(Radio Iowa) – A Florida-based comedian, illusionist and motivational speaker will visit three Iowa schools this week to talk about bullying prevention. Tom Coverly has appearances scheduled in Colfax, Iowa Falls and Webster City. He’ll host assemblies during the day and then will invite everyone back at night for a full comedy-magic show. Coverly says social media makes things much more difficult for kids today as they can’t get away from bullies.

Tom Coverly. (photo provided)

Cyber-bullying, Coverly says, is pushing some kids to, in his words, “give up on the gift of life.” He says some will see suicide as the only way they can escape persistent bullies. Coverly says he’s been contacted to perform in schools where children as young as six have taken their own lives. He’ll appear in Colfax on Wednesday, Iowa Falls on Thursday and Webster City on Friday.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Legislature has approved spending six million dollars on the Honey Creek Resort in southern Iowa. The state-owned resort, which opened in 2008, has a hotel and dozens of cabins, an indoor waterpark and a golf course. Republican Representative Jacob Bossman of Sioux City says state officials who signed an agreement with another company to manage the facility agreed to finance deferred maintenance projects.

“It was a situation we found ourselves in that wasn’t ideal, but it a state-owned facility,” Bossman says. “It’s fallen into disrepair.” The roof and parts of the foundation of the main lodge, where the hotel and indoor water park are located, need to be fixed. Some of the hotel rooms and cabins will be updated.

“Not super happy about that, but that is an obligation the State of Iowa has…to get Honey Creek back up to standards and make is an operational facility again,” Bossman says. ” Republican Representative Austin Harris is from Moulton, which is not far from the resort. He says the new management company has local ties.

“It’s a great asset to the people of Appanoose County and southern Iowa,” Harris says. “It’s had a rough go over the past decade or so, but I think with the new management that we’ve got in there. They’re from the area. They have the local support. Community leaders, business owners, the local community college is really stepping up to make this thing work this time…A lot of folks are really excited — as if it was a brand new resort — about what the opportunities will be in the future.”

Achieva Enterprises took over management of the facility last month. The company’s founders own land in Appanoose County and plan to keep Honey Creek open year round. The state-owned facility has struggled financially since it opened 15 years ago and the state has periodically tried to sell the property, which sits on the shore of Lake Rathbun.