DES MOINES — U.S. Representative Zach Nunn (IA-03) today announced that he secured a $1.5 million federal investment to replace the Bevington Park Road Bridge over the Middle River in Madison County.

“Iowans rely on safe bridges and roads to get to work, school, and spend time with family. We need to invest in our infrastructure so Iowans can continue to get from point A to point B,” said Rep. Nunn. “That’s why I’m proud to announce we secured $1.5 million to improve safety on Bevington Park Road in Madison County. This is exactly the kind of investment the federal government should make – one that does the most good for the most people.”

Rep. Nunn secured the $1.5 million investment through the Community Project Funding process, which allows members to designate funding for critical initiatives. The funding was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 which was signed into law on Saturday, March 9, 2024.

“Bevington Park Road is traveled daily by many.  The bridge is used for commuters, agricultural goods and services, fire and rescue, schools, and mail routes.  Getting the bridge replaced over the Middle River is an important step in bringing our infrastructure up to par,” said Mike Hackett, Madison County Engineer. “I am thankful that Congressman Nunn was able to secure the $1.5 million and make a critical investment into Madison County infrastructure.”

The funding will help replace a narrow, weight-restricted, 91-year-old iron bridge that is beyond its useful life. The new bridge will expand its width and allow heavier vehicles to pass normally. The new infrastructure is expected to be in place sometime in FY2026.

Rep. Nunn announced the new funding investment following a meeting at the Bevington Park Road Bridge at Middle River alongside County Engineer Mike Hackett and other members of the County Maintenance and Secondary Roads Department. Video of the announcement can be found here.

(Radio Iowa) -The University of Dubuque’s aviation program is seeing record enrollment, as the program’s director says the need for new pilots is growing.

Aviation Program Director Randy Warm tells KCRG TV the federal government’s requires commercial pilots to retire at the age of 65  “There’s a big bulk of generational (pilots) like me who are retiring or close to retiring in the pilot world,” Warm says.

A University of Dubuque Aviation program plane. (KCRG TV photo)

A study by Boeing projects the global aviation industry will need to hire more than 600,000 new pilots by the year 2037.  “If you put all of the aviation flight schools at universities together, we can’t even come close to half of that, filling those roles,” Warm says. The University of Dubuque graduated 55 pilots last year and has 126 new students this year, marking the school’s largest-ever incoming class of aviation students.

The Airline Pilots Association disputes the existence of a national pilot shortage but notes a robust pilot pipeline is needed.

(Radio Iowa) – Republican Vice Presidential nominee J-D Vance headlined a campaign fundraiser in Iowa this (Tuesday) morning. The Des Moines Register was first to report the appearance by Vance at a high-dollar event in Des Moines. Tickets to the reception were five-thousand dollars per couple and individuals who gave or raised 50-thousand dollars got to sit in on a roundtable discussion with Vance.

The event’s invitation listed Iowa native Matt Whitaker, who served as Trump’s acting Attorney General in late 2018 and early 2019, as a special guest alongside the G-O-P’s vice presidential nominee. It was a private event and Vance had no public stops scheduled in the state.

(Radio Iowa) – Some Democrats are calling for Congress to return from its recess to enact emergency legislation that would pay for additional relief following the two recent hurricanes that caused significant damage in several southern states. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, a Republican, says he’s confident there’s sufficient funding in place to handle the disasters.

“Just before we left, we put $20 billion in the pot, and as of Sunday, only 2% of that was spent yet,” Grassley says, “so there’s only three weeks to go until Congress is in session, so there’s more than ample amount of money available.” Federal lawmakers aren’t scheduled to return to business until November 12th. Grassley says -if- they’re called back, he’d go, but he doesn’t think such action is necessary.

The adequacy of FEMA’s response to the hurricanes is the subject of much “he said/she said” debate among the presidential candidates, but Grassley says he thinks the agency is doing what it’s supposed to do. “At least what I know from reading in the newspapers, listening to the radio, and watching TV, I’m satisfied,” Grassley says, “but I’m not in Asheville, North Carolina, seeing it on the ground.”

Hurricane Helene spawned severe winds, heavy rain and record flooding in western North Carolina, where Iowa utility crews are still helping to restore the power. Iowa has had its share of terrible weather events this year, too, and Grassley says FEMA’s response in Iowa to deadly tornadoes and historic flooding was up to par. “Things that have happened in Minden and Greenfield, and let’s see, Spencer would be where we had a flood, Rock Valley, we had a flood,” Grassley says. “I’ve been to those communities today, and I’m satisfied with what I saw FEMA doing here in Iowa.”

In addition to the billions in damage from the two hurricanes coming 13 days apart, Helene killed at least 250 people in seven states, while Milton is blamed in 14 deaths in Florida.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Secretary of State’s office has released a video explaining the roll of poll watchers on Election Day. A narrator lists all the requirements and limitations during the nearly five-minute long video.  “A poll watcher is a person who has official permission to be at the polling place on Election Day or in the room where absentee ballots are counted before the polls close.”

The move comes as both political parties have increased recruitment of people to observe Election Day voting. Candidates or people who hold political office cannot be poll watchers. Poll watchers must provide written permission to a precinct’s election workers that they’ve been appointed by a Democrat, Republican or Libertarian Party official or by a political organization that does not have major party status in Iowa, like the Green Party.

Candidates nominated by petition may also appoint poll watchers. State officials say poll watchers are to observe, but not interfere with the election process. Poll watchers who interrupt or try to influence a voter who’s casting a ballot can be arrested and charged with third degree election misconduct.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – More than 200 people participated in the Atlantic Park & Rec Department’s “Zombie Run,” Saturday night at the Schildberg Campground and Recreation Area. Parks and Rec Coordinator Jeff Christensen says members of the Royal Neighbors Chapter 1373 were on-hand for the event with drinks, fruit and candy, part of which was supplied from the Atlantic Fareway Store.

Proceeds from the event benefited the Atlantic Park and Rec Department and Atlantic Animal Shelter. (Photos courtesy Jeff Christensen)