(Radio Iowa)  – The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected two major farm groups’ challenge of a California law requiring breeding pigs have more space in livestock confinements.

The American Farm Bureau and the Iowa-based National Pork Producers Council argued it will cost the swine industry up to $360 million to abide by the California requirement and reconfigure the pens for sows. The groups also contend the 2018 California ballot initiative opens the door to having other states pass regulations that affect farm operations outside their borders.

Trish Cook, a pig farmer from Winthrop who’s president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association, said some small and medium-sized producers will go out of business and consumers will pay higher prices for pork because of the Supreme Court’s decision. “To say it’s disappointing is a large understatement,” Cook said.

Cook suggests upholding Proposition 12 — the voter approved California animal welfare standards — may lead to an escalation of farming regulations. “The ruling sets a really bad precedent because it does enable states to regulate commerce outside their boundaries,” Cook said.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote that companies must normally comply with the laws in states where their products are sold. Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, in a tweet, said the court is letting extremists in California effectively ban bacon that comes from Iowa hogs. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley also tweeted after the ruling was issued, saying you can expect to pay more for bacon, since California’s the largest consumer market and pork producers nationwide will have to respond to these regulations.

In a written statement, Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig said the court’s decision will allow large states to start dictating how other industries and businesses in the rest of America operate.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says after providing state funded accounts to cover private school expenses, raising the pay of PUBLIC school teachers will be on her 2024 legislative agenda. Reynolds says she’ll also focus on improving reading scores among public school students in the early grades. “So that we’re making sure that every student has an opportunity to succeed and be successful, so stay tuned,” Reynolds says. “There’ll be more to come next year. I’m really excited to work on that over the interim.”

The average salary for a public school teacher in Iowa is about 10 percent below the national average. Reynolds says lawmakers are giving public schools authority to divert some already approved state funding to pay teachers more, but as she campaigned around the state for her plan to state help to parents who send their kids to private school, it was clear that pay for public school teachers is an issue.  “As I talked to rural administrators and worked with rural legislators, the two concerns were the…flexibility as well as being able to be competitive for teacher salaries,” Reynolds says. “They weren’t able to pay a lot of times as much as some of the more urban school districts were able to pay.”

At the end of the month, low income parents who enroll a child in a private school this fall will be able to apply for 76-hundred dollars in state money to cover tuition and other private school expenses. Some private schools have announced fall tuition increases, as high as 10 percent in some Catholic schools in the Diocese of Des Moines. Reynolds says that shouldn’t dilute the impact of the program.

“All schools are experiencing increased costs,” Reynolds says. “We’ve had our public schools talk about it, too, and that’s why every year we look at a State Supplemental Aid Payment because we recognize that there are increased costs…The other component of it is that private school teachers were paid considerably less than public school teachers and maybe this will make them be a little bit more competitive.”

Reynolds made her comments today (Thursday) during taping of Iowa Press, which airs Friday night at Iowa P-B-S. Earlier this year, Reynolds approved a three percent increase in general state aid for public schools.

(Groton, CT) – A Christening Ceremony for the nuclear submarine SSN Iowa has been announced. The ceremony will be held June 17, 2023, beginning at 9-a.m., at the Electric Boat Shipyard in Groton, Connecticut. This vessel will be the fourth U.S. NAVY ship named after the State of Iowa, however with the 3 prior being battleships, the first submarine to bear the state’s name. When commissioned, SSN 797 will also be the first attack class submarine built specifically to accommodate both male and female service members onboard.

The Iowa is a Virginia-class submarine, also known as the VA-class or 774-class, a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines in service with the U.S. Navy. The submarines are designed for a broad spectrum of open-ocean and littoral missions. They were conceived as a less expensive alternative to the Seawolf-class attack submarines, designed during the Cold War era, and are replacing older Los Angeles-class submarines, 29 of which have already been decommissioned.

USS Iowa SSN797 awaits christening in a Groton, CT dry dock (click to enlarge the image)

(Radio Iowa) – A farmer from California who works with war-torn countries to restore crops to the land is the 2023 World Food Prize Laureate. World Food Prize Foundation President, Terry Branstad made the announcement this (Thursday) morning at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D-C.  “I am so pleased to announce that the 2023 World Food Prize Laureate is Heidi Kuhn,” Branstad says. It was Branstad’s first laureate announcement since he took the World Food Prize Foundation position. He is a former Iowa governor and Ambassador to China. Branstad says Kuhn is the founder and C-E-O of the nonprofit “Roots of Peace”organization.

