(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Four-H Foundation is holding its annual Iowa Giving Day over 24 hours from noon today (Tuesday) through noon tomorrow. While there are some 23-thousand young Iowans in the organization now, the day is an appeal to all past members and others, according to Emily Faveraid, executive director of the Ames-based foundation. “National 4H Week is a great opportunity to highlight the 4H program and all the things that it does for young people throughout the year,” Faveraid says. “Our special Iowa 4H Giving Day is an opportunity for alumni and friends to give back a little bit to support the program that has made a difference for them.”

The program has grown well beyond its original farm-centered roots and now gives young people the opportunity to explore anything and everything that interests them. “A lot of times we think of 4H as kind of an ag-focused organization, and certainly the livestock component and those county fairs are a really important part of our program, but young people are doing so many things through 4H,” Faveraid says. “They’re doing robotics, they’re looking at entrepreneurship, they’re focusing on careers.”

When you visit the website, Iowa 4-H Giving Day-dot-org, you can make a donation directly to any of 50 individual 4-H clubs in Iowa. “We’re also fundraising generally for programs across the state and focusing on the 4H priority areas of STEM, healthy living, leadership and civic engagement, ag and natural resources,” Faveraid says. “Dollars donated to those programs will go back to support curriculum development and trips and special programs that can support and impact young people across the state.”

Anyone can donate, not just former members, and the minimum donation is $5. She says any gift, large or small, is part of a collective effort to strengthen the 4-H program and better serve Iowa’s youth.

On the web at iowa4hgivingday.org

(Radio Iowa) – The Creighton survey of Midwest purchasing managers for September shows the overall measure dropped again. Economist Ernie Goss says they measure the status of the states on a zero to 100 scale, with 50 representing growth neutral. “It was fitting 52-point-seven and that’s still above growth neutral, but down from August 55-point-five, which is obviously stronger. This is the fifth decline in the last six months — so the manufacturing economy in the region is slowing down.

He says it is the lowest lowest number since June of 2020. Iowa’s individual state index was to 50-point-nine in September — down from 55-point-seven in August. Goss says the same issues continue to be a drag on the economy. “Supply chain disruptions, far and above the greatest challenge 43 percent said supply chain disruptions. We had 43 percent said labor shortages,” he says. The other concerns were higher input costs, global recession, and the lowest and reading was higher interest rates. The regional employment is still down seven tenths of one percent. )”When you look at growth though, over the last year, the region grew at about two-point-three percent. Now that compares to the U-S number which is better. The growth year over year for the U-S economy was about four percent,” Goss says.

Goss says we’re seeing less and less inflationary pressures and he expect that to impact interest rates. ” I expect short term rates to rise by another half percent by year’s end. And so that’s that’s a little below expectations. I think the Feds gonna pull back somewhat in the November meeting,” according to Goss. “Again, I expect a half percent increase because of inflationary pressures, which are weakening or diminishing.”  Goss says we’re still seeing a recession. “Let’s call it stagflation, very low growth and inflationary pressures way above the Feds target of two percent. So I’ll call it stagflation. And that’s, of course, not good,” Goss says. “Manufacturing is stronger than the rest of the economy. Housing is where there’s a real problem right now that’s residential housing, multifamily doing okay. industrial, okay. So that’s where we’re seeing some real problems.”

Goss says gasoline prices are probably going to be move a bit higher, as the federal government gets out of the oil selling business from the emergency reserve.

(Brooklyn, Iowa) – A collision between a semi tractor-trailer and a farm tractor, Monday evening in Poweshiek County, left the driver of the semi dead and the tractor driver injured. The accident happened at around 6-p.m. on County Highway V-18.

According to the Iowa State Patrol, a 2007 Kenworth semi driven by 68-year-old Garland Alan Roth, of Grinnell, struck the rear of a grain wagon being pulled by John Deere 8520 tractor. The tractor was being driven by 72-year-old Charles E. Griffith, of Brooklyn. Both vehicles were traveling northbound. Following the collision, the the semi came to rest on its side in the west ditch. The farm tractor remained on the highway.

Roth died at the scene. He was not wearing a seat belt. Charles Griffith was transported by private vehicle to the hospital in Grinnell. The accident was under investigation.

(Radio Iowa) – The two candidates running to be Iowa’s secretary of agriculture for the next four  years disagree on how to advance voluntary efforts to improve water quality in the state. Republican Mike Naig has been ag secretary since the spring of 2018 and he’s seeking a second full term in the office.  “I can confidently say there’s never been more awareness, more work, more partnerships and more resources being focused and more actual conservation work getting done than at any time in our history,” Naig says. “I’m proud of that.”

