(Radio Iowa) – The confirmation of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a commercial turkey flock in Buena Vista County has increased the anxiety among poultry producers. Morgan Minnehan is a spokesperson for the Iowa Turkey Federation. “It worries us it hurts our stomachs, you know our farmers provide good care for these birds and have the emotional connection with them,” Minnehan says.  They remember the devastating bird flu outbreak in 2015 that led to the death of thousands of birds at a cost of one BILLION dollars. Minnehan says prevention measures have stepped up since that outbreak.

“We’re always doing those biosecurity efforts. When we have disease confirmation it’s just a heightened double-checking everything, making sure those biosecurity plans are being implemented times ten. What we learned from 2015 is the faster we get those birds euthanized the less animal suffering we have and the less chances for spreading the disease,” according to Minnehan. Migrating waterfowl bring the bird flu into the state and she says producers keep an eye on a migration tracking program. “It just kind of shows roughly how many birds are in migration during that time and those migration patterns, she explains. “So, always monitoring those and making sure that the line of separation is there on their farms to not bring disease into their barns if it is located outside.”

Minnehan says everyone can help prevent the spread of the bird flu by being aware of what to do. “If you come from a site where there are poultry — or you have a backyard flock yourself — just get familiar with those resources. Get your biosecurity plan implemented and just monitor where you can to just mitigate the spread and help all poultry producers in the state of Iowa,” she says. Minnehan says Iowa ranks seventh in turkey production and fifth in processing nationwide — as a majority of the turkeys are used for lunch meat and other turkey products. She reminds everyone that the bird flu doesn’t impact humans.

“High path A-I doesn’t put a health risk in anything that goes into the meat counter or into those deli meats and other processed items. It is safe for consumers to eat,” Minnehan says. “Our farmers on a regular basis — whether a High Path outbreak or not — are always testing and doing blood samples to ensure that a safe product will be in the stores.” Minnehan says turkey producers are limiting access to farms, washing truck tires, and doing intense cleaning and sanitization of equipment and work boots to try and prevent the spread of the disease.

(Radio Iowa) – As gas prices surge, the Republican governors of Maryland, Virginia and Florida are supporting gas tax holidays. The State of Iowa’s gas tax is around 30 cents a gallon. House Speaker Pat Grassley, a Republican, says it’s unlikely the Iowa legislature would vote to temporarily suspend the STATE gas tax.

“The situation we see with the rising gas prices has nothing to do with any decision the legislature has or has not made,” Grassley says. Grassley says a temporary hiatus for the state gas tax would delay financing for projects to improve Iowa roads and bridges.  “I think to really attack the situation and the issue that we see with gas prices, the federal government’s going to have to take some level of action,” Grassley says.

The federal gas tax is 18-point-three cents per gallon and six Democratic governors are calling on congress to suspend it until the end of the year. In January, Florida’s Republican governor proposed suspending HIS state’s 25-cents-a-gallon gas tax for a full five months — using federal pandemic relief money to plug the hole in the state budget. The Florida legislature has just proposed a one-month suspension — in October, when fewer tourists are visiting Florida.

(Radio Iowa) – Republicans say a new report on state tax revenues aligns with their plans for state finances. Democrats say the report shows the state won’t be able to meet its financial obligations. The pace of state tax collections has surged this year, but once recently-approved tax cuts take effect July 1st, a state panel predicts total state tax revenue will decline by about two-tenths of a percent. The following year, the drop is estimated to be in the range of two-and-a-half percent.

That would be the first time in 12 years that state tax collections have declined. Democrats like Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls say it shows the G-O-P’s tax policy will likely result in future state budget cuts for public schools, law enforcement agencies and Iowa’s health care system.

In January, Republican Governor Kim Reynolds said the state would have less to spend after the tax cuts kick in — and she’d prefer Iowans spend their money in businesses rather than on bureaucracies.

(Radio Iowa) – Regional air carrier SkyWest Airlines has announced they are planning to pull their commercial service out of three Iowa airports. SkyWest has provided the U.S. Department of Transportation with a 90-day notice of intent to discontinue service to 29 communities served by the Essential Air Service program, including the airports in Mason City, Fort Dodge, and Sioux City.

SkyWest in their notice cites the ongoing pilot staffing shortages as the reason for ending service. SkyWest last month announced they planned to reduce the number of weekly flights from Mason City to Chicago and from Fort Dodge to Chicago from 12 to 10 because of staffing issues.

SkyWest plane in Mason City. (KRIB file photo)

SkyWest had recently suspended one of its three daily flights from Sioux Gateway Airport to Denver, and Sioux City officials last month announced they were extending their service agreement with the air carrier.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — March 10, 2022 – To begin the next phase of interstate reconstruction in Council Bluffs, southbound Interstate 29 at 9th Avenue is expected to be closed to traffic on Tuesday, March 15, weather permitting. Several closures and detours will be in place to prepare for this traffic shift.

