(Radio Iowa) – International opera star Simon Estes, a Centerville native, says his nearly six decade long career on the opera stage is drawing to a close.  “Most opera singers retire between 50 and 60 years of age…I’m almost 84 and a half,” Estes said, with a laugh. “I’ll be 85 my next birthday in March.” Estes, a baritone, plans to continue singing and advising students at Iowa State and the Des Moines Area Community College — but he will retire from opera after his last performance in Porgy and Bess with the Des Moines Metro Opera on July 24th.

“I really thank God that he’s given me this longevity not only in life, but having sung opera — I made my debut in West Berlin in 1965,” Estes said. Opera requires substantial strength in the singer’s core to control breathing and project the voice. Estes says there are some key reasons he’s been able to perform opera into his 80s.

“First of all, I think God gave me very special vocal cords or vocal folks, as the doctor’s say,” Estes says “…I never smoked. I didn’t drink alcohol. I didn’t take any drugs, of course…I was very disciplined always. I only sang the right repertoire at the right time in my life.” Estes made his comments during an interview on Talk of Iowa on Iowa Public Radio. Estes played the lead in Porgy and Bess at the New York Metropolitan Opera in 1985.

This month’s seven performances of Porgy and Bess at the Des Moines Metro Opera have been sold out. Estes is playing the role of the lawyer and is also a producing advisor for the run of the show. Estes is a graduate of the University of Iowa and the Juilliard School of Music. He has performed more than 100 roles with 84 major opera companies around the globe.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Fire Marshall has released the cause of an explosion that took place at an Ida County residence on July 6th. An investigation by the Fire Marshall and the Ida County Sheriff’s Department determined that the blast at 2362 carriage avenue near Battle Creek was caused by an underground gas leak in the liquid propane line. The explosion injured three people who were inside the home at the time. No updates are available on the condition of those victims.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller issued a statement today (Thursday) urging the Iowa Legislature to support a “red flag” law in Iowa that he says would help reduce gun violence. Red flag law involves reporting concerns to the police who can temporarily take a gun away from someone. Miller, a Democrat, says Iowa should take advantage of 750 million dollars allocated to states to develop and implement red-flag laws, or extreme risk protection orders. Miller says studies show that such laws work. Miller said. “Red-flag laws empower family, friends, and others to prevent tragedies.”

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, a Republican was asked about the possibility of a Red Flag law here following a news conference earlier this week. Reynolds reiterated her stance that a Red Flag law isn’t the only answer. “When we focus on one solution to the issues that we see, you know, that active shooters, we tend to not think about what other solutions are, and we eliminate potential things that we could do, you know, right away,” Reynolds said. Reynolds says adding another law doesn’t end the problem.

“No matter how many laws or rules you have on the books, if somebody has evil within their heart, you can’t handle that. If somebody has, you know, horrific parents that they’ve been raised with, you can’t, laws can’t change that,” she says. “Or if there’s a mental illness that we’ve not been able to provide access and treatment to help them live a better life.” Reynolds says she is not ruling out Red Flag laws. But says Illinois had a red flag law in place and people were still killed by a gunman in the Highland Park shooting.

“It didn’t stop it. So, we’ll take a look at everything, but it’s a balance and how we move forward,” she said. Democrat lawmakers have made attempts to introduce legislation for Red Flag laws, but Republicans control debate in the House and Senate, and have not advanced any legislation on the issue.

(College Springs, Iowa) – An investigation into an incident late Monday evening in College Springs, resulted in an arrest. The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports Deputies were called at around 7:25-p.m. to a motor vehicle accident near the intersection of Missouri Avenue and Spruce Street, in College Springs. An investigation determined 39-year-old Gelena Ann Gladman,  of College Springs, was the operator and only occupant of a 2013 Nissan.

Witness’s said that Gladman was “passed out” with the vehicle running and her foot on the brake. Witness’s were unable to gain entry to the vehicle as the vehicles doors were locked as the vehicle was in gear. Witness’s tried to wake Gladman up and Gladman took her foot off the brake, causing the vehicle to move. The vehicle struck a stop sign and then came to rest in the back yard of a residence on Spruce Street after striking a trash container.

Gelena Gladman

Gladman was evaluated by Clarinda EMS and released. Gladman was arrested for OWI 2nd Offense. She was transported to the Page County Jail where she was held on a $2,000 bond pending further court proceedings. The Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Clarinda Ambulance service, Clarinda Fire Department, and College Springs Fire & Rescue.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Two men from Omaha were arrested Wednesday morning in Mills County, following a traffic stop on Highway 34. Sheriff’s officials report 34-year-old Darnell Travon Lee and 32-year-old Jerome Dupree Matthews, were taken into custody for Possession of a Controlled Substance. Their bonds were set at $1,000, each. And, 34-year-old Jessie Amanda Harman, f Glenwood, was arrested on Hammond Avenue in Mills County at around 10:30-p.m. Wednesday. She was charged with OWI/1st offense and held on a $1,000 bond.

