712 Digital Group - top

Ernst says USDA needs better plan for bird flu response

Ag/Outdoor, News

June 4th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says there are ongoing concerns with the U-S-D-A’s response to the bird flu outbreak in the state. Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak, was asked about the issue during a conference call with reporters. “I can only answer in what I have heard from various producers, and those producers have reported to me that they do not believe that the U- S-D-A is as responsive as they should be, “Ernst says. Ernst says she is concerned federal officials have not developed a plan to deal with the issue.

“In the beginning it was very difficult to respond because there were so many cases of the bird flu that were appearing in all of these various states,” Ernst says. “However, many months have gone by now, and the U-S-DA has had time to implement a stronger strategy. I have not seen that yet, or heard that from those producers who have been affected.”

There have been 73 probable or confirmed cases of the bird flu in Iowa thus far, with some 30 million birds in 17 counties impacted. Ernst says one of the biggest concerns is the response time when producers believe their flock is infected. “In one case it took nine days for the U-S-D-A to respond from the time the initial call was made to the time when they actually showed up on the farm,” according to Ernst. “Nine days is too long when it only takes 48 hours for the infected bird to die. That is way too long.”

Ernst says Iowa producers have also raised concerns about differences in payments made to them for the dead animals. “There is nowhere on-line that they can find out exactly what type of payments are made, what the payments are for, there’s no breakdown,” Ernst explains. She says producers want to know why payments at one facility can be different from another. “So many of the farmers who have the same types of flocks — maybe the same age of birds — are being paid a different rate than another flock. So, there’s a lot of inconsistency there,” Ernst says. “What we are asking the U-S-D-A for is a transparency, a break out of what the farmers are being paid for and why it might differ from another farmer on a nearby production facility.”

Ernst says they need answers to those questions to ensure everything is being handled properly. “We need to get to the bottom of it. We need to be sure that we are protecting our Iowa producers,” Ernst says. Senator Ernst says she continues to remind her colleagues about the issues as she says very few people outside the impacted states are knowledgeable about the problem.

(Radio Iowa)

Legislature votes to keep MHIs open, at least temporarily

News

June 4th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Legislators of both political parties have voted to reverse Governor Branstad’s order to close the state-run Mental Health Institute in Mount Pleasant. Under the plan that cleared the House and Senate last night (Wednesday), the M-H-I in Clarinda also would remain open until mid-December and legislators are asking state officials to find a private company to run the unit there for 15 elderly patients. Representative Dave Heaton, a Republican from Mount Pleasant, got emotional during House debate last night (Wednesday).

“We responded to the majority of Iowans who want to see these facilities remain open,” Heaton says. “…This is our last chance. I think we are carrying the message of Iowans to the governor, to ask him to reconsider his position on this issue.” Senator Amanda Ragan, a Democrat from Mason City, says closing the two Mental Health Institutes would be a step backward. “This compromise is a win-win for the governor, the legislature and, most importantly, Iowans who count on those services to assist family members and friends who suffer with severe mental illness,” Ragan said.

The proposal would reopen the inpatient program in Mount Pleasant’s M-H-I for people with the “dual diagnosis” of substance abnse and a mental illness, plus Heaton says the plan asks the governor to let the facility continue offering services for adults with acute mental illnesses. “To allow us at least one more year at Mount Pleasant in our MHI before he can figure whatever else he wants to do,” Heaton says. “And at the same time to allow Clarinda to remain open and provide services to those seniors who are seriously suffering from mental health issues, a difficult population.”

Some of Clarinda’s elderly patients are extremely frail and a few are convicted sex offenders who may be too aggressive to be placed in traditional nursing homes. The proposal to keep the two Mental Health Institutes open, at least temporarily, was included in a massive budget bill that outlines over one-point-eight BILLION dollars worth of spending for the Iowa Department of Human Services, the Iowa Veterans Home, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Public Health.

The bill easily passed the Senate on a bipartisan 33-17 vote, but narrowly cleared the House on a 51-42 vote.

(Radio Iowa)

Corn, soybean prices see no major price drops from bird flu

Ag/Outdoor, News

June 4th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Corn and soybean producers are keeping a close eye on the bird flu outbreak, concerned that the loss of nearly 45 million birds might reduce demand for poultry feed made with the grains and send prices lower. Todd Hultman, a grain market analyst for DTN, an Omaha, Nebraska-based agriculture market data provider, says there appears to be no significant impact to commodity prices in part because demand remains strong from other sources, such as hog and cattle producers.

The amount of grain fed to chickens and turkeys is relatively small compared to how much is harvested. About 1 billion bushels each of corn and soybeans went into turkey and chicken feed last year. That’s out of 14 billion bushels of corn and nearly 4 billion bushels of soybeans.

USDA: Bird flu vaccine not good enough for outbreak

Ag/Outdoor, News

June 4th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture says a bird flu vaccine doesn’t work well enough to approve it for emergency use against the current outbreak that’s shaken the Midwest poultry industry. The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said in a statement Wednesday that the current vaccine is not well matched against the H5N2 virus and don’t provide enough protection.

It says the vaccine offers just 60 percent effectiveness in chickens, leaving four in 10 birds unprotected, while the vaccine’s effectiveness in turkeys is still being studied. The USDA says it will continue to support efforts to develop a more effective vaccine. The agency says bird flu outbreaks have cost chicken and turkey producers more than 45 million birds so far, mostly in Iowa and Minnesota.

