Latest news with #Pella-based
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Iowa company crowned 2024 manufacturer of Coolest Thing Made in Iowa takes aim at the moon
After winning recognition as the manufacturer of the Coolest Thing Made in Iowa, Vermeer Corp. is setting its sights on a more ambitious goal. The Pella-based heavy machinery maker has teamed with Seattle-based Interlune to develop a machine designed to ingest 100 metric tons dirt per hour with the mission of harvesting helium-3, a rare isotope vital to applications like quantum computing and nuclear fusion. As if that's not impressive enough, consider where that mining would take place: on the moon. Is the Coolest Thing Made in Iowa 2024 title holder for its ZR5-1200 self-propelled hay baler aiming to win recognition for Coolest Thing Made in the Solar System? More: Coolest Thing Made in Iowa is down to the final eight. Which ones made the cut? Rob Meyerson, Interlune CEO, said it was that level of innovation, engineering and manufacturing prowess the company was looking for when it partnered with Vermeer to build a full-size prototype of its proposed machine. 'When you're operating equipment on the moon, reliability and performance standards are at a new level,' Meyerson, co-founder of the company that aims to harvest natural resources from space, said in a news release. 'Vermeer has a legacy of innovation and excellence that started more than 75 years ago, which makes them the ideal partner for Interlune.' The excavator prototype is the first product resulting from the two companies' joint development agreement; they will continue to explore other novel concepts for equipment and technology for use in space and on Earth. The company says it already has a contract with the U.S. Department of Energy to provide moon-mined helium-3 by 2029, and plans several trips to the Earth's satellite within the decade. It's also planning to open a center in a Texas A&M University facility at Johnson Space Center in Houston in September 2026 where it can test moon-mining techniques. The release said Vermeer CEO Jason Andringa will join the Interlune advisory board, bringing decades of experience in engineering and leadership in a global organization. 'Vermeer innovation has always been about finding better ways to do important work and this project is no different," Adringa said in the release. "Combining my personal passion for aeronautics and astronautics with Vermeer equipment that bears my grandfather's name to carefully and responsibly harvest resources to make our world a better place is something I'm incredibly proud of.' Helium-3 was deposited into lunar dirt by solar wind and was found in samples brought back during NASA's Apollo missions. At a value Myerson said is about $20 million per kilogram, it is used to achieve the extreme cold needed for superconducting quantum computer applications. says Interlune's helium-3 also could be used to fuel long-dreamed-of nuclear fusion reactors and for medical imaging purposes and radiation detecting technology. 'The high-rate excavation needed to harvest helium-3 from the Moon in large quantities has never been attempted before, let alone with high efficiency,' said Gary Lai, Myerson's partner in Interlune and the company's chief technology officer. 'Vermeer's response to such an ambitious assignment was to move fast. We've been very pleased with the results of the test program to date and look forward to the next phase of development.' Kevin Baskins covers jobs and the economy for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at kbaskins@ This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa company Vermeer produces excavator designed for moon's surface
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Protesters rally against move to remove gender identity from Iowa Civil Rights Act
Hundreds gathered at the Iowa State Capitol Feb. 24, 2025 to protest legislation that would remove protections for gender identity under the Iowa Civil Rights Act. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Hundreds protested in the halls of the Iowa State Capitol Monday as a subcommittee advanced legislation to remove gender identity as a protected class from the Iowa Civil Rights Act. House Study Bill 242 would remove 'gender identity' as a class protected through the Iowa Civil Rights Act against discrimination in employment, wages, public accommodations, housing and education. The state civil rights act offers similar protections on the basis of race, creed, sex and physical disability. In 2007, the Iowa Legislature added gender identity and sexuality to the ICRA. The committee room was full, with a large group protesting outside. Chants of 'trans rights are human rights' and 'we won't go quiet' were heard outside the meeting as supporters of the bill spoke; protesters shouted 'shame' at Reps. Steven Holt and Samantha Fett as they entered the meeting. Critics called the bill unnecessary and discriminatory, calling for lawmakers to focus on issues like housing, child care and environmental protections instead of passing legislation that would allow for discrimination against a minority group. Diane Crookham-Johnson of Oskaloosa, the former finance chair for the Iowa Republican Party and former State Board of Education member under Govs. Terry Branstad and Kim Reynolds, said this bill will have a larger impact on Iowa communities than some may realize. 'I stand before you as a local attorney who has assisted in 2024 more than eight Mahaska County residents on legal processes and documents so that they can confirm their gender identity — folks who work in our businesses, attend our schools, attend our churches, folks who shop in our stores, rent our apartments and buy our homes, folks who pay property taxes to support all of our communities,' Crookham-Johnson said. 'This bill doesn't impact some unknown person over there. This bill impacts people in your districts, people in your states, and even your most conservative counties of Iowa.' But multiple speakers supporting the measure said removing 'gender identity' from ICRA would 'protect women,' by preventing transgender women from entering women's spaces like restrooms. Evelyn Nikkel with the PELLA PAC, a conservative Pella-based organization that supports removing both gender identity and sexual orientation from the state civil rights code, told lawmakers that the measure provides elevated protections for transgender Iowans at the expense of others' rights. 