Iowa’s Cattle And Beef Production Enhances State’s Economy
(Ames) — May is recognized as Beef Month a time when people’s attention turns to cooking their meals outside on a grill, often times choosing beef as their preferred entree. Rex Hoppes serves as the Executive Director with the Iowa Beef Industry Council. He says the cattle industry, and the beef products derived from those cattle, play a significant role with the state’s
economy.
Hoppes says Iowa beef is not only nutritious, but tasty since much of the state’s beef is corn-fed.
The Iowa Beef Industry official continues to tell of beef’s nutritional value.
Hoppes says it is because of the great taste and nutritional value that beef exports have risen during the last few years.
Hoppes says other countries help add value to Iowa beef by demanding what we would consider to be low-market value beef products.
A couple of weeks back, the Iowa Beef Industry Council along with the Iowa Cattlemen Association named a northeastern Iowa restaurant has having the title of “Best Iowa Burger”. Hoppes says the contest is a fun way to call attention to the state’s beef industry, while praising restaurants who choose to serve high quality ground beef for their menu.
Iowa ranks fourth in the nation for cattle and beef production.
Diamond Vogel Starting Next Phase of $24 Million Expansion in Orange City
(Orange City, IA) — A northwest Iowa business that makes paint under the brand names Diamond Vogel, Old Master, and Vogel Industrial Coatings will start the next phase of a 24-million dollar expansion this summer. In 2018, state officials awarded Diamond Vogel tax incentives worth two-point-four million dollars for the expansion of its Orange City campus. The latest
phase of the project involves the construction of an “innovation center” for the company’s research and development laboratories and new office space.
Diamond Vogel’s powder-coating facility in Orange City has been expanded to accommodate a larger workforce. The company’s maintenance facility was upgraded last year as well. Diamond Vogel is a family-owned business that was founded in 1926.
Driver Killed After Hit By Suspect Vehicle in Des Moines High-Speed Chase
(Des Moines, IA) — A driver is dead after getting caught up in a high-speed police chase in central Iowa. Des Moines police pulled a van over about 6:45 p.m. Thursday for expired license plates and discovered the woman at the wheel had active warrants for failure to appear in court on theft and marijuana charges. Officers say 35-year-old Ashley Hennings of Des Moines
sped away from the traffic stop, leading police on a chase that went about a mile. That’s where Hennings’ van hit a car broadside, killing the car’s driver while Hennings fled on foot. She was captured minutes later. The name of the 53-year-old man who was killed is being withheld. Hennings faces a long list of charges, including reckless driving causing death.
Anamosa Prison Officer Running Across Iowa in Honor of Fallen CoWorkers
(Anamosa, IA) — A correctional officer from the Anamosa state prison is planning to run across Iowa next month. Ryan Miller says he’ll start in Sioux City on June 4th and follow Highway 20 all the way to Dubuque. It should take eight days to run the 380 miles. Miller will be raising money along the way for the family of Robert McFarland, who was also a correctional officer at Anamosa, one of two prison workers killed during a March escape attempt. He said McFarland trained him when he first started at Anamosa and he deeply cared about his co-workers and the inmates.
Cost of Chlorine Tablets For Pools and Hot Tubs Spiking This Summer
(Grinnell, IA) — Iowans with a private pool or hot tub who have leftover chlorine disinfectant from last year are lucky. An explosion last fall at a plant in Louisiana destroyed one-point-five-million pounds of chlorine and Iowa Parks and Recreation Association C-E-O Steven Jordison says that has caused the price of chlorine tablets to spike this year. Jordison said, “I
think that the realization is that because pools are now opening up for the spring, summer, and fall season, reality has now set in from the incident that happened last fall.” There are other factors driving up demand for chlorine tablets. Jordison says an estimated 300 swimming pools impacted by the February storm that struck Texas are being replaced, repaired, and refilled, plus the number of backyard pools rose dramatically due to the
pandemic.
