A Beautiful Evening Moon
September 27, 2015 Leave a comment
A lunar eclipse and a blood red moon all in one evening was a sight to behold! All photos credit of Denise Gilliland/Editor and Chief, Kat Country Hub.
Join Senator Lydia Brasch and Governor Pete Ricketts for a Town Hall in West Point
September 27, 2015 Leave a comment
Senator Lydia Brasch and Governor Pete Ricketts will be hosting a town hall together in West Point on Tuesday, September 29, 2015, and the public is invited to attend.
This is a great opportunity for the constituents of District 16 to voice their concerns directly to their Senator as well as to the Governor.
The details for the town hall are as follows:
Tuesday, September 29, 2015 from 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the Nielsen Community Center, 200 Anna Stalp Ave.
Questions about event details can be directed to Brett at 402-471-2728.
Westbound I-80 Exit 312 to Mormon Island SRA Temporarily Closed
September 27, 2015 Leave a comment
Mormon Island State Recreation Area (SRA) south of Grand Island temporarily cannot be accessed via Exit 312 on westbound Interstate 80.
According to the Nebraska Department of Roads, that exit ramp will be closed for road construction for three weeks.
To access Mormon Island SRA, westbound traffic can travel 7 miles west to Exit 305 (Alda Road) and return east on the interstate to Exit 312.
An alternate route is Exit 314 at Locust Street. Go 4 miles north on Locust, then 2 miles west on U.S. 34, and then 4½ miles south on U.S. 281 to Mormon Island.
For more information, contact the park at 308-385-6211 or email at ngpc.mormon.island@nebraska.gov.
Windbreak Renovation Funds
September 24, 2015 Leave a comment
The Papio-Missouri River NRD and the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) have funds (up to $3,500 per acre) available to assist landowners with the expense of renovating aging or storm damaged shelterbelts and windbreaks.
To apply for these funds, landowners must complete a PMRNRD Conservation Assistance Program application and an EQIP application. EQIP applications must be received by October 16, 2015 in order to be eligible for the upcoming ranking. Both of these applications are available in the NRD/NRCS field office in the USDA Service Center in Tekamah, 539 S. 13th Street. For more information contact Deb Ward, NRD Program Assistant or Loren Ehlers, NRCS Resource Conservationist at (402)374-1920 ex. 3.
Market Report
September 24, 2015 Leave a comment
Dow +121.27
S&P +13.19
Nasdaq +35.25
Global stock markets climbed today, rebounding from heavy losses last week after the Federal Reserve left interest rates on hold. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 87 points, or 0.6%, to 16471 in early trade. The S&P 500 also rose 0.6%, after both indexes declined sharply on Friday. The markets steadies after the Fed decision, though many people debating whether the Fed is going to raise rates yet this year. We are most likely in for a period of choppy markets.
Commodities: Gold prices jumped after the Federal Reserve’s decision a day ago to hold interest rates steady, Prices for the metal, which have lost more than 7% in the past year and have been bumping along five-year lows, touched their highest level in more than two weeks on Friday, gaining $20.80, or 1.9% to settle at $1,137.80 a troy ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. The gains weren’t limited to gold. Silver rose 1.2% to $15.163 an ounce, its highest level since late August. Platinum gained 1.6% to settle at $984.40 an ounce, and palladium rose 1.9% to settle at $610.85 an ounce.
Weather:
Dec Corn +1 ¾ @ $3.79
Nov Beans+5 ¼ @ $8.72 ½
Since last week we have seen grain markets lose some ground. With our high of the week coming in on Tuesday at @ $3.95 for Dec corn and $8.94 for Nov beans. With a wide open week for harvest in many parts of the Midwest, it seems good harvest conditions pressure grains, despite good export numbers this am.
EXPORTERS SELL 487,680 TONNES U.S. CORN TO MEXICO FOR 2015/16 DELIVERY – USDA
EXPORTERS SELL 240,000 TONNES U.S. SOYBEANS TO UNKNOWN DESTINATIONS FOR 2015/16 DELIVERY – USDA
Corn: Corn was a 2 sided trade this am opening lower, but pushing higher by 9am. Little to report as far as fresh news, conditions for harvest seem to be moving right along, wet corn programs popping up around as some producers get an early start. Ethanol remains steady, and exports can be debated (knowing there are cheaper supplies in South America). Also the feed and residual can be a variable to give us some movement. But without a story, we are likely to see corn push lower into harvest.
Beans: Beans continue getting beat down by the same thing….dollar higher, Brazilian acres, uncertainty in China. At some point the story gets old, and traders move on. Not saying we will see a rally, just saying we need something more to make a new low than the same stories, with $8.53 ¼ being the bottom for the November contract. Seems like beans are happy in the range of $8.65-$8.94 as they have been since Aug 25th. At least until the story comes!
For Fun:With the Christmas season fast approaching………ha ha….got you! It’s not even Halloween yet! But for some reason we are all seeing Christmas stuff in the stores. Every year I catch myself saying….I swear it’s earlier each year. Referred to as the “Holiday Creep” stores have been pushing Christmas displays and promotions into stores earlier and earlier each year. So this is a real thing? I walked into a store in Lincoln this weekend to see Christmas trees……
In 2011 Walmart launched it “holiday layaway program” a month early (in mid-October), and now in 2015 Walmart launched it in August! Kmart airing its first Christmas commercial last year in September, so get ready for the Christmas toy commercials. Yikes! I personally enjoy Christmas, but I am tired of it before it even gets here. I mean really, Christmas? I haven’t even bought my trick or treat candy yet…..know why? It not even October yet…..
