in skillet.
Toast sesame seeds by placing in a dry skillet over medium heat. Shake often, watch carefully.
To store fresh asparagus, stand it upright with cut part of stems in cold water about 1″ deep. Change water every day.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS
1 Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C). Rinse the asparagus spears.
2 Line a roasting pan with foil.Arrange the asparagus spears in a single layer on the lined roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and rub the spears all over with the olive oil to coat. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and minced garlic (optional).
3 Roast for 10 minutes, more or less, depending on how thick the spears are, until the asparagus are just lightly browned and tender when you pierce them with a fork.

The 8-a.m. Newscast w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The Creston Police Department reports a man was arrested late Friday night for assaulting a police officer. 21-year old Patrick Liams, of Creston, was taken into custody at around 11:45-p.m. and charged with Aggravated Assault, 3 counts of Assault on a Peace Officer with injury, Attempting to Disarm a Peace Office of a Dangerous Weapon, and Public Intoxication in the 3rd Degree. Liams was being held in the Ringgold County Jail on $5,000 bond.

18-year old Keegan Williams, of Creston, was arrested Saturday evening at the Union County Law Enforcement Center in Creston. Police say Williams faces Possession of Paraphernalia and Possession of Marijuana with the Intent to Sell, charges. He was later released on $5,000 bond.

And, 59-year old Debra Feldhacker, of Creston, was arrested Friday night at the Union County Jail, on a charge of OWI/1st Offense. She was later released on $1,000 bond.

Creston Police say they also received a report from officials at Wal-Mart in Creston, with regard to a theft. Store management said an unknown female stole numerous items of girls clothing, a doll and a magazine. The theft, which happened at around 5-p.m. Saturday, resulted in a loss of about $157.

The 7:06-a.m. report w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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A man who was allegedly making threats against two women in Council Bluffs, was stabbed Sunday evening, after breaking into the home of one of the women and allegedly trying to strangle her. Council Bluffs Police Sgt. Dave Dawson reports the suspect, 39-year old David Leroy McKee, drove away from the scene of the crime in his pickup truck, but was stopped by police and found to be bleeding. He was transported to CHI Creighton in critical condition, suffering from several stab wounds.

Dawson says the at around 5:45-p.m. Sunday, Pottawattamie County Communications Center received a call from 55-year old Linda Minard, of Council Bluffs. The woman wanted to make a police report for threats made against her and 58-year old Roberta Franke-McKee, also of Council Bluffs. Uniformed officers had not yet arrived at Minard’s residence located at 3557 2nd Avenue, when a 9-1-1- call was received at 5:50-p.m. , about an assault in progress and a possible stabbing.

When police arrived, they learned David McKee had fled in his 2002 Dodge Dakotqa pickup. The Bluffs Police Department’s Criminal Investigation determined David McKee made several calls to Minard’s cell phone throughout the day, with the last to Roberta Franke-McKee, when David McKee allegedly threatened to kill her. Mckee arrived at Minard’s residence a short time later, where he broke out the rear window and entered through the kitchen area.

During a physical confrontation with both women, McKee used his hands in an alleged attempted to strangle Roberta Franke-McKee, who grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed the man. Roberta was injured during the incident, but did not require medical attention. Minard was not hurt during the confrontation. The incident remains under investigation.

A man from Rock Port, MO., was arrested Sunday evening in Adams County, following a traffic stop. The Sheriff’s Department reports 21-year old Hayden Lee Wood was taken into custody at around 7:30-p.m., for Possession of Marijuana. He was arrested after deputies smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle Wood was driving following a traffic stop on Highway 34 and Dogwood Avenue. Wood was being held in the Adams County Jail on $1,000 bond.

Red Oak Police report two people were arrested on separate charges, Sunday. Officers arrested 33-year old Tyler Anthony Bond, of Red Oak, at around 10:25-p.m. in the vicinity of Broadway and West Hammond Streets. Bond was charged with Public Intoxication and held in the Montgomery County Jail on $300 bond.

And, at around 6:30-p.m. Kristopher James Koon, of Atlantic, turned himself-in to Red Oak Police. Koon was wanted on a Montgomery County warrant for 5th Degree Theft, and on a warrant out of Pottawattamie County for Violation of Probation. Koon was being held on $2,300 bond in the Montgomery County Jail, while awaiting extradition to Pott. County.

Legislators remain at odds over the main function of the Iowa General Assembly — coming up with a state spending plan. For example, the two parties have been wrangling since January over how much state aid to forward to Iowa’s public schools for the school year that begins in August. Senate Democratic Leader Mike Gronstal of Council Bluffs says Republicans are “unwilling to compromise.”

“It’s kind of messy for them,” Gronstal says. “Their leadership says: ‘We’ve drawn a line in the concrete…not the sand. We’ve drawn a line in the concrete and we’re not going to go over that.'” House Speaker Kraig Paulsen, a Republican from Hiawatha, says Republicans in the House are sticking with their original proposal which would forward an additional one-and-a-quarter percent in general state support to public school districts.

“The members of the House Republican Caucuses, 57 of us, have had extensive conversations with Iowans about balancing on-going revenue with on-going expenses,” Paulsen says, “and that’s exactly what they have asked us to do and that’s what they expect us to do.”

The latest report from the Legislative Services Agency indicates the state collected four-point-six percent more in taxes last month when compared to April of last year. Paulsen and his Republican colleagues in the House want to develop a budget plan that’s less than what Republican Governor Terry Branstad and Democrats in the Senate have proposed. Paulsen has said the ultimate goal is to return that money to Iowans in the form of a tax cut.

(Radio Iowa)