(Iowa News Service) – Farmers in Iowa fear that proposed cuts in SNAP benefit funding could limit the market for their products. The Trump administration says it is cutting federal spending across all budget sectors. The Food Bank of Iowa says nearly 11% of Iowans, including almost 111,000 children, don’t know where their next meal is coming from.

Iowa Farmers Union President Aaron Lehman said food insecurity is a problem, not just in urban areas but also in rural ones. “We know that this impacts our people directly,” said Lehman, “and also impacts our farms, who are growing the food that’s used in the SNAP program ” Lehman added that fewer SNAP dollars mean less money for recipients to buy the products raised by Iowa growers, which would trickle down to Iowa farmers.

He said the SNAP program helps farmers broaden their markets, which ag producers need now more than ever as they face their own set of economic challenges. “Because farmers are experiencing all sorts of market upsets due to trade tensions and tariffs,” said Lehman, “and we’re also selling into a monopolized marketplace, where just a few people buy what we sell.”

Lehman added that some Iowa farmers are already selling their crops below production costs, which would only worsen with fewer places to sell them, and reducing the number of buyers would further stiffen their economic challenges.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill to give the company that makes Roundup some liability protection from lawsuits that allege the weed killer causes cancer failed to pass the Iowa House again this year. Governor Kim Reynolds says it’s a common sense bill and she wishes she could sign it into law. A plant in Muscatine makes most of the Roundup used in North America.

“We make 70% of that in the state of Iowa,” Reynolds said. “We have about 500 employees at that plant making it and (glyphosate) has a significant impact on what we can grow.” Reynolds says federal officials have determined the weed killer is not a carcinogen.

“If they change the parameters on the labeling then that’s a different story,” Reynolds says. Monsanto developed Roundup and Bayer bought Monsanto in 2018. As of this month, Bayer has paid about 11 BILLION dollars to settle 100-thousand Roundup lawsuits. Roundup has been a federally registered pesticide since 1974 and it’s used today on 70 percent of Iowa soybean fields and 63 percent of corn fields in the state.

In 2020 the E-P-A reviewed the product and said there are no risks to human health if customers use Roundup according to the instructions on its label. Reynolds says the company shouldn’t be sued, then, for failing to warn customers there are health risks.

“My reasoning for supporting that bill is (EPA) has already signed off on it and therefore it shouldn’t be subject to the lawsuits that we’re seeing,” Reynold says. Reynolds made her comments during an appearance this past weekend on “Iowa Press” on Iowa P-B-S. The bill passed the Senate this year — as it did in 2023. Opponents of the bill say Iowans who believe they’ve been harmed from the use of Roundup should be able to court and make their case for damages.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City of Atlantic’s Community Protection Committee (CPC) is set to meet at 4:45-p.m. on Wednesday, May 28th. Their meeting takes place in the City Council’s Chambers at City Hall. On the Committee’s agenda are the following items the Atlantic City Council sent back to the Committee last week, for review and recommendation:

• Additional Days and Hours for the Fourth of July Fire Works Use Beyond the New Iowa Code Minimums.
• Additional Review and Recommendation on Speed Control Options at 29th and Palm Streets.
• Tabled Ordinance 1051 “Reduce the Speed Limit from 35 Miles Per Hour to 25 Miles Per Hour on Chestnut Street from 29th Street to the Southern City Limits.”
• Failed Ordinance 1053 “Reducing the Speed Limit on 29th Street from 35 Miles Per Hour to 25 Miles Per Hour From Chestnut Street to Palm Street.”
• Failed Ordinance 1054 “Reduction of the Speed Limit from 50 Miles Per Hour to 35 Miles Per Hour on 29th Street Between Palm Street and the 700 Block of West 29th Street.”
  

  The building that houses the Atlantic City Hall, City offices and Police Dept.

General Discussion on the Speed Control Options at 29th and Palm Streets. The CPC’s recommendations will be forwarded back to the Council for action during their next meeting on June 4th.

(Radio Iowa) – There are new rules for “crypto A-T-Ms” in Iowa that let people buy or sell digital currency. The governor has signed a bill into law that limits transaction amounts — so customers may transfer or accept no more than a thousand dollars worth of crypto in a single day. Crypto A-T-M fees may be no more than 15 percent of the transaction amount. And crypto A-T-M operators must provide a full refund if a customer reports they were scammed and can show there was fraud involved in the transaction.

Republican Representative Shannon Lundgren of Peosta says an investigation by Iowa’s attorney general found hundreds of Iowans who used crypto A-T-Ms lost 20 million dollars in the past three years. “I’m not saying that crypto currency is a bad thing. I’m not saying that our folks here in Iowa are causing these scams,” Lundgren said, “but what they certainly haven’t done…is regulate themselves.”

