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Iowa looks for second Big Ten win against Penn State

January 26, 2011 By

The Iowa Hawkeyes will try to make it two in a row in Big Ten play, tonight with a visit to Penn State. The Hawks asre 1-6 in the league race anmd take on a Nittany Lions team that is led by senior guard Talor Battle, who averages just over 20 points per game.

Iowa coach Fran McCaffery says Battle gets things started, but they also have other veteran players and they are probably one of the most athletic teams Penn State coach Ed DeChellis has had. The Nittany Lions are 3-4 in the Big Ten and 10-8 overall.

McCaffrey says DeChellis is one of his better friends in the business, and he looks forward to having a good contest against him.

It is an early 5:30, Iowa time tipoff.

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: ,

Senate Democrats tout ideas they say would help small businesses

January 26, 2011 By

Democrats in the Iowa Senate are touting four ideas targeted toward small businesses, including a sizable tax credit for small business owners who provide health insurance to their employees. Under the plan, Iowa businesses with two to 10 employees would get a refundable tax credit worth 25 percent of the federal credit that companies are now getting for health care premiums.

Senator Tom Rielly, a Democrat from Oskaloosa, says big businesses have benefited from the refundable state tax credit for research and development. “Why not help out a Main Street business that’s struggling to pay their health insurance?” Rielly asks. “I think they deserve a little help, too.”

According to Rielly, it means a small businessman who pays 50-thousand dollars a year to provide health care coverage for his employees would get a nearly $4,400 state tax credit. “We feel that this is a step in the right direction to helping small businesses thrive and grow in Iowa,” Rielly says.

Senate Democrats also propose a series of town hall meetings around the state to hear from small business owners who’ve had trouble with state government red tape. Republican Governor Terry Branstad has proposed a review of all state regulations.

Senator Jeff Danielson, a Democrat from Cedar Falls, says their idea for town hall meetings “fits” with Branstad’s idea. “We would love to help the governor figure out how to ease the burdens on small businesses,” Danielson says. A five-million dollar state fund to provide loans to small businesses was established last year.

Senate Democrats want to make those loans interest-free for the first six months. Senator Steve Sodders, a Democrat from State Center, says it’s about helping small businesses get the capital they need to expand. “The foundation of our state’s economy and economic recovery must include helping out our small businesses,” Sodders says.

“And that’s what we’re trying to do.” Senate Democrats are also proposing a $200,000 increase in state money available in the form of grants to help clean up shabby buildings and abandoned properties around the state.

Senator Tom Hancock, a Democrat from Epworth, says it’s a huge issue in small-town Iowa. “Blighted buildings on our Main Streets or in our industrial parks are a drag on successful small businesses,” Hancock says.

Democrats estimate these four ideas have a total price tag of about $8.5-million.

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

Coalition pushes for limits on “payday” loans

January 26, 2011 By

Groups that back limits on the interest rates for so-called “payday” loans have formed a coalition, hoping to get Iowa legislators to pass a bill setting 36 percent as the top rate on such loans. Tom Chapman of the Iowa Catholic Conference says some payday loans have an interest rate of more than 400 percent.

“Nobody thinks this regulation is a bad idea,” Chapman says. “…And so the question should be raised: why can’t we get it done?” Naomi Wittstruck of the Iowa Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church says payday loans with triple-digit interest rates ruin lives.

“It is unethical, immoral, unbiblical and it should also be illegal,” Wittstruck says. “We are called to do something about the unconscionable practice.” Mike McCarthy of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement says payday loan companies prey on those who can least afford to be “sucked dry.”

“It’s like the ‘wild west’ where anything goes and loans for 400 percent (interest) and higher are created,” McCarthy says. “Now these rates are immoral but legal and that does not make it right.” Victor Elias of the Iowa Child and Family Policy Center says a recent survey of Iowans indicates the vast majority of Iowans favor the proposed interest rate limit on payday loans.

“This is not a loan to get out of trouble,” Elias says. “It’s a debt trap that people can’t out of.” Groups like the Iowa League of Women Voters and Habitat for Humanity have joined the “Iowans for Payday Loan Reform.” Organizers expect a bill to be introduced in the state senate soon on the issue. Usury laws do not apply to loans of less than $500.

Filed Under: Business, Politics & Government Tagged With:

State pork exports hit a record in 2010

January 26, 2011 By

Iowa’s pork industry set a record for exports in 2010 and the figures for December have yet to be added to the total.

The Iowa Department of Economic Development reports Iowa companies exported more than one-billion dollars worth of pork products between January and November of last year.

Greg Lear of Spencer is the director of exports for the Iowa Pork Producers Association. He says expanding overseas markets is key to putting more money in pork producers’ pockets. “Everybody needs access to getting more products sold out of the U.S. because I don’t think we’re going to change our per capita consumption of pork in the U.S.,” Lear told Radio Iowa.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Agriculture, Business Tagged With: ,

Company involved in fatal U-I accident fined in the past

January 26, 2011 By

The company that employed a worker who was killed at the University of Iowa this week was cited for safety violations in 2009. Regulators cited Iowa Bridge and Culvert of Washington for nine violations at a work site near where 52-year-old Kevin Hammons died Monday.

The company paid a $5,400 fine. Hammons, of Washington, was working on a flood recovery and mitigation project near Art Building West, according to the university. Preliminary reports indicate he was working along the shore of a pond south of the building when a beam fell on him.

The death marks the second fatal construction-related accident on the U-I campus since August. Forty-nine-year-old Tom Fosdick of Cedar Rapids died September 1st, 2010. He fell from a ladder while renovating the exterior of the Boyd Law Building on August 30th.

By Phil Roberts, Davenport

Filed Under: Business, Fires/Accidents/Disasters

Class 4A: Caitlin Ingle, Southeast Polk

January 26, 2011 By

The sophomore guard averaged 15 and a half points, just over nine assists and eight steals in two victories. Ingle scored 17 points, dished out 14 assists and recorded 11 steals in a win over Des Moines North.

Filed Under: INS Player of the Week, Sports

Class 3A: Madison Weekly, Benton (Van Horne)

January 26, 2011 By

The sophomore guard averaged more than 22 points in three games. Weekly scored 28 points and hauled down 11 rebounds in a win over Maquoketa. She made all nine of her free throws and on the week finished 19 of 21 at the line.

Filed Under: INS Player of the Week, Sports
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