The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1357204
Now that warmer weather has arrived and our risk of a hard freeze is lessen- ing, wheat is beginning to green up and grow more vigorously. As we watch it fin- ish growing vegetatively and begin its re- productive cycle, knowledge of the growth stages helps farmers decide when to per- form management activities like final fertilizer applications and applications of fungicides or insecticides to protect the crop. Unlike corn or soybean, where a uni- versally adopted growth staging system based on vegetative ( V ) or reproductive (R) with a single number behind exists, wheat has two different systems. The one used in research is referred to as the Za- dok system, and the scale runs from 00 (dry seed) to 99 (secondary dormancy lost). Secondary dormancy is a term for when wheat breaks dormancy, then con- ditions return unfavorably. The one used in practice is the Fee- kes scale. The Feekes scale uses numer- ical values to represent important mark- ers in growth, varying from 1, where the first leaf has emerged from the germinat- ing seed, to 11.4, ready for harvest. Along the way, the scale uses integers from 1 to 9, then breaks down into decimals for the 10 and 11 stages, as heading occurs, and the last stages of reproductive growth fill out the seed head. When determining the growth stage of a wheat field, the fi- nal number is determined by whether over 50 per cent of the plants in the field have reached that growth stage. The first few growth stag- es, 1 through 3, occur for win- ter wheat prior to winter dor- mancy. Feekes 3 continues into spring green-up, then 4 and 5 occur as stem elonga- tion occurs prior to Feekes 6, where the wheat has jointed, meaning nodes have emerged above the soil surface. Joint- ing has or will occur shortly, and the presence of these nodes mean the plant is now more susceptible to freezing temperatures. Feekes 7 means two nodes have emerged, with more nodes emerg- ing prior to Feekes 8, at which time the flag leaf, or the leaf that extends above the rest of the plant shaped a little differently than the rest of the leaves, has emerged. The flag leaf is the sign that vegetative growth is ending, and the plant is prepar- ing to send up a stem with the correspond- ing head. In wheat management, nitrogen fertility is generally applied prior to Feekes 6, be- cause the presence of nodes means wheel tracks can damage the wheat crop a lit- tle more excessively. Later timing can al- so result in poor head fertility, according "Intensive Wheat Management," a Univer- sity of Wisconsin Extension publication. For herbicides to control broadleaves, pri- or to canopy closure when application will strike weeds less than 4 inches tall is im- portant. Once again, cano- py closure tends to occur around Feekes 6 -7 meaning the application of herbicide is important in the near-term. Insecticides and fungi- cides can be tank-mixed, de- pending on the products and when application is needed. In recent years, conditions have been met for the need for fungicides to control the potential for wheat head scab development. Those ap- plications should be applied just a couple of days after flowering have occurred. Because of the timeliness of application and need for application within about five days, wheat applications often occur ae- rially using planes or helicopters. These fungicides are generally not harmful to vegetation in the event of overspray, al- though best management practices are to close car windows or not stand direct- ly underneath the planes as they deposit their payloads. The University of Kentucky has an ex- cellent publication named "Identifying Wheat Growth Stages," also known as AGR-224, by Carrie Knott. For more in- formation, contact Hans at hschmitz@ purdue.edu or 812-838 -1331. The Press-Dispatch Wednesday, March 31, 2021 D-5 LENT Continued from page 4 you realized COVID was not destroying America, and your elected officials were lying as the men and women of The White Coats stood by nodding in agreement? I cannot but help to remem- ber the Apostle Paul's warn- ing to Timothy: "Now the Spir- it speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doc- trines of devils;" how have we arrived at this point? To ques- tion the COVID Church's nar- rative and all who embraces their truth is akin to being an anti-Semitic and Holocaust de- nier. As the Church met on Palm Sunday were the basketball fa- natics bouncing and spinning the basketball, which they worship, or were they smitten with guilt and repented as the choir sang "O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing"? I was waving my Palm Branch shouting "Blessed Is He who comes in the Name of the Lord! Hosanna in the Highest! " What did you do? Think about it! Fueled by direct subsidies and gener- ous tax credits, the plant's owner, NRG Energy, was able to implement the car- bon capture and storage system, making Petra Nova the only carbon capture coal plant in America. But it came at a cost. The process to remove the carbon from the plant's emissions "required so much energy that NRG made an entirely separate natural gas power plant … just to power the scrubber," reported Gizmo- do. The natural gas emissions were not captured or offset. The article continues: Ironically, the carbon dioxide pulled from the plant's emissions was actual- ly used to make more fossil fuels. Part of NRG's deal with the federal govern- ment for running Petra Nova was gaining permission to transport the carbon diox- ide scrubbed from burning coalto a sep- arate oil field, where it was injected un- derground to help release more oil. Petra Nova dramatically illustrates the failure of politically motivated ener- gy projects. Previous government direct- ed attempts to get carbon capture and storage technology off the ground also squandered hundreds