Greenfield, Iowa) – Adair County Engineer Nick Kauffman, Wednesday, updated the County Board of Supervisors on various Roads Department projects and maintenance activities.

He said also he’s helped out Adams County in some matters, as per the agreement between the Counties. In other business, the Adair County Supervisors passed a resolution naming Depositories. They held a Public Hearing on the issuance of General Obligation Bonds, Series 2022, in the amount of $5.5-million. There were no comments received, therefore the Board acted to approve Resolutions to institute proceedings to take additional action, and to direct Auditor to advertise the bonds for sale, and approve electronic bidding procedures, along with an official statement.

Separately, they passed a Resolution approving a 28-E agreement for the ISAC Group Benefits Program, an Actuarial Services Agreement with Silverstone Group, LLC, and a Resolution Naming Depositories. Jocelyn Blazek, Decat/CPPC Coordinator, in Creston, appeared before the Board to request they sign a proclamation.

The proclamation was duly signed by Board Chair Matt Wedemeyer. DECAT, the Child Welfare Decategorization Project, is an effort to significantly change the child welfare system to one that is needs based, family focused, easily accessible, more intensive, less restrictive, and cost effective by “Decategorizing” services from a state level to a local level.

Decategorization projects are organized by county or clusters of counties.  Today there are 40 decategorization projects across the state of Iowa, covering all 99 counties.  The Creston Decat Cluster includes Adair, Adams, & Union Counties and the Leon Decat Cluster includes Clarke, Decatur, Lucas, Ringgold, & Wayne Counties.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Civil Deputy Spencer Walton, today (Wednesday), said deputies made five arrests over the past week. There were two arrests in Cass County on Tuesday (March 29th):

• 24-year-old Austin Malloy, of Walnut, was arrested for Providing False Identification to Law Enforcement.  Malloy was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his initial appearance. And, 31-year-old Noel Dominguez, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  Dominguez was transported to the Cass County Jail where she was booked and held pending her initial appearance.

On Monday, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 21-year-old Noah Meinders, of Atlantic, on a warrant for Possession of a Controlled Substance.  Meinders was taken to the Cass County Jail and released a few hours later, on his own recognizance. Sunday, Deputies arrested 30-year-old Zachary Jones, of Council Bluffs, on the charge of OWI 1^st Offense.  Jones was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on his own recognizance.

And, last Saturday, 31-year-old Jeffrey Rowland, of Council Bluffs, was arrested on a warrant for Probation Violation.  Rowland was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and remains held.

(Radio Iowa) – A Kwik Star convenience store in Iowa Falls has been shut down after customers and employees became ill. Three people were taken to the hospital for treatment. In October of 2019, 14 employees from the same store were taken to the hospital over a two day period and investigators determined sewer gas was venting through the store.

It’s unclear if a similar issue caused the illnesses in the store on Tuesday.

(Creston, Iowa) – A man from Creston was arrested Tuesday evening at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, in Creston. Authorities say 43-year-old Thomas Lee Zelasko II, was taken into custody for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, along with two Missouri Warrants for dangerous drugs and Probation Violation. Zelasko was being held in the Union County Jail, pending extradition to Missouri.

(Radio Iowa) – A concert is planned for next month at the Roof Garden Ballroom in Arnolds Park that will be a benefit for the people of Ukraine. Clay Norris, executive director of the Iowa Rock ‘n Roll Music Association, says the “Rock for Ukraine” show on April 11th will feature three well-known Iowa bands. “The three are The Senders, that are an Iowa Rock ‘n Roll Music Association Hall of Fame group,” Norris says. “There’s also a group called The Itty Bitty Boji Band that plays very frequently in the area, and then Lake Patrol, another real popular group in northwest Iowa.”

The acts will feature a wide range of popular music over the decades. Norris says, “It’ll be a very nice evening of music with probably songs ranging from the late ’50s all the way into the ’90s when I think about those three bands and what they’re capable of performing.” A non-profit agency that’s already established itself in bringing relief supplies to Ukraine will be the beneficiary of the concert. “The money will be going to a group out of Sioux Falls called Arise Ukraine,” Norris says. “It’s a Christian missionary organization that we’re familiar with and we know the people involved and they’ve already given truckloads of food.”

There’s a $10 suggested donation and doors to the Roof Garden will open at 5 p.m. Learn more at: www.iowarocknroll.com.

