(Radio Iowa) – Iowans who have too much Saint Patrick’s Day cheer can get a safe ride home tonight (Friday) through Monday morning. Triple-A-Iowa spokesman Brian Ortner says the motor club is offering its free, statewide Tow to Go service for members and non-members across Iowa this weekend.

The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau says during March of last year, there were 26 traffic fatalities on Iowa’s roads and almost 40-percent of those happened the week of Saint Patrick’s Day. Ortner says this service provides an alternative to anyone who may have imbibed too much.

In its 26 years, he says Tow to Go has taken more than 30-thousand impaired drivers safely home. The number to call is 1-855-TOW-2-GO.

Atlantic, Iowa — The Atlantic Public Library was selected as one of 310 libraries to participate in round two of Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities, an American Library Association (ALA) initiative that provides community engagement and accessibility resources to small and rural libraries to help them better serve people with disabilities. The competitive award comes with a $10,000 grant that will help the library develop ways to better serve adults and teens with developmental disabilities.

Atlantic Public Library Director Michelle Andersen says “We are so proud to be chosen again for this amazing opportunity. Last year we received $20,000 towards modernizing the elevator but, with this second round of funding, I wanted to focus on how we can better serve individuals living with disabilities. We are blessed to have so many resources in town like REM and Trivium Life Services, but the library doesn’t have the best tools to serve their clients.”

As part of the grant, Andersen will take an online course in how to lead conversations, a skill vital to library work today. She will then host a conversation with residents about ways to better serve developmentally disabled teens and adults and use the grant funds to provide new resources or programs. Michelle Andersen says “One idea is to begin an affiliation with Next Chapter Book Club. I would also like to research building a collection of high-low books for adults, books with an easy reading level yet are written to appeal to adults and not children. Some other potential services could include providing sensory experiences at the library or in a kit to checkout, installing a communication board for nonverbal people, or offering adaptive computer equipment. The beauty of this grant is that it allows us to make those specific project choices after holding the community conversation.”

The Atlantic Public Library

If you are interested in getting involved or taking part in the conversation, please contact Andersen at the library by e-mailing atlanticpubliclibrary@gmail.com or calling 712-243-5466.

Since 2014, ALA’s Libraries Transforming Communities initiative has re-imagined the role libraries play in supporting communities. Libraries of all types have utilized free dialogue and deliberation training and resources to lead community and campus forums; take part in anti-violence activities; provide a space for residents to come together and discuss challenging topics; and have productive conversations with civic leaders, library trustees and staff.

The Atlantic Public Library connects the community to information, resources, and each other in order to spark ideas and new connections.

(Radio Iowa) – With one month to go before the federal tax filing deadline the I-R-S is offering a day Saturday where you can visit the Des Moines office to get tax questions answered. I-R-S spokesman Christopher Miller says it’s a chance to speak with someone in person. “Normally at the Des Moines Taxpayer Assistance Center, the office is only open during the weekend by appointment. So this Saturday event is a chance for people that maybe work during the week and can’t get away the opportunity to sit down with someone without an appointment and talk about their tax account.” he says. Miller says there’s a variety of issues that can be addressed.

“They may want information about a refund, they may want a copy of their tax transcript, or perhaps they got a letter or a notice from the I-R-S and they need some guidance on what to do next,” Miller says. “We also expect to see people who need to verify their identity with the Internal Revenue Service.” Miller says you should bring in any pertinent documents.”You may want to bring in a copy of last year’s tax return or any tax return that is in question. Bring in a copy of the letter or notice you receive from the I-R-S. You should also bring along a copy of your identification. Bring two copies of identification if you’re verifying your I-D,” Miller says. He says there is one thing they can’t do.

“The I-R-S Taxpayer Assistance Center does not prepare tax returns. We will offer people information if they haven’t done their taxes yet on where they can get help within the community at volunteer sites that prepare taxes for free,” Miller says.

The Taxpayer Assistance Center in downtown Des Moines on Walnut Street will be open from nine to four this Saturday to answer questions.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with Produce in the Park (PIP), in Atlantic, announced today (Friday), the hiring of a new Market Manager, Maria Miller. Miller will oversee the coordination and marketing of Produce in the Park as well as four holiday off season markets. PIP Board President Bailey Smith says “We’re so thrilled to welcome Maria to the Produce in the Park family. The market has grown substantially over the last five years and we’re eager to see what ideas Maria has to enhance the market, while helping to create the same fun atmosphere patrons have come to know and love.”

Miller was born and raised in Omaha and recently moved to Atlantic in 2022 with her family. Produce in the Park was one of the first community events she visited and is one of the reasons she fell in love with the Atlantic community. She loved how welcoming vendors were, the family friendly atmosphere and the investment the market makes to the community. Maria Miller says she is “Excited to be able to contribute to the tradition of Produce in the Park and serve the community. My husband and I…” she says, “…started a garden and quickly realized the hard work it takes to see a good harvest. [And] While my gardening skills may not be stellar, it’s helped me recognize how essential it is to eat seasonally and support local producers.”

