Iowa News

CROP REPORT-IOWA        Iowa harvest nearly complete        DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa farmers are close to wrapping up this year’s harvest as much needed rain finally fell across most of the state.        The U.S. Department of Agriculture says 87 percent of the corn crop has been harvested, which is a month ahead of schedule. Ninety-three percent of the soybean crop is in from the fields, which is three weeks ahead of normal.        The USDA says in Monday’s report that rain over the weekend helped Iowa’s pasture and range land. Hay supplies are running short across 41 percent of the state. Calves are being weaned and sold early due to the short supply of winter hay.        The statewide average rainfall last week was 1.65 inches, triple the normal for the week. It was Iowa’s wettest week since early May.

IOWA ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS-EPA        EPA extends comment period on Iowa livestock farms        (Information in the following story is from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com)        DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Environmental Protection Agency has extended the comment period on proposals by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to change regulations of livestock operations to be in compliance with federal Clean Water Act.        The Des Moines Register says the EPA has extended the period by two weeks until Oct. 31.        In July, the EPA said Iowa’s program is not sufficient to assess whether livestock confinements need to obtain federal waste discharge permits. It also says Iowa’s inspection program is inadequate and the state failed to act in nearly half of the water quality violation cases against cattle farms that the EPA reviewed.        The report was done in response to a petition filed in 2007 by three environmental groups that alleged Iowa fell far short of meeting enforcement requirements.

SLAIN GIRL        Suspect in ’05 killing of girl in Iowa custody        CHARLES CITY, Iowa (AP) – A man charged with killing an Iowa girl in 2005 is now in state custody.        Thirty-three-year-old Casey Frederiksen is charged with first-degree murder and first-degree sexual abuse in the death of 5-year-old Evelyn Miller.        State agents took custody of Frederiksen on Monday from a federal penitentiary in Marion, Ill., where he’s serving time on child pornography and drug charges. He’ll make an initial court appearance Tuesday at the Floyd County Courthouse in Charles City.        Frederiksen was the boyfriend of the child’s mother. He was watching the girl at the family’s apartment in Floyd when she disappeared. Her body was found in the Cedar River days later.        Frederiksen was charged last month. Prosecutors say he changed his story while in federal prison and inmates say he made incriminating statements.

MISSING IOWA GIRLS        Iowa officials say missing teens had planned trip        SHELLSBURG, Iowa (AP) – Eastern Iowa authorities say two missing 15-year-old girls apparently have gone on a planned trip with two boys from the western Iowa town of Atlantic.        Benton County Sheriff Randy Forsyth says the teenagers aren’t believed to be in any danger.        Forsyth says a call from one boy’s cellphone went to a Pennsylvania number, but investigators aren’t sure whether that’s the teens’ destination.        Missing are 16-year-old Corey Sunderman, 13-year-old Austin Boggs, both of Atlantic, and 15-year-old Skie Floyd and Jazlyn Visek, from the Shellsburg area.        Crystal Sunderman, the mother of Corey Sunderman, says Skie Floyd and her son had been dating and that the trip was planned.        She told Atlantic radio station KJAN that the four may be on their way to Florida for a skateboarding event.

BROKERAGE COLLAPSE        Feds set up site for Peregrine CEO fraud victims        CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – The U.S. attorney’s office in Cedar Rapids has set up a telephone line and a page to its website to provide updates and other information for victims in the case against Iowa investment broker Russell Wasendorf Sr.        Under the Crime Victims Rights Act, victims of federal crime are entitled to notification of certain court proceedings.  Prosecutors on Monday say District Judge Linda Reade has approved the procedure to be used in the criminal case against Wasendorf.        The 64-year-old CEO of Peregrine Financial Group pleaded guilty last month to misspending investor funds over a 20-year-old period at his Cedar Falls-based brokerage and lying to cover it up.  Wasendorf tried to commit suicide when the fraud was exposed in July.

OBIT-PAT WARD        State Sen. Pat Ward dies at 55 after cancer battle        DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Sen. Pat Ward has died after a three-year battle with breast cancer.        Ward’s daughter Chelsea Reynolds says the 55-year-old senator died Monday morning at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines.        Funeral arrangements have not yet been made.        Ward is survived by her husband John Ward, 22-year-old son Ethan Reynolds, and her 25-year-old daughter.        Ward was a Republican from Clive who was seeking re-election.        Her death leaves Democrat Desmund Adams on the November ballot.        A special election will be held Dec. 11 between Adams and a Republican nominee.        Gov. Terry Branstad says Ward was a caring and passionate person who had a wonderful career in public service.        She was first elected to the Senate in 2004 and in June won her primary race, advancing to the November general election.

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