06 Jul 2012

CROP, FOOD PRICE CONCERNS RISE WITH IOWA'S TEMPERATURES

By Rick Martin

Drought-like conditions taking toll on Iowa crops

WEST DES MOINES, IOWA - July 6, 2012 - While Midwest corn and soybean crops are wilting from several days of triple-digit temperatures, shoppers wonder if they'll feel the heat of rising food prices later this year.

Economists say even with corn prices climbing to $7 per bushel on the Chicago Board of Trade yesterday, farmers are facing challenging times because the prolonged heat stress has diminished anticipated yields.  Those higher corn prices will also put a pinch on livestock farmers who purchase grains for animal feed. That, in turn, could transpire to higher prices for items such as meat, dairy and eggs at the grocery store.

"Food prices won't jump immediately because of these daily swings in the market caused by reactions to the weather, but there are those trickle-down consequences," said Dave Miller, director of research and commodity services at the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation. "That trickle-down is felt when supplies are tight and prices rise for several sectors of the farm economy, from processors to grain elevators to feed and ethanol plants. Those higher costs are shared down the chain."

Iowa farmers have been discussing the situation in a number of media outlets. Go to www.iowafarmbureau.com to see their interviews and perspectives.

Markets will be eyeing the next U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) crop production report released next Wednesday. But, even though the USDA confirmed that more acres are planted to corn and soybeans, prices for these crops are skyrocketing as hot, dry weather persists across much of the corn and soybean growing areas.  In the past two weeks, conditions have deteriorated remarkably:

  • Corn classified as "good to excellent" condition dropped from 67 percent to 62 percent in Iowa. Nationally, "good to excellent"-rated corn has fallen from 63 percent to 48 percent.
  • "Good to excellent" soybeans in Iowa dropped from 63 percent to 59 percent. Nationally, soybeans in this category dipped from 56 percent to 45 percent.
  • The amount of crop classified as "very poor to poor" for both corn and soybeans now stands at 22 percent.

Prices for crops have been on the climb and markets may swing next week. This sharp rally in corn and soybean prices is having some negative impacts on users of grains and oilseeds.  Several ethanol plants have closed as processing margins have turned negative and some livestock feeders are beginning to liquidate breeding stock in response to sharply higher feed prices and mounting losses on feeding livestock.

These price swings and other ag-related risk management topics will be discussed at the Iowa Farm Bureau Economic Summit, to be held July 23-24 in Ames.  U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will provide the summit's keynote address on July 24.  For more information and to register, visit www.iowafarmbureau.com.

 

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06 Jul 2012

Loebsack Statement on Department of Labor's June Jobs Report

By Rick Martin

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack today issued the following statement in response to the Department of Labor's announcement that the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 8.2 percent in June and 80,000 jobs were added.

"Today's job report makes one thing very clear- we have a long way to go to get the economy back to where it should be. To make matters even worse, Republicans have so far shown no interest in even discussing a comprehensive jobs package.  Instead, they continue to play political games, in which the real losers are Iowa's middle class families.  I have long said that fixing our economy should not be a partisan fight.  If there is one thing that should bring the two parties together, it is working to create jobs. I have been willing to sit down and work together and the fact that it hasn't yet happened is disappointing.  It's time for Congress to put our country and families ahead of politics and get down to the real work that Iowans need to see get done."

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06 Jul 2012

Manzullo, Schilling Urge Sensata to Abandon Plans to Offshore U.S. Production, Keep Jobs in Illinois

By Andie Pivarunas

[FREEPORT] --U.S. Reps. Don Manzullo (R-Egan) and Bobby Schilling (R-Colona) today urged the CEO of Massachusetts-based Sensata Technologies to abandon plans to offshore production to Asia and instead keep the work and the jobs in Freeport, Illinois.

In a letter sent this morning to Sensata CEO Thomas Wroe, Jr., Manzullo and Schilling expressed their concerns with Sensata's plans to shut down its Freeport plant and move the production and jobs to China. Instead, Sensata should follow the lead of other multi-national corporations who are "reshoring" American jobs -- bringing back production from overseas - to boost lead times, innovation and quality. Citizens of Freeport contacted both Manzullo and Schilling for help in appealing to Sensata to keep operations in Freeport.

"Labor costs in China are soaring, and energy costs are driving up the cost of shipping products," Manzullo and Schilling said in the letter. "We would ask that you strongly consider these factors as well as the important value of the highly skilled, highly productive workforce in the northern Illinois region that is second to none in the global economy."

The letter points out executives at Google Inc. have decided to manufacture the company's new Nexus Q home entertainment device in the United States instead of China, reportedly to speed up innovation time. According to a recent Boston Consulting survey of 106 U.S.-based manufacturing executives with sales greater than $1 billion, 37 percent were considering or planning to move production back to the United States from China.

