A new policy the Iowa legislature approved on its final day would force statewide elected officials and members of the legislature to use their campaign funds rather than tax dollars for “self-promotion.” Representative Ashley Hinson, a Republican from Marion, encouraged her colleagues to pass the policy. “This would restrict the spending of public money for paid ads or promotions bearing name, likeness or voice of that person from mass mailings; radio, TV, newspaper, internet ads or promotions or an exhibit display at the fair,” Hinson says.

The governor and other elected officials have had booths at the Iowa State Fair for years.”Currently, I believe they are using taxpayer dollars for the displays and for the space as well,” Hinson says.

If the governor approves this new policy, that will end for the 2018 Iowa State Fair.
The new policy also is likely to bar Republican Governor Kim Reynolds from appearing in ads planned this fall to promote the “Future Ready Iowa” program. Democratic State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald will no longer be able to appear in ads promoting the state’s College Savings Iowa program. Representative Marti Anderson, a Democrat from Des Moines, opposes the idea.

“This section would cause these elected officials to have to pay for things that are even part of their duty,” Anderson said. “…People have the right to know and see their elected officials and to hear directly from them.”

Hinson says it’ll be up to the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board to enforce this new policy. It means Secretary of State Paul Pate might have to reimburse the state if any fliers from his office about voter registration contain his name or photo. Democrats say the stickers on every gas pump in the state that have the written name of Iowa’s secretary of agriculture may have to be removed. Hinson is unmoved by those arguments. “This applies to anybody, regardless of party,” Hinson says.

The Ethics Committees in the Iowa House and Senate will police members of the legislature who are accused of using tax dollars for self-promotion if the governor approved this new policy. It was inserted in a catch-all budget bill that cleared the legislature last Saturday.

(Radio Iowa)

Airmen and soldiers from the Iowa National Guard are in the nation of Kosovo this week as part of a two week exercise being conducted with the Kosovo Security Force. Major Brandon Cochran of the 132nd Wing of the Iowa Air National Guard in Des Moines says around fifty Iowa Guard members are working in a variety of areas with their Kosovo counterparts as part of the U-S Military, European Command’s State Partner Program. He says there’s the Sister State Initiative, Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, communications, mission support and security police. “If you have a life experience that you can share with someone else — there’s a nexus point for you within the state partnership program,” Cochran says.

Captain Marty Hogan of Sioux City’s 185th Air Refueling Wing says clinicians are working in the class room and participating in field training with members of the Kosovo Security Force medical clinic. Hogan says they are working with the medical corps to move them toward their NATO certification. Hogan says the annual exercise dubbed “Eagle 6” with the Kosovo Security Force is building continued cooperation and strong relationships. “This is two-and-a-half years of blood, sweat and tears, lots of phone calls, a lot of extra work, a lot of time after work,” Hogan says. ” But when you come over and you see completion of the exercise, or you see growth in what they accomplished last time, that’s always a huge thing.”

The group also includes members of the Army Guard’s 831st engineering company from Middletown, Iowa who are working with the K-S-F honing construction skills. The operation is taking place in Kosovo through May 14th. The Iowa National Guard has been working with Kosovo as part of the state partner program since 2011.

(Radio Iowa)

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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WELLMAN, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a man died after he was struck by a chemical sprayer on a farm in eastern Iowa. The accident occurred around 1 p.m. Monday in rural southwest Johnson County. Authorities say 65-year-old Merlyn Yoder, of Wellman, died after being struck and rolled over by the sprayer. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office is investigating.

ROCHESTER, Minn. (AP) — A 7-week-old baby is being treated for skull fractures and brain bleeds after she was hit in the head by a softball while watching her father play in northeastern Iowa. Authorities say the overthrown softball struck McKenna Hovenga and her mom, Kassy, as they watched the game Wednesday in Shell Rock, some 95 miles northeast of Des Moines. McKenna’s father, Lee Hovenga, was in the game.
McKenna was taken to a local hospital then flown to St. Mary’s Hospital at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

A post on the Healing for McKenna Facebook page said that after 48 hours without a seizure, doctors have started to wean McKenna off her seizure medication. A neurologist told the family that McKenna’s brain activity is calming down.

Police in Creston report the arrest on a Theft charge, Monday afternoon, of 22-year old Fransisco Martinez, of Creston. He was taken into custody on a Union County warrant for Theft in the 4th Degree, and later released on a $1,000 bond.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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AMES, Iowa  (May 8, 2018) — Landus Cooperative today (Tuesday) announced it has signed an asset purchase agreement with ADM to acquire ADM’s grain facility in Manilla, Iowa. Under the purchase agreement, Landus Cooperative gains more than 2.3 million bushels of grain capacity for its first wholly-owned Crawford County, Iowa location including

·         775,000 bushels of upright storage

·         More than 1.5 million bushels of bunker storage

·         32,000 bushel per hour receiving capacity

Pending final documentation, Landus Cooperative is slated to take possession June 1, 2018. Milan Kucerak, chief executive officer for Ames, Iowa- based Landus Cooperative said in a news release, “This Manilla, Iowa site is a strategic purchase for Landus Cooperative and farmers in western Iowa,” explained . “While this grain asset has been well cared for, we expect to improve efficiency on behalf of the customer utilizing best practices from our nearly 60 grain locations in Iowa. Our domestic and international grain end-users continue to demand high-quality corn and soybeans, and we know Crawford County, Iowa farmers can help meet that demand.”

Under terms of the purchase agreement, ADM and Landus Cooperative plan to honor all outstanding grain contracts. Landus Cooperative also plans to host a grower meeting shortly after final documents are signed, and the facility changes ownership. According to the North American Grain & Milling Annual ranking of the largest grain companies in North America based on storage, ADM ranks 2nd and Landus Cooperative ranks 6th.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State University officials say they’re making changes in how the university responds to reports of sexual violence. The university has been hit with sexual assault lawsuits alleging that the university mishandled the cases, including one settled Monday for $47,500. The woman’s attorney, Tom Newkirk, told The Des Moines Register the settlement might have been higher if he and his client had not been satisfied the university is taking action.

Officials say changes include an overhaul of the sexual misconduct policy, the start of a sexual misconduct prevention initiative, and new training for all employees. The university also has scheduled a public forum Wednesday concerning a recent “campus climate” survey. Among the findings: 11 percent of respondents indicated they had experienced unwanted sexual contact or conduct while at the university.

Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County say a man who had just left his eye doctor, and had dilated eyes, was involved in a two-vehicle collision at around 3:30-p.m. Monday, just north of Red Oak. A 2015 Chevy Silverado pickup driven by 62-year old Rodney Sowers, of Red Oak, whose eyes were dilated, was northbound on Highway 48, when his vehicle crossed the center line of the road and struck a southbound 2016 Chevy Silverado owned by Schildberg Construction, and driven by 39-year old Jerry Funke, of Menlo. Damage from the collision amounted to $28,000. No injuries were reported. Sowers was cited for Failure to Yield half of the road.