'Because these terms are codified in our law, gender identity is magically elevated to a protected class with preferential and unfair advantage,' Nikkel said. '… Biological males with gender dysphoria steal biological women's sports achievements, trespass on their privacy and accost them in women's prisons, restrooms and locker rooms. We are being robbed of our dignity and respect, which is morally indefensible.' Amber Williams with Inspired Life, a conservative religious organization, shared a story of encountering a person she identified as transgender in a women's bathroom as an example for the need for sex-segregated spaces that can only be accessed by people designated as 'female' at birth. 'Just two weeks ago, I walked into a women's restroom in a public place and immediately felt uneasy when I saw a biological man coming out of a stall,' Williams said. 'I couldn't shake the sensation of discomfort and heightened awareness that many women would feel in these situation. I quickly left without using the restroom, because in that moment, my sense of safety and privacy had been compromised. This isn't about hatred or exclusion. It's about acknowledging that women have a right to feel secure in spaces meant for them.' The bill contains language that 'equal' accommodations do not mean 'same' or 'identical,' and that 'separate accommodations are not inherently unequal.' Rep. Ross Wilburn, D-Ames, said this provision in the bill 'takes us back' to the time of Plessy v. Ferguson, the 1896 U.S. Supreme Court case that upheld 'separate but equal' accommodations on the basis of race. Paden Sheumaker, a Black queer Iowan with the LGBTQ+ advocacy group with One Iowa, said her ancestors had to fight for civil rights in the country and in Iowa — and that steps to strip civil rights from a group of people 'would be to spit in the face of everyone who has fought tooth and nail for these rights. 'Have you ever been discriminated against just for being who you are, just for existing as yourself?' Sheumaker said. 'I have, and I can tell you, it is dehumanizing. It is demeaning, it is disheartening and it is terrifying. Many queer and transgender and gender nonconforming Iowans have felt this — and that is while our rights are protected, that's with the laws and the power of the state behind us to protect us. I cannot imagine how much worse that discrimination would be if the state would then choose to abandon that protection. I do not want to live in a state where that is something you're working toward.' Similar legislation was introduced during the 2024 legislative session but failed to advance. In discussions on that bill, speakers said the measure may not hold up to legal challenges. Pete McRoberts with the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa said Thursday said that Iowa, under Democratic control, chose to add gender identity and sexuality to ICRA in 2007 — and the fact that these rights were voluntarily extended 'triggers an obligation on the state to preserve those rights.' McRoberts pointed to U.S. Supreme Court precedent that found when a legislature grants protected status to a group when not constitutionally required to, removing those protections is a violation of the Equal Protections Clause. There are currently 23 states that have protections against discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation in state law, according to the Human Rights Campaign. McRoberts said none of the states that have established these protections have repealed them. 'We should not be the first, not just on moral grounds, but on on legal grounds,' he said. 'And that's something which we hope legislators will think very thoroughly and thoughtfully about. Whether they would have voted to expand the Civil Rights Act or not, that's a separate question. But that's not the question in front of us. The question in front of us is, do you remove a specific person who is part of a group of identifiable people who've been protected under the Civil Rights Act?' Fett, R-Carlisle, said the measure was the 'right move' for Iowans, and is a necessary step to allow Iowa to enact measures passed in previous years related to transgender people on issues like transgender women competing in women's sports and preventing transgender people from using restrooms or locker rooms that correspond with their gender identity. 'Those protections are at risk, which is why this bill is important,' Fett said. 'This bill is not about discrimination and was carefully crafted, and I want to make sure people understand that. But we're going to have activists that try to use subterfuge to create false narratives.' The legislation is on the list of bills to be considered by the House Judiciary Committee, scheduled to begin meeting at 1:30 p.m. Monday. A public hearing on the measure was scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 24.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Talkin' trash: Newton considers other options for waste disposal provider
Feb. 21—Instead of renewing another contract with longtime solid waste collector Dodd's Trash Hauling and Recycling, the City of Newton solicited proposals from other waste management companies and will ask council members to decide which one will serve residents. Regardless of the decision, utility bills will be increasing. In addition to the proposal from its current provider, the city received responses from the Pella-based Midwest Sanitation & Recycling and the Des Moines-based Waste Management & Recycling Services. Public Works Director Joe Grife gave a presentation on each provider and showed how much it would cost residents. The city's current contract with Dodd's Trash Hauling & Recycling allows for weekly collections of a 35-gallon bin of solid waste and an 18-gallon tote of recycled materials. Dodd's services about 5,600 properties in Newton, and it also picks up trash and recyclables at city parks and receptacles around the square. "They also do leaf bag collection in the spring and fall and the Christmas tree collection in the