Manzullo and Schilling added that Freeport has been a leader in innovative workforce development initiatives, such as the Work Keys program that assesses and trains workers to match the needs of area employers. The region is also supported by a superior transportation network led by United Parcel Services' second largest air cargo hub at the Chicago-Rockford International Airport, as well as the Union Pacific Railroad Global III Intermodal Hub.

"These are just some of the many reasons that we respectfully request that you reconsider your decision to move your Freeport operations," the letter stated.

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06 Jul 2012

Statement from Agriculture Secretary Vilsack on the Codex Alimentarius Commission's Adoption of Standards for the Veterinary Drug Ractopamine

By USDA Communications
USDA Office of Communications (202) 720-4623
Statement from Agriculture Secretary Vilsack on the Codex Alimentarius Commission's Adoption of Standards for the Veterinary Drug Ractopamine

WASHINGTON, July 6, 2012-Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the following statement today regarding the Codex Alimentarius Commission's adoption of standards for ractopamine on July 5th:

"After five years of hard work by the Codex Commission, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture and our federal agency partners, the United States welcomes the Commission's adoption of standards for the veterinary drug ractopamine. This action by Codex affirms the pre-eminent role of science in setting international standards for food safety.

"Currently, American producers face trade restrictions due to unjustified bans on the use of ractopamine, which has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and used safely in the United States for 12 years as well as 25 other countries. These standards provide clear guidance to countries about safe use of ractopamine, which promotes lean meat production.

"Codex is an inter-governmental body created by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization of the United Nations, and is recognized as the international standards setting body for food safety by the World Trade Organization (WTO). Establishment of international standards for veterinary drugs like ractopamine are important since many countries rely on science-based food standards to ensure that the food they are importing is safe. U.S. agricultural exporters benefit and consumers worldwide benefit when countries adopt international standards.

"Consumers can rest assured that their food is safe, and exporters have greater certainty about the criteria they must meet in the international marketplace."

#

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).

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06 Jul 2012

"Rock Solid" begins Monday

By M. McNeil
An upcoming, two week summer school at Rock Island High is targeting at-risk freshman students

(Rock Island, IL)  This is the second year of Rock Solid which targets students are at least 2 to 3 grade levels behind in math and reading.    According to coordinator, Kristin Allen, the program will run for two weeks, 3 hours a day. Allen says before Rock Solid there was nothing in place to formally support at-risk students in the transition from 8th to 9th grade.  Last year, 30 students attended; this year there will be 42.   The program is funded through Lights on for Learning 21st Century grant.

The program is team taught by junior high and high school teachers and is held at the high school.  The lessons are designed to address the skill areas that are of concern, but they also blend in important transitional skills.

One example of a math lesson is where students look at various (anonymous) students' attendance patterns and grades.  They analyze the impact of attending/not attending school on grades outcomes utilizing various math skills. An example of a reading lesson is the students will go on a scavenger hunt around the building where students must read about various important locations in the building. They must determine the main ideas and supporting details of the reading passages.

The media is invited to attend any of the summer school sessions and talk to students and teachers about their approach to getting freshmen up to speed before the fall session starts.
06 Jul 2012

RI Library Lines: Week 6 of Summer Fun!

By Rock Island Public Library
Rock Island Public Libraries - Main, 30/31 and Southwest
Hungry for More Details?
Ant biting into book illustrationPick up the summer program brochure at any Rock Island Library, or visit the library website. Reading logs and entry forms are available at the Rock Island Main Library, 30/31 Branch and Southwest Branch. You have until July 27 to turn in your reading logs and entry forms!
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Want to know more about what's coming up at your library? Click News or Calendar on our website. You can also print a monthly events calendar. The links below will get you started.

 

Website calendar of events

Newsletters/MonthlyCalendar

Signup or Forward to a Friend Sign up at the City of Rock Island eNews site. Choose several options!
Reading is So Delicious for Kids

Tasty events this week include :

 

Storytimes, 10:30 am at 30/31 Branch:Tuesday, July 10; Southwest Branch, Wednesday, July 11; and Main Library: Friday, July 13.

 

Math Munch Club with Elizabeth: Final week of  tasty math projects, 3:15 pm to 4:00 pm, Tuesday, July 10, Main Library Community Room.

 

Book Tasting/Book Talk: Ideas for delicious summer reading for kids. 3:00 pm, Wednesday, July 11, 30/31 Branch, 3059 30th Street.

 

Lego Club: Building fun for kids, right after the book talk. 4:00 pm, Wednesday, July 11, 30/31 Branch.

 

Reading is so Delicious puppet show posterReading Is So Delicious Puppet Show: Puppets and magic fun with Rob "Mr. E" Erdmann, 6:00 pm, Wednesday, July 11, at the Rock Island Southwest Branch, 9010 Ridgewood Road.

