Iowa News

FERTILIZER PLANT EXPANSION        CF Industries spends $1.7B in Sioux City expansion        DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Fertilizer maker CF Industries Inc. says it plans to invest $1.7 billion in Iowa to expand its facility on the south edge of Sioux City.        Governor Terry Branstad says the project announced Thursday will be the largest capital investment ever for the state of Iowa.        The project will add new ammonia and granular urea production plants, creating 100 new jobs with an average wage of about $20 an hour.        State economic development officials awarded the project $1.5 million in direct assistance and tax credits totaling $22 million but that could climb to $57 million over the next four years.

BIDEN        Biden praises bipartisanship in wake of Sandy        FORT DODGE, IOWA (AP) – Vice President Joe Biden is making a pitch for bipartisanship, telling voters in Iowa that it’s reassuring to see Democrats and Republicans working together in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy.        Campaigning Thursday in Fort Dodge, Iowa, Biden said Americans always work better when they work together.        The vice president says people need to stop thinking of the country as divided between red states and blue states, adding that, in his words, “We’re a purple nation, man.”        Biden says he knows and likes many Republicans but doesn’t recognize the GOP these days.

OBAMA-CELEBRITIES        Springsteen, Jay-Z to boost Obama on final day        WASHINGTON (AP) – Some big-name celebrities will help President Barack Obama make his closing case to voters in the most competitive states.        Rock singer Bruce Springsteen will perform and introduce Obama on Monday as he kicks off the last day of the campaign in Madison, Wisconsin. The two will then travel together to Columbus, Ohio, for another event with rapper Jay-Z.        First lady Michelle Obama will meet up with the president, Springsteen and Jay-Z later Monday in Des Moines, Iowa, for Obama’s last event of the campaign. It’s a nod to the state that put Obama on his path to the White House when he won the Iowa caucuses in 2008.        Obama’s campaign says he will return home Monday night to Chicago, where Obama will be on Election Day.

OFFICER ARRESTED        Ex-Des Moines officer on probation in weapons case        DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An ex-Des Moines police officer has been given three years of probation on a weapons charge in violation of his probation in a drug case.        Brandon Singleton was fired after he was caught with drugs in his patrol car after he hit a parked car last April. He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of drug possession and was given a deferred judgment and placed on probation for a year.        Singleton was arrested on the weapons charge a month later.        On Thursday, a Polk County judge sentenced Singleton to probation, at the request of both the prosecutor and defense attorney. The judge warned Singleton that if he violated probation again, no matter how minor the offense, he would be sent to prison immediately.

MARSHALLTOWN CRASH        1 dead, 5 injured in Marshalltown crash        MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say one of six people injured in a crash in Marshalltown has died.        Police say the accident happened about 2 a.m. Thursday when an SUV crashed into a ditch. No names have been released, pending notification of family members.        Police say the SUV veered off the road and rolled into the creek.

SMITHLAND FIRE        Fatal fire in Smithland not caused by explosion        (Information in the following story is from: Sioux City Journal, http://www.siouxcityjournal.com)        SMITHLAND, Iowa (AP) – Investigators have ruled out an explosion as the cause of a fatal fire that destroyed an old gas station in Smithland in western Iowa.        The owner, 76-year-old Robert Jones, was found dead outside the building on Wednesday. The results of an autopsy are pending.        John Ticer of the state fire marshal’s office says officials are still investigating the fire, but they don’t believe it was caused by an explosion. He says explosions people heard were likely aerosol cans popping from the heat.        Ticer says there are no signs of foul play.        Smithland is about 40 miles southeast of Sioux City.

BIG SALARIES-IOWA        University coaches top Iowa’s state salary list        (Information in the following story is from: The Gazette, http://www.gazetteonline.com/)        DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Coaches at the University of Iowa and Iowa State University are the state’s highest-paid employees.        The Gazette in Cedar Rapids says the Iowa Department of Administrative Services released a state salary database for fiscal 2012 on Thursday. It includes employees in all branches of state government. Coaches and doctors are always the top earners, with many of the largest salaries being paid in part with private money.        Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz tops the list at $3.7 million. Next is ISU football coach Paul Rhodes, who was paid $1.4 million. ISU men’s basketball coach Fred Hoiberg earned over $908,000, while Iowa men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery was paid $872,000.        Rounding out the top five is University of Iowa professor Mark Iannettoni, at $867,000.

IOWA ST-BABB        Iowa State’s Babb suspended 3 games        AMES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa State senior guard Chris Babb has been suspended for three games for violating team rules.        Cyclones coach Fred Hoiberg says Babb won’t play in Sunday’s exhibition against Minnesota State or in regular season games against Southern and Alabama A and M.        Hoiberg declined to further discuss why Babb is suspended.        Babb started all 34 games for Iowa State in 2011, averaging 7.8 points and 4.1 rebounds. Babb is also considered among the best defenders in the Big 12.        Babb will be eligible to return against Campbell on November 18th.

 

Admin Log In