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FSA’s former state director warns hundreds of millions in CRP payment will be delayed by gov’t shutdown

Ag/Outdoor, News

September 28th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – An Iowan who had a leadership role in the Farm Service Agency a decade ago says a federal government shutdown would delay Conservation Reserve Program payments, which are issued in October. President Obama appointed John Whitaker as Iowa State Executive Director of the Farm Service Agency in 2009 and Whitaker was in that role when the federal government shutdown for 16 days in October of 2013.

“CRP payments and other payments are due October 1. The more that we delay making those payments, the more likely it is the federal government will have to pay interest on those payments,” Whitaker says. “That adds to our cost, the cost of doing government.” If Conservative Reserve Program or C-R-P payments aren’t made by October 31st, the federal government is required to pay a penalty and add interest onto those checks. Whitaker says even a week-long federal government shutdown in October would create issues with C-R-P payments.

“It’s going to be more and more difficult to get them all certified and all through the system and the staff is stressed because they know the cost of not getting the payment made and they also know those producers are waiting on those payments,” Whitaker says. “They expect that payment to be paid in early October, not the end of October or in November or later than that.”

Whitaker made his comments during an online news conference organized by the Iowa Democratic Party. Two years ago, the federal government paid 382 million dollars on C-R-P contracts that keep the land out of corn and soybean production for up to 15 years. Farm Service Agency offices will be closed if congress does not pass a spending plan for the next federal fiscal year, which begins Sunday. Whitaker says that means farmers will not be able to submit required reports to the U-S-D-A about cover crops that are being planted this fall.

“You know, Iowa’s agricultural areas are heavily dependent on the USDA and USDA programs,” Whitaker says. Whitaker served on the Van Buren County Board of Supervisors for 10 years. Whitaker served seven years in the Iowa House before he was appointed to lead the Farm Service Agency operations in Iowa.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

Court of appeals denies new trial to former Independence teacher

News

September 27th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Court of Appeals has denied a new trial for a former Independence High School art teacher found guilty of sexual exploitation of a student. Kari Schwartz was convicted in 2021 after a former female student claimed inappropriate conduct back in 2009. A couple of key points in Schwartz’s appeal were there was insufficient evidence she wanted to engage in sexual conduct with the student. And the jury should not have been instructed that hugging constituted sexual conduct.

The appeals court ruling says the text messages and emails she sent to the student were not as numerous as in other cases — but were enough to support the jury’s finding. It also says teachers should not be prohibited from hugging students for reassurance, comfort, or congratulation — but hugs can be sexual exploitation when the context and circumstances surrounding the contact show the hugs were for the purpose of sexual gratification.

Kari Schwartz (IA Sex Offender Registry photo)

Schwartz moved from the Independence District in 2010 and was a teacher with Peet Junior High School in Cedar Falls when the investigation began.

Posted in News |

SUV struck broadside in Creston, Tuesday – No injuries

News

September 27th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Creston, Iowa) – A collision in Creston Tuesday afternoon caused $8,500 damage, but no one was injured, and no citations were issued. Creston Police report a 2014 Ford Explorer driven by 75-year-old Linda S. Castillo, of Creston, was traveling South on Elm Street at around 3:46-p.m. A 2022 Ford F-150 pickup driven by 18-year-old Scotty Robert James Giles, of Afton, was stopped at the intersection of Elm and Howard Street.

Authorities say Giles didn’t see the SUV and when he proceeded through the intersection, his vehicle struck the Explorer broadside.

Posted in News |

ROBERT “BOB” NELSON, 90 of ATLANTIC (Funeral Svc 9/30/23)

Obituaries

September 27th, 2023 by Lori Murphy

ROBERT “BOB” NELSON, 90 of Atlantic, died Tuesday, September 26, 2023 at the Allen Place in Atlantic. Funeral Service for ROBERT “BOB” NELSON will be held 10:30-a.m. Saturday, September 30, 2023, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Atlantic. Roland Funeral Service in Atlantic has the arrangements.

Visitation at the church, with the family present, will be held one hour prior to the service on Saturday, September 30 (beginning at 9:30-a.m.). All are invited to a luncheon following the service in the fellowship hall at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.

A Private Family Burial will be held in the Atlantic Cemetery with full military honors conducted by the Atlantic Color Guard.

Memorials may be made to the family for later designation.

Condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.

Posted in Obituaries |

Hawkeyes move on to Michigan State

Sports

September 27th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

Iowa players say they have moved on from Penn State and are focused on Saturday’s home game against Michigan State. The Hawkeyes are coming off a 31-0 loss to the Nittany Lions that coach Kirk Ferentz called a thorough beating.

