May 22, 2012

You are here: Home / 2010 / Archives for January 2010

Tax attorney announces run for 5th district congressional seat

January 30, 2010 By

A lawyer from Manning who specializes in tax issues is running for the Democratic nomination for Iowa’s fifth district congressional seat. Matt Campbell  is holding a series of events to announce his candidacy. Campbell graduated from Morningside in Sioux City with a degree in political science and economics and then got his law degree from the University of Iowa.

Campbell says he has worked for some of the largest accounting firms in the country and says he has an extensive business background he would like to put to work for the people of western Iowa to help “get the area a bit more focused on economic development and job creation.” Campbell’s website also says he was a volunteer, intern and temporary caseworker for Senator Tom Harkin and helped campaign for Harkin in Iowa and New Hampshire when the Democrat ran for president. Campbell says the stimulus package passed by congress was important as he says that without it, the country would be in the midst of the second Great Depression.

Campbell says banking systems of whole nations have collapsed, and cites Iceland as an example. “At times I think people have a bit of a short memory as to how difficult the whole situation was,” Campbell says. Campbell says incumbent Republican Congressman Steve King has a thin legislative record.

“I just firmly believe that at such a critical time in our nation’s juncture, that we need the best and the brightest ideas coming to the forefront, and if Mr. King…since 2003 can’t offer any legislation that has been adopted, then it’s time to rotate the crops and see if we can get a better yield for western Iowa,” Campbell says. Campbell says King can be “polarizing with some of the things that he says.” Campbell says before talking about the health care debate that nation must talk about a health crisis.

Campbell says people need to take better care of themselves and have a better diet and more exercise. He says the results of the recent election in Massachusetts shows that the country wants both parties to work together and come to a consensus on the issue and he says both Republicans and Democrats are very much concerned about the cost of a health care plan. Campbell is the second Democrat to announce plans to run in the fifth district. Mike Denklau of Council Bluffs also hopes to face off against King.

By Ryan Long, KICD, Spencer

Filed Under: Politics & Government Tagged With: ,

More development planned around Council Bluffs ped bridge

January 30, 2010 By

More development is being planned along the Missouri River on either side of the new pedestrian bridge that joins Omaha and Council Bluffs. At the base of the bridge on the Nebraska side is Bridge Plaza, featuring a playground, “fiber-wave” sculptures, water jets and an amphitheater. Council Bluffs Mayor Tom Hanafan says the Riverfront Park Complex on the Iowa side is completely different from its Omaha companion.

Mayor Hanafan says, “Our full intent was to make the Iowa side more environmentally-sound, easy access to the river.” Council Bluffs is about to embark on an 85-acre development for the area. Hanafan says one big feature will be the six-acre Great Lawn.

He says, “It’ll have some seating embedded in the side so that if you want to have a concert or some activity, if you want to play soccer or baseball or just enjoy yourself along the river.” Hanafan says the Riverfront Park is designed to minimize any damage from flooding.

“By having limited items that can be damaged and a pretty easy clean-up, it’s really kinda’ remembering that it’s going to flood,” he says. “It’s part of the river system.” Riverfront Park is the former site of Playland Park, an amusement park and speedway that was demolished in the early 1970s. The development is described as the largest public project in the metro area in 35 years.

The total cost of the development is 11-million dollars. Construction is expected to start this spring and be completed by 2012. The Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge also connects 150 miles of hiking and biking trails on each side of the river.

By Karla James

Filed Under: Business

Business expert says Morrell closing will have wide impact

January 30, 2010 By

A business expert in northwest Iowa fears the announcement of the closing of the John Morrell meat-packing plant in Sioux City will have a far-reaching impact that could hurt the entire region. Sam Clovis of Morningside College in Sioux City says the economic blow from the plant’s shut down will be serious.

“You can see what’s going to happen when you have that type of facility close down, the ancillary income that’s associated with a $300-million payroll,” Clovis says. “That disappears and you multiply that seven times over for the multiplier in the community, plus, we’re going to have people leaving. From an economic perspective, that’s pretty easy to measure and it’ll be dramatic.”

Clovis says the impact of the loss of almost 1,500 jobs will extend far beyond Sioux City. He says the closing points out some of the weaknesses of the area. “We sit in a part of the state where we suffer under the onus of a very unfriendly business atmosphere in the state of Iowa compared to our neighbors, compared to South Dakota which is the number-two business state in the union,” Clovis says.

“We do compare more favorably with Nebraska but even Nebraska has a much more favorable business index than Iowa.” Clovis says economic development has to be diversified to help the area regain its lost momentum. He says Iowa needs to create a better business environment, as does the Siouxland area, “to keep this kind of thing from happening again” and to attract new businesses. He says the region has great potential, being a crossroads for the ag industry, having a great interstate system and being on the Missouri River.

The John Morrell plant will close in April. It currently slaughters about ten-thousand head of hogs a day. Clovis is chair of the Business Administration and Economics Department at Morningside.

By Jerry Oster, WNAX, Yankton

Filed Under: Business Tagged With:

Two eastern Iowa men sentenced for federal crimes

January 29, 2010 By

A Cedar Falls man who used two underage females to make a sexually explicit video has been sentenced to more than 24 years in federal prison. Twenty-nine-year-old Ryan Dean Heath pled guilty in March to one count of production of child pornography.

