State Lawmakers Pass Several Proposals Ahead Of ‘Funnel Week’
(Des Moines, IA) — Iowa State lawmakers beat the clock on several bills on Thursday for “funnel week.” Among the hundreds of bills introduced since the start of the legislative session, the only ones to advance must pass through various deadlines or they are killed on the spot. The first funnel deadline is Friday, but lawmakers generally wrap up business on Thursdays, so any bill that hasn’t passed through committee in the House or Senate will not advance to full chamber debate. Bills that advanced on Thursday address eminent domain, school funding and a “tough on crime” agenda. The next funnel is set for March, when bills will be required to pass through either the full House or the full Senate.
New Technology Helping the Agriculture Industry In Iowa
(Calmar, IA) — A new cattle management system is using GPS-enabled collars to monitor grazing patterns. Students at Northeast Iowa Community College are getting hands-on experience with the new tool. The collars allow farmers to send low-voltage signals to cattle when they drift outside designated areas. It also helps farmers keep rotating boundaries for the cattle to maintain the pasture vegetation. The college is hosting free seminars on March 3rd and 4th to teach farmers how to implement the technology.
FEMA Approves $9M In Grants For Rock Valley Flood Repairs
(Rock Valley, IA) — FEMA is approving nine-million-dollars in grants to help repair flood damages in Rock Valley. The city is receiving a grant of three-point-seven million and the Rock Valley School District is receiving a grant of five-point-seven million. The money is set to be used for repairs from floods in June of 2024 and its expected to arrive in about a month. City Administrator Tom Van Maanen tells the Sioux City Journal the city had to borrow 18-million dollars to fix damaged infrastructure and the money is critical to start paying off the debt.
>>Iowa State Fair Announces Two New Acts
(Des Moines, IA) — The Iowa State Fair is bringing the Red Clay Strays and AJR to the Grandstand concert series in 2026. The Red Clay Strays are set to hit the stage on Saturday, August 15th and AJR is scheduled to make some noise on August 19th. Tickets for both shows range from 54-dollars to 109-dollars and can be found on the Iowa State Fair website. The fair has already announced headliners Hardy, Rod Stewart, Lainey Wilson, Riley Green, and Josiah Queen. Hardy gets the fair started on August 13th before Josiah Queen closes the event on August 23rd.
