Sioux Falls - Citizens can download the free app via the Apple Store or Android Market and indicate that they are willing to assist when CPR is needed.. Those that are CPR trained should highly consider downloading this app and even those that are just willing and able to help should consider it as well. Hands only CPR is easy to learn. (link to the video) It also is a great way for citizens to stay engaged with SFFR and what is going on in the City of Sioux Falls. When a 911 call is received  reporting someone unconscious, unresponsive and likely needing CPR, 911 will dispatch SFFR and EMS resources as they currently do but at the same time, software running a PulsePoint will send an alert to nearby citizen rescuers that have indicated they would like to be alerted. By using GPS and location technology in today’s mobile devises, the app only notifies those within walking distance of the event in a public area. When citizens are alerted, the app indicates their present location, the location of the patient and the location of any nearby AED.

To install the PulsePoint app simply search PulsePoint in the Apple App Store or in Android Apps on Google Play.

Registration for Session I of Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation swimming lessons will begin on Thursday, May 30, 2013. Participants will have two different options for registration starting at 5 p.m. on May 30:

• Register online at register.siouxfallsparks.org.
• Register at the Park Office, 100 East Sixth Street.

This registration opportunity will allow participants to register for Session I lessons only, which includes the daytime session of June 17–28 and July 8–12 and the nighttime session at Kuehn of June 17–28. These classes will cover levels one through six, as well as toddler, preschool, and parent/child.

For more information regarding Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation programs, refer to theActivities Guide, visit www.siouxfalls.org/parks, or call 605-367-8222. To receive updates on Parks and Recreation activities, subscribe to our newsletter at http://my.siouxfalls.org or follow us at www.facebook.com/siouxfallsparks or www.twitter.com/siouxfallsparks.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) – Whether driving in your car or sitting in your home, keeping an eye on the weather is a must during South Dakota’s storm season.  To error on the side of caution will help keep KELO AM/KELQ FM listeners safe from what nature throws our way.

“The problem with water, it’s going to go where it wants to go and there isn’t much we can do,” said Todd Heitkamp, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, National Weather Service Office.  “We can only hope that dry weather over the next 24 to 48 hours will help dry things out.”

Heitkamp warns, if there is water washing over the road ahead, don’t drive through it.  Cars driving through flooded areas will stall where they are.  You have no idea if the road is still there and the current will take you away.  It only takes 18 inches of water to make a car buoyant and that includes SUVs. 

“When it comes to severe weather like in Moore, Oklahoma, what the viewers see on TV is amplified 100 times over when you are there in person,” said Heitkamp.  TV pictures don’t do justice to the damage, the emotions, the smells and everything that goes with it at the scene.  For example, the devastation we encountered at Spencer, SD was so much worse on the ground than on TV.”

Heitkamp said that in the event of a tornado, you have to use the best shelter you have available at the time.  If there is no basement, put as many walls as you can between you and the storm as possible and get to the lowest level as possible.  For example, the plumbing in your bathroom will give the walls a little more stability and that is where most people without underground shelters go.

“Get to the best shelter and get under something sturdy in case something fall on you,” said Heitkamp.  “Tornados don’t kill people; it’s the flying debris that kills people.  A basement or a small interior room  is where people need to go to increase their chances of survival.”

Todd Heitkamp was interviewed on the Greg Belfrage show May 28, 2013.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - The additional 16 officers on patrol Friday night into Saturday morning in Sioux Falls arrested 8 drivers for being under the influence.

     Lieutenant Jerry Miller says they also issued 29 speeding tickets, 13 driving while revoked or suspended tickets and 30 seat belt citations.

     Miller says one of the goals of saturation patrol is to get the message out to not drink and drive.  He says what authorities are looking for, ultimately, is voluntary compliance.  Miller says he would like   to tell you don't drive drunk and you wont.  

     He says on one hand you put a lot of officers on the streets to make a lot of arrests but on the other hand you hope there aren't that many D-W-I arrests

     Miller says the saturation patrol issued a total of 159 citations.

     He says a daytime saturation patrol is planned next Saturday. 

SIOUX FALLS, S.D (KELO AM) - Police say a 22-year-old Sioux Falls woman was arrested Saturday night while driving a stolen vehicle and a 17-year-old male passenger was arrested for possession of methamphetamine.

