October 21, 2022 (DES MOINES, IA) – Today, the Iowa Economic Development Authority Board approved two awards for companies in Charles City and Council Bluffs, which will assist in the creation of 71 jobs and result in more than $605 million in new capital investment for the state. In Council Bluffs Google, LLC is expanding its presence in Iowa through a proposed project that would involve the construction and operations of a data center that powers many internet-related products.

At the request of the City of Council Bluffs, the board authorized a local property tax exemption through the HQJ program. This enables the city to provide the 20-year sliding scale tax abatement approved by its City Council on October 10, 2022. No new state incentives are planned, but the project will result in $600 million in new capital investment and create 31 jobs at a qualifying wage of $28.73 per hour. Google LLC is a multinational technology company that focuses on search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, artificial intelligence and consumer electronics.

And, Cambrex, a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) headquartered in East Rutherford, New Jersey, plans to expand their facility in Charles City. Cambrex will add 9,000 square feet to the existing footprint, including a new quality control laboratory and administrative space. The project represents a $6.5 million capital investment and is expected to create 40 jobs, of which 39 are incented at a qualifying wage of $20.58 per hour. The board awarded the company tax benefits and $300,000 in direct financial assistance through the High Quality Jobs (HQJ) program. The Charles City site manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and pharmaceutical intermediates for both the generic and branded human pharmaceutical markets. The company currently supplies APIs for the treatment of ADHD, smoking cessation, oncology, Crohn’s disease and others.

(Radio Iowa) – The police chief in Cherokee says there’s a lot of work to do before local school employees would be allowed to carry concealed weapons on school grounds — and Police Chief Nate James suggests there’s no guarantee any employee will get the go-ahead. “We’re not looking at this lightly, by all means,” he says. “It’s something that we need to figure out if this is the right thing to implement into our schools, by letting staff carry.” The Cherokee School Board endorsed the concept this week and school officials said they’d been consulting with the police chief. “I have children in the school,” James said. “There are a lot of factors that I would personally like to know before we move forward.”

The police chief says policy and procedures will be paramount. “It would require a lot of training — a lot of training,” he says. “This is going to be a long, long process…a collaboration of a lot of different departments. I know the school has reached out to an organization already, but there is a lot more that will go into it than that.”

James was a policeman in Cherokee for eight years before being named Chief of Police in April of 2015.

(Radio Iowa) – Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson — a critic of President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan — supports the new debt relief program for farmers.  “I see those programs as fundamentally different,” Hinson says. The U-S-D-A is providing one-point-three BILLION in debt relief to 36-thousand farmers who face foreclosure or have fallen far behind in loan payments. “That plan is different from the student loan debt plan,” Hinson says. “The student loan debt plan is just a transfer of those dollars. It’s handout to people who may be making more than someone or someone who chose not to go to college has to pay off someone else’s debt that they legally incurred and signed on the dotted line.” Hinson says it’s important to take into the financial pressures on farmers.

“Their input costs are up about 300% — some of them have told me that,” Hinson says, “and that is a huge increase in not only their input costs, but their break even costs.” Hinson made her comments this (Friday) morning with a conference call with Iowa reporters before leaving for her first public event this week. Hinson was admitted to a hospital in Cedar Rapids Sunday for treatment of a kidney infection and released Tuesday. Hinson told reporters this (Friday) morning she feels much better.

“I’m on the road to recovery and I’m so grateful for all the incredible doctors and nurses at UnityPoint (the Cedar Rapids hospital where she was treated),” Hinson says. “…I’m doing great and I’m ready to get out and hit the road.” Hinson, seeking reelection to a second term in the U.S. House, faces Democrat Liz Mathis, of Hiawatha, in Iowa’s new second congressional district which includes Mason City and Dubuque as well as Cedar Rapids.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports two people were injured during a collision Thursday night. Authorities say 32-year-old Corey Lee Mitchell, of Boone, suffered severe injuries and was flown by MercyOne Air to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines, while the driver of the other vehicle – a man from Adair County – complained of possible/unknown injuries, but were otherwise okay and was not transported to the hospital. The Sheriff’s Office says the crash happened on Cherry Street, at around 8:07-p.m.