The law gives Iowa’s attorney general authority to levy hefty fines against crypto A-T-M operators who violate the law. The Iowa Sheriffs’ and Deputies’ Association, the Iowa Bankers Association and A-A-R-P are among the groups that lobbied for the bill. Senator Charlie McClintoch, a Republican from Alburnett, says federal data from last year shows that more than two-thirds of crypto scams involved the use of crypto A-T-Ms.

“The targeted group that they have is usually over age 60,” he said, “and you can see the importance of why we’re trying to avoid this.” The bill passed with the support of 122 members of the Iowa House and Senate, but 14 lawmakers did oppose the bill. Representative Ray “Bubba” Sorensen of Greenfield says the law won’t deter scammers. “Over regulation of crypto kiosks won’t stop the phishing scams. It will only further restrict access for law abiding citizens.

NASDAQ image

Restricting crypto currency transactions hinders financial freedom and prevents individuals from participating in a growing investment sector,” Sorenson said. “…Just as we wouldn’t ban stock trading because of market fraud, we shouldn’t restrict cryptocurrency access to due to scams that can be better addressed through law enforcement.”

Representative Keenan Judge, a Democrat from Waukee, says the law doesn’t outlaw crypto A-T-Ms. “It just puts some serious legislation into place,” Judge said, “and I think a big part of our job as legislators is to protect people from these type of scams.” The first crypto A-T-M was installed in a coffee shop in Canada in 2013.

Today, there are more than 30-thousand crypto A-T-Ms in the United States, located in convenience stores, bars, restaurants and grocery stores. Iowa’s new law requires detailed receipts for crypto A-T-M transactions and customers have to be warned in writing that they should never send money to someone they do not know.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Fundraising efforts that began in earnest a little more than 2 years ago, culminated today (Memorial Day), with the opening in Atlantic, of a new Splash Pad. Construction on the site began last summer. The Splash Pad covers about 5,000 square feet.  (Photos courtesy Atlantic SplashPad Committee Co-Chair Ali Pieken)

It features a unique kidney shape, showcasing a variety of interactive elements such as fountains, spray pads, dump buckets, water cannons, and a first-of-its-kind rabbit racer located next to the dump bucket. The facility includes several areas: a toddler bay with a button that activates the features for children ages three and under, a family bay in the center, and a section at one end featuring the large dump bucket.

(Radio Iowa) – The number of crashes and deaths in Iowa attributed to drivers being distracted by their smartphones continues to climb, and a study finds a simple, free feature that’s already on our phones could help to prevent many of those accidents.

Brian Ortner, spokesman for AAA Iowa, says the “Do Not Disturb” function can be activated in just seconds and it may hold the key to curbing risky behavior behind the wheel.

“Just look on your phone, in your settings,” Ortner says. “There should be that ‘Do Not Disturb’ feature and in some cases on some phones, you can set up a message that if somebody sends you a text, it says, ‘Hey, I’m driving, I’ll message you when I’m done.’ Same thing when somebody calls you.”

The AAA study found some drivers mistakenly think using the “Do Not Disturb” feature will limit access to music and navigation, which it won’t.

(AAA graphic)

“Before the study, half the participants didn’t know that there was a feature on their phone,” Ortner says, “85% reported not knowing how to use it, and 65% didn’t know it to be turned on automatically when driving was detected.”

Federal studies show distracted driving contributes to about nine-percent of all fatal crashes. In Iowa last year, the DOT says there were more than 2,500 crashes attributed to distracted drivers, including ten deaths and 54 serious injuries. The AAA study found even drivers who knew about the “Do Not Disturb” feature tended not to use it.

“The younger drivers, those 18 to 24 who are more prone to using their phone for a lot more than just conversations, they tend to be more knowledgeable about the ‘Do Not Disturb’ feature settings than older generations,” Ortner says, “but their confidence in the use of the phone suggests while driving they may not see it as a necessary feature.”

Last month, Governor Kim Reynolds signed the “Hands-Free” bill into law which makes it illegal to hold your phone while driving, though using “hands-free” or voice-activated mode is still allowed. The law takes effect in July. Law officers will only be able to issue warnings until January 1st, when $100 fines begin.

(Radio Iowa) – There’s a new program in Greenfield to support the emotional recovery of residents who are struggling after last year’s powerful tornado.

Greenfield Chamber of Commerce director Stacie Eshelman said the “mental toll” of surviving this kind of a disaster can sometimes be the hardest to overcome. “I think as Midwesterners or maybe Iowans we just tend to try to pick ourselves up and move on and this is a little bigger than a lot of us have ever had to deal with,” Eshelman said. “…Some people are just so grateful to be alive and you have people who are mad and angry and sad and devastated and there’s no real cookie cutter way to help people through this on the emotional side.”

Photo by Melissa Ehrman Johnson of Greenfield tornado damage. (File photo from May, 2024)

Under Greenfield’s new “Resilience, Insight, Support and Empowerment” or RISE program, Adair County residents impacted by last year’s tornado may be eligible for reimbursement of some out-of-pocket costs for mental health counseling. “People are just now maybe realizing that they need a little more help,” Eshelman said, “so we’re hoping they take advantage of that.”

