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McCain visits "biggest boar," speaks to large State Fair crowd

August 8, 2008 By

John McCain shakes hands at Iowa State Fair. Republican presidential candidate John McCain visited the Iowa State Fair this morning, calling the U.S. heartland the “real” America. McCain’s first stop on the Fairgrounds was in the swine barn.

“I just came from one of my favorite spots to visit in this whole Fair and that is to see the prize winning boar — Freight Train! 1253 pounds,” McCain said, referring to the name and weight of the animal that won the biggest boar contest. “That was a great experience and as soon as I finish here I’m going to try to have a pork-chop-on-a-stick and a deep-fried Twinkie.”

McCain’s second stop was at The Des Moines Register’s Soap Box, where he gave a short speech to a large crowd that waited for over an hour in the sun for a glimpse of the candidate. ”It’s great to be back in the heartland of America, the Iowa State Fair,” McCain said. “Thank you all.”

Crowd waits for John McCain at Iowa State Fair. McCain visited the Fair last summer and had promised to return to the “Soap Box” this August.

“This is the heartland of America. This is what America is all about. This is the people I want to know and meet,” McCain said. “And in the rigors of a presidential campaign — people talk about it — I get a chance to come here and meet and greet the real America, the people who are providing providing products all over this world.”

McCain praised Iowa farmers for their prowess at pork production and layed out his goals for weening America off its dependence on foreign oil. ”Some of that money ends up in the hands of terrorist organizations,” McCain said, then the sound system screeched.

“This microphone brought to you by the Democratic National Committee,” McCain joked and the crowd laughed.

But at the end of his speech, McCain highlighted his opposition to the federal subsidy for ethanol fuel which Iowa corn farmers back. ”I don’t believe in ethanol subsidies, but I believe in renewable fuels,” McCain said. “I believe we have to do all of those things, restore out economy, but my friends — we will disagree on a specific issue and that’s healthy.”

McCain is attending a private fundraiser over the noon-hour at a Des Moines country club.

 

AUDIO: McCain at Iowa State Fair 9:00 MP3

Filed Under: Agriculture, Politics & Government Tagged With:

Butter cow still whips up lots of attention

August 8, 2008 By

Sarah Pratt sculpts the butter cow at the Iowa State Fair. If you ask people at the Iowa State Fair about the one thing they “must see” before leaving, the most common answer is the butter cow.

It’s been an Iowa State Fair tradition for 97 years. That fact alone may explain why there’s usually a line of people in the Agriculture Building, waiting to get a peak at a life size sculpture of a cow, made from 600 pounds of Iowa butter.

Sarah Pratt, a teacher from West Des Moines, is now in her third year as the “Butter Cow Lady.” Pratt said, “I think it’s been a tradition so long…so what happens is you have folks that have grown up in Iowa and came (to the fair) when they were kids, now bringing their kids back…and so it’s passing on that tradition.”

The 31-year-old Pratt grew up in Tama County, where she learned the craft of sculpting with butter from Norma “Duffy” Lyon. “When I was about 14, I volunteered or asked to go (to the fair) and help her out. So at that time, I was just handing her butter really, and over the years she trained me,” Pratt said.

This year, Pratt has also created a buttery likeness of Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson and an agriculture display that features Norman Borlaug. The entire display will involve more than 1,000 pounds of butter. Much of the butter is recycled and reused for up to 10 years.

 

AUDIO: Radio Iowa’s Pat Curtis report on the butter cow. :42 MP3

Filed Under: Agriculture, Human Interest, Recreation & Entertainment

Dredging project underway on Clear Lake

August 8, 2008 By

A nine-million dollar dredging project is now underway on Clear Lake that will improve water quality and deepen several areas for recreational boat traffic on the popular body of water. Scott Grummer, a fisheries biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says dredge operators are pumping sediment out and into a containment site.

After several delays, Grummer says it’s nice to finally get the project underway. He says it’s good to get all the ground work finally get put in motion to help in the Clear Lake restoration effort after years of planning.

Grummer says it took a few months for L.W. Matteson Incorporated of Burlington to get the project set up. He says they had to bring equipment in piece-by-piece and then fitted together on-site, with the wet weather at times hampering the preparation.

Grummer says the dredging is starting near the Lynne Lorenzen Access in Ventura and will eventually move out further in the lake. He says they are improving the depths along the travel lane out from the boat ramp to the lake and will soon be moving out to the "little lake" area. The project will remove two-point-three million cubic yards of sediment to increase the water depth of the lake from six feet to 24 feet in an attempt to improve the water quality. It’s scheduled to be completed during the open water season of 2009. 

Filed Under: Environment & Conservation Tagged With:

Efforts to replace moldy FEMA trailers still moving slowly

August 8, 2008 By

While the effort is underway to get at least 15 flooded out families a day into FEMA mobile homes, FEMA still hasn’t finished removing the mobile homes that could have mold in them. The homes in the Cedar Rapids area have to go to the Grundy County town of Dike to be checked for mold and formaldehyde contamination.

One Palo woman says her FEMA trailer is one of those still sitting on the lot in Marion waiting to be fixed. Mary Oberembt finally found stability in the mobile home after five overnight stops since the flood hit Palo.