Authorities say a 1996 Honda Civic driven by Corey Mitchell, was traveling south on Cherry Street, and for reasons unknown, crossed the center line of the road into the northbound lane. His car struck a northbound 2018 Chevy pickup driven by 77-year-old Gerald S. Holaday, of Greenfield. Following the collision, both vehicles came to rest off the road. Holaday was able to get out of his pickup, but Mitchell was trapped.

The vehicles sustained a total of $23,000 damage.

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department say a man residing in the 200 block of Myrtle Street, in Creston, reported Wednesday afternoon, that someone had broken into his storage unit. Property stolen from inside the storage unit included a red Toro Power Clear 721 snow blower, and a red Honda Tiller. The loss was estimated at $1,200.

(Harlan, Iowa)  – The Board of Supervisors of Shelby County, Tuesday, passed an Ordinance regulating the flow of hazardous liquids through a pipeline. According to Auditor Mark Maxwell’s minutes of the Board’s regular weekly meeting, the motion passed unanimously, following a public hearing. During the hearing, Tim Whipple Shelby of Ahlers and Cooney acting on behalf of Shelby County, summarized a report and recommendations by the Shelby County Planning and Zoning Commission, on the proposed Ordinance (2022-4). Whipple explained that on the whole, the commission supported the proposed ordinance and found that it furthered the goals of the county’s residents, as expressed in the county’s comprehensive plan.

In particular, Whipple noted the report indicated that the commission was most concerned with three main issues: (1) the proximity to hazardous liquid pipelines; (2) their potential impact on economic development, property values and tax base. (3) their potential impact on present and future land uses such as the development of new housing and growth to cities. Whipple also noted that the Commission made two recommendations for revisions to the ordinance and recommended that the Supervisors adopt one of the Commissions proposed provisions. After summarizing the results and recommendations of the planning and Zoning process, Whipple made an introductory statement about hazardous liquid pipelines in general and about carbon dioxide pipelines in particular, including an explanation of the state and federal regulatory framework that the proposed ordinance must operate within. 

County Counsel then commented on the Planning and Zoning report submitted, with the possibility of amending first draft of the ordinance. It was noted that the ordinance reflects the will of Shelby County Residents. The main focus of the ordinance was put forth with mention of liquid carbon pipelines in Iowa being new to the State. Protection from pipeline accidents is tasked to local protection of for local citizens and economic development. A number of Shelby County citizens commented on the proposed amendment, prior to the Board’s action to approve it:

• Sherry Webb spoke as a concerned landowner noting that safety of all things nearby the proposed pipeline is a main concern. Webb also presented a petition containing over 100 signatures to the Supervisors asking for an ordinance to be passed and also included a letter of thanks to the Supervisors.
• Janice Gaul, Mayor of Earling Iowa presented a resolution passed by the Earling City Council supporting the proposed ordinance.
• Mary Powell thanked the Supervisors for their work and also expressed concerns about vibrations from the pipeline disrupting main water lines across the County.
• Jenny Barnett, Harlan Community Superintendent of Schools, mentioned revised and proposed federal safety rules are still in the works. Safety concerns for students were expressed.
• Alex Londo, Shelby County EMA Director, communicated first responder concerns and unknown training and response procedures for liquid carbon pipeline mishaps.
• Julie Kaufman then spoke, she thanked the Supervisors for standing up for concerned citizens. Kaufman also question the motives of the whole project.
• Todd Valline, Shelby County Chamber of Commerce,, communicated that the ordinance is vital to Shelby County to not hinder any future housing or economic development.
• The head of the Shelby County Board of Health, Lori Hoch, mentioned her Board has many concerns over the dangers involved with this type of pipeline. The Shelby County Board of Health also agrees with the issues addressed in the proposed ordinance.
• Jessie Mazour thanked the Supervisors and Shelby County for their efforts concerning this proposed pipeline.
• Gene Gettys, Harlan City Administrator stated that the Harlan City Council has recently passed a similar resolution of support for Shelby County.
• Jan Norris thanked the Supervisors for leading the rest of the State of Iowa, by looking hard at the issues facing the proposed pipeline.
• Mary Powell spoke a second time and asked for further considerations be made for public water supply pipelines.

