KALONA INSIDE WELLMAN Senior RIVERSIDE Living LONE TREE Pages 8A - 9A ONE GOOD WEEK. PAGE 1B Lebkc['(.De$) A7BED7"M7I>?D=JED9EKDJO"?EM7+((*-@7DK7HO',"(&(& '$(+ Ambulance service on 2020 agenda BY JAMES JENNINGS The News With the 2020 State Legis- lature session kicking off this week, legislators are back to work. State Sen. Kevin Kinney (D- Oxford) has a number of issues he would like to see the Legis- lature address but is realistic about his chances of getting them passed. “Being in the minority par- ty, you just don’t know yet,” Kinney said. “There are some things I’d really like to tackle myself.” One issue Kinney believes has bipartisan support is add- ing emergency medical ser- vices to the list of essential ser- vices. Currently, state law only considers police and fire pro- tection to be essential services. “I’m trying to get some leg- islation passed to allow coun- ties to get a funding source for SEE KINNEY | PAGE 2A Hearings set JAMES JENNINGS/THE NEWS Jim Millice has served on the Wellman Fire Department since joining as a 19-year-old in 1959. He was honored last week for his 60 years of service to the department. on Highland bond projects BY JIM JOHNSON 60 YEARS A FIREFIGHTER The News RIVERSIDE The Highland school board Jim Millice has served on the Wellman set public hearings on the two projects that will be funded Fire Department since joining in 1959 with the $3.7 million bond is- sue approved by voters last year. BY JAMES JENNINGS the trunk of the car and hang The public hearings will be The News onto that. Feb. 10, the same day that the WELLMAN “I can still remember them school board will vote on sell- coming around the corner ing the bonds. Jim Millice grew up near by my house, and those steel “We are knee deep in con- the old Wellman fire station wheels were just skipping struction work,” Superinten- and remembers a time before across the pavement as they dent Ken Crawford told the the station even had a fire were going up the street with board at its meeting Monday truck. two guys sitting in the back evening. “It’s going fast.” Walking through the bay of of an old car pulling on that Bids on the projects – re- the current fire station, Millice thing.” placement of the heating and spotted the old fire cart – a hose Fighting fires has been the air conditioning system at the wrapped on a spool mounted family business for Millice. high school and renovating the on two steel wagon wheels. “My dad (Chase Millice) elementary school playground “They would come to the was assistant chief, and my un- – will be opened on Jan. 28. cle (Chuck Capper) was chief,” fire station and open the trunk JAMES JENNINGS/THE NEWS The district already held a lid of their car,” Millice re- Wellman Fire Chief Jeremy Peck (right) presents Jim Millice with a pre-bid meeting with contrac- called. “Two guys would sit in SEE MILLICE | PAGE 10A plaque honoring Millice’s 60 years of service to the department. SEE BONDS | PAGE 2A Council satisfied, for now, with steps to contain Riverside dog BY JIM JOHNSON Schultz is adding bricks tion,” Schneider said. “If we that the Schultzes provide to protect the house. The News where there are gaps between hear it’s running loose, we’ll documentation that the dog is “I don’t want him to be ev- RIVERSIDE the fence and the ground. take additional action.” up to date on shots, that a local erybody’s friend,” Schultz said. City Administrator Chris- Neighbors had come to an veterinarian evaluate the dog “He is there for a purpose.” The Riverside City Council tine Yancey confirmed Schul- October City Council meet- and that the backyard be en- He added that the dog is not is satisfied, for now, with the tz’s report. ing to complain about the closed with a fence. trained to be aggressive. progress made by Dennis and “I went out today, and it dog, which reportedly killed a In December, the council “I will not train him to be Diana Schultz in securing their looks like the fence is up,” she neighborhood kitten one time reviewed a behavioral assess- aggressive,” he said. pit bull puppy from escaping said. when it was out. ment of the dog, which stated One recommendation from the house. The council took no action. The Schultzes live on the dog “is under-socialized the evaluation was for the dog “The fence is complete,” Mayor Allen Schneider sum- Schnoebelen Street near the (and past the window of social- to have formal training, some- Dennis Schultz told the council marized the council’s opinion. Highland