(Radio Iowa) – The health of the ethanol industry has been a staple of Iowa campaigns for years and 2020 is no different. This month, the Trump Administration denied 54 waivers that would have exempted oil refineries from blending ethanol into gasoline. In addition, Trump himself announced the E-P-A will let states decide new pumps aren’t necessary and gasoline that’s 15 percent ethanol can be dispensed from existing E-10 pumps. “That saves tremendous amounts of money for the people in the ethanol industry,” Trump says.

During a recent conference call organized by Joe Biden’s campaign, former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack questioning the election year timing of these announcements. “I think farmers are justified in being suspicious and concerned about what may happen after an election,” Vilsack said. So, what’s the economic impact of these recent ethanol pronouncements? Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says 40 percent of U.S. ethanol plants were temporarily shut down this spring.

The pandemic was the main driver of that, but Goss says the administration’s dithering over ethanol waivers for the oil industry didn’t help. “I won’t say it’s too late, but it certainly should have been earlier,” Goss says of the waiver announcement for 2011 through 2018 waivers. Iowa State University ag economist Chad Hart says getting retailers to sell a higher blend of ethanol seems to be the industry’s aim. “Originally it was E85, but a lot of the concentration now has been on E15 and getting that expanded nationwide,” Hart says.

President Trump announced a year ago that E-15 could be sold year-round. During a trip to Iowa last month, Trump’s ag secretary, Sonny Perdue, promised any future oil industry waivers would not reduce the federal ethanol production mandate of a net 15 billion gallons. “That’s an important consideration,” Perdue said. Iowa plants produce nearly a third of the U.S. ethanol supply.

(Radio Iowa) – A shooting early Sunday in Fort Dodge left a young woman critically hurt. An 18-year-old female was the only person shot in the incident. She sustained life threatening injuries. She was transported to the hospital in Fort Dodge then transferred to a Des Moines area hospital. Police say the victim was in a vehicle when the shooting happened and the shots came from another vehicle.

No arrests have been made thus far. The Fort Dodge Police Department and Iowa DCI are continuing to investigate. A report on the woman’s condition was not immediately available.

ATLANTA (AP) — Joe Biden is using a campaign cash advantage over President Donald Trump to add Republican-leaning Georgia and Iowa to his paid media footprint, bringing the Democratic challenger’s television and digital battleground map to an even dozen states.

The expansion reflects Biden’s newfound status as a fundraising behemoth and his campaign’s longstanding promise to set up “multiple paths” to the 270 electoral votes required to win the presidency.

The Biden campaign confirmed Sunday that Democrats’ joint financial operation had $466 million cash on hand to begin September; Trump and the GOP had $325 million.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A national gun control advocacy group says it is targeting eight key races with digital ads and mailers seeking to help Democrats win back control of the Iowa House. Everytown for Gun Safety, the group founded by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, says it will spend $800,000 opposing five incumbent Republicans seeking re-election and three running for open seats.

The ads criticize the Republican candidates for their party’s work to pass weaker gun laws, such as one recently signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds that limits the ability of municipalities to ban firearms in public buildings.

w/ Chris Parks

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The Creston Police Department reports four arrests over the weekend.

On Friday at 3:10 p.m. Officers arrested 22-year-old Klay Evans of Earlham on an outside agency warrant. Evans was released from the Union County Jail on bond.

Also Friday at 8:11 p.m. Creston Police arrested 18-year-old Duane Cole of Creston near the intersection of Freemont St and Division St on a Union County warrant. Cole was released from the Union County Jail on a $500 bond.

On Sunday at 1:54 a.m. Officers arrested 43-year-old Toby Simpson of Creston near the intersection of Adams St and Elm St on the charge of OWI 1^st. Simpson was released from the Union County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

Also on Sunday at 3:20 a.m. Creston Police arrested 26-year-old Patrick Iiams of Creston at his residence on the charge of Domestic Abuse 1^st offense. Iiams is currently being held in the Union County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

Emergency Managers have been needed and appreciated more than ever in 2020, but more can be done to prepare Iowans for the next disaster. Recently, Governor Reynolds took action and signed a 2020 Emergency Management Appreciation Week Proclamation recognizing the week of September 21st as Emergency Management Appreciation Week across the state. Reynolds’ proclamation noted the timeliness of pausing and appreciating those who have dedicated their time to help Iowa recover from disasters. In 2020 alone, Iowa has faced the COVID-19 pandemic, a massive derecho storm system, tornadoes, and flooding.

Following the derecho storm, emergency managers across the state have been on the ground working tirelessly to help communities survey the damage and get on the path toward recovery. These same emergency managers have responded to 45 federally declared disasters in Iowa over the last 30 years. Emergency managers are key to helping communities prepare for disasters before they strike. From training to implementing processes to be used during disasters, county emergency managers work day in and day out to ensure their communities are prepared for any disaster that may strike.

Iowa Emergency Management Association (IEMA) members continuously work with first responders, jurisdictional executives, and legislators to improve the condition of disaster preparedness in Iowa. IEMA remains persistent in their advocacy efforts to extend the state’s Back to School sales tax holiday to include the purchase of disaster preparedness supplies in an effort to ensure families have the tools and supplies needed to be self-sufficient during any disaster they may face. IEMA supports expanding the tax-free holiday to include items such as portable generators, batteries, first aid kits, radios, and any other items that would be vital to Iowans during an emergency situation. Making this simple tax change will help countless Iowans be prepared to self-support and stay safe in their homes during the next emergency.

One person suffered possible injuries in a two-vehicle crash in Creston early Saturday morning. Officers responded to the crash near Casey’s General Store at 12:22 a.m. Saturday. After investigation it was determined that a 2015 Chrysler 200 driven by 29-year-old Lisa Marie Spore of Waterloo was leaving the Casey’s parking lot and making a left hand turn on US Highway 34 and pulled out in front of a 2003 Ford Explorer driven by 43-year-old Jason Patrick Lillie of Creston. Lillie then struck Spore broadside causing severe damage to both vehicles. Spore was transported by EMS to Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston for treatment of possible injuries.

Damage to the Chrysler was estimated at $6,000 and damage to the Ford was estimated at $3,500. No citations were issued at the scene.

A distracted driver caused a four-vehicle chain reaction crash on Thursday evening in Creston. At 6:09 p.m. Officers responded to a crash at Adams and Sumner Streets in Creston. Three vehicles were stopped at a red light heading southbound in the inside lane of Sumner Street. A fourth vehicle, a Jeep driven by 17-year-old Jackson Spencer Gerdes of Jefferson, was distracted and failed to stop behind the line of vehicles striking the third car in line in the rear. This caused that vehicle to hit the second vehicle and then the second into the first. The driver of the first vehicle, a passenger in the second vehicle, and the driver of the third vehicle were all transported Greater Regional Medical Center by GRMC and Afton EMS for the treatment of possible minor injuries.

No damage was observed on the first vehicle, the second vehicle sustained $1,000 damage, the third vehicle $3,000 damage, and the fourth vehicle sustained $10,000 damage and had to be towed from the scene by Hi-Crest Auto. Gerdes was charged with Failure to Stop in Assured Clear Distance.