(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Rec Department Board of Directors will meet in their regular monthly session, Monday afternoon at City Hall. Their meeting begins at 5:15-p.m., and will include an update on the Parks and Rec Director’s position, the recommendation for which will come after a final interview on Tuesday.

The Board will discuss an increase to the Hotel/Motel tax intended to be prioritized for the proposed new splash pad and improvements to the Sunnyside Pool. Ali Pieken will provide the Board with an update on the project itself. The Board will then discuss and vote on designs for the splashpad, and hold discussion with regard to replacing trail lake #1 on the southwest corner. Assistant Parks Director Jeff Christensen will provide the Parks and Rec Board with a painting update, with regard to the Ross Camblin shelter.

Among new business items, is discussion/update with regard to building planters for Mollett Park, and games for a block party.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City of Atlantic’s new Parks and Recreation Department Director is expected to be announced Tuesday afternoon. The word will come following a closed session to interview the final candidate for the position, Michelle Spunaugle, a Griswold native who lives in Villisca, and has a Park Ranger background

The closed session interview with Spunaugle will take place at 1-p.m in the Council’s Chambers, after she spends the morning with Parks staff touring the City, its parks and the Parks Building.

Following the closed session, the Parks and Rec Board will vote on who to recommend for the position. City Administrator John Lund says he then intends to make the offer quickly, so the candidate may begin making arrangements to join the City.

In addition to Michelle Spunaugle, the Board has interviewed John Wyatt Adderton from Georgia, who is currently a Park Ranger. The candidate recommended for the position will succeed former Parks and Rec Director Bryant Rasmussen, who accepted a position with the USDA, last Fall.

(Radio Iowa) – The FBI says it is continuing the investigation of alleged voter fraud by the wife of Woodbury County Supervisor Jeremy Taylor.

Kim Taylor was arrested and charged Thursday with 52 counts of alleged voter fraud in the 2020 primary and general elections. Woodbury County Auditor Pat Gill says he became aware of an issue when a local voter who was an Iowa State University student contacted him about his name being used on a ballot.

“The person said that they had requested an absentee ballot and they went to the Secretary of State’s website where we all enter that information. And when they looked at the Secretary of State’s website, they said, you have a ballot that says that you have a ballot from me, and I didn’t vote that night,” Gill says. The brother of that student also reported his name was used on an absentee ballot.

Gill contacted the Secretary of State, and was advised to call the FBI. Gill says two of his staff members alerted him to several write-in ballots from the 2020 primary that had been cast, but didn’t look right. “This is the first time I’ve ever seen this. When you could tell by looking at them that they were all filled out by the same person,” Gill says. “that was my read on it and that’s why they called me over they said ‘take a look at this Pat.’ They had the same opinion they were filled out by the same person,” Gill says.

Gill says Jeremy Taylor’s name was the name on all the ballots in question. “Jeremy Taylor was on that ballot for the congressional seat but written in were 150 primary write-in votes for district three (Woodbury supervisor) — which was open at that time. And then also, there were 135 write ins for Jeremy Taylor for auditor,” according to Gill.

Gill says the FBI asked to see all the ballots, and then started their investigation. He says the election safeguards in place to validate ballots and identify voters works — and led to the charges in the case. Jeremy Taylor has not released a statement about the allegations.

(Oakland, Iowa) – The Riverside Community School District is launching a PRIDE Capital Campaign collaborative effort between the District and the cities of Oakland, Carson and Macedonia. School officials say it will generate funding in support of positive experiences for current and future students, staff, alumni, and the community through the completion of identified infrastructure development projects.

This project, according to school officials, provides an opportunity to strengthen economic growth, increase existing social capital and provide infrastructure development that positively impacts all these cities and the school district. High quality educational opportunities and access to physical infrastructure play an important role in developing rural communities and helping them overcome their challenges. The project is designed to enhance existing community assets by encouraging growth by supporting new infrastructure projects. The campaign will generate funding to support positive school and community experiences for current and future students, staff, alumni, and community.

Superintendent Dr. Tim Mitchell says there are three Riverside Pride Capital Campaign Goals:

1) Maintenance of a safe and high-quality environment for academic, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities.

2) Completion of one-time facility improvements needed to promote growth and success in the community and school.

3) Lasting impact through a legacy of positive academic and economic growth for future generations of the Riverside communities.

You can learn more, and get regular updates on the Riverside PRIDE Committee Fund Facebook page. For a complete informational packet about the campaign or to set up a meeting on how you can help,  please contact Tim Mitchell at 712-484-2212 or tmitchell@riverside.k12.ia.us or if you wish to donate to the Riverside PRIDE Expendable Fund:

You can go online to https://bit.ly/RiversidePride

(Radio Iowa) – Individual Iowans, schools, teachers and organizations that go above and beyond in demonstrating good character traits can now be nominated for statewide recognition. Megan Wesselink is communications coordinator for the Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University in Des Moines which hosts the Iowa Character Awards.

