WIUM Local

Congress has less than two weeks  to act before the current farm bill expires.

Dozens of federal programs are included in the bill -- everything from  crop insurance to food aid for the poor.

Spending on food aid is one of the reasons that House Republican leaders have refused  to call the measure for a vote. U-S Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) is among  many farm-state politicians of both parties who have been  critical of that decision.

The Macomb Planning Commission is reviewing whether those living in residential areas should be allowed to raise chickens.

“I think it's a progressive move to maybe think about allowing this. (Let's) see what people want,” said Commissioner Chris McDaniel.

Residents are allowed to keep chickens in some of the nation's largest cities, including Seattle, San Francisco, and St Louis. But Community Development Coordinator Ed Basch pointed out those are urban areas with no agricultural land nearby.

Carthage has spent a second consecutive summer dealing with discolored and smelly tap water.

While the water is safe, it was unsavory. The city used extra chemical treatment in an effort to reduce the problems.

Mayor Jim Nightingale says the has spent 52% of the budgeted amount for chemical treatment just one-third of the way through the city's fiscal year.

Participants in the “Bowl for Kids' Sake” fund-raiser for the McDonough County Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization will score strikes, spares and pledges.

In fact, it's the biggest fund-raiser for the organization each year.  

Paula Rhodes is a board member. She has been a mentor or “big” to two children over the last 15 years. Her first “little” moved away but they keep in contact.

She says, “A flute that I purchased for her so she could be in the band-she's still playing that flute. Those kind of benefits are just wonderful memories.”

Fort Madison is considering a plan to borrow millions of dollars to improve its infrastructure.

City Manager Byron Smith says a citizens’ survey was conducted last year. 

He says the results showed that residents are not happy with the quality of Fort Madison’s streets.

Smith says the city can only afford to make a few, small repairs to streets each year, so he is proposing a multi-million dollar infrastructure improvement program.

The proposal looks at what could be done from the city’s five-year capital improvement plan with $6-million.