(LE MARS)–Farmland leasing is the focus of a workshop at the Plymouth County Extension office July 21st.
County Extension coordinator Carol Schneider says the two-hour evening program will include a review of crop production costs, grain prices, lease termination procedures and flexible lease considerations.
Schneider says Extension Farm Management field specialist Ron Hook will present the Farmland Leasing program as one of his final assignments as an extension field specialist before he retires at the end of the month.
Schneider says, “We feel fortunate to have Hook’s expertise available to our clientele as he concludes his service to northwest Iowa farm families.
The meeting is designed to assist land owners, tenants, and agri-business professionals with farm financial issues related to farmland ownership , management, leasing agreements and related issues.
Registration is completed through the extension office. Leasing meetings are also planned July 21st at 1:30 p.m. at Sergeant Bluff and July 15th at the Dickinson County Extension office.
Portz performs at Relay, Plymouth County Fair
(REMSEN)–Walkers will be motivated with music and entertainment at the Relay for Life in Remsen starting at six tonight. The final walk begins at seven tomorrow morning.
One of the performers, Danika Portz of Remsen, recorded a CD she describes as a random mix of jazz and country.
Listen here
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While on winter break from Drake University, the Remsen St. Mary’s graduate had just a few hours to record the CD at a Cherokee studio.
Listen here
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The CD is available through her website www.danikaportz.com
Portz is a fulltime nanny in Des Moines this summer while welcoming visitors nights and weekends for the Great Des Moines Convention Center and Visitors Bureau. The senior accounting and marketing major is in a production at Stage West Theatre at the Des Moines Civic Center this fall.
Listen here
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Portz performs at in Pioneer Village at the Plymouth County Fair July 29th at 6 and 8 p.m.
Rockin Jake band left them smilin’
(Orange City) –Toes were tapping, hands clapping and kids were dancing at Windmill Park last night in Orange City.
Listen here
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Harmonica player Rockin’ Jake took the stage with his 3 piece band just before sundown and played late into the evening. The band played all types of music including blues, rock, country and zydeco.
With a strong on-stage dynamic and sense of humor with the crowd, people were entertained by more than the music. Rockin’ Jake talked about what a beautiful area this part of Iowa is and commented that there was a smell in the air he hoped alluded to what he was having for dinner…pork.
For the band, this 3 month long tour is part of an ongoing fund raiser for the New Orleans Musician’s Clinic.
Portions of the proceeds from shirt and CD sales are going to the cause.
In the end, The Rockin’ Jake Band definitely left Everybody Smiling …
Like what you hear? The bands next stop in the area is in Okoboji next Wednesday night at the Pearson Lake Arts Center. The Rockin’ Jake Band, part of the the On Stage Orange City Summer Concert Series presented by the Orange City Arts Council. (News report by Angela Drake of KLEM News)
Four charged in vandalism spree
(ALBERT CITY)–Three Buena Vista County teens and an adult are charged after a vandalism spree July 1st.
Authorities received 18 separate reports of vandalism and criminal mischief. The estimate of damage is several hundred dollars
Thirty-eight-year-old Dawn Eberle of Albert City is charged with allowing a minor to violate the set curfew time.
Authorities say two 15-year-old boys and one eleven-year-old, from Albert City, were all camping in a backyard the night the vandalism occurred.
The three boys face 15 charges of vandalism and criminal mischief.
The investigation is still going on.
Des Moines flood-fight costs $1 million
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Des Moines officials say the cost of fighting this year’s floods is $1 million.
That includes over $500,000 to shore up levees, build temporary levees and fix sewers. Labor costs is another $500,000.
The city was on alert for over a week when the rain-swollen Des Moines River threatened a levee protecting the Birdland neighborhood near downtown earlier this month.
That threat was preceded by a similar event in March.
Deputy City Manager Merrill Stanley says department leaders will work to trim costs in other areas to stay on budget.
River levels continued to drop on Thursday, allowing officials to end round-the-clock levee inspections.
Former Iowa lawmaker James Wells dies
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) James Wells, a former state lawmaker from Cedar Rapids who kicked off a campaign to snuff out smoking in Iowa more than 30 years ago, has died.
Wells died in Des Moines on Tuesday in Des Moines. He was 81.
Wells served 12 years in the Iowa House and eight years in Senate. In 1975, he proposed a $10 fine for lighting up in public.
In 2008, the Legislature approved a limited ban on smoking in the workplace.
Wells, then 79, told The Gazette that he was “proud” to get the ball rolling. He said he never gave up, not even after one of his colleagues registered his opposition by blowing smoke in Wells’ face.
A memorial service is Saturday at Mercy Park Activity Center in Des Moines. CHRYSLER-FORD-RECALLS
Chrysler, Ford recalling SUVs, vans
WASHINGTON (AP) The government says Chrysler is recalling about 22,000 sport utility vehicles and trucks to fix brake tubes that could lead to the loss of brake fluid.
Ford Motor Co., meanwhile, is recalling more than 30,000 2010 Transit Connect vans to replace pushpins holding the liners above the driver’s head. The company says government testing found it failed to meet federal standards protecting the head.
Chrysler says its recall affects certain 2010 Dodge Nitro, Dodge Ram, Jeep Liberty and Jeep Wranglers that could have defective brake tubes. The problem could lead to the loss of brake fluid, making it difficult to brake and posing the threat of a crash.
Ford’s recall is expected to begin in July. Chrysler says owners should be notified in August.
Dubuque police: Baby considered missing person
DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) Dubuque police say the disappearance of a 20-month-old girl is still considered a missing person case while they await identification of what authorities believe are human remains.
The infant’s mother, Tamelia Harris, was arrested last week on a charge of felony neglect or abandonment after police began searching for her daughter, Cecilia.
While trying to find the girl, police found what they believe are human remains of a small child in Harris’ backyard.
Police haven’t said how they discovered the remains
Capt. Scott Engleman says the case remains a missing person’s investigation. He says authorities are waiting for lab results on the cause of death and where the child was killed.
Iowa mother pleads guilty in baby’s death
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) A Des Moines woman has pleaded guilty to a child endangerment charge in the death of her 5-month-old daughter.
Tresa Rains was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Zara Yamen in April 2007 in Ankeny.
Rains pleaded guilty on Thursday. Sentencing is set for Aug. 20 in Polk County District Court.
Police called to a home on a report of a non-responsive child found the baby in her crib. No indications of foul play were found and the infant’s death was deemed a “sudden unexplained death.”
Rains was arrested last September after police received a tip from an acquaintance of Rains that there was more to the child’s death. Authorities say she admitted to using a pillow to suffocate the baby.
Drake’s Wiseler out with Achilles tendon injury
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Drake basketball player Frank Wiseler has been sidelined with an Achilles tendon injury.
Coach Mark Phelps says Wiseler was injured last month when he stepped off a retaining wall outside the university’s Knapp Center and dislodged a brick that fell onto his tendon.
Wiseler had surgery, and is now recovering in his native Luxembourg. Recovery time could be four to six months.
Wiseler, a 6-foot-2 junior, averaged 4.4 points and 2.5 assists in his first season for Drake last season. He started 15 games.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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