Produce in the Park is a weekly Thursday evening (4:30-6:30 PM) farmer’s market in the Atlantic City Park from June 6th – October 10th. Vendor applications can be found online at www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com; printed copies are available at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce (102 Chestnut St., Atlantic). Produce in the Park seeks vendors selling handmade or homegrown products, including local foods, as well as beauty products, candles, crafts, art and decorations.

New Produce In the Park Market Mgr. Maria Miller & family (photo submitted)

Join Produce In the Park on Saturday, March 30th, and find all your Easter goodies at the Spring Celebration Market. The celebration will be at the Nishna Valley Family YMCA from 12 PM – 3 PM and feature produce, baked goods, crafts and more. For the latest information, follow Produce in the Park on Facebook (ProduceInThePark) or Instagram (ProduceInTheParkAtlanticIA).

The Spring Celebration Market is sponsored by Cass Health, Gregg Young of Atlantic, First Whitney Bank & Trust, Nishna Valley Family YMCA, Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Atlantic.

MASON CITY, Iowa – March 15, 2024 – Traveling between Lansing, Iowa, and Crawford County, Wisconsin, will become a bit easier on Monday, March 18, 2024 with the implementation of a free water taxi. The Iowa Department of Transportation says the service will be in place until repairs are made to the existing bridge connecting the two states.

The water taxi will travel between the Lansing Marina and Big Slough Landing and will be available seven days a week on the following schedule.

• 7 to 10 a.m.
• 11 to 1 p.m.
• 3 to 6 p.m.

A one-way trip is estimated to take about 30 minutes.  All riders will be required to get off the water taxi at each stop.

On the Iowa side, parking and a shuttle is available at the Lansing City Hall and  Middle/Kee High School in Lansing.

Lansing City Hall
201 John Street
Lansing, IA  52151

Middle/Kee High School
269 Center Street
Lansing, IA  52151

Travelers on the Wisconsin side will need to park at the DeSoto Community Center and take a shuttle to the water taxi. Parking is not allowed at Big Slough Landing.

De Soto Community Center
57 Crawford Street
De Soto, WI  54624

(Radio Iowa) – Updated population estimates from the U-S Census Bureau show growth in four of Iowa’s metropolitan areas. The Census Bureau estimates there was a three-point-one percent increase in the number of residents in the six counties that are part of the Des Moines metro over the past three years. Iowa City’s metro grew two-point-seven percent and Sioux City saw a very small uptick in its metro population of four-one-hundredths of a percent. Council Bluffs is part of the Omaha metro, where the population expanded by one-point-seven percent over the past three years.

The Census Bureau estimates indicate Cedar Rapids, Dubuque and the Waterloo/Cedar Falls metros all had very small population losses. The population in the Quad Cities dipped one-point-three percent over the past three years. Among all Midwest metros, Des Moines ranked as the fastest growing, ahead of Indianapolis and Madison, Wisconsin.

(The actual losses for Cedar Rapids was 0.3%, the Dubuque metro was down 0.4% and the Waterloo/Cedar Falls area was down 0.2%.)

(Radio Iowa) – It was five years ago this week that a flood devastated the northwestern Iowa town of Hornick and the final repairs still aren’t complete. The West Branch of the Little Sioux River couldn’t be held back by a levee after a late winter rainstorm, and the high water forced the evacuation of all 250 residents in the Woodbury County community. “It’s been a long road to recovery,” according to Hornick Mayor Scott Mitchell, who says a new berm now protects the town. Mitchell says it’s difficult to finalize funding from FEMA to fix roads that were damaged by the flood. The cost has increased in the past two years from two-million dollars to as much as four-million, with FEMA covering 75% of the price. The mayor says the paperwork was a real chore.

“Their process is very difficult for a small town to do,” he says. “We don’t have anybody to do that on a full-time basis, where your larger cities do.” Mitchell says it’s been a difficult journey to put everything back in place. “Lots of ups and downs, maybe more downs than ups,” he says. “And it’s still pretty amazing how a community and the surrounding areas can come together to help out a small community that they don’t even have any ties to.”

Mitchell says he is still thankful for the support his town received in cleaning up after the natural disaster. He hopes to have the final repair work done by the end of this year.

(Toronto, ON and Oakland, IA)  March 12, 2024 – Iowa farmer Seth Watkins together with Cara Morgan at Golden Hills Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D), have collaborated to bring ALUS, the leading agriculture-based ecosystem service program, to Southwest Iowa. Southwest Iowa will be the first ALUS community in the United States. ALUS is a Canadian charitable organization delivering the only turnkey farmer-led community-based program that rewards farmers for creating, restoring, managing and maintaining nature-based projects on their lands. There are currently 38 ALUS communities across Canada. The program will engage