February 9, 2012

You are here: Home / 2006 / June / Archives for 24th

Blouin still looking for post-primary job

June 24, 2006 By

The state’s former economic development director who finished second in the Democratic primary early this month says patience is not one of his strong points, and he expects to jump into a new job soon. Mike Blouin says he’s exploring several options. “I’m in contact with several people in several different arenas,” Blouin says.

His goal is to stay in Des Moines, or least take a job that keeps him in Iowa. Blouin went to college in Dubuque and worked as a classroom teacher there before becoming a state legislator in 1968. After serving two terms in congress in the mid-70s, Blouin became a community college administrator in Cedar Rapids, then moved on to head the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce.

Blouin was serving as head of the Greater Des Moines Chamber in late 2002 when Governor Vilsack asked him to become the state economic development director. Blouin does not rule out the possibility that he may return to state government. “It’s just a little to early to tell. I need to sort out the various options that are in front of me. Several of them are consulting. Some of them are private (or) association related,” Blouin says. “I need to look at them in context with other options that may or may not be forthcoming and just see what’s best in terms of my future.”

Blouin, who is 60 years old, isn’t interested in an extended period of rest and wants to reenter the world of work as soon as possible. “It took me three days to get the sleep I needed and I’m over that, but I threw my back out Sunday night,” Blouin says. “I’m decompressing from the pain in my back this week.”

Ed Fallon, another Democratic competitor in the gubernatorial primary, has fielded phone calls from party big-shots like Hillary Clinton and told Radio Iowa two days after the primary that he’s fielding a variety of job offers connected to non-profit groups as well as presidential campaigns.

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With:

Tyson plant in Denison to be reinspected by Japanese

June 24, 2006 By

The Tyson plant in Denison will undergo a re-inspection by Japanese trade officials as part of an agreement this week to resume that nation’s imports of U.S. beef. Tyson spokesman Gary Mickelson says the agreement also includes future unannounced audits of approved plants by Japanese and U.S. inspectors.

Mickelson says they’ll visit the plants to make sure the U.S. inspection system is sufficient, and will meet the requirements they’ve set forth. In 2003, about three-point-six-percent of the beef produced in the U.S., or some one-point-four billion dollars worth of beef, was sold to Japanese customers. One case of Mad Cow in a U.S. animal led Japan and some other export partners to halt their purchases.

Mickelson says the packers look forward to doing business with Japan again, and hope this week’s agreement will also boost efforts to open Korean markets to U.S. beef. After a brief resumption early this year, the exports abruptly halted once again after spinal tissue was found in a box of beef sent to Japan, a violation of one of the rules they’d set up. Mickelson says it was a plant out east that made the costly goof, not one here in the Midwest.

Filed Under: Agriculture Tagged With:

Trek fans gather in Riverside

June 24, 2006 By

Fans of the “Star Trek” universe will beam down to the tiny town of Riverside this weekend, the self-proclaimed future birthplace of the TV show’s star, Captain Kirk. This is the 22nd annual Trekfest in Riverside and organizer Tysha Branigan says the costume contest is always a popular event for Earthlings — and others.

Branigan says they usually get a good showing of Klingons which she says is impressive since it’s always hot and those folks are wearing 40 pounds of costume. While a giant mock-up resembling the Starship Enterprise has been a staple at the event’s parade, she says another ship is being added to the fleet with this year’s christening of the Shuttlecraft Riverside.

An out-of-state man built the ship and decided to sell it to the club which jumped at the chance. Events include the parade at 10 AM, a volleyball tournament, a tractor pull, a Star Trek swap meet, a Star Trek scavenger hunt and live music at the Spock-a-palooza. For more information, set phasers to stun and head at warp speed for “www.trekfest.com”.

Filed Under: Recreation & Entertainment

Sweet corn season not that far off

June 24, 2006 By

One of the summer traditions of Iowa isn’t to far away. Amy Boyer of The Harvest Barn in Osceola says sweet corn will be ready in a week or so. Boyer says they aim for the 4th of July, but she says they’ll likely be a few days late and have corn on the 7th.

Boyer says it was cool early and the seed sat in the ground longer than normal before growing. Boyer says they’ve gotten lucky with the rain in getting the corn to grow. Boyer says the corn tasseled about ten days ago and they got an inch-and-a-half of rain and that’s when the moisture is most important.

Boyer says they plant so that a new area of corn is ready every ten days. Boyer says everything depends on mother nature from here on out.

Filed Under: Agriculture

Greek Festival underway in Mason City

June 24, 2006 By

Oh-pah! Mason City’s annual Greek Festival is underway today (Saturday). One of the organizers, Pastor Joseph Mirowski, says it’s a unique event that allows people to experience a culture that is normally not showcased in smaller Midwestern communities.

Pastor Mirowski says the ethnic flair and ethnic flavor is part of the attraction, being something you’re not for a day. Mirowski says one of the main reasons people keep coming back is all the fine food — from pastries to chicken. He says if you never planned to go to the Greek islands, this will provide you at least a flavor of what it’s like over there during the weekend community dances.

Mirowski says Mason City’s Greek Festival attracts people from all over the Midwest due to its authentic atmosphere. Mason City’s Greek Festival starts at 11 o’clock this (Saturday) morning and runs all day at the Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church.

Filed Under: Human Interest

Strawberry season winds down

June 24, 2006 By

Iowa’s strawberry season is winding down to the end – and one grower says the pickings weren’t the best this year. Amy Boyer of the Harvest Barn in Osceola in southern Iowa says weather took a toll on the crop. The first week of May she says they had a late frost that killed a lot of the early blossoms on the plants.

Boyer says dry weather also hurt production. Boyer says they needed the rain last fall to get a big stand and they needed rain again in the spring when the blossoms were forming, but she says there wasn’t enough rain both times.

Boyer says that left them without the production they’d hoped for. She says they had about half a normal crop. Boyer says other growers she’s talked to has the same weather problems with strawberries. She says the frost and the lack of moisture got to many of the strawberry growers she talked to this season.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture lists 85 strawberry farms across the state.

Filed Under: Agriculture

Truck drivers test their skill in championships

June 24, 2006 By

The state truck-driving championships are going on at the Iowa State Center in Ames. Brenda Neville with the Iowa Motor Truck Association says it’s an opportunity to showcase the professionalism in the Iowa trucking industry. She says basically tests all the skills required for a pro. They each take part in a personal interview and written exam, then take a driving test and a pre-trip inspection. After two days the best advance to national competition.

It’s not just wrestling a steering wheel that makes a trucker good, she says. They not only have good driving skills but also have a professional attitude and approach to the job they do. She says this is a way to reward them.

At least 120 of the best truck drivers in Iowa spent Friday at the championship, which concludes today (Saturday). She says like the state wrestling or basketball championships, “This is the event we do for the trucking industry and the drivers.” In addition to safety exhibits and lots of education for the general public, they’ll offer truck rides and today (Saturday) at noon will hold a celebrity drive-off through a marked course.

Related web sites:
Iowa Motor Truck Association

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With:
« Older Posts