In a plea agreement, Heath admitted that he had a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old girl engage in sexually explicit conduct in April of 2007 so he could make a video. Heath was sentenced in Cedar Rapids and also fined 20-thousand dollars.

A Marion, Iowa, man who sent an e-mail threatening to blow up a California school was sentenced Thursday to five years in federal prison. Twenty-five-year old Andrew Schrock was sentenced after pelading guilty to one count of making a threat involving fire and explosives.

According to court information disclosed in court Schrock sent threatening e-mails to a teacher at a Los Angeles, California, high school using the e-mail of a female student at the school he had dated on-line. The court information says Schrock started harrassing the girl and her family after they broke up.

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

Iowa Lottery begins selling Mega Millions Sunday

January 29, 2010 By

Iowa Lottery players will be able to buy tickets in another big jackpot game starting this Sunday. Mega Millions is currently sold in 12 states while Powerball is sold in 30 states, including Iowa. U.S. lottery directors reached an agreement in October to cross-sell the games.

Iowa Lottery spokesperson Mary Neubauer says the deal is of particular interest to lottery customers living near the Mississippi River. That’s because Illinois is the only neighboring state with the Mega Millions game. “So when the Mega Millions jackpot has been big in Illinois, you see folks from Iowa driving over there to buy tickets and when the Powerball jackpot has been big here in Iowa, you see folks from Illinois coming across the river to buy tickets,” Neubauer said.

“Now, everyone is going to be able to stay home and buy their tickets at home.” The addition of a new big jackpot game should boost profits at the Iowa Lottery and bring more money to the state. “We can’t for sure tell what the impact of Mega Millions will be on Powerball and vice-versa, but the bottom line is we anticipate this will be a positive for lottery sales in Iowa as well as proceeds for the state of Iowa,” Neubauer said.

Mega Millions drawings are held at 10 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays. Powerball drawings are at 10 on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Tonight’s Mega Millions drawing is for an estimated 144-million dollars ($144 million) while tomorrow’s Powerball drawing is for nearly $90 million.

“The change is coming at a great time for players in both games because the jackpots have been growing and are really getting up there in both games,” Neubauer said. Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing will be the first to include tickets purchased in Iowa. Lottery players will also have more time to buy tickets for their favorite games.

Beginning Sunday, the sales cutoff times for Powerball and other games will be pushed back. For example, the sales cutoff for Powerball will be moved from 7:59 p.m. to 8:59 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Neubauer says customers have requested the extension for years and now the lottery is able to make the change.

Filed Under: Recreation & Entertainment Tagged With:

National Weather Service outlook shows risk is high for spring flooding

January 29, 2010 By

After record snowfalls and many winter storms Iowans are likely looking forward to the spring thaw — but the National Weather Service says the warmer weather could bring a new set of problems to the state. National Weather Service senior hydrologist, Jeff Zogg, says there’s a good chance of spring flooding.

“Right now we’re looking at a high risk of significant flooding, especially across the northwest half of Iowa this spring,” Zogg says, “the streams of most concerns right now are the Des Moines, the Racoon, the Floyd, the Little Sioux and Big Sioux Rivers as well as part of the Cedar/Iowa river basin.”

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters, Weather

Northey predicts more staff reductions in ag department

January 29, 2010 By

Iowa Ag Secretary Bill Northey says 50 jobs within the Iowa Department of Agriculture will have to be eliminated if the legislature endorses the governor’s budget plan for the agency. 

Governor Culver, a Democrat, proposed a general outline of state spending for all executive branch agencies this past Wednesday.  Northey, a Republican, says there’s about $800,000 less in the ag department’s budget plan for salaries.

“We’ll certainly see some reduction in force,” Northey says. “We’re down about 10 percent in the number of people compared to last year.” 

Northey predicts staff levels in the department will be down another 10 to 15 percent under this latest budget scenario, and he’ll have to lay some workers off as he won’t be able to accomplish all the staff reductions through attrition or retirements.  Two years ago, the state ag department operated with a general fund budget of about $22 million.  The governor’s recommending a budget of $16.8 million for the next fiscal year.  Northey suggests that’s a throwback budget.

“We’re actually funded at the same level we were in 1994,” Northey says. 

While the legislature “has something to say” about the level of funding Northey’s agency will receive in the next budgeting year, Northey doesn’t expect lawmakers to provide his agency with more money,

“We don’t really expect that there’s going to be more dollars in a budget that’s so upside down,” Northey says.  “…We’re going to see another 50 people out of our department not being there a year from now.”

In addition, there will be less state grant money to award for water conservation projects, for example, and there will be fewer inspectors, like the ones who ensure devices that weigh animals sold at livestock auctions around the state are accurate.  There will be fewer inspectors to oversee feed and fertilizer dealers, too.

“Generally, most folks will still not necessarily see that something is not safe,” Northey says. “But the challenge is at what level does that risk become high enough that it starts to impact regular Iowans?”

Northey made his comments late this morning during taping of the IPTV program, “Iowa Press,” which airs tonight at 7:30.

Filed Under: Agriculture, Politics & Government Tagged With: , , , ,
« Older Posts