(Atlantic, Iowa) – A regular monthly meeting of the City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Department Advisory Commission will take place Wednesday (Aug. 28), at the Parks & Rec Office located just off Sunnyside Lane. The meeting begins at 3:30-p.m.

The only item of New Business on the agenda, is “Playground evaluation,” plus any other matter of new business that may come before the Commission.

Old Business/discussion items include:

• An update on the model solar system for the Schildberg Recreation Area. During their meeting last month, Parks Coordinator Jeff Christensen said he was still trying to find a business that would make different-size metal spheres.
• Splash Pad Update: Concrete for the pad near the Sunnyside Pool was poured on August 15th.
  

  The concrete base for the SplashPad in Atlantic was poured on Aug. 15, 2024 (Atlantic Splashpad Facebook page photo)

• Guidelines for donations – relocating, removal, etc.
• Signage for the Bull Creek entrance. At last report, Commission Chair Kevin Ferguson had presented the cost ($600) to Junior Federated, and was waiting for a response. He was assured by the Atlantic Junior Federated organization representative Jamie Joyce, that the sign would be stable and able to withstand the elements.

(Red Oak, Iowa)  – The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors will hold their regular, weekly meeting Tuesday in their Board Room at the Courthouse, in Red Oak. Their session, as always, begins at 8:30-a.m.

New Business/Action items on their agenda include:

1. 1. Approve Weed Commissioner contract

   2. Discuss/appoint two supervisors to meet with Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship Commissioners to discuss the watershed structure maintenance for Montgomery County

   3. Approve claims payable for Wednesday August 28, 2024, in the amount of $427,543.07

   4. Approve Resolution 2024-33 Approving Public Measure for the Placement on the November 5, 2024, General Election Ballot, for Appointment of Township Officers

   5. Approve Snyder & Associates, Inc., Supplemental Agreement for Additional Services #001

Montgomery County Auditor Jill Ozuna notes also, members off the Board of Supervisors may be attending the Summit Carbon Pipeline informational meeting at the Red Coach Inn. The meeting begins at Noon on Tuesday. And, the Board may attend a Montgomery County Safety Action Plan Workshop on Wednesday, at 8:30-a.m., in the Emergency Management Conference Room (1906 N. Broadway St.) in Red Oak.

During both meetings, there is a possibility that there will be a quorum of Supervisors, but NO OFFICIAL COUNTY BUSINESS by the Board of Supervisors will be acted upon during the meetings.

ALGONA, Iowa (KCAU) — An Iowa priest affiliated with the Catholic Diocese of Sioux City has been accused of misappropriating nearly $70,000 in funds. The Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday that Father Steven McLoud, 65, of Fort Dodge, has been charged with first-degree theft and first-degree fraudulent practices, both felonies.

McLoud is accused of knowingly falsifying expense documents such as receipts and reimbursements of nearly $70,000 while serving as a priest in the Bancroft and Algona parishes.  Earlier this year, the Catholic Diocese of Sioux City requested that the Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office investigate allegations of misappropriated funds within the two parishes.

Steven McLoud (Courtesy: Lumen Media)

“The Diocese of Sioux City has turned over this matter to the Kossuth County Attorney,” the diocese’s communications office stated. “Father Steven McLoud is assigned to limited ministry in Webster County, Iowa. Due to pending legal action, the diocese cannot comment further.”

McLoud is set to appear in court on Wednesday, Aug. 28 at 9 a.m.

(Iowa DNR News)  – Several hunting seasons are set to begin at the end of this week (Aug. 31st) and on Sept. 1st, in Iowa. According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa’s rabbit and squirrel hunting season opens this coming Saturday (8/31). The DNR says “The good news for Iowa’s cottontail rabbit hunters is that Iowa has an abundant rabbit population, with the southern half of the state seeing the best overall numbers.”

Last year, an estimated 19,600 hunters harvested nearly 68,500 cottontail rabbits. The most popular way to hunt is with a shotgun walking brushy areas with grass next to crop fields in the morning or evening. It can be done individually or with a group of friends. Cottontail rabbit season is Aug. 31 to Feb. 28, 2025. The daily limit is 10 rabbits with a possession limit of 20. Jackrabbit season is closed. While wearing blaze orange clothing is not required to hunt rabbits, it is recommended. Shooting hours for rabbits is sunrise to sunset.

Local squirrel populations vary depending upon nut production and it appears to be a good nut year in many areas. Squirrels will be found around hickory trees, oaks and walnuts for their food resources. Hunters will generally find plenty of squirrels and little competition. The DNR says it would also be a good opportunity to do some scouting for a spring turkey hunt or to look for whitetail deer rubs before bow season. Squirrel season is Aug. 31 to Jan. 31, 2025, with a daily bag limit of six total or combination of red fox squirrels or eastern grey squirrels and a possession limit of 12.

Hunters looking for places to go rabbit or squirrel hunting should use Iowa’s online hunting atlas at www.iowadnr.gov/hunting, with more than 600,000 acres of public land that allows hunting.

In addition, Iowa’s Dove and Teal hunting season opens on Sept. 1st. Dove season is Sept. 1-Nov. 29. Shooting hours are one half hour before sunrise to sunset. Daily bag limit is 15 (mourning or Eurasian collared) with a possession limit of 30.

Hunters are reminded that their gun must be plugged to hold no more than three shells. If hunting public areas north of I-80, hunters should check to see if nontoxic shot is required. The Iowa online Hunting Atlas at https://www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Places-to-Hunt-Shoot identifies all county, state and federal land open to hunting, zone information and nontoxic shot requirements.

All dove hunters are required to register with the migratory Harvest Information Program (HIP). It’s free, fast and the information is used to help determine participation and harvest. Go to www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Migratory-Game-Birds to register.

