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Webster City theater could reopen this fall

News

May 8th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The operators of the historic Webster City movie theater damaged by a fire last November 29th are hoping to get it back open this fall. The Webster Theater and two other buildings in the downtown section of the north-central Iowa town were damaged in the fire. Spokesman Jeff Pingel says they have gutted the theater and started the renovation. “We didn’t get any fire damage from that but we got extensive extensive smoke and water damage and we’re just we just it’s just finished the cleanup the 28th of April so it’s been five months just for cleanup,” he says. Pingel says the work continues, but they discovered something they will have to fix that they didn’t expect.

“The front wall has a six inch lean to it, which we had a structural engineer come in and check it out. It’s not unsafe but we have to pull it back,” Pingel says. “So before we can go begin any reconstruction we have to pull this wall back six inches, which isn’t that’s not an insurance thing, that’s money that we have to come up with on our own.”

The theater was constructed at the turn of the 20th century and had undergone an extensive remodeling more than 10 years ago. It was the subject of a documentary film “Made in Iowa” you can see on YouTube. Monetary donations are welcome to the Webster Theater website.

Boy Scouts to be rebranded as ‘Scouting America’

News

May 8th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Boy Scouts of America will be renamed Scouting America on February 8th of next year. Matt Hill is executive of the Mid-Iowa Council for Boy Scouts of America. “We started allowing young ladies to join our programs about five years ago and so this coincidentally enough coincides with the five year anniversary of that change,” Hill says, “and really reflects our commitment to being inclusive of all young people that want to join scouting.” Hill says he has a unique perspective about the name change. He’s an Eagle Scout who appreciates what scouting meant to him and his buddies growing up AND he’s the father of a girl.

“I don’t know of any parent that would really not want his or her child to have the same opportunities that they did,” Hill says. “…Allowing girls into the program has been phenomenal for us so far.” The Boy Scouts’ Mid-Iowa Council covers 29 counties and Hill says nearly 50 girls in the region have become Eagle Scouts in the past five years. “The integration has really, in many ways, been seamless. The kids are so adaptable,” Hill says. “We’ve just had young ladies that whether their brother was in scouting, their dads were in scouting or another family member, or they just really like our programs, they have really embraces our programs and I think it’s been fantastic for all of us.”

Hill is in Orlando at the national annual meeting of Boy Scouts of America where the name change was announced. Since girls were accepted as Cub Scouts in 2018, six-thousand girls across the country have become Eagle Scouts. About a million U-S kids are in the Boy Scouts today. The Girl Scouts of America still exists and has not commented on the Boy Scouts name change. The Boy Scouts are in the midst of bankruptcy proceedings that have allowed it to keep operating while paying over 80-thousand men who say they were sexually abused when they were Cub Scouts or Boy Scouts.

Grassley not optimistic negotiations will yield a new Farm Bill this year

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 8th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says prospects for congressional approval of a new Farm Bill are fading. “So what we call the five-year Farm Bill of 2018 last year became a six-year Farm Bill,” Grassley says, “and it could become a seven year Farm Bill.” The Democrat who’s chairwoman of the Senate Ag Committee released a framework for negotiations last week, but Grassley, a Republican, says the most likely outcome is that congress will vote to extend current Farm Bill policies for another year.”The certainty of a five-year Farm Bill is what we really need,” Grassley says. Disagreements over farm subsidies are holding up negotiations.

“It may sound like rhetoric when you say: ‘We want more farm in the farm bill,’ but remember only 15% of the Farm Bill goes to the Agriculture Department,” Grassley says, “and then just a small percentage of that 15% may wind up in farmers’ pockets.” The rest of the Farm Bill is mainly for food stamps and other government nutrition programs. Grassley says Senate Democrats have proposed a five percent increase to potential subsidies to cover rice, cotton and peanut farmers’ losses. However, the so-called reference prices for corn and soybeans that trigger federal subsidies to cover losses would remain the same. “That doesn’t reflect this inflation of seed, fertilizer, chemicals, diesel and higher interest rates,” Grassley says. “We want the new five-year Farm Bill to reflect that inflation.”

The one-year extension of the 2018 Farm Bill expires at the end of September.

