The town of Greenfield, in Adair County, is hosting the world premiere of a play this weekend to coincide with Flag Day, a play set in Greenfield during World War Two. Des Moines playwright John Busbee was commissioned to write the two-act play called “Bonds of War,” which is centered on the real-life editor of the Adair County Free Press newspaper during that era, a man named Ken Sidey.

“A lot of his editorials are used in this play which really kind of serves as the heart and soul for the content of the show,” Busbee says. “Really, it’s about how a county and a community bonds, thus the name ‘Bonds of War,’ through the war effort.” The play aims to bring the spirit and the challenges of the 1940s era alive again onstage, recreating some of the staples of that time, complete with scrap drives, paper drives and big band music.

“I used two actual characters, K.H. or Ken Sidey, plus I used Mamie Lynam,” Busbee says. “She was a character. She was a hoot. She was a social reporter. The rest are fictionalized characters but I used real places and real events from the time period.” The show will be performed in the recently-dedicated Norman Lear Theater in the Warren Cultural Center.

Lear directed his first movie, “Cold Turkey,” in Greenfield in 1969 and went on to much success in television, producing shows including, “All In The Family,” “Maude,” “The Jeffersons,” and “Sanford and Son.” Busbee says the 92-year-old Lear autographed posters of the “Bonds of War” play that are being sold to help pay for the production. “He has maintained a rock solid relationship with Greenfield especially but also with Iowa,” Busbee says. “When he was here last December, he did a presentation in Greenfield and the folks at the Warren Cultural Center surprised him by dedicating the stage space as the Norman Lear Theater, and he was truly touched.”

Busbee says it’s possible Lear will be in Greenfield for one or more of this weekend’s performances. A host of other events and activities are being planned in the community through Sunday. The play will be performed three times — Friday night, Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon. For more information, go to
www.warrenculturalcenter.com.

(Radio Iowa)

Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman reports, in accordance with the Code Of Iowa, a permit is required in order for persons to display of fireworks. Applications for display of fireworks are available at the County Courthouse in the office of the Cass County Auditor.

The CODE OF IOWA 727.2 FIREWORKS:
1. The term “fireworks” includes any explosive composition, or combination of explosive substances, or article prepared for the purpose of producing a visible or audible effect by combustion, explosion, deflagration, or detonation, and includes blank cartridges, firecrackers, torpedoes, skyrockets, roman candles, or other fireworks of like construction and fireworks containing any explosive or flammable compound, or other device containing any explosive substance. The term “fireworks” does not include goldstar-producing sparklers on wires which contain no magnesium or chlorate or perchlorate, flitter sparklers in paper tubes that do not exceed one-eighth of an inch in diameter, toy snakes which contain no mercury, or caps used in cap pistols.
2. A person, firm, copartnership, or corporation who offers for sale, exposes for sale, sells at retail, or uses or explodes any fireworks, commits a simple misdemeanor. In addition to any other penalties, the punishment imposed for a violation of this section shall include assessment of a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars. However, the council of a city or a county board of supervisors may, upon application in writing, grant a permit for the display of fireworks by municipalities, fair associations, amusement parks, and other organizations or groups of individuals approved by the city or the county board of supervisors when the fireworks display will be
handled by a competent operator.

An accident Monday afternoon in Atlantic at 9th and Chestnut Streets resulted in possible injuries to the driver of a vehicle that struck a parked car. Atlantic Police says Drew Boger, of Council Bluffs, was cited for Failure to Maintain Control, after his vehicle hit a parked vehicle registered to Michael Updike, of Atlantic. The accident happened at around 2:25-p.m. Boger was transported by Medivac Ambulance to the Cass County Memorial Hospital for treatment of his injuries. Damage from the collision amounted to $8,500.

(12-p.m. News)

Atlantic Business and Professional Women (BPW) are celebrating 80 years as a local organization.

Picutred: Christie Boysen, Crystal Christensen, Janice Brown (Past BPW State President), Margaret Sonntag, Ina Ohnmeiss (local President), Sue Muri, Donna Willoughby, Debbie Leistad, Charla Schmid (BPW Red Oak member and Past State President), Nedra Perry, Wonda Schwier, Michelle Heath, Pat McCurdy, Dianne Gipple, Amy Coenen, Jamey Park, BJ Hart, Lana Westphalen, Arlene Drennan, JoAnn Runyan, Kathy Sweeney, Dolly Bergmann, Jamie Arnold, Carol Seddon, Ouida Wymer, Bill Saluk, Keith Leonard D.V.M., Dan Mehmen, Russ Joyce, Donnie Drennan, Kerry Jepsen, Melanie Petty, Dan Rossell.

The Atlantic organization currently has 45 members and is the largest BPW organization in the State of Iowa. They give away four annual scholarships. Atlantic BPW are very active within the community, volunteering over 1000 hours the past year. They meet monthly, the third Wednesday of the month and guests are welcome.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Council Bluffs has received equipment that will allow it to move forward with plans to offer wireless Internet throughout the city. The Daily Nonpareil reports that the city and its school district agreed to partner months ago in expanding Wi-Fi access from the current, few hotspots that are scattered throughout the community.

Mark Howard who serves as the city’s chief information official says the goal is to give students who may not have access to the Internet the ability to use it for homework or other projects. Most of the students have been issued a laptop by their schools. Howard hopes the Wi-Fi expansion project will finish this year. The first phase of the expansion will occur in the neighborhood around a middle school.

The Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund recently donated $1000 toward the purchase of new books for the Washington and Schuler Elementary Schools. Trevor was an avid reader, and the Fund’s Melanie Petty says they “Hope that by donating money for books each year we can help plant the seed in the younger children to start good reading habits.”