Altoona, Iowa, Jan. 11, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that USDA is awarding $19 million in grants to U.S. business owners to increase the availability of domestic biofuels in 22 states and give Americans cleaner, more affordable fuel options at gas station pumps as part of President Biden’s Bidenomics agenda to lower costs and invest in America.

Blending ethanol into gasoline has helped reduce fuel costs by approximately 25 percent, contributing to falling gas prices across the country. Gas prices are now under $2.99 in more than half of U.S. states and saving the average driver more than $100 per month relative to peak prices. HBIIP increases the number of Americans that benefit from falling prices by expanding the use of ethanol-based fuels at gas stations around the nation.

The Department is making the awards through the Higher Blends Infrastructure Incentive Program (HBIIP), made possible with funding from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.

“President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act is giving people in rural areas the historic opportunity to expand clean energy and build an economy that benefits working families,” Vilsack said. “By increasing the supply of biofuels made here in the U.S., we are strengthening our energy independence, lowering costs for American families, creating new streams of income for agricultural producers and bringing good-paying jobs to people in rural communities.”

Secretary Vilsack made today’s announcement during his visit to the Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit in Altoona. Secretary Vilsack was awarded the Lifetime Champion of Renewable Fuels Award by the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association during the Summit.

Through this most recent tranche of awards, business owners are receiving $19 million to expand access to domestic biofuels in 22 states and strengthen America’s energy independence. For example:

·     Casey’s will use a $5 million grant to install ethanol blend fuel dispensers at 111 fueling stations in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota. Using these investments, the company aims to increase the amount of biofuels it supplies by 50 million gallons a year.

The full list of states to receive funding is: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says Iowa officials need to close a loophole that could let foreign interests town Iowa farmland.  “We absolutely cannot let foreign governments undermine the agricultural dominance our farmers have worked so hard to build,” Reynolds said. Reynolds is calling on the Iowa Secretary of State’s office to review land purchase documents, to see if foreign governments or individuals are involved in U-S based companies or trusts that have purchased farmland. “Fortunately, I’m proud to say that Iowa already has some of the strongest laws in the country on foreign ownership of land,” Reynolds said. “In fact, we’ve seen other states look to us for a model for their own policies, but as China’s our laws should, too.”

Under current law, foreigners may own now more than 320 acres of Iowa farmland. Reynolds has proposed a bill that calls on the Iowa Secretary of State to compile a public report to show the extent of foreign ownership of farmland in Iowa.  “With this bill, Iowa will continue to lead the nation and keep American soil in American hands,” Reynolds said.

Reynolds made her comments this (Thursday) morning at the Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit. G-O-P presidential candidates Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley are speaking to the group, too.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic School District Facilities Director Russell Peck, Wednesday, provided an annual report to the School Board on Operations and Maintenance of those facilities.

The rooms to be carpeted were also painted prior to the installation of carpet, and a preschool room which needed painting. He also spoke about HVAC projects.

He said they had some Capital Project Plans, which included a maintenance truck.

He said they also got another snowblower, sweeper and blower in a good deal.

Peck said they’re going to have to address removing the District’s 15 or so Ash Trees, which are susceptible to the Emerald Ash Borer, and a potential liability. A majority of the trees are around the Middle School. They’ll save money, he said, if they purchase a dump trailer (new or used) to load the trees. The only alternative would be to hire someone for the project.

DES MOINES, IA – The Iowa Business Council (IBC) has released its final quarterly Economic Outlook Survey (EOS) for 2023. The report measures IBC member expectations for sales, capital spending and employment for the next six months. If the index measures above 50, sentiment is positive. The fourth-quarter survey’s overall economic outlook index is 59.65, a decrease of 0.27 index points from the 2023 third-quarter report.

The fourth-quarter survey reveals minimal changes in the overall outlook index although several categories experienced larger shifts. IBC members retain a positive sentiment regarding Iowa’s overall economy. Q4 sales expectations among IBC members decreased 4.01 to a value of 57.89. Capital spending expectations increased by 6.40 to 67.11, while employment expectations decreased by 3.19 to a value of 53.95.

