(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s commissioner of elections says early voting in this year’s Primary Election will set a record in a non-presidential year. Secretary of State Paul Pate says more than 73-thousand Iowans voted by absentee ballot. “Redistricting and a lot of districts getting merged now and new faces and then of course we have a U.S. Senate race on the Republican and Democratic sides and a big primary here in the Polk area for a congressional race — I think you put all that together and it’s going to put some people out there to make sure their voice gets heard,” Pate said.

Pate’s been working today in the state election office in the Lucas State Office Building. He says county auditors report in-person voting today (Tuesday) was steady, but….”I’m not seeing, I don’t think, an overwhelmingly high number,” Pate says. Pate and his staff are guessing that means total turout is likely to be around 15 percent. “That’s very unscientific. I have nothing to go with it,” Pate says. “That’s just a gut check right now.” Pate has ordered all 99 counties to conduct a post-election audit of the primary election.

Tomorrow (Wednesday), there will be a random drawing to select one precinct in each county to be a audited. Pate says that will trigger a hand count of the paper ballots in each of those precincts. “Compare them to what the tabulator said
the results were and if there happen to be any discrepancy those will have to be resolved to determine what the issue might have been and also to determine if we need to take further action,” Pate says. “When we’ve done these post-election audits of General Elections in the fall, every one of them we’ve done has been 100% match, so I’m optimistic we’ll see the same again.”

Pate says in-person voting today (Tuesday) went smoothly and there were no reports of major issues.

(Atlantic, Iowa) [clarifies some info. in this update, 6/14/22] – Two people who are suspects in the theft of a wallet from a Wisconsin woman’s purse late Saturday morning, in Atlantic, are being sought by police. The incident happened at the Walmart store, sometime between 10:30-and 10:53-a.m. The elderly female victim reported she was in an aisle of the store when a woman with an accent approached her, and asked for help in finding the Alfredo sauce. 

During their interaction, and while the 84-year-old victim’s back was turned toward the shelves, the suspect’s accomplice quietly unzipped the victim’s purse, which was in a shopping cart, and pulled out her leather-style wallet. The suspect in the face mask allegedly took the wallet and zipped the purse back-up before the victim knew it was missing.

The suspects used the Credit card to make purchases at Walmart, Hy-Vee and Dollar General, in Atlantic. The victim was made aware of the theft, thanks to a call from her credit card company, asking if she had made the purchases. Hy-Vee officials confirm the suspects purchased multiple gift cards. In another store, cash was received from an ATM. The total loss from at least two of the stores), was at least $1,500, with a $455.95 purchase at Hy-Vee. An official with Walmart said an attempted transaction at the store was declined.

The wallet, complete with the victim’s checks, ID and medical information, was found on the ledge of a dumpster near the McDonald’s construction site. Some cash was missing, along with the debit/credit and credit card. The wallet was turned over to Atlantic Police, who have since returned it to the victim, who was visiting relatives in Atlantic.

Atlantic Hy-Vee surveillance images. Courtesy Hy-Vee and APD Officer Thompson.

Police were able to obtain surveillance video of the suspects at Hy-Vee. The footage at Walmart did not reveal anything of note, with the exception of the victim’s arrival in the parking lot. Police said other victims were affected by a similar scam, but further details are not available. If you have ANY information as to the identity of the persons shown in the still-frame images in this story, or have seen them and/or their getaway vehicle, please call the Atlantic Police Department.

(Radio Iowa) – A middle school teacher from Urbandale was crowned the new Miss Iowa over the weekend to conclude the three-day scholarship competition in Davenport. Twenty-four-year-old Bailey Hodson says when they called her name as the winner, she went completely numb and had no idea what to do, even though they’d practiced everything with each contestant during rehearsals.

“Luckily the Teen and Miss Iowa of the previous year, they’re so great. They just shuffled me across the stage and they’re like, ‘Okay, now we’re gonna put the crown on your head and just hold really still.’ It just had so many emotions and thoughts running through my head,” Hodson says. “I was like, ‘This is crazy. I’m going to Miss America. I’m going to be Miss Iowa,’ and it still really hasn’t sunk in completely.” Hodson says she’s stepped into a wonderful whirlwind and knows the next year ahead is going to be exceptionally busy.

Baily Hodson, Miss Iowa 2022 (via Facebook)

“I will resign from Urbandale in my teaching position but my students were really excited and they knew all about the program and what I was doing and they they’ve been rooting for me,” Hodson says, “so I don’t think it’s going to be a sad farewell but more of an exciting adventure to pursue.” Hodson, a Berwick native who graduated from Grand View University in 2020, hopes to return to teaching once her duties as Miss Iowa are finished. Her platform, what’s now called a social impact plan, is focused on an anti-bullying campaign.

