(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Utilities Board has determined the Webster County Fairgrounds will be the site of the public hearing on the Summit Carbon Solutions request for a permit to build a carbon pipeline. The order sets the place for the hearing — but the date has not been set as I-U-B staff are continuing to review the information submitted with the permit request.

Webster County was chosen as the site for the hearing because it is at the middle of the proposed 681-mile pipeline. There was some discussion about using the Webster County Fairgrounds because the site is four-thousand yards outside the corporate limits of the county seat, which is Fort Dodge. But the I-U-B determined the site substantially complies with Iowa code hearing requirements.

Atlantic, Iowa, August 10, 2022 – TS Bank partnered with SHIFT ATL of Atlantic for the second year in row on a program called AMP for Neighborhoods, which focused on assisting local homeowners with exterior home repairs, curb-appeal-type projects and neighborhood block initiatives. Individuals were encouraged to nominate themselves or a neighbor with outdoor housing needs. Project requests ranged from landscaping, siding, painting, fencing, driveways, sidewalks, windows, roofing and exterior doors.

Volunteers from the different AMP sponsor organizations, and community members, showed up on the morning of August 10th to help spread the pea gravel to complete the project.

In addition to SHIFT ATL and TS Bank, other contributing sponsors included Cass/Atlantic Development Corporation, Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, Meyer and Gross Real Estate, Cass Health and Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial bringing the grand total to $4,500 awarded.

“We love being able to partner on this project and help homeowners beautify the space they’re living in. Not everyone is able to climb a ladder or bend over to pull weeds and old landscaping out. By working together, we can spruce up some properties and encourage those within the neighborhood to follow suit,” Bailey Smith, Executive Director at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce stated.

This year, the AMP program received an anonymous nomination for the Midtown Apartments neighborhood playground, citing the need for more playground equipment. With over 20 children in the complex and only a couple of items to play on, the need was great.

To help make this project possible, SHIFT ATL partnered with Atlantic Parks and Recreation to receive used equipment from a city-owned park that was on the dock to get new equipment anyways. In addition to donating the equipment, they hauled over 50 ton of pea gravel to fill the playground area as fall material and railroad ties to make it look nice. Lindeman Tractor and the Atlantic Parks and Recreation department also donated their resources to help install the playground equipment.

“Being able to contribute to and take part in such a transformational initiative is so rewarding. We love that we can be hands on through volunteering on these projects, and see the homeowners face makes it all worth it. Our hope is that by helping spruce up one property at a time, we can create a new standard for curb appeal in our community that trickles to all property owners,” said SHIFT ATL board member Alexsis Fleener.

The curb appeal transformation has been a blessing to the apartment complex residents to have more equipment so children have more opportunity to play together outside. Additionally, this benefit will add to the overall property value for the area and be a new gathering place for several families in the Midtown Apartments and foster further neighborhood connections.

“We are very grateful for AMP for putting together the playground for the kids! This was definitely a wonderful gift, and we are very appreciative to them for all that they have done to make this happen,” said Midtown Apartment complex owner, Tracey Bell.

(Photos and story courtesy Jessie Shiels, Marketing Manager, TS Banking Group)

If interested in volunteering for or supporting our AMP for Neighborhoods program in Atlantic next year, contact marketing@tsbg.com. Learn more about the projects at tsbank.com/amp.

DES MOINES, Iowa, Aug. 11, 2022 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director Matt Russell, today (Thursday) announced that 39 Iowa Counties are now authorized for emergency haying or grazing use of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres for fiscal year 2022. FSA’s fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30.

The 27 counties approved for emergency haying or grazing include: Adair, Adams, Cass, Clarke, Crawford, Harrison, Humboldt, Iowa, Jasper, Jefferson, Keokuk, Kossuth, Lucas, Mahaska, Madison, Marion, Monroe, Montgomery, Page, Polk, Poweshiek, Ringgold, Taylor, Union, Wapello, Warren, Washington.

With 12 Iowa Counties restricted under Emergency Haying Criteria Based on Livestock Forage Program (LFP) Triggers:

Buena Vista, Cherokee, Clay, Ida, Monona, O’Brien, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Sioux, Sac, and Woodbury.

For more information and to request approval for emergency haying or grazing use of CRP acres, contact your local USDA Service Center.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Thursday, said an Atlantic man, 23-year old Randall Lee Dill the 3rd, was arrested Sunday, on a warrant for Harassment 3rd Degree.  Dill was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release.

And, authorities say no injuries were reported following an accident at 3rd and Linn Streets in Atlantic, a little before Noon, Wednesday. An investigation concluded that a 2012 Jeep Wrangler being operated by Christine Dvorak, of Atlantic, was traveling Eastbound on 3rd Street while a 2020 Jeep Renegade being operated by Sandra Blackman, of Elliott, was traveling Southbound on Linn St. approaching the stop sign of the 3rd and Linn intersection.

The 2020 Jeep Renegade being operated by Blackman continued through the stop sign and into the intersection where it collided with the 2012 Jeep Wrangler being operated by Dvorak.  The Renegade sustained an approximate $5,000 worth of damage mostly to the front of the vehicle while the Wrangler sustained an approximate $8,000 worth of damage to the driver side, driver rear side and undercarriage.