Concerns relating to workforce attraction and retention remain the number one concern with 74% of surveyed IBC executives listing it as a primary business challenge. Tied for second at 53% were an unfavorable business climate (national supply chain, infrastructure, and regulations) and the cost of products and service inputs. From a workforce perspective, 85% of IBC executives surveyed report that it is somewhat to very difficult to currently hire employees, down from 90% from the third-quarter survey. “Iowa’s economy is in a strong position as we enter 2024,” stated Phil Jasper, President of Raytheon, and Chair of the Iowa Business Council. “Our members remain optimistic about the future growth prospects here in Iowa that will lead to high-quality jobs and innovations throughout our state.”

“With the start of the legislative session, we look forward to working with members of the Iowa General Assembly and Governor Reynolds as we all work towards creating a more prosperous state for everyone,” said Iowa Business Council President Joe Murphy.

The Economic Outlook Survey has been completed by IBC members on a quarterly basis since 2004. The report provides insight regarding the projected trends for the state of Iowa, which can be used for business and economic planning. The reported trends have a state-wide impact, especially when considering that IBC companies have a presence in all 99 counties. To review previous Economic Outlook Surveys, please visit www.iowabusinesscouncil.org/news/eos.

(Radio Iowa) – This week will end much as it started, with a whopper snowstorm. Forecasters say a Winter Storm Warning is posted for 98 of Iowa’s 99 counties from tonight (Thursday) through tomorrow night, with near-blizzard conditions likely. National Weather Service meteorologist Kristi Carter says it’ll be another doozy. “Our snow amounts for much of central Iowa are going to range from around five to 10 inches,” Carter says, “and that is also going to be combined with on Friday afternoon into early Saturday, winds that are going to be gusting over 40 miles an hour.” While the snowstorm that ran Monday into Tuesday dropped up to 15 inches of heavy, wet snow on the state, she says this approaching storm will produce a lighter type of snowflake.

“That snow is going to be very fluffy and blowable,” Carter says, “and those gusty winds, we also already have snow on the ground from the storms we’ve had already this week, that’s going to lead to a significant blowing snow threat especially later Friday into Saturday.” That could mean white-out conditions and a very unsafe recipe for motorists, particularly if there’s icing on the roads. She notes this next storm will be much colder than the one earlier in the week. “Temperatures will be falling into single digits by early Saturday,” Carter says. “Our wind chills are going to be falling well below zero tomorrow night into Saturday, and then will continue to fall Saturday night into Sunday with wind chills of negative-20 to around negative-40.” The forecast calls for the -high- temperatures on Sunday to only be in the negative single digits, with lows approaching 20-below. Our furnaces will be working overtime as it doesn’t appear that there will be much of a change for days.

“We are looking at a small warm-up towards the middle of the week, around the Wednesday timeframe, where we’re looking at temperatures that start to reach the teens again,” Carter says, “so that’s at least better than the single digits but certainly looking pretty cold through the week.” Keep up with the changing forecast at weather-dot-gov and stay informed about road conditions by visiting 5-1-1-i-a-dot-org.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Community School District Technology Director Roger Warne, Wednesday, provided the School Board with his annual review of technology improvements in the district, and a cost estimate of the anticipated new tech and improvements this year. Warne said last Summer, they installed 16 new cameras and systems at Washington Elementary.

He said the original camera system, which is still in use, is a great system, but there are things Warne doesn’t like about it due to the costs associated with the system. Other cameras and systems were added to the Middle School office over the Christmas break, as well as at the EOC office. At the High School, access point (AP) nodes were replaced because they were coming to the end of their useful life. The improvements were made possible in-part because they were “E-Rate” eligible.

Warne said there are 26 AP’s at Washington and Schuler that will need to be replaced this Summer. The current AP technology is no longer supported by the company who supplied the devices. The District’s share of cost for the Access Point devices will run about $5,000-to 10-thousand dollars. Roger Warne said last summer they went around and replaced the point of entry control boxes and software, because they were out of date.

