(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Department Board, Monday evening, discussed entry into Sunnyside Pool, in light of a staff shortage, and the possibility of increasing the Hotel/Motel Tax to pay for a Splash Pad and other, related matters. Parks Director Bryant Rasmussen appeared before the Board electronically, as he and two of his staff are out with COVID. Another staffer is out for a few more days with the virus. Rasmussen said some season pass holders to Sunnyside Pool have threatened to ask for reimbursement of their pass costs if they can’t get priority when there is limited admission to the pool when there are only one or two lifeguards on duty.

Bryant says the lifeguards are doing the best they can with the staff they have.

He says “Typically, pools lose money every single year. It’s a service we provide to the City of Atlantic.” Any money they do make is off gate fees and the concession stand. Rasmussen said “We’re doing our best to try and get as many patrons into [and out] of the pool as we possibly can, with respect to the amount of staff that we currently have there. Parks Board member John Krogman said understands the frustrations of season pass holders.

Krogman says “It’s an unfortunate situation given how staffing is at our pool and many other pools are around the State right now, but I don’t think we can limit [pool entry] or give preferential treatment just because you have a seasonal pass.” As it stands, there are four lifeguard available currently, three more are coming, and one more is coming in July. The issue is not just staffing the pool, it’s making sure the applicants pass the swimming test before they can be certified.

The staff they currently have, are working 40 or more hours per week.

In other Parks and Rec News, Board Chair Jolene Smith said she has been talking with Atlantic City Clerk Barb Barrick about getting more money to come into the pool, and increasing the amount of the hotel/motel tax from the current 4% to the maximum 7%, would be the best way to bring in more funds, especially when it comes to acquiring a splash pad, which surveys have indicated, is a desire of the people to have. The last time a measure to increase the hotel/motel tax went before the voters, was in November, 2017. The proposed three-percent increase failed by more than 53% of the vote. Smith said the Parks Department needs to do a better job of promoting what the funds would be used for.

If a proposed measure to increase the tax to 7%, it would come very close to paying for a splash pad project, Smith said. The Board agreed to continue with discussion during a work session.

(Avoca, Iowa) – A semi tractor-trailer rollover Monday afternoon, north of Avoca, has apparently resulted in only minor injuries. According to scanner traffic, the accident happened at around 4:48-p.m. near Avoca Regional Water, off Highway 59, north of Interstate 80 and Shelby County Road F-66.

Additional information is currently not available.

(Guthrie Center) – A teenager from Bayard was cited following a rollover accident at around 5:30-p.m. on June 15th. The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office says 14-year-old Taytum Odel Bates was traveling east on School Street in Guthrie Center. Where the road transitioned from paved to gravel, the 2006 Ford Ranger Bates was driving began operating in what authorities said was a “reckless fashion intentionally fishtailing on the gravel.”

The pickup fish-tailed for about 300 feet before the passenger side tires entered the south ditch. Bates over-corrected, causing the vehicle to skid across the road and enter the north ditch, where it overturned. Bates was not wearing his seat belt, and suffered suspected minor, non-incapacitating injuries. He was helped out of the truck by friends who had been following in a second vehicle.

The Sheriff’s Office says Bates was not part of the pickup owners’ family, and he was driving on a school permit. He was cited for Violation of the conditions of a minor’s school license, and Careless Driving. The pickup sustained $6,000 damage, and was a total loss.

(Radio Iowa) – Three lower court judges and two attorneys have applied for the upcoming vacancy on the Iowa Supreme Court. The five are hoping to move to the Supreme Court when Justice Brent Appel retires on July 13th. The State Judicial Nominating Commission has scheduled interviews for each applicant — which will start Monday, June 27th with Third Judicial District Chief Juge Patrick Tott of Sioux City ( 9:50 a.m.). Ames attorney Timothy Gartin is next (10:10 a.m), followed by Des Moines attorney William Miller (10:10 a.m). First Judicial District Court Judge Alan Heavens, of Garnavillo 11:00 a.m) — and Iowa Court of Appeals Judge David May of Polk City (11:20 a.m) round out the applicants.

The commission will select three of the five after the interviews to forward to Governor Kim Reynolds. Reynolds then has 30 days to make her nomination.

(Radio Iowa) – Food banks across Iowa are struggling to keep up with increased demand as pandemic aid ends and SNAP benefits fall. Food Bank of Siouxland Director Jacob Wanderscheid says they’re getting fewer donations from Sioux City area residents and they’re getting only half as much food from U-S-D-A programs compared to last year, all while more and more people need help.

