Governor Terry Branstad says Iowa landfills should not take advantage of a bad situation and “gouge” poultry operations hit with bird flu with exorbitant landfill fees. “We do have millions of dead birds that need to be disposed of,” Branstad says. “And we want to dispose of them in an appropriate and correct way.” Branstad and U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack talked about the issue by phone on Friday.

Bill Northey, the state’s ag secretary, and the head of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources have sent a letter to the state’s landfills, explaining the dead chickens and turkeys are being properly prepared for burial. Branstad is appealing to landfill operators to be “reasonable and fair” in determining the appropriate fees for accepting the birds. “We want them to be compensated fairly, but it’s not appropriate to gouge people when you have a disaster situation like this,” Branstad says.

Branstad has asked for a federal disaster declaration from the U.S.D.A., but Ag Secretary Vilsack says the loans that would be made available through that action actually have higher interest rates than would be available from other lenders. Branstad says he’s concerned about the job losses at the facilities which have been hit by bird flu as well as the steep decline in Iowa poultry production.

“This is a significant loss that we’re very concerned about and the impact on our economy could be something that at this point we don’t know how great, but we’re already beginning to see its impact,” Branstad says. The U-S-D-A does have an “indemnity” fund that will pay poultry producers for the “fair market value” of the birds that have to be killed. Federal payments will also cover the “reasonable costs” of sanitizing facilities where bird flu has been found.

(Radio Iowa)

It took software developers more than a year to design it, but there’s now a new website (rules.iowa.gov) that lets Iowans read and comment on state regulations. Justin Carlson is one of the technicians who worked on the project. He says the website is compatible with all forms of technology. “We want to make sure that if you’re in a meeting somewhere and you wanted to view this rule, you’re able to do so on your phone or your tablet and you’re able to comment,” Carlson says.

Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds says before this website went live this morning (Monday), it was very difficult for Iowans to figure out what state rules and regulations were being proposed and register their support or objections. “For example, Iowans had to navigate through four websites just to view a proposed rule and once they found the rule, Iowans didn’t have the opportunity at that point to post a comment online,” Reynolds says.

State agencies used to provide Iowans with a FAX number or a mailing address when taking public comments on proposed administrative rules. Now, Iowans read both current and proposed regulations and post a comment on the website. Governor Branstad used the beginning of his weekly news conference to unveil the website to the media.  “It’s pretty phenomenal,” Branstad said. “…We’re very excited about this. I think it’s going to be a great service ot the people of Iowa.”

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Gov. Terry Branstad predicts the divided Iowa Legislature will negotiate the overall state budget until early June. Branstad told reporters Monday he expects lawmakers won’t adjourn until at least the first week of June. Lawmakers’ daily expense payments ended on May 1st.

The Democratic-controlled Senate and the Republican-led House are at odds over how much to spend during the fiscal year that begins July 1. Senate Democrats and Branstad have proposed an overall general fund budget of about $7.34 billion. House Republicans are seeking to spend $7.17 billion, arguing the state shouldn’t spend more than is expected in projected revenue.

Among key differences is spending on K-12 education. Branstad says his office is working with legislative leaders to reach a consensus, but he didn’t provide specific details.

City officials in Atlantic are advising residents work on the 2015 Street Improvement Projects are getting underway. Crews with Precision Concrete Services are in the process of doing work on 5th Street, and will be working south from there.

Work on 8th Street will consist of minor patching, and on sidewalks, so that should not disrupt the work taking place next week on Highway 6/7th Street, or the traffic that chooses to bypass on 8th Street. Officials say asphalt work is still a couple months away, so Highway 6/7th Street may be done by then.

The DNR has released the most recent draft of the state’s impaired waters list, which will be discussed at the Iowa Environmental Protection Commission meeting May 19th. The DNR will present commissioners with the state’s 2014 draft list of 572 impaired waterbodies. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires the biennial report as a comprehensive summary of water quality in the state.

John Olson, Senior Environmental Specialist with the DNR, says “The list is tied to Iowa’s water quality standards. Making the list does not necessarily mean the river or lake has a severe impairment like a stream running with open sewage. Most of the time making the list is more like an early warning system, indicating potential water quality problems exist or are developing.”

Some impairments, however, can be more severe, such as frequent algal blooms that prevent recreational uses such as swimming at lakes. Fish kills caused by pollution also remain a severe impact of concern. The most typical impairments for lakes are algae and turbid or cloudy water. A high level of indicator bacteria is the most frequent impairment in rivers.

The DNR says Iowans are working together to address the state’s water quality issues. Communities come together through efforts to make changes on the land – in the watershed, the area of land that drains to a stream, lake or river – to reduce pollutants reaching our waters. Additionally, communities continue to upgrade or add new wastewater treatment systems and improve the way they handle stormwater.

