A semi-retired Cedar Rapids businessman is the vice presidential nominee of the New Independent Party. It’s one of the so-called “third parties” with candidates on Iowa’s 2016 General Election ballot. Sixty-year-old Jay Stolba says the two-party system isn’t working. “What we need is to get more people with independent views and that are willing to compromise in Washington and, for that matter, at the state level,” Stolba says. The New Independent Party’s platform offers what Stolba describes as a “coherent plan” to dramatically transform the federal government.

“Either eliminate or redirect over a trillion dollars by eliminating programs within the government that have never produced,” Stolba says. “The problem with that is every congressional district has a stake in keeping these programs alive if it brings money to their state and we need to start getting some of those eliminated and direct the money toward where we need it. We also need a lot less directed towards the military. We’re supplying the military for the world and I really don’t think we need to be doing that.”

The gridlock and stalemate in Washington are created by the two-party system, according to Stolba.  “The problem is we’re down to two choices and quite honestly neither one’s very good,” Stolba says. “It’s very polarizing and there’s no compromise left in government anymore and I think if you introduce more people that are willing to compromise into the system, rather than creating a closed system where there’s this animosity and malice, we’d have a much better government for the people.” Stolba says the gerrymandering of congressional districts needs to end and the “Citizens United” Supreme Court decision needs to be overturned so campaign contribution limits can be enforced.

“What’s happening now is we’ve got a system that just absolutely does not work in Washington,” Stolba says. “The only thing that works is money.” Stolba was drafted to be the vice presidential running mate of his long-time friend Lynn Kahn, the New Independent Party’s presidential nominee.

“She’s been in government for 30-plus years,” he Stolba says. “She worked with the FAA as a psychologist. She worked on reinventing government with Al Gore.” Stolba says. Stolba says his current business interests are in real estate. In 2009 he sold Iowa Discount Shippers after owning and operating the company for 17 years.

(Radio Iowa)

Iowa ranks among the top 12 states for milk and cheese production, but the state’s dairy industry often misses out on the spotlight due to Iowa’s role as a national leader in corn, soybean, beef, and pork production. Sue Ann Claudon, executive director of the Iowa Dairy Association, says there are currently around 1,260 dairy farms in Iowa — with each farm having anywhere between 50 and 5,000 cows. She’d like to see those numbers grow.

“We have a lot of dairy farmers in other states who would love to come to Iowa because we are a dairy friendly state,” Claudon says. “We have the feed stuff available and we have the resources — we have the businesses who serve the dairy (producers) already here.” California and Wisconsin are the top two milk producing states. Claudon says Iowa needs to expand its processing capacity before the state can significantly boost its production.

“We are working with the state and looking at how we can expand that processing capacity and compete against the other states, especially Wisconsin and South Dakota,” Claudon said. “One of the challenges with that, though, is those two states give incentives to businesses to come into their state.” The dairy industry is struggling in Iowa and across the country as dairy prices have gone down about 35 percent in the last two years.

The USDA announced in late August it would help out farmers by buying 11 million pounds of cheese out of private inventories. The cheese will be donated to food banks and pantries.

(Radio Iowa)

A wildlife biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources expects another good year for quail hunters after a dramatic increase in the number of birds taken last year. The D-N-R’s Todd Bogenschutz says the estimated 28-thousand-400 quail taken were a 165 percent increase compared to 2014. This year’s roadside indicates the trend could continue.

He says there was a slight upward trend in numbers and he says the statewide count of quail is the highest it has been in 27 years. Bogenschutz says quail numbers had suffered from the weather just like pheasants.  “I think we do have a small suite of folks who just go out to find quail. Of course those numbers have declined with our lower numbers over the last 20 or 30 years — but I think we still have a small group of dedication quail hunters that when they go out the door that’s basically what they’ve focused on,” he says.

Bogenschutz says there are also hunters who will take what they see. He says in southern Iowa, which is the best quail range, hunters will take pheasants or quails, depending on what they run into. Bogenschutz says the recent mild winters have helped all upland game improve their numbers.

(Radio Iowa)

CLIVE, Iowa (AP) — An overnight shooting at an event center in Clive has killed one person and injured several others. Clive police say they were called to the 7 Flags Event Center shortly before 2 a.m. Monday on a report for gunshots fired. Officers say they found a male victim in the parking lot with a gunshot wound in his torso, followed by another shooting victim who was already dead.

