Top state law officers say they’re signing up again for a national program that targets marijuana growers. Special Agent Sean McCullough of the Division of Narcotics says they’ll focus again on getting you to help them find and destroy marijuana. He says they won’t do new billboards, but they are putting out brochures with a hot-line number to encourage people to call. McCullough says the feds are giving Iowa around 70-thousand dollars again this year for the program. He says they need the public’s help because of the lengths growers go to hide their plants. He says they usually try to hide marijuana in a grove of trees or in cornfields. He says people in urban areas do what they can to grow the pot inside without being seen. McCullough and his fellow agents seized over 41-thousand plants across the state with and estimated worth of over 20-million dollars. McCullough says their main effort has focused on methamphetamine labs, but he says they also feel it’s important to do what they can to cut off marijuana growers. He says marijuana is a a “gateway” drug and studies show a lot of people who smoke pot then move on to cocaine an meth. McCullough says you can help by calling the toll-free number: 800-532-0052 if you suspect someone is growing marijuana. McCullough says you can leave an anonymous tip to help law officers.
Boswell says Vietnam vets should stop firing at each other
Iowa Congressman Leonard Boswell says it’s time for Vietnam veterans to quit firing at one another. A group called “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth” has been running ads critical of democratic presidential candidate John Kerry. Boswell, a Vietnam veteran, says he knows something about swift boats because he worked in concert with swift boats on the rivers in Vietnam as he flew assault helicopters. Boswell brought up the subject during a speech at a Labor Day event on the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Boswell says “it’s time for us to move on. To have veterans against veterans in this country is absolutely abysmal. It should not be allowed. It’s gotta stop.” Boswel says Karl Rove, President Bush’s key political advisor, should probably be congratulated for creating the “diversion” in the campaign as the “Swift Boat” group disputes Kerry’s account of pulling a Green Beret from a river onto his swift boat while under enemy fire, an act for which Kerry received a Purple Heart. Boswell says “don’t you let anybody ever tell you…that wasn’t valor.” Boswell says he served 20 years in the military, and he knows of “nobody who ever put themselves in for an award.” Boswell says it’s “the great diversion” on the part of republicans because if they talk about their own record, Boswell says “they lose.” Boswell says “we’re sick and tired of the veteran talk. We all respect veterans and John Kerry was valorous. He did his job and somebody else put him in for those awards.” Elizabeth Edwards, the wife of democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards, spoke at the event after Boswell, and thanked him for defending Kerry. Mrs. Edwards says “every word in those ads is a lie”, and “this President who tells us constantly he knows good and evil, apparently doesn’t know the difference between the truth and a lie.” Boswell won two distinguished Flying Crosses and two Bronze Stars during his tours of duty in Vietnam.
Grassley orders up "cheeseburger" bill
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is co-sponsoring a so-called “cheeseburger bill” in the U-S Senate, after a similar measure passed in the House. The legislation is designed to protect restaurants and food companies from lawsuits filed by people who say they got fat eating certain meals. Grassley says when you go in to eat “common ordinary everyday food…and you want to sue because you eat too much, I don’t have any sympathy for ‘em. I think those lawsuits are wrong.” Many have drawn comparisons between these lawsuits and those against the tobacco industry, but Grassley says there’s a key difference. He says tobacco companies were lying about whether their products were addictive, adding chemicals to their products to make them more addictive, then lying to Congress about it. As for fatty food, Grassley says these lawsuits are frivilous. Two cases filed against McDonalds accuse the burger chain of causing thousands of American children to get fat. Grassley says people need to assume responsibility for their own actions. Grasssley says “If you eat, become fat, get obese, there’s two things you can do: keep your mouth shut, in other words, don’t shove so much food into it, and do a lot more walking.” About a dozen states, but not Iowa, have enacted “cheeseburger bills” but Grassley says federal legislation on the issue would cover all such cases and free other states from the need to act. Grassley, who will turn 71 next week, says he runs two miles a day and ran a 5-K race in Waverly over the weekend.