“Our 53rd laureate has built a model of work directly with farmers to restore farmland and food security after a devastating conflict. Through this work, she has shown more than a million people living in war torn regions, a way forward to restoring peace and prosperity through agriculture,” he says. Branstad says Kuhn developed a process that has proved to be successful around the world. “First, she partners with the mining organizations to clear landmines,” he says, “then she works with farmers to replant fields with modern agriculture practices, our laureate has worked in nine countries to confront the daunting challenge of rebuilding food systems and livelihoods after conflict.” He says her efforts started by partnering with wineries in her home state of California to raise funds to remove landmines in Croatia so they could replant vineyards and orchards.

Heidi Kuhn in Napa Valley, California. (WFP-photo)

“Then she took this model to Afghanistan. After clearing landmines. There, she helped farmers including more than five-thousand women produce high-quality crops,” Branstad says. “She built agriculture value chains and provided market support and development. Her organization is one of the few us nonprofits that still operate in Afghanistan.” Kuhn was not at the announcement as Branstad says she is working in Azerbaijan to remove landmines, which is her Mother’s Day tradition.

The World Food Prize was created by Cresco, Iowa native Norman Borlaug. Borlaug won the Nobel Prize for his efforts to end famine. Kuhn will receive the World Food Prize at a ceremony on October 26th at the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines.

UPDATE—- male has been apprehended. Authority Mills County Sheriff’s Office.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Officials with the Mills County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday (Today), that they are currently looking for a man allegedly connected to a a stolen vehicle. The last known location of Anthony Adams was on Kidd Road, south of Glenwood, but Adams claims residency in Council Bluffs. Anthony Adams is a convicted sex offender and out on Parole. If you see him or have any information on his whereabouts please call 911, do not approach.

Anthony Adams

Iowa • May 11, 2023— Four Iowa craft breweries were awarded five category medals at the 2023 World Beer Cup® competition, presented by the Brewers Association®.   The best beers in categories covering 103 different styles were awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals at a ceremony in Nashville, TN, on Wednesday, May 10, during the Craft Brewers Conference. Iowa breweries brought home four gold and one silver medal.

The 2023 World Beer Cup included 10,213 entries from 2,376 breweries representing 51 countries. The following Iowa craft breweries received industry-wide medal recognition during this year’s event:

• Backpocket Brewing, Coralville: Pumpkin Ale, Pumpkin Beer Category, Gold Medal
• Confluence Brewing Company, Des Moines: ChewBOCKa, German-Style Bock or Maibock Category, Gold Medal
• Confluence Brewing Company, Des Moines: Old Chungus, Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer Category, Gold Medal
• PIVO Brewery, Calmar: Decorah Nordic Gruit, Historical Beer, Gold Medal
• Lionbridge Brewing, Cedar Rapids: Old 17 Irish Stout, Classic Irish Style Dry Stout Category, Silver Medal

“The success of these four Iowa breweries on the world stage shows the quality of brewing happening all across the state,” said Iowa Brewers Guild Executive Director, Noreen Otto. “Our whole Iowa brewing community is celebrating.”

The Iowa Brewers Guild exists to unify craft brewing professionals, promote Iowa beer, and advocate for the industry’s growth.  More than 100 members are located in communities across Iowa. For additional information on the Iowa Brewers Guild, including a members list, visit IowaBeer.org.  For more information on the WBC competition, including a complete 2023 winners list, visit WorldBeerCup.org

(Radio Iowa) – A count performed earlier this year in 96 Iowa counties found 308 homeless people, a slight uptick compared to last year. The Iowa Balance of State Continuum of Care connects people to resources and funds statewide programs. The group’s director Courtney Guntly says homelessness in rural areas can be very different than in urban areas, as it can be harder to find people and direct them to resources because there’s less population density and fewer service providers.  “That makes it challenging when we really want to serve people where they are and where they may want to get rehoused, because they have those same family or friends or there’s other the community surrounding them,” Guntly says. “So if people have the community and want to stay in their rural community, that we want to make sure we respect that.”

Guntly says the group recently received five-million dollars in grants for three years to address homelessness in Iowa’s rural communities. The count excludes Polk, Pottawattamie and Woodbury counties. A separate survey was done in January in Polk County alone that found 644 homeless people, an upturn of six-percent from last year. Angie Arthur is the executive director of Homeward, a regional planning organization focusing on homelessness. Among those counted, Arthur says there was a significant increase in people who reported they were fleeing domestic violence.

“From a larger perspective, a lot of the funding that we see within our state focuses on correctional aspects,” Arthur says, “as opposed to prevention of domestic violence and supporting the victims and the choices that they make for how they want to flee or address domestic violence within their life.”  The Polk County survey showed a decrease in youth and veteran homelessness, which Arthur attributes to the success of special programs targeting those groups.