In other business, the Shelby County Supervisors approved the appointment of Jodee D. Dixon as Assistant County Attorney until December 31, 2022. Bryce Schaben was on hand to report to the Supervisors the replacement for his position as Weed Commissioner and Roadside Management Head. Jay Ring was introduced as Schaben’s replacement.

(Radio Iowa) – The season of ghosts and ghouls is nearly here and many Iowans will be heading off to Halloween parties over the next two weekends. Juanita Cameron, a clerk at The Theatrical Shop in West Des Moines, says plenty of adults are mimicking their favorite movies for costumes this year. She says guys are channeling their inner Tom Cruise as a “Top Gun” pilot while gals are mirroring the “Hocus Pocus” witches.

Kids are snapping up costumes from Disney’s “Encanto” line, or they’re falling back on Winnie the Pooh. After two COVID years, Cameron says she’s seeing an uptick in theme parties this October, while more businesses are having company parties.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa hunters will be searching the countryside for pheasants starting next weekend. Nate Carr, a D-N-R conservation officer in Hamilton and Hardin counties, says all factors point to a good season ahead. “Coming off some of our August roadside surveys, this year we’re expecting a very similar outcome to last year,” Carr says. “Last year, we had a good number of hunters participating, about 63,000, killing an estimated 370,000 birds, which is the highest we’ve seen in probably the past 10 years.” Carr offers a few reminders for Iowa’s pheasant hunters, be they new to the sport or seasoned veterans.

“Of course, you need your hunting license and habitat fee,” Carr says. “Shooting hours start at 8 AM and end at 4:30 PM, a little bit earlier than some of your typical hunting seasons, so remember to shut that off at 4:30. The daily limit is going to be three pheasants.” A hunter’s attire is also important, not only to keep them warm but to keep them safe. “Hunters are required to wear at least one article of external clothing that has at least 50% of solid blaze orange,” Carr says. “Whether it’s a hat, vest, jacket, something along those lines, make sure at least 50% is solid blaze orange so that other hunters can see you.” Another rule for hunters is to make sure you get permission from property owners to go on private land. The season runs October 29th through January 10th.

Learn more at iowadnr.gov.

DES MOINES, Iowa — The drought conditions are continuing to worsen across Iowa. According to the latest report from the Iowa Drought Monitor released Thursday, for the period ending Oct. 18th, the entire state remains in a drought, but 84% is now moderately dry. That number was just 57% last week. About 7% of the state remains extremely dry.

(Radio Iowa) – Early voting for Iowa’s General Election began this week and a proposed amendment to the state’s constitution is on the back of the ballot. Richard Rogers of the Iowa Firearms Coalition says gun rights advocates began lobbying for it 12 years ago — after they realized Iowa is one of only six states without state level constitutional protection of the right to keep and bear arms. The amendment says any gun restrictions would have to be judged by a legal standard called strict scrutiny. Rogers says the U.S. Supreme Court set up an even tougher legal standard in a ruling this summer.

“Frankly, the strict scrutiny thing I believe has largely been muted, but we can’t go back 12 years and rewrite the amendment and this is an all or nothing deal, I think,” Rogers says. “We’ll have this one chance and we won’t see another opportunity to put this in the state constitution in our lifetime.” Critics say if this STATE constitutional amendment is adopted, it will be nearly impossible to pass new gun safety measures in Iowa. Linn County Sheriff Brian Gardner has joined Iowans for Responsible Gun Laws, a coalition of 30 different groups.

“We are not anti-gun, we are not anti-Second Amendment and we are not here to suggest taking your guns away,” Gardner said. “We are, however, here to inform you of a very poorly worded amendment that definitely will not make Iowans safer.” The only other states with similar constitutional amendments are Alabama, Missouri and Louisiana.