(Iowa News Service) – Family farm advocates are calling for cuts in federal subsidies to large animal feeding operations known as CAFOs in the Farm Bill being debated in Congress. Iowa family farmers want more support for conservation programs that benefit smaller agriculture operations. Right now, CAFOs can qualify for as much as 100-million dollars every year to reduce some of the environmental damage they can cause. That’s taxpayer money that Barb Kalbach, a fourth-generation family farmer in Adair County, says could be put to much better use by small family farmers on their land.

CAFO operators contend they use the federal money to defend against environmental damage and that they’re always looking for cleaner, safer ways to raise high-quality meats while responding to increased consumer demand.

As a board member for the Campaign for Family Farms and the Environment, Kalbach is calling for more support of conservation programs that would help family farmers, but she is just as adamant that the long-standing rules governing CAFOs are changed.

The Farm Bill saw its first action in the House Agriculture Committee May 23rd. The House version of the measure also proposes 30-billion dollars in cuts to SNAP benefits over the next decade, including 170-million in Iowa.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports five recent arrests:

At around 9:20-a.m. Friday, June 14th, Officers arrested 33-year-old Elisa Renae Savala, of Creston. She was taekn into custody on a Union County Warrant for Violation of No Contact/Protection Order. Savala was held in the Union County Jail until seen by the magistrate.  Friday evening, Creston Police arrested 21-year-old Calvin Cerda, of Lenox, for Driving while Revoked. Cerda was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on a $2,000 cash or surety bond.

At around 1:45-a.m. Saturday, Creston Police arrested 46-year-old Brandie Sue Whitney, of Creston, on a Union County Warrant for Possession of a Firearm or Offensive Weapon by Felon. Whitney was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on $5,000 cash or surety bond.

Early Sunday morning, 38-year-old Jose Raul Flores, of Creston, was arrested for OWI/1st Offense. Flores was later released on a $1,000 cash or surety bond. And, at around 3-a.m. Sunday, 50-year-old Charles Herbert Abell, of Macksburg, was arrested in Creston for Driving while Suspended. Abell was cited and released from the scene on Promise to Appear.

Montgomery county law enforcement reports a Red Oak woman was arrested Sunday on a drug offense.  During a traffic stop just before midnight Sunday, June 16 in the 1900 block of Broadway Street in Red Oak, 31-year old Aundrea Theresa Clay of Red Oak was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance, 3rd offense.  Clay was taken to the Montgomery County jail and held on $5,000 bond.  Red Oak police and the Montgomery County K-9 assisted.

Western Iowa is starting to see more widespread cases of trees becoming infested with the emerald ash borer. The first case was discovered in Woodbury County last year and that’s where Lindsay Meylor (MY-ler) works as a horticulture educator with the I-S-U Extension and Outreach. Meylor says her office is now fielding frequent calls from people, wondering what they can do to save their trees.

Meylor says insecticide is best applied before any signs of damage, and treatment — which can cost hundreds of dollars per application — will have to continue throughout the life of the tree. The insect can kill a tree within two years of infestation.

The D-N-R says when the invasive pest first appeared in eastern Iowa in 2010, there were an estimated 54-million woodland ash trees and another three-million planted in urban areas. It’s unclear how many survived. The emerald ash borer has been detected in all but one of Iowa’s 99 counties. Emmett in northwest Iowa is the only county without a confirmed case.

(Sheila Brummer, Iowa Public Radio)

Iowa Democratic Party leaders say hard work and message discipline will yield results for the party in November’s election. Iowa Democratic Party chair Rita Hart kicked off the party’s 2024 state convention this weekend by acknowledging there’s a long, hard haul ahead.

All six members of Iowa’s current congressional delegation are Republicans and Republicans have large majorities in the Iowa House and Senate. House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst (KON-first) is one of the 36 Democrats in the Iowa House.

Konfrst says Iowans are concerned about public education and abortion — and Democratic candidates need to focus on those two key issues.