(Catherine Wheeler, Iowa Public Radio)

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – May 11, 2023 – Motorists should be prepared for changes to Interstate 80, I-29, and Northbound Frontage Road in Council Bluffs next week that may slow down their trip.

On Sunday night, May 14, weather permitting, the ramp from future northbound I-29 and Northbound Frontage Road to westbound I-480 is scheduled to open at around 11 p.m. This change will allow detoured interstate traffic traveling towards westbound I-480 to merge onto the interstate sooner, instead of driving to West Broadway. The ramp can be accessed from the left lane on Northbound Frontage Road. When northbound I-29 opens, the ramp will be accessible from the right lane, which is different from the previous interchange configuration.

Furthermore, the ramp from Madison Avenue to eastbound I-80 is anticipated to close early Monday, May 15, around midnight. This closure may last up to six months. The closure will allow construction crews to rebuild the ramp and connect it to the new eastbound bridge that is currently being built. Motorists should follow the marked detours during this time.

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Iowa DOT is working hard to keep the public informed of construction impacts and actively seeks opportunities to update the public. For more information or to sign up for alerts, visit the program website at www.CouncilBluffsInterstate.IowaDOT.gov. You can also contact the program office at 712-216-3339 or info@CouncilBluffsInterstate.com.

Help keep everyone on the road safer. Drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, you should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

The latest traveler information is available anytime through our 511 system. Visit 511ia.org; call 511 (within Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide); stay connected with 511 on Facebook or Twitter (find links at https://iowadot.gov/511/511-social-media-sites); or download the free app to your mobile device.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Transportation Commission has approved a draft for the updated five-year construction and improvement plan. The D-O-T’s Stuart Anderson says they had to deal with inflation and increases that made the dollars not stretch as far as they updated the plan. “So with those higher construction costs, and with revenue being relatively flat over the last year, that means the commission had to consider some actions to be able to balance that program. And one of those actions was looking at delaying some projects by no more than a year,” Anderson says. He says they ended up with 12 projects they propose moving back.

“No projects were removed, and some were delayed. And the commission still was able to add some additional work in the program, particularly out in year five of this program for additional road bridge rehabilitation and reconstruction work,” he says. Anderson says the commission felt it was important to keep up on the bridge work, as they’ve made good progress there. “In the last 17 years, we’ve gone from 256 bridges in poor condition back in 2006, to now we’re at 26, this year in 2023,” Anderson says. “So they’ve certainly seen the impact of those increased focus of investments on stewardship on our bridge conditions on the state highway system,” Anderson says one of the projects that’s being delayed is in northeast Iowa.

“A new interchange being proposed in the Cedar Falls area on Iowa 58 at Green Hill Road, that was in the program for beginning construction in 2027. That’s now being proposed to move to 2028,” he says. He says another interchange in last year’s program for U-S 151 in Linn County near Springville has been moved from 2027 to 2028 in this draft program.

The full draft plan is available on the D-O-T’s website and are taking public input as well. The Transportation Commission will vote on approving the plan at their June 13th meeting.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – On Friday, May 5th, the Atlantic FFA Chapter held a farm safety/petting zoo day at Washington Elementary. According to Atlantic FFA Reporter Lily Johnson, the event gave students at Washington Elementary the opportunity to experience being around large farm animals. They also got to learn about dangerous farm equipment and learn how to be safe when operating it and they heard about FFA and beef products, from the Cass County beef queen and princess.

Farm Safety Day was led by the Atlantic FFA Chapter officer team, the Atlantic High School Animal Sciences class, and some FFA members. Atlantic FFA Advisor Eric Miller said “I thought it was a fun day and everyone had a chance to learn something new.” The Animal Science class picked 13 areas of need that were involved in bringing animals and equipment to help teach kids about safety around equipment. Those stations gave the Atlantic Elementary students an opportunity to learn more about the animals  and equipment they might find on a farm.

The petting zoo included a cow, a draft horse, sheep, a goat, poultry, a pig, and rabbits. The equipment there included a tractor, a rotary rake to show how a PTO works, a gravity wagon, a lawn mower, and a side-by-side UTV. Maddy Anderson said “I thought the kids had a lot of fun and learned about different types of animals and types of large equipment used on farms, I also think the kids got a lot of hands on experiences.”

The Cass County Beef Queen and Princess, Claire Pellett and Callee Pellet, taught the kids about cattle and beef by-products, along with FFA knowledge, with the assistance of Callee Pellett. She said “I think that it went really well and i love seeing all these little kids get excited about all the animals and have so many questions about agriculture.”

(Article and photo submitted by Eric Miller)