Home News Thursday Afternoon News, October 14th

Thursday Afternoon News, October 14th

By
Klem Web Team
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AgriVision John Deere Dealerships Say They Prepared For The Strike

(Le Mars) — Union employees of Deere and Company, makers of John Deere farm and construction equipment voted to reject the latest contract offer and have decided to go on strike.  With the workers now on strike, what will be the impact of local John Deere dealerships, and farmers needing parts?  Curt Christoffel is the store manager for the Le Mars Agri-Vision farm equipment dealership.  Christoffel says John Deere officials  had an idea a worker’s strike may occur, and they got prepared by manufacturing additional parts, and dealers have stocked up on their inventory of parts.

Christoffel says because of COVID-19 virus, there have been previous challenges with suppliers getting the needed equipment.

The John Deere dealer says farmers should not encounter any problems with harvest equipment as most of those pieces are already at the various dealerships. He doesn’t anticipate this strike to last as long as the previous strike.

Christoffel says if they need to obtain a specific part, it may be the dealership will remove that part from a machine that is already sitting in an inventory lot.  In terms of new equipment orders, Christoffel says John Deere will manufacture the sold equipment first, and produce stock equipment second.

The AgriVision official doesn’t see costs will increase much due to the strike.  AgriVision has 16 locations throughout southern and western Iowa with northwest Iowa locations at Onawa, Lawton, Sioux Center, Paullina, and Le Mars.

 

 

 

John Deere Workers Go On Strike After Failing to Reach Agreement

(Moline, IL)  —  Workers at the John Deere plants in Iowa are on strike after leaders failed to reach agreement with the company by midnight (Thursday 12 a-m).  U-A-W workers rejected a proposed contract agreement Sunday.  Pickets are planned outside the plants in Ankeny, Ottuwma, Dubuque, Davenport and Waterloo.  U-A-W’s Chuck Browning said in a statement, “Our members at John Deere strive for the ability to earn a decent living, retire with dignity and establish work rules. we stay committed until our members’ goals are achieved.”  John Deere vice president of labor relations Brad Morris issued a statement saying, “We will keep working day and night to understand our employees’ priorities and resolve this strike, while also keeping our operations running for the benefit of all those we serve.”  The last John Deere strike in 1986 lasted more than 160 days.

 

 

 

Family of Slain State Trooper Smith Receives Purple Heart Award

(Fort Dodge, IA)  —  The Iowa State Police Association is honoring the sacrifice of fallen State Patrol Sergeant Jim Smith.  His wife Kathleen and their children were given the Purple Heart Award at its annual meeting in Fort Dodge Tuesday night.   Smith was shot and killed by a suspect during an April standoff in Grundy Center.  The Iowa State Police Association presents the award to any sworn Iowa peace officer who has been seriously, critically, or fatally injured in the performance of law enforcement duty.  The suspect pleaded not guilty to the first-degree murder of Smith.

 

 

 

Lake Park Murder Suspects Want Separate Trials

(Spirit Lake, IA)  —  The two suspects charged in the December 2020 death of a Lake Park woman want their cases tried separately.  Attorneys for 26-year-old Allison Decker and 24-year-old Justice Bernston filed the motions in Dickinson County.  Decker and Bernston have pleaded not guilty to the first-degree murder of 25-year-old Angel Bastman and second-degree theft charges.  The two suspects remain jailed in northwest Iowa.

 

 

 

Iowa Athletics Department Warning Football Fans About Counterfeit Tickets

(Iowa City, IA)  —  The University of Iowa is warning Hawkeye football fans to watch out for fake tickets.  Saturday’s homecoming game against Purdue is sold out.  Assistant Athletic Director Steve Roe says about 50 people tried to use counterfeit tickets at Kinnick Stadium for last weekend’s game against Penn State.  Demand for Hawkeye tickets is expected to increase as they remain undefeated.  Stubhub is the official secondary market for Iowa football tickets.

 

 

 

Public Influenza Clinics Announced

(Le Mars, IA)  Floyd Valley Healthcare will be offering public influenza (flu) and COVID vaccination clinics on Thursday October 21st and Tuesday October 26th from 5pm-7pm.  The clinic will be located inside the north Conference Center entrance. Please bring your driver’s license/form of ID and your insurance card(s).