“We just can’t serve as many end users, so the guests at the food pantries may see less in the basket that they receive,” Wanderscheid says. “We may not necessarily be able to stay open for the full time that we’re advertising a pantry window.” He says they’re purchasing more food to try and fill the gap, but inflation means they’re spending 15-percent more for products. In Council Bluffs, more than half of the freezers at Care and Share Pantry are empty. They’re usually filled with meat, but director Carol Thein says it’s been hard to get all the protein the organization needs. She’s seen a near-50-percent increase in clients from this time last year.

“The food pantries, we’re all experiencing increased costs for utilities, and to rent the truck to get food and pay for the gas,” Thein says. “That’s just fewer dollars available to purchase food, but we’re not going to let that stop us.” As pandemic aid runs out, the U-S-D-A has decreased the amount of food it provides for the program Feeding America’s Food Banks. That leaves Thein questioning if her pantry should pare back on the food it gives away daily to continue service long-term.

(reporting by Kendall Crawford, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa) – All three student body presidents spoke today (Monday) during the Board of Regents meeting as they held the first reading of a proposed four-point-two-five percent tuition increase. The Board says the increase is needed after they requested an additional 15 million dollars from the Iowa Legislature and lawmakers gave them a five-and-half million. I-S-U student body president Jacob Ludwig says he understands the situation.

“It’s clear to (me) that circumstances have forced the board’s hand. less than desirable appropriations from the state make it impossible to maintain both our current rate of tuition and our high level of academic quality at our institution,” Ludwig says. He says the tuition increase is another hurdle students face following the challenges of the pandemic.

“The tuition raise is regrettable. I know that the board does not make this decision lightly or with malice,” he says. The increase translates to around 350 dollars at the University of Iowa and Iowa State University and 330 dollars at the University of Northern Iowa. Ludwig says students are grateful for the increase in state support this year — but says state support is not keeping up.

“While support from the state has pretty much stagnated. state budgeting prerogatives have made the acquisition of additional funds an uphill battle that is harder to win with each passing year. This reality means that we have to have to advocate more and harder for these universities that we all love,” Ludwig says. U-I student body president, Patrick Johnson, talked about the impact of the tuition increase on student debt.

“Thirty-thousand-464. That number is the average student loan debt held per borrower in the state of Iowa as of 2021. That’s for in-state residents, a number which figures to increase consistently in the upcoming years,” Johnson says. He says he is also concerned that it costs out-of-state students around 30-thousand dollars just for one year of tuition and fees.

“We look to other states to bolster our student body with diverse perspectives from across the nation. At the same time, we asked students to remain in Iowa following their graduation,” Johnson says. “However, I was a state in which the median household income lies in the bottom half of the nation. The contradiction stands boldly before all of us, we continue to increase economic barriers for our students and simultaneously questioning the reasons why they must relocate following their graduation.” He says state lawmakers need to do more to help.

“I’m calling on our partners in the Iowa State Legislature to work together with the Board and with students alike to create the systemic change necessary to provide accessible affordable education to any student who pursues it,” he says. U-N-I student body president, Leila Masinovic, echoes the concerns. “Students and friends I’ve known for a long time had voiced their concerns about not knowing where to turn to be able to afford to continue their education. Many of them know that as this degree gives them an education — it also secures their ability to build a great future with their families, and in return give back to the community that has helped them get to where they are,” she says.

Masinovic says U-N-I depends on the state funding even more than the other two universities. “It is vital and only makes sense that the legislature…provides more funding to public universities and supports our community members and receiving their education with less of a burden on Iowa students and families,”Masinovic says. The Board of Regents will take its first vote on the tuition proposal at its next meeting.

(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports a 17-year-old female, an 11-year-old male and a 14-year-old male, all from Guthrie Center, were injured during a rollover accident Friday afternoon. Authorities say a 2003 Chevy S-10 pickup driven by 17-year-old Katrina Joy Sanders was traveling south on Noah Avenue from Highway 44, at around 1:20-p.m., Friday, when the vehicle went out of control and entered the northbound ditch before rolling over. Officials say she was driving too fast for conditions.

Sanders – who was wearing a seat belt – complained of pain and possible injury. She was transported to the Guthrie Center Hospital by her father. Her passenger, 11-year-old Caleb Sanders, was not belted in and was ejected from the pickup through the back window. He suffered suspected minor/non-incapacitating injuries, and was transported by Panora EMS ambulance to the hospital. Another passenger in the vehicle, 14-year-old Kaden Sanders, who was wearing a seat belt, complained of pain and was also transported by his father to the hospital.