Croswell
Big sugar beet harvest to busy processing plants
CROSWELL, Mich. (AP) - A big sugar beet harvest in Michigan is expected to keep processing plants working until the end of March, a few weeks longer than usual.
Keith Kalso, agricultural manager for Michigan Sugar Co. in Croswell, told the Times Herald of Port Huron that farmers have been getting an average yield of 30 tons per acre. That's higher than the normal yield, which averages 27 to 28 tons per acre.
Kalso said this year's yield could mean good returns for the farmers who own shares and produce sugar beets for Michigan Sugar.
"They'll have more income because they have more yield per acre," Kalso said. "We presume the corporation will do well because w''ll have more product to sell, and we can give those profits back to the growers."
The cooperative had considered telling growers to ignore some beets so it could process the crop for what's expected to be a record year. But Michigan Sugar last month told growers to harvest all their sugar beets. Michigan Sugar has processing plants in several communities.
Michael Noll, president of the Sanilac County Farm Bureau and owner of Noll Dairy Farm in Croswell, said a moist summer and fall kept sugar beets growing though the fall.
"The sugar beets crop as a whole was planted later than normal," Noll said. "It caught everybody by surprise because they didn't think they'd get this kind of tonnage for as late as the planting was."
Michigan Sugar has more than 1,200 shareholders and more than 900 growers producing an acre or more of beets in 20 Michigan counties and parts of Canada. Its products are sold in wholesale and retail quantities under the Pioneer Sugar and Big Chief Sugar brands.
Sugar beets require cold, consistent weather for good storage. Kalso said that becomes difficult the later processing takes place.
"March is a wild card," Noll said. "It can either go warm or cool, and we need it to stay cool to get all these beets processed."
Bay City
Green Beret from Bay City killed in Afghanistan
BAY CITY, Mich. (AP) - A 31-year-old Green Beret from Bay City who served two tours of duty in Iraq has been killed fighting in Afghanistan, according to the Pentagon.
Sgt. 1st Class Michael A. Cathcart died of wounds received from small arms fire during dismounted combat operations in Kunduz Province on Friday, the Defense Department said.
Cathcart was a Bay City Central High School graduate and enlisted in the Army in 2001, The Bay City Times reported.
Cathcart was part of the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
His battalion commander, Lt. Col. Michael Sullivan, said in an email that the unit known as the "Bushmen" had "lost one of our nation's finest." Cathcart "died a true warrior with his fellow teammates at his side," Sullivan wrote.
"The Bushmen will always remember Mike's love for the hockey rink and his contagious smile," said Sullivan. "My thoughts and prayers are with the family of Mike in the coming days, weeks, and months ahead."
Cathcart served in Iraq in 2003 and 2005 and volunteered for Special Forces in 2007, according to a statement from Fort Bragg. He joined the 3rd Special Forces Group in 2009 as an engineer.
His many awards include three Bronze Star Medals, the Purple Heart Medal and four Army Commendation Medals, the statement said.
Cathcart's body was being transported from Germany to Dover, Delaware, Air Force Base, to be met by his mother, Jeanne Cathcart, and his sister, Trishia. A memorial service likely will take place at Fort Bragg, with a service in Bay City to follow, his mother told the newspaper. Arrangements had not yet been completed Sunday.
Cathcart came from a military heritage, his family said. His uncle, Steven Cathcart, served in the Army during the first Gulf War, and his grandfather, Mike Cathcart, served in the Army in the 1950s and 1960s.
Detroit
Michigan hosting 3rd cybersecurity summit
DETROIT (AP) - Mayor Mike Duggan told a cybersecurity conference that Detroit is working to update its computer systems and technology.
Experts from across the country are discussing trends and best practices Monday at the North American International Cyber Summit at Cobo Center in Detroit.
Duggan says a database the city didn't use or need was frozen earlier this year and held for ransom. The Detroit News reports that the ransom was for 2,000 bitcoins, an encrypted digital currency. The ransom was worth more than $803,000, but wasn't paid.
Published: Tue, Nov 18, 2014
