Iowa’s governor was among five U-S governors who met with China’s president yesterday in Seattle to discuss ways to work together on clean energy technology. The gathering signed an agreement to cooperate on boosting businesses that create renewable and clean energy. Governor Branstad says a Chinese delegation will be visiting Des Moines tomorrow.
Republican state lawmakers are urging the governor to defund Planned Parenthood through executive order. The Branstad administration got the word from its departments that no state money that goes to the agency is used to pay for abortions, but the legislators want all state contracts cancelled.
Iowa’s fall harvest season is right around the corner, according to state ag secretary Bill Northey. The warm, breezy weather helped the crop mature, and widespread harvest should start in the next week or two.
The Iowa Red Cross is sending four disaster volunteers to California to help those tormented by wildfires. They’ll tend to patients, help out in the shelters, and see if anyone needs medical attention.
Boone County residents will be able to clean out their medicine cabinets on Saturday and know the leftover medication won’t be doing harm. The county is having its 12th drug drop-off since 2009, from ten til noon at police departments in Boone, Madrid and Ogden.
The flu season is almost here in Iowa, and healthcare experts in the state are urging people to get their flu shots now. The flu season starts in October, and it takes two weeks for the shot to kick in. They also point out that there are plenty of different types of shots available.
Regulators are accusing a state purchasing official of dozens of violations connected to no-bid construction contracts. Lois Schmits from the Department of Administrative Services is accused of failing to file reports with the state ethics board. Her family received those contracts without competitive bidding.
A third wave of car burglaries and vandalism hit another neighborhood in Ames, this one in the north side. Police are worried about the incidents escalating. A total of more than 30 cars have been broken into over the past three weeks.
Dakota Access has awarded contracts to a pair of Wisconsin companies for the construction of two segments of the crude oil pipeline it wants to dig through 18 counties in Iowa. The pipeline has not yet been approved by the state board of utilities. However, the company is so confident that it will go through that it has started stacking pipe for the project in Newton.
The Blank Park Zoo hosts Zooktoberfest tomorrow night, with great Octoberfest-style food and beverages. You have to be 21 to get in to the evening event.
