(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson says the House continues to work to try and get a budget package done everyone can agree on to avert a government shutdown Saturday. ” I’m not given up until it’s 11:59:59. Right. I’ll fight until midnight tomorrow night to get something done,” she says. The Republican from Marion is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and says she has been focusing on conservative measures that cut spending. “We’re going to try to bring a continuing resolution or some sort of stopgap funding measure to the floor today that I think does that,” Hinson says. “It cuts wasteful spending, it funds the government for only about 30 days so we can continue to do our work and get these bills across and start those conversations.”

Hinson says she’s hopeful they will get something done by the deadline. “If it does indeed get to a point where we don’t have a solution, I will continue to work to make sure we’re having those conversations. But my priority is the next 24 hours continuing to push to get the government funded in a responsible way,” she says. Hinson says she voted against
the Ag F-D-A funding bill last night because it was not good for farmers.

“We passed legislation out of the House Appropriations Committee that cut wasteful spending at these agencies, while still investing in agriculture, and again, Iowa’s priorities,” Hinson says. “And last night’s bill goes beyond redlining waste in my mind, it undermines rural America. And I will not compromise when it comes to investing in Iowa agriculture, I will not allow this process to happen on the backs of our farmers.”

Hinson says there are 435 different congressional districts, and 435 different opinions right now in the House on how to get the budget bill done.

September 29, 2023 (DES MOINES, IA) – The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) Board has approved awards for two companies, which will assist in the creation of 123 jobs and result in over $29 million in new capital investment for the state. These projects are located in Camanche and Polk City. The board also approved innovation funding in support of two startups located in Ames. In addition, IEDA recently approved assistance from Iowa’s State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) Innovation Fund for two startups in Urbandale and West Des Moines.

Merrill Steel to expand in Camanche
Merrill Steel, a third-generation family business, is a leading supplier of complex structural steel and heavy plate fabrication. The company plans to expand structural steel fabrication operations into Camanche, where they currently lease space, with the purchase and redevelopment of an existing facility. The project represents a capital investment of $18.3 million and is expected to create 94 jobs incented at a qualifying wage of $19.57 per hour. The board awarded $800,000 in direct financial assistance through the High Quality Jobs (HQJ) program.

Ihle Fabrications to expand operations in Polk City
Ihle Fabrications, LLC manufactures combine wear parts for Case IH, John Deere and New Holland combines. The company plans to expand manufacturing and warehousing space in Polk City by 76,000 square feet and also purchase additional equipment. The board awarded the $10.9 million capital investment project tax benefits through the HQJ program. It is expected to create an additional 29 jobs, of which 27 are incented at a qualifying wage of $33.40 per hour.

Awards made to two startups

GeoVention, Inc., headquartered in Ames, designs products for the HVAC industry. Their three primary proprietary products are the FloVector, FloHelix and TerraLink, which address issues and costs with residential geothermal and air-to-air heat pump system installation. The company was awarded a $50,000 Proof of Commercial Relevance (POCR) loan for IP development and evaluation, market analysis, proof of concept work, product refinement, and market planning and entry activities.

Based in Ames, Salin 247, Inc. developed a platform for small-scale, lightweight, autonomous farm machinery for growing crops. The system navigates the field using various implements for crop production with a goal of increasing sustainability and profitability. The company was awarded a $50,000 POCR loan for feasibility and market analysis, key personnel and market planning and entry activities.

Award recommendations for these funds are made by the Technology Commercialization Committee to the IEDA Board for approval.

SSBCI awards made to two startups

Urbandale’s ClinicNote is the leading provider of clinic management software for universities. The technology is used for 158 discipline programs across 96 universities, with plans to expand further into the private sector. The company was awarded a $250,000 Innovation Acceleration Launch Fund loan for market planning and entry activities.

Through the merger and expertise of Redshield Electronics and LSA Autonomy, Mach Acquisition, Inc. was established in West Des Moines to develop vehicle automation software and hardware for manufacturers. The self-driving systems are implemented by original equipment manufacturers for off-road autonomy in agriculture, construction and industrial applications. The company was awarded a $1 million Innovation Acceleration Expansion Fund loan for IP development and evaluation, competitive analysis, proof of concept work, product refinement, key personnel, equipment, construction and market planning and entry activities.

