(photo by Sarah Beckman)
There could be a 100 percent effective bird flu vaccine coming to Iowa poultry producers…that’s the word from Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack…he said his department is working with a private company to develop the vaccine. Vilsack said another wave of the bird flu will probably hit this fall.
The U.S. Senate will vote on whether to defund Planned Parenthood before they recess for the summer. Advocates against Planned Parenthood rallied across the nation to call for an investigation into the group after two videos depicted a Planned Parenthood leader discussing the harvesting and selling of fetal tissues. A rally was held in Des Moines earlier this afternoon as well.
Governor Branstad indicates Des Moines Water Works isn’t likely to get his support for state aid if it pursues its nitrate pollution suit against three upriver counties. Water Works revealed yesterday it had to spend more than one-and-a-half million dollars so far this year getting rid of nitrates from the Des Moines drinking water supply.
About 30 people gathered at DMACC to hear climate change group Next Generation’s leader Tom Steyer speak about Iowa’s impact on the energy industry earlier today. Steyer says he wants to focus on finding solutions to climate change, not just point out the problems. Steyer says Iowa’s wind and solar energy industries are examples of clean energy solutions for the rest of the country.
There could be a tuition hike coming for students attending any of the state’s public universities. The Iowa Board of Regents says it will discuss raising tuition by 3 percent starting next spring…which would translate to an extra $100 to each students’ tuition bill. The next board meeting is August 5th…with an expected vote on the hike in September.
The dates for Iowa’s annual tax free holiday for back to school shopping have been set…families can start shopping tax-free on August 7th and 8th…they’ll get discounts on everything from school supplies to backpacks.
Most millennials say they plan to own their own home…later. 53 percent say they’ll wait until after 2018 to buy a place of their own, according to a new study. Only 9 percent expect they’ll always rent.
I-235 is carrying a lot more traffic than engineers predicted when they planned the freeway 16 years ago. A Business Record analysis shows the number of cars and trucks traversing the stretch in western Des Moines and West Des Moines has exceeded what planners estimated for 2020.
A few Republican candidates are stopping in Iowa later this week…Scott Walker is continuing his 99 county tour with visits to Glenwood and Red Oak on Friday. Lindsey Graham, Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum, and Rand Paul will also host events in the eastern and western part of the state.
The EPA is being flooded with letters from elected officials throughout Iowa supporting the Renewable Fuel Standard. Iowa leaders told the agency and the president drivers in the state buy higher blends of renewable fuels. Yesterday was the last day for comments to be submitted.
