(LE MARS)–A northwest Iowa farmer hopes to grow the markets for the crops he raises and renewable fuels.
Primghar producer Daryl Haack highlighted what’s needed needed to make biofuels more feasible and widely used when Haack talked with Office of Energy Independence staff Tuesday.
Haack pointed out that more ethanol is produced in Iowa than can be used.
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Haack was at the Le Mars meeting which was one location Office of Energy Independence staff is gathering ideas at for the 2011 Energy Plan.
Office of Energy Independence Director Roya Stanley says energy from waste is another idea the staff will take away from the Le Mars meeting.
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The meeting also provided an update on the projects underway using Iowa Power Fund money. State Representative Chuck Soderberg of Le Mars is a member of the Power Fund Board.
Grassley answers budget questions
(Le Mars) Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley was applauded Tuesday morning for his comments regarding personal taxation at the meeting of the Le Mars Kiwanis Club at Floyd Valley Hospital.
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The meeting was open to the public and answering questions from those in attendance was Senator Grassley’s top priority. Topics included: bio fuel and ethanol tax incentives, estate tax, health care reform, taxation in regards to small business and the state of the economy.
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Grassley said small business is important to the economy getting back on track, but uncertainly is getting in the way of businesses making advancements and creating jobs. Grassley said the best way to help make that happen is to bring certainty.
Throughout the month of August Senator Grassley has been traveling around Iowa holding similar forums. He said a year ago all people wanted to talk about was health care, now the majority of concerns are related to the budget deficit.
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Grassley, who has served in the Senate since 1981, is up for re-election this November. His opposition is Democrat Roxanne Conlin. (News report by Angela Drake, KLEM News)
Revenue source projections greater than budget
(LE MARS)–A revenue source for Plymouth County is being collected at a rate that’s working for budget.
County auditor Stacey Feldman reported to supervisors Tuesday on Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) revenue projections from the Iowa Department of Revenue.
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The county uses the income to repay money borrowed to build the Law Enforcement Center; for grants reviewed by the county’s Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) Advisory Board; and building projects such as the Courthouse Annex and Plymouth County Conservation Board ECO Center.
The board took a development agreement between the city of Le Mars, the Board of Supervisors and ICON Ag Solutions for a new John Deere dealership off the agenda. Supervisors’ chair Jim Henrich explained.
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Supervisors renewed an agreement for $100 a year to use South Dakota rural water system equipment for public safety communications.
Back to school: some construction in Le Mars
(LE MARS)–A city of Le Mars official says street maintenance and utility work for a future parish project are construction projects in school areas this fall.
City Administrator Scott Langel says one project is on Sixth Avenue Northeast.
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Langel expects that project to be underway next month. Langel says highway surface work is also planned.
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Classes at Gehlen Catholic and Le Mars Community begin Thursday.
Branstad wants to bring them home
PELLA, Iowa (AP) Republican gubernatorial candidate Terry Branstad wants to seek out Iowans who have left the state and convince them to return to work in targeted industries.
Iowa is among the states with the highest percentages of college graduates who move away after getting their degrees.
Speaking Tuesday at a news conference, Branstad called for changing that by forming teams of economic development professionals and business people who would tout the benefits of returning to Iowa.
A spokeswoman for Democratic Gov. Chet Culver responded that the state already reaches out to former Iowans and that Branstad’s plan was nothing new.
Hunting begins next month
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Iowa’s hunting season for rabbits and squirrels opens Sept. 4.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources expects cottontail rabbit numbers similar to last year, even though roadside surveys show rabbit populations have generally decreased across the state. Southern and eastern Iowa should offer the best rabbit numbers this fall.
Cottontail season remains open until Feb. 28, 2011. The daily bag limit is 10, the possession limit 20. Shooting hours are from sunrise to sunset.
The DNR does not survey the squirrel population, but statewide numbers are expected to be similar to slightly better than last year.
Squirrel season runs through Jan. 31, 2011. The daily bag limit is six fox squirrels and gray squirrels combined and the possession limit is 12. There is no restriction on shooting hours.
Man wanted in Iowa tire iron beating jailed
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) A Council Bluffs man suspected of killing another man with a tire iron is in jail.
Twenty-year-old Chad Fortner turned himself in to police Monday after an arrest warrant was issued.
Fortner is jailed on suspicion of first-degree murder, attempted murder and other charges.
The charges stem from an attack Saturday that resulted in the death of 28-year old Alejandro Sanchez, and severe injuries to Iyair Solis-Marin, both of Omaha, Neb.
Police say Sanchez and Solis-Marin drove to a home in Council Bluffs to see a woman who lived there.
The woman says when Sanchez allegedly assaulted her, two men and a woman drove up. One of the men later identified as Fortner allegedly struck Sanchez in the head with a tire iron before turning on Solis-Marin.
Trial under way in Obama student loan viewing case
Student records trial begins
DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) Trial is under way for an Iowa woman accused of illegally accessing President Barack Obama’s student loan records.
Sandra Teague of Iowa City was one of nine people indicted on charges of accessing Obama’s student loan records while they were employed at Vangent Inc. in Coralville.
Teague and the other former employees were accused of gaining access to a computer at the company’s office between July 2007 and March 2009 and viewing Obama’s records while he was either a candidate for president, president-elect or president.
Five of the former workers have pleaded guilty. Trials for other defendants are set for later this fall.
Jury selection began Tuesday. If convicted, Teague could face up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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