(Radio Iowa) – The grant money awarded for production of a “Field of Dreams” TV series in Iowa will be redirected to another tourism-related project.

The TV series was to be a “prequel,” featuring stories about characters in the Field of Dreams movie. In late June, Governor Reynolds announced the project was getting $6 million from Destination Iowa, a state grant program financed with federal pandemic relief money. Universal pulled its financing for the Field of Dreams series days later.

The executive producer of series told the Des Moines Register the project is suspended indefinitely and his team didn’t want to keep the $6 million in limbo when it might be used on another project.

Field of Dreams site. (Photo from Dyersville city website.)

A spokeswoman for the Iowa Economic Development Authority says applications for about $28 million in Destination Iowa grants are still open, but the deadline to apply is December 31st of this year.

The Field of Dreams series was to be filmed in Polk, Boone, Mahaska, and Clinton Counties. Destination Iowa grants are to reimburse expenses, so none of the $6 million in grant money was spent on the never-produced series.

(Radio Iowa) – As the downstream navigation season on the Missouri River is wrapping up for the year, releases from Gavins Point Dam near Yankton are being reduced to winter levels. It’s a seasonal move, according to John Remus, chief of the Missouri River Basin Water Management Division of the U-S Army Corps of Engineers in Omaha.

“We don’t support navigation usually past the end of November,” Remus says, “so we run winter releases normally and then when we get into drought conservation measures, like we’re in now, we go to what we call minimum winter releases, which is just to conserve water in the system for future years, just in case the drought continues.” While releases are being cut way back, Remus says the Corps will continue to work with downstream users.

“The water intakes downstream of Gavin’s Point, particularly from Omaha to Kansas City, should be able to draw water for the municipal intakes, the power plants, and so on and so forth, with normal inflow,” Remus says. “We’ll watch that carefully and if certain situations arise, we may increase releases just to accommodate some of those water intakes.” Remus says there will be some higher-than-normal releases from upstream dams over the coming months because the reservoir system is a bit unbalanced right now.

“The flooding on the Yellowstone River there in late June and early July put quite a bit of water into Garrison Reservoir, which is higher relative to Fort Peck and Oahe right now,” Remus says, “so we’re going to be dropping Garrison through the winter and raising Oahe up about five feet or so to get those three reservoirs a little more balanced.” Depending on upstream conditions, he says the Corps normally starts increasing flows again in mid-March.

(Radio Iowa) – A statement from University of Iowa Hospitals confirms multiple people were injured by an explosion at a soybean plant in Marengo late this (Thursday) morning. Homes and businesses near the facility in Marengo were evacuated. In a Facebook post, the Iowa County Sheriff said anyone who’s still in Marengo should stay inside due to heavy smoke billowing from the property, which is about seven miles north of Interstate 80.

The facility operated as a printing plant for 33 years, but reopened in 2017 as Heartland Crush. It’s a producer owned plant that crushes soybeans.

A statement from the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics indicates it has received multiple patients following the explosion.

(Neola, Iowa) – The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports one person was injured during one of two crashes Wednesday morning. The first accident happened at around 4:52-a.m. on Interstate 80 westbound, near mile marker 19. Authorities say a 2020 Kenworth tractor-trailer driven by Emilio Lucio Guerra, of Des Moines, went out of control due a possible deer on the road. The truck rolled over, and blocked the left lane of travel.

Soon afterward, a 2013 GMC Sierra pickup driven by Larry Wineland, of Underwood,  broadsided the rolled over semi. A third collision occurred when a 2007 Chevy Monte Carlo, driven by Michael Carroll, of Avoca, rear-ended the pickup truck.

All vehicles became disabled. Michael Carroll was transported by Underwood Rescue to Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs, to be treated for his injuries. Guerra was cited for Failure to Maintain Control. Damage to the pickup and car amounted to $40,000 altogether.

At around 4:50-a.m., also on westbound I-80, Chad Ira, of Altoona, was driving a 2017 tractor-trailer. When he saw the overturned semi on the roadway, he stopped his truck in the right lane. A 2019 Freightliner semi driven by Jeremy Ryan, of Omaha, was unable to stop in time, and struck the rear of the other semi, causing a total of $60,000 damage.  Ryan was transported by Neola Rescue to Jennie Edmundson for treatment. No citations were issued.

Notice is hereby given that the Board of Adjustment of The City of Atlantic will conduct a Public Hearing at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, December 15, 2022, in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 23 East 4^th Street, Atlantic, Iowa. The Board will consider an application by New Life Church, 600 Pine Street, Atlantic, Iowa, for a Conditional Use Permit that would allow for the operation of a church in the C-3 Central Business District [as allowed by section 12.030(10) of the Zoning Ordinances of the City of Atlantic, Iowa]. Application for the Conditional Use Permit is for the properties located at 28 West 5^th Street and 410 Poplar Street, Atlantic, Iowa,

[legally described as follows:

W46 2/3′ LOTS 13-14- 15-1-17-18 (EXC W39.5′ LOT 18 & W39.5′ N20′ LOT 17) BLK 28in the City of Atlantic, Cass County, Iowa

LOT 19 & S10′ LOT 20 BLK 28 in the City of Atlantic, Cass County, Iowa.]

The Public may comment in person at the hearing or may submit written comments in advance to the City Clerk’s Office, 23 East 4^th Street, Atlantic, Iowa 50022. Questions may be addressed to the Zoning Administrator, John Lund or johnlund@cityofatlantic.com or you may call (712) 243-4810.

This notice is given in accordance with Article 25.080(4) of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Atlantic, Iowa.