That’s defensive end Joe Evans who says the Hawkeyes need to regroup in a hurry.

The Hawkeyes host the Spartans under the lights in their annual Blackout game. Center Logan Jones.

Iowa receiver Nico Ragaini says the Hawkeyes have flushed the Penn State game.

Posted in Sports |

Michigan State’s Harlon Barnett previews Iowa

Sports

September 27th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

Harlon Barnett says he is adjusting to his new role as head coach at Michigan State. The former assistant was elevated to interim coach after Mel Tucker was fired. The Spartans take a 2-2 record into Kinnick Stadium Saturday night to play Iowa.

The Spartans are coming off back-to-back lopsided losses at home and this will be their first road game of the season.

Barnett says handling the atmosphere in Kinnick Stadium will be a key.

Barnett says the Hawkeyes are much better than what they showed in the loss at Penn State.

Posted in Sports |

Iowa State offense prepares for Sooner defense

Sports

September 27th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht says the Cyclones are more confident as they get ready to visit 14th ranked Oklahoma. After struggling in losses to Iowa and Ohio the offense registered 34 points in a win over Oklahoma State.

The challenge is much tougher this week against a Sooner defense that is giving up less than nine points per game.

The Oklahoma defense is vastly improved this season and Becht says much of the reason is this is year number two with Brent Venables as head coach.

A key this week will be handling the noise in Memorial Stadium.

Iowa State is only averaging 83 yards of rushing per game but sophomore running back Eli Sanders feels the ground game is improving. He had 58 yards in the win over Oklahoma State.

Sanders says Becht continues to make progress each week.

Sanders on the challenge the Sooner defense provides.

Posted in Sports |

Oklahoma’s Brent Venables previews Iowa State

Sports

September 27th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables expects another close game when the 14th ranked Sooners host Iowa State Saturday. The last three meetings in Memorial Stadium have gone to the wire. The Cyclones won in 2017 and dropped heartbreakers in 2019 and 2021.

Venables says the Cyclones have set the standard for defense in the Big-12.

Venables calls the Cyclones an improving team.

Posted in Sports |

Purdue Claims Men’s Golfer of the Week Honor

Sports

September 27th, 2023 by Asa Lucas

Golfer of the Week

Herman Sekne, Purdue

Sr. – Oslo, Norway – IMG Academy (Fla.)

  • Won his fourth career tournament, setting a new school record with a 54-hole total of 197 (-16) to win by four shots and lead the Boilermakers to the team title at the Windon Memorial
  • Carded rounds of 64, 68, and 65 to finish nearly six strokes below the course average of 70.70 for the week, beating his previous school record by three shots and the tournament record by eight
  • Recorded 53 of 54 holes at or below par, including 15 birdies and his last 43 holes bogey free, to tie for the second-lowest score in Big Ten history
  • The Academic All-Big Ten honoree earns his eighth career Golfer of the Week honor and his first of the season
  • Last Purdue Golfer of the Week: Herman Sekne (April 19, 2023)

2023-24 Big Ten Men’s Golfers of the Week

Sept. 7: Hunter Thomson, Jr., MICH

Sept. 14: Max Herendeen, Fr., ILL/Mac McClear, Gr., IOWA

Sept. 20: Daniel Aas, Sr., WIS

Sept. 27: Herman Sekne, Sr., PUR

Posted in Sports |

In January, $4.54 billion will be in Iowa’s ‘Taxpayer Relief Fund’

News

September 27th, 2023 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The State of Iowa has nearly five-and-a-half BILLION in unspent tax dollars that the governor’s promising much of it will be the fuel for tax cuts. The final report on the state fiscal year that ended June 30th shows the state
collected one-point-eight BILLION more in taxes than was spent. Another 900 million is deposited in reserve funds, but the so-called Taxpayer Relief Fund has two-point-74 billion in it.

Governor Kim Reynolds, a Republican, says some see that surplus as government not spending enough. Reynolds says she views it as an over collection of taxes from Iowans. Reynolds has previously said she wants to get rid of the state income tax by the end of her current term as governor. In the written statement issued today (Wednesday), Reynolds says she looks forward to cutting taxes again next legislative session and returning this surplus back to the people of Iowa.

The budget surplus from the last state fiscal year will be deposited in that Taxpayer Relief Fund in January. The 900 million dollars will stay in the state’s economic emergency and cash reserve accounts. Senator Janet Petersen of Des Moines, the top ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, says the governor’s tax plans favor corporations and special interests. Petersen says while Governor Reynolds is promising more giveaways to come, middle-class Iowa families still aren’t getting ahead.

Posted in News |