(Radio Iowa) – Nestle Purina has completed a 156-million dollar expansion of its plant in Clinton. Nearly 600 people are employed at the Purina plant in Clinton. That includes most of the 96 jobs tied to the plant’s expansion.

Purina has been making pet food in Clinton since 1969. According to the company’s website 190 different pet products have been produced at the plant over the past five decades and it’s the only site where Purina’s prescription pet food is made.

(Radio Iowa) – The Des Moines woman who has accused U.S. Senate candidate Mike Franken of kissing her without her permission has commented publicly for the first time. In April, Kimberley Strope-Boggus told a police officer she met with Franken in March, shortly after she’d been fired from the campaign, and the two discussed a new campaign role for her before the kiss. Strope-Boggus is quoted in a Politico story about Franken, saying “it happened” — a direct response to Franken’s statement that the kiss “never happened.”

Strope-Boggus said she’s been treated like a disposable pawn by both political parties since a conservative website published her police report last month. Franken campaign manager Julie Stauch says if anyone has made Strope-Boggus a pawn, it’s the Grassley campaign. According to Stauch, the revelation of the police report was done in collaboration by Franken’s former campaign manager and Grassley and his staff.

A spokeswoman for Senator Grassley’s campaign points to two unnamed women cited in Politico’s story who also accused Franken of making women uncomfortable. Michaela Sundermann, Grassley’s communications director, said that raises very serious questions about Franken. Franken’s campaign manager says it’s all an effort to undermine Franken’s campaign because he’s on track to beat Grassley.

Grassley and Franken are scheduled to debate tonight (Thursday) at seven on Iowa P-B-S — their only scheduled debate of the campaign.

ATLANTIC, IOWA – Officials with Cass Health, today (Thursday) announced the addition of Kellie Enderson, ARNP, to the team of providers at Atlantic Medical Center, RHC. Enderson is board-certified by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners to care for patients of all ages. She will offer appointments in both the Atlantic and Griswold Medical Centers, and she will also occasionally provide care in AMC Rapid Care. To make an appointment, please call 712-243-2850.

Originally from Huxley, Iowa, Enderson and her husband moved a year ago to a small hobby farm in Guthrie County. “I attended Grandview University for my bachelor’s degree in nursing, and then I completed by master’s degree in nursing from Chamberlain University. I have worked in the medical field for more than 29 years, with experience in cardiology, neurology, hospice, and chronic health conditions as a health coach,” said Enderson.

Kellie Enderson

“I enjoy building a working relationship with my patients and providing education. I practice using a holistic approach with my patients, using both pharmaceuticals and nonpharmaceutical approaches, and asking questions to get a better understanding of each person, their health, and their day-to-day lifestyles,” said Enderson.

(Radio Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Shelby County will consider an ordinance that would establish some restrictions for where carbon pipelines could be routed. Steve Kenkel is Chairman of the Shelby County Board of Supervisors.

The proposed Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline would run through Earling and Westphalia in Shelby County. The proposed zoning ordinance would prevent hazardous liquid pipelines from being built within two miles of city limits. Shelby County Public Health director Lori Hoch says it would be up to local emergency crews to respond to pipeline ruptures or failures.

The ordinance would require any liquid pipeline to be half a mile from hospitals, schools, churches and nursing homes. A spokesman for Summit Carbon Solutions says the proposed Shelby County ordinance is inconsistent with Iowa law, as the legislature has granted the Iowa Utilities Board authority over the permits, siting and regulation of pipelines that convey hazardous liquids. Summit’s spokesman says the company has voluntary easements from 900 Iowa property owners for about 53 percent of the land along its proposed route.

The Supervisors in Shelby County, Tuesday, passed a resolution fixing the dates for three public hearings on a proposal to amend various sections of the Shelby County Zoning Ordinance for the purpose of regulating and restricting the use of land for the transport of hazardous liquid through a hazardous liquid pipeline. The hearings will be held in the Therkildsen Center in Harlan at 10:00 A.M. on October 18th and October 25th, and at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Harlan at 10:00 A.M. on November 1st.

(Reporting by Kendall Crawford, Iowa Public Radio)

DES MOINES – Governor Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Economic Development Authority announced today (Thursday), that a total of more than $450,000 in grants have been awarded through six Empower Rural Iowa Grant Programs. The grant awards will support rural initiatives spanning from child care and housing to workforce attraction and leadership development in more than 20 counties.  For example, the IGNITE Pathways program in Woodbine will leverage Rural Innovation funding towards creation of an automotive maintenance and care training program to address the lack of local options in this field. The need was identified through the research and analysis by a local high school program that focuses on developing innovative solutions to real, rural problems.  And, the City of Manning is receiving $10,000 for the Manning Betterment Foundation, from the Fiscal Year 23 Rural Child Care Market Study Grants.

In another example, Iowa Central Community College will use Rural Scale-Up funding to bring the successful career academies model to the western part of their region through the development of a new regional center in Storm Lake. This opportunity will enhance the learning capabilities, provide equitable access to high-quality career technical education programming, and help close opportunity gaps that exist in the region.

In its inaugural year, the Rural Enrichment grant is funding eleven projects across the state, including “OkoboTree”, a visual art tree preservation project; a live music venue in an alley off Polk City’s main square; and downtown lighting project in Osceola.  Governor Reynolds says she “Signed the Empower Rural Iowa Act in 2019 to ensure that the rural communities that are the heart of who we are as a state have the resources needed to connect, invest and grow. Since then, Empower Rural Iowa grants have provided support for dozens of now thriving businesses, communities and entrepreneurs in our rural communities.”

More information about the Empower Rural Iowa Grant programs is available at  iowaeda.com/empower-rural-iowa