The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Jim Field.
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The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Jim Field.
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The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:05-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.
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(Iowa News Service) DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa hasn’t seen as much economic pain as some other states during the pandemic, but many residents and small businesses are still struggling.
Supporters of expanding the state’s solar tax credit say it could help with any recovery from the crisis. The reimbursement budget for Iowa’s credit is capped at $5 million annually, and with many homeowners and businesses investing in solar panels, there’s a waiting list to get return dollars from the state.
Aerial shot top view of solar panel photovoltaic farm
Cody Smith, policy associate at the Center for Rural Affairs, said that’s why the Legislature should consider modifications. He noted immediately paying those on the waiting list, while increasing the cap, would help a lot of Iowans hurting right now. “Now that we have this economic problem caused by the coronavirus pandemic, this solar tax credit could help put money back into the pockets of people who own those small businesses on main street, and people who have already invested in renewable solar energy,” Smith contended. Smith asserted Iowa should also decouple from the federal incentive, given the ongoing uncertainty surrounding that plan.
Rep. John Forbes, D-Urbandale, said he’ll advocate for an expansion in the next session. But he warns its future could depend on the upcoming budget forecast, and whether small businesses see more declines from the crisis. He also wondered whether Republican leaders will consider the idea. Certain sectors of Iowa’s economy, such as manufacturing, have held steady, but Forbes said smaller consumer-driven businesses like restaurants are still seeing pain.
Dwight Dial, a farmer from Lake City, said trying to get by in this environment is tough. He installed a solar array in 2018, and he said the benefits from that investment are helping. “My purpose of sustainability is that I am able to farm next year, that I can financially keep going,” Dial emphasized. “And the solar unit has made it feasible.” Dial said his operation’s energy costs have gone down considerably in a roller-coaster year for Iowa farmers. But he’s still waiting on state reimbursement for his solar purchase, and he said getting that would help pay off the initial investment, bringing more stability.
Those calling for changes say increasing the cap to $10 million not only helps those on the list, it would encourage others to take advantage, creating more demand for the solar industry.
WANTED: a used Nu Step exercise machine. Call 712-769-2426 or 605-751-3135.
FREE: An old picture album with lots of the Hearst family photos in it. If anyone knows the family they might like to have. 712-243-4914
FOR SALE: Small square bales of alfalfa hay (3rd cutting) for $7/bale. Also, large square bales of alfalfa hay (3rd cutting) for $100/bale. Located at Adair, call 515-231-3158.
WANTED: a simple barbell and weight set. Call 712-249-0282.
FOR SALE: Pair of heavy duty jack stands – 2 ton capacity. $30 for the pair. Call 712-243-4914.
FOR SALE: a brand new pair of blue jeans, 34″ waist, 28″ inseam, washed once but never worn. Asking $10. Call 712-340-3557.
FOR SALE: A 22″ GPX TV, $25. Also have a 19″ Element TV, only about 2 to 2 1/2 years old, used very little, $25. Call 712 249-2644.
FOR SALE: Port-o-metal brake $900. Professional quality and excellent condition. Call 712-249-2280.
FOR SALE: John Deere welder, $75.00 obo. Call (712) 304-2820 leave message.
FOR SALE: Yellow steel locker with two lockers on each side with a pitched top, $50.00 obo. (712)304-2820 leave message.
FOR SALE: Schwinn OCC chopper bike..Great wall art for man cave, $100.00 obo. Yellow table, $40.00 obo. (712)304-2819.
FOR SALE: 1995 Oldsmobile Royale, bought new, one owner, 3800 V6, 108,000 miles, runs great. $2750. (712)304-2819. SOLD!
FOR SALE: John Deere 10 speed bike. Great wall hanger for man cave or shop, $100 obo. (712)304-2819.
FOR SALE: Tour Plus tire mounted on steel wheel. Size: 215/60R16. Price: $25.00. Phone: 712-249-7187. SOLD!
FOR SALE: Beer,wine,jack Daniel’s new shakers, shot glasses , drinking glasses, make offer all or each lot pick up Atlantic 402 987 7127. Also, Light up.blocks bottles made(BUY.4 GET 5TH FREE EQUAL.VALUE) TEAMS QUOTES CHARACTERS..ETC, BLOCKS $25, CLEAR LIGHTS SMALL. SQUARE OR OBLONG BLK ADD.COLORED LIGHTS +$5. $25-45. BOTTLES $25 CLEAR LIGHTS , $30 COLORED. Also, Wood decor made $20-50.
FOR SALE: 1 – mini chopper Briggs & Stratton 7.0 engine, $2000. 2-guitar lot less then few months old, not used hardly, $100 /$>80 NOW. 3- metal wall cabin new metal sign decor Beach paid $80 asking $40. Kelly 402 987 7127. Pick up Atlantic, Omaha, Marne or Lewis. Somewhat negotiable prices.
(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Insurance Division recently reported more than one-point-six billion dollars was paid out for claims of damage from the August 10th derecho, which includes more than 70-million dollars just for crop damage. Iowa Corn Growers Association president Carl Jardon says his property near Randolph in far southwest Iowa fared well during the powerful storm, but many hundreds of others were severely impacted. “I was far enough south, I did not get the storm damage but I sure feel bad for our friends and relatives that had to go through that, combining young corn and junk out in the middle of their fields,” Jardon says, “just a terrible situation.”
The derecho, he says, is a clear example of how critical it is for producers to have risk management and a solid crop insurance program. “It really showed through this year,” Jardon says. “That was one of our policy priorities, to protect crop insurance. So, yeah, that really came through this year.” He notes multiple other types of insurance became very important given the derecho’s devastation. “Not only the crop insurance but have insurance on your buildings and your facilities, so yeah, it all comes through this year,” he says.