     Officer Jim Larson says Sara Renee Pray was arrested at 18^th Street and West Avenue driving a stolen Chevy Lumina.  Larson says it was a normal traffic stop.  The car had been reported stolen a week earlier in Sioux Falls.  

     Larson says Pray is charged with her third driving under the influence, possession of a stolen vehicle and driving with a suspended license.

     He says the boy was charged with possession of a controlled substance and taken to the Juvenile Detention Center.

 SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Sanford Health is bringing it’s mammography truck to Faith Temple Church Wednesday to help women that are under-insured or have no insurance.

     Coordinator of Sanford’s Cancer Services Valerie Mortenson says it’s important for women ages forty and over to get a mammogram.

     Mortenson says she’ll also help women with available state programs.  She says some women don't have insurance now or never had insurance but need to have income to help pay for it.  She says for some women mammograms and different care for the women have gone to the wayside.  Sanford's mammography's truck goes out in public and seeks these women.

         Mortenson says the truck will be at Faith Temple Church at 33^rd and Western between eight and four tomorrow. 

Beginning on Thursday, May 30, 2013, the west leg of the Ralph Rogers Road and Western Avenue intersection will be closed to allow the contractor to install a valley gutter and asphalt on the west side of this intersection. Ralph Rogers Road east of Western Avenue will remain open. Ralph Rogers Road west of Western Avenue can be accessed from the west via Old Yankton Road.

Also beginning on Thursday, May 30, 2013, the west leg of the Remington Place and Western Avenue intersection will be closed to allow the contractor to install a valley gutter and asphalt on the west side of this intersection. Remington Place east of Western Avenue will remain open. Remington Place west of Western Avenue can be accessed from the west via 69th Street and Grand Prairie Drive.

These intersections are expected to reopen to traffic by the evening of Saturday, June 1, 2013.

Motorists are urged to use caution while traveling in this area.

With the recent heavy rains and saturated soils, the City recommends homeowners take the following measures to minimize water damage to homes:

• Make sure your sump pump is in good operational condition. Route the sump pump discharge hose as far away from the foundation as possible. (Reminder it is illegal to discharge a sump pump to the sanitary sewer.)
• Ensure the ground slopes away from your house.
• Make sure all window wells and basement windows are protected from water.
• Ensure all gutters are clear of debris and able to operate properly.
• Place extensions on downspouts to route water away from your foundation.
• Seal basement foundation cracks to prevent groundwater seepage.

If surface water is entering your home from the street or adjacent waterway, please contact the City Engineering Department at 605-367-8601 to report this issue. If the water is causing an immediate danger to you or others, please dial 911.

Siouxland Libraries will offer the following free public programs during the week of June 2, 2013:

The documentary film series America’s Music: a Film History of Our Popular Music from Blues to Bluegrass to Broadway continues Sunday, June 2, 2013,at the Main Library, with a session on Broadway and Tin Pan Alley from 2–4 p.m. The doors will open at 1:30 p.m., with a special performance by the Beverly Gibson Trio before the film. The library meeting rooms will be open for the program, but the rest of the library will remain closed.

Monday, June 3, the Ronning Library will partner with The American Heart Association and HeartStarters to offer a free Family and Friends CPR class from 6–8:30 p.m. The class will cover how to do CPR on adults, children, and infants. This is a noncertification class, but you don’t need to be certified to save a life. As a special treat, the Dakota Country Dance Club will perform the “Stayin’ Alive Line Dance” for class participants. Register online at www.heartstarters.org or call 367-8140 for more information.

Those planning their summer vacation reading won’t want to miss a free class demonstrating how to download digital eBooks, audiobooks, and magazines from the library, Wednesday, June 5, from 12-1 p.m. at the Main Library. Lighten your load this summer by stocking up on books for your tablet, eReader, or smartphone! Call 367-8720 to register or sign up online atwww.siouxlandlib.org.

Visit the library’s website, or find us on Facebook and Twitter, for more information on these and other library programs and services.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Police are looking for the driver of a vehicle that hit a 79-year-old Sioux Falls woman and fled the scene just before noon Tuesday.

