Where thoughts might grow
 

Tangled branches guard the entrance to the valley of time. A river slips silently past. No mechanical ticks or dots on a line to measure the pulse of life. Just continually flowing water following the arrow of time for hundreds, thousands, even millions of years as we stand on the riverbank watching.

Multiple agencies coordinate drug raids
 

On January 25, 2012, several members from the North East Iowa Task Force, executed 2 search warrants simultaneously. After a 3 month joint investigation which included the Monona Police Department, Oelwein Police Department, West union Police Department, and the Fayette County Sheriff's Department came to an end with 3 men being arrested.
  The search warrants were executed at 201 West Elm Street, West Union, and at 213 6th Avenue S.E. in Oelwein.
Subject's arrested and charged were:
  Kenneth Harold Taylor age 26 of West union on charges of Ongoing Criminal Conduct (Class B Felony) Felon in possession of a firearm (Class D Felony) and four counts of Delivery of Marijuana each a (Class D Felony),
  Kent Allen Taylor age 49 of Oelwein on charges of Felon in possession of a firearm (Class D Felony) Possession of Marijuana 3rd offense (Class D Felony) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Simple Misdemeanor),
  Leslie Ray Kearns age 27 of Oelwein on charges of Possession of Methamphetamine 3rd Offense (Class D Felony) Possession of Marijuana 3rd Offense (Class D Felony) Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Simple Misdemeanor).
  All three are currently being detained in the Fayette County Jail awaiting
an appearance before a magistrate.
  A Filing of a criminal complaint is merely an accusation and the
defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

USDA to poison large numbers of birds in our area
 

Grant County, WI - January 24, 2012 - The Grant County Sheriff’s Department was notified by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that it will be poisoning European starlings over the next few months in Grant County and presumably in other surrounding counties.
  The USDA is responsible for killing millions of birds over the last few years to protect agriculture interest. The pesticide used, DRC-1339, causes the birds to succumb between 3 to 36 hours after application. Birds may expire away from the treatment site, and they are not hazardous to handle. According to the notice sent by the USDA, the birds may be picked-up and disposed of in the garbage. If pets happen to come in contact with or eat any of these birds there is no need for concern. If necessary, arrangements can be made to pick up large numbers of birds.
  The bait contains a lethal dose of DRC-1339 for blackbirds, cowbirds, gracklee, or starlings on a single bait. 
  The mystery of why hundreds of birds have been falling out of the sky over the past couple of years has been solved, it was caused by the USDA. It begs the question, what did farmers do before the USDA?

Snow & speed contribute to
large number of slide-off’s
 

January 24, 2012 - In Grant County alone there were over 30 reported slide-off's called in to the Grant County Sheriff's Office due to the ice and snow covered roads and the drifting that was taking place on some of the roads.

Remember, we’ve been lucky so far
 

Birds are in their regular panic during a snowstorm, hovering around the feeders not knowing where their next meal is coming from. No matter what happens now, we’ll have a short winter.

Home invasion in Grant County, WI
 

Louisburg, WI - On January 17, 2012 at 8:00 p.m., 64 year old Ronald Monahan was home (2078 Jimtown Road, Louisburg) alone watching TV. Ronald heard a loud noise and went to the front door. Ronald had a blanket covering a doorway to keep the cold out.
  Ronald was trying to move the blanket but someone on the other side of the blanket was also moving it. When Ronald did push the blanket out of the way he was now face to face with an unknown white male.
  The male had a scruffy unshaven face with brown hair and was wearing a gray zip up Hoodie sweat top with the hood up. Ronald did not know the subject and chased the male out of the house.
  This male ran north on Jimtown Road. There was also a dark colored Ford Ranger style truck that backed out of the driveway and sped north on Jimtown Road picking up the male on foot.
  Monahan’s front door was busted open and he was not injured. If anyone may know these two male subjects or the truck, please call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-789-6600.

Week of January 23, 2012

 
Obama-backed car battery maker goes bankrupt

CBSNews.com

Many viewers sent in Hot Pixs of flooding in their area. Midwest News thanks them for helping us cover the area.