(Radio Iowa) – The largest employer in Cedar Rapids has a new leader. Troy Brunk has been named president of Collins Aerospace. Brunk has led three of the six business units at Collins in Cedar Rapids. He will report directly to the C-E-O of R-T-X — formerly known as Raytheon.

It’s the company that acquired Collins Aerospace in a merger back in 2020. Brunk replaces Stephen Timm, who is retiring after a 28 year career with Collins. About seven-thousand people work at Collins Aerospace in Cedar Rapids.

(Radio Iowa) – There’s an unresolved legal challenge to the law that would ban most abortions in Iowa — and Planned Parenthood clinics in Iowa will continue to provide abortions up to the 20th week of a pregnancy until further action from the courts.

The Iowa Supreme Court ruled on June 28th that a six-week abortion ban is legal under Iowa’s constitution, but the A-C-L-U of Iowa has filed a petition asking the justices to rehear the case. The district court judge who would lift the injunction that’s blocked the law from taking effect cannot act until that matter is resolved. Ruth Richardson is the president and C-E-O of Planned Parenthood of North Central States.

She says the situation is temporary relief and once the nearly total ban on abortions in Iowa goes into effect, Planned Parenthood has developed plans to help patients get out of state abortions if their pregnancy is beyond that early window. Francesca Turner is an OB-GYN in Des Moines and a member of Iowans for Health Liberty. She says there are many complications during pregnancy and they might not be considered life threatening under the law’s exception for life of the mother.

“It’s not our jobs as physicians to tell women what to do,” she said, “but we need to give them the options and allow them to take the risks that they choose for themselves and their family.”

The law has other exceptions for fetal abnormalities and for victims of rape and incest who quickly report the assaults to police.

(Iowa News Service) – Farmers in Iowa are studying interactions between crops, water usage, carbon and nitrogen storage, and how those factors combine to affect longterm soil biodiversity. It’s part of a seven-state project in the Midwest. Researchers are looking at the effects of crop combinations on soil and moisture across the Corn Belt.

Iowa State University Agronomy Professor Sotirious Archontoulis is running one research site in the five-year, $16 million project. He’s monitoring how crop management, carbon and nitrogen content affect soil moisture – and will try to predict the impact on the viability of future crops. “We have the same setup in many different environments to capture different organic matter, soil hydrology conditions,” said Archontoulis, “so we get a better understanding of the complexities in the agronomic system.”

Archontoulis said scientists can also study greenhouse gas emissions from the soil. He said these ultimately affect its health and can have an impact on large ag operation waste runoff, which is known to pollute nearby ground and surface water. The research is gearing up now.

Based on the computer model’s findings, Archontoulis said researchers can make recommendations to farmers based on – for example – how much nitrogen the soil is losing in certain places, and how they can adjust planting schedules as a result.

“We can say, ‘This cropping system with this management practice typically loses that amount of nitrogen,'” said Archontoulis. “‘However, the other combination of cropping system could reduce nitrogen loss and improve productivity by X%, so this is a better strategy to move forward.'”

Archontoulis said the research begins across the Midwest this summer.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak report a Red Oak man who was arrested late Friday night on an OWI charge, was arrested again this (Sunday) afternoon, on an Assault charge. Authorities say 34-year-old Kristopher Carl Friesenhahn was taken into custody at around 2:35-p.m. on the simple misdemeanor offense. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors will meet in a brief, Special Session beginning at 9-a.m. on Tuesday, July 23rd, in the Cass County Courthouse Board Room. The only action item on their agenda, is approval of a Special Class-C Retail Alcohol License.

The Board’s next Regular meeting is on August 6th.

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(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors will meet in a regular weekly session beginning at 8:30-a.m., Tuesday, July 23rd (2024). New business on their agenda includes discussion and possible action with regard to a resolution “Objecting to the Iowa Utilities Board’s (known now as the Iowa Utilities Commission, or IUC) authority to enact Eminent Domain authority within Montgomery County, for privately-owned and operated carbon dioxide pipelines.”

The commission last month approved a proposal by Summit Carbon Solutions to construct about 690 miles of pipe in Iowa to transport captured carbon dioxide from ethanol plants. The company has already sought to expand its footprint by more than 300 feet to connect to more of the facilities. Opposition to the use of eminent domain — in which Summit will be able to force unwilling landowners to host its pipeline network — is a common thread of many objections by landowners across the State, and the attorney’s representing them, as well as conservation groups such as the Sierra Club and Bold Iowa.

The Board will also act on approving claims payable on July 24th, in the amount of $99,420.80.

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(Greenfield, Iowa) – Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports a man from Bridgewater was cited last week for Harassment in the 3rd Degree. 19-year-old Zachary Dokota Christie detained, cited and then released, Wednesday night (July 17), following an investigation into a complaint from the uncle of a woman who was allegedly being harassed by Christie, by allegedly threatening to post nude pictures of the female, who is 18. Christie allegedly said he would post the pictures if the woman did not “hook up with him,” according to a report by the investigating deputy.

