Governor Terry Branstad today (Friday) approved the legislature’s compromise plan to set up state-licensed operations in Iowa that will grow marijuana for the production and distribution of cannabis oil. Iowa doctors may now prescribe cannabis oil for treatment of 15 chronic and debilitating conditions, like epilepsy. In late April, Branstad had signalled this would be his decision.

“This is certainly a subject that has a lot of interest and support,” Branstad said. “…I’m pleased that the legislature was able to reach a consensus on this difficult and contentious issue.” Critics say the law so narrowly limits T-C-H content that the cannabis oil that will be available in Iowa will be like “baby aspirin.” Branstad took action on 10 bills today (Friday) and has now signed ALL the bills passed by the 2017 legislature. Nearly all aspects of the Republican-led legislature’s spending plan for state government got Branstad’s approval, including a proposal to “defund” Planned Parenthood.

“As your governor, I’m proud to be able to sign pro-life bills,” Branstad said last week. “I’ve done some over the years, but I think this year was really a banner year for the pro-life movement. History was made this session.” G-O-P lawmakers voted to forgo nearly three-million dollars in available federal funds that could have been used at health care organizations that perform abortions. Instead, three million in state tax dollars will be used on family planning services for Medicaid patients — for things like prescriptions for contraceptives and reproductive health exams.

Branstad faced a May 22nd deadline for either signing or vetoing ALL the bills the House and Senate approved before ending the 2017 legislative session in late April. The governor of Iowa also has ITEM veto authority on spending bills. He used that authority to erase language in a budget bill that called for closing the Leopold Center at Iowa State University that has financed hundreds of ag research projects aimed at reducing soil and farm chemical runoff. However, Branstad approved the legislature’s decision to shift state funds for the center to other research at Iowa State. The Leopold Center has relied on state funding, but it does have other sources of funding.

“There are bequests that have been made to the Leopold Center that I’m told could put it in jeopardy if it were eliminated,” Branstad said a week ago. The budget plan Branstad ratified for the state fiscal year that begins July 1st is about 14-MILLION dollars less than the current year’s budget. Branstad is calling the 2017 legislative session “one of the most significant and productive sessions in our history.” And the governor says Republican initiatives will “make Iowa more competitive and prosperous.” Senator Rob Hogg — the Democratic leader in the Iowa Senate — has the opposite view. Hogg says the 2017 legislative session was a “nightmare” and the G-O-P’s budget “is a mess.”

“Not because of a national or global recession, but because of their bad budgeting decisions and their failure to create jobs and raise family incomes as promised,” Hogg says. Hogg and other Democrats accuse Branstad and his fellow Republicans of approving too many “tax give-aways” over the past six and a half years.

(Radio Iowa)

A Judge says a Greene County man must remain in custody pending his July 3rd trial on drug and weapons charges at the Federal Courthouse in Des Moines. 36-year old Tyson James Ruth, of Jefferson, made his initial appearance in court Friday (May 12th) on an indictment charging Ruth with three counts of being an unlawful user of controlled substances in possession of a firearm and two counts of possession of a sawed-off shotgun. Each count is subject to a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years and a maximum $250,000 fine.

According to the indictment, in December of 2016, Ruth illegally possessed two sawed-off shotguns and three additional guns including a revolver, pistol, and a Mini-14 semi-automatic rifle. The public is reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation, and that Ruth is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The Carroll Police Department, Jefferson Police Department, and the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

Officials with the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office report three Taylor County Secondary Roads Department employees were injured late Thursday morning, when a large tire exploded as they were making repairs. The incident happened at around 11:45-a.m. at the Taylor County Secondary Roads shop in Bedford.

The injured were identified as Jim Rowe of Bedford, Jason McMillin of Bedford, and Randy Peterman of Gravity. All three men were transported to area hospitals for medical treatment.