A WILD POLICE CHASE IN MOUNT VERNON LAST NIGHT LEFT ONE PERSON INJURED. IT STARTED AFTER 10:30 NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF OLD HIGHWAY 30 AND IOWA HIGHWAY ONE. THAT’S WHERE THE LINN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS DEPUTIES SPOTTED A CAR WITH OCCUPANTS BELIEVED TO BE USING ILLEGAL DRUGS. WHEN THE VEHICLE TRIED TO DRIVE OFF, AUTHORITIES PURSUED THROUGH MT. VERNON FOR APPROXIMATELY A MILE BEFORE THE CAR WENT OFF THE STREET OUR OF CONTROL, INTO A GARAGE, CRASHING INTO A TOTAL OF THREE PARKED VEHICLES. THE DRIVER THEN RAN AWAY ON FOOT. MEANWHILE A PASSENGER IN THE CAR THAT WAS BEING CHASED WAS LEFT INJURED. SHERIFF’S OFFICIALS SAY 34-YEAR-OLD ANDREA BARFELS WAS TREATED AT A HOSPITAL, BUT HER INJURIES WERE NOT LIFE THREATENING.
DRY WEATHER IS BECOMING AN INCREASING CONCERN FOR IOWA FARMERS. IN THIS WEEK’S CROP REPORT, JUST 53 PERCENT OF TOPSOIL WAS RATED AS HAVING ADEQUATE MOISTURE OR BETTER. IOWA SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE MIKE NAIG NOTED THAT ANY RAINFALL WOULD BE BENEFICIAL, PARTICULARLY FOR AREAS NEAR AND WEST OF INTERSTATE 35. CORN IS STILL DEVELOPING ABOUT FIVE DAYS AHEAD OF THE ROLLING FIVE-YEAR AVERAGE. SOYBEANS ARE IN SIMILAR SHAPE COMPARED WITH THE TYPICAL TIMELINE, AND BOTH CROPS ARE AROUND TWO WEEKS AHEAD OF LAST YEAR.
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN CHUCK GRASSLEY TOLD FOX NEWS: BOTH REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS AGREE THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME TYPE OF FEDERAL HELP FOR THE UNEMPLOYED, BUT JUST HOW MUCH? REPUBLICANS PROPOSE 200 DOLLARS A WEEK, ARGUING MORE MONEY IS A DISINCENTIVE FOR PEOPLE TO RETURN TO WORK. DEMOCRATS SAY THE EXTRA MONEY IS NEEDED TO HELP KEEP AMERICANS AFLOAT. SPECIAL COVID-19 UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF HAD BEEN WORTH $600 PER WEEK THROUGH THE END OF JULY.
IT’S ELECTION DAY ONCE AGAIN IN CEDAR FALLS. A RUNOFF ELECTION FOR AN AT-LARGE CITY COUNCIL SEAT IS UNDERWAY. THE CANDIDATES ARE LEAANN SAUL AND KELLY DUNN. THE SPECIAL ELECTION WAS PRECIPITATED WHEN ROB GREEN RESIGNED HIS COUNCIL SEAT TO MOVE INTO THE MAYOR’S OFFICE EARLIER THIS YEAR. SAUL AND DUNN WERE THE TOP CANDIDATES OF FIVE ON THE BALLOT LAST MONTH, BUT NEITHER RECEIVED FIFTY PERCENT OF THE VOTE, TRIGGERING THE RUNOFF. POLLS IN CEDAR FALLS ARE OPEN UNTIL 8 P.M.
REPUBLICANS SAY 600 DOLLARS IN WEEKLY FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS ARE A DISINCENTIVE FOR PEOPLE TO RETURN TO WORK. SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN CHUCK GRASSLEY TOLD FOX NEWS THOSE BENEFITS HINDER SMALL BUSINESSES. DEMOCRATS HAVE INCLUDED AN EXTENSION TO THE FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS IN THEIR RELIEF BILL, SAYING AMERICAN FAMILIES NEED THE EXTRA MONEY. LEGISLATIVE DEMOCRATS AND ADMINISTRATION OFFICALS CONTINUE TO NEGOTIATE ANOTHER ROUND OF CORONAVIRUS RELIEF.
THE DAIRY INDUSTRY IS ASKING A FAMILIAR QUESTION. SIX YEARS AFTER THE POPULAR “GOT MILK?” TAGLINE WAS RETIRED, THE ADS ARE RETURNING. MILK SALES HAVE JUMPED OVER 8 PERCENT THROUGH THE FIRST SEVEN MONTHS OF THIS YEAR. DAIRY OFFICIALS EXPLAIN THE JUMP, SAYING KIDS ARE EATING LUNCHES AT HOME AND ADULTS HAVE MORE TIME FOR BREAKFAST AND COOKING WITH MILK.
THE IOWA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY UNVEILED SHOPIOWA.COM ON MONDAY. THE AGENCY SAYS THE SITE IS A CHANCE TO BRING MORE IOWA RETAILERS ONLINE. SHOPIOWA.COM IS OPERATED BY MARION-BASED MEMBER MARKETPLACE INC.
THE WATERLOO CITY COUNCIL HAS AGREED TO ACCEPT FIVE ACRES OF LAND OWNED BY WATERLOO COMMUNITY SCHOOLS. THE FORMER SUMMIT SOFTBALL COMPLEX IS ON WATERLOO’S WEST SIDE NEAR SERGEANT ROAD. FORMAL GAMES HAVE NOT BEEN HELD ON THE FIELDS THERE FOR SEVERAL YEARS. CITY OFFICIALS SAY THE LAND COULD BE REPURPOSED FOR HOUSING, ALTHOUGH SPECIFIC PLANS OR A DESIGNATED DEVELOPER HAVE NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED. WATERLOO HAS REDEVELOPED OTHER FORMER SCHOOL PROPERTY TO ADD 49 HOMES IN RECENT YEARS.
SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN CHUCK GRASSLEY TELLS FOX NEWS: DEMOCRATS NEED TO WORK WITH REPUBLICANS TO PASS A NEW CORONAVIRUS RELIEF BILL. REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN GRAPPLING OVER THE ISSUE OF EXTENDING FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS. REPUBLICANS ARGUED THAT AN EXTRA $600 PER WEEK IS A DISINCENTIVE FOR PEOPLE TO RETURN TO WORK, PROPOSING $200 INSTEAD. DEMOCRATS REJECTED A LAST MINUTE BID BY REPUBLICANS TO TEMPORARILY EXTEND FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS WHILE CONGRESS TRIED TO WORK ON A DEAL.
STUDENTS AND PARENTS HAVE STARTED TO FIND THEIR WAY TO COLLEGE CAMPUSES IN PREPARATION FOR THE UPCOMING ACADEMIC YEAR. DOUG WOLTER IS FROM HUMBOLDT. HIS DAUGHTER, EMIE, WILL BE A FRESHMAN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA, AND HE TALKED TO OUR COVERAGE PARTNERS AT TV9 WHILE MOVING HER IN YESTERDAY. UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS SAY DORM CAPACITY HAS BEEN ALTERED TO PROMOTE SOCIAL DISTANCING, AND OTHER POLICIES ARE IN PLACE TO LIMIT THE SPREAD OF COVID-19.
