IOWA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION
Farmers continued to wrap up the harvest this week, betyween bouts of much-needed rain.
Moderate rainfall during the week slowed harvest as Iowa’s farmers had an average of 3.3 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending November 10, 2024, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Field activities included harvesting row crops, completing fall tillage, baling stalks, and applying fall fertilizer and manure.
Topsoil moisture condition rated 12 percent very short, 36 percent short, 50 percent adequate and 2 percent surplus.
Subsoil moisture condition rated 19 percent very short, 45 percent short, 35 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus.
Harvest of the corn for grain crop reached 95 percent statewide, 4 days ahead of last year and 12 days ahead of the five-year average.
Moisture content of field corn harvested for grain remained steady at 14 percent.
Livestock producers reported muddy feedlots.
Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig says the recent rains have improved drought conditions across large areas of the state. Warmer temperatures and a more active weather pattern are expected to continue as we approach Thanksgiving..
UNEVEN CROP YIELDS THIS HARVEST
The area crop specialist says a crazy growing season brought uneven yeilds across northwest Iowa fields.
Leah Ten Napel says the consistency of yields varied over the area from the west…
…to the East
Part of the growing season had too much moisture, then not enough.
Plants that didn’t have to work hard to find moisture early in the season found it hard to find it in the crucial growth periods.
Ten Napel will find out more about moisture impacts on yields this week
All in all, yields should stay at a high standard, despite the inconsistent weather.
This should be another year of a 200-bushel per acre average corn yield.
VETERANS DAY OBSERVANCE
Veterans Day Monday was marked by the annual observance at Gehlen Catholic Schools. The observance was highlighted by Virginia Freyermuth and Geri Dreckman , who presented quilts of valor to two brothers, Stanley and John Kessenich, who served in the Army during the Korean War. There were also essays written by Gehlen students Brody Jaspers, Blake Langel and Kalen Paulson; and recognition of the Legion Auxiliary poster contest winner, Evan Hausmann. 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th grade students sang “We Will Never Forget”. There was also the reading of the names of veterans on the Gehlen Catholic Wall of Honor. Afterwards, a reception was held for the veterans in the school cafeteria.
IOWANS HONOR VETERANS
Veterans Day Ceremonies in Sioux City included remarks from Woodbury County Deputy Sheriff Zane Chwirka, a veteran of 21 years in the military.
He told the story of meeting a veteran in a wheel chair at a Vikings game in Minnesota, and how he told the veteran he didn’t need to shake his hand for his service. But the veteran said that wasn’t the case.
Chwirka says the injured veteran said he had considered taking his own life after being wounded.
Chwirka’s service included seven-and-a-half years in the Army National Guard, and then he switched to the Air Guard in Sioux City and retired as a Master Sergeant in 2022.
IOWA WEST COAST INITIATIVE
A week of innovation and entrepreneurship events begins this Friday in the Sioux City region as part Iowa’s West Coast Initiative annual launch week.
Spokesperson Karina Pedroza says the first event takes place in Sloan on November 15th:
An interactive workshop will be held next Tuesday:
Bring your laptop or Ipad to that event.
There’s a biz brew social event on November 20th in Le Mars from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at “Wise I” Brewing Company:
Another workshop will be held over the noon hour on Thursday, November 21st, at Design West. Attorneys from Crary Huff will guide you through formation of an entity, basic requirements of the law, and new business compliance.
The culmination event of launch week is later that evening back in Le Mars at the Wells Visitor Center & Ice Cream Parlor where four finalists have been selected to present their business idea to judges in a pitch event for a chance to win thousands in cash to help fund their idea:
To view additional details for each event, visit https://iawestcoast.com/launch-week-2024.
ORANGE CITY ARREST
A Le Mars woman was arrested by Orange City police on a burglary and theft charge. Police say 45 year old Nichole Renee Kirkpatrick was arrested last week. The arrest stemmed from an investigation into a reported burglary that occurred in late October at the Orange City Subway. This occurred while the store was closed. Investigators determined that Kirkpatrick, an employee at the sandwich shop, entered the store after hours on a day she was not working. She allegedly stole money from the safe. She’s also accused of stealing money from the store last week while working at the store. She was booked into the Sioux County Jail and charged with third degree burglary and fourth degree theft.
SIOUX CITY SEES INCREASE IN SCAM REPORTS
Sioux City police say there’s been an increase in reports of scams involving online threats, and some people have fallen for them. Sergeant Tom Gill says they’ve had at least ten reports in the last several weeks and he says that means that number is probably well above ten, because most people don’t report it. Gill says anytime you get a phone call from somebody wanting you to give money over the phone or wire it through Western Union or put it on iTunes cards, it’s 100 percent a scam and you shouldn’t fall for it. Many scams are targeted at older people, but Gill says they are also now targeting young people as well on various apps. Gill says report it even if you fall for the scam, because it may help prevent someone else from being a victim.
JERKY MAKER LAYING OFF WORKERS IN LAURENS
The Wisconsin-based Jack Link’s company which makes beef jerky is planning to lay off 91 employees at its distribution facility in Laurens in northwest Iowa. K-C-R-G T-V reports the company will cut the jobs on January 24th. A company statement says that a restructuring of its operations resulted in a decision to downsize the facility in Laurens, and that affected employees will have the opportunity to apply for positions at Jack Link’s Underwood facility in southwest Iowa.