     Officer Jim Larson says the woman was struck while she was crossing North Main Avenue at West Fifth Street.  He says the victim describes the vehicle as a silver or blue, mini-van, newer style and possibly a Honda.  He says the vehicle would have some front end damage.   

     Larson says the woman was hospitalized with serious injuries.              

     Larson says the victim saw a driver and a passenger in the vehicle.  Investigators have a partial license plate of 1 A, with the remainder unknown.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Police are investigating a rash of tire slashings in southeast Sioux Falls earlier this week.

     Officer Jim Larson says residents reported at least four, tire vandalisms that occurred late Monday night into early Tuesday morning.  He says reports came from the 4500 block of South Prince of Peace, two cases from the 3700 block of East Steeple and one from the 4300 block of South Bahnson.           

     Larson says investigators do not have any suspect information.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Police say a Sioux Falls man is out $2,600 when an out-of-town arborist requested a second check after claiming to have washed the first check with his laundry.

     Officer Sam Clemens says the contractor, claiming to be from St. Paul, Minnesota, did tree work for the victim earlier this month and was paid by check.

     Clemens says the suspect returned the next day seeking a replacment check.  He was adamant that the first check was washed and would not be cashed.  The homeowner wrote a second check which was quickly cashed but the first check was cashed a couple weeks later

     Clemens says the victim has the names of the company and the worker but he hasn’t been able to contact them.  That's when he called police.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - Sioux Falls police say someone broke into a concession stand at the Sherman Park softball fields earlier this week and stole a safe.

     Officer Sam Clemens says burglars used forced entry to get into the stand and, along with the safe, grabbed beer, pop and candy.

     Clemens says they also broke into the tournament headquarters building but nothing is missing there.  The city owns both buildings but a private, or non-profit, concessionaire runs the business.

     Clemens says the dollar loss is unknown and there are no suspects.

Prairie Repertory Theatre opens its 43rd season with Rodgers and Hammerstein’s old-fashioned American comedy “State Fair.”

Characters find love and adventure on the Midway while performing Broadway songs “It Might As Well Be Spring,” “You Never Had it So Good” and “It’s a Grand Night for Singing.”Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 5, and run nightly through Saturday, June 8, with a 2 p.m. matinee Sunday, June 9, in Doner Auditorium in the Administration Building at South Dakota State University.“State Fair” will also show in Brandon in July.“State Fair” depicts small-town Iowa farm life in 1946, and features the Frake family and their three-day adventure at the Iowa State Fair.

Frake parents Abel and Melissa, played by Billy Wilburn, Brookings, and Megan Buresh, David City, Neb., approach the Iowa State Fair with serious hopes of winning blue ribbons and cash prizes for their boar and mincemeat.Their children, Margy, played by Rachael Andersen, Sioux Falls, and Wayne, played by Kristian Asfeldt, Sioux Falls, are seeking romance during their late night escapades on the Midway. Wayne meets and instantly falls in love with singer, Emily Arden, played by Megan Gill, St. Charles, Ill., even though he has a girlfriend Eleanor, played by Kristy Kayser, Sioux Falls, waiting back home. Margy meets a reporter named Pat Gilbert, played by Michael Heuer, Watertown, and develops a lasting relationship.Characters weave through the twists and turns of their fair romances from the nights in the beer tents to the days at the livestock pavilions.“As a new member, it took a while for me to get used to the quick pace of Prairie Rep,” said Asfeldt. “It was really hard for me to believe we would be able to put up a show in just about a month, but it is a very achievable goal. We all have good friends within the cast, which makes for a much easier, smoother rehearsal process.Heidi Heeren, a music educator for Medary Elementary School in Brookings, directs the music and Melissa Hauschild-Mork, a dance instructor at SDSU, choreographs the production.“We have a diverse company this year; several students from other universities in addition to our SDSU students,” said SDSU Assistant Professor of Theatre W. James Wood, who directs the play. “I am amazed at how quickly these ‘strangers’ have come together to form a cohesive cast. In just a few short weeks, they have made this classic show so fun and engaging. I am excited for our audiences to enjoy ‘State Fair’ as much as we have.”Other actors helping tell the story are Natalie Allcock, Britton; Zeke Blocklage, Concord Hill, Mo.; Alexandra Cross, Brewster, Minn.; Scott Ecker, Fargo, N.D.; Chris Fereza, Riverside, Calif.; Whitney Graff, Humboldt; Becca Herman, Sioux Falls; Sean McDonald, Yankton; Jocelyn Meidinger, Jamestown, N.D.; Maggie Murphy, Wilder, Minn.; Patrick Kloeckner, Fairmont, Minn.; Aaron Schuelke, Milbank; Ainsley Shelsta, Brookings; Bob Sylskar, Brookings; Austin Vockrodt, Brookings; Jennie Vrchota, Jackson, Minn.; Dani Wermedahl, Volga; and Caleb Woodring, Tea.Audiences of all ages are invited to experience the comedic and lighthearted rendition of the Midwestern musical.Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for senior citizens/military, $14 for SDSU employees, $13 for non-SDSU students and children, and free to SDSU students with IDs.Tickets can be purchased at the PRT Audience Services Office located in the Performing Arts Center at SDSU in Brookings, open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.Tickets may also be purchased online or by calling 605-688-6045.For more information on Prairie Repertory Theatre, visit their website.

