(DES MOINES)  - Today, Gov. Branstad issued a disaster emergency proclamation that will provide relief to Iowa farmers hit hard by the drought being experienced in the state.

This proclamation takes affect at noon today for the next 60 days.  The assistance comes in the form of a suspension of state laws and regulations affecting the transport of hay, straw and stover. The drought has destroyed or depleted sources of these products that are necessary for livestock production and feed.

Specifically, this proclamation allows for:

• Overweight loads: Hay, straw and stover may be transported in loads weighing up to 90,000 pounds gross weight without obtaining an overweight permit normally required by the Iowa Department of Transportation. Overweight loads cannot travel on the interstate without a permit.  This proclamation applies to noninterstate roadways.  Specific axle weight limits do apply. Visit the Iowa DOT's website www.iowa.dot.gov to see the maximum gross weight table and determine the legal limits for your vehicle/trailer combination.  A vehicle that is overweight, but not overwidth, can travel at all hours.
• Overwidth loads: A vehicle transporting these goods can be overwidth, without an Iowa DOT permit, if they do not exceed 12 feet 5 inches wide.  An overwidth load can travel on any road, including the interstate, as long as its gross weight does not exceed 80,000 pounds.  Movement must occur between the hours of 30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset.  All flags, signs and lights normally required are still needed.
• Overweight and overwidth loads: A vehicle transporting these goods can be both overwidth, up to 12 feet 5 inches, and overweight, up to 90,000 pounds.  However, these vehicles cannot travel on the interstate.
• Driver hours of service: The driver hours-of-service regulations pertaining to persons transporting these specific agricultural goods are suspended. Certain rest periods must be provided to drivers to prevent fatigued or ill drivers from operating on the roadways.

For additional details, call 1-800-925-6469 or visit the Iowa DOT's website at www.iowadot.gov where a question and answer sheet can be found.

The proclamation reads as follows:

PROCLAMATION OF DISASTER EMERGENCY

WHEREAS, The State of Iowa is in the midst of a severe drought; and

WHEREAS, the drought has destroyed and depleted sources and stores of hay, straw, and stover necessary for livestock production and feed; and

WHEREAS, the lack of hay, straw and stover threatens the health and viability of Iowa livestock and the economic health and well being of Iowa livestock producers and the State of Iowa; and

WHEREAS, strict compliance with the permit and fee requirements of Iowa Code sections 321.454, 321.463, and 321E.29 and 761 I.A.C. 511 allowing overwidth and overweight loads, and strict compliance with the hours of service requirements of section 321.449 of the Iowa Code will prevent, hinder, or delay timely transportation and delivery of hay, straw, and stover necessary to protect and preserve Iowa livestock and Iowa livestock producers from the effects of the drought.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Terry E. Branstad, Governor of the State of Iowa, by the power and authority invested in me by the Constitution, Article IV Sections 1 and 8 and Iowa Code section 29C.6(1), do hereby proclaim a state of disaster emergency for the entire State of Iowa.  Further, pursuant to Iowa Code section 29C.6(6), I hereby suspend the following regulatory provisions:

1. I hereby suspend the regulatory provisions of Iowa Code sections 321.463, paragraphs "5.a" and "5.b" and 321E.29  and 761 I.A.C. 511 to the extent that those provisions restrict the movement of overweight loads of hay, straw, and stover only and require a permit to transport such loads.  Suspension of these provisions applies to loads transported on all highways within Iowa, excluding the interstate system, and which do not exceed a maximum of 90,000 pounds gross weight, do not exceed the maximum axle weight limit determined under the nonprimary highway maximum gross weight table in Iowa Code section 321.463 paragraph "5.b" by more than twelve and one-half percent (12.5%), do not exceed the legal maximum axle weight limit of 20,000 pounds, and comply with posted limits on roads and bridges.
   
   
2. I hereby suspend the regulatory provisions of Iowa Code sections 321.454 and 321E.29  and 761 I.A.C. 511 to the extent that those provisions restrict the movement of overwidth loads of hay, straw, and stover only and require a permit to transport such loads.  Suspension of these provisions applies to loads transported on all highways within Iowa and which are a width of 12 feet 5 inches or less, are of a length that complies with Iowa Code section 321.457, are of a height that is 13 feet 6 inches or less, and are within the weight restrictions set forth in paragraph "1" above.  This paragraph and paragraph "1" above are intended to allow vehicles transporting hay, straw or stover only to be overwidth but not overweight, not exceeding 12 feet 5 inches, on all highways within Iowa including the interstate system without a permit, and to be overwidth and overweight, not exceeding 12 feet 5 inches and 90,000 pounds gross weight, on all highways within Iowa, excluding the interstate system, without a permit, but only for the duration of this proclamation. 
   
   Persons transporting hay, straw, or stover without a permit under authority of this declaration are responsible for assessing and determining their route and should consult Iowa Department of Transportation travel information at www.511IA.org to determine road closures and restrictions.
   
   Movement of vehicles operated without a permit under authority of this declaration that are overwidth shall be permitted only during the hours from one-half-hour before sunrise to one-half-hour after sunset, and shall comply with the flags, signs, and lights requirements applicable to overwidth vehicles set forth in 761 I.A.C. 511.15(3).
   
