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Iowa ranked #2 in wind energy

July 29, 2009 By

wind farm Texas is the nation’s wind powerhouse, but Iowa is now number-two in wind energy, surpassing California and Minnesota.

The American Wind Energy Association is putting out new rankings today based on wind generation capacity. Kathy Belyeu, the association’s manager of industry information, says Iowa’s a true leader in the wind power field.

“Iowa is one of the big success stories for the wind industry of the past few years,” Belyeu says. “Iowa has been a strong player since the early 80s but has jockeyed back and forth with Minnesota for really the third and fourth place for a while. In the last year however, (Iowa) came on strong and is in second-place in terms of wind generation in the country.”

Texas has a wind generating capacity of 8,300 megawatts, well ahead of Iowa’s capacity at just over three-thousand megawatts, yet Belyeu says that’s a remarkable quantity.

One megawatt of wind can supply 250 to 300 average homes so Iowa’s total around 3,000 megawatts can supply enough power for around 800,000 homes. Number-three California now trails Iowa with around 28-hundred megawatts of wind power capacity. Minnesota ranks fourth, Washington is fifth. Belyeu says wind farms keep growing in Iowa, with the latest being an 80-turbine project coming online in Worth County.

Belyeu says, “Iowa added 160-megawatts just in the last quarter, and in the past year, nearly doubled its capacity because the fourth quarter of 2008 was very strong for Iowa.” Texas is the continental United States’ largest state while Iowa is about average in its size, so she notes it’s particularly stunning that Iowa’s become so dominant in the wind industry.

“Iowa has had strong state policies that promote wind power since the early 80s,” Belyeu says. “Iowa was one of the first states that had a renewable electricity standard and it also has some tax abatements and some other programs that attract not only the projects themselves but also the manufacturers to Iowa.” Learn more at the American Wind Energy Association website .

 

Filed Under: Environment & Conservation Tagged With:

Sales tax holiday set for August 7-8

July 29, 2009 By

The annual sales tax holiday has been set to begin on the first Friday in August. This will be the 10th year for the sales tax holiday which is August 7th and 8th. Iowa Department of Revenue spokesperson Renee Mulvey says it covers most clothing and shoes.

Mulvey says everyday clothing and footwear are exempt from the sales tax as long as they cost less than 100 dollars. The holiday was started with the idea of giving parents a break when buying back to school clothes for kids. Mulvey says the restrictions on what is tax exempt remain in place this year. She says you still will have to pay sales tax on computers, backpacks and school supplies.

Mulvey says the current economic situation will likely have people even more eager to take part as you can save six to seven percent right off the top, and the savings increase when stores offer sales. Mulvey says there is often confusion about the length of the holiday — which she says does not last all weekend.

Mulvey says people and businesses need to understand the holiday is Friday and Saturday only and does not include Sunday. She says if a business is open on the two days, they are required to participate. Mulvey says the holiday annually saves Iowans two to three million dollars in taxes. You can find a list of items that qualify for the sales tax exemption on the Iowa Department of Revenue website .

Filed Under: Business Tagged With:

Two Iowa City bars lose liquor licenses

July 29, 2009 By

Two popular bars in downtown Iowa City have been denied liquor license renewals. The Iowa City City Council voted last night to deny the applications filed by the owners of The Fieldhouse and Etcetera (Etc.).

Council members say too many underage patrons have been ticketed for drinking alcohol in the two bars. Iowa City Police recommended the liquor license renewals be denied, also citing the number of public intoxication arrests and fights associated with the two establishments.

The owners can appeal the decision to the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division and keep their bars open during that process, which could take around six months.

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

Supreme Court refuses to take another look at central Iowa case

July 29, 2009 By

The state’s high court is refusing to give another look to a central Iowa murder case. The Iowa Supreme Court Tuesday denied a request from the Iowa Attorney General’s office to review a ruling that threw out hours of videotaped statements made by a Boone woman accused of helping plot to kill her husband.

Last March, the Iowa Court of Appeals banned from trial hours of statements Jessica Hill made to authorities. The decision came after prosecutors asked for a review of a Boone County District Court’s ruling granting Hill’s motion to suppress. Her lawyer argued that Hill was in custody without being read her rights.

Hill was charged with first degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the death of her husband, Michael Hill. He was found fatally shot on May 28th, 2007, on a sheep farm near Ogden.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

Norwalk, Denison-Schleswig advance in 3A

July 29, 2009 By

Matt Dermody scattered eight hits and struck out 13 batters as sixth rated Norwalk got by Decorah 4-1 in the 3A quarterfinals of the state baseball tournament.