The draft 2014 list is available at www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/WaterQuality/WaterMonitoring/ImpairedWaters.aspx. Public comments can be sent to John Olson, DNR, 502 E. Ninth St., Des Moines, IA 50319, or John.Olson@dnr.iowa.gov until July 2nd. At that time, the DNR will consider public comments and submit a revised draft of the list to the EPA for review and final approval.

A Glenwood man was arrested Saturday, following an investigation into a hit-and-run accident. Authorities say 32-year old Clifford Stoppel was taken into custody on charges of Public Intoxication, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Striking fixtures upon a highway. He was also cited for having no insurance. Bond was set at $900.

The Glenwood P-D says officers were dispatched to the intersection of Sharp and Vine Streets at around 2:10-a.m., Saturday, after receiving word a vehicle had hit a traffic control sign pole. Witnesses said the pole was hit by a red Pontiac that continued east on Sharp Street. The suspect vehicle, a 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix, was located at an apartment complex in the 200 block of Sivers Road, in Glenwood. The car had sustained damage to the windshield and hood, and had two flat tires.

Inside the car were multiple open containers of beer. Stoppel, the registered owner, was seen walking along the sidewalk with an open container of liquor. He told police he was driving from his house at 1012 1st Street to a friends apartment, where he had 5-to 6 shots of liquor. He denied drinking prior to driving, but was taken into custody.

Damage from the incident amounted to $8,000.

In unrelated news, Police in Glenwood said the Glenwood Senior Center reported Friday an incident of burglary and criminal mischief. That same day, the Glenwood Public Library had similar incidents take place.

Road construction work on Highway 6/7th Street, in Atlantic, is scheduled to start May 26th. Scott Suhr, District Transportation planner for the Iowa Department of Transportation (based in Atlantic), said today (Monday), the contractor has informed him of their intentions to shut down the roadway after the morning commute next Tuesday. The roadway will remain closed from the intersection with Olive Street eastward, to just past Burger King, until the project is complete.

In the event of rain or unavailability for the milling machine, Suhr says the contractor will start work on May 27th.

The 8-a.m. Newscast w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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A Creston woman was arrested over the weekend, on drug charges. Police say 49-year old Lori Lee Graham was taken into custody at 219 North Pine Street on a Union County warrant for Possession of a Controlled Substance, 3rd or subsequent offense, and a Controlled Substance Violation. Graham was being held in the Ringgold County Jail on $5,000 bond.

And, a Greenfield woman was arrested Friday afternoon in Creston, on a charge of 5th Degree theft. 30-year old Sherrece Kilgore was later released from the Union County Jail on a promise to appear later, in court.

Creston Police report also, a Creston man reported Friday that his vehicle had been broken into at the old Wal-Mart store parking lot at 612 New York Avenue. The incident occurred sometime between May 10th and May 15th. The vehicle owned by Timothy Giles, sustained a broken window, with items inside the vehicle, including a fish finder, electric camping plug and dome light, having been stolen. The loss was estimated at $260.

(8-a.m. News)

Police in Creston say no injuries were reported following two, separate multi-vehicle accidents that occurred within 45 minutes of each other, Friday. The first crash happened at around 4-p.m., on west Adams Street.

Authorities say vehicles driven by 27-year old Kayla Mensing, of Greenfield, 62-year old Susan Rinkert, and 73-year old Hubert Bradley, both of Creston, were traveling west on west Adams. The stoplight at the end of the block at the intersection with Sumner Street was red. Mensing and Rinkert were stopped for the light in a long line of cars backed up to Jarvis Street. Bradley was traveling west on Adams, and didn’t expect the cars to be backed up so far. His 2006 Chrysler mini-van rear-ended Rinkert’s 2005 Mercury Sable, causing her vehicle to hit the rear of Mensing’s 2015 Chevy Equinox. Damage from the collisions amounted to $1,700. No citations were issued.

The second accident happened at around 4:45-p.m., Friday. Creston Police said a 2003 Chevy Trailblazer driven by 43-year old Valerie Beebe, of Creston, was traveling east on Adams Street and stopped for the traffic light at the intersection with Sumner Avenue. A 2002 Chevy Cavalier driven by 61-year old Linda Buxton, of Creston, was traveling south on Sumner at the same time a 2001 Pontiac SUV driven by 17-year old Austin Nichols, of Prescott, was traveling east on Adams and stopping for the light.

Buxton swerved to avoid an unknown vehicle which was traveling north on Sumner, then turned west onto Adams. When Buxton swerved to get out of the way, her car slid and hit the Beebe and Nichols’ vehicles. All witness to the collision told police they had seen the unknown vehicle cut off Buxton’s car, and verified she tried to avoid the collision, when she hit the other vehicles. Damage from the crash amounted to $4,700. No citations were issued.