The SSBCI program’s Innovation Fund increases assistance available through Iowa’s innovation continuum to support entrepreneurs through concept, launch and expansion. Award recommendations for these funds are made by the SSBCI Review Committee to the IEDA director for approval. The committee met on September 19, 2023, to review eligible applications.

(Cass County, Iowa) – Atlantic, Massena, and Anita are all hosting mobile food pantries in October. These will be the last mobile food pantry distributions for 2023. A mobile pantry is a traveling food pantry that delivers food directly to families in need for a one-day distribution. People from surrounding towns and communities are welcome. Mobile food pantries are available free of charge. Anyone in need is welcome, and no documentation is required. Each car can take food for up to two households at a time. Both Atlantic and Massena will be distributing the same food products. If supplies run low in Massena, families will be directed to Atlantic. Full details about the October Mobile Pantries are listed below:

Atlantic Mobile Food Pantry- Wednesday, October 11

Time: 4-6 p.m.

Location: Cass County Community Center (805 W. 10th St., Atlantic, IA 50022)- enter from 10th street near the tennis courts and follow signs

Massena Mobile Food Pantry- Wednesday, October 11

Where: Southwest Iowa Egg Coop (74877 Clarke Ave. Massena, IA 50853) Enter from the west and drive across the scale for pick up. Time: 4:30-5:00 p.m.

Time: 4:30-5:00 p.m.

Anita Mobile Food Pantry- Wednesday, October 18

Where: Anita Food Pantry (208 Chestnut Street, Anita IA 50020)

Time: 4:00-6:00 PM

Mobile pantry dates, times, and locations are subject to change. For the latest information on mobile pantries in Anita and Atlantic, visit https://foodbankheartland.org/food-resources/find-food/. For the latest information on Massena pantries, call (712) 779-3447. For information on upcoming events and local food, farmers markets, and food access activities, follow the Cass County Local Food Policy Council’s Facebook page @CassCountyLocalFood.

(Radio Iowa) – With cases of COVID-19 rising again, the federal government has re-started its program of offering Americans free at-home testing kits. A health official says Iowans should double-check the expiration date on any older kits they have before throwing them out — and before using them. Brian Benson, executive director of UnityPoint Health’s Pharmacy Department, says the solution you mix with the swab or the indicator panel could go bad over time. “You might get a false positive, meaning, it could indicate that you have COVID when you don’t, or you could get a false negative where it would say you don’t have COVID and you do,” Benson says, “so the accuracy could be suspect.”

The feds are now offering up to four at-home rapid tests to each household that requests them, though the tests do expire after a number of months. Benson says if you’re not sure how old your COVID test might be, don’t use it. “If there’s a question on the test and you can’t find any data, and it’s been sitting in your closet for a while or your cupboard for a while,” Benson says, “it’s probably best to, when in doubt, throw it out and get a brand new one and use that.”

The Food and Drug Administration’s website (fda.gov) has a section that indicates whether expiration dates on various tests have been extended. Order the free tests at: COVIDTests.gov.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Police in Glenwood say a woman was arrested Thursday. 35-year-old Amanda Elrod, of Glenwood, was arrested for Child Endangerment, Interference with Official Acts, and Possession of a Weapon. She was being held in the Mills County Jail on a $12,300 cash or surety bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Knoxville is known as the Sprint Car Capitol of the World, but this Saturday the action with be in the skies. Airport manager Katherine Shawver says they have a good lineup for their airshow, including performers that have performed and in some of the largest air shows in the world.

The airshow itself is at 4:30 p-m, but there are a lot of events leading up to it. There’s a family festival and that’s from one to 4:30, and they are also hosting Fly Iowa this year. She says pilots from around the state, and some from out of state will participate in Fly Iowa. The events are free and open to the public.

