Jim Field visits with Kelly Foss, Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation Director, about the FarmChat program.
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Jim Field visits with Kelly Foss, Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation Director, about the FarmChat program.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (31.9MB)
Subscribe: RSS
(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.
Ryan Blaney led 201 laps to win the Iowa Corn 350. It was the first NASCAR Cup Series race at the Iowa Speedway and Blaney took the checkered flag in front of more than 80 family members. His mother is a native of Chariton and his father, Dave, won the Knoxville Nationals in 1997. It was Blaney’s third win at the Iowa Speedway.
Blaney’s entire family celebrated with him in victory lane.
Blaney felt the track offered an entertaining style of racing.
Back-to-back sellout crowds helped make the event a success. William Byron finished second to Blaney.
Many of the drivers were concerned about a recent repaving in both sets of turns and if it would make passing too difficult. Chase Elliott finished third.
Elliott hopes the Cup Seres returns to Iowa.
Christopher Bell finished fourth and would like to see the entire track repaved.
After starting in the back row Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished fifth and says the Iowa Speedway was a great host for the Cup Series.
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.
Iowa Speedway officials estimate more than 120-thousand fans enjoyed three days of NASCAR action. Saturday’s Xfinity series race and Sunday night’s Iowa Corn 350 both featured sold out crowds of around 45-thousand fans. It was the first time the NASCAR Cup Series raced at the Iowa Speedway.
That’s Iowa Speedway President Eric Peterson who says race fans responded after the 18-year-old speedway finally landed a Cup Series race.
Peterson on the possibility of the Iowa Speedway getting an annual Cup Series race.
Peterson and his team will spend the next few days evaluating all of the logistics that went in to hosting the event.
The INDYCAR races at the Iowa Speedway are July 13th and 14th.
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.
Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Windy, with a south wind 10 to 15 mph, gusting up to 30 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. Windy, with a south wind 15 to 35 mph.
Tuesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1:00 pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 90. Windy, with a south wind 20 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.
Wednesday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 79. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east in the afternoon.
Thursday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 86.
Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 89.
Sunday’s high in Atlantic was 91. The Monday morning low was 70. This day last year the high was 87 and the low 60. The record high for June 17 in Atlantic is 102 set in 1918 and matched in 2021. The record low is 40 degrees set in 1974. Sunset this evening will be at 8:56 pm and Tuesday’s sunrise will be at 5″45 am.
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