The tornado that struck Greenfield on May 21 of last year killed four people, damaged or destroyed over 200 homes and leveled about 30 businesses in Greenfield. A fifth person driving north of Corning was killed. The tornado was on the ground for 44 miles.

(Radio Iowa) – Fifteen Civil War veterans now have gravestones in Des Moines thanks to a group that works on the forgotten histories of soldiers. Cemetery historian Mike Rowley held a dedication ceremony earlier this month at Glendale Cemetery in Des Moines to commemorate their service to the country.

“The gravestone is really just a marker and a way to remember an individual, and then kind of start their own search for the history of that individual. And it opens up endless stories,” he says.
Rowley says he’s carrying on his ancestors’ legacy as the son of a veteran himself.

His three-person team of researchers has marked around 400 gravestones in Iowa so far and he hopes it help inspire people currently in the military.  “We, as residents and citizens, value what they do, so that they won’t be forgotten even after 100 years. And hopefully it’s a bit of encouragement to those individuals as well,” Rowley says.

Rowley says he finds stories of great heroism and great tragedy through his research.

(Radio Iowa) – The leader of the Iowa National Guard, Major General Stephen Osborn, talked about the meaning of Memorial Day during a recent event at Camp Dodge.

“Memorial Day began as Decoration Day, honoring Union soldiers after the Civil War, and over time it became a National Day of Remembrance for all those who gave their lives in the service of our great country,” Osborn says. “It is a solemn day, but also a hopeful day. We honor the fallen, not only in silence, but with action. We honor them by living well, by leading well, and by never taking our freedom for granted.”

Osborn says everyone should take time to think about the sacrifices men and women in uniform have made. “I encourage each and every one of you to take some time and reflect. Not just on those who we have lost, but reflect on why they served,” he says. Osborn says it is okay to enjoy the holiday. “Fire up the grill, spend time with your family and friends,” he says, “but let us also remember.the freedoms that allow us to do these things, it’s our responsibility to carry that legacy forward,” Osborn says.

Maj. General Osborn. (RI file photo)

General Osborn made his comments during a recent event celebrating the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says she will meet with Iowans over the next several months and develop a property tax reform plan. In 2023, Reynolds signed a bill into that capped some property tax levies and created new property tax exemptions for veterans and Iowans over the age of 64 who own a home. Reynolds says it’s time to go farther. “I do need to focus on property taxes,” Reynolds said. “That is what we hear about all the time and I was hopeful that the legislature — they had kind of asked to take the lead on that this year, so we let them. I worked on other things.”

Reynolds has until June 14th to sign or veto the bills passed by the 2025 legislature, then she plans to spend the rest of the year working on property tax reform. “I am going to be out in the state and I am going to be talking to Iowans and stakeholders and laying out what it looks like,” Reynolds says. “I mean we have to think differently about how we deliver services to our citizens. We can’t continue to have the level of government that we have and expect the property taxes to go lower. It’s just not feasible. The math doesn’t work.”

Only eight other states have more counties than Iowa. And, according to the U-S Census Bureau, Iowa has more than 18-hundred local units of government, including cities, counties, school districts and townships. During a weekend appearance on Iowa P-B-S, Reynolds did not suggest mergers or consolidations, but she did say every option that would lower property taxes should be considered. “We have to figure out how that system, how we holistically look at the package moving forward and that just, you know, is disruptive…That means people will be a little uncomfortable, but we’ll have the conversation,” Reynolds said.

Governor Kim Reynolds is this weekend’s guest on “Iowa Press” on Iowa PBS. (Iowa PBS photo)

“…Forty percent of property taxes is education, so we have a school funding formula that is crazy. It’s so complicated.” One of the main elements of a property tax reform plan key Republican legislators developed over the past two years calls for sending another 400 million dollars in state tax dollars to public school districts, to replace local property taxes. Reynolds appears reluctant to do that. “It’s still taxpayer dollars,” Reynolds said. “I always say it’s local, federal, state — it’s all coming out of the taxpayer’s pocket.”

And the governor says it’s too soon to say a firm limit on how much city and county budgets may grow should be part of the final plan. Reynolds hints an even broader tax discussion could be ahead. “Tax credits, should we maybe reduce some those and plug that into property tax savings or into individual income tax savings?” Reynolds asks. “Sales tax, what do we do with that?” Reynolds has signed a series of tax cuts that have eliminated the tax on retirement income and cut the individual income tax rate to three-point-eight percent.

Reynolds, who announced last month she wouldn’t seek reelection, now says her goal of completely eliminating the state income tax by the time she leaves office would be a little aggressive — and she will engage in a property tax reform debate instead. “I want to create a foundation that when I do leave, the next Republican governor that sits in that chair will be able to continue to reduce the individual income tax rate,” Reynolds said.