(Radio Iowa) – Executives from 22 of the state’s largest businesses continue to be positive in a survey on their expectations for the first quarter of 2022. Iowa Business Council Executive Director Joe Murphy. says their index measures expectations for sales, capital spending and employment for the next six months.  “Our overall metric score is over 65 points, which is solidly in that positive territory. For context — anything that scores over 50 represents positive economic sentiment — so we are very well within that area,” Murphy says.

While positive — Murphy says the numbers are down a bit as unemployment shortages and supply chain issues continue. He says attaining, attracting and developing a quality workforce remains the number one concern, followed closely by the unfavorable business climate. “Which definitely includes supply chain issues, infrastructure issues, regulations, things like that,” he says. Murphy says the slight drop came after things were looking very positive coming out of the final quarter of 2021. “We were relatively optimistic that conditions would get better with respect to the supply chain,” Murphy says. “But as we have gone through the first quarter of 2022 that optimism has receded a bit as we think about the future in the next six months. That does continue to give us a little bit of concern and if those supply chain and logistics issues can’t be cleared up, costs continue to increase — and that has an impact on the workforce, and around we go.”

Inflation is another issue causing concern. “Inflation continues to eat into a businesses’ ability to plan to forecast, to allocate capitol. And then as you’re thinking of our manufacturing members that are trying to ship their goods –the fuel cost that it requires are increasing, seemingly every single day,” Murphy says. Murphy says if there are good changes in some of those issues, then the positive numbers will get even better. “The takeaway here is that we still remain positive, and that represents seven consecutive quarters of overall positive economic sentiment,” Murphy says.

You can see the full I-B-C Economic Outlook Survey at iowabusinesscouncil.org.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill to make changes in Iowa’s “Bottle Bill” has made it farther in the Iowa legislature this year than any previous attempt to adjust the deposit and redemption system. Senator Jason Schultz of Schleswig guided the bill through Senate debate yesterday (Tuesday).

“Ladies and gentlemen, I didn’t fully expect to get to this point where we’d be on the floor offering Iowans an opportunity to extend the life of what polling shows 83% of Iowans want it to survive either in its current form or expand it,” Schultz said. Schultz and his fellow Republicans in the Iowa Senate have voted to let grocery stores in Iowa refuse bottle and can returns starting next summer.

The bill would increase the handling fee for redemption centers from one cent to three cents of every nickel deposit on a beverage container. The wholesalers that distribute beer and pop to retailers would be able to keep un-redeemed deposits. Democrats in the Senate opposed the bill. There are only 60 redemption centers operating today and Senator Herman Quirmbach, a Democrat from Ames, says this plan will kill the Bottle Bill.

“We’re asked to believe in this mythology that somehow redemption centers will all of a sudden pop up across the countryside. I think that’s ridiculous,” Quirmbach says. “I saw the redemption center in Ames disappear about 25 years ago and I don’t see it coming back.” Senator Bill Dotzler, a Democrat from Waterloo, says when grocery stores opt out of the system, consumers won’t be able to easily find a place to take their empties.

“The consumer is basically paying five cents for something they’re not going to be able to get back,” Dotzler says, “and that’s a big mistake.” Schultz says the bill offers an incentive to expand and open new redemption centers. “I think if you triple the amount of money that goes into a certain sector whether it’s cotton candy, a gun shop or a luxury car dealership, you’re going to get more of them,” Schultz says. “It happens that way.”

A bill that takes a slightly different approach is eligible for debate in the Iowa House. The Republican who’s leading development of that House plan says negotiations with the Senate are underway and he’s hopeful about reaching an agreement on a Bottle Bill re-do this year.

(Radio Iowa) – Opponents of proposed carbon pipelines have staged what they’re calling a public hearing in the Iowa Capitol rotunda. Shelby County Supervisor Steve Kenkle says there’s been little public input and county officials lack the authority to have any say about the projects. “I call a spade a spade and if it doesn’t make sense or people are not accountable, I ask a lot of questions and so I’ve been at meetings asking questions…I think the process is flawed,” Kenkel said to applause and cheers. “It’s flawed and that’s the reason I’m here.”

Kenkel lives on a century farm near Earling, about a mile from the proposed route for the Summit pipeline. Some of the other speakers were landowners who don’t want to sell easements on their property so the pipelines can pass through. They oppose letting the Iowa Utilities Board invoke eminent domain authority so property can be seized for the projects. Carolyn Raffensperger, executive director of the Science and Environmental Health Network, also addressed the crowd.