Dermody says they are "really pumped" and ready to face Boone, which they already faced in their conference.

Decorah pitcher Tyler Smith had two of the Viking’s hits but they wasted several scoring opportunities and stranded 10 runners. Smith says they couldn’t get the hit they needed to drive in the runners and that took the game out of their hands. Decorah ends the season with a record of 22-14.

Denison-Schleswig catcher Dillon Melby stands about five feet-seven but he came up big at the plate. The senior delivered a two-out single to right in the top of the seventh to drive in the tying run and the Monarchs scored the game winner in the top of the eighth in a 4-3 come from behind win over Vinton-Shellsburg.

Melby says he struck out an three straight curve balls in his first at bat, so he was excited to see a fastball and hit it. The Monarchs survived a six error performance and take a 28-12 record into the 3A semifinals.

Vinton-Shellsburg was in control for most of the game and led it 3-0 going into the top of the sixth inning. Vikings coach Jim Struve says it was a classic case of both teams battling, the other team got some timely hitting, and it wasn’t meant to be for his team.

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With:

Beware of "cash for clunkers" scams

July 29, 2009 By

The Iowa Department of Justice is warning Iowans scammers are trying to use the new "cash for clunkers" program to get your personal financial information. Bill Brauch, head of the consumer protection division in the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, says the only way to participate in the new federal program is through a car dealer who sells new cars.

"Consumers simply go to a car dealership and use their ‘cash for clunkers’ rights to trade in their vehicle and get credit for it when they purchase or lease a new vehicle," Brauch says. According to Braunch, spammers are sending email suggesting you need to register to be eligible.

"That’s not true," he says. "Those (email) are fraudulent. You do not need to register." Braunch says the scammers are just trying to get you to email personal data like your Social Security or your banking account numbers. Once you get to the new car dealership, the "Cash for Clunkers" program has several restrictions. To prevent people from getting a clunker from the junkyard, you have to prove the "clunker" car you’re trading in has been insured and registered for the past 12 months.

"It can’t be more than 25 model years old and there has to be measurable improvement in the mileage that you get with the new vehicle that you purchase as compared with the one you’re trading in and then that vehicle is going to be scrapped," Brauch says. "So it’s not a situation where you can trade it in and then think, ‘Well, I’ll buy it back from the dealer.’"

The new federal program is designed to get gas-guzzling vehicles off the road and some dealerships are draining fluids out of the old clunkers and filling them back up with sand to ensure the engines are out of commission. 

Filed Under: Crime & Courts Tagged With:

"Goldilocks" August will be the key to bringing in a good crop of corn and beans

July 29, 2009 By

Iowans have enjoyed nights with the windows open and the air conditioner off compared to the traditional sweltering heat and high humidity that are often the norm in July.

I.S.U. program specialist Richard Pope says while it’s good weather for sleeping, the cooler nights aren’t the best thing for developing corn and soybean plants. Pope says the cool nights make it a little difficult for the soybeans to set on pods and we’ve had some delayed development of soybeans. He says there have been some warmer nights lately that have helped the development.

Pope says the key now is what happens in August, as warmer temps and some more rain would keep the crop developing. He says beans are the biggest concern when it comes to nighttime temperatures.

Pope says the development model starts at 50 degrees and for soybeans they like to see the mercury drop no lower than 56. He says temperatures below 56 won’t kill the plants, but will “stop development quite a bit.” Since May 1st, Iowa is 143 to 205 degree days behind normal. Pope says weeds are another problem in these conditions.

Pope says some weeds can deal better with the cold, and with the beans developing slower, the leaf canopy isn’t as developed, allowing sunlight to get to the weeds. And the cooler wetter conditions in the spring made it tougher to get in and control weeds. “So this is also gonna be a year we are gonna remember as a year of weeds,” Pope says.

Pope says the slowed development is something farmers need to stay on top of — but he says it’s too early to write anything off. Pope says one year ago there was a lot of concern about a late crop, but then we had a nearly perfect August and we wound up with fairly normal crops in most places.

He says that can happen this year as we’re looking at a good crop right now. “If we can just get the right kind of weather in August, not to hot and not too cold, it’s just right. You know, like ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’. We’re looking for a ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’ August I guess,” Pope says.

Pope says but even 80-degree highs and 60-degree lows will help in August. The latest state crop report said 54% of the corn was rated in good condition and 26% excellent. While 59% of the soybean crop was rated good and 20% rated excellent.

Filed Under: Agriculture Tagged With: ,
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