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More statehouse debate of "puppy mill" bill

March 17, 2009 By

Legislation that would crack down on so-called "puppy mills" is losing steam at the statehouse. The bill has cleared one committee in the Iowa House, but it’s bogged down in another as lawmakers consider allowing employees from the Iowa Department of Agriculture to inspect federally-licensed dog kennels that draw public complaints.

Robert Gibbens, regional director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Health Inspection Service, says his employees do a good job, but his federal agency is understaffed. "We used to visit them more often when we had less facilities and more inspectors. You know when you’re going someplace once or twice a year for a few hours, you’re getting a snapshot of what it looks like on that day. That’s why we go by unannounced," Gibbens says. "But, still, things can change in a hurry at a commercial dog kennel or at any facility."

According to Gibbens, three U.S.D.A. inspectors are responsible for policing nearly four-hundred commercial dog breeders in Iowa. Stephanie Shain of the Humane Society says that’s why the state needs to step in. "Currently in the state (of Iowa), if that state Department of Ag receives a complaint, they are powerless to do anything other than pass it on to the federal government in the hope that it will be inspected by them," Shain says.

The bill’s opponents argue it’s unlicensed breeders who cause the most problems and this legislation does nothing to address them. It’s unclear when or if the full House Ag Committee may consider the bill.  Today’s discussion occurred in a subcommittee hearing.

Filed Under: Agriculture, Human Interest, Politics & Government Tagged With: , ,

Purdue coach says toughness describes Panthers

March 17, 2009 By

Purdue coach Matt Painter admits he can’t properly pronounce some of the names of the University of Northern Iowa players — but says not because he isn’t aware of what they can do.

Painter says UNI has good balance, skill level, size and quickness. He says the Panthers have been more of a traditional halfcourt team in the past, but he’s been impressed with their ability to push the ball and look for points in transition.

Painter says there’s not a team he can think of that his team has played that compares with UNI. He describes them using "toughness" as he says they are a tough defensive team that doesn’t beat themselves and he is impress with how Panther coach Ben Jacobson has gotten them to play so hard.

The 5th seeded Boilermakers play 12th seeded UNI Thursday at 1:30 in the first round of the NCAA in Portland, Oregon.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

Bill aims to help Iowans in danger of losing homes in foreclosure

March 17, 2009 By

The Iowa Senate has unanimously passed a bill which may help Iowans who’re in danger of losing their homes in foreclosure. If the bill becomes law, Senator Rob Hogg says banks, credit unions, and savings and loans considering foreclosure will be required to first send a notice to a homeowner about the potential for mediation to try to reallign or even reduce their mortgage payments.

"I believe this is one of the most important bill that we will pass this year to deal with the current economic situation that we are facing," Hogg says. According to Hogg, more than 900 Iowa homes were in foreclosure in the month of December.

"In 2008, more than 5,400 properties were subject to foreclosure actions, a number that is up as the national recession begins to overtake Iowa — up 136 percent from 2006," Hogg says.

Hogg argues the bill helps not just individual homeowners, but communities as well "by reducing the red tape that they face that currently stops foreclosed property from being resold and returned to productive, active use."

Under the bill a bank, savings and loan or credit union that has already foreclosed on a home would be able rescind that foreclosure and let the owner stay in their home if a deal is struck to reconfigure the mortgage. "This is a good bill to pass," Hogg says. "It will help Iowans facing real problems."

Click on the audio link below to listen to senate debate of the bill.

Hogg, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, says the legislation provides new "procedural protections" to Iowans facing foreclosure on their home. The bill now goes to the Iowa House for consideration.

 

AUDIO: Senate debate 4:40 MP3

Filed Under: Business, Crime & Courts, Human Interest, Politics & Government Tagged With: , ,

Iowa Association of Realtors president says February sales up

March 17, 2009 By

The president of the Iowa Association of Realtors says home prices were down in February, but Terry Knapp says there’s also some positive news. Knapp says the average sales price for February was down four percent from last year, and the number of sales were down from last year by 23%.

But he says the good news is there were almost 300 more sales in February than in January. Knapp, who is a realtor in Harlan, says the increase in the number of sales shows there are still people looking for homes. He says the $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers is a real positive, and he says the low interest rates make it a great time to buy a home.

Knapp says the February jump in sales was spread across the state. Knapp says 13 of their boards saw increases in their sales, and the Iowa Association of Realtors report that 61% of houses sold were on the market less than 120 days and 92% of the homes that sold were on the market 180 days.

