Home News Saturday Afternoon News, November 9th

Saturday Afternoon News, November 9th

High Demand For Propane Fuel Leads To Short-term Shortages

(Le Mars) — Middle America is experiencing a propane fuel shortage as farmers and grain elevators need propane to help reduce the moisture content and dry their crops, and homeowners and businesses are in need of the fuel to help heat their buildings since temperatures have dropped. Officials are
scrambling in order to deliver propane for those that need it most. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig informed KLEM news, the shortage is more of a delivery problem.

Naig says he and the governor, and other officials, are working with stakeholders to see what can be done to increase the supply of propane. Naig says at least in the short-term the price for propane may increase.

The Iowa Agriculture Secretary believes once harvest is complete, the shortage issue will then be resolved.
Locally, suppliers have been able to keep up with the demand for propane fuel. Mark Hentges is the manager of Sapp Brothers Petroleum Company in Le Mars. He says, so far, he has been able to get propane and deliver it to his customers, however he admits the current situation has affected his business.

Hentges says he has not run out of propane, but the supplies have had to come from longer distances.

Doug Schuur manages the Farmers Cooperative Elevator at Craig. He says so far, his supplier has been able to meet his propane demands for drying this year’s corn harvest.

Schuur says the corn harvest within his trade area is nearing completion, and he feels confident he has enough propane fuel to adequately carry him through the harvest.

The Farmers Cooperative Elevator manager says the corn that has been delivered to his grain elevator ranges between 18 to 20 percent moisture level. Ideally, moisture level for corn should be at 15 percent for long-term storage.

Schuur refers to this year’s harvest as an average harvest.

Many officials believe the situation will be resolved within a few weeks, after the harvest is completed.

 

 

Latest Scam Uses Division Of Criminal Investigation

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa law enforcement officials are warning of a phone scam by people posing as Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation staff.
The division says it has received reports from the public that scammers are trying to extort money from Iowa residents and are misrepresenting themselves as DCI agents working with the FBI to collect money.
Some scammers are using false agent names and badge numbers. Those targeted also report that their caller ID devices display a number for the Iowa Department of Public Safety.
The DCI does not request payment over the phone. Anyone receiving a phone call similar to those described by the DCI are asked to hang up and contact local law enforcement and the Iowa Attorney General’s Office hotline.

 

 

Police Arrest Man In Las Vegas For Des Moines Killing

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Police say a man has been charged in the killing last month of a Des Moines man.
Des Moines police say in a news release that 39-year-old Nicky Joe Beery, of Des Moines, was charged in a warrant Saturday with first-degree murder in the death of 43-year-old James Moss Jr.
Moss found injured at a home early the morning of Oct. 5 and was pronounced dead later at a hospital. Police have not said what caused his death.
According to the news release, Beery was arrested Thursday in Las Vegas on a material witness warrant in the case. He was charged after being questioned Friday by Des Moines detectives who traveled to Las Vegas.