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Hemp enthusiast touts wide range of potential markets for Iowa farmers

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 27th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — As state ag officials work to create the rules for industrial hemp production, Iowa farmers are weighing whether the crop would be a good fit in their operations. Christopher Disbro, founder of the Iowa Hemp Association, says he’s excited about the opportunity for the state’s farmers who he hopes can begin growing the crop during the 2020 planting season.

“It’s an emerging market and it’s an expanding market but there is a market for it and it’s that potential for growth where we want our farmers getting involved,” Disbro says. “In the beginning stages, a lot of the markets focused on the pressed seed oil that goes into beauty products or food products. There’s a lot of people using existing infrastructure to do fiber and textiles.”

Dispro says industrial hemp has a wide range of uses and it holds many opportunities for the state’s growers. “Long-term, it’s not just food and fiber, it’s fuel, it’s bioplastics,” Disbro says. “It’s got real potential to be a really strong third rotational crop for Iowa and for Midwest farmers.” Studies find the production of industrial hemp could grow nationally to be a one-point-nine billion dollar market by 2022, well beyond just fabric, fuel and rope.

“I love a lot of the hemp beauty products, specifically the shampoos and hand lotions, they really make great product,” Disbro says. “We should never have to cut down another tree for paper. I try to use as much hemp paper as I can. It’s got a nice feel to it. It’s a little thicker, a little more substantial.”

Governor Kim Reynolds signed the bill into law earlier this month to legalize industrial hemp production. Iowa farmers won’t be able to legally grow hemp until the U-S-D-A approves the proposed regulatory plan being created by the Iowa Department of Agriculture.

Death investigation underway in Burlington

News

May 27th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

Official with the Burlington (IA) Police Department are investigating a suspicious death. Officers were called to a residence in Burlington at around 2:41-p.m. Friday. Upon arrival, they found the body of the resident, 62-year old James Keith Poggemiller. The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Decedent Care Center performed an autopsy Saturday, with the results pending. The Burlington Police Department and Iowa DCI’s Criminalistics Lab are jointly conducting the ongoing investigation. Anyone with information regarding the death is asked to call the Burlington P.D. at (319)-753-8375, or Crime Stoppers at (319)-753-6835.

(Podcast) KJAN 8-a.m. News, 5/27/2019

News, Podcasts

May 27th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Creston Police report 5/27/19

News

May 27th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

The Creston Police Department reports numerous arrests took place over the past week. Arrested Sunday in Creston, was 42-year old Tina Ann Songer and 36-year old Matthew Jason Songer, both of Creston. Both were charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance/2nd offense. Matthew Songer was additionally charged with OWI/1st offense. They were taken into custody at around 3:55-a.m.  Tina Songer was being held on $2,000 bond in the Adams County Jail. Matthew Songer was being held in the Union County Jail on a $6,000 bond.

A little after midnight, Saturday, Creston Police arrested 28-year old Miguel Angel Almanza, of Raymondville, TX, for Disorderly Conduct and Interference with official acts. Almanza was later released on a $600 bond. At around 3:15-a.m. Saturday, 23-year old Jose’ Alcantar Zavala, of Overton, IA, was arrested in Creston for OWI/1st offense. He was later released on $1,000 bond. And, at around 10:47-p.m., Saturday, Eliseo Buchanan Nava, of Creston, was arrested at his residence for Possession of a Controlled Substance/1st offense and Possession of Paraphernalia. He was later released on a $1,300 bond.

Friday night, 20-year old Crystal Zamora, of Creston, was arrested for OWI/1st offense. She was released on a $1,000 bond. And, 41-year old Lindsey Ann Woollums, of Creston, was arrested twice last week. She was arrested Wednesday and Friday morning, for Driving While Suspended. Both times Woollums was released on a $300 bond.

(Podcast) KJAN Morning Sports report, 5/27/19

Podcasts, Sports

May 27th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Ric Hanson.

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(Podcast) KJAN Morning News & Funeral report, 5/27/19

News, Podcasts

May 27th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Memorial Day Services still on at the Atlantic Cemetery this morning

News

May 27th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

Atlantic Memorial Day organizer Steve Livengood reports the services are still planned for 10-a.m. today at the Atlantic Cemetery.