Iowa’s statewide teal only hunting season is Sept. 1-16, providing hunters of all ages and experience an opportunity to enjoy time in the wetlands, ahead of the regular duck season. Only teal are legal during this season and shooting hours are from sunrise to sunset, which is different than the regular duck seasons. The daily bag limit is six teal; blue-winged, green-winged or cinnamon teal, combined.

Hunters are required to have the state migratory game bird fee and federal duck stamp, in addition to their hunting license and habitat fee. Hunters are reminded to register for HIP (Harvest Information Program) before hunting migratory game birds (ducks, geese, mourning doves, snipe, rail and woodcock). HIP is an annual registration that is available through the Go Outdoors Iowa app, or through the Go Outdoors Iowa webpage. Hunters will need to save the HIP registration number to their phone or write it on their paper license.

ORIENT, Iowa – A native daughter of Orient and graduate of the school district is giving back to her hometown with the formation of a charitable fund. Charlene (Speed) Lamberti along with her husband, Donald, have formally announced the $1-million gift on Saturday, August 24, as part of the community’s Pumpkin Days celebration.

The Helen and Virgil Speed and Family Orient Iowa Charitable Fund is seeded with $1 million from the Lamberti’s and will be maintained at the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines. The fund is named for Charlene Lamberti’s parents who lived in Orient and raised three children.

“If we want rural towns to survive, we have to invest in them and help them maintain their sense of community,” says Charlene Lamberti. “I loved growing up in Orient; it’s a great place to raise a family and we want others to have that opportunity. We are establishing this fund to give Orient added resources for the future.”

Charlene and Don Lamberti

The fund is not an endowment, so all of the money will be allocated to the community through the Orient Area Betterment and Improvement Corp. Ryan Frederick, president of Orient Area Betterment, says the timing couldn’t be better for the town that boasts the birthplaces of Vice President Henry Wallace and National Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Dazzy Vance, as well as a stop on the Mormon trail.

“When Jeff Lamberti called me about establishing the fund last October, it was the most unexpected and welcome phone call I have ever received,” Frederick recounts. “Now, after a tornado in Greenfield and the dissolution of our school district, the timing is nothing short of a godsend.

“Most small rural towns do not have an opportunity like this. It can be a real struggle to raise any meaningful sum for a community project sometimes, so when Charlene and her family decide to channel $1 million into our community, it’s a gamechanger,” adds Frederick, who attended the same high school in Orient as Charlene Lamberti and her family.

In addition to establishing the million-dollar fund, the Lambertis are donating $200,000 to the Orient Area Betterment and Improvement Corp. to assist with the dissolution of the Orient-Macksburg School District. Specifically, the money is to be used to ensure that the school district building remains a productive asset for the Orient area community. These funds may also be used for the establishment or maintenance of a public, private or charter school in the City of Orient.

Donald and Charlene Lamberti founded Casey’s General Stores — the third-largest convenience store chain in the United States— from a leased store in Boone, Iowa. The Lambertis give back to Iowa in many ways, supporting education, faith-based efforts, entrepreneurship, addiction treatment and prevention, and community betterment.

(Muscatine County, Iowa) – A collision Friday evening in eastern Iowa resulted in the death of one person and two others injured. The Iowa State Patrol reports a Nissan SUV was traveling south on Taylor Avenue in Muscatine at around 5:55-p.m., when the driver failed to stop at the stop sign with Highway 61. The SUV was struck by a Dodge SUV that was traveling south on Highway 61.

Two of the crash victims were transported to Trinity Hospital in Muscatine, where one of the victims died. A third crash victim was transported to UIHC by helicopter. All of the accident victims were wearing their seat belts. No names had been released as of 12:30-p.m. Saturday (Today).

The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office, Muscatine EMS/Fire, Muscatine Police and Aircare.

(Monona County, IA) – Two people were injured during a collision this (Saturday) morning on Interstate 29, southwest of Whiting. According to the Iowa State Patrol, a semi driven by 64-year-old Theodore Armstrong, of Belmont, NC, was traveling south on I-29 near mile marker 117 at around 7:30-a.m., when the semi collided with the rear of a 1994 Dodge Dakota pickup being pulled by another pickup truck.

Armstrong, and the driver of the pickup, 49-year-old Juan Cardenas Chavez, of Denison, were both injured in the crash, and transported by Monona EMS to Burgess Health Center, in Onawa.

GRIMES, Iowa – Aug. 22, 2024 – Nighttime construction work on the pavement of westbound Interstate 80 will require closing the road to traffic beginning at 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 27 until 5 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28, weather permitting, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Grimes Construction office.

While the road is closed you will follow a marked detour route using the U.S. 65 bypass, Hubbell Avenue, Euclid Avenue, and I-235 (see map).

CRESTON, Iowa – Aug. 23, 2024 – If you travel on Interstate 80 between De Soto (exit 110) and Van Meter (exit 113) you need to be aware of overnight closures of the roadway that may slow down your trip. The Iowa DOT’s Creston Construction Office reports crews need to close east- and westbound I-80 overnight from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 28, and Thursday, Aug. 29, weather permitting, so beams can be placed for the Old Portland Road bridge over I-80.

While the roadway is closed, you will follow a marked detour route that will use U.S. 169, U.S. 6, Dallas County Road R-16, and I-80 (see map).

The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

BROOKLYN, Iowa (KCRG) – City leaders in Brooklyn, Iowa, are asking for help finding out who is responsible for shooting cats with crossbow bolts. In a Facebook post on Thursday, city leaders said they have received several complaints.

They also shared images in the post, showing a cat that had been shot through the leg.

Photo from the City of Brooklyn (IA) Facebook page

Anyone with information is asked to call 522-7066.