Elementary School. ization). He is under-exercised thing Schultz said the family Monday night. “I never thought “We want to make sure the Neighbors and council mem- both mentally and physically.” cannot afford. I would be digging fence holes fence is sound, that there’s not bers have voiced concern that Monday Schultz said that “The problem with that is it in Iowa on Christmas Day.” any risk with the dog getting if the dog gets loose, it could the dog’s behavior is improv- costs about $1,400 to do that,” He added: “Since we put the out accidentally,” Schneider attack a child. ing and he is responding “so he said. “If you remember cor- fence up, we got rid of a lot of said. After hearing from the much better to commands.” rectly, finances are real high in problems.” “We’ll monitor the situa- neighbors, the council ordered Still, he said the dog is there my household.” PAGE 2A | THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 2020 NEWS THE NEWS Iowa needs to look to China for pork industry success in 2020 BY JIM JOHNSON The News WELLMAN Pork industry expert Jim Long says pork farmers in Iowa need to look to China to determine how successful they will be in the coming year. “Over the next 12 months, our destiny in this industry is going to be tied to what is going on in China,” Long said. Long is the CEO and part- ner of Genesus, the Canadian- based company that is the world’s largest independent producer of health-registered purebred swine. Long writes a weekly commentary on the swine industry that is printed in 17 languages across 27 coun- tries. He was invited by Precision Structures – PSI – of Wellman to talk about the world market for swine. More than 160 people attended, not surprising since Washington County is the sec- ond biggest county for pork production in Iowa, which it- JIM JOHNSON/THE NEWS self is the second leading state Jim Long said several factors are increasing demand for Iowa pork in China. in the country for pork produc- tion. next three years. farms with African swine fe- covered with corn that was with, they understand when Long started by asking how African swine fever (ASF) ver, but authorities told him spread out to dry in the sun. you make your point and stick many pork producers in the has been devastating the pork “you don’t have ASF … send “Here’s corn down the road, to it.” room thought 2019 was a good industry over the past year in the pigs to slaughter … you and people are driving right Add the reduction in sow year. Only one raised his hand. other countries. never had ASF.” over it,” Long said. herds with improving trade “Hopefully 2020 is going to He compared the response He wanted to have his breed- On top of that, herds are fed agreements and the outlook be a lot better,” he said. to the disease in Russia and ing stock tested for the disease, bagged feed in bags that are for U.S. exports to China is American exports are ris- China. When Russia got Af- but the government would not used over and over. improving with the trend line ing. rican swine fever in its hog allow him to do the testing. “I think we all know about showing improved exports “You can see the total, not Long added: “It’s a gov- disease and viruses. … How from the United States to Chi- herds authorities came in and only in China, but everything ernment denial that goes on are you going to control ASF na. killed all of the pigs, burned everywhere is going up,” Long there.” spreading when you are using “We expect it will continue; them and buried them. In Chi- said. “There is only so much The disease is not under bagged feed?” Long asked. it will increase,” Long said. pork in the world. There is only na, pigs were sent to slaughter. control in China because they One thing the Americans “The Chinese need pork. I ex- so much protein in the world.” “They did not eliminate the have not put practices in place have in their favor, according pect that number to keep in- He said he expects prices to herds; they put the meat into to control it, Long said. to Long, is President Trump’s creasing.” improve soon. the food chain,” Long said. “China has no rules,” he hardline on trade with China. “The big thing about China “We are optimistic for 2020,” He told the story of a Chi- said. “What President Trump is you have 1.4 billion people Long said. “Demand is there.” nese farmer with about 80,000 And farming practices in has done is 100% right,” he eating 67 pounds of pork, so it’s He sees “decent” profits for sows he visited.