Senate Minority Leader Pam Jochum (YOH-kum) is one of 16 Democrats in the Iowa Senate. She says Democrats are the defenders of public education in Iowa.

Vice President Kamala Harris recorded a video message that was played for the three-hundred-25 (325) delegates who attended the convention.

Democrats who are running for seats in the U-S House addressed convention delegates, too. Second district nominee Sarah Corkery of Cedar Falls is running against Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson of Marion.

Lanon Baccam (luh-NON buh-CAHM), the Democrat who’s running against Republican Congressman Zach Nunn in the third district, also emphasized the abortion issue.

The General Election in November 5th — 140 days away. Iowa Democrats also announced on Saturday that Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear (beh-SHEER) will be the keynote speaker at a party fundraiser on July 27th. Beshear, a Democrat who just won a second term as governor in 2023, is from a state that, like Iowa, has big G-O-P majorities in the Kentucky legislature and both of the state’s U-S Senators are Republicans.

The University of Iowa is moving ahead on a project to expand and renovate the Tippie College of Business after getting approval from the Board of Regents. U-I vice president, Rod Lehnertz (Lenn-ertz), says the budget is projected between 45 and 60 million dollars.

Part of the project involves renovation of Gilmore Hall.

The Pappajohn Business Building will also be renovated in this project. Lehnertz says they are seeking private gifts to fund a majority of the project. Another project would spend 14 to 17 million dollars to renovate the restrooms in Burge Hall.

Lehnertz says it is a major residence hall and dinning facility, so the work will be done during the summer to avoid disruptions. The Board of Regents also approved renovationg of Level 7 of the John Pappajohn Pavilion for expanded labor, delivery and postpartum patient care at the University Hospitals.

The estimated project cost is 74 million dollars.

(Schleswig, Iowa) – A man from Crawford County was injured during a single-vehicle rollover accident this (Sunday) morning. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2008 Ford F-3250 pickup driven by 24-year-old Victor Rafael Eugenio, of Schleswig, was traveling north on Highway 59 about one-eight of a mile south of F Avenue, south of Schlewig, and according to witnesses, was being driven recklessly  with another vehicle.

The pickup went off the east side of the road, re-entered the road and then went out of control before leaving the road again, and rolling over. The crash happened at around 2:3-a.m.  Eugenio – who was not wearing a seat belt – was ejected from the vehicle. He was transported by Crawford County Ambulance to the Crawford County Memorial Hospital.

The patrol was assisted at the scene by the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office.

KNOXVILLE, Iowa [KCCI] — An Iowa man was taken to a hospital Friday afternoon following a skydiving accident. According to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, a group of skydivers jumped from just under 15,000 feet Friday afternoon shortly before 2:30 p.m. At about 4,000 feet, members of the group noticed one man experiencing an issue with his parachute. The man spiraled out of control and hit the ground near the Knoxville airport.

Officials on Saturday identified the man as 61-year-old Samuel Owens, of Urbandale. He was airlifted to a Des Moines hospital with serious injuries.

CARLISLE, Iowa — Authorities have identified a Carlisle teenager who was killed June 9th in a crash that injured two others. According to Iowa State Patrol, a Toyota Camry Solara was traveling northbound on 200th Avenue in Warren County on Sunday evening. The vehicle entered the ditch near the intersection of 200th and Delaware avenues, rolled and ejected two of the three occupants.

A passenger in the car, 15-year-old Hanna Shaffer, was airlifted to a Des Moines hospital, where she died from her injuries. The 16-year-old driver and another 15-year-old passenger were taken to a hospital; their conditions is not available. All Carlisle school district activities for Monday evening have been postponed. Services for Hanna Shaffer are set for Tuesday.

According to the latest data from the Iowa Department of Transportation, 119 people have died so far this year on Iowa roads. That number is 24 fewer than at the same point in 2023. Over the last five years, an average of 350 people have been killed in statewide crashes annually.