winter," Grife said to council members at their Feb. 17 meeting. "So last December we sent out RFPs (request for proposal). We sent them directly to local haulers that we see quite a bit. We also posted online." Newton asked for a base proposal that matched the current contract services provided by Dodd's and then also asked for an alternate proposal for 35-, 65- and 95-gallon bins that would be collected. Grife also shared what the estimated fees would look like for each service provider over a five-year contract. Currently, residents are being charged $15.16 per month for solid waste disposal. The city pays Dodd's $12.58 per unit, which equates to $71,790 per month. The city budgets $1.03 million for solid waste disposal. RATES TO THE CITY, NOT TO THE RESIDENTS Dodd's proposed the city pay $15 per month per unit, with an annual increase based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U). Grife said these types of increases will vary based on economic factors like inflation. Also, Dodd's provided no information for the city's alternative proposal. Despite the low rate, Grife said Dodd's price-per-gallon of solid waste is actually the highest of the three proposals. Grife also said Dodd's has been in business since 1967, employs Newton residents and has partnered with the city on numerous occasions. Unlike the most trash haulers in the state, Dodd's is only a manual collection-based service. Historically, Dodd's has shied way away from automated service in favor of keeping people employed, particularly those who need a second chance or have difficulty finding work due to their pasts or other circumstances. Midwest Sanitation provided the city with a manual collections-based proposal of $20.58 per month for every 35-gallon bin of solid waste and 18-gallon bin of recycled materials. The company also proposed a 3 percent annual increase in a five-year contract with the city. In the alternative proposal, Midwest Sanitation offered a monthly rate of $17.75 for 35-gallon and 95-gallon bins and $17.50 for 65-gallon bins. Grife said Midwest Sanitation has been in business since 1981 and has Jasper County residents employed with them. The provider also frequents the city landfill. "They also provided service to Iowa Speedway the past few years for some of their bigger events," Grife said. "They can provide services to collect three sizes of bins but they have a little bit higher rates than everybody else." Waste Management did not provide a manual collection proposal. Typically, the company does not provide collection services for 35-gallon bins. The proposed city rate was $14.98 per unit for 65- and 95-gallon bins. Grife said Waste Management typically provides bi-weekly recycling, but that can be changed. Known by its more common name, WM, the company operates nationwide. It was founded in 1968 in Chicago, and it is currently headquartered in Texas. Grife said even though it is a nationally recognized waste management company it also has local employees. Grife said it also has state-of-the-art equipment. "They have the lowest cost-per-gallon, but like I said they did have a bi-weekly collection of recycling," Grife said. ESTIMATED RATES FOR RESIDENTS Residents of Newton will be paying more for solid waste disposal and recycling services. Grife stressed this fact to council members. The waste disposal fee is added onto resident water bills, which factor in all utilities into one bill. Utility bills charge Newton residents for water, sewer, sanitation and stormwater. Grife estimated residents would pay $18.05 per month if the city chose Dodd's, but they would be limited to only a 35-gallon bin. By the end of the five-year contract, the fee to residents could climb to $20.08. Midwest Sanitation would cost residents $20.80 per month for a 35-gallon bin ($23.41 by Year Five); $23.15 per month for a 65-gallon bin ($26.06 by Year Five); and $25.85 per month for a 95-gallon bin ($29.09 by Year Five). Waste Management would cost $20.65 per month for a 65-gallon bin ($25.10 by Year Five) and $23.05 per month for a 95-gallon bin ($28.02 by Year Five). "We're going to see an increase no matter who we pick," Grife said. MUCH TO CONSIDER By the March 3 city council meeting, officials will meet once again to discuss and possibly take action on which proposal they like best. Grife said his intention with the presentation was to provide all the proposals for council to review and then collect questions for the trash hauling companies. Representatives from each hauler will be at the future meeting to help answer any questions and also "state their case," Grife added. Newton City Council is now tasked with finding the best provider for its residents. Not only are they factoring in costs, but they also have to consider the scope of services. Automated service is a streamlined approach that nearly every community in the state has adopted. Is a manual approach outdated? Then again, a manual approach seems to provide for additional jobs. Bigger bins means more trash is collected. Midwest Sanitation and Waste Management provide those bins to every customer, which means more consistency and perhaps less chance of toppling over. It also means higher volume of recycling. While some potential employees may see the value in working a manual service with another person alongside them, others may see the benefits of staying in the truck cab for automated service collections during the hot summer months and cold winter months. However, Dodd's is quite literally a mom-and-pop business in Newton. Which is why some are taking community impact into consideration. Council member Randy Ervin pointed to how Dodd's has worked with large events like RAGBRAI in the past and he questioned if the other two companies would do the same for Newton. He also wondered if they would participate in other events. "When we all get said and done — if you're comparing apples to apples and 35-gallon things — we have a commitment to this community to stay local," Ervin said. "Not picking on Pella. Not picking on Des Moines. I'm just saying it's going to take a tall order from me to understand why we would go away from Dodd's." Grife said the March meeting would allow the other haulers to explain what it is they do for the communities they service.