The 30th Annual Ag Appreciation Day at the Sioux Empire Fair is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2013. Sponsored by the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, area businesses and Touchstone Energy Cooperatives, the event will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Grandstand at the W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds during the Sioux Empire Fair.

Ag Appreciation Day was started to show appreciation for farmers and ranchers for their dedication to agriculture. Touchstone Energy Cooperatives provides complementary gate passes for Ag Appreciation Day attendees to enter the fair at no charge, provided they arrive before 1 p.m.

More than 5,000 tickets are mailed each year to area producers. Ticket requests can be made by responding to advertising in the July issue of the Tri-State Neighbor and Touchstone Energy publications. Tickets are also available at the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce office at 200 N. Phillips Ave., Suite 200, in downtown Sioux Falls.

Volunteers will be contacting area businesses to participate as sponsors for this annual event. Each year, more than 200 Sioux Falls area businesses help underwrite the costs to provide lunch and entertainment. The sponsors also provide volunteers to serve the luncheon to attendees.

For more information about this event or details about how to become a sponsor, contact Agri-Business Division Manager Cindy Christensen at 605.373.2016 or cchristensen@siouxfalls.com.

PIERRE, S.D.-- Gov. Dennis Daugaard has joined with states nationwide to proclaim June as Great Outdoors Month.

In the proclamation Gov. Daugaard states that activities like biking, swimming, hiking, paddling, fishing, hunting, camping and boating help us enjoy the physical and mental benefits of outdoor recreation.

Many opportunities for outdoor activities are provided by the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks in their efforts to expand and enhance state parks, protect our wildlife heritage and introduce youngsters to the wonders of the outdoors.

Several notable outdoor recreation opportunities will take place in June, including the following events:

• National Trails Day, June 1 -- A day set aside to celebrate America's magnificent trail systems and their countless supporters and volunteers. Several state parks will be hosting trail-related events that day. Info:www.gfp.sd.gov or www.AmericanHiking.org
• National Fishing and Boating Week, June 1-9 -- A national celebration of fishing and boating. National Fishing and Boating Week is the perfect reason to get out on the water and experience the joys of boating and fishing. Info:www.takemefishing.org/nfbw
• Great American Backyard Campout, June 22 -- An opportunity for everyone to re-live -- or to experience for the first time -- how much fun it is to spend a night sleeping under the stars and enjoying the sounds of nature. The Great American Backyard Campout is a national event that encourages individuals, youth, friends and families to camp out together for one night. Info: www.nwf.org/BackyardCampout
• Outdoor Expo, June 8-9 -- The Sixth Annual South Dakota Outdoor Expo will be held at the State Fairgrounds in Huron. The Expo features hands-on activities aimed at introducing families to the many possibilities for recreation in South Dakota's outdoors. Events include fishing, shooting, gold panning, educational programs, activities for small children and more. A joint effort by businesses, outdoor organizations and government agencies present programming. There is no entry or activity fee for taking part in the Expo. Info: 605-353-7340
• Luce Pioneer Day, June 8 -- Lake Herman State Park near Madison. The event celebrates the original homesteading pioneers with family activities, entertainment, vendors and historical demonstrations. Info: 605-256-5003

In addition, across the state a number of outdoor programs will be held in state parks throughout June, including bird walks, outdoor cooking demonstrations, hikes, fishing derbies and nature programs. For a list of upcoming events, visitwww.gfp.sd.gov.