 We will be offering the following flu vaccines:

  • Flulaval
    Quadrivalent vaccine for ages 6 months and up
  • Flublok
    Quadivalent vaccine for ages 18 and older
  • Fluzone HD
    Quadrivalent vaccine for ages 65 and older

We will also be offering COVID vaccinations including:

  • Moderna

o   Vaccine recommended for ages 18 and older

o   2 dose series, 28 days apart

       Pfizer*

o   Vaccine recommended for ages 12 and older

o   2 dose series, 21 days apart

o   Booster shot

  • Moderate to severely immunocompromised individuals 28 days after 2nddose
  • All other individuals 6 months after 2nddose

*if you are needing a 2nd dose or Pfizer booster dose, please bring your white vaccine card with you

 Due to our new computer system, we are asking that patients call to their providers directly to schedule for the flu clinics. Walk-ins are also welcome, but may experience wait times. To expedite the process, please print and fill out the vaccination forms and bring them to the appointment and have your ID and insurance card(s) available. Forms can be found at FloydValley.org under news.

 

 

 

Feenstra Joins Congressional Delegation Mission to Panama, Colombia, Meets with Leaders on Border and National Security

The mission also focused on ways to combat drug trafficking and supply chain disruptions facing Americans.

WASHINGTON — Rep. Randy Feenstra (IA-04) joined U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a combat veteran and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, on a congressional delegation mission to Panama and Colombia over the past several days to meet with senior leaders in the countries to discuss challenges and opportunities in the region — particularly related to the United States’ southern border and other national security challenges. Feenstra and Ernst were joined by Rep. Lisa McClain (MI-10).

“Maintaining a strong trade partnership with our allies in Central and South America is critical to preserving a resilient supply chain — especially at a time when disruptions are threatening a comprehensive global economic recovery. Enforcing national and border security laws that keep our products and people safe is essential to ensuring our supply chain continues running strong. That’s why I appreciated the opportunity to hear from key leaders in the region to learn more about the issues they are facing and how we can work together moving forward. It was an honor to join my colleagues Sen. Ernst and Rep. McClain on this mission, and I look forward to taking what I learned to my colleagues in Washington,” said Rep. Feenstra.

“As a former military commander and the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, I know how vitally important it is for the United States to maintain strong relationships with our allies and partners in Central and South America. Between the ongoing crisis at our southern border, which has exacerbated the drug trafficking challenges Iowa faces; the threat posed by a growing Chinese influence in the region; and, the economic partnership and cooperation, particularly regarding supply chain disruptions, this was a critical mission at this time,” said Senator Ernst. “I was glad to be joined by my fellow Iowan, Rep. Randy Feenstra, and our colleague Rep. McClain, on this mission as we work together in Congress and with our partners in Panama and Colombia to combat the challenges our countries face.”

“The United States has important strategic partnerships with both Panama and Colombia. From strong partnerships in trade, to eradicating the production of illegal drugs and stemming the flow of illegal immigration, our relationships with Latin America are key to the safety and security of our nation.  It was great to see the benefits of these partnerships firsthand and meet with Latin American leaders during our trip this week,” said Rep. McClain.

Panama

In Panama, Ernst, Feenstra, and McClain received an overview of U.S.-Panama relations and discussed Chinese influence in Panama, including maritime security and infrastructure investments. They also met with members of the National Assembly, as well as Foreign Minister Erika Mouynes and Director of Migration Samira Gozaine.

Ernst, Feenstra, and McClain depart for an overflight of the Panama Canal.
In addition, the delegation joined Panama’s Vice Minister of Public Security Ivor Pitti for an overflight of the Panama Canal, where they discussed economic impacts of the canal and Chinese attempts to purchase portions of the operation.

Colombia

In Colombia, Ernst, Feenstra, and McClain met with the Colombian President, Members of the Colombian Congress, U.S. Ambassador to Colombia Philip Goldberg, and other embassy and Department of Defense officials.

The members held a roundtable with Colombian Migration Agency Director Juan Francisco Espinosa on the challenges presented by the over 9,000 migrants stranded in the country amid a surge of people passing through on their way to the U.S. southern border.

Ernst, Feenstra, and McClain with Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs Marta Lucía Ramírez.
VP Meeting.jpg
Following the roundtable, the members met with President of Colombia, Iván Duque, and his Ministers, including Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs Marta Lucía Ramírez.

The delegation also flew to a coca field and discussed U.S.-Colombian efforts to combat drug trafficking through eradication and efforts supporting economic development of rural Colombia, aiding transition away from a drug economy controlled by cartels into a rules-based model of economic development.

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