(Radio Iowa) – The co-founder of the company operating a baby formula factory in southern Iowa says there’s an opportunity for significant growth in production capacity and the workforce at the plant in Allerton. Ron Belldegrun is C-E-O of ByHeart, which bought the DairiConcepts plant in Allerton after using the facility in 2019 during trials of its new recipe for baby formula.

Baby formula recalls and subsequent shortages in 2022 highlighted the fact that three companies controlled 90 percent of the market. ByHeart’s production of baby formula began in March of 2022. It bought the Allerton plant in 2023.

ByHeart uses whole milk from grass-fed cows and other ingredients in the powder that’s currently produced in Allerton, but canned and packaged at a facility in Pennsylvania. Belldegrun says ByHeart invested very heavily in the Allerton plant to make it a state of the art baby formula factory and there are now 100 people employed at the facility.

ByHeart, which owns plants in Pennsylvania and Oregon as well, currently produces enough formula to feed half a million babies a year. Belldegrun says the company has a big vision for what’s next in Allerton.

ByHeart engineers are drawing up plans to add packaging and canning to the Allerton plant and Belldegrun says he’s had productive discussions with government officials, university researchers, farmers and other ingredient suppliers about creating what he describes as an ecosystem around the southern Iowa facility.

(Radio Iowa) – State Treasurer Roby Smith says it’s not just individuals who may find money in the “Great Iowa Treasure Hunt” managed by his office. By law, unclaimed assets in Iowa are to be turned over to the State Treasurer’s office.

Smith went to the Des Moines Community Playhouse Monday afternoon to present some unclaimed property to the non-profit.

David Kilpatrick, executive director of the Des Moines Community Playhouse, accepted the 316 dollars.

Kilpatrick says the unclaimed funds came from a school district that set aside money for students to attend a performance at the Playhouse, but somehow never paid for the tickets.

Smith says the state treasurer’s office returned 34 million dollars in unclaimed property last year.

Smith says about one in 10 Iowans has some unclaimed property in the state treasurer’s office.

(Radio Iowa) – One of the Iowa delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago says her friends in other countries are paying close attention to the presidential race. Janice Weiner, a state senator from Iowa City, joined the U-S State Department in 1987 and had assignments in seven foreign countries.

Weiner says one reason she wanted to be a delegate at this week’s convention was because of President Biden’s foreign policy initiatives.

Iowa Democratic Party chair Rita Hart says for the past two weeks she’s been thinking about Biden’s convention speech and how it would solidify his legacy.

Iowa delegates on the floor of the Democratic National Convention on August 19, 2024. (Iowa Democratic Party photo)

(Woodbine, Iowa) – Officials with Woodbine Fire & Rescue, Monday evening, asked residents and others to stay away from part of  downtown Woodbine, as multiple firefighting agencies worked to battle a structure fire at the Food Land Grocery Store, located at 62 W. 5th Street.  The fire was reported through 9-1-1 at 3:47-p.m.

The first crews and authorities to arrive on the scene, found fire and heavy smoke coming from the building. Multiple agencies, including 11 additional fire departments, responded to the scene. Woodbine Police and Harrison County Conservation officials established traffic control. Crews were still on the scene late Monday night. The cause of the fire was unknown as of the last report. Additional information was not available.

Woodbine Fire & Rescue Association Facebook page photo

A little over 10-years ago (Oct. 2013), the Woodbine Food Land Store helped local business in their recovery effort, when a fire devastated several downtown businesses, following a fire that started in a flower shop.

(Sac County, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Sac County reports two people were arrested Friday (Aug. 16), in connection with a marijuana growing operation. According to a press release, Deputies executed a search warrant at around 5:45-p.m., Friday, at a residence at 509 S. Perth Street, in Schaller. The purpose of the warrant was to obtain evidence in an ongoing criminal mischief investigation. Deputies detained two residents in the home: 42-year-old Keegan Cross, and 65-year-old Glenda Turnquist, until the entire home was searched for any other possible subjects.

While walking through the basement, deputies observed several marijuana plants in various stages of growth. A second search warrant – specifically for controlled substances – resulted in the confiscation of more than 40 marijuana plants, grow lights, and ventilated grow tents, among other materials to grow and maintain marijuana plants. Lake View Police assisted in handling the incident.

Keegan Cross and Glenda Turnquist each face charges that include: Manufacture of a controlled substance (Marijuana) under 50 kilograms (a Class-D Felony), and Simple Misdemeanor charges for Possession of Drug paraphernalia. Cross faces an additional charges of Interference with Official Acts, which is also a Simple Misdemeanor. His bond was set at $5,600. Bond for Turnquist was set at $5,300.

Both subjects have previous convictions for controlled substance violations, stemming from similar search warrants executed at the same residence in both 2017 and 2018.

“All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”