Adair County Large Scale Commercial & Industrial Bldg. Ordinance on-hold

News

May 8th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Greenfield, Iowa) – Following a public hearing and considerable discussion, the Adair County Board of Supervisors, this (Wednesday) morning, put on-hold, the third reading of a proposed ordinance that would regulate the placement of Large Scale Commercial and Industrial Buildings. The Board voted three-to-two, with Supervisors John Twombley, Jerry Walker and Jodie Hoadley opposed to the ordinance as presented. Supervisors Matt Wedemeyer and Nathan Baier were yes votes.The next move is to get an outside attorney to review the wording of the Draft Ordinance and keep moving forward with the process of redefining an ordinance for future needs.

At issue is the future of Applied Digital’s plans for a 200 mega-watt data center in Adair County, located in the 1200 block of Fallow Avenue near Adair, adjacent to the NextEra Energy substation. The company is planning two 300,000 sq ft (28,700 sqm) buildings, which will host between 40 and 70 employees. Applied Digital operates several data centers across the US, including a 180MW facility in Ellendale, North Dakota. During the Public Hearing, Dan Dreyer, who lives near the proposed data center, said he’s concerned about the misconceptions, with regard to the current draft ordinance.

He said they can accomplish a compromise that will not have the setback so that a business is “Not on top” of a residence, and vice-versa. Adair County resident Gene Hardisty was concerned about the over-regulation of private industry.

Applied Digital’s Nick Phillips asked the Board to give them a few months to see what other restrictions they may face.

Phillips said later, said their attorney cautioned imposition of the Ordinance as written, would not hurt Applied Digital per se, but it could impact others who may be considering constructing a project in Adair County.

Following the vote, members of the Board said they want to move forward, because they are not giving up on economic development.

In other business, the Adair County Board of Supervisors approved the hiring of an Engineering Intern, and wage rate progressions for two Secondary Roads Department employees. The Board also set the date for a Public Hearing on a FY24 Budget Amendment, as May 29th at 9:15-a.m. Auditor Mandy Berg explained the reasons for the proposed amendment.

The total budget increase amounts to $11,985.

Page County Sheriff’s report, 5/8/24

News

May 8th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Clarinda, Iowa) – The Page County Sheriff’s Office has released a report on arrests:

4/28/2024 Alec James Kalkas (29) of Glenwood Iowa. Booked into the Page County Jail for driving while suspended, possession of a controlled substance (X2).
4/28/2024 Jeremy Wayne Liford (33) of Clarinda Iowa. Booked into the Page County Jail for an active warrant for failure to appear. Arrested by the Page County Sheriff’ s Office.
4/29/2024 David Alfonso Clark (44) of Red Oak Iowa. Booked into the Page County Jail for an active warrant for violation of probation. Arrested by the Page County Sheriff’s Office.
4/30/2024 Michael Lloyd Harms (54) of Shenandoah Iowa. Booked into the Page County Jail to serve time.
5/1/2024 Robert Edward Anderson (46) of Essex Iowa. Booked into the Page County Jail to serve time.
5/1/2024 Devin Lee Carnes (18) of Clarinda Iowa. Booked into the Page County Jail for an active warrant for assault. Arrested by the Page County Sheriff’s Office.
5/2/2024 David Alfonso Clark (44) of Red Oak Iowa. Booked into the Page County Jail to serve time.
5/3/2024 Clinton Keith Glasgo (47) of Essex Iowa. Booked into the Page County Jail for an active warrant for failure to appear. Arrested by the Page County Sheriff’s Office.
5/3/2024 Eric Michael Kievit (35) of Essex Iowa. Booked into the Page County Jail for domestic abuse. Arrested by the Page County Sheriff’ s Office. Assisted by the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Essex City Maintenance Crew and Page County Citizens.
5/3/2024 Matthew John Stubbendieck (48) of Essex Iowa. Booked into the Page County Jail to serve time.
5/3/2024 Jaylenna Marie Sheperd (30) of Clarinda Iowa. Booked into the Page County Jail for burglary

*A charge is merely an accusation and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Mills County Sheriff’s report, 5/8/24

News

May 8th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports four recent arrests:

  • Tuesday afternoon (May 7th), 43-year-old Daniel Charles Thomas, of Glenwood, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Violation of Probation. Bond was set at $10,000.
  • Last Saturday (May 4th), 35-year-old Joseph Lewell Dale Norton, of Independence, MO, was arrested for Public Intoxication. (Bond $300)
  • On May 2nd, 40-year-old Jamie Lee Stephens, of Macedonia, was arrested for OWI/1st offense, with bond set at $1,000.
  • And, on April 30th, 29-year-old Alec James Kalkas, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office for an alleged violation of the State’s Sex Offender Registry. His bond was set at $2,000.