While more than 200-thousand insurance claims were filed on derecho-related damage, Iowa Insurance Division officials say they got fewer than 100 complaints.
(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s largest manufacturing employer is integrating fifth-generation technology — or 5-G — broadband cellular networks into many of its facilities. Quad Cities-based John Deere won an auction from the Federal Communications Commission last week to implement 5-G in its production lines. Craig Sutton, who’s runs Deere’s manufacturing innovation, says 5-G will allow the company to expand past previous limitations. “That is kind of the future of manufacturing. We’re very excited about it,” Sutton says. “We want to change the mindset that manufacturing’s the old, dirty smokestacks and the dingy areas. It’s a really cool environment.”
Sutton says automation won’t take workers’ jobs, but it will make them easier. “We can make quicker and better decisions,” he says. “We can move people to the right positions. We can predict machine failures. We can stay in front of any machine that might be having a performance issue. We actually see things like automation as a way to augment work, and then let the people, the highly-skilled people, do the work that they’re skilled at doing.”
Deere is laying the groundwork to switch to 5G next year with a complete rollout expected within 12-14 months. The tech will be implemented at Deere facilities in four Iowa counties — Black Hawk, Dubuque, Polk and Scott — as well as Rock Island County, Illinois.
(Updated 10-a.m.) Iowa’s Coronavirus dashboard today (Monday), shows 13 additional deaths have been attributed to COVID-19 since Sunday’s 10-a.m. report, for a total of 2,205. The number of deaths attributed to a pre-existing condition statewide are 1,310, while deaths at Long-Term Care facilities amount to 1,004, 1 more than on Sunday. There is one more death to report in Pottawattamie County, for a total of 66.
Officials say there have been 1,661 new confirmed, Positive cases of the virus reported since yesterday, for a total since the pandemic began, of 211,722. Cass County has one new, Positive cases of COVID, for a total of 734. There are two less Long-Term Care facility (LTC) outbreaks, for a total of 119. Those care facilities report 4,413 positive cases and 1,887 recovered. Cass County’s three LTC facilities have a total of 201 confirmed positive cases and 104 recovered.
For the fifth day in a row, Iowa has fewer patients hospitalized with COVID-19. There are currently 1,333 patients hospitalized with the virus, down from 1,340 a day earlier. There are 273 patients in intensive care, up from 255 the previous day. There were 135 patients admitted in the last 24 hours, down from 186 a day earlier. There are also 135 on a ventilator. In western/southwestern Iowa: there are 65 COVID patients in the hospital; 22 are in an ICU; 5 people were admitted to a hospital, and five people are on a ventilator.
Hospital analysis shows 964 of Iowa’s virus patients were hospitalized with a primary COVID-19 diagnosis, while 369 were hospitalized for another reason but tested positive. State data shows 80% of those hospitalized with the virus are age 60 or older. The state’s data shows that 1,167,512 Iowans have been tested for coronavirus. Test results received yesterday amounted to 6,870, with 5,358 coming back Negative and 1,468 Positive. Iowa’s 14-day positivity rate is 20.7%, and the Individual Positivity rate is 18.1%. Data from Johns Hopkins University shows Iowa’s seven-day rolling average of the positivity rate was 44.7% on Nov. 22, ranking third-highest third in the nation behind Wyoming and South Dakota.
The IDPH says 116,807 Iowans have recovered from the virus. In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases in each county, along with the 24-hour change in case numbers {+#}; the number of persons recovered, and the total number of [deaths] (if any), since the pandemic began,
(Radio Iowa) – Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says Iowans may spend more online this holiday season, but in-store sales are likely to be down. His Rural Mainstreet Index indicates the combination means retail activity in the 2020 holiday period will drop. “According to our survey of bank CEOs in rural areas of 10 states, including Iowa, they’re expecting holiday sales compared to 2019 to be down about 3.1%. Of course, that’s in-store sales,” Goss says. “The online sales are going to be up as much as 30%.” On-line activity for the holiday sales period is well underway, according to Goss.
“Retailers this year have been particularly aggressive in starting early because they understand the stress that consumers are under this year,” Goss says. Goss says consumers, in general, have more money to spend this year compared to last — because of the pandemic. “The savings rate went from 2-3% for the consumer to about 28%, so there is some money out there,” Goss says, “particularly when consumers have cut back in other areas.”
But Goss says his survey and others indicate consumers are pessimistic and that dampens purchasing. Each month, Goss surveys bankers in 10 states in the Great Plains and Mountain West. The overall index for the Rural Mainstreet Survey’s overall index fell in November from October — the first month-to-month decline since April.
A collision between two pickup trucks Sunday, in Creston, resulted in one person being transported to the hospital. Creston Police report a 2014 Dodge RAM pickup driven by 35-year old Julie Sandeman, of Creston, was stopped at the intersection of Sumner Avenue and Adams Street, waiting to turn left. A 2016 GMC pickup driven by 26-year old Ryan Sandoval, of Hastings, NE., came up behind Dodge. When Sandolval attempted to go around the Sandeman pickup, he misjudged the distance and did not swing out far enough. His pickup hit the other pickup in the right rear, causing a total of $9,000 damage. The accident happened at around 9:50-a.m.
Sandeman – who wore her seat belt – was transported by EMS ground ambulance to the Greater Regional Medical Center, in Creston, after complaining of pain and possible injury. Sandoval was not hurt. No citations were issued.
Red Oak Police, late Sunday night, arrested a man on an assault charge. 28-year-old Nathan Allen Aldrich, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 11:40-p.m., for Domestic Abuse Assault/2nd offense. Aldrich was being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail.
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