DES MOINES, Iowa —October is Pork month, and the Iowa Pork Producers Association on Monday (Today) announced the finalists for this year’s best breaded tenderloin. Three are in southwest Iowa. The list (In no particular order) includes:

Elk Horn — Larsen’s Pub (winner in 2007)
Emerson — Old Road Cafe & Bar
Harlan — Victoria Station
Indianola — Z’s Eatery and Draught Haus
Miles — Stalker’s Pub

Kelsey Sutter, IPPA’s marketing and programs director, said “We are always looking for a tenderloin that celebrates the taste of pork. I’ve been involved with this contest for 10 years, and I’ve seen a definite increase in restaurants offering thick, hand-breaded tenderloins that do just that.” In the spring, IPPA called on tenderloin fans everywhere to nominate their favorite sandwiches. Nearly 6,000 nominations were submitted for 526 different establishments.

The five restaurants with the most nominations from each of IPPA’s eight districts—for a total of 40 from around the state—were reviewed during the summer by IPPA’s restaurant and foodservice committee. Leading contenders were then turned over to undercover judges who scored tenderloins on the quality of the pork, taste, physical characteristics, and eating experience. Any Iowa restaurant, café or tavern offering hand-breaded or battered pork tenderloins on its daily menu was eligible to be nominated. To win, the business must be open year-round with regular hours. Food trucks, concession stands, seasonal establishments, and catering businesses were not eligible.

The first- and second-place winners will be announced later this month, dubbed #Porktober21 on social media channels as part of the monthlong celebration of pig farmers and the great product they produce. The winning restaurant will receive $500, a plaque, a banner to display, and statewide publicity that will bring in new business.

First-place restaurants are not allowed to compete for five years afterward.

Winners from the past five years: 2020 – PrairieMoon On Main, Prairieburg; 2019 – The Pub at the Pinicon, New Hampton; 2018 – Three C’s Diner, Corning; 2017 – Grid Iron Grill, Webster City; and 2016 – Nick’s, Des Moines.

(Des Moines, Iowa) –  As part of an ongoing effort to address the financial impact of COVID-19, Iowa has received over $10 million in federal aid to help households that have fallen behind in water bills and are facing disconnection of service or have already been disconnected. The new federal Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) will provide assistance in the form of benefit payments made directly to water vendors on behalf of households for past-due charges, fees, and taxes for drinking and wastewater services.  The program will be administered by the Iowa Department of Human Rights and locally through Iowa’s Community Action Agencies that serve all 99 counties.

Iowans may apply by contacting their local Community Action Agency starting October 8, 2021. To locate the agency nearest you, please visit https://humanrights.iowa.gov/dcaa/where-apply or call the Iowa Department of Human Rights at 515-242-3861. Program eligibility mirrors that of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), meaning applicants must qualify to receive federal LIHEAP benefits, total household income must be at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, and a current water crisis must be present.

The application period is open year-round.  LIHWAP will run through September 30, 2023, or until funds are exhausted. To learn more about LIHWAP, visit https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/programs/lihwap or contact your local community action agency.

(Radio Iowa) – The Facebook whistleblower who will testify in congress this week was born and raised in Iowa City. Francis Hougen, a former data scientist at Facebook, kept her identity a secret when she filed a complaint with the Securities and Exchange Commission against Facebook and shared internal Facebook documents with The Wall Street Journal. Last night, Hougen was revealed as the whistleblower during a report on “60 Minutes” and Hougen said she’ll testify to congress that Facebook has deceived regulators and the public about its monitoring of hate speech and misinformation. She said on “60 Minutes” that Facebook is choosing profit over safety.

Hougen is a 2002 graduate of Iowa City West High School and her website says her parents are professors. Hougen has an electrical engineering degree from Olin College and an M-B-A from Harvard. She worked at Google and Yelp before she was hired at Facebook in 2019. She resigned from Facebook in May of this year.

A spokesman for Facebook told C-N-N that the social media platform reflects the good, the bad and the ugly of humanity and Facebook is trying to amplify the good and mitigate the bad.

(Radio Iowa) – An elderly man has died in a house fire in Marshalltown. Firefighters were called to the 800 block of North Center Street around 5:00 Sunday morning. Fire was visible in the living room area and neighbors told firefighters they heard knocks and screams for help. After getting into the house, firefighters found the body of a 71-year old male. No name has been released. The body was sent to the State Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy.

More area News from Ric Hanson.

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(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports five Creston residents were arrested on drug charges over the past couple of days. Early Saturday morning: 23-year-old Amber Renee Cox was arrested at Green Valley Lake Road and US Highway 25. Cox was charged with Possession of Precursor Substances-sale/receipt of precursor substance for manufacture of controlled substance. Cox was taken to Adams County Jail where she remains in custody on $10,000 cash or surety bond; 39-year old Jacob Jeffrey Fry was arrested at the Creston/Union County Law Enforcement Center for Possession of Precursor Substances-sale/receipt of precursor substance for manufacture of controlled substance. Fry was being held in the Union Jail on $10,000 cash or surety bond; 36-year-old Brandon Charles Millsap was also arrested at the Creston/Union County Law Enforcement Center, for Possession of Controlled Substance 1st Offense and Possession of Cannabidiol 1st Offense. Millsap later posted a $2,000 cash or surety bond.

