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Palin cites state motto, endorses Branstad

June 3, 2010 By

Both Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and a leading conservative Christian activist have weighed in on the race to win the Iowa Republican Party’s 2010 nomination for governor.  

Palin has endorsed Terry Branstad’s bid for a fifth term while Dr. James Dobson, founder of the Colorado-based “Focus on the Family” empire, endorsed Bob Vander Plaats today.

Palin sent out a tweet on Twitter and put up a post on Facebook. Palin cited the state motto of Iowa which is “Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain.” She said “that motto will be well served by voting for Terry Branstad for governor next Tuesday!” 

Dobson’s endorsement was revealed in a Vander Plaats campaign email. Dobson called Vander Plaats a man of convictions who would ensure that the Republican Party stands for “something beyond simply winning elections and holding office.”  

Late today KCCI-TV in Des Moines released new polling data on the governor’s race, showing Branstad leading Vander Plaats by 15 percent, with 15 percent of those surveyed saying they were undecided about their vote in next Tuesday’s primary. The KCCI poll tested voter support in the race for the Iowa Democratic Party’s U.S. Senate nomination as well.  The survey showed Roxanne Conlin far in front of her two competitors, with 48 percent support, however there was a large block of undecided voters.  Twenty-seven-percent of those questioned for the poll said they had not settled on a candidate in that U.S. Senate race.

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

Rare baby bonobo born in Iowa (video)

June 3, 2010 By

The Des Moines based Great Ape Trust has its first baby bonobo. Teco was born Tuesday evening after an usually long 72 hours of labor from the mother, Elikya.

 

William Fields, director of scientific research at the Trust, says bonobos are an endangered species and only live in the wild in the Democratic Republic of Congo. “There are very few bonobos in the world whether they’re free ranging or in captivity,” Fields told Radio Iowa. “The fact that we are able to contribute to the population of bonobos…Iowans should be very proud of that fact.”

There are 150 bonobos in captivity, half of them in the U.S. Teco is the son of Kanzi. His name comes from Townsend Engineering Co. The business was formerly owned by ape trust founder Ted Townsend.

Fields says Teco will be raised at the Trust – where researchers study the bonobo’s communications skills. “Bonobos are different from chimpanzees in the fact that bonobos engage in shared rearing,” Fields said. “While the baby, right now, is exclusively with the mother, it won’t be very long before Elikya will be sharing the baby with other females in the colony.”

The birth was unusual for a couple of reasons. Elikya spent 72 hours in labor. Fields says four hours would have been typical. In addition, Elikya self-delivered Teco. “We were right there with her and she was very happy for us to be right next to her,” Fields said. “But anytime we tried to assist, she stopped us. She self-delivered this baby and she knew exactly what she was doing. We’re very impressed with her.”

The Great Ape Trust now has seven bonobos. There’s no word on Teco’s weight or length, but Fields says he’s a big baby with a large head.

Filed Under: Education, Environment & Conservation

Gulf oil spill could impact corn prices

June 3, 2010 By

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico may drive down grain prices in Iowa and drive up the prices of things like televisions. Chad Hart, an Iowa State University grain markets specialist, says that’s what happened when the Port of New Orleans was shut down by Hurricane Katrina.

While the port at the mouth of the Mississippi is still operating, Hart says shipping lanes into and out of New Orleans may be cut off if the spill widens. “In the aftermath of Katrina, for example, what we saw here were lower commodity prices, grain prices, here in Iowa as those export shipments didn’t happen — so that left more grain here in the U.S.,” Hart says. “But we saw higher prices for those commodities that we tend to import, such as consumer electronics.”

About 60% of all the grain that’s exported from the U.S. goes out through New Orleans. About two-thirds of the corn that’s grown in Iowa is used within the state for livestock or ethanol production and the other third is shipped out and Hart says the Iowa grain that’s destined for overseas markets is exported through New Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico.

“In this case the oil slick has not moved into the shipping lanes so we haven’t had an impact yet,” Hart says. “We don’t know if the oil will move into those shipping lanes or not.” Cargo ships can sail through an oil slick, but they have to be cleaned before they reach their destination port.

“It is a major cleaning process to get the oil removed from these ocean liners,” Hart says, “because you are talking very large ships that move large quantities of materials.” If the canal that goes from New Orleans out to the Gulf of Mexico is plugged up with oil, Hart expects “severe delays” in getting U.S. corn and soybeans shipped overseas.

According to Hart, the oil spill so far has been moving to the east and the shipping lanes into New Orleans lay to the west of the oil slick. Hart says if the oil spill shifts and causes major delays in shipping into and out of New Orleans, a “bottleneck” in that passage could depress Iowa corn and soybean prices by as much as 50 cents per bushel.

