DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa farmers are set to receive the most government payments to offset damage from the U.S.’s ongoing trade war with China. The Des Moines Register reports Iowa farmers will receive $767 million in payments from President Donald Trump’s $16 billion trade assistance program this year. The Agriculture Department announced a second round of payments under the program earlier this month.

The USDA shows that the other states getting the most federal assistance in this year’s program are Illinois, at $707 million; Minnesota, at $519 million; Texas, at $497 million; and Kansas, at $474 million. Iowa Soybean Association board president Tim Bardole says the additional payments will be helpful, but they won’t cure all the problems farmers are having this year.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds has pardoned two tom turkeys, continuing a longstanding Thanksgiving tradition celebrating Iowa’s turkey industry. The male birds named Benjamin and Franklin will live at Living History Farms in Urbandale, a 500-acre open air history museum that demonstrates three centuries of Iowa farm life.

Reynolds held the annual event Tuesday at Terrace Hill, the governor’s residence, where she says she’ll spend thanksgiving cooking for her family. Several family members, including grandchildren, petted the turkeys after Reynolds read the proclamation freeing them from becoming a thanksgiving meal.

Iowa ranks seventh in U.S. turkey production, turning out more than 12 million turkeys annually on 130 farms. The state is fifth in turkey processing with plants in Storm Lake and West Liberty.

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have released the name of a man who was stabbed to death at a Burlington home. Officers sent to the scene Thursday night found the wounded man. He was pronounced dead later at Great River Medical Center in West Burlington. Police identified him Monday as 28-year-old Kelvin Norwood, who lived in Minneapolis. Authorities have not reported the filing of charges against anyone.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have released the name of a man who died when his car crashed while fleeing Cedar Rapids police. Police identified him Monday as 58-year-old Scott Maydew. Police say the chase began around 10 p.m. Saturday when an officer tried to stop a BMW that was being driven recklessly. It sped away but soon went out of control and veered off the road into a utility pole. Maydew was alone in the car.

A woman from Creston complained of pain following a rollover accident Monday afternoon, in Union County. The Sheriff’s Office says 44-year old Alisha Peckham was driving a 2009 GMC pickup northbound on Kingfisher Avenue, at around 12:30-p.m., when a deer jumped out onto the road. When Peckham swerved to avoid hitting the animal, the pickup went into the west ditch, down an embankment and through a fence before coming to rest on the driver’s side. She was wearing her seat belt, but suffered unknown/possible injuries and was transported to the Creston hospital.

Her pickup sustained an estimated $5,000 damage. Damage to the fence, owned by Tony Allen, of Shannon City, amounted to about $200.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors will hold their last meeting of the month 9-a.m. Wednesday, in their Boardroom at the Cass County Courthouse. On their agenda is an annual report, and request for continued match funding, from West Central Community Action (WCCA). The Board will also act on approving an employment agreement for a temporary County Engineer. Last week, the Board discussed with retired Cass County Engineer Charles Marker, the possibility of his returning on an interim, hourly basis as needed, to fulfill the duties of a Professional Engineer.

Marker and the Board had held-off agreeing on a contract at that time, because both sides wanted to explore the impact of IPERS and Social Security on his current retirement package. The Board will also hear a report for the month of October, from the Cass County Mental Health and General Relief Coordinator, and if available, a report from the Cass County Attorney.

Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer reports that from November 29th through December 23rd (2019), the Page County Sheriff’s Office is taking gift requests for Operation Blessing. The Page County Sheriff’s Office program will cover children in the communities of Shambaugh, Braddyville, College Springs, Yorktown, Coin, Blanchard, Northboro, and Hepburn as well as the rural areas, of Page County. Ages of children covered by this program are Birth to 15 years of age.

The requests must come from a parent or guardian of the child and can be called into the Page County Sheriff’s Office at 712-542-5193, or reported in person by the parent or guardian at the Page County Sheriff’s Office located at 323 N 15th Street in Clarinda. Each child will be given a first and second choice. It is suggested that a toy and clothing be requested.

Operation Blessing was started in the mid 1980s by the Page County Reserve Deputies to ensure that every child in the rural areas of Page County has the opportunity to receive a gift at Christmas. It has continued every year since for over 30 years. This year the Sheriff’s Office and Reserve program will continue this tradition of ensuring that children in Page County receive a gift for Christmas. Anyone wishing to donate to the Page County Sheriff’s Office Operation Blessing program can either stop by the Page County Sheriff’s Office or mail the monetary donation to the Page County Sheriff’s Office at 323 North 15th Clarinda, Iowa, 51632. Monetary donations are taken year round at the Office.

The Sheriff’s Office will again this year be delivering the gifts to the children. That will take place on December 22nd, 23rd, 24th & or 25th if necessary. The date depends on staffing, call load, and of course weather. Sheriff Palmer thanks everyone for their donations and support of the program throughout the years, for without monetary donations, the program would not be able to continue. He also thanks our staff at the Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in everything they do with this program. They go above and beyond with the call taking, shopping, wrapping and organization of this program. They along with the organizations, businesses, and individuals who donate make this program a success every year. Palmer wishes everyone a joy filled and safe Holiday season.

(Radio Iowa) — California billionaire and Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer just wrapped up a two-day campaign swing through north-central Iowa, touting plans to boost the amount of affordable housing in America.  “So many things depend on where you put your head down at night,” Steyer says, “and I think that solving and addressing this housing shortage and this housing crisis is something that’s critical in terms of addressing inequality around the country.”

Steyer says the federal government should invest more than six-hundred-25 BILLION dollars ($625 billion) over ten years in existing housing programs — to create three-and-a-half million units of affordable housing. Steyer says an additional six-hundred BILLION ($600 billion) should be used to develop “climate-smart” housing in cities that’s affordable. Steyer says there’s no state in the US where a minimum-wage worker can afford a market-rate two-bedroom apartment. “Des Moines has gentrification problems like the gentrification problems across this country,” Steyer says. “I’ve been to Council Bluffs to see the flooding. I know that they are the issues about rebuilding houses and I know there is enough housing stock in rural America.”

Steyer says leaders at the local, state and federal level need to show leadership in addressing housing issues.  “We’re going to have to deal with our homelessness problem across the country explicitly,” he says. “We’re going to have to help people to the traditional American wealth generation through home ownership…because that has gotten to be very problematic and particularly in red-lined areas.”

Steyer made stops in Mason City and Osage on Sunday, and Charles City and Northwood on Monday.

(8-a.m. News) COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Some business owners at a western Iowa mall say they’re upset at being forced out of the building by the end of the year. Officials say the Mall of the Bluffs on the east side of Council Bluffs is being acquired so Menards can demolish it and build a new home improvement center.

Bryon Beins co-owns Madness Haunted House, and he told The Daily Nonpareil that he received a letter from Woodsonia Real Estate Group of Omaha, Nebraska, on Nov. 18, telling him that he had to move out of the mall by Dec. 31. He says he intends to fight the eviction. Beins says there isn’t enough time for him and his business partner to find a new location, tear down everything at the mall and move.

Spokesmen for Woodsonia and Menards were not immediately available for comment.

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

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