Cubs RF Jorge Soler goes on DL with left ankle injury

Sports

June 4th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

MIAMI (AP) — Chicago Cubs right fielder Jorge Soler, who leads all NL rookies with 15 hits, has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left ankle injury. Soler might be ready to return as soon as he’s eligible, manager Joe Maddon said. Soler played in every game until he was hurt when he stepped on first base awkwardly trying to beat out a grounder Monday against the Marlins.

Junior Lake started in right field for the second game in a row Wednesday, and Maddon said he’ll be interested to see who emerges in Soler’s absence. One candidate will be outfielder Mike Baxter, who was recalled from Triple-A Iowa 24 hours after being sent down.

Soler is batting .265 with four homers and 19 RBIs.

Iowa early News Headlines: Thu., June 4th 2015

News

June 4th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

FAIRFIELD, Iowa (AP) — A prosecutor says two Iowa police officers fired shots at a vehicle from close range after the driver sped in their direction following a pursuit. Jefferson County Attorney Tim Dille says investigators believe the officers’ shots struck the vehicle carrying a 19-year-old driver and 16-year-old female passenger but didn’t hit either early Tuesday. The driver, 19-year-old Dakota Murray, was jailed on charges of eluding law enforcement. The passenger wasn’t charged.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A health and human services budget approved by the Iowa Legislature would keep open one of two mental health facilities slated for closure and would seek to find a private provider to run the other. The Republican-led House and Democratic-controlled Senate voted in favor of the plan last night.

BOSTON (AP) — Federal authorities say an Iowa man has been arrested after threatening to shoot and kill Muslims on the Facebook page of a Boston Islamic group. Prosecutors say 57-year-old Gerald Wayne Ledford of Clinton posted two threats on the Facebook page for the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center in October. Ledford could face up to five years in prison.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa agriculture officials say two turkey farms have been added to the list of possible locations with bird flu. The new cases bring the number of Iowa farms infected to 73 and the number of birds to die to 29 million. More than 24 million are egg-laying chickens, and nearly 4 million are young chickens that were to be egg-layers. More than 1 million are turkeys.

Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Reports Arrest

News

June 3rd, 2015 by admin

Deputies in Montgomery County arrested a Red Oak woman Wednesday afternoon. Authorities say 35-year old Jolene Mardell Cain was taken into custody at around 2:30-p.m., on a warrant charging her with 5th degree Theft. Cain was booked into the Montgomery County Jail, and held on a $300 cash bond.

APNewsBreak: US investigating U. Iowa in field hockey case

News, Sports

June 3rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. Department of Education is launching an investigation into the University of Iowa’s handling of gender discrimination claims against athletic director Gary Barta. In a letter obtained by The Associated Press, the department’s Office for Civil Rights notified the school of the investigation last week and requested numerous documents.

Four members of the women’s field hockey team filed a complaint in August alleging that Barta’s decision to fire coach Tracey Griesbaum was part of a pattern of discrimination against strong female coaches. Barta has denied the allegation. He says Griesbaum was fired after an investigation found concerns about how some players were treated.

The Office for Civil Rights says it will look into the school’s failure to investigate a sex discrimination complaint against Barta filed by students in October.

DIANE BILLHEIMER, 84, of Casey (6-6-2015)

Obituaries

June 3rd, 2015 by Jim Field

DIANE BILLHEIMER, 84, of Casey died Wednesday, June 3rd at Taylor House in Des Moines.  A funeral service for DIANE BILLHEIMER will be held on Saturday, June 6th at 11:00 am in the St. John’s Lutheran Church in Casey.  Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic has the arrangements.

————————————————————————–

Visitation with the family will be held on Friday from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm in the St. John’s Lutheran Church in Casey.

Burial in the Oakwood Cemetery in Casey.

DIANE BILLHEIMER is survived by:

Daughter:  Sandy Kirkman of Hixson, TN

Son:  Jim (Dawn) Billheimer of Urbandale

Daughter-in-law:  Linda Billheimer of Casey.

4 Grandchildren

5 Great-Grandchildren

Lackey, Cardinals defeat Milwaukee 7-4 to win series

Sports

June 3rd, 2015 by Ric Hanson

ST. LOUIS (AP) — John Lackey pitched seven innings and Matt Carpenter had two hits and drove in two runs, leading the Cardinals to a 7-4 victory Wednesday over the Milwaukee Brewers. St. Louis improved the best home record in the majors to 22-7 and won all three series during its nine-game homestand.

The 36-year-old Lackey (4-3) scattered 10 hits while striking out five and walking one. He is 4-1 in four career starts against Milwaukee. Lackey has gone 7-1 in 11 regular-season starts and one playoff outing at Busch Stadium since joining the Cardinals after a trade with Boston. Lackey is 4-1 in six starts at home this season. Trevor Rosenthal recorded his 17th save by getting the final two outs on a double play.

Milwaukee third baseman Hector Gomez crashed into the stands behind third and left the game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Gomez was trying to catch a foul ball hit by Jason Heyward in the sixth inning on Wednesday. Gomez hit the short wall at full speed and fell head-first into the seats. After being looked at, he left the game under his own power.

A Brewers spokesman says Gomez was examined by a doctor for a possible concussion and the results were negative. Hernan Perez moved from second base to third and Luis Sardinas came in to play second.