Monday, March 12
Zoo growth plan on table this week
BLANK PARK ZOO officials want to add $50 million in exhibits and
attractions. The 10-year plan requires space, so they have considered part
of Fort Des Moines Park, which is controlled by the Polk County Conservation
Board.
FORT DES MOINES PARK has more than 100 acres. It includes a fishing lake, a
playground, shelters and a rare stand of oak trees. Peter Heimdahl of the
Save Fort Des Moines Committee fears that "public green space is fair game"
if parkland is used for a zoo project.
http://dmregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070312/NEWS05/703120334/-1/archive
-----------------------
Farmers care about water quality; bill is good start
By CRAIG LANG
IOWA VIEW
ll you have to do is look out your window to realize why all Iowans care
about water quality. Eight-foot drifts of snow are melting, filling creeks
and rivers. But soon, instead of muddy, partially-frozen ground, you'll see
the trees blooming and plants sprouting. Iowa is blessed with an average 32
inches of precipitation a year. Farmers have to make a living off the land,
but that rainfall impacts their efforts.
Last week's Register editorial, "Don't Be Fooled By a Dirty Water Bill,"
criticizes those farmers who, rather than just talk about water quality, are
truly trying to do something about it. Farmers have become the target of
choice in part because up to 95 percent of our state's land use is
agriculture. Fingers are pointed and misinformation and innuendo becomes
fact, simply because it's printed in the Register.
http://dmregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070312/OPINION01/703120301/1035/archive
--------------------------
Sunday, March 11
Pork producers try to keep ethanol from hogging corn
They vote to support the expiration of two ethanol financial incentives
By JERRY PERKINS
REGISTER FARM EDITOR
Reacting to higher corn prices from increased demand for ethanol, pork
producers are fighting back.
Delegates to the National Pork Producers Council's annual meeting last week
in Anaheim, Calif., voted to support the expiration of two important ethanol
financial incentives.
http://dmregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070311/BUSINESS01/703110331/1029/archive
------------------------
Brasher: Terminating biofuel subsidies would wreak havoc on crop prices
Corn's dip could be 30 cents a bushel, meaning farmers could lose tens of
thousands of dollars.
WASHINGTON FARM REPORT
By PHILIP BRASHER
REGISTER WASHINGTON BUREAU
Washington, D.C. - The most valuable subsidies to many farmers today are
ones they never get - the federal tax credits for biofuels and the U.S.
tariff on imported ethanol.
Their importance is made clear in two recent reports that look at what would
happen if those measures end.
http://dmregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070311/BUSINESS01/703110329/1029/archive
-----------------------
Grassroots: Ikes host farm bill forum in Des Moines
The Izaak Walton League of America will hold a farm bill forum, 10 a.m.-3
p.m., Monday, at the Des Moines Izaak Walton League's chapter house, 4343
George Flagg Parkway in Des Moines.
The Des Moines forum will feature roundtable discussions by agricultural,
conservation and rural organizations.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey and Iowa Department of Natural
Resources director Rich Leopold will be among the participants.
http://dmregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070311/BUSINESS01/703110330/1029/archive
---------------------
How to get your message across to elected officials
Government actions directly impact the quality of your life.
That reality might not hit home until the Legislature cuts funding to the
state universities, and rising tuition forces your child to take out a
bigger loan. Or Congress spends another year doing nothing about the
alternative minimum tax, and it means you pay another $5,000 in taxes. Or a
president decides to go to war, and a loved one is killed.
What government does or doesn't do affects your life.
http://dmregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070311/OPINION03/703110313/1035/archive
-----------------------
Doak: Energy independence is the wrong goal for Iowa
By RICHARD DOAK
SPECIAL TO THE REGISTER
Gov. Chet Culver and state legislators want to set an official goal for Iowa
to achieve energy independence by 2025.
No, no, no. That's the wrong target.
http://dmregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070311/OPINION01/703110308/1035/archive
----------------------
Yepsen: Democrats are chicken on hog lots
By DAVID YEPSEN
REGISTER POLITICAL COLUMNIST
One of the biggest disappointments of this Legislature and governor is their
failure to address the local-control issues surrounding large hog lots in
Iowa.