Expected Nighttime Closures – Sunday, March 13:

The 9th Avenue ramp to southbound I-29 will be closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. to allow workers to restripe pavement.

Expected nighttime closures – Monday, March 14:

Southbound I-29 will close between 16th Street and 9th Avenue from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. to allow workers to set up the new traffic configuration. The 25th Street, Avenue G, eastbound I-480, and 9th Avenue ramps will also be closed.

Beginning Tuesday morning, March 15, southbound I-29 will be closed at 9th Avenue. This closure will be in place for approximately 8 months (late 2022), when all southbound traffic will be shifted to the Southbound Frontage Road. Traffic not destined for Council Bluffs should use detour routes. Local traffic will be detoured at 9th Avenue through the intersection.

Iowa DOT encourages motorists to follow signs and use caution while becoming accustomed to new traffic patterns. Interstate traffic will be slowed to 35 mph near the I-480 interchange. Traffic on the Southbound Frontage Road will need to yield to interstate traffic on the southbound I-29 to 9th Avenue ramp.

Iowa DOT is in the process of reconstructing I-80, I-29, and I-480 in the Council Bluffs metropolitan area as part of the Council Bluffs Interstate Improvement Program. This comprehensive interstate redesign will modernize the highway system and improve mobility and safety of approximately 18 miles of interstate.

The Cass County Auditor’s Office reports two candidates for County Office filed their respective nomination papers, today (Thursday). The candidates include:

• Mark O’Brien-Republican-Cass County Board of Supervisors, District #2 (incumbent)
• Non-Partisan (General Election only):
  • Travis Erickson-Edna Township Clerk.

Earlier this week, Cass County Supervisor John Hartkopf announced his intention to run for re-election on the Board of Supervisors for District 3, and Republican Cass County Recorder Mary Ward filed her papers to run.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on Wednesday of 45-year-old Jason Richard Berendes of Red Oak. He was arrested at approximately 1:17 p.m. during a traffic stop. Berendes was arrested on a warrant our of Union County for Failure to Appear to Serve Sentence. Berendes was taken and booked in to the Adams County Jail.

(Radio Iowa) – A state panel is predicting tax payments being made to the State of Iowa will grow slightly more than they’d predicted three months ago. The Revenue Estimating Conference cites the continuing increase in sales tax payments to the state, an indication of consumer confidence.

“The State of Iowa continues to be on very solid financial footing.” said Kraig Paulsen, the governor’s top budget advisor who is also director for the Iowa Department of Revenue,” and I see no reason to expect that to change for the foreseeable future.”

Paulsen and the other two members of the Revenue Estimating Conference now predict total tax collections for the current state fiscal year will be 4.2% higher than the previous year. David Underwood, a CPA from Clear Lake, said there’s been two years of wage growth, but that seems to be leveling off in Iowa — and the war in Ukraine has injected uncertainty in the economy. “I would suggest we not be too optimistic, given the current circumstances,” Underwood said.

Holly Lyons, director of the fiscal services division in the Legislative Services Agency, expressed a similar opinion. “As long as employment numbers continue to improve, tax revenue growth should remain positive,” Lyons said. “The headwinds facing the economy I mentioned at the December meeting still exist, it just seems a little more turbulent now.”

State tax collections over the past eight months are running 7,8% ahead of the same period in the previous fiscal year. The panel expects that pace to decline over the next few months, but remain in positive territory. Republican lawmakers and Governor Reynolds say the group’s analysis shows there’s room for the tax cuts they approved last week.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowans who want to donate to Ukrainian relief efforts need to make sure those donations are actually going to help people in need and not to a crook. A-A-R-P-Iowa state director Brad Anderson says when it comes to fraud, vigilance is our number-one weapon. First, Anderson says to be wary of how you’re being asked to donate.

“They will urge you to pay through a payment app, an online app, or even gift cards. That’s an immediate red flag,” Anderson says. “Anytime that you’re seeing an outside organization pressure you into contributing, that’s also a red flag.” Sending cash or a personal check in the mail is a potentially risky venture, but Anderson says using plastic can be iffy, too, so choose your payment option wisely.

“Use a credit card as opposed to a debit card,” Anderson says, “because if you do use a credit card and the organization or the person you’re trying to pay is identified as fraudulent, then you’ll get that money back, but if you use a debit card, that’s connected directly to your bank account and you won’t be able to get that money back.” Some charities might spend more money paying their executives than on the cause they claim to support. Anderson suggests plugging the charity’s name into one of two websites: Give-dot-org or Charity-Watch-dot-org.

“The websites that we’ve identified do allow contributors to know exactly where that money is going and insure that the money is going to the people who need it,” Anderson says, “and not towards exorbitant administrative costs or potentially other causes that aren’t the ones that they’re trying to support.” Bogus charities often use names similar to existing charities to legitimize themselves, so double-check before you double-click.