The Atlantic Fire Department has announced that they are continuing their partnership with the Muscualar Dystrophy Association for this year’s Fill the Boot fundraiser. Atlantic firefighters will be at the intersection of 7th and Poplar Streets in Atlantic on Saturday, August 13th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to accept donations in a fire boot to support MDA.

The funds raised held support MDA’s mission of research, care, and advocacy for families living with muscular dystrophy, ALS, and related neuromuscular diseases.

You can also donate to the AFD’s Fill the Boot online by visiting https://filltheboot.donordrive.com/team/12666 #FilltheBoot

The Iowa State Fair opened today (Thursday) the chair of the Fair board started things off.

“Find Your Fun” is the theme of the 11-day fair. State Fair C-E-O, Gary Slater, says there’s plenty to watch and do.

He says the State Fair is still recovering from the pandemic. Governor Kim Reynolds says she expects there will be good attendance this year as people look for some entertainment.

Reynolds is heading to Dyersville later today for the Field of Dreams Major League baseball game. It was announced that there won’t be a game next year. Reynolds says she’s confident the game will eventually return.

The governor this week announced more than 12 million dollars in funding for a permanent ballpark near the Field of Dreams site. She says it will help build on what they are doing there to draw in people.

Opponents of the governor question the spending — but she says the money has been spread out in a lot of areas.

Reynolds says there has been other money provided for roads and infrastructure as well.

Attorneys representing Governor Kim Reynolds have taken the formal step of asking a district court to let a state law take effect that would ban most abortions in Iowa.
Attorneys with the Alliance Defending Freedom and Iowa attorney Alan Ostergren filed a motion, asking the court to lift its injunction against a law that bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. That’s generally around the sixth week of a pregnancy. In a written statement, Governor Reynolds indicated recent rulings from the U.S. and Iowa Supreme Courts provide a pathway to challenge the injunction and have the law take effect. Reynolds says life and death are determined by a person’s heartbeat and Reynolds said she believes that includes unborn children. When Reynolds signed the so-called “fetal heartbeat” law four years ago, it was the toughest abortion law in the country.

Two Southwest Iowa residents have announced their candidacy for the state legislature.

Pat Shipley

Mayor of Nodaway Pat Shipley has announced her candidacy for Iowa House District 17. She grew up in Villisca and graduated from Iowa State. Shipley has worked in public education for over 40 years, first as a teacher and coach for 16 years and then with the Iowa State Education Association for more than 26 years as a public education employee advocate. Shipley’s campaign is advocating for the education system and access to health care.

Shipley says, “For rural Iowa to sustain itself, there must be a reason for young adults to stay and raise a family. If Iowa is to thrive, we need good-paying jobs, a strong public education system, access to affordable health care, and reliable broadband. Furthermore, we need to recognize that a changing climate impacts our farming practices and that communities that welcome diverse populations grow stronger. Iowa is headed in the wrong direction and has spent too much time longing for days gone by. For our state and local communities to prosper, we must embrace the changes before us and move forward with vision and courage to create a better future for every Iowan.”

Villisca resident Tripp Narup has announced his candidacy for Iowa State Senate District 9. He currently serves on the Villisca City Council and has focused his campaign on the issues of reproductive rights, education, infrastructure, and the tax code.

Tripp Narup

Narup said he is excited to meet fellow rural Iowans and discuss the issues they are facing. “Iowans are friendly and sensible people,” he said. “They know it is the time to get back to basics, to get back to doing the job state government is meant to do: educate our kids, maintain our roads and bridges, and protect individual rights. We’ve had enough of political bickering and make-believe culture clash issues. Let’s get back to work.”

MONTGOMERY – Montgomery County voters interested in voting absentee for the November 8 General Election may file requests for absentee ballots with the Montgomery County Auditor’s Office starting August 30, 2022.

Due to legislation changes, the time period to request absentee ballots has been reduced from 120 days to 70 days. The new legislation also has shortened the number of days that the Auditor’s Office may have ballots available for absentee voting. Voters now have 20 days to vote absentee either by mail or in-person rather than 29 days.

Voters wishing to receive a ballot by mail for the General Election will need to complete an absentee ballot request form and return it to the Montgomery County Auditor’s Office, 105 E Coolbaugh Street, PO Box 429, Red Oak, before 5 p.m. on October 24th. Voters are reminded that due to recent legislation changes, the ballot must be returned to the County Auditor’s Office before the polls close at 8:00 p.m. on November 8th to be counted.

In-person early voting in the Auditor’s Office and mailing of ballots will begin October 19th.

Absentee ballot request forms can be found on the Montgomery County website at www.montgomerycountyia.gov or on the Iowa Secretary of State’s website at https://sos.iowa.gov. They may also be requested by calling the Montgomery County Auditor’s office at 712-623-5127.

For more information about the 2022 General Election, contact the Montgomery County Auditor’s office at 712-623-5127 or visit the county website at www.montgomerycountyia.gov.

Today (Thursday) is 8-1-1 awareness day to remind you to call that phone number if you plan on any digging on your property. Iowa Utilities Board spokesman, Don Tormey, says the observance happens now because it’s — August 11th — or 8-1-1.

He says any type of digging requires a call — it doesn’t have to be a major project with excavators.

Tormey says there are all types of lines buried across the state, from sewer lines to fiber optic lines that each pose problems if they are cut.

Not only do you face a potential danger from hitting something underground, you can face fines for not calling before digging. Get more information at iowaonecall.com