“Annually, we recognize Iowans who show the Six Pillars of Character: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Good Citizenship,” Wesselink says. “So if you know someone in your life that displays those character traits, we welcome you to head on over to our website, raycenter.drake.edu/iowa-character-awards, and go ahead and nominate them.” The awards have been an annual staple since 2005 as a way of promoting good character.

“We have a lot of different categories that we nominate people in, Citizen Youth, Citizen Adult, Educator, Athletic Team or Organization, School, Student Organization, and Company Organization,” she says, “so anybody that fits those categories is more than welcome to be nominated, and that deadline is May 2nd of 2023.” The winners will be recognized at the annual Iowa Character Awards banquet set for late July at the Prairie Meadows conference center in Altoona.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds has taken the oath of office for a second full term as Iowa’s governor.

“I am so honored to be here and I want to just start by saying, ‘Thank you,'” Reynolds said at the start of her inaugural address. “‘Thank you, Iowans, for the trust you’ve placed in me and for giving me the indescribable honor of serving as the governor of this great state.” Reynolds has been Iowa’s chief executive for more than five-and-a-half years. She took over in mid-2017 after Governor Terry Branstad resigned and now Reynolds has won two statewide races on her own. Today (Friday), Reynolds talked at length about governing during the pandemic. Then, after Reynolds criticized other states and the federal government for pandemic-related shutdowns, the crowd gave Reynolds a standing ovation.

“It’s because states like Iowa had the courage and the sense to swim against the current, today we rarely see public officials make the case for such policies,” she said. “In fact, we often hear denials they did.” Reynolds spent a long segment of her address talking about the 2024 Iowa Caucuses.

Gov. Kim Reynolds-(IPBS photo)

Reynolds said Iowans will be able to sort through the candidates and choose the one who exhibits good moral character. She also challenged Democrats to reconsider their decision to skip Iowa and have South Carolina host the first voting event on their presidential selection calendar. Earlier this week, Reynolds outlined her 2023 legislative agenda in a speech to the Iowa General Assembly. Today (Friday), Reynolds addressed most of the same legislators, along with a large group of campaign supporters and her family.

“We’ve built such a strong foundation upon which Iowa can continue to rise. A place where children and parents come before special interests, where life is protected, and work is rewarded,” she says. A place where families thrive, businesses grow, and government is responsive to the people. And this is the work we will continue to do.”

(Radio Iowa) – The Mega Millions jackpot has grown again after no one won in Tuesday’s drawing. Iowa Lottery spokesperson, Mary Neubauer, says this drawing comes on a day that is superstitious for some. “And obviously, we human beings have all sorts of beliefs about Friday the 13th. So, we’ll have to see you know, where things come down on the on the luck spectrum right? With all of that in play,” Neubauer says. the one-point-three-five BILLION dollar jackpot is the second largest in history. Neubauer says one thing they watch are the combinations that are covered in a drawing.

“Right now it’s looking at somewhere between 40 and 45 percent for the next drawing,” Neubauer says. “That’s a pretty good amount, there have been times when it’s been higher. But and the higher the coverage estimate, the more likely it can be that there will be a winner. It’s not a given.” While Friday the 13th is considered superstitious by some, Neubauer says the big jackpot drawings have their own myths. “People believe that the odds change as the jackpot gets higher. That’s not the case. If that were the case, we wouldn’t ever be able to tell you what the odds are,” she says.

She says the odds are the same for every ticket in the game because it’s based upon the numbers available to play and whether or not the numbers on your ticket will match the winning numbers that are selected. Someone came very close to winning the jackpot Tuesday night. “There was one ticket here in Iowa on two for Tuesday night’s drawing that was just one number away. That ticket ended up winning a 30-thousand dollar prize. Somebody in Chariton is very happy with that ticket,” Neubauer says. She says that’s a good example of why you should always check your ticket for other prizes.

“Don’t just check to see if you won the jackpot. There are nine prize levels in the Mega Millions game ranging from two dollars all the way up to the jackpot. So please, please check for anything you may have won,” Neubauer says. You must buy a ticket in Iowa by 8:59 p-m to be eligible for the jackpot. Tickets purchased after that time will be for the next drawing.

(Persia, Iowa) – Law enforcement agencies are responding to a reported robbery at the Community Bank (107 Main. St.), in Persia. The incident occurred sometime between 9:50-and 10:05-a.m.  The suspect was said to have been wearing a black face mask, brown Carhart pants and brown shoes. It’s believed he left the scene in a white Chevy car, unknown direction of travel. Check back for additional information.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Glenwood Police Department reports a man from Pacific Junction was arrested this (Friday) morning. Officials say 21-year-old Nathan Richardson was arrested on charges that include Public Intoxication and Disorderly Conduct. His total bond (Cash or surety) was set at $600.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Nebraska was arrested Wednesday night on Bunge Avenue, for Assault with Bodily Injury. 38-year-old Kristopher Ray Night, of Bellevue, NE, was being held in the Mills County Jail on a $1,000 bond.