“They want to take your property through this unique power of government and hand it over to a private corporation so they that they make their profit using your land…and I say: ‘No!'” Raffensperger said, to cheers. A small group of union members attended the rally with the counter message that good-paying jobs are connected to pipeline construction.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh says “Thanks to community partnerships and grant funding, over the past six months a number of free mental health programs and resources were provided in Cass County. Furthermore, many of these resources continue to remain available.”

Hoegh says “Last fall, the Atlantic Public Library received a grant from Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) District 6 to fund mental health resources and programming in Cass County. As a result of this grant, each Cass County library received 42 items for circulation on mental health covering topics from nonfiction books for adults, teens, and children to documentaries to games and kits. All items remain available at all six Cass County libraries—Anita, Cumberland, Griswold, Lewis, Massena, and Atlantic. But the grant didn’t just fund books, it also funded mental health programming.”

In the fall of  2021, the Atlantic Public Library hosted a virtual program, “Therapy FAQ,” during which local mental health experts answered common questions about therapy such as when someone might seek therapy and how to go about finding a therapist. A recording of the one-hour program remains available on Atlantic Public Library’s Facebook page.

In the winter of 2022, the Atlantic Public Library hosted another virtual program, “Restart: designing a healthy post-pandemic life,” during which author and psychologist Doreen Dodgen-Magee shared insights by her book of the same name, including tips such as creating a list of self-care activities and hosting boredom parties. Copies of Dodgen-Magee’s book are available at all Cass County libraries.

In addition to virtual events, the Atlantic Public Library pushed to bring Question. Persuade. Refer. (QPR) suicide prevention trainings to Cass County. Healthy Cass County and Cass County Iowa State University Extension partnered with the Atlantic Public Library, the Anita Public Library, the Anita Health and Wellness Center, and the Griswold Public Library, to offer QPR suicide prevention training in three locations across Cass County, reaching over 60 people in March 2022.

The trainings received very positive feedback. Participants commented, “Everyone needs this course,” and, “it was  reassuring to see the level of interest and sincerity of the participants.” QPR training continues to be available through ISU Extension. Virtual training sessions are offered through https://www.extension.iastate.edu/humansciences/QPR, and local businesses or groups interested in scheduling in-person trainings can contact the Cass County ISU Extension office at 712-243-1132.

The grant funds were also used to purchase two faith-based book kits. Holy Vulnerability: spiritual practices for the broken, ashamed, anxious, and afraid by Kellye Fabian and Rhythms of Renewal: trading stress and anxiety for a life of peace and purpose by Rebekah Lyons are available for checkout at the Atlantic Public Library. The Rhythms of Renewal kit also has a 5-session DVD to use in addition to (or instead of) the full book. Both kits have been used and received excellent feedback from participants.  Individuals and local faith groups are invited to use the kits at their convenience. The kits have 10-12 copies of the book and check out for six weeks.

Mental health was identified as a top health need in the 2021 Cass County Community Health Needs Assessment. Programs and resources such as those mentioned above wouldn’t be possible without community support and participation. Healthy Cass County thanks everyone who has funded, attended, and promoted mental health events in Cass County. People in Cass County can expect to hear more about additional mental health events soon, as May is Mental Health Awareness Month.

Healthy Cass County is a community-focused volunteer network that promotes the health and well-being of Cass County residents. Healthy Cass County welcomes participants from across the county. For information on community wellness events or resources, follow Healthy Cass County on Facebook @HealthyCassCounty. Reach out to Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh at bhoegh@iastate.edu or call 712-249-5870 for more information.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s refugee resettlement agencies expect to host some Ukrainians after President Biden announced the U-S would accept up to 100-thousand refugees. It’s unclear how many may come to Iowa, but the agencies face challenges. Kerri True-Funk is the director of the Des Moines field office of the U-S Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. She says finding permanent housing for Ukrainian refugees in Iowa could be difficult, but she says Iowans are already showing support.

“Similar to when people from Afghanistan were being evacuated, people wanted them to come here,” True-Funk says, “and I think it will be a very similar situation for Ukrainian people.” To complicate matters, she says they’re still working on finding permanent housing for refugees from Afghanistan.

True-Funk says, “We’re hopefully going to get more information about what’s going on with the situation in Ukraine and what’s happening with either refugee processing or other pathways for arrival in the U.S.” Many Iowans are voicing how they’re ready to help Ukrainians, she says, especially with translation support.

(reporting by Kassidy Arena, Iowa Public Radio)