Naig says over the past 10 years, the state’s voluntary Nutrient Reduction Strategy has been showing farmers the value of new conservation practices. “Historically, we’ve wanted to move water off of the landscape as fast as we can,” Naig says, “and, in fact, that’s the sole purpose of a drainage district is to remove water from the landscape , to make that land more productive.” Naig says research is showing farmers the value of cover crops and buffer zones along waterways.

John Norwood, the Democratic challenger, is a Polk County Soil and Water Commissioner.  “The current Nutrient Reduction Strategy isn’t working…Doing things one at a time can’t scale to the 23 million acres,” Norwood says, “The framework ought to be not going things one at a time, but doing them systematically.” Norwood says well over half of Iowa farmland is owned by people who aren’t actively farming it and federal incentives should encourage landowners to adopt more conservation practices.

“Manage water for filtration, manage for acquifer recharge, manage water for flooding,” Norwood says. “We have to scale up soil health. That’s another aspect that we, frankly, don’t have a strategy for.”

The candidates made their comments recently on Iowa Press on Iowa P-B-S. The state’s voluntary Nutrient Reduction Strategy was announced nearly a decade ago, to reduce harmful runoff into Iowa lakes and rivers. An Iowa State University dashboard to gauge progress toward the strategy’s goals was posted online a year ago, but has not been updated this year.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports a man from Mount Vernon, Washington. 22-year-old Brian James Bell, was sentenced Friday, September 30, 2022, to 66 months (5 1/2 years) in prison, following his plea in Council Bluffs U-S District Court, to a charge of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.

In June 2021, Bell was involved in a traffic accident on Interstate 29. Law enforcement arrived on the scene and observed Bell carrying a backpack away from the accident site. A During a probable cause search of the vehicle and backpack, law enforcement located 97 grams of methamphetamine and two loaded firearms.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Pottawattamie Sheriff’s Department and Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force investigated the case.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – A man from Pottawattamie County was sentenced last Friday in Council Bluffs District Court, on drug charges. 58-year-old Scott Paul Polinski, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

In October 2021, Polinski was on parole with the State of Iowa Fourth Judicial District Probation and Parole Department for prior distribution of methamphetamine convictions. Officers received information that Polinski was selling methamphetamine out of his home. Officers went to Polinksi’s address to complete a home visit and speak with Polinski. Officers located 264 grams of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia related to distributing illegal drugs.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Council Bluffs Police Department, Fourth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services Probation and Parole Department, and Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force investigated the case. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Iowa.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Small non-farm businesses in 14 Iowa counties and neighboring counties in Minnesota and Nebraska are now eligible to apply for low‑interest federal disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, announced Director Tanya N. Garfield of SBA’s Disaster Field Operations Center-West. These loans offset economic losses because of reduced revenues caused by drought in the following primary counties that began Aug. 2, 2022.

Primary Iowa counties: Harrison, Humboldt and Kossuth;

Neighboring counties: Crawford, Emmet, Hancock, Monona, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Pottawattamie, Shelby, Webster, Winnebago and Wright;

Neighboring Minnesota counties: Faribault and Martin;

Neighboring Nebraska counties: Burt and Washington.

“SBA eligibility covers both the economic impacts on businesses dependent on farmers and ranchers that have suffered agricultural production losses caused by the disaster and businesses directly impacted by the disaster,” Garfield said.

Small nonfarm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disaster not occurred.

“Eligibility for these loans is based on the financial impact of the disaster only and not on any actual property damage. These loans have an interest rate of 3.04 percent for businesses and 1.875 percent for private nonprofit organizations, a maximum term of 30 years and are available to small businesses and most private nonprofits without the financial ability to offset the adverse impact without hardship,” Garfield said.

By law, SBA makes Economic Injury Disaster Loans available when the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture designates an agricultural disaster. The Secretary declared this disaster on Sept. 26, 2022.

Businesses primarily engaged in farming or ranching are not eligible for SBA disaster assistance. Agricultural enterprises should contact the Farm Services Agency about the U.S. Department of Agriculture assistance made available by the Secretary’s declaration. However, nurseries are eligible for SBA disaster assistance in drought disasters.

Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information and download applications at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

The deadline to apply for economic injury is May 26, 2023.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports two men were arrested Saturday night in Stuart, following a incident at a motel.  Stuart Police arrested 21-year-old Jayson Omar Perez, of Monte Alto, TX, and 27-year-old Fernando Becerra, Jr., of Weslaco, TX, for Willful Injury causing serious injury, after they allegedly assaulted a woman by hitting her with beer bottles and once she was on the ground, continued to kick and hit her. Perez was also wanted on warrants from Hidalgo County, TX, for three counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon. Both men were being held in the Adair County Jail on a $10,000 cash or surety bond, each, with Perez being held while awaiting an initial appearance on the Texas warrants.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports also:

