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John Deere announces plans for another factory in China

May 24, 2011 By

Quad Cities-based Deere and Company, which has plants in five Iowa cities, is announcing plans to build another factory in China. The Moline, Illinois-based ag and construction equipment maker says the factory will manufacture engines for John Deere equipment being built in China.

The $60 million factory will be located in an area in which Deere already has other facilities. The engine plant announcement comes just a week after Deere announced it would build a new $80 million plant in China to produce mid- and large-sized tractors, sprayers, planters and harvesting equipment.

The engine factory will be the company’s sixth engine factory worldwide. Deere estimates it could start production in late 2013.

By Phil Roberts, Davenport

Filed Under: Agriculture, Business

World Trade Center steel on display in LeClaire

May 24, 2011 By

A piece of steel from the World Trade Center is now on view in eastern Iowa. The nine-foot-by-21-inch artifact weighs nearly 400 pounds and is on display through a window at the LeClaire Fire Station. The LeClaire Firefighters Association says it hopes to make it the focal point of a permanent display honoring the nearly 3,000 Americans killed on Sept. 11th, 2001.

Firefighters also hope the memorial will raise awareness of the responders who have died from health problems caused by contamination at the scene. In the meantime, the Clear Lake Fire Department is using a 10-foot steel beam salvaged from the World Trade Center for a sculpture at its new station.

By Phil Roberts, Davenport

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters, Human Interest

Fatal shooting under investigation in Hardin County

May 24, 2011 By

A fatal shooting is under investigation in north-central Iowa. Deputies from the Hardin County Sheriff’s office were called to a rural residence near Gifford on Monday to investigate an apparent shooting.

When deputies arrived they found a 31-year-old male victim of a gunshot wound. The Eldora Ambulance transported the man to an Iowa Falls hospital where he later died. The name of the victim has not been released.

Hardin County Sheriff Timothy Smith said there was another person at the residence when Deputies arrived with the individual being interviewed by authorities. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation has been called in to assist.

By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City

Filed Under: Crime & Courts

Auditors raise money-management issues

May 24, 2011 By

A report from the state auditor’s office is recommending that state officials take steps to better manage the federal funds used to finance government programs which are run with a combination of both state and federal money. 

The report recommends that the Iowa Department of Management do a better job of timing when it comes to accepting federal funds. The state faces paying interest to the federal government if too much federal money is taken too quickly. Conversely, if not enough federal money is taken to cover the costs of joint federal-state programs like Medicaid, the state can wind up using state funds to cover all the bills, losing the interest the state would earn if that money remained in the state treasury. 

Another report from the auditor’s office suggests school districts need to do a better job of submitting applications to the state for certain grants, as the state cannot make the payments on time if the applications are late.

Filed Under: Education, Politics & Government Tagged With:

Webster City woman dies in accident

May 24, 2011 By

A fatal crash involving a minivan and a semi in Hamilton County Monday morning is under investigation by the Iowa State Patrol. The accident claimed the life of 71-year-old Lynn Flowerday of Webster City.

Reportedly, Flowerday was driving his 1997 Chrysler minivan traveling southbound when the vehicle crossed the centerline into the path of a northbound International semi driven by Brian W. Gambill of Fort Dodge. Both the minivan and the semi entered the west ditch. Members of the Webster City Fire Department helped in removing Flowerday from his vehicle.

An air ambulance from Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines landed near the accident but Flowerday was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters

Athletes prep for Special Olympics events in Ames

May 24, 2011 By

Some 3,000 Iowa athletes with intellectual disabilities are gearing up for this week’s running of the Special Olympics. Mark Reed, president and CEO of Special Olympics Iowa, says the competition runs for three days in Ames.

“This is the largest Special Olympics Iowa event held each year,” Reed says. “Our athletes travel from all over the state to compete and they’ll be competing in a lot of different activities while they’re here and it’s going to be great.”

Reed said the participants will be involved in all sorts of sports. Events include: swimming, bocce, team soccer, tennis and rollerskating. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Human Interest, Recreation & Entertainment

Ron Paul courting Huckabee’s ’08 supporters

May 24, 2011 By

Three-time presidential candidate Ron Paul is courting Iowa Republicans who backed former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee in the 2008 Iowa Caucuses. Huckabee announced earlier this month that he would not run again in 2012.

“I think that opens up the door for us because he is one that stood for family values and it’s something that we’ve been pushing real hard,” Paul said Monday during a news conference in Ankeny. “And I think there’s a chance that we will be able to capture a lot of those votes.”

Paul has said the legality of marriage should be left up to the states, but he has called on the Obama Administration to defend the federal “Defense of Marriage Act” because it stipulates that states do not have to legally recognize same-sex marriages sanctioned in another state. Paul, who is a Texas congressman, met Monday with many of the 120 volunteers who’ve signed up to help his campaign get organized for the Iowa Republican Party’s Straw Poll in August. 

“I am really encouraged when I see people like you coming out and willing to work and knowing what the odds are, but you also know what the stakes are,” Paul said. “And believe me, I’ve been doing this for a few years and comparing not only to 20 or 30 years ago, but comparing it to four years ago, believe me — things have changed. People are very enthusiastic.”

Paul ran for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination in 2004.  In 1988, he was the Libertarian Party’s nominee.

On Monday Paul won the endorsement of a state legislator who’s been pushing to impeach the four justices who joined the 2009 ruling which paved the way for gay marriage in Iowa.  Glen Massie of Des Moines was first elected to the Iowa House in 2010 and, in 2011, he joined with four other Republicans in the House to introduce articles of impeachment against the four supreme court justices.

Filed Under: Campaign Countdown, Crime & Courts, Politics & Government Tagged With: , ,
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