Friday afternoon, 41-year-old Chad Michael Mastin, of Creston, was arrested at his residence. Mastin was charged with Possession of Precursor Substances-Sale/Receipt of Precursor Substance for Manufacture of Controlled Substance and Possession of Controlled Substance 1st Offense. He was later released on $11,000 bond. And, 18-year-old Emily Rae Marie Dohrn, of Creston, was arrested on multiple Union County Warrants. Dohrn was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Interference with Official Acts, Provide False Identification Information, Forgery, and Possession of Controlled Substance-Marijuana 1st Offense. She was taken to Union County Jail and later bonded-out

Creston Police said also, on Friday afternoon, Central Iowa Ready Mix, in Creston, reported that a 2014 F-150 truck and trailer had been stolen during the previous weekend. The trailer was located in Cass County but the F-150 truck is still missing. The value of the truck was not available.

With Ric Hanson.

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(Red Oak, Iowa) – Two men were arrested in Red Oak, Sunday, following a fight. Authorities say officers responded to the incident in the 400 block of East Nuckols Street. Following an investigation, 38-year-old Miguel Angel Lopez, of Red Oak, and 42-year-old Corey Michael Erickson, of Shenandoah, were taken into custody for Disorderly Conduct and Interference with Official Acts.

Both men were being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $300 bond, each.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman, late last week, said those voters wishing to complete an absentee ballot request form for the November 2nd City and School elections, may now file request forms with the Cass County Auditor’s Office.

Sunderman says “Due to recent legislation, the period to request absentee ballots has gone 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 City/School Election will need to complete an absentee ballot request form and return it to the Cass County Auditor’s Office, 5 W 7th St., Atlantic, IA, before 5 p.m. October 18. In-person early voting in the Auditor’s Office will start October 13.

Absentee ballot request forms are on the Cass County website – Auditor’s page or call the Cass County Auditor’s Office at 712-243-4570.”

Anyone with  questions concerning this upcoming, or other elections, can contact the office of Cass County Auditor/Election Commissioner Dale Sunderman (Phone: 712-243-4570; Email: auditor@casscoia.us)

The address for the Cass County Auditor / Election Commissioner is:

CASS COUNTY AUDITOR, COURTHOUSE, 5 W 7TH ST, ATLANTIC, IOWA 50022 (Phone:712-243-4570;   Email: auditor@casscoia.us)

NOTE: This is a COUNTY-WIDE election.  Every eligible voter in Cass County is eligible to vote in this election.  City residents will vote for both city and school candidates, and rural residents will vote for school candidates only.

 THE VOTING CENTERS BEING USED FOR THIS ELECTION WILL BE AS FOLLOWS:

Atlantic 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Wards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Cass County Community Center (805 W 10th-main entrance)

Atlantic 4th and 5th Wards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cass County Community Center (805 W 10th-south entrance)

City of Anita/ Grant, Lincoln Twp  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   Anita Community Center (805 Main St)

City of Cumberland/ Edna and Union Twp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cumberland Community Bldg. (200 W 2nd)

City of Griswold/ Noble and Pleasant Twp  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Griswold Community Bldg. (601 2nd St)

City of Lewis/ Bear Grove, Cass Twp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   Lewis Public Library (412 W. Main St, Lewis)

City of Marne/ Brighton, Grove, Pymosa, Washington Twp. .     Cass County Community Center (805 W 10th-main entrance)

(Radio Iowa) – This is the week Iowans will find out if the first plan for redrawing the boundaries for congressional and legislative districts will become law for the next decade. The legislature is scheduled to meet Tuesday to vote on Plan 1.
Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver says Republican senators first will meet privately to review the maps.

“We’re going to talk through what we want to do as a team and then we’ll go from there,” Whitver says. “A number of our members have expressed concerns with the map. Other members have seen positive aspects of the map, but until we get together Tuesday, we won’t have a final decision.”

House Speaker Pat Grassley has said House Republicans have been reviewing the maps, but he’s also giving no indication of how Republicans view the new district boundaries. The 40 Democrats in the House are led by House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst. She announced before the new maps were released that she’d vote for the redistricting plan.

“A map that’s drawn using Iowa ‘gold standard’ redistricting process is a fair map and that’s one that’s good for Iowa,” Konfrst says. “It’s the most important thing — not to consider politics, but to consider fairness when we’re making this really important, once-a-decade decision.”

Konfrst made her comments this weekend on the “Iowa Press” program on Iowa P-B-S. If the legislature approved the new boundaries for all 150 legislative districts and the four congressional districts, those maps will be in effect for the 2022 election. If the legislature rejects those maps this week, the non-partisan Legislative Services Agency has 35 days to deliver a second redistricting plan to legislators.