Board Of Regents Say They Need More Money From Legislature And They Intend To Raise Tuition Fees
(Des Moines) — The Iowa Board of Regents will ask the governor and lawmakers for an additional 20 million dollars state funding during the next legislative session and also plan to make annual increases in tuition at the three state schools. Board president Michael Richards told the board at their meeting Thursday they have to start taking an overall view of the four areas that are used to fund the three state universities.
He says they have to find a way to use all the sources to provide the funding to maintain the quality of the three state universities.
Richards says the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa are doing their part in making the best use of their resources.
Richards says they will also have to ask students to pay more.
Richards says the amount of money they are asking for from the state is a fair amount.
Des Moines Wanting To Collect Unpaid Parking Tickets
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The city of Des Moines is giving those with unpaid parking tickets a chance to settle up before further action is taken to collect the debts.
The city says it has $1.8 million in parking ticket fines that are more than 120 days overdue. The city has sent out postcards reminding those with tickets that there are three ways to pay the outstanding tickets. That includes:
– Online at https://pay.dmgov.org/ ;
– In person on the first floor of City Hall;
– Or by mail with a check addressed to the City of Des Moines and sent to the Des Moines City Clerk’s Office.
Those with unpaid balances greater than 120 days will have until Oct. 12 to pay before the information is sent to a collection agency.
Study Shows Cover Crops Provide Economic Benefits
(Des Moines) — More farmers are planting cover crops to keep water, soil and nutrients from running off fields and there’s now evidence the conservation strategy brings economic benefits, too. Scott Henry, of Long View Farms in central Iowa, says he put the plants on his fields because it was the right thing to do for the land. His soil quality improved and weeds weren’t as bad.
Henry and others collaborated with the Environmental Defense Fund and found environmental returns also translate to increased profits.
Farmers who use cover crops encourage anyone trying them for the first time to be patient as returns are not immediate. Cover crops do cost money to plant but the report finds savings on multiple farm expenses can balance that out. Southwest Iowa farmer Mark Peterson, who was not involved in the study,
has been planting them for years.
Peterson says he’ll cut his herbicide and fertilizer expenses in half next year on his soybean fields. The report’s authors say they hope food companies, crop insurers and banks will also see the financial benefits of cover crops.
