DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Democratic Iowa congressional candidate known for expletive-laced rants against the Republican incumbent has been excluded by her own party from a speaking role at a fundraiser. The Des Moines Register reports that the Polk County Democratic Party committee voted not to invite Heather Ryan to speak at next month’s Steak Fry.

Ryan, a businesswoman from Des Moines, is seeking the Democratic nomination in the 3rd District to challenge GOP Rep. David Young. Ryan has repeatedly used expletives to deride Young.

Party chairman Sean Bagniewski says Ryan may still attend the event and is not prohibited from speaking at other party-sponsored events. But officials cite the need for civil language by speakers at the televised event that will be open to children.

Ryan says the snub is an attack on her freedom of speech.

Governor Kim Reynolds has named the eight members of a board that will advise the Iowa Department of Public Health as the agency implements Iowa’s newly expanded medical cannabis law. Among them is Dr. Lonny Miller, a family medicine practitioner, from Creston.  Iowa Department of Public Health director Gerd Clabaugh says his agency is rushing to meet a December deadline for granting licenses for growing marijuana that will be turned into cannabis oil.

“We’ve been developing drafts of the rules around the legislative requirements, but the board will provide us an important point of feedback — and medical feedback — with regard to how the program will be set up and operate,” Clabaugh says. A policeman from Mason City and a pharmacist from Spirit Lake are two of the eight members of the new advisory board. The rest are doctors who are specialists in pediatrics, psychiatry, family medicine and pain management as well as neurology and cancer treatment.

A new state law passed this spring sanctions marijuana growing operations for production of cannabis oil that will be dispensed to Iowans. Supporters acknowledged it may take up to two years to set up the distribution system. Clabaugh says he and his staff hope to meet with the advisory group as soon as possible.

“Now that the board has been appointed, we’ll be anxious to meet with them, get their feedback and really begin the process in earnest,” Clabaugh says. Previous state law had decriminalized possession of cannabis oil purchased out-of-state for treatment of chronic epilepsy. The new law lets Iowa doctors prescribe cannabis oil for treatment of more than a dozen chronic and debilitating conditions.

The administrative rules for regulating this new system will be reviewed and approved by the previously-existing State Board of Health as well as a legislative committee before the rules take effect. Through May 11th of this year, more than 300 Iowans had obtained cards from the state, for using cannabis oil as treatment for epilepsy. Since then, nearly 100 MORE Iowans have applied for and received the cards under the new law, which allows cannabis oil as treatment for more conditions, including the side effects of cancer, like nausea or chronic pain.

(Radio Iowa)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Iowa Congressman David Young today (Wednesday) announced the Glenwood Fire Department will receive $484,788 in grant funding through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) Program. The funding was authorized by the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations, of which Congressman Young is the only member from the State of Iowa.

The AFG program awards competitive grants to fire departments and other organizations nationwide to obtain and maintain necessary equipment, facilities, training, and programs. The AFG program is part of a larger preparedness effort in support of the safety, security, and health of the public.

“This important grant funding will help ensure the Glenwood Fire Department has the resources to work safely and effectively,” Congressman Young said. “I’m pleased this award will benefit our firefighters, and the safety and security of the entire Glenwood community.”

Gasoline prices are already rising in Iowa as part of the fallout from Hurricane Harvey as many Houston-area oil refineries are offline, but analysts still aren’t sure how the still-raging storm may impact propane supplies. Paul Ovrom, an ag marketer with the Iowa Department of Agriculture, is urging Iowa propane users — businesses, farmers and rural residents — to stock up as the flooding in southeast Texas will persist. “We don’t really know what that might do to the supply,” Ovrom says. “Right now, all indications are that it’s not going to have a significant effect but there are a lot of unknowns out there, so you want to make sure that your supplies are good going forward.”

Ovrom says propane consumption both domestically and overseas is dropping, but that could change quickly.  “Decreased propane consumption is being talked about by petrochemical plants, so there’s not a lot of pressure on propane right now,” Ovrom says. “The storm may impact that, but right now, things are looking good going into the fall season.”

Ovrom says a colder-than-normal autumn with significant rain could also draw down supplies. Farmers would need additional propane to dry their grain and rural residents would likely need more to heat their homes.

(Radio Iowa, with Thanks to Pat Blank, Iowa Public Radio)

Republican Senator Joni Ernst spoke this week at a big Republican event the state that holds the “First in the South” presidential primary. The crowd in South Carolina gave her a standing ovation before she said a word. Ernst has been mentioned as a possible presidential candidate of the future. She immediately mentioned the three years she lived in South Carolina when her husband was the commander at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

“I truly enjoyed it because you know what? Iowa is home to me, but South Carolina, your folks — the people here — are so much like my folks back home. You are good, grassroots conservatives and I love it. Thank you for all you do. Thank you so much,” Ernst said, to applause.

Ernst talked about her childhood on a “little dirt farm” in southwest Iowa. Ernst said worked construction with her dad in the summer and did “all the dirty horrible jobs” on the farm, too. “It taught me to understand how we need to work with our hands and respect those that do,” Ernst said. “That’s one thing that binds us all together is that we respect people who work hard — work hard to do better for their families.”

Ernst also mentioned her first 2014 campaign ad — the one about castrating hogs on her family farm and cutting pork in Washington, D.C. “It’s really important we focus on what the federal government should do and what the federal government maybe shouldn’t be doing because we really do need to cut the pork. Don’t you agree?” Ernst said, to applause. “It’s much better served as South Carolina barbecue, most definitely.”

Ernst was speaking Monday evening at the annual barbecue fundraiser for a South Carolina congressman. One of her biggest applause lines came when she and the crowd celebrated the confirmation of President Trump’s nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court. “It was so important that we elected a Republican president and one that we knew would select the right person to serve on our court,” Ernst said. “Thank God for Donald J. Trump.”

About 11-hundred people attended the event in Anderson, South Carolina. It’s billed as the largest annual gathering for conservatives in that state. South Carolina Public Television posted her half-hour-long speech on YouTube.

(Radio Iowa)