 

chicken run movie posterFriday Fest Movie: Chicken Run: Free animated movie for families, by Nick Park, the creator of Wallace and Grommit. 1:00 pm, Friday, July 13, Rock Island Main Library Community Room, 401 19th Street.

 

Gobble Up Those Books! The Reading is So Delicious summer reading menu includes incentives for reaching age-appropriate reading goals at three levels, and an extra chance to win special prize baskets. Logs are due back July 27, so keep reading!

 

All programs are free. No library card required. Questions, call the Children's Room at 309-732-7360,
Teens: Feed your Mind - READ!

IRead Chef slicing book illustrationThis week, teens can earn Summer Reading points and have fun attending three tasty events:

 

Teen Iron Chef: Show off your mad chef skills and earn a gift card! 4:00 to 5:30 pm, Monday, July 9, Rock Island Main Library, 401 19th Street.

 

Teen Game Night: 5:30 to 7:00 pm, Thursday, July 12, Main Library Community Room. Play Wii and board games. Snackage, too.

 

Ice Cream sundae model in Main Library display caseFood Craft Day; 3:00 to 4:30 pm, Friday, July 13, Rock Island 30/31 Branch, 3059 30th Street. Make a whole bunch of food-themed crafts!

 

Teens ages 12 to 18 turn in a reading card when they complete at least six hours of reading, or a program card for attending an event.

Keep reading! Each card stands for 6 hours of reading, and you can turn in as many cards as you can finish. You earn a program card every time you attend a teen program. The more you read, the more chances you have to win. You can enter multiple times, and earn more chances to win books, DVDs, gift cards, or the grand prize, an Amazon Kindle® eReader!

Books are Brain Food for Adults

Gobble up some delicious fun just for adults, with these free programs:

Fit for Life! 7:00 pm, Monday, July 9, Main Library Community Room, 401 19th Street. Confused about what to eat? Want more from your workout? Get free diet and fitness tips from personal trainers Mike and Michelle.

 

OverDrive eBooks demo: Have a Kindle, NOOK, etc.? Learn how to check out eBooks with the library's free service. 6:00 pm, Tuesday, July 10, Southwest Branch, 9010 Ridgewood Road.

 

Recipe Club Cooking Demo: Bring a recipe to share and sample a delicious slow-cooker recipe demonstrated by chef Rachel. 2:00 pm, Wednesday, July 11, Southwest Branch, 9010 Ridgewood Road.

 

Remember to enter our Summer Reading Club contest for ages 18 and older! Just drop off an entry form for every book, eBook or audiobook you finish during the contest.

Entry forms and boxes at all Rock Island locations. Top prize is a new Sony® eReader. Entries due by July 27.
Like Audiobooks? Try OneClickdigital!

One Clickdigital advertisement

Rock Island Library has added OneClickdigital, a new service that allows you to download thousands of audiobooks for enjoyment on a portable listening device. All books are iPod compatible. To learn how to use it, sign up for a free online webinar in July, or click the link on our website to create a user name and get started. Details:

 

OneClickdigital subscription made possible by funding from the Milan-Blackhawk Area Public Library District.

Week 5 of Summer Reading

Wonder book illustrationSummer Reading is heating up at all Rock Island Libraries. With themes such as Reading is So Delicious, Feed Your Mind: READ and Books are Brain Food, the library is cooking up a summer stacked high with fun and reading.

 

Entire list of events: Summer @ Your Library" on the library website.

 

Summer Reading events and prizes sponsored by Friends of the Rock Island Public Library, Milan-Blackhawk Area Public Library District (Southwest Branch events) and the Rock Island Public Library Foundation (summer art and drama.)
Rock Island, Illinois > 309.732.7323 (READ) > www.rockislandlibrary.org Rock Solid, Rock Island.
06 Jul 2012

A Second Helping: The Church Basement Ladies Sequel opens July 26 at The Old Creamery Theatre

By Shelley Klimes
Amana - They're servin it up again in the church basement kitchen of East Cornucopia Lutheran Church of the Prairie. A Second Helping: The Church Basement Ladies Sequel opens July 26 on the Main Stage in Amana.

The year is 1969 and among the Vietnam War protests, the world, Pastor Gunderson and the ladies, are a changin.' Inspired by the books of Janet Letnes Martin and Suzann Nelson, including the best seller Growing Up Lutheran, this all-new production will be sure to keep you laughing at the over-the-top antics and heartwarming humor that goes on in this rural Minnesota church basement kitchen.

The cast consists of Kamille Zbanek of Ely, Kay Francis of Naples, Florida, Deborah Kennedy of West Amana, Nikki Savitt of Arlington Heights, Ill and Sean McCall of Marengo. Written by Greta Gorsch with music and lyrics by Dennis Curley and Drew Jansen, A Second Helping is directed by Curt Wollen under the musical direction of Becky Barrett-Jones. The show is rated Theatre G and runs through Sept. 2.