Roger Warne

He said one of the big things as far as the District’s Capital Improvement Projects Plan (CIP) is to rollover all the rest of the certified staff laptop computers.

He said he also needs to start replacing Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) [battery back-up power] for computers – which is also E-Rate eligible. The current UPS batteries are losing their power memory

He says his goal is to be able to keep everything running, especially when the power flickers, which causes some computers to “blurp” their displays. The district could look into generators, but those are very costly. He also plans to replace some of the computers switcher units, which are more than 10-years old.

Another thing Roger Warne says he’s working on, is “Event response.”

He said they will use a company to train their staff on how to respond to potential e-mail viruses and cyber threats. Warne said it’s also a good time to consider replacing student Chrome Book laptops, because the costs are only going to go up.

Board President Kristy Pellet said the district should probably plan for $500,000 in technology expenditures in the future. Warne’s current expenditures amount to approximately $300,000.

(Creston, Iowa) – Police in Creston say a vehicle that was parked in an alley in the 200 block of W. Mills Street, was struck by an unknown vehicle at around 7-a.m.,Tuesday. The vehicle left the scene. The vehicle that was hit, a 2017 VW Jetta registered to a man from Creston, sustained $4,000 damage.

(Atlantic, Iowa) –  The City of Atlantic reminds residents and business owners, to keep your sidewalks clear of snow. Snow must be removed within 24 hrs AFTER the snow stops. City officials say Code Enforcement personnel are out AND writing citations for those sidewalks not cleared. The National Weather Service is predicting anywhere from 5-to 10-inches of snow will impact the area between Thursday night (Tonight) and Saturday morning. There will be an extended period of drifting snow and near-blizzard conditions beyond the cessation of snowfall.

Des Moines, Iowa – Officials with the Des Moines International Airport, Wednesday, announced a significant milestone in its history, surpassing the unprecedented mark of serving 3 million passengers in a given year. This achievement is a testament to the airport’s commitment to growing air service and its pivotal role in connecting communities. The Des Moines Airport Authority served 252,219 passengers in December, a 11.7% increase over 2022, totaling 3,097,006 total passengers served in 2023. The remarkable accomplishment of surpassing 3 million passengers reflects the trust and confidence travelers place in the services provided by the airport, the airlines, and all the tenants who strive to make the travel experience convenient and pleasurable.

Airport officials credit this achievement to strategic collaborations with airline partners to offer desirable service to business and leisure travel destinations, continuous infrastructure enhancements to sustain growth, and a steadfast commitment to providing a seamless and enjoyable travel experience. The Des Moines International Airport team thanks passengers, airlines, and the community for their unwavering support in reaching this historic milestone.

DsM International Airport

Kevin Foley, Executive Director of the Des Moines Airport Authority, said “We are thrilled to celebrate this momentous occasion and express our gratitude to the passengers who have chosen Des Moines International Airport as their gateway to the world. This milestone is a testament to the collective efforts of our dedicated team, the enduring support of our community, and the appetite for air travel in our market. We remain committed to elevating the travel experience with the terminal expansion and contributing to the growth and prosperity of our region.”

The Des Moines International Airport, he said, looks forward to building on this success with ongoing initiatives to enhance infrastructure, expand services, and strengthen connectivity to and from Iowa. As the airport continues to play a vital role in connecting people and places, it remains dedicated to providing world-class service to the growing number of travelers choosing Des Moines as their preferred gateway.

To commemorate 2023’s passenger record, the Des Moines Airport Authority is celebrating publicly in the terminal on January 11 with giveaways and a chance to win a $500 flight voucher on the airline of their choice. They will draw three winners from a chance drawing shared on social media, one for every million passengers served last year. The lucky individuals drawn will be announced on the Airport Terminal intercom and will be notified via phone.  Additionally, the airport’s flagship restaurant, Portermill will offer a food and drink special to celebrate reaching 3 million passengers.

No purchase, payment, donation, or account is required to enter or win the prize. A new winner will be drawn if the winner cannot be reached within 24 hours. The winner will receive a $500 flight voucher on an airline offering commercial service at the Des Moines International Airport.