The woman told the deputy she had dated Christie in the past, and that they had talked when she moved to Bridgewater last May. The woman and her uncle showed the deputy screen shots from a social media app with Zachary Christie’s alleged screen name “White Boi AKA Marshmallow,” and an additional user name that was messaging in the victim’s profile. The woman identified the subject’s profile and username as being associated with Christie.

Christie admitted in an interview with the deputy, that he sent the messages to the victim, “because he had gotten mad,” but that he did not actually have any nude pictures of the woman to post. Because the woman felt annoyed and intimidated, she filed a charge of Harassment.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City of Atlantic’s Parks Advisory Commission are set to hold their regular monthly meeting on Wednesday, beginning at 3:30-p.m. The meeting takes place in the Parks and Rec Office located just off Sunnyside Lane (1200 Sunnyside Lane).

Old business for the Commission includes updates on:

1. A model solar system project for the Schildberg Recreation Area: In March (2024), the Parks Advisory Commission received a request from Carrol Garrett, for a model solar system to be installed at the Schildberg Recreation Area, dedicated to memory of her husband John. During their meeting last month (June, 2024), Parks Coordinator Jeff Christensen said he was still working on finding different-size spheres for the project, and Chair Kevin Ferguson said he would inquire with Red Oak Fabrication and Curtis Welding, to see if they can help in any way.
2. Splash Pad Update: Jeff Christensen is expected to report on progress with the concrete pad for the project, which includes the framing and pouring of the pad, which was underway last week (July 18th).
3. The Bull Creek Park entrance sign: Last month, Kevin Ferguson obtained a conceptual “draft” for a sign from J.J. Design. The local Junior Federated organization is working with the Ferguson and the Commission on a possible replacement for the current worn, damaged entrance sign.

Under New Business, the Parks Commission will discuss costs associated with a swing set at Harl Holt Park, and foam safety (Fall) padding for the swing set base.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic will meet in a regular session beginning at 5:30-p.m., on Wednesday, July 24th, in the Chambers at City Hall. On their agenda, is a request from Wild Wayne’s, for a Special Fireworks Display on Sept 14th at dusk, with regard to Duke Aerial’s Employee Appreciation event (on private property at 103 W. 29th St.). The request was submitted by Mark O’Brien. The show (if approved) would last about 20-minutes.

Next, the Council will receive a presentation from Cass County/United 1st Aid Program Coordinator Erik Johnson, who will have address the Council on activities related to emergency services in Atlantic and Cass County.

The Atlantic City Council will hold the second reading of an ordinance pertaining to the rezoning of the Camblin Hills Subdivision in Atlantic, from R-2 (Low Density/Single-Family residential) to R-4 (Multifamily residential) housing. The Council, on July 10th, passed the first reading of the ordinance, which would allow for the development of duplex and town-home housing, and a child development center. An R-4 zone specifically allows for the construction of: Single family dwellings; 2-, 3- and/or 4-family dwellings; apartment buildings, and Town Houses. City Administrator John Lund (Who is also the Zoning Administrator), says the request conforms to the map, language and intent of the City’s Comprehensive Plan.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, will act on approving a Change Order for the Sunnyside Park Splashpad Project, in the amount of $27,150. The extra cost is for a 30-by-30-foot shade structure, including the footings and installation for $15,000. Additionally, 162-square yards of pavement, 5-inch (deep) Portland Cement Concrete (P.C.C) sidewalks and shade pad have been added. City Administrator John Lund notes “With so much money saved by the Henley Group’s unexpected [low] bid, the project can afford amendments that round-out and complete this project, making it a more attractive amenity to those who wishes [sic] to enjoy it.”

The Council’s final order of regular business, is to approve a Pay Application in the amount of $316,087.41 to the Henley Group, LLC, for the Sunnyside Park Splashpad Project. John Lund says the bill is high, because the company that supplies the water play structures for the Splashpad requires complete, up-front  payment, which is not something the City’s Engineering firm (Snyder & Assoc.) typically sees. He says in today’s world, “you pay first, then things ship. Not the reverse.” Lund says in the event the play structures are not received, or the City is dissatisfied, [it] can always resort to legal action,” but he thinks everything will be fine, and it will help “Move the project along.”

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Red Oak Police, responding to an incident Saturday night in the 1800 block of N. 4th Street, arrested two men and a woman, following an investigation. Authorities say 35-year-old Micaela Moralaes Gonzales and 35-year-old Douglas Walter Penry, both of Stanton, were arrested at around 10-p.m., for Assault causing bodily injury (Serious misdemeanor). They were being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond, each.

And, 40-year-old Arthur Finton McCarthy, of Ankeny, was charged with Simple Assault (Simple Misdemeanor). His bond was set at $300.