   
3. I do hereby suspend the regulatory provisions of Iowa Code section 321.449 pertaining to hours of service of motor carriers and drivers of commercial motor vehicles, only while transporting hay, straw, or stover during the duration of this proclamation.
   
   

4.       Nothing contained in this declaration shall be construed as an exemption from the controlled substances and alcohol use and testing requirements (49 CFR 382), the commercial drivers license requirements (49 CFR 383), the financial responsibility requirements (49 CFR 387), or any other portion of the regulations not specifically identified in this proclamation.

5.       No motor carrier operating under the terms of this proclamation shall require or allow a fatigued or ill driver to operate a motor vehicle.  A driver who informs a carrier that he or she needs immediate rest shall be given at least ten consecutive hours off duty before the driver is required to return to service.

6.       Upon the request of a driver, a commercial motor carrier operating under this proclamation must give a driver at least 34 consecutive hours off when the driver has been on duty for more than 70 hours in any eight consecutive days.

7.       Motor carriers that have an out-of-service order in effect may not take advantage of the relief from regulations that this declaration provides under title 49 CFR 390.23.

8.       This proclamation only applies to hours of service of motor carriers and drivers of commercial motor vehicles while transporting hay, straw, or stover only.

9.       Upon the expiration of the effective date of this proclamation, or when a driver has been relieved of all duty and responsibility to provide direct assistance to the emergency effort, a driver that has had at least 34 consecutive hours off duty shall be permitted to start his or her on-duty status hours and 60/70 hour clock at zero.

This proclamation of disaster emergency becomes effective at noon on the twenty-sixth day of July, 2012 and expires 60 days from the date issued.  The Iowa Department of Transportation is directed to monitor the operation of this proclamation to assure the public's safety and facilitate the movement of vehicles involved.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto subscribed my name and caused the great seal of the State of Iowa to be affixed. Done at Des Moines this 26^th day of July in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve.

__________________________________

TERRY E. BRANSTAD

OELWEIN, Iowa - Shooting sports enthusiasts from across the upper Midwest will enjoy a fun day of sporting clays competition on Sunday, Aug. 12 while raising thousands of dollars for the fight against cance.

Fayette County Conservation Club will host the fifth annual Shootout Against Cancer on Aug. 12, featuring a 100-target sporting clays course, lunch on the grounds, special shooting games, raffles and prizes -- all to fund cancer research supported by the University of Iowa Foundation.

All the day's events will be held on the club's grounds at Oelwein. Cost for the sporting clays course and lunch is $50.

The sporting clays shoot begins at 9 a.m., is open to all, and is designed for all levels of shooters from novices to veterans.

All participants will register on the club grounds the day of the shoot. Event organizers encourage shooters to register in three-person teams. Individual shooters can also register and be assigned to a team.

All teams must be registered, entered, and on the course by 1 p.m.

The Fayette County Conservation Club extends a special invitation to anyone interested in learning about and taking part in the game of sporting clays.

The Fayette club grounds are on the west edge of Oelwein off County Highway C50 (West Charles Street).  Signs will be posted with directions to the grounds and parking areas.

The annual Shootout against Cancer has raised thousands of dollars for cancer research. The 2011 Shootout drew 144 shooters and raised $7,810 for University of Iowa Foundation cancer research funding.

The 100-target sporting clays course will be designed and set up by sporting clays range designers Targets On The Move. The course will offer a variety of targets and will be fun for both veteran and novice shooters said Hugh Curtis, Fayette County Conservation Club member and organizer of the annual Shootout Against Cancer.

Raffle tickets for a Beretta A400 Xcel 12 gauge semi-automatic sporting clays target shotgun will also be available on the grounds for $10 each or three for $20.

"The Shootout Against Cancer is a fun event for shooters of all ages and ability levels," said Don Stohr, club member and Shootout organizer. "In addition to raising funds for the fight against cancer, this is also an opportunity to get more people involved in the shooting sports."

For more information, contact Stohr, telephone 319-283-0217.

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Since former President George W. Bush amped up standardized testing throughout the nation in 2002 with the No Child Left Behind Act, critics say results have been negative.

"The bottom line is that there is no clear correlation between standardized testing and the knowledge and skills kids will need to prosper in the 21st century world of work," says Peter Weddle, former CEO of Job Bank USA, Inc., and author of A Multitude of Hope: A Novel About Rediscovering the American Dream (www.AMultitudeofHope.com).

"It seems we're more interested in creating a homogenized workforce than a nation of individuals who have learned what their talent is and how to bring it to work with them," he says.

Consider these statistics:

• Annual state spending on standardized tests has increased by 160 percent - from $423 million in 2002 to $1.1 billion in 2008, according to the Pew Center on the States.

• Since 2002, the United States dropped from 18th in the world in math on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) to 31st place in 2009, with a similar drop in science and no change in reading.

• The NCLB Act has drastically narrowed content, according to a study by the Center on Education Policy.