of millions in tax- payer money. Time and again, Congress creates new "temporary" subsidies to prop up politi- cally popular, nascent technologies that claim to need government help, "just to get on our feet." But these temporary sub- sidies seldom die. Instead, companies be- come dependent on them, and limp along in a wasteful and inefficient manner. In fact, some proponents of carbon cap- ture have called 45Q a "make-or-break element" of the technology's future suc- cess. That is a recipe for dependence. Tax credits have also been issued for wind power, solar energy, electric cars, and biofuels, to name a few. Each of these credits were designed to get fledgling in- dustries off the ground. As they began to expire, the industries pursued fierce lob- bying to expand the subsidies or make them permanent. Companies that do not receive any preferential treatment are also incen- tivized to lobby for tax subsidies simply to level the playing field. The result is a hodgepodge of tax credits benefiting se- lect technologies that members of Con- gress support, even if the support harms the country as a whole despite benefiting their districts or states. It is by no means an effective way to reduce carbon diox- ide emissions, as many of the subsidies carry significantly high abatement costs. Besides lost revenue, tax subsidies have many other significant hidden costs to American taxpayers. Because private capital—investment—is limited, technol- ogies that do not receive subsidies appear to be more expensive, risky, or unprom- ising. Thus, the government discourages private investments in projects that lack the government's blessing, but may ac- tually be more commercially promising. In other words: A dollar invested in a company that benefits from a tax credit cannot be invested simultaneously in an- other company. This creates opportuni- ty costs where potentially promising but unsubsidized technologies may not re- ceive investment. Business models built around taxpay- er-funded subsidies also distort the in- centive that drives innovation. Preferen- tial tax treatment reduces the necessity for an industry to make its technology cost-competitive, because the tax cred- it shields a company from recognizing the actual price at which its technology is economically viable. The government should not prop up any energy source, and should instead allow competitive markets to meet Amer- ica's energy needs. However well intentioned, tax subsi- dies look more like corporate welfare for politically connected industries, and much less effective at spurring a domi- nant, world-class energy sector. Adam N. Michel focuses on tax policy and the federal budget as a Senior Policy Analyst in the Grover M. Hermann Center. TAX Continued from page 4 this matter. ••• So what do we do during these solemn days called Ho- ly week? Based on different belief systems, we are all en- couraged to slow down, stop and reflect how best to com- memorate this sacred story. It gives us time to remem- ber the importance of taking stock of our lives, remember- ing the brevity of life, prac- ticing virtues that make our lives better and creating in- ner peace. I have to add, too, we need to answer the question of how we want to spend our existence into eternity? That journey surely is a long time. A very long time. It is uncom- fortable to delve into these questions, but it is also con- soling to know that we can have a happy ending to our quest for salvation, if we fol- low the manual of life from a Book called the Scripture. ••• So in my way of thinking, a combination of faith, belief and proof of our firm com- mitment to adhere to such values is a good way to com- memorate the Holy Week. We are encouraged to do works of mercy, practice self- restraint, do sacrifices with a glad heart, visit the lone- ly and isolated, feed the hun- gry, cloth the needy, take care of our family and our- selves. For it is not possible to tell someone we love them and not show proof of our in- tent. Have a blessed week. Court Report FELONY Pike County Circuit Court Timothy R. Robinson charged with count I dealing in methamphetamine, a level 2 felony, count II possession of meth- amphetamine, a level 3 felony and count III maintaining a common nuisance-con- trolled substances, a level 6 felony. Gregory Denton Smith charged with count I criminal confinement while armed with a deadly weapon, a level 3 felony, count II possession of metham- phetamine, a level 6 felony and count III possession of paraphernalia. Tamara J. McCandless charged with count I possession of methamphetamine, a level 6 felony, count II operating a mo- tor vehicle while intoxicated. Eric L. Carter charged with count I possession of methamphetamine, a lev- el 6 felony, and count II possession of marijuana. Jordan G. Davis charged with count I invasion of privacy and count II invasion of privacy, prior, a level 6 felony. Megan L. Husk charged with count I maintaining a common nuisance-con- trolled substances, a level 6 felony, and count II operating a vehicle while intox- icated. Jerramy Dain Barfknecht charged with operating a vehicle with an ACE equivalent to at least .08 but less than .15 and count II operating a vehicle with an ACE .08 or more, prior, a level 6 felony. David A. Fuqua charged with count I maintaining a common nuisance-con- trolled substances, a level 6 felony, count II possession of methamphetamine, a lev- el 6 felony, and count III possession of marijuana. Bryan L. Gregory charged with count I maintaining a common nuisance-con- trolled substances, a level 6 felony, count II possession of methamphetamine, a lev- el 6 felony, and count III possession of marijuana. Jennifer Ann Might charged with count I maintaining a common nuisance-con- trolled substances, a level 6 felony, count II possession of methamphetamine, a lev- el 6 felony, and count III