(Radio Iowa) – After a near-decade long world tour, the Jackson Pollock oil painting simply known as “Mural” is back in Iowa City and will return to public display later this month. Lauren Lessing, director of the University of Iowa’s Stanley Museum of Art, says if Mural were a person, its passport would show at least 14 new venues and it would have earned more than 20-thousand frequent flier miles.

“It was in Berlin, London, Venice, Barcelona, and then it came back to the United States. It’s been on the West Coast and the East Coast and several places in between,” Lessing says. “It has certainly made the rounds, but we’re very, very happy to have it home.” The oil painting was produced in 1943 and measures eight feet high by 20 feet long. Pollock was commissioned to create Mural by legendary art collector Peggy Guggenheim, who donated the piece to the University of Iowa in 1951. Lessing first saw Mural in 2004 and says it was breathtaking to see it again more recently after it was painstakingly cleaned and restored at the Getty Conservation Institute in Los Angeles.

“Mural” by Jackson Pollock (Photo via guggenheim.org.)

“It was a revelation to me. It was really like a different painting and so I think a lot of our visitors will have that experience,” Lessing says. “Maybe they grew up with the painting, but they might really be seeing it for the first time with all of the dirt and grime removed. Paintings get dirty when they hang in the atmosphere for a long period of time.” The painting was viewed by more than two-point-seven-million people after leaving Iowa City on a planned world tour immediately after the 2008 flood. During its tour, Mural was insured for 144-million dollars, though Lessing says that figure is abstract because the painting is irreplaceable. She calls Mural a beacon for art lovers everywhere as it marks a pivotal moment in Pollock’s career.

“We want to teach students to take that kind of risk, and to really make that kind of leap, and innovate, which is what that painting is all about,” Lessing says. “Because Pollock did what he did, it really paved the road for a whole school of artists to take that same route and that really led to the Abstract Expressionist movement.” Like food or music, everyone has their own opinion of art and not everyone loves Pollock’s swirls and spatters of paint. Lessing says she’ll enjoy watching visitors see Mural for the first time.

“Some people are going to love it right off the bat. Other people will struggle and then maybe come to a space where they appreciate it. Some people will struggle and never really find that it sings to them,” Lessing says, “but those are all valid ways to engage with works of art.” The Stanley Museum of Art will reopen August 26th. The Pollock is among some 700 works of art in all media by more than 600 artists that will be on display.

https://stanleymuseum.uiowa.edu/

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa D-N-R is in the midst of its annual wild turkey count and is looking for some help. Wildlife Biologist, Jim Coffey, leads the survey, “We asked the general public if they do see wild turkeys to go to the Iowa D-N-R webpage under the turkey tab, and they can report that sightings. And that helps us get a good indication of the productivity for the for the summer,” Coffey says. He says the population has been pretty strong. “The last couple of years we’ve had good production. This year has been a little bit mixed with the with the early hatch — that seems to be down — but the second hatch seems to be up.” Coffey says. “And that’s usually a pretty good indicator in drought year conditions. We usually see pretty good nest success and drought years.”

You could see wild turkeys in a variety of places. “The first nest attempt is usually in some thicker covered has to be in the Woodlands,” he explains. “The last nest attempt will be out basically anywhere. But we tend to think in those areas like shrubs, raspberries, and plum thickets and things like that, it provides good overhead cover.” Coffey says the turkeys like that overhead cover to protect them from predators. You are most likely to see hens, which will gather together in groups to watch over the young birds. “The males do not care about the rest of them until springtime. So, you typically don’t see males with the with the hens this time of the year. But we do still count males in part of the survey — there is a section for that if people see males and male groups,” Coffey says.

Coffey says they typically see 50-thousand wild turkey licenses purchased each year — but most hunters never bag a bird. “That’s usually a surprise to people — we were pretty consistent with about a 22 percent success rate from year to year,” he says, “and I think people have kind of forgotten or we’ve gotten used to the fact that we think that everybody that buys a license should be successful. And that’s far from the truth. It is a hunt. It is challenging, and that’s what makes turkey hunting exciting. ”

Coffey says they consistently see from 11 to 12-thousand wild turkeys harvested in the springtime each year. He says they have a fall season, but it is not as popular among hunters. To learn more about wild turkey hunting or to report your turkey sighting, go to iowadnr.gov. The turkey survey lasts through August.