"It was nice to think I would be in the same place for several months," Oberembt says. But that feeling only lasted a week. FEMA moved her to a hotel because of mold concerns in the exterior water-heater compartment. Three weeks have passed and the wait continues.

Oberembt says, "Nobody has an answer when we will be back here." Oberembt only stops by for short visits, no overnight stays. She wonders if her temporary home will ever leave the Squaw Creek Village Mobile Home Park, or if she should just move back in. FEMA spokesman Vince Clark says storage problems are delaying the removal process.

"That’s why more there are more here than we want because…we looked at storage options but there’s not a lot of storage options," Clark says. Only a little more than half of the 270 mobile homes of concern are gone. The goal is to move people like Oberembt and their belongings immediately from one mobile home to another following proper inspections. Oberembt says the wait is frustrating, and it’s causing security concerns as she found out there are trailers being broken into.

Clark couldn’t comment on any specific incidents involving break-ins , but says it’s a common occurrence following natural disasters. Oberembt looks forward to finding that same stability she had when she first moved into a mobile home. FEMA hopes to have her safely living with the 70 other flood families in Marion mobile homes soon.

FEMA says some families chose to stay in the mobile homes with the exterior water heater compartment, despite their warnings. Those people eventually will have to move when FEMA brings in replacement mobile homes.

 

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters

Vilsack tries to quell idea Hillary backers don’t back Obama

August 8, 2008 By

Former Governor Tom Vilsack at a Hillary Clinton event. (file photo) Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack went on FOX News Thursday afternoon to bat down the idea that supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton are not backing Barack Obama.

Vilsack also rejected the notion that former President Bill Clinton is less-than-enthusiastic about Obama.

“I spent the last seven or eight days with President Clinton on his trip to Africa,” Vilsack said, “and I can tell you in private conversation and in public conversation there is no question that President Clinton is supporting Senator Obama, intends to vote for Senator Obama and understands that the nation’s future will be better in his hands than in Senator McCain’s hands.”

Vilsack and his wife, Christie, endorsed Hillary Clinton in the spring of 2007, but became Obama backers in June when Obama secured the number of delegates necessary to win the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination. Some supporters of Hillary Clinton suggest her name should be placed in nomination at the Democratic National Convention, along with Obama’s. Vilsack sidestepped a question on that topic during the five-minute FOX interview.

“I don’t think there’s any question that Senator . Clinton will have an opportunity to be at the convention and have an integral role at the convention and in the convention,” Vilsack said. “People like myself who were supporting her during the primary process have listened to her. She is directing us to support Senator Obama, which we are happy to do.” Published reports indicate Bill Clinton will be given a speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention in late August and that has eased some tensions between the Clinton and Obama camps.

“Bottom line, he intends to support Senator Obama,” Vilsack said on FOX. “He will do what is necessary and what he is asked to do to support Senator Obama, and Senator Clinton is clearly going to do that and Clinton supporters are going to do that.”

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With: ,

Rick Springfield to play Iowa State Fair

August 8, 2008 By

Rick Springfield, who went from soap opera star to rock star in the 1980s, is one of the featured performers this weekend at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines. In 1981, the Australian native left his role as Dr. Noah Drake on General Hospital and hit the top of the Billboard charts with songs like "Jessie’s Girl" and "I’ve Done Everything For You."

 Now, 27 years later, Springfield says he still enjoys the crowd reaction when he kicks into those tunes. "That never gets old for me," Springfield told Radio Iowa. "I mean, I certainly don’t sit down in my living room and play Jessie’s Girl to myself, but it’s always fun to see the reaction to well known songs…I enjoy that too." Springfield will take to the Grandstand Stage on the Iowa State Fairgrounds on Saturday night.

"It’s a real high energy show. I have an amazing band. I think a lot of people are amazed at how hard the show rocks," Springfield said. "It’s very audience driven." The Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter released a new album in July titled "Venus In Overdrive."

Springfield believes the songs are similar to the ones he wrote for his debut, "Working Class Dog," which sold millions – thanks in part to MTV, which also debuted in 1981. "Some things certainly came together in the ’80s, you know, (MTV) and the right music at the right time. But I always had a lot of faith and a lot of drive," Springfield said. "It’s what kept me in the game so long before anything started. I’ve been playing guitar since I was 12 years old."

Patti Smyth and Scandal will be the opening act for Springfield. The show starts at 8 p.m. Saturday.


AUDIO: Pat Curtis interviews Rick Springfield. 6:11 MP3

Filed Under: Recreation & Entertainment Tagged With:

T. Boone Pickens brings oil plan to Le Mars

August 8, 2008 By

Texas oil man T. Boone Pickens will bring his plan to cut America’s demand for foreign oil to the northwest Iowa town of Le Mars next week. His town hall meeting on the "Pickens Plan" will be held at 3 P-M next Thursday at the Le Mars convention center.

In similar town hall meetings around the nation, Pickens has said his proposal would reduce America’s estimated $700 billion annual dependence on foreign oil imports by greatly expanding the use of wind energy and freeing up natural gas for use as a transportation fuel.

The plan unveiled on July 8th calls for replacing more than one-third of imported energy and saving more than $230 billion a year. Pickens’ town hall meeting in Le Mars is free and open to the public.  

Filed Under: Politics & Government
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