h digitalfootprint web 728x90

Energy

DSC 6869

Branstad: China soy cutbacks ill-advised

Chinese curbs on soy imports from the United States would hurt the Chinese people more than American growers, U.S. Ambassador Terry Branstad said Thursday on Bloomberg Television. “It doesn’t make sense and it would hurt …

DSC 6869

MidAmerican to give customers $42 million from tax savings

The new federal tax code meant $42 million in savings for MidAmerican Energy, which will pass all the savings to customers through a credit on bills. Yearly savings will amount to $20 for an average …

DSC 6869

Early Easter holiday cracks higher egg prices

An earlier holiday season is pushing egg prices above $2 a dozen, Radio Iowa reports. This year, wholesale egg prices are about $2.27 a dozen compared to 94 cents a dozen in 2017, livestock analyst Shayle Shagam …

DSC 6869

Iowa Senate OKs $30 million in tax cuts for telephone and cable firms

Des Moines Register: The Iowa Senate approved $30 million in annual tax cuts Tuesday for the telephone and cable industry with the goal of providing parity for small rural companies competing with large corporations. Senate File …

DSC 6869

Tree-killing invaders advance to Marshall County

The emerald ash borers’ steady tree-munching trek across Iowa now has reached Marshall and Tama Counties. They now have damaged trees in 55 Iowa counties, many of which haven’t faced a threat like this since …

DSC 6869

Gov. Reynolds digs this

Gov. Kim Reynolds planned to sign a proclamation today encouraging homeowners to call 811 before digging. The Common Ground Alliance reports that an underground utility line is damaged every nine minutes. Iowaonecall.com also provides information on how …

DSC 6869

Tollakson receives national planning award for waterways work

Hubbell Realty Co. chief Rick Tollakson will receive the American Planning Association’s National Planning Excellence Award for a Planning Advocate for work to improve Central Iowa waterways. Tollakson has led a committee that is pushing …

DSC 6869

Demand depletes blender-pump grant program of funds

The Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program awarded all remaining blender-pump grants for this year, running out of cash before a scheduled fourth round of disbursements.

The program board awarded funds to 15 projects for retailers involving equipment …

DSC 6869

Alliant to close Clinton plant six years early

Alliant Energy plans to close M.L. Kapp Generating Station in Clinton six years early, the Quad-City Times reported. The company reported that the plant, which had been converted from coal to natural gas in 2015, will shut …

DSC 6869

NOTEBOOK – One Good Read: Great Pacific Garbage Patch now three times the size of France

Stories like this make me renew my recycling efforts. CNN reports: “A huge, swirling pile of trash in the Pacific Ocean is growing faster than expected and is now three times the size of France. According …

oakridge brd 070125 300x250