"So there’s some pockets out there where the sales are actually pretty good," Knapp says. Businesses have announced more layoffs this month, and Knapp says there is a worry that the business slowdown will impact sales. Knapp says it is a concern, but there was not the big inflation in home values a couple of years ago, so prices have been steady. He says the number of sales have been down, but that is due to financing problems, as some people who could get loan a few years ago can’t get loans now.

Knapp says realtors are hopeful home sales will pick up with record low interest rates, high inventory and good prices.

Filed Under: Business

Men at Atalissa bunkhouse malnourished

March 17, 2009 By

State lawmakers heard more grim news about the plight of the mentally disabled men who were removed from an eastern Iowa boarding house earlier this year. The men who worked at a meatpacking plant in West Liberty and lived in an old schoolhouse in Atalissa are now under state care.

John McCalley, head of a state task force studying the scandal, says it’s now clear the men were malnourished. "One of the group home managers in Waterloo is a retired nurse from Mayo Clinic. and observed immediately that there were some issues with regard to adequate nourishment," McCalley says.

A Texas employment agency collected the men’s wages and their federal disability benefits in return for providing them with the accommodations at a "bunkhouse" in Atalissa. McCalley testified before the Legislative Oversight Committee today and told legislators the men had gone without dental care.

"Many of the individuals had significant dental issues that had been long neglected and those issues are being addressed locally," McCaulley said. "Some of the individuals were deemed malnourished and those issues are being addressed locally." The men are now living in group homes in Waterloo.

McCalley is director of the Iowa Department of Elder Affairs. Governor Culver appointed him to head a task force studying the case. That task force is to issue its recommendations by April 1.

Filed Under: Agriculture, Business, Crime & Courts, Politics & Government Tagged With: , , ,

Braley, Harkin call for 100 percent tax on AIG bonuses

March 17, 2009 By

Three of the four Democrats from Iowa who’re in congress are joining the chorus of outrage about bonuses being paid to executives at a company that received federal bailout bucks. 

Congressman Bruce Braley of Waterloo suggests the bonuses being paid to AIG executives be taxed at 100 percent. That would effectively nullify the bonus and return the money to the U.S. Treasury.

Iowa Senator Tom Harkin says if AIG executives don’t forego those bonuses, congress will "recoup them through the tax code" — in just the way Braley describes. Harkin and 11 other Democrats in the U.S. Senate have written a letter to the chief executive officer at AIG, saying "in America, we believe in rewarding success" while AIG seems to be rewarding "the most extreme failure."

On the House side, Braley was a lead author of a letter which urges the U.S. treasury secretary to do what he can to stop payment of the "lavish" bonuses. Ninety members of congress co-signed that letter, including Congressman Leonard Boswell of Des Moines.

Republican Senator Charles Grassley is geting lots of national attention for his comments about the bonuses. Grassley says the executives of companies getting federal bailout money need to publicly apologize for their mismanagement. Grassley says his comment that those executives should resign or commit suicide should be recognized for what it was — political rhetoric.

Read more about the comments from Grassley , Braley and Harkin on The Blog.

Filed Under: Business, Politics & Government Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Mason City school board votes for alcohol tests at prom

March 17, 2009 By

Intoximeter alcohol breath tester. The Mason City School Board has approved a plan to use a breath tester that will indicate if students attending this spring’s prom have consumed alcohol.

The measure passed on a 6-0 vote. Mason City High School principal Doug Kennedy says they want to make sure students have a safe experience.

“Basically, what we’d like to do is insure that our prom is safe as it can be, albeit with some acknowledged intrusion,” Kennedy said. “I’m not hiding the fact that could be an issue, but I think the benefits and concerns that we have far outweigh that being a real significant issue.”

Upon entering the event at Mason City’s Music Man Square, students will have to breathe into a device called an Intoximeter . Kennedy promises that the testing will be conducted in such a way so the students do not “become a spectacle.” The students would enter the testing area two at a time.

Kennedy says students that test positive for alcohol use would not be sent to an office and not seen by their peers. Several other school districts in the state already use the Intoximeter devices for proms and other events. Kennedy said several schools in the Central Iowa Metro League, including West Des Moines Valley, Urbandale and Johnston, all used the Intoximeter.

“In fact, Valley does it for all their ball games,” Kennedy said. Juvenile Court Services has agreed to provide three Intoximeter devices at no charge for Mason City High School officials to use on prom night.  

Filed Under: Education, Recreation & Entertainment Tagged With:
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