A woman from Glenwood was transported to the hospital by Glenwood Rescue, after her vehicle struck a deer. 41-year-old Kathryn Hartley was driving a 2015 Hyundai westbound on Highway 34 at around 9:50-a.m. Wednesday, when a deer crossed in front of her vehicle near Hilman Road. The animal was struck by the left front portion of the car.

(Clarinda, Iowa) – The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports 45-year-old Tracey Lynn Ballinger, of Clarinda, was arrested Wednesday at her residence,on a Page County Warrant for Contempt of Court. The warrant stems from a sentencing charge of Driving while License is barred.

Ballinger

Ballinger was transported to the Page County Jail where she is being held on $2000.00 cash only bond pending further court proceedings.

(Clarinda, Iowa) – Deputies with the Page County Sheriff’s Office, Tuesday, arrested a woman on a warrant for Failure to Appear. Sheriff Lyle Palmer says 49-year-old Brandee Lee Greve, of Clarinda, was arrested in connection with an original charge of having a prohibited, vicious animal. Greve was arrested at the Page County Courthouse and transported to the Page County Jail, where she was booked in and later posted a $300 bond.

Brandee Lee Greve

Greve was then released, pending future court proceedings.

(Radio Iowa) – A six-story building in Shenandoah’s downtown district may wind up being renovated after being vacant for more than two decades. Margaret Brady started a realty company in 2019 to renovate and resell flooded properties in the area and is taking on the project and its estimated half a million dollar cost. “If you’ve ever even driven by that building you know it probably has some stuff in there that needs to come out, so the first thing we’re going to do is demo floors one and two. It’s like the storefront and then offices about that and it still has the old mill equipment in there, so that’s going to have to come out,” she says, “so there’s quite a bit of work to do inside.”

The Johnson Brothers building – a livestock feed mill — was built in the early 1940s. The business closed in 1998. Shenandoah officials initially began discussing demolition more than a decade ago, but city officials are now supporting Brady’s plan to turn the building into retail and office space as well as a storehouse and workshop for doors, windows and other materials rescued from other properties. Brady says tuck pointing on the brick building’s exterior is scheduled to start in October. “So hopefully in just a few months they’ll start making the outside look better,” Brady says.

Shenandoah officials and Brady are working on a tax increment financing package of up to a quarter of a million dollars to support renovations.  “It’s not something that I deal with very often, so it’s a little outside my realm,” she says, “so it’s been really a good process and I’m excited to get that project going.” Brady says if all goes well, the renovations will be done in the fall of 2023. She’s hoping the project spurs other redevelopment. “Any time you see positive growth, whether it’s a house or a building, everybody thinks they can do a little better on theirs, too,” Brady says.

Members of the Johnson family have donated 165-thousand dollars toward restoration of the building that was home to the family business for more than 50 years.

(Atlantic, Iowa) –  The Cass County Tourism planning committee is working to revitalize their group and develop a cohesive county-wide strategy for tourism promotion. The group is particularly interested in increasing representation from areas of the county outside of Atlantic. Anyone interested in promoting Cass County as a destination worth a visit is invited to attend the Cass County Tourism committee’s next meeting on Monday, July 18, from 9:00-10:00 AM at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce (102 Chestnut St. Atlantic, IA 50022).

According to spokesperson Brigham Hoegh, for more than a decade, Kenner Baxter of Marne has led Cass County Tourism as a volunteer. For the past number of years, the Cass County Board of Supervisors have provided $5,000 in funding to Cass County Tourism annually. The funding has been used primarily for county event marketing including brochures, print ads, and radio ads about events such as the county fair, mud races, Whaletown, and Cass County Parks and Conservation events. Minimal funding has also been used to reimburse Baxter for the costs of attending regional and state tourism events, where she has represented Cass County. 

Participants in Cass County Tourism’s meetings over the past few years have included representatives from the Hitchcock House, A.R.I.S.E., Cass County Conservation, Produce in the Park, the Cass Atlantic Development Corporation, SHIFT ATL, the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Mayor of Atlantic, in addition to others. As of Spring 2022, Baxter has shared she plans to step away from Cass County Tourism. However, before she departs, she’s working to ensure there is a plan for tourism promotion in the county to continue and grow. At the July 18 meeting, the group will be discussing potential long-term strategies for coordinating Cass County tourism promotion after Baxter’s departure.

Those interested in attending the meeting are encouraged to RSVP to Kenner Baxter at kennermc@metc.net.

(Walnut, Iowa) -The victim of a collision Wednesday afternoon near Walnut that involved a train and a semi-tractor trailer hauling grain, was identified this (Thursday) morning, as 54-year-old Ronaldo Huntoon, of Council Bluffs. The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office the accident happened at around 2:40-p.m., Wednesday, south of Walnut, on 510th Street, between Rosewood and Pinoak Roads.

The train dragged the semi approximately 100-150 yards, according to law enforcement. Authorities say when first responders arrived on the scene, the truck was on fire — “fully involved.” The train was traveling east and the grain truck was traveling south when the accident occurred.

No one on the Iowa Interstate Railroad train was injured.