Category Archives: General Interest

Des Moines Register writer Donnelle Eller reported earlier this week that, “Groups challenging the constitutionality of Iowa’s so-called ‘ag gag’ law said they received an important legal green light this week with a U.S. district court ruling that lets the lawsuit proceed. “A federal judge Tuesday denied Iowa’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit that claims the state’s ag gag law… Continue Reading

An update on Wednesday from DTN reported that, “A federal judge has rejected a court challenge to the executive order issued by President Donald Trump requiring agencies to cut or revise two regulations for every new regulation written. Federal District Judge Randolph Moss said the groups ‘fail to allege facts sufficient to show that the… Continue Reading

A news release yesterday from the Senate Agriculture Committee indicated that, “Today, U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, & Forestry Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), and senior Agriculture Committee member U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) raised concerns with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) regarding farm program payments that are made… Continue Reading

Laura Kusisto reported this week at The Wall Street Journal Online that, “Home prices continued to rise rapidly in the waning days of 2017, but there are early signs that price gains that have well outstripped wages and inflation could begin to ease this year. “The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller National Home Price Index, which covers… Continue Reading

C.J. Hughes reported yesterday at The New York Times Online that, “As Equilibrium Brewery opened for business here [Middletown, N.Y.] on a recent Saturday morning, fans were already lined up outside for a fresh batch of its hazy-colored ales. “The travelers, who came from Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, snapped up as many… Continue Reading

Reuters writer Tom Polansek reported yesterday that, “A federal judge has temporarily blocked California’s plans to require cancer warnings on products containing the popular weed killer glyphosate, in a win for manufacturer Monsanto Co. “U.S. District Judge William Shubb said the warnings would be misleading because glyphosate is not known to cause cancer, according to… Continue Reading

Sharon Nunn reported yesterday at The Wall Street Journal Online that, “Two months of steep declines in sales of new homes across the U.S. haven’t persuaded many economists that the housing market is turning lower. “Purchases of newly built single-family homes—a relatively narrow slice of all U.S. home sales—fell 7.8% in January after dropping 7.6%… Continue Reading

New York Times writer Brian J. O’Connor reported last week that, “Critics of the estate tax like to call the federal levy on assets passed on by the wealthy to their heirs the ‘death tax.’ But the better nickname might be the ‘zombie tax.’ “Despite repeated attempts by conservative lawmakers to kill it — and… Continue Reading