Wood waste grinding soon will begin at 301 North Lyon Boulevard. As a result, the City will permanently close the public branch drop-off site, located near the Sioux Empire Fairgrounds south entrance, this Friday, May 31, at 7 p.m. For safety reasons, citizens are asked to stay away from sites where wood waste grinding is occurring. Closing the site will allow for more efficient grinding operations.

Public branch drop-off sites still are open at the following locations:

• Sioux Falls Regional Sanitary Landfill (26750 464th Avenue): Hours of operation are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
• 1000 East Chambers Street (next to the Household Hazardous Waste Facility): Hours of operation are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week.
• 69th Street and South Cliff Avenue (access to this site is from 69th Street): Hours of operation are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week.

The wood waste from the grinding operation is not available to the public. However, wood mulch is available to residents at no charge at the three open public drop-off sites. Because residents are responsible for loading their own mulch, please bring bags, trash cans, shovels, or other items needed to load and transport the mulch.

For more information about Operation Timber Strike!, go towww.siouxfalls.org/operationtimberstrike or www.facebook.com/operationtimberstrike.  You also can follow us on Twitter @timberstrike.

• Annual Buffalo Days- Friday & Saturday Luverne, MN

Tonight the annual Cruise-In will be held, with activities all weekend! Arts in the Park at Luverne City Park features artists, crafters, and food vendors. Entertainment and more for children throughout the day, Saturday is the parade, and Sunday, the Buffalo Days Hoe-Down at the Fairgrounds. Pie and Ice Cream Social.

• 16^th Annual RibFest- Friday to Sunday @ Sioux Falls Arena

The event has become one of the region’s largest festivals attracting up to 45,000 festival goers last year. Eight world-famous barbeque vendors are set to compete for cash prizes and bragging rights as People’s Choice champion, or Critic’s Choice winner

• Sioux Falls Canaries vs Wichita Wingnuts

Friday 7:05pm @ Sioux Falls Stadium, Canaries Baseball Bats: Free Fireworks Friday!Saturday 7:05pm @ Sioux Falls Stadium, The first 500 fans receive a Canaries baseball bat, presented by Schoeneman's LumberSunday 1:05pm @ Sioux Falls Stadium

• Seuss Falls: Discovering the Art and Science of Dr. Seuss, Washington Pavilion, Sioux Falls

Located in Everist Gallery and Kirby Science Discovery Center; www.washingtonpavilion.org

• Beresford Citywide Rummage- Friday & Saturday, Beresford

For a map of rummages, visit www.beresfordchamber.com

• Firefighting film: BURN- Friday 8pm & Saturday 7pm @ Washington Pavilion

BURN is an action-packed film about firefighters, told through the eyes of the crew of Detroit's Engine Company 50, one of the busiest firehouses in the country. BURN unflinchingly captures the lives of these brave men and women who put their lives on the line for an arson-plagued city that many have written off as dead.

• Falls Park Farmers Market- Saturday @ Falls Park

Features fresh produce, flowers, meats and more at Falls Park.

• Siouxland Renaissance Festival- Saturday 10am-6pm & Sunday 10am-5pm @ W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds

Play in the past with the Siouxland Renaissance Association at the 12th Annual Festival filled with jousting, Celtic Heavy Games, live entertainment, historic demonstrations, childrens activities, vendors, Beal pub tent and more. 

• Bikes & Babes’ Rally 4 Miracles- Saturday @ J & L Harley-Davidson

Starting locations include Sioux Falls, Mitchell, Chamberlain, Brookings, Aberdeen, Madison, Vermillion, Watertown and Orange City. All rides end at J&L Harley Davidison by 4 p.m. 

• National Trails Day Hikes- Saturday 8am @ George S. Mickelson Trail, Lead

A 7-mile walk/run/bike from the Lead High School to the Deadwood Trailhead. The first 100 registrants get a T-shirt. Registration is $15 per person or a team of four for $45. Park license required.