Four senators running for president in Iowa, holding 29 events over the holiday weekend

News

May 27th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) — Four of the U.S. Senators who’re running for president spent the weekend in Iowa, holding 29 public events over the past three days.  Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York kicked her things off Friday afternoon in West Des Moines with a forum focused on what she calls her “Family Bill of Rights.” It includes a federal law requiring paid family leave and a series of steps to expand access to day care. “I was the sixth woman, ever, to give birth as a member of Congress…Shocking, but it shows that people who are in these decision-making roles tend to be male, they tend to be white and they tend to be affluent and so they don’t understand, necessarily, that access to day care is make-or-break for any family,” Gillibrand said.

New Jersey Senator Cory Booker is on a four-day tour of the state in an R-V. During a stop in Burlington Saturday, Booker focused on the closure of the local Planned Parenthood clinic and promised to create an Office of Reproductive Rights and Freedom if he’s elected president. “Codify Roe v Wade,” Booker said, “…fully funding organizations like Planned Parenthood which in some counties are the only provider of contraceptive care.”

On Sunday in Oskaloosa, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren said Republicans are trying to get “a tilted court.” “It’s partly around issues like Roe…but a big part of it, it’s about corporations,” Warren said. “It’s about a court that, over and over, when it’s a corporation versus an employee, is with the corporation.”

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar (KLOH-buh-shar) told Iowans this weekend that as president she’d end the loopholes oil companies use to get around federal policies promoting ethanol. Klobuchar also emphasized changes she’d make to help farmers facing bankruptcy. At events in Decorah, Charles City, Iowa Falls and Des Moines, Klobuchar heard a familiar song. Klobuchar turned 59 Saturday and the crowds sang “Happy Birthday” to her.

School sales tax bill signed into law

News

May 27th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds signed a bill Friday afternoon to extend Iowa’s one cent school infrastructure sales tax through the year 2051. Reynolds signed the measure in ceremonies at the Sioux City public school’s Career Academy. Reynolds says school districts can use it and expand some of the ways they use the funding.

The measure also allocates one million dollars to help fund Career Academies such as Sioux City’s, which help high school students learn and train in specific career paths. “Career academies was something I’m very passionate about… and I just think those are tremendous opportunities for students. So to be able to use the funding for that, I am just very appreciative of that and that was something that I had asked for,”Reynolds says.

Governor Reynolds visited with Career Academy students Jonah Snieder (Snyder) and Colby East — who are juniors at East High School: They said they are both in the business path and like how they are getting dual credit for high school and college and how they are able to go out of the building and meet with real businesses and see how they are run.

Sioux City School Superintendent Paul Gausman says the local district was the first in the state to initiate the one cent tax: Gausman says Sioux City passed it as a local option in 1998, and then in 2008 then Governor Chet Culver came to Irving Elementary School in Sioux City to sign the bill creating the first statewide sales tax for schools.

Gausman says nearly 400 million dollars has been raised locally for new school projects since the tax was first implemented.

Collection of Hazardous Waste for flood affected homes in parts of Mills County & Pacific Junction: Wed., 5/29

News

May 27th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

The Mills County Emergency Management Agency reports Hazardous Household Waste debris removal from residential properties within the flood affected areas of unincorporated Mills County and the City of Pacific Junction is scheduled for Wednesday, May 29, 2019 and will be conducted by Tradebe Environmental Services LLC.

Hazardous Household Waste should be in sealed containers and placed in the right of way, within 10 feet of the edge of the closest road. Hazardous household waste should not be placed in an area to block or disrupt water flow through the ditches. If a property owner cannot reasonably place it within the right-of-way, please contact the Mills County Engineer’s Office at (712) 527-4873 to make other arrangements.

IDOT has completed the debris pick-up for residents of this area. There will be an additional opportunity scheduled later to serve those who have not completed property clean-up. Residents are encouraged to report displaced (“orphaned”) tanks, drums or other containers found in flood debris using the online forms located on the Iowa DNR Disaster Assistance Website.