An Iowa farmer and a country music artist have teamed up to raise money for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines. Dick Barkema and Tom Wurth’s fundraiser involves a tractor ride across the state. They’re calling next month’s event “Playing for Change” as Barkema says they’ll accept donations along the way with Wurth performing each night of the week-long trip. “We’re giving all of our proceeds back to Blank Children’s Hospital,” Barkema says.

The pair came up with the tractor ride idea after touring the hospital last summer. The ride will start on Saturday, June 17 in Onawa, and end June 22 in Dubuque. The nightly stops for Wurth’s concerts will be in Ida Grove, Fort Dodge, Iowa Falls, Waterloo, and Manchester. Wurth will also perform in Dubuque.

The tractor route will follow the old Highway 20. Barkema says the cost to ride is $50, with donations of any amount accepted. Dozens of people have already committed to ride the entire week, but Barkema says they won’t turn anyone away.”If a farmer was out in the field and he decided he wanted to unhook his piece of equipment and come join us for a day, that’s fine,” Barkema said. “We think it’s awesome if people come out and join us and show their support towards Blank.”

Barkema farms near Klemme in north-central Iowa. Wurth is a native of Marcus, Iowa, but moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1994. The video for his latest single, “To Love Somebody,” features images from Blank Children’s Hospital.

(Radio Iowa)

The Cass County Environmental Control Agency, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and the Cass County Conservation Board have announced the purchase of new Recycling Trailers. In an effort to expand the recycling programs in Cass County, the Cass County Landfill and recycling center received grant funds from the Iowa DNR to purchase 2 recycle trailers to collect recyclable materials at Cass County parks. The purchase of these trailers was made possible through funding from Iowa EMS funds and the Cass County Landfill.

Cass County Landfill is a Tier II EMS participant and continues to expand environmental programs in the county. One trailer was placed at the Lake Anita State Park Campground and one trailer at Cold Springs Park Campground. Officials say they anticipate being able to expand this effort to other campgrounds in Cass County.

To kick off the new program in Cold Springs Park, Lora Kanning, Cass County Conservation Interpretive Naturalist will have a public program on Recycling in Cass County Parks on Saturday May 25th 7 PM at Cold Springs Park – Campground shelter. The public is invited to learn about recycling in Cass County and a new program about recycling in the Campground at Cold Springs Park. The program is free and all ages are welcome. You don’t have to be camping at the park to attend.

The Trustee in the bankruptcy case of G&R Feed and Grain, Co., Inc., in Portsmouth, has announced a training session will be held 7-p.m. Thursday, May 23rd, on how to bid at the online auction of the company’s physical assets. Trustee Deborah L. Petersen says the session will be at Club 191 in Portsmouth.  Petersen says persons interested in the online bidding process will be able to register for the sale the evening of the session. To register, simple bring identification with your name and address on it, provide an e-mail address, and have a valid Mastercard, Visa or Discover Card.

The online auction is available for bidding now, with items beginning to close in the live board on Tuesday, June 11th, at 10-a.m. You may register at any time, review the catalog of all items available for sale, and view a video explaining the bidding process, at www.delpeterson.com.

Questions about the online bidding process or auction should be referred to Del Peterson and Associates, at 1-800-492-9090. The training is provided by the Bankruptcy Trustee for all persons interested in bidding at the sale of all equipment and property of G&R Feed and Grain. You may also bring a laptop computer, of you wish.

In the wake of scandals with the I-R-S targeting conservative groups and the Justice Department checking reporters’ phone records, now the E-P-A admits it gave personal information on 80-thousand livestock producers to environmental activist groups. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is preparing legislation to restrict the E-P-A’s ability to release such data. Iowa Cattlemen’s president Ed Greiman, of Garner, says the measure is badly needed to protect producers’ privacy and rights.

“It’s crazy that we’ve got to deal with the EPA this way,” Greiman says. “It’s a good thing Senator Grassley has been working closely with the National Cattlemen who helped him draft this legislation.” Greiman says the personal privacy issue has drifted down to the state level where E-P-A has been overseeing the state Department of Natural Resources’ regulation of confined animal feedlots, or CAFO’s.

