Search continues for missing Lockridge man; more

Search continues for missing Lockridge man

LOCKRIDGE ? The Jefferson County Sheriff?s Office is still asking anyone who has seen or heard from 61-year-old Duane Hinkle to contact to the law enforcement center.

Hinkle of 3410 160th St., rural Lockridge, remains missing. He was officially reported missing at 8 a.m. Thursday and was last heard from at 4:15 a.m. Wednesday when he left a message for Lt. Jerry Marcellus with the sheriff?s office.

Deputies combed Hinkle?s roughly 800-acre property Thursday and Friday and have followed up on several leads from the public.

Sheriff Jerry Droz said several people have reported seeing Hinkle Tuesday, but no one since.

Anyone with information about Hinkle?s whereabouts may contact the law center at 472-4146.

Public meetings set on proposed FSA closures

DES MOINES ? The United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency has announced John R. Whitaker, state executive director for Iowa FSA, and members of his management team have scheduled three public meetings:

? In Appanoose County at 1 p.m. Jan. 31 at Faith United Methodist Church of Centerville in Centerville.

? In Decatur County at 1 p.m. Feb. 1 at the Decatur County Fairgrounds Pioneer Hall Building in Leon.

? In Union County at 1 p.m. Feb. 2 at the Southwest Community College Campus Instructional Center Room No. 220 in Creston.

FSA?s public meeting will be the only one held in each county to take public comment on USDA?s proposed office consolidation plan in which the Appanoose, Decatur, and Union county FSA offices are being considered for consolidation.

Producers may also provide written comment by emailing dennis.olson@ia.usda.gov or sending written comment to John R. Whitaker, State Executive Director, Iowa State FSA Office, 10500 Buena Vista Court, Des Moines 50322 no later than Feb. 9.

All public comments will be taken into full consideration prior to development or implementation of a final consolidation plan.

For more information about the the public meetings or submitting written comments concerning the possible closure of three FSA offices in southern Iowa, contact the FSA at 515-254-1540.

Coaches among Iowa?s best paid state employees

DES MOINES (AP) ­? University employees, including head coaches, professors and vice presidents, are some of Iowa?s best-paid state employees.

The Des Moines Register used a database of state employee salary data to determine which workers earned the most. It says 30 state employees earned more than $500,000 last year.

Those workers included seven head coaches, 17 professors and five University of Iowa vice presidents and a dean.

Five of the state?s six highest-paid employees were coaches.

Topping the list is Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz, who earned $3.8 million. Iowa State football coach Paul Rhoads earned $1.1 million, and former Iowa men?s basketball coach Todd Lickliter, current Iowa men?s basketball coach Fran McCaffery and Iowa State men?s basketball coach Fred Hoiberg all earned more than $800,000.