46TH ANNUAL IOWA PORK CONGRESS UNDERWAY IN CENTRAL IOWA
Thousands of pork producers and hundreds of vendors are in central Iowa this week for the 46th Annual Iowa Pork Congress. KLEM News Director Dennis Morrice is in attendance and reports.
Greg Horra – President-elect of the Iowa Pork Producers Association
Dave Stendor – Iowa State University Swine Specialist
Marv Van Den Top – NW Region Director for the Iowa Pork Producers Association
Iowa Pork Congress reports are brought to you by Gengler Feed Services of Remsen.
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TRAFFIC CAMERA BAN NARROWLY CLEARS HOUSE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE
A House committee has narrowly approved a bill that would ban traffic enforcement cameras. Representative Bobby Kaufmann (COUGH-man), a Republican from Wilton, is NOT a fan of the automated systems that issue tickets for speeding and running red lights.
The traffic camera ban cleared the House Local Government Committee on an 11-to-10 vote. Critics of the ban says it would be better to establish new state regulations for where the cameras may be placed and to require the fines be used for road improvements or law enforcement budgets.
Representative Art Staed (STAYED), a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, says traffic cameras are a good tool for police, if used properly.
A proposal that would continue to allow traffic enforcement cameras, but set up new state regulations for their operation cleared the Iowa Senate last year. That plan currently is eligible for debate in the House Transportation Committee.
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STILL TIME TO GET A COLLEGE SAVINGS IOWA TAX BREAK FOR 2017
If you didn’t get all the money put into your child’s College Savings Iowa plan you wanted to in the last year, you can still make donation and benefit on this year’s state tax return.
The College Savings Iowa contributions used to be cut off on December 31st, but State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald says that’s no longer the case.
Fitzgerald says you have several more weeks to make your contribution and still be able to deduct it on the 2017 tax return.
Fitzgerald says all College Savings Iowa account earnings are exempt from Iowa state income tax and Iowa taxpayers can deduct up to three-thousand-329 dollars ($3,239) in contributions per student account from their adjusted gross income for 2017.
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VANDAL DAMAGES FIELD OF DREAMS SITE IN EASTERN IOWA
DYERSVILLE, Iowa (AP) – A vandal has caused thousands of dollars in damage to the Field of Dreams by driving a vehicle onto the site made famous by the 1989 movie.
The Dubuque Telegraph Herald reports workers at the site outside Dyersville found the damage Tuesday morning and were still assessing the costs and needed repairs.
Owner Denise Stillman says a vehicle made deep gashes in the outfield and damaged a sprinkler system. The damage was especially severe because the ground was soft following warm weather and rain.
Stillman says repairs will continue through the summer but the field will remain open.
Janelle Tucker reports:
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PORTIONS OF NEBRASKA PARK PROJECT TO OPEN THIS SPRING
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Portions of a $35 million state parks and recreation areas project between Omaha and Lincoln are expected to open in the spring.
The Venture Parks project will offer zip lines, rock-climbing walls, an alpine slide, floating playgrounds and a splash pad. There will also be luxury camping cabins. The project will add to Mahoney and Platte River State Parks, as well as Louisville and Schramm Park State Recreation Areas.
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is leading the project. Jim Swenson is the commission’s parks director. He says the goal is to encourage more people to go outside by offering a place for adventure and education.
Eighty percent of the project’s funds were raised privately.
The remaining $7.3 million is acquired from park fee funds.