Judge expected to rule today on Cass County Attorney’s fate
A ruling is expected today in the trial of a top western Iowa law enforcement official, just as a trial of another top official begins. A written ruling from Judge Robert Hutchinson is expected to be released this afternoon in the case against Cass County Attorney James Barry, who is accused of plea bargaining speeding tickets into non-moving violations, in exchange for charitable contributions to the Sheriff’s department. Barry admitted last week that the practice had taken place, but said he saw nothing wrong with it. Seven Atlantic residents, using a little know provision of state law, filed a civil suit seeking to remove Barry and Cass County Sheriff Larry Jones from office for misconduct, following a recent investigation by the State Auditor’s office. Jones is accused of mismanagement of the Sheriff’s drug fund, allowing his son to use a county credit card, and improper handling of evidence seized during raids or by forfeiture. His trial begins this afternoon at 1:30.
Extraordinary session convenes for one-day
Republican leaders say some might think it impossible so close to an election, but today lawmakers should easily pass two bills that will resurrect Iowa’s economic development program and extend breaks to existing businesses. The Iowa Legislature convened in special session this morning. House Speaker Christopher Rants says the legislature is moving Iowa’s economy forward. Rants, a republican from Sioux City, says the 100 MILLION dollar investment in the state program to attract new businesses and encourage existing firms to expand is the single-biggest investment ever. And Rants hails the 70 MILLION dollars worth of tax breaks available to businesses that buy new equipment. Rants says he sees nothing but positives coming from today’s legislative session. Senate Republican Leader Stewart Iverson of Dows says the “economic stimulus package” lawmakers will approve today is “truly a compromise” between republicans and democrat Governor Tom Vilsack. Iverson says it’s an example of how divided government can work, despite philosophical differences. Iverson says politics is the art of the possible, and this compromise “will move Iowa forward.” Senate President Jeff Lamberti, a republican from Ankeny, says today is about solving a problem. Lamberti says it shows a democratic governor and a republican legislator can work together. Lawmakers work could be wrapped up as early as mid-afternoon, or could stretch into the night if some legislators decide to debate. House Republican Leader Chuck Gipp of Decorah says they’ve made every attempt to make it a short day. Gipp says he has “admonished” G-O-P legislators to keep to the single topic of the day — economic development — rather than launch into other election year issues.
Construction of another ethanol plant begins this week
Iowa now has a dozen ethanol plants running with four more factories under construction to make the corn-based fuel. Ground will be broken on yet another plant this week near the western Iowa town of Denison. The plant is designed to process 40-million gallons of ethanol per year. Jack Ryan is spokesman for Amaizing Energy and says the business end of the project is virtually complete. Ryan says much progress is being made at the Crawford County worksite, too. The rail lines have been relocated, the subground is prepared for building the large tanks and the heavy weight areas, and the concrete is being poured. The sewer and water lines are all laid on the site, the electrical lines are almost done and construction of the distillers grain building is about to start. Iowa is the nation’s number-one corn producer but Illinois is the leader in ethanol production. Plants are also under construction now in or near Ashton, West Burlington, Hanlontown and Steamboat Rock. Plants are already operating in: Galva, Coon Rapids, Blairstown, Sioux Center, Hopkinton, Lakota, Hamburg, Marcus, Muscatine, Eddyville, Clinton and Cedar Rapids.
Food the focus of conference
The third annual Iowa Food Policy Conference convenes this week at Drake University in Des Moines. Neil Hamilton is a law professor and the director of Drake’s Agricultural Law Center. By the time late entrants register, he expects 150 people from Iowa and 25 to 30 other states, especially for Friday’s national forum on Farmers Markets and their role in America’s food system. There’ll be local officials, farmers, people in local food businesses, academics — a whole range of people interested in how America’s food system works. Discussions will include government farm programs, risk management and food processing. Hamilton says this isn’t a farming seminar or agribusiness alliance, it’s more about policy — the interface of government and the people who produce and consume food. He asks what are the government actions that influence what we eat, or how we make more opportunities for farmers, consumers, or rural communities. And in the Farmers Market workshop they’ll look at just what role those play. If farmers’ markets are more than a quaint thing to visit on Saturday morning, he says, they could signal an opportunity for farmers as well as having a role in influencing what we eat as a country. Iowa’s been looking for ways to create “value-added” business, and sell finished products for a higher profit than just raw farm commodities. There’s also the role of entreneurship and rural economic-development, and using food as a way to create new jobs and encourage new businesses, in areas like meat processing for example. The Iowa Food Policy Conference and national workshop are Thursday and Friday at Drake University.
