ICE CREAM DAYS
Day 2 of Ice Cream Days launches this afternoon in downtown Le Mars. The Brown’s “Born Country” Music Show is at 1-30 at the Browns Century Theater.
Ice Cream Days committee member Margaret Catton says a big draw tonight will be a family bike ride.
The bike ride starts at the Olson Events Center at 5:30. The Primebank ice cream social is from 6 to 8 p.m., There will be an outdoor movie at Total Motors at 8:30 p.m.
Former Iowa Legislator Ralph Klemme scooped the first serving of ice cream to start off Ice Cream Days. It was 30 years ago that the Iowa Legislature passed a resolution, introduced by Klemme, that declared Le Mars the Ice Cream Capitol of the World.
HPAI DETECTED IN SIOUX COUNTY DAIRY HERD
A second case of bird flu has been found in a dairy herd in Sioux County. It is the third case in northwest Iowa, following an initial outbreak confirmed in an O’Brien County dairy herd. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is strongly encouraging Iowa poultry producers and dairy farmers to bolster their biosecurity practices and protocols to protect their flocks and herds. Farmers or farm workers who interact regularly with both dairy and poultry or who interact frequently with other farm workers in poultry or dairy, should take extra precautions to limit possible transmissions.
SEN. GRASSLEY PREDICTS A NEW FARM BILL WON’T PASS (AGAIN) THIS YEAR
Blaming partisan politics and a packed legislative calendar, Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he’s no longer optimistic a Farm Bill will pass Congress this session.
The legislation is typically reviewed and renewed every five years, but it had to be extended last year into this fall, and Grassley fears another repeat is looming.
Grassley, a Republican, suggests the Farm Bill won’t pass this year because of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the Democrat who’s created the framework for this session.
Grassley says there needs to be “more farm in the Farm Bill,” noting that 85-percent of the U-S-D-A’s spending outline is for food stamps. He says farmers in Iowa and nationwide will have a difficult 2025 if Congress -again- fails to update the important legislation.
He says the Farm Bill being drafted by Senate Republicans includes a 15-percent increase in commodities supports, stronger crop insurance, a doubling of funds for foreign market assistance — or exports, along with a healthy boost in spending on ag research.
PREPARED FOOD SALES HELP CASEY’S
The Ankeny-based Casey’s convenience store chain reports decreased revenue but a 12 percent increase in net income for the fourth quarter compared to last year. Casey’s President Darren Rebelez says that’s due in part to continued growth in their prepared food sales. Prepared food sales have increased 14 percent in the last two fiscal years as they have added new items to the menu. He says they have avoided the large inflationary cost increases that restaurants have been having trouble with as most restaurant are franchised and don’t have as much ability to absorb the inflation increases. Rebelez says that’s why there have been higher menu prices for their restaurant competitors.
IOWA PART OF SETTLEMENT WITH JOHNSON & JOHNSON OVER DECEPTIVE MARKETING
Iowa is part of a 700 million dollar nationwide settlement with Johnson & Johnson over allegations of deceptive marketing practices related to the company’s talc-based baby powder and body powder products. The lawsuit targeted the deceptive marketing of the products, and the company has agreed to permanently stop the creation and sale of these talc-based products within the U-S. Iowa will receive more than nine million dollars from the settlement.
GRADUATE STUDENTS ASK REGENTS TO NOT RAISE FEES AND TUITION
The state Board of Regents will vote on an increase in tuition and mandatory fees undergrad and graduate students at their meeting today in Iowa City. Graduate students spoke out against their increases Wednesday during a public comment period. Amanda Kozar is a grad student in history, and says they can’t afford increases. She says between moving expenses, security deposits, university fees, the U-bill and the monthly payments, the current pay scheme is unsustainable for graduate students. Noah Neibor is also a history grad student and he called for the fees be abolished altogether. Nicole Yeager says other universities have recognized this and taken steps to help and keep graduate students.