(Radio Iowa) – The 2022 Iowa State Fair starts Thursday. Gary Slater, the fair’s C-E-O and general manager, says the organization is still recovering financially from the cancellation of the 2020 fair due to the pandemic. “Certainly, we’re still in recovery mode, but we had a great fair last year, which really, really helped,” Slater says. The State Fair lost 13 million dollars when the event was cancelled in 2020, but qualified for an 11 million dollar “shuttered venues” grant from the federal government.

“You still have 450 acres to take care of,” Slater says. “You still have full-time employees.” Events are held at the fairgrounds in every month of the year and the Fair has nearly 60 year-round, full-time staff members. Attendance was down a bit during last year’s Iowa State Fair, but the 11-day run of the 2021 State Fair turned a 36 million dollar profit.

“It wasn’t maybe a record-setter like 2019 was, but it came back,” Slater says, “and so we’re not just in fair mode and we’re really working hard to give you a great State Fair in 2022.” Slater made his comments during an appearance this summer on “Iowa Press” on Iowa P-B-S. Slater has said Grandstand entertainment is key to drawing crowds and more than 10-thousand tickets have been sold for country star Carrie Underwood’s show on the final night of the fair.

(Clarinda, Iowa) – The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests took place, Saturday. According to Sheriff Lyle Palmer, 50-year-old Jacob Alan Blake, of Corning, was arrested by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office and then transferred to the Page County Sheriff’s Jail. Blake faces a charge of Assault with the intent to commit sexual abuse (an Aggravated Misdemeanor). His cash or surety bond was set at $2,000.

And, 44-year-old Jeremy Lynn Martin, of Clarinda, was arrested Saturday on three separate warrants:

Jeremy Lynn Martin

• Warrant #1 is a Aggravated Misdemeanor. The charge is Harassment in the 1st degree. The bond on this warrant is $2,000.00 cash or surety.
• Warrant #2 is a Simple Misdemeanor. The charge is Harassment in the 3rd degree. The bond on this warrant is $300.00 cash or surety.
• Warrant #3 is Simple Misdemeanor. The charge is Failure to Appear. The bond on this warrant is $300.00.

Martin was was booked into the Page County Jail.

“A charge is merely an accusation and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.”

(Primghar, Iowa) – One person died and another was injured Saturday afternoon, during a collision between a full-size pickup truck and an SUV. The crash happened east of Primghar, in O’Brien County, at around 2-p.m.  The Iowa State Patrol reports 66-year-old Mark Stanley Kirkholm, of Storm Lake, died at the scene of the crash at the intersection of County Roads L-54 and B-40.

Authorities say a 2000 Chevy Silverado driven by 56-year-old Laurie Ann Banks, of Sutherland, was traveling north on L-54 (Taft Avenue), and failed to stop at the stop sign with 390th Street (B40). Her pickup traveled into the west/eastbound traffic on 390th and struck a westbound 2020 Ford Escape driven by Mark Kirkholm. The SUV was hit on the driver’s side. Following the impact, the SUV entered the ditch and rolled at least once, partially ejecting Kirkholm. He was deceased at the scene. He was not wearing a seat belt.

Banks -who wore a seat belt – was transported by Primghar EMS to MercyOne Primghar.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports there were three arrests last week. Friday night, 54-year-old Shelli Lin Madisen, of Mount Pleasant, WI., was arrested on the I-80 westbound Exit 93 off-ramp. She was taken into custody by Stuart Police for OWI/1st offense, following a car-vs-semi accident. When the Stuart Police Officer arrived on the scene at around 9:56-p.m., he saw a 2009 Nissan Cube facing the wrong way on the eastbound off-ramp, and that the vehicle had apparently struck a semi truck head-on. The semi was exiting the Interstate. Madisen tested .355% on the breath/alcohol test (more than 3-times the legal limit). She admitted to having been drinking, and failed the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests. She later tested .280% for intoxication at the Adair County Jail. Shelli Madisen was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

Last Wednesday, Greenfield Police arrested 37-year-old Kristen Nicole Ladd, of Greenfield, on an Adair County warrant for Violation of a No Contact/Protective Order – Contempt of Court. He was released a short time later on a $300 c/s bond. And, 33-year-old Brett Michael Stacey, of Adair, was arrested last Wednesday, in Adair. Police in Adair took Stacey into custody at around 1:30-p.m., for a Controlled Substance Violation/less than 1/2 ounce of marijuana – Accommodation, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. His arrest followed the execution of a search warrant at a residence in Adair, during which authorities found a cell phone with multiple conversations about selling drugs on the date of the executed warrant.