(Iowa DNR News) – Fall colors are starting to tinge the forest canopy. The DNR is now sharing the first fall color report of 2023. Fall color started early in northeast Iowa, most likely due to the drought. Lots of vibrant colors from sugar maple, sumac, Virginia creeper, ash, walnut, basswood and cottonwood. Some buckeyes are turning red in north central Iowa. Hard maples are turning yellow and orange in northwest Iowa. Walnut and cottonwood are turning yellow. Roadside sumacs are bright red and crimson in central Iowa. Walnut, cottonwood, and hackberry are becoming yellow. Virginia creeper vines are bright red.

Walnut, elm and cottonwood are showing yellow; some are already losing their leaves in southeast Iowa. Poison ivy, sumac and Virginia creeper are turning bright red. Poison ivy and Virginia creeper vines are turning bright red in south central Iowa. Walnut and cottonwood have turned yellow; some are already losing their leaves.

Fall color is a week ahead of last year in west central Iowa. Some shrubs and trees are starting to turn on the drier slopes. Lots of fall prairie flowers in bloom. Walnut and cottonwood are starting to turn yellow in southwest Iowa. Dogwoods are turning purple, plums are reddish pink, and drought stressed sumac is starting to turn red. With all of Iowa’s beautiful state parks and wooded areas, there are so many places to get your fall color fix. Plan your autumn excursions today!

Get outside this fall!
Autumn brings a welcoming crispness to the air. Fun abounds statewide for those in search of color and good times outdoors. From fall festivals to apple orchards, Iowa has many fall activities to celebrate local traditions and create memories with your family. Start planning your autumn excursions today with these great resources:

• Travel Iowa – lists of apple orchards and pumpkin patches, must-visit fall attractions, fall festivals, scenic drives and more
• MyCountyParks.com – attend a fun fall program for the whole family at a local county park
• Iowa State Park Passport- discover your new favorite parks, check in to track your progress and earn prizes

It’s easy to add fall color to your yard. Iowa DNR, through a partnership with the USDA Forest Service, is offering a mixture of hardwoods, low-growing ornamental and evergreen tree species for $25 each.  All Iowa residents can purchase up to two trees to be picked up at the following locations:

Tuesday, October 3, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Jefferson County Conservation (2003 Libertyville Rd, Fairfield)
Thursday, October 12, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Swan Lake State Park Nature Center (22676 Swan Lake Drive, Carroll)
Tuesday, October 17, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Fort Des Moines Park (7200 SE 5th St, Des Moines)
Submit an order form, available online, to reserve your trees.

(Creston, Iowa) –  A woman from New York was arrested at around 8-a.m. Thursday, in Creston. According to the Creston Police Department, 30-year-old Davia Douchell Morrison, of Watervliet, NY, was arrested at 116 East Adams, in Creston. Morrison was charged with Trespass 1st Offense, Disorderly Conduct, and Interference with Official Acts. She was taken to Adams County Jail.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Council Bluffs Police Criminal Investigation Division Captain Todd Weddum says that beginning on Monday, September 25th, 2023, the Council Bluffs Police Department (CBPD) began receiving reports that residents in the Council Bluffs area were being targeted by a group of suspects who were posing as law enforcement officers in order to fraudulently obtain money. The suspects used technology to “spoof” their phone numbers and make it appear that citizens were receiving calls from a legitimate law enforcement agency.

Once on the phone, the suspects identified themselves as local law enforcement officers and aggressively told victims that they had warrants for their arrest and that they needed to meet these “officers” to pay “bail money” in order to stay out of jail. It appears that the thieves targeted multiple people in the medical profession. In the days that followed, investigators believe that these same suspects perpetrated this same scam in multiple jurisdictions in Iowa, including Council Bluffs, Carroll, Sioux City and Iowa City.

The CBPD, in cooperation with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), are requesting that anyone who may have been contacted by persons claiming to be law enforcement and asking for bail money contact investigators to make a report. Citizens of Council Bluffs can call 712‐890‐5400, Option 5 to make a report. Outside of Council Bluffs, citizens can call
the Iowa DCI at 712‐322‐1585.

As a reminder, law enforcement officers will not contact you by phone and attempt to arrange for payment to clear an arrest warrant.