Filed Under: Agriculture, Business, Fires/Accidents/Disasters Tagged With:

Oelwein police officer credited with saving child’s life

June 3, 2010 By

An Oelwein police office is being credited with saving the life of a young child. Oelwein authorities got a 9-1-1 call Tuesday reporting that a two-year-old child was choking.

Oelwein police officer, Jay Tommasin, arrived at the scene in two minutes and found the child choking on an object and turning blue. Tommasin held the boy, identified as Talyn Yearous, and performed back blows to dislodge the item caught in his throat. After repeated blows, a marble finally was discharged from Talyn’s throat, and he began to breath again. He was taken to Mercy Hospital in Oelwein as a precaution, and later released.

Talyn’s mother, Nicole Pingree, credits officer Tommasin with saving her child’s life. Police chief Jeremy Logan is also praising the officer’s work and notes that his lifesaving act is the fifth life-save in the past eight years for the department.

Roger King, KOEL, Oelwein

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

Des Moines post office renamed to honor Iraq, Afghanistan veterans (audio)

June 3, 2010 By
Plaque for renamed Des Moines post office.

Plaque for renamed Des Moines post office.

A post office in Iowa’s capital city is now a memorial to Iowa veterans.
Dar Danielson report on renaming  :70 MP3

The postmaster from Johnston sang the national anthem, and an Army Chaplain gave the invocation under a bright sunny sky as the downtown Des Moines Post Office was renamed to honor Iowa soldiers who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[Read more...]

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

War of words escalates between two factions in gay marriage fight

June 3, 2010 By

The war of words between two factions in the fight over gay marriage in Iowa has escalated.  

Three months ago a group of 167 Iowa clergy signed a letter, urging state lawmakers to oppose attempts to “diminish the marriage rights” of gay couples. Earlier this week, Iowa Family Policy Center president Chuck Hurley — an opponent of gay marriage — held a news conference to tout a petition that had been signed by 834 ministers.  Hurley said it was a group of “real” pastors who oppose gay marriage and he dismissed the group of 167 Interfaith Alliance clergy as “pseudo pastors.” 

The executive director of the Interfaith Alliance then asked Hurley to retract that statement.

On Wednesday, Hurley went one step farther, calling on the Interfaith Alliance clergy to “repent.”  Hurley went on to say the clergy “who signed the Interfaith Alliance (letter) are defying the Word of God.” According to Hurley, “they are confused at best and blatantly evil at worst.”

“Those who are promoting sex outside of one-man/one-woman marriage are leading their flocks astray — that’s pretty mild,” Hurley says.  “I mean I could, obviously, say some stronger words, but what I tried to do was point out was what the Christian scriptures say.”

Connie Ryan Terrell, the executive director of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, says Hurley has “inflamed” the situation. “He had the choice to do the right thing, in my opinion, and retract his statement and, perhaps, even apologize for what he said about clergy,” Terrell says.  “But instead he chose to ramp up the emotions of it and use language that was even more derogatory and disparaging toward clergy who just happen to disagree with him.” 

The bishop of the Episcopal churches of Iowa signed the Interfaith Alliance letter in February, as did rabbis and pastors who lead several campus ministries at colleges like Wartburg and Luther.  Terrell says Hurley has shown a lack of “respect” for that group.

“That particular organization and Mr. Hurley in particular believes that there is only one way to think, only one belief system that is right and that they have the corner on that market,” Terrell says. “From the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa perspective, we know that there is a broad spectrum of faith beliefs not only on this issue, but on many issues.” 

Terrell says she’s telling the 167 clergy who Hurley has labeled “pseudo” pastors to contact Hurley personally to discuss his comments.

Hurley says his side will be vindicated in the end. “The scriptures are very, very clear that you’re playing with eternal separation from God when you blatantly violate His rules,” Hurley says. 

Read the written statements from the two groups below.

[Read more...]

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

Habitat for Humanity takes on big project in Des Moines

June 3, 2010 By

Volunteers are planning to turn an abandoned softball field in Des Moines into a 10 home neighborhood in less than three weeks. Jenna Nathan with the Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity says a groundbreaking ceremony will be held this afternoon (Thursday at 5:30pm) on the site located on the city’s southeast side.

“It’s by far the largest project that we’ve ever done here in Des Moines,” Nathan said. “Other affiliates across the country have done similar things, but we’re really focused on building neighborhoods and not just one house at a time.” The foundations on the new homes will be laid later this summer before the 20-day building project begins September 13th.

“We’re going to use about 3,000 individual volunteers, not including our subcontractors and our staff here at Habitat for Humanity,” Nathan said. Ten low-income families will move into the homes and take on a 20 year no-interest mortgage. Nathan says their monthly payments will be around $350 to $400.

The new homeowners are required to work on their homes and the other homes being built over the 20 day period. Principal Financial, Wells Fargo, Kemin Industries and the Des Moines Area Association of Realtors helped finance the land purchase and building materials.

Filed Under: Human Interest
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