"This problem begins very early on. We take kids in elementary school and give them tests. Those who do well are designated as 'gifted and talented,' which means that everyone else is, by definition, ungifted and untalented. And, that's just not true.  In effect, we're devaluing all the capabilities that are not reflected in a standardized test," he says.

"Of course, we want to take care of our academically proficient kids, but we have to find a way to do that without signaling to every other child that they were at the end of the line when talent was handed out."

Too many Americans are stuck in old ways of thinking, from the classrooms of our elementary schools and colleges to the workplace," Weddle says. "But we're in a new economy and the path to the American Dream has changed. That means our old-school thinking must change as well."

He offers ways Americans can get back in the game as world leaders:

• We need to accept that the economy has changed: The first step to change is acknowledging it's needed, Weddle says. "Our employers are no longer competing with cheaper labor; they're up against smarter labor worldwide," he says. We hold a trump card, however: We have the most diverse pool of talent on the globe, whereas countries such as China and India have, by choice, a homogenous workforce.

• We must give career education greater priority: In China, every college student must, as a requirement of graduation, take a yearlong course that teaches them the skills and knowledge to manage their own careers effectively.  In the United States, that instruction is missing from college curricula. Yet, 53.6 percent of all college graduates under the age of 25 are now either unemployed or underemployed.

• We need to redefine talent so we can use it: "Our culture has taught us that talent is the province of exceptional people doing exceptional things," he says.  "We can see the talent of Lady Gaga, but not the talent of an accounts payable clerk.  And that's myopic.  We are all endowed with talent, but we have to discover it, nurture it and then bring it to work with us."

• We have to see ourselves as a 'work in progress': "The world of work is changing at warp speed - new technology, shifts in the global marketplace and changes in consumer tastes," he says. "That's why we need to be committed to continuous learning.  Regardless of our educational degree, years of experience or level of seniority, we need to be acquiring new skills and knowledge all of the time."

About Peter Weddle

Peter Weddle, a former recruiter and human resource consultant, is the CEO of the International Association of Employment Web Sites, a trade organization. He has written or edited more than two dozen non-fiction books regarding careers and employment; "A Multitude of Hope" is his first work of fiction. Weddle is the founder and former CEO of Job Bank USA, Inc., one of the largest electronic employment services companies in the United States.

DES MOINES, IA (07/26/2012)(readMedia)-- Music-loving Fairgoers still have time to purchase tickets for this year's line-up of award-winning Grandstand entertainment and track events. "Nothing Compares" to the 2012 Iowa State Fair set August 9-19.

Seats are still available for performances by hit Christian performer TobyMac, country stars Hank Williams Jr. and Miranda Lambert, pop-rockers Big Time Rush, and comedian Larry the Cable Guy.

All reserved seats for the Journey concert with Pat Benatar and Loverboy on Saturday, August 18, are sold out.

Tickets for all other concert and track events are on sale now through all Ticketmaster outlets, online at ticketmaster.com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000, and through the Iowa State Fair Ticket Office. All concert events are reserved seating; track events are general admission. The Fair's Ticket Office, located on the front porch of the Administration Building, is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays for walk-up orders only (no mail, phone or fax orders). During the Fair, the Ticket Office will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Convenience charges will apply to all tickets. Grandstand tickets do not include admission to the Fair.

Complete line-up follows:

2012 Iowa State Fair Grandstand Line-up

Presented by U.S. Cellular

Thursday, August 9 TobyMac with special guests Tenth Avenue North and Jamie Grace, 8 p.m., $32

Friday, August 10 Happy Together Tour 2012 starring The Turtles featuring Flo & Eddie, The Monkees lead singer Micky Dolenz, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, The Grass Roots and The Buckinghams, 8 p.m., $25

Saturday, August 11 Larry the Cable Guy with special guest Reno Collier, 8 p.m. $35

Sunday, August 12 Miranda Lambert with Pistol Annies and special guest RaeLynn, 8 p.m., $48

Monday, August 13 Deery Brothers Summer Series for Late Models, 5:30 p.m. Hot Laps, 6 p.m. Races, $15 adults, $5 children ages 6-11, free for ages 5 and under

Tuesday, August 14 The Band Perry with special guest Easton Corbin, 8 p.m., $35

Wednesday, August 15 Grand Outlaw National Tractor and Truck Pull sponsored by Iowa Farmer Today, 2 p.m. $20 Adults, $10 children ages 6-11, free for ages 5 and under

Thursday, August 16 An Evening with Big Time Rush, 7 p.m., $38

Friday, August 17 Hank Williams Jr. "Taking Back the Country Tour," with special guest George Thorogood and the Destroyers 8 p.m., $39

Saturday, August 18 Demolition Derby, 11:30 a.m., $12 adults, $5 children ages 6-11, free for ages 5 and under

Saturday, August 18 Journey with Pat Benatar and Loverboy, 8 p.m., $48

Sunday, August 19 Farmers Insurance presents Rascal Flatts with Little Big Town, Eli Young Band and Edens Edge, 7 p.m., $59

"Nothing Compares" to the 2012 Iowa State Fair, August 9-19. Save money on advance admission tickets now through August 8 (while supplies last). For more information, call 800/545-FAIR or visit iowastatefair.org.

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