But consumers are to blame, apparently enough get excited and start buying. Retailers only begin early because it increases sales, so crank the Christmas tunes and head on over to your local store and pick up a zombie mask, a Christmas tree, and a gallon of milk.
Greg Mockenhaupt
ProEdge Risk Management Consultant
P: (402) 685-5613 | Greg.Mockenhaupt@cvacoop.com
1007 County Road O
Oakland, NE 68045
Flash Flood Watch
September 23, 2015 Leave a comment
FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA/VALLEY HAS EXPANDED THE * FLASH FLOOD WATCH TO INCLUDE PORTIONS OF IOWA AND NEBRASKA... INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS...IN IOWA...FREMONT...HARRISON... MILLS...MONONA...MONTGOMERY...PAGE...POTTAWATTAMIE AND SHELBY. IN NEBRASKA...BURT...CASS...CUMING...DOUGLAS... MADISON... SARPY...STANTON...THURSTON AND WASHINGTON. * THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON * SEVERAL ADDITIONAL ROUNDS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST THROUGH TONIGHT AND ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL...BEFORE DIMINISHING THURSDAY. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS COULD RANGE FROM 2 TO 3 INCHES OR HIGHER. RAINFALL IN THE PREVIOUS 24 HOURS HAS RANGED FROM 4 TO 8 INCHES IN SOME OF THE WATCH AREA. * ADDITIONAL STORMS COULD BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2 INCHES AN HOUR AND MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
September 22, 2015 Leave a comment
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... NORTHEASTERN CUMING COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN NEBRASKA... SOUTHERN THURSTON COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN NEBRASKA... NORTHWESTERN BURT COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL NEBRASKA... * UNTIL 1215 PM CDT * AT 1129 AM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR PENDER...OR 35 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SIOUX CITY...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. HAZARD...GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL. SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED. IMPACT...PEOPLE AND ANIMALS OUTDOORS WILL BE INJURED. EXPECT DAMAGE TO ROOFS...SIDING...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... PENDER...LYONS...WALTHILL...BANCROFT...MACY...ROSALIE AND THE HIGHWAY 9 AND 51 JUNCTION. THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS... HIGHWAY 75 IN NEBRASKA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 159 AND 162. HIGHWAY 77 IN NEBRASKA BETWEEN MILEMARKERS 147 AND 164. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A BUILDING. TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. &&
Three Free Household Hazardous Waste Collection Coming Up
September 22, 2015 Leave a comment
The Nebraska Loess Hills Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Council is coordinating a series of three FREE household hazardous waste collections. Hazardous chemical products can be found in almost every home in Nebraska. A product is considered hazardous if it can catch fire, react or explode when mixed with other substances, or if it is corrosive or toxic. Special handling of hazardous chemical products is required to ensure safe disposal and to protect the environment from possible contamination. Area residents can dispose of paint, stain, varnish, lawn and garden chemicals, cleaning chemicals, insecticides, batteries, fluorescent light bulbs, car batteries, used oil, antifreeze and most other household chemical materials at any of the following three FREE collections:
Friday, October 2nd from 3:00-6:00 p.m.
at the Washington County Recycling Center, 440 S. 3rd St. in Blair.
Saturday, October 3rd from 8:00-9:30 a.m. at the Winnebago Facilities Building in Winnebago
on the west side of Hwy 77 at the south end of Winnebago.
Saturday October 3rd from 12:00-2:00p.m. at North Bend Central High School, 1320 Walnut in North Bend.
These collections will NOT accept tires, electronic equipment, appliances, PCBs, Picric Acid, Science Lab Materials, radioactive materials or biological hazards.
Materials received at these collections will be recycled if possible, or disposed of in a safe and environmentally sensitive manner. These collections are funded through a grant from the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality. For more information, contact www.nlhrcd.org or Jean Schultz at the Nebraska Loess Hills RC&D Council office (402)685-4020, email: jschultz @nlhrcd.org. Volunteers are always needed for these events, please contact Jean Schultz.
Oakland-Craig Homecoming Queen and King Candidates
September 22, 2015 Leave a comment
It is homecoming week at Oakland-Craig. This Friday night at the Homecoming football game, the queen and king will be chosen from this group of candidates. Queen: Brie Peterson, Bailey Charling, Brynn Charling, Olivia Bures, Mia Smith
King: Bob Gatewood, Tommy Nelson, Cole Mitchell, Cody Mace, Connor Thiele. Photo credit/Cindy Dahlquist.
Health Advisory at Two Nebraska State Recreation Areas
September 21, 2015 Leave a comment
A health advisory is in effect for lakes at two Nebraska state recreation areas.
During testing earlier this week, the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) detected elevated levels of toxic algae at Pawnee Lake in Lancaster County, and at Willow Creek Lake in Pierce County. Both beaches at Pawnee Lake and the beach at Willow Creek Lake are closed to swimming. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission recommends visitors avoid ingesting water and keep pets out of the water. Fishing and boating are permitted at both areas.
More information on algae levels at lakes statewide can be found on the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality website, deq.state.ne.us
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