(Red Oak, Iowa) – A domestic disturbance at the residence northwest of Red Oak, Wednesday night, resulted in the arrest of a 14-year-old male. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports Deputies responded to the 1700 block of Avenue G at around 9:40-p.m., and upon further investigation, arrested the teen for Domestic Assault. The juvenile was released to the custody of a parent. His case was referred to juvenile court. The boy’s name was not released because of his age.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa State Fair begins a week from today (Thursday), with a new manager who’s only the 13th person in the fair’s 169 year history to serve in that role. Jeremy Parsons, who took over as Iowa State Fair C-E-O and manager in March, has the photos of two former state fair managers hanging on the wall in his office. J.C. Simpson is one of them. Simpson was State Fair manager from 1901 to 1911. He oversaw construction of major facilities that still stand today.

“When you look at the fairgrounds: Swine Barn, Livestock Pavilion, Ag Building, Administration Building, Varied Industries Building and the first phase of the Grandstand were all in his 10 years, so I think about his and what he’d think of today’s fair for sure.” Parsons says most of the 2023 entertainment and events had been announced well before he started as Iowa State Fair manager, so he hasn’t been tinkering.

“I tell people my goal for this year’s fair is not to screw it up,” Parsons says, with a laugh. “When you’re leading one of Iowa’s iconic institutions, you really don’t want to screw it up, but the staff here is tremendous — a seasoned staff.” There are 70 full-time employees year round and another 80 work from May through October on what Parsons describes as a “reimagined” fairgrounds that hosts events all year long.

“A lot of new facilities,” he says. “A lot of renovated facilities.” During the fair’s 11 day run, however, the staff size swells to 16-hundred, as hundreds of thousands of visitors come through the fair gates. Parsons says his goal as fair manager is to serve those who return for state fair traditions and those who want to see something new.

“How do we make sure we represent all of Iowa?” Parsons asks. “How do we make sure that we have offerings here that really appeal to people that have never been to the Iowa State Fair here in our own state and those who come every year, to entice them to come back?” Parsons, who is 46, estimates his first trip to the State Fair was in 1977. “I was born in June, so I was probably here in August,” Parson says. “I was probably one of those two month old Iowa State Fairgoers, for sure. Lots of memories in the campgrounds with my grandparents and parents. Lots of great memories here at the fair.”

Long-time Iowa State Fair manager Marion Lucas, who retired in 2001, helped Parsons learn the ropes of the job. Parsons, who grew up in Leon, wrote the state fair’s manager a letter as part of an elementary school assignment. Lucas invited Parsons to a tour of the fairgrounds during the next state fair and several fairs after that. When Parsons was 17, Lucas suggested Parsons apply to be a seasonal state fair employee.

“I literally was here 12 summers between high school college and then I taught school right out of college,” Parsons says. But Parsons soon got into the fair business full time, leading fundraising for the Missouri State Fair. He was C-E-O of the Clay County Fair when he was tapped to lead the Iowa State Fair.  “One of the things I bring with me from 12 years at the Clay County Fair in Spencer is I intentionally spent part of my day really just wandering around the fair, like a fairgoer,” Parsons says. “That’s really the only way you can really see the product from that perspective.”

Parsons gave Radio Iowa a golf cart tour of the fairgrounds this week. First stop was at a newer venue on the northwest side of the fairgrounds that hosts State Fair events that create some noise. “Tractor pulls, demo derbies, ATV events,” Parsons says. “Can we add rodeo? It’d be cool every afternoon for something to be going on.” This week bleachers are being set up at various venues around the fairgrounds. Food and beverage stands are popping up along streets and sidewalks.

“It’s kind of fun this time of year,” Parson says. “It kind of grows every day.” Flags are flying on top of some of the buildings and barns. “Our maintenance guys were telling me the other day there are 120 flag poles on the grounds,” Parsons says, “so it just takes a while to hang all the flags.”

The fairgrounds were declared a Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987 and many of those flagpoles are on buildings or barns that are more than a century old.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – A plan is underway to have the postponed 4th of July Fireworks show in Atlantic to held on September 2nd, Labor Day Saturday. Atlantic Police Chief Devin Hogue – speaking as a citizen and not as Chief – during Wednesday’s meeting of the City Council, said he and Jason O’Brien, with “Wild Wayne’s” fireworks, have been trying to coordinate the event.

The two decided they would make the event more than just a fireworks show, and along with others, have garnered sponsors for the program, which – with the Council’s blessing – will be held at the Atlantic Sports Complex’ Little League Ball Field.

Hogue said “It’s coming together well,” but some details are still be worked out, such as the timing of when a band will play. The YMCA, he said, it working to get some bounce houses for the event, and the football team will run a sponsored “Punt, Pass and Kick” contest. All of the events are being sponsored by area businesses.

Details of what’s called the “Saturday night bash at the ball fields” are still being worked out. Expect additional information to follow in the weeks to come.

Atlantic, Iowa) – Roughly two dozen people attended this (Wednesday) evening’s meeting of the Atlantic City Council. Most of the audience was there to oppose getting rid of the Parks and Recreation Board, and Park Director’s position. First to speak was Vicki Nordskog, of Atlantic. She said the City needs someone to be an effective leader of the Parks Department. She acknowledged Assistant Parks Director Jeff Christensen’s role in taking the lead since recent the departure of Wyatt Adderton.

Nordskog said former Parks Directors set the bar for those who followed in their footsteps.

She submitted a four-page petition to the Council with 48 signatures, asking for the Parks and Rec Board and Parks Director’s position to be maintained, not dissolved. Roger Herring, who was the Parks and Rec Director from 2011 through 2016, acknowledged the City of Atlantic has made “great strides to improve our parks and draw people to the Atlantic area for family gatherings, and more.

Herring said the improvements and renovations were accomplished through the support of the Mayor, City Administrator, and the City Council, to support the initiatives, and helping to bring a parks department out the slump it was in up until 2009. That collaboration, he says, was one of the keys to the success of the parks board.

He said the other key to success was having a parks director.

Roger Herring said with no director or park and rec board, “the value of parks recreation in Atlantic has been diminished to a maintenance crew and to maintain status quo. I don’t’ believe that’s what we’re about.”

Others who spoke included Parks Board member Jeremy Butler, Scott Bennett with Nishna Net, and Atlantic School Board member Nick Hunt. They essentially reiterated the need NOT to dissolve the Parks Board and Park Director’s job. Each member of the Atlantic City Council said they had received calls and/or e-mails in support of keep the Parks Board and finding someone for the Park Director’s position. As we’ve previously reported, the City’s Personnel and Finance Committee submitted a recommendation to the Council, saying “with all respect due to the Board and the service of its members,” the Parks Board should be dissolved. Their recommendation followed the Committee’s meeting on July 10th, when they reviewed the situation of losing yet another Director for the Parks & Rec Dept, with regard to last month’s resignation of Wyatt Adderton.

Since then, the City Council has passed a Resolution that creates the position of Parks and Recreation Coordinator, including the job description and compensation for 2024. The Parks Director’s position will likely be divided between Public Works Director Kirk Knudsen and the new Parks Coordinator position, with the stipulation the Coordinator reports directly to the Public Works Director.

Following today’s (Wednesday’s) hearing, the Council must now wait 30-days before acting on the first-reading to repeal Chapter 24 of the City’s Code of Ordinances, and discontinue the Board.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak arrested a Page County man this (Wednesday) afternoon. Authorities say 35-year-old Bryce Michael McKinnon, of Clarinda, was arrested in the 100 block of N. 5th Street, in Red Oak, for Public Intoxication. McKinnon was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.