Most of the other priorities in the Democratic Party platform are getting
attention - more money for teachers, more money for public-employee unions,
expanded stem-cell research, a cigarette-tax increase and
anti-discrimination measures for gays and lesbians.
But there's been little on local control. Why?
http://dmregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070311/OPINION01/703110327/1035/archive
------------------------------
New yard waste program available in Johnston
By JULI PROBASCO-SOWERS
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
Metro Waste and the City of Johnston are offering Johnston residents a
premium yard waste collection service for the upcoming season.
The program is an optional, subscription-based service available in addition
to Compost It bags and stickers.
http://dmregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070310/NEWS/70309033/-1/archive
--------------------
Power Fund plan heads in right direction
Unveiling of details shows right focus, flexibility.
If you had $100 million to spend to keep Iowa on the cutting edge of
renewable energy, how would you spend it? Gov. Chet Culver's staff announced
Friday how the governor would answer: In short, he would appoint a committee
of experts to decide.
Although that may sound like passing the buck, it's actually a reasonable
answer.
http://dmregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070310/OPINION03/703100317/1035/archive
----------------------
U.S., Brazil announce ethanol pact
Accord stops short of pledging subsidies for Latin America
By PHILIP BRASHER
REGISTER WASHINGTON BUREAU
Washington, D.C. - The United States and Brazil have agreed to steps to
encourage biofuel development in Latin America, but an end to the U.S.
import tariff on ethanol is off the table for now.
The U.S.-Brazil pact calls for funding feasibility studies on increased
ethanol production and use in the region. The two countries also pledged to
work on developing common international standards for biofuels.
http://dmregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070310/BUSINESS01/703100323/1029/archive
-------------------------------
Friday, March 9
Melting snow causes manure spill
TOM BARTON
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
Atlantic, Ia. — The melting of recent snowfall from last week's winter storm
is causing more concern that just flooding.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources announced Friday that it is
investigating two manure spills caused by runoff from open cattle feedlots
in Shelby and Montgomery Counties.
http://dmregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070309/NEWS/70309059/-1/archive
-----------------------
Boswell staffer to visit Clive library
By JARED STRONG
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
A member of U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell’s staff will be at the Clive Public
Library Tuesday from 11 a.m. to noon to discuss with people about their
concerns or suggestions.
The library’s address is 1900 N.W. 114th St.
Constituents who cannot attend may call Boswell’s office at (515) 282-1909
or (888) 432-1984, or visit the office at 300 E. Locust St., Suite 320 in
Des Moines.
----------------------
Come along on a night hike at Jester Park
JULI PROBASCO-SOWERS
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
Mark March 23 on the calendar for a night hike at Jester Park near Johnston.
Participants will hike thorugh the woods by moonlight and listen and watch
for the woods to come alive. They will discover animals that are out and
about at night.
All ages are welcome. For more information call 323-5300.
---------------------
Panel backs bill overhauling livestock laws
The proposed rules for one of Iowa's hallmark industries abandons talk of
giving counties local zoning control.
BY PERRY BEEMAN AND JENNIFER JACOBS
REGISTER STAFF WRITERS
Putting more distance between new or expanding livestock farms and homes,
water supplies and tourism areas is the aim of a proposal being considered
by Iowa lawmakers.
It's a major overhaul of state livestock laws, and is intended to limit
threats to Iowans' health, waterways and air quality. It abandons talk of
giving counties local zoning control over livestock operations or calling a
moratorium on new construction.
http://dmregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070309/NEWS10/703090383/-1/archive
--------------------
Ethanol industry OK with Brazil pact
By PHILIP BRASHER
REGISTER WASHINGTON BUREAU
Washington, D.C. — The United States and Brazil announced some steps to
encourage biofuel development in the hemisphere, but the relatively modest
measures stopped well short of what would stir opposition from the booming
U.S. ethanol industry.
The U.S.-Brazil pact calls for feasibility studies for ethanol production
and use in Latin America. The two countries also pledged to work on
developing common international standards for biofuels.
http://dmregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070309/BUSINESS01/70309024/1029/archive
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