Authorities say at least another two gunshot victims were driven to hospitals in private vehicles. Clive Chief Michael Venema says the people involved in the shooting knew each other. Venema says the shooting was the result of a personal dispute, and the public is not in danger.

Authorities say the center had been hosting an event, and security staff had removed several people.

Grant, Ia. – From 2-6 p.m. today (Mon., Sept. 5th), Jim Wymore and Grant Community Preservationists (GCP) will host a Labor Day country music festival in the Grant Park.   The festival honors the memory of Teddy and Donna Weston, both founding members and former presidents of GCP as well as regular country music players.

In addition to the music, GCP will open the concession stand and serve Sloppy Joes & hot dogs, chips, desserts, floats, coffee, soda and tea. Concession sales benefit Grant Community Preservationists and their work. Admission to the event is a $7 Gate Fee that benefits the Grant Park Opry.

Area musicians are encouraged to come play music on the park’s unique stage on the banks of the Nodaway River. Fans of live music are welcome to listen and dance. Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy an afternoon of great performances.

The Grant Community Preservationists was formed to help maintain Grant and its unique historic character. Designated in October 2003, the Grant Commercial Historic District is on the National Register of Historic Places.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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Police in Red Oak report the arrest Sunday night of 26-year old Dylan Thomas Griffith. The Red Oak man was taken into custody at around 11:15-p.m. for Public Intoxication. Griffith was being held at the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center on a $300 cash bond. Officials said also, 46-year old Shelby JoAnn Olivares, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 8-p.m. Sunday, for violation of a No Contact Order. Olivares was arrested Saturday evening as well, for Domestic Abuse/Simple Assault. She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail without bond.

And, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports 45-year old William Edward Barr, of Villisca, was arrested at around 9-p.m. Sunday, in Villisca. Barr was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault. He was being held without bond, in the Montgomery County Jail.

A collision between two motorcycles and a car Sunday afternoon in Taylor County, resulted in the motorcyclists being transported to hospitals in Des Moines and Mt. Ayr. The Iowa State Patrol says a 2013 Harley Davidson soft tail motorcycle driven by 38-year old Tammy Willett, of Afton, and a 2014 H-D FLHX motorcycle driven by 44-year old Michael Priest, of Shenandoah, were traveling west on Highway 2 at around 1:20-p.m., when a 2010 Buick Lucerne driven by 90-year old James Meek, Sr., of Afton, pulled away from a stop sign as he was headed north from Quail Avenue onto westbound Highway 2.

The cycles collided with the side of the car. Willett was transported by Mercy One helicopter to Methodist Hospital in Des Moines, while Priest was transported by ambulance to the Ringgold County Hospital in Mt. Ayr.

Deputies with the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, personnel from Bedford Fire and Rescue, and Taylor County Ambulance assisted the State Patrol at the accident scene.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:20 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The board that oversees Iowa’s three public universities says its plan for a new two-year budget system will bring more predictability to tuition expenses for students and their families, but the unpredictability of available state funding could complicate that effort. The Iowa Board of Regents, which provides support to the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa, recently announced a plan to fund the budget years that end in 2018 and 2019.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A group in Council Bluffs hopes to convert a vacant warehouse into a center for arts and entertainment. Supporters are raising money for the project with the hope of completing it by the end of 2018.

MILAN, Iowa (AP) — Drive south of Milan on Ridgewood Road and you’ll see lots of new homes with nicely mowed lawns and tidy flower beds. You also might spot a small, older house set back from the road, nearly hidden by giant ragweeds. Welcome to Beacon Woods Farm, home of Gary and Chris Nordick, where they harvest vegetables, fruit and flowers. They also keep 15 bee hives for honey, chop firewood and raise chickens for meat as well as eggs. Yes, they butcher! It doesn’t get much more hands-on than that.

DUNKERTON, Iowa (AP) — Iowa woman who stole stamps and cash from U.S. Post Office where she worked has been sentenced to five years of probation. Prosecutors say the woman stole more than $2,700 of cash and stamps last year. The woman told investigators she took the money to help pay her bills.