Shows are on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 3 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $27 for adults and $17.50 for students. Student rush tickets are available for $12. No reservations are accepted for rush tickets. Come to the box office no earlier than 30 minutes before a performance for this special rate. A student ID is required for rush tickets.

The Old Creamery Theatre Company is a not-for-profit professional theatre founded in 1971 in Garrison, Iowa. The company is celebrating 41 years of bringing live, professional theatre to the people of Iowa and the Midwest.
06 Jul 2012

Iowa Supreme Court Opinions July 6, 2012

By Iowa Judicial Branch
Notice: The opinions posted on this site are slip opinions only. Under the Rules of Appellate Procedure a party has a limited number of days to request a rehearing after the filing of an opinion. Also, all slip opinions are subject to modification or correction by the court. Therefore, opinions on this site are not to be considered the final decisions of the court. The official published opinions of the Iowa Supreme Court are those published in the North Western Reporter published by West Group.

Opinions released before April 2006 and available in the archives are posted in Word format. Opinions released after April 2006 are posted to the website in PDF (Portable Document Format).   Note: To open a PDF you must have the free Acrobat Reader installed. PDF format preserves the original appearance of a document without requiring you to possess the software that created that document. For more information about PDF read: Using the Adobe Reader.

For your convenience, the Judicial Branch offers a free e-mail notification service for Supreme Court opinions, Court of Appeals opinions, press releases and orders. To subscribe, click here.

NOTE: Copies of these opinions may be obtained from the Clerk of the Supreme Court, Judicial Branch Building, 1111 East Court Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50319, for a fee of fifty cents per page.

No. 09-0146

STATE OF IOWA vs. ARZEL JONES

No. 10-0502

THE WALDINGER CORPORATION, EMCASCO INSURANCE COMPANY, and SECOND INJURY FUND OF IOWA vs. MICHAEL B. METTLER

No. 11-0117

MICHELE M. PITTS vs. FARM BUREAU LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY and DONALD SCHIFFER
06 Jul 2012

Farm Progress Launches Drought Monitor Website

By FarmProgress.com
Farm Progress Develops Online Drought Update Information Resource

As drought threatens crops across the Midwest and beyond, Farm Progress is channeling its extensive ag information resources into a one-stop online drought update reference at DatelineDrought.com. The site provides daily updates on the developing drought impact



ST. CHARLES, ILL., 07-06-2012 - The growing threat of drought across the Midwest is cutting into crop yields and raising concerns for growers, including areas that have had recent rains. DatelineDrought.com has been developed by Farm Progress to provide coverage of the unfolding drought conditions; the website provides drought news from its family of local state and regional agricultural magazines, along with Farm Futures, the nation's leading magazine serving large-scale ag producers. 

DatelineDrought.com includes a daily updated video. Most video segments will include a summary hosted by Max Armstrong, Farm Progress broadcast director, and news articles from Farm Progress' extensive staff of editors located throughout the nation.

"In six minutes you can watch the video posted on DatelineDrought.com and get the full agricultural drought impact across the nation," said Willie Vogt, Farm Progress editorial director. "Max Armstrong will host many of the daily updated videos and three times each week we'll feature Greg Soulje with the weather perspective and Bryce Knorr will provide daily market impact coverage."

In the video, Armstrong gives the daily drought news overview, Greg Soulje, This Week In Agribusiness agricultural meteorologist, covers the drought progress across the Corn Belt and Bryce Knorr, Farm Futures senior editor, provides insight on how the drought is impacting the commodity markets.

In addition to the video, the site features detailed reports from individual states and regions covered by Farm Progress' award-winning on-staff editorial team; the company's editors live and work near the readers they serve. Currently the DatelineDrought.com provides 17 geographical report areas; additional areas will be added, if the drought progresses.

Farm Progress' editorial tradition is one of excellence and one that is trusted and relied upon by this nation's farmers and ranchers. A credo our editors and everyone in our organization takes very seriously. The extensive Farm Progress network of 32 on-staff editors give our publications "on the ground clout" unequalled by other ag media organizations. It's all part of Farm Progress' position as the industry's Agricultural Information Leader™.

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06 Jul 2012

Rock Island's Amelia Myers Graduates From Emory University

By Jill Hennecy

ATLANTA (07/05/2012)(readMedia)-- Amelia Myers of Rock Island, Illinois, received a Doctor of Law from the School of Law of Emory University in Atlanta, Ga., at its 167th commencement ceremony on May 14, 2012.

Emory University is known for its demanding academics, outstanding undergraduate experience, highly ranked professional schools and state-of-the-art research facilities. Emory encompasses nine academic divisions as well as the Michael C. Carlos Museum, The Carter Center, the Yerkes National Primate Research Center and Emory Healthcare, Georgia's largest and most comprehensive health care system.

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