IA farmers get ‘pro performance’ physical, mental training

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 8th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Des Moines, Iowa [Iowa News Service]) – A Des Moines-based farm co-op is taking high-tech sports-training into the country and has hired an athletic physician to do it. The field of high-tech sports training is usually reserved for athletes and other high-level performers but the mindset is taking a dramatic turn, as the Landus Co-op in Des Moines has hired a physician.

Dr. Dehra Harris has spent much of her medical career training the Toronto Blue Jays minor-league baseball players and is bringing those skills to the Iowa countryside. Harris said she has always been drawn to helping people who have to perform physically to make a living. “You don’t have days off. You can’t take it easy, right?” Harris pointed out. “It’s that ‘rub some dirt on it’ kind of world. And to be able to take the things that we’ve been learning, in sports and in medicine, and apply it to this group is just an incredible opportunity.”

Harris explained she will start by listening to farmers’ physical needs, then developing proper nutrition and recovery programs even if it means responding to a farmer who’s delivering a calf at three in the morning, and whatever else it takes to help with America’s ag production backbone. Harris noted her regimen will not stop with physical training. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports suicide rates are nearly twice as high for farmers compared to the general public. The threat was most severe during the pandemic.

Harris will design wellness plans for farmers’ mental health, although she noted getting the information might not be easy. “I love it when I talk to farmers because I’m going to hear all about their family,” Harris added. “I’ll hear about everything to do with their farm but I’m also not going to hear a lot about what they need. So, we think that the strategies that are actually going to work best here are actually to approach this as a family, and see what the needs are for the whole unit.”

Landus is among the first co-ops in the country to take the new approach.

Collision in Red Oak Tuesday morning

News

May 8th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak say no injuries were reported following a collision Tuesday morning at N. 1st and E. Joy Streets. The accident happened at around 7:30-a.m., when the driver of a van – 27-year-old Guadalupe Ramos-Lopez, of Red Oak – failed to yield to the vehicle on her right, a 2001 Hyundai Elantra, driven by 26-year-old Angel Girouex, of Red Oak. Authorities say Girouex was traveling south on N 1st street, at the same time Ramos-Lopez was traveling westbound on E. Joy Street.

The collision occurred at the uncontrolled intersection, where drivers must yield to the vehicle on their right. Ramos-Lopez’ 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan struck the car on the driver’s side, causing an estimated $8,500 damage altogether, according to the Police report. Both vehicles had to be towed from the scene.

Ramos-Lopez was cited for Failure to Yield.

DOUGLAS RICE, 57, of Alaska (& formerly of Fontanelle) – Funeral Svcs. 5/18/24

Obituaries

May 8th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

DOUGLAS RICE, 57, of Alaska (& formerly of Fontanelle), died May 7, 2024, in West Des Moines.  Funeral services for DOUGLAS RICE  will be held 3-p.m. Saturday, May 18, 2024, at the Lamb Funeral Home in Fontanelle.

The family will greet friends from 1-until 3-p.m., Saturday, at the funeral home.

Burial is in the Fontanelle Cemetery.  A luncheon will be held at the Hotel Greenfield following the burial.

Memorials can be sent to Hope Lodge, Rochester, Minnesota or a cancer support organization of your choice.

DOUGLAS RICE is survived by:

His sons – Levi, of Waukee, Dylan (Sydney), of Eagle River, Alaska.

His daughter – Emma (Ashton), of Juneau, Alaska.

His father – Jimmy Dean (Louise), of Soldotna, Alaska.

His mother – Mary Lea, of Waukee, Iowa.

His brother – Daryl (Nathalie) of Sitka, Alaska.

His sisters – Darcy (Keith), of Urbandale; Dottie of Omaha, NE, and Daisy, of Lewis.

2 grandchildren, other relatives and friends.

Online condolences may be left to the family at www.lambfuneralhomes.com.

Accident in Atlantic Wed. morning

News

May 8th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Emergency crews responded to a two-vehicle collision in Atlantic this (Wednesday) morning. The crash occurred at around 7:50-a.m., at S.W. 7th (Highway 6) and W. 15th Streets. A report on injuries was not immediately available. (Photo courtesy of Chris Parks)