Stacey was released from the Adair County Jail the following day, on a $1,000 c/s bond.

(Onawa, Iowa) – An unusual pursuit occurred Saturday afternoon that ended with several police cars damaged and the suspect taken into custody. According to the Monona County Sheriff’s Office, an on-duty Deputy on patrol in Onawa at around 1:12-p.m., Saturday, saw a male subject driving a John Deere 333G skid steer, who was known to have multiple warrants out for his arrest.

While several agencies assisted the Deputy, the driver of the skid steer – 38-year-old Grant Dahms, of Onawa – used the machine to strike multiple police vehicles, in an attempt to elude officers on the streets of Onawa. A citizen with a Case front end loader assisted officers, and the pursuit was ended at 17th and Cameo Streets, in Onawa.

Dahms was arrested and transported to Burgess Health Center before being taken to the Monona County Jail. He faces charges, including: a Class-D Felony Criminal Mischief in the 1st Degree; Interference with Official Acts; 3 counts of Assault on a Peace Officer with using a dangerous device (A Class-D Felony; Eluding law enforcement; Driving while barred; numerous traffic violations, and on the original warrants. Dahms was being held without bond in the Monona County Jail.

The Monona County Sheriff’s Office was assisted during the incident, by the Iowa State Patrol, and Mapleton Police Department.

(Des Moines County, Iowa) – A single vehicle accident Saturday afternoon south of Burlington, resulted in the death of a male juvenile passenger, and injuries to the 16-year-old male driver. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2007 Chevy Trailblazer SUV was traveling south in the 4200 block of Sullivan Slough Road at around 1:47-p.m., when the vehicle left the roadway for reasons unknown.

The SUV struck a tree before coming to rest. A male juvenile passenger in the vehicle died at the scene. He was wearing a seat belt. The driver who wore his seat belt, was transported by Burlington Fire to the SE Regional Medical Center in West Burlington.

No names were released. The accident remains under investigation.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – A little more than a year and two-weeks after a fire heavily damaged the Atlantic Middle School (AMS), an Open House for the building is set to take place. According to Atlantic School District Superintendent Steve Barber, the event will take place August 12th, from 2-until 6-p.m. Members of the community are welcome to tour the newly reconstructed facility that sustained fire, smoke and water damage during a July 27, 2021 fire that began on the roof of the building.

In the wake of the fire, school officials were forced to relocate some classrooms to different buildings within the District,  while crews worked to repair and rebuild the Middle School. Once the construction was complete and an inspection was conducted, teachers and staff began moving-in to the building. Mr. Barber and new AMS Principal Scot Aden will be on-hand during the Open House.

There will be no formal tour, but school personnel will be on hand to answer your questions. And, there will be refreshments available.

Drone view of the 7/27/21 AMS fire aftermath

(File photo) AMS damage during July 2021 fire

Des Moines, IA – The U-S Attorney’s Office reports a man from Keswick, Iowa, made his initial appearance Friday in federal court in Des Moines, to face tax and bank fraud charges. Thomas Sieren, age 59, is charged in a 24-count indictment returned on July 19, 2022.

According to court documents, Sieren was the Vice President of TCS Fabricating, Inc., a local fabrication company. TCS Fabricating, Inc. was required by law to withhold taxes from employee wages and to pay the withheld amounts to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on a periodic basis. These withheld taxes, sometimes known as “trust fund taxes,” include income taxes and Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes that fund Social Security and Medicare.

It is alleged that Sieren failed to pay the IRS over $440,000 from 2016 to 2020. On TCS Fabricating, Inc.’s behalf, Sieren also allegedly submitted two Paycheck Protection Program loan applications in which he falsely represented that the company had employees for which it paid payroll taxes.

“Business owners are required to withhold income taxes for their employees and remit those taxes to the IRS,” said Special Agent in Charge, Tyler Hatcher. “IRS-Criminal Investigation takes these crimes very seriously not only because of the impact on federal revenue, but more importantly because of the way employee benefits are impacted.”

Sieren is charged with twenty counts of Failure to Collect, Account for, and Pay Over Trust Fund Taxes, two counts of Bank Fraud, and two counts of False Statements to a Financial Institution. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa and made the announcement. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Essley is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.