• National Trails Day Hikes-Saturday 1pm @ Custer State Park

Hikers will hike to one of the highest points in the Black Hills, near Sylvan Lake. Hiking through a spruce-pine forest, then scrambling through a rocky terrain, participants venture to the summit of a geological landscape. This hike is considered strenuous and not recommended for people with health conditions or physical limitations. Meet at the General Store Parking Lot.

• Bakker Crossing Grand Opening BIG CUP Tournament- Saturday @ Bakker Crossing Golf Course

Features a 4-Person Scramble; www.bakkercrossing.com.

• The SID Shootout Golf Tournament- Saturday 8am & 2pm @ Willow Run Golf Course
• 24^th Annual Brandon Lions Leisure Bike Ride- Saturday 9am @ Brandon Valley High School

Novice or serious riders may choose from 12, 24, 42, or 52 mile ride. Lunch at Pizza Ranch (all-you-can-eat) follows. For the 42/52 mile riders, there will be a halfway stop with snacks and refreshments. Rain or shine (except in case of lightning). For information, call Steve at 582-6327, Lance at 582-3554, or Dick at 582-3878.

New Movies

• After Earth (PG13)- Will and Jaden Smith play a father and son (big stretch) stranded on earth 1,000 years after cataclysmic events forced humanity to escape. When dad becomes critically injured, it’s up to the son to face his fears and go for help through uncharted terrain.
• Now You See Me (PG13)- An FBI agent and an Interpol detective track a team of illusionists who pull off bank heists during their performances and reward their audiences with the money. Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Morgan Freeman, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson and Isla Fisher.

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Sioux Falls man (formerly of Chicago) was sentenced on May 30, 2013 by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.

Carl Campbell, age 37, was sentenced to life imprisonment on each of Counts 1 (Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion), 3 and 5 (Sex Trafficking of a Child). He was sentenced to 20 years on each of Counts 2 (Interstate Transportation for Prostitution) and 4 (Obstruction of Sex Trafficking Enforcement). These sentences are all to run concurrently. He was also ordered to pay a $500 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Campbell was indicted by a second superseding indictment by a federal grand jury on November 6, 2012 and found guilty of all counts by a federal jury on February 8, 2013.

The jury convicted Campbell after hearing evidence that he lured in young adults and minors and caused them to engage in commercial sex acts in and around Sioux Falls. He assaulted one victim repeatedly over the course of about 8 months, during which he forced her to perform commercial sex acts in South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois.

The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, Sioux Falls Police Department, and the Franklin County (Illinois) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Koliner and Jeffrey Clapper prosecuted the case.

Campbell was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshal.

With bad weather occurring throughout the Midwest, farmers in the Southeast South Dakota are plagued with too much water.  Unlike last year where farmers were faced with drought conditions, they are faced with flooded fields and a late plant or replanting season.

“We are concerned about the soil erosion that the high volume of water carried to the bottom of hills or into the streams or gullies,” said Connie Strunk, Plant Pathology Field Specialist, Sioux FallsRegionalExtensionCenter.  “You see it a lot in the creeks and rivers running brown and settling down in the erosion areas.  The farmers will hopefully get to go out and replant those areas and deal with the weeds as they come.”

Strunk said the big concern for now is how long the water is going to sit.  Plants can remain emerged in water for about 48 hours before they succumb to plant death.  Farmers will then have to decide whether to replant and decide what herbicide to put down or should they plant a different crop than what was originally planted. 

“May 30 is about to the end of planting season for corn with crop insurance,” said Strunk.  “If they plant after May 30^, there will be some hit and misses with corn.  With Soy Beans, you can go as late as June 10, but after that it is getting to be late as far as crop insurance is concerned.”

“The biggest challenges facing farmers is to whether they are going to get into their fields to plant, and some farmers haven’t been able to get to their fields at all,” said Strunk.  “Then they have to decide what they can plant, and how much.  They may have to decide if they can get the quality seeds needed for these conditions.” 

Strunk said farmers planted with optimal levels planned and now have to reevaluate how much of the fields were destroyed by the rain.  Right now it is a waiting game to see what will be needed for planting this Spring.

Connie Strunk was interviewed on the Greg Belfrage show May 29, 2013.