• 32-year-old Stephanie Danielle Klos, of Creston, was arrested at around 1:53-a.m. Saturday in Adair County on a Union County warrant, and transferred directly to the custody of Union County Deputies.
• Late Friday morning, 38-year-old Kristin Nicole Ladd, of Greenfield, was arrested at Ridge View Park and Highway 25, for “Simulated Public Intoxication,” 1st offense. She was released later that same afternoon, on a $300 c/s bond. Ladd had previously been arrested on Sept. 28th, for OWI/1st offense. She was released the next day on a $1,000 c/s bond.
• A little after 1-a.m., Friday, 50-year-old Christopher Scott Partlow, of Menlo, was arrested by Police in Adair, for OWI/2nd offense, after his breath alcohol content (BrAC) registered .116%. Partlow was cited and later released.
• 64-year-old Debrea Jo Dukes, of Fontanelle, was arrested for OWI/1st offense last Wednesday night, in Greenfield, after she tested at .106% for intoxication. She was released with a citation.
• Three other individuals were cited and later released in Adair County:
  • 38-year-old Zackary John Richardson, of Greenfield, was arrested Sept. 25th for OWI/1st offense, following a traffic stop. He tested at .221% for intoxication.
  • 32-year-old Joshua Christopher Matthew Naujock, of Greenfield, was cited Sept. 26th for Trespassing
  • and, 39-year-old Nicole Irene Leusink, of Greenfield, was arrested Sept. 26th, for Disorderly Conduct, after allegedly hitting a person several times, with her fist. Leusink was released with a citation, later that same evening.

(Radio Iowa) – Republican Governor Kim Reynolds and Democratic challenger Deidre DeJear are both talking about a Reynolds campaign ad that briefly features a Missouri congresswoman. Reynolds recited part of the ad script to the crowd at her fundraiser this past weekend. “When you’re watching the news and you see what’s happening, you have to wonder: Has the rest of the country lost its mind?” Reynolds asked.

Twenty-four hours later, DeJear talked about the ad at an Iowa Democratic Party fundraiser. “When I first saw the ad, I’ll be honest — I was like: ‘Oh! She’s got a real cute look alike for me,’” DeJear said, drawing laughter from the crowd. “I lean in and realize it’s a congresswoman from another state, a congresswoman who on that specific issue in that ad, we have a difference of opinion.”

The woman in the ad is Cori Bush of St. Louis, a Black Lives Matter activist who has called for defunding the police. Reynolds did not mention DeJear’s name during her speech this weekend. “She won’t stand with law enforcement when it matters,” Reynolds said, after referring to DeJear as “my opponent.”

DeJear has said she opposes calls to defund the police. DeJear urged Democrats who have opposing views on the concept to unite behind all Democratic candidates. “We are not going to allow anybody to divide us, despite the differences of opinion,” DeJear said late Sunday afternoon at the Iowa Democratic Party’s fundraiser.

There are 36 days left in the 2022 campaign.

(Radio Iowa) – As dry conditions persist, particularly in northwest Iowa, many city water systems have asked customers to voluntarily conserve water. Todd Uhl, the public works director in Sheldon, says there’s no emergency yet, but things are going slowly in the wrong direction and mandatory water restrictions may be on the horizon. “As this drought continues, if we don’t get a good recharge this fall, winter, next spring — we will be on mandatory restrictions next spring for sure,” Uhl says. “I’m not saying we wouldn’t switch to them sometime this winter, but obviously restrictions going into this time of year don’t mean as much as they do in times when outside watering is more of a thing.”

There’s plenty of water in both of Sheldon’s deep wells, but Uhl says the quality of water in those deep wells have lower quality water. The community’s supply of high quality water comes from a series of shallow wells along the Floyd River and northwest of Sheldon and Uhl says the water levels in THOSE wells are dropping. “The static level, which is the level of the amount of water in the well when the pumps aren’t running, we’re seeing those levels decline. They’v been declining slowly this whole summer — not to the level where we’ve slammed on the panic button yet, but it’s going to be a concern if we don’t get recharge this winter or next spring, Sheldon will be on mandatory restrictions next summer,” Uhl says. “We will not be able to sustain another year of this.”

If the water situation doesn’t improve, Uhl describes what “mandatory restrictions” would look like. “No use of water for non-essential purposes, so basically you can use water for human consumption and that’s it,” Uhl says, “There’ll be no lawn watering. They’ll be no garden watering. There’ll be no flower garden watering. There’ll be no washing of cars. We’ll try not to limit the use of car washes and stuff that are doing it for a living, but we’re going to have to have people cut back.”

But the VOLUNTARY restrictions are what are in place in Sheldon today. The Lewis & Clark Regional Water System is due to connect in Sheldon by 2024 or, perhaps, at the end of 2023 and Uhl says that would also help the situation.