“I want within my initiative to really implement these curriculums within schools to combat the imbalance that bullying creates within our classrooms, and educate teachers on what they can do to see warning signs of bullying going on in their classrooms,” Hodson says. “So, I think I would love to tie that more into what I do already as a teacher.” Her vocal performance for the competition was singing “A Million Dreams” from the musical “The Greatest Showman,” though she’s not sure if that’s what she’ll perform during the Miss America Pageant in December.

Never before has a contestant from Iowa won the national event and Hodson says that’s not yet on her radar. “My mind is completely overwhelmed with joy of just having the opportunity to even go,” Hodson says. “I know that so many people would have loved to have this opportunity. I’m just trying to really soak that in and be grateful that I’m even going. Becoming Miss America just hasn’t even really crossed my mind yet to be honest.”

Part of the prize package for Miss Iowa is more than 12-thousand dollars in scholarships, money Hodson plans to apply to her student loans.

(Radio Iowa) The director of international development for a manufacturing company based in Pella is in Washington, D.C. this week, urging members of congress to fully fund the U.S. international affairs budget. Daryl Bouwkamp has worked at Vermeer for 30 years. He says having diplomatic and humanitarian missions around the globe benefits trade.

“Having a U.S. projected, rules-based, stable global environment, which the U.S. really needs to lead, is incredibly important to us as a state.” Bouwkamp is participating in a forum sponsored by the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. The group estimates nearly 20 percent of the jobs in Iowa are tied to international trade. China has stepped up its spending to secure trading partnerships with countries around the globe. Bouwkamp says the U-S needs to maintain its spending on international aid to ensure companies like Vermeer can access global markets.

“Being there as the U.S. in times of need for other countries and being at the table, negotiating and helping write the rules, enforce the rules so that we have stability and reduce corruption,” he says. About one percent of the federal budget is spent on international affairs. Bouwkamp’s message to Iowa’s congressional delegation is that American diplomacy must be maintained.

“It is the best money spent,” Bouwkamp says. “If you don’t spend it here, you’re just going to have to purchase more bullets.” This is the seventh Global Impact Forum Bouwkamp has attended — although the last two were held virtually due to the pandemic. He says faith leaders and non-profit groups are represented at the event as well as 500 businesses and hundreds of both current and retired members of the military and U.S. diplomatic corps.

(Radio Iowa) – A southwest Iowa native who sang the theme song for the early 1990’s hit T-V show “Twin Peaks” has died at the age of 65. Julee Cruise also appeared on Twin Peaks as a singer and was featured in both sequels. She recorded four solo albums and toured with the B-52s in 1992, filling in when singer Cindy Wilson took a break from the band. In 2018, Cruise announced on Facebook she was retiring from performing due to systemic lupus.

Julee Cruise (Via Facebook)

Her husband told the New York Times that Cruise had struggled with depression and her health and took her own life. Cruise was born in Creston. After graduating with a music degree from Drake University, she moved to Minneapolis before leaving for New York City in 1983.

ATLANTIC, IOWA – Pizza. Shaved ice. Bubbles. Buses. That sets the scene for SWITA’s planned Transit Fun Day in celebration of Ride Transit Week on June 15th. Community members are invited to join in the fun and celebrate public transit at 1501 SW 7th Street in Atlantic.

Starting at 11 am until 1pm, the Hungry Spartan Pizza truck will be onsite at SWITA selling “Colossal Slices” for $5 to celebrate our outstanding transit professionals. Louie’s Shaved Ice will have a pop-up stand, and SWITA will provide a free shaved ice to all who attend. Children from the community are invited to play yard games, color on a SWITA bus with washable markers, make giant bubbles, and can even take home a coloring book sponsored by the Iowa Department of Transportation.

The event is both a celebration of the SWITA service and a functioning sign-up for this fall’s student transportation in our member communities. “We’re excited to provide a fun, family-friendly activity for members of the community as a celebration of SWITA’s work across southwest Iowa,” said SWITA Transit Coordinator Kristen Templeton.

Community members can also sign up to win a SWITA Date Night for 2, or a SWITA Family Activity Night for up to 8. The SWITA Date Night package includes two tickets to the Atlantic 1&2 Theater and a $40 gift certificate to Rancho Grande in Atlantic. Transportation will be provided by SWITA to the night out. The SWITA Family Activity Night will include up to 8 tickets to Sunnyside Putt-Em-Up in Atlantic and buffet for up to 8 at Pizza Ranch in Atlantic.

In addition to the Transit Fun Day at the Atlantic office (1501 SW 7th Street, Atlantic IA 50022), all taxi fares in Atlantic, Glenwood, Harlan, Missouri Valley, Red Oak, and Shenandoah will be waived in celebration of Ride Transit Week.

The public is also invited to a Ride Transit Day event for all ages on June 16 from 10am to 1pm at the Charles E. Lakin Human Services Campus in Council Bluffs, located at 16th and G streets. SWITA’s partners for this event include HSAC (Human Services Advisory Council) of Council Bluffs, B Cycle, and Omaha’s Metro Transit, which serves the City of Council Bluffs.