“We know the EPA would like for the Iowa DNR to identify all possible CAFOs,” he says. “The real question we have for the Iowa DNR is, okay, where does this information go? The government just cannot be releasing all of our personal information.” The E-P-A was responding to a Freedom of Information Act request by Earth Justice, the Pew Charitable Trust and the Natural Resources Defense Council. E-P-A officials admit they released more information than was required. One critic in the U-S Senate, Republican Mike Johanns, of Nebraska, says the EPA is “too cozy” with environmental activist groups.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa lawmakers have approved a $40 million compromise budget for the state departments of natural resources and agriculture. The Senate and House both approved the spending Thursday. The total budget for the next fiscal year is about $5 million more than the current year. It includes a $2.4 million increase for the state Department of Agriculture to study Iowa’s water quality and encourage farmers to implement water quality practices.

Other budget items include spending for the Iowa State University’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. The plan also creates a new Iowa Nutrient Research Center at Iowa State to study nutrient management practices in the state. The plan now moves to the governor’s office.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa lawmakers have approved a bill that provides farmers with additional liability protection for educational tours. The state House and Senate passed the legislation Thursday night. A February ruling from the Iowa Supreme Court said that educational tours for the public are not shielded from personal injury lawsuits under a law meant to promote recreation on private lands.

This legislation revises state law so that educational activities would be included under recreational use protections. Supporters say this will give farmers confidence to continue offering tours. It will next move to the governor’s office. The court ruled that owners of a dairy farm in northeast Iowa could be sued by a woman who was injured when she fell through a hole in a hayloft while chaperoning a field trip.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An effort to maintain a tax break for ethanol blended fuel has won state Senate approval. The Iowa Senate on Thursday backed a bill that would extend a tax break for fuel that includes ethanol and gasoline for another year. Currently, ethanol blends are taxed at 20 cents a gallon and pure petroleum is taxed at 22 cents a gallon. Those numbers include a 1 cent environmental fee.

Without this bill, both types of fuel would soon be taxed at 21 cents total. The legislation has been amended, so it now moves to the House for approval. Representative Joshua Byrnes, a Republican from Osage, filed an amendment Thursday that would gradually increase the state fuel tax by 10 cents. It’s not clear the effort has enough support to pass.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reports four men from Louisiana were found guilty of poaching Iowa deer from a case that started when someone made a call to the Turn in Poachers hotline. The four men pleaded guilty to various wildlife crimes in Kansas as well.

Michael Fralick, of Ponchatoula, La., was convicted on all 32 counts of deer hunting violations in four southwest Iowa counties. Fralick was assessed $6,123.90 in fines and court costs, forfeited two rifles and received a five year license suspension. He was ordered to pay $22,500 in civil damages.

James Moore, of Ponchatoula, La., pleaded guilty to discharge firearm from roadway, having a loaded gun in vehicle, failure to tag deer, illegal method of take in Adams County, Iowa, and was fined $604.50.  He also pleaded guilty to two counts unlawful transportation/possession of whitetail deer, no valid non-resident hunting license, no valid non-resident any-sex deer license, no habitat fee, illegal method of take in Montgomery County, Iowa, and was assessed $1,688.50 total fines and court costs. Moore received a five year license suspension and was ordered to pay $10,000 in civil damages. Moore was in possession of an illegal deer in Oklahoma when he was served with the Iowa citations by officials in Oklahoma.

Stanley Russel, of Roseland La., and William “Heath” Chambliss, of Kentwood, La., were both found guilty in Montgomery County, Iowa, of no valid non-resident hunting license, no valid non-resident any sex deer license, no valid non-resident antlerless deer license (required) and no habitat fee. Their fines and court costs totaled $1,433.40 each and they received a two year license suspension. 

The investigation into the men’s activities began in late November 2011 when the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Department received a TIP call from a concerned citizen about the activities of these men. The information led authorities to possible illegal activity in Iowa. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources received a TIP call about illegal deer activity around the same time that linked the two cases together.

The convictions were the result of a 10 month investigation by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Bureau, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Louisiana Department of Game & Fish, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

Officials say information received through the TIP hotline in both Iowa and Kansas was critical in this investigation.  If you have information on wildlife crimes call TIP of Iowa at 1-800-532-2020. You can remain anonymous.

Info from the Atlantic Animal Shelter.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (3.9MB)

Subscribe: RSS