(Radio Iowa) – Former President Donald Trump swooped into the Iowa State Fair this weekend, drew big crowds and touted endorsements from a group of U-S House members from Florida — the state where his chief rival is governor.
Three other G-O-P presidential candidates joined Governor Kim Reynolds for one of her Fair Side Chats Saturday morning. Thirty-eight-year-old businessman Vivek Ramaswamy presented himself as the way for Republicans to win young voters and he rapped to an Eminem song as he left the stage.

Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley didn’t say Trump’s name, but offered this suggestion: “It’s time for a new generational leader. It is time that we leave the negativity behind, the drama behind.” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis joined Reynolds, too. A bit later, a reporter asked DeSantis about Trump’s refusal to sign a loyalty pledge to support whomever Republicans nominate in 2024.

“If someone’s not willing to do that, that just shows you their campaign is more about them than the broader public and the American people,” DeSantis said. As DeSantis was at the Pork Tent on the fairgrounds, Trump’s plane flew overhead. DeSantis left, the crowd size grew and they erupted when Trump arrived at the same spot. Trump didn’t flip pork chops, but signed hats — and gave a couple of his hallmark red hats to two young girls hanging over the fence.

Trump then ducked into the Animal Learning Center. A W-H-O T-V reporter asked Trump why he wasn’t joining Governor Reynolds on the fairgrounds and Trump repeated his beef that Reynolds hasn’t endorsed him.”You know I helped the governor a lot. I won the race for the governor, but I like the governor,” Trump said. Reynolds has said she’s remaining neutral in order to welcome all the candidates — and she credits Iowa voters for her 2018 win. DeSantis says Trump’s criticism of Reynolds is out of bounds.

Trump had several of the Floridians who’ve endorsed him speak to the crowd at a bar on the fairgrounds, then Trump left the crowd with this message:

Democrats Robert F. Kennedy, Junior and Marianne Williamson — who are running against President Biden — also campaigned at the fair this weekend.

(Arispe, Iowa) – An accident north of Arispe, in Union County, early Sunday morning, resulted in two people being injured. The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports a 2011 Dodge pickup truck driven by 18-year-old Jayson Lee Shimer, of Creston, was traveling southbound on Highway 169 at around 2-a.m., Sunday, when Shimer fell asleep at the wheel.

The pickup went out of control, left the road toward the east, and came to rest in a ditch. Shimer suffered nose and hand pain, and was transported by EMS to the Greater Regional Hospital, in Creston. His passenger, 17-year-old John Brayden Cook, of Diagonal, was transported to the hospital by a parent, before law enforcement arrived on the scene.

The pickup sustained $1,500 damage during the crash.

(Sioux County, Iowa) – A 17-year-old from Rock Valley was injured during a motorcycle accident Sunday afternoon northeast of Hawarden, in northwest Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol reports the accident happened at around 3:25-p.m. at 390th Street and Cherry Avenue.

Officials say a 20111 Kawasaki Vulcan motorcycle operated by 55-year-old Jamie Kelsheimer, of Windom, MN, was traveling northwest on Cherry Avenue. As it approached the curve, Kelsheimer moved over to avoid sand and gravel in the road. He was not able to traverse the curve and lost control of the motorcycle, which toppled onto its side before flipping and landing in the north ditch.

Kelsheimer and his unidentified 17-year-old passenger were ejected from the cycle. The teen was transported by Hawarden EMS to the hospital in Hawarden.

(Liberty, Iowa) – A UTV accident Sunday evening in southern Iowa claimed the life of a man from Osceola. The Iowa State Patrol reports 24-year-old Dignan Ray Forry died, and 24-year-old Kaylie Jo Burke, of Carlisle, was injured, when the UTV they were riding in topped a hill at 2827 Scott Street in Clarke County, and went out of control.

The UTV, which was traveling at a high rate of speed, entered the south ditch and rolled over before coming to rest in a field on the south side of the road. Forry and Burke were ejected from the machine. Forry died at the scene. Burke was transported by Life Net Mercy to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines.

The crash happened at around 4:30-p.m. Neither of the victims were wearing seat belts.

(Elk Horn, Iowa) – The Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton Community School District’s Board of Education will meet in a regular session 6-p.m. Tuesday, August 15th, in the Conference Room at the High School, in Elk Horn. Here’s their agenda:

I. Call to Order

II. Approve Agenda

III. Welcome Visitors

IV. Recognition and Communication

V. Consent Agenda
A. Minutes – July 18, 2023 Regular Meeting
B. Financial Reports
C. Accounts Payable – Board Bills

VI. Administrative Reports

VII. Discussion Items
A. School Board Election – November 7, 2023
A. The terms of the following Board members expire in 2023:  Jodee Dixon, Terri Harris, Matt Jorgensen, and Joel Schlueter.

Interested candidates should pick up the required documents from the Board Secretary.  Candidates must file an affidavit of candidacy and nomination petitions containing at least 23 signatures.  Signatures may be collected from anywhere in the school district boundaries.  Signers must be eligible electors of the school district. Paperwork must be turned in beginning August 28, 2023 until September 21, 2023 at 5:00 pm with the Board Secretary, or her designee.  Late applications will not be accepted. DO NOT file paperwork with the County Auditor’s Office-it will not be accepted.
B. IASB Annual Convention & Trade Show – November 15-17

VIII. Action Items
A. 2023-2024 Consortium Agreement with Children’s Square & Heartland Family Service within Council Bluffs CSD
B. FFA National Convention Out-of-State Trip – October 31-November3, 2023
C. 2023-2024 Amended Contracts
C. Irene Blazek – Increased TSS amount
Kristen Borkowski – Increased TSS amount
Kevin Brown – Lane changed from BA10 to MA
Niki Cade – Increased TSS amount

D. Personnel Resignations, Hires, & Transfers
i. Resignations
1. Jacki Piva – Associate
ii. Hires
1. Brandon Baggett – Spartan Media
2. Cory Bartz – Building Leadership Team
3. Tom Benton – Weight Room Supervisor
4. Irene Blazek – Mentor
5. Kristen Borkowski – Building Leadership Team, Mentor
6. McKinzie Bricker – NHS
7. Kevin Brown – Head Cross Country
8. Drew Buckholdt – Head Football
9. Jacqui Christensen – Building Leadership Team
10. Ben Hansen – Assistant Football
11. Riann Hansen – Athletic Training
12. Connie Jessen – Building Leadership Team, Instructional Coach
13. Ashley Mether – Building Leadership Team, Mentor
14. Shelli Nelson – Building Leadership Team, Mentor
15. Travis Nelson – Assistant Football
16. Jackie Petersen – Yearbook
17. Jen Petersen – Building Leadership Team, Instructional Coach
18. Tom Petersen – Building Leadership Team, JH Football
19. Derek Reischauer – Head Volleyball
20. Andrea Schwery – JH Volleyball
21. Jordan Webster – Building Leadership Team, Mentor
22. Terry Weisenborn – Building Leadership Team, Assistant Cross Country
23. Megan Wilkerson – Building Leadership Team, Mentor

IX. Adjournment

THE BOARD RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE THE ORDER OF THE AGENDA IF IT WOULD BETTER ACCOMMODATE VISITORS AT A BOARD MEETING.

Next Meeting:  September 19, 2023 – 6:00 pm – Exira-EHK Conference Room, Elk Horn