possession of marijuana. Edra L. Cannon charged with operat- ing a vehicle after being an habitual of- fender, a level 6 felony. TRAFFIC AND MISDEMEANORS Pike County Circuit Court Andrew John Long charged with pos- session of marijuana. Thelma Sue Smith charged with bat- tery. CIVIL Pike County Circuit Court Onemain Financial sues Lisa Cox and Timothy Kiser on complaint. Mariner Finance, LLC, successor in interest to Personal Finance Company, LLC sues Jeffrey Vinnedge on complaint. INFRACTIONS Pike County Circuit Court Nadine Dure charged with speeding. Troy L. Pickel charged with speeding, exceeding 70 mph. Damian M. Brannon charged with un- lawful possession of tobacco, e-liquid or an electronic cigarette. Rebecca J. Martin charged with speed- ing. Christopher D. Boyd charged with speeding, exceeding 55 mph. Daniel A. Wadsworth charged with speeding, exceeding 70 mph. Tyrus R. Schoppenhorst charged with no valid driver's license. Ashlee M. Mercer charged with count I speeding and count II operating with expired plates. Jayden Gordon charged with speeding. This week, Fahner and an- other business, Fowler Pack- ing, challenged the law at the Supreme Court. I hope the Court sends a strong mes- sage to California's union- owned politicians: Get off people's private property! In earlier court battles, Wise said the exception to private property rules is jus- tified because "workers re- main isolated ... from the flow of information that is charac- teristic of modern society." But that's not true. Maybe it was true in 1975 when the law passed, but now there's the internet. And cellphones. "Every person has a cell- phone in their pocket," says Fahner "All have phones? " I ask. "Yes," Fahner replies. "They know how to commu- nicate through Facebook and through Twitter, much better than most! " Even if they didn't, the union could always approach workers after work at their motels. "All those union people had access to (the motel rooms). They could knock on their door and talk to them about their agenda." Plus, the union has two ra- dio stations. But it's much more fun to intimidate businesses with predawn protests. California officials now ar- gue that this Supreme Court case "threatens ... public health." Leftist media like Vox quickly agrees, claiming that denying access to farms "could endanger government functions like fire inspection and workplace safety." But that's not true, says Fahner's pro-bono attorney from the Pacific Legal Foun- dation, Joshua Thompson. He points out that "Those types of routine government inspections are searching in a reasonable manner. What happened here is the govern- ment is taking our property... just giving that to a third par- ty to come on to proselytize. To use bullhorns to intimi- date." I asked the United Farm Workers union for their side of the story. They didn't re- spond. So, in my video, Fahner gets the last word. He uses it well, saying, "This is trespassing. You should be going to jail for doing this." John Stossel is author of "Give Me a Break: How I Ex- posed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media." PROPERTY Continued from page 4 HOLY Continued from page 4 They spread their poisonous creed of collectivism to the populace. Is any of this sounding fa- miliar to our situation today? Eventually, the leftists pulled off a political coup. In 2013, the left won the Chilean presidency. The free market reforms were systematical- ly replaced with "spread the wealth" platitudes. In Octo- ber 2020, voters approved a rewrite of the constitution, and now property rights and the rule of law are in danger. Chile is now in economic free fall. The poor are get- ting crushed. The rich are pulling their money out of the country. They have arrived at "equality": Nearly everyone is suffering. Meanwhile, back in Amer- ica, we have an economic transformation of our own going on. The Biden admin- istration promises to help the middle class by hand- ing out trillions of dollars of free money to citizens and paying people more money for not working than work- ing. We will borrow trillions of dollars and pray that the Chinese continue to buy up our bonds and that our cur- rency holds up. Many of our constitution- al protections and congres- sional rules of behavior, such as the filibuster, which pro- tects the rights of the mi- nority, may be headed to the shredder. The election laws are getting rewritten to ben- efit, significantly, the party now in power — the Demo- crats. The House has passed a bill requiring millions of working-class people to join unions and pay dues. The left is saying, don't worry, this compulsion is going to help the working class. Sure. A sock-it-to-the-rich tax increase is coming that will make the productive class and the job creators pay their "fair share" with tax rates of 50 % , 60 % and 70 % . Will this story have a hap- py ending? The answer to that ques- tion might be contained in the frightening example of what happened in Chile. It is what our children and college students should be learning in the classrooms — fat chance. The left runs our schools now, too. Stephen Moore is a senior fellow at the Heritage Foun- dation and an economic con- sultant with FreedomWorks. He is the co-author of "Trum- ponomics: Inside the America First Plan to Revive the Amer- ican Economy." CHILE Continued from page 4 Down on the Farm By Hans Schmitz, Purdue Extension Educator Wheat growing through stages Hispanics are voting more like "white conservatives," he says. Big government and open borders are not selling well with Hispanic voters. They don't want the USA, the country they came to for opportunity, to become like the country they left. Star Parker is president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education and host of the weekly television show "Cure America with Star Parker." BORDER Continued from page 4