Author
Manure leaks into creek from new ‘green’ facility
A new facility in northwest Iowa that was built to create environmentally friendly fuel from cow manure polluted a creek this week when it leaked an estimated 376,000 gallons of manure water, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The manure digester near Rock Valley is among three in Lyon and Sioux counties being […]
Bill would penalize landowners who sell property for public use
Proposed legislation that was advanced by an Iowa Senate subcommittee Thursday would limit the amount of money the state and its counties can pay for timber, pasture and cropland to use for public parks and other amenities. Opponents of Senate Study Bill 3134 said it would diminish the ability of county conservation boards and the […]
New coronavirus cases plunge as state scales back reporting
The number of new daily coronavirus infections in Iowa is precipitously declining, according to the final expected major update to the state’s COVID-19 tracking site. Tests have confirmed that an average of more than 1,600 Iowans have been infected per day in the past week. The rate is higher than most other points of the […]
Carroll superintendent: No litter boxes in schools
There are no litter boxes in the restrooms of the Carroll Community School District, its superintendent stressed, despite internet rumors that some schools are installing them for children who “identify” as cats. “Staff members are not encouraging or accommodating anyone behaving or identifying as a cat or any other animal,” Superintendent Casey Berlau said Tuesday […]
Committee clears path for final E15 vote
A proposed law that would require most fueling stations to sell gasoline blends that are 15% ethanol is ready for a potential final vote in the Iowa Senate. “This is about Iowa, this is about the people that live in Iowa, this is about supporting Iowans,” said Sen. Dan Zumbach, R-Ryan, chair of the Senate’s […]
USDA pledges $1B for ‘climate smart’ ag products
The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to spend up to $1 billion to foster the creation of climate-friendly agricultural and forestry products by offering grants to facilitate their production and the markets to sell them. The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or sequester carbon in those industries. “Agriculture is such an exciting but […]
DNR fines Conesville for wastewater mismanagement
The city of Conesville, with a population of about 350 in southeast Iowa, has repeatedly failed to properly monitor and manage its wastewater in the past seven years and will pay a fine of about $2,500 to the state, according to an agreement with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Conesville treats its wastewater with […]
Reynolds to end COVID-19 disaster proclamation
Iowa’s official disaster status for the coronavirus pandemic will end in less than two weeks, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Thursday. She first issued the public health disaster emergency proclamation in March 2020 — in the days after the State Hygienic Laboratory identified the virus in the state — and has extended it many times until […]
State continues to revise December COVID deaths upward
Iowans who were infected by the coronavirus died at rates of about 150 per week in late December, based on the latest information provided by state health officials. Death reports can be delayed for more than a month because they are relayed through a federal agency before the state tallies them on its COVID-19 website. […]
Iowa House overwhelmingly approves E15 requirement
New legislation that would require Iowa gas stations to sell a gasoline blend that contains 15% ethanol swept through the Iowa House of Representatives in one week and was approved Wednesday 82 to 10. “This bill has come a long way since its conception a year ago,” said Rep. Lee Hein, R-Monticello. “It means a […]
Lawmakers clash over climate in early farm bill talks
Congressional Democrats on Wednesday touted conservation programs for farmers and ranchers as key tools for limiting agriculture’s impact on the global climate as they took initial steps to create the next farm bill. One Republican’s response: So what? “We’ve talked primarily about climate change, and I gotta to be honest with you,” U.S. Rep. Rick […]
House bill advances to block school COVID vaccine requirements
Legislation that would prohibit Iowa schools and colleges from requiring students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 cleared its first hurdle Tuesday in the Iowa House of Representatives. An education subcommittee advanced House File 2040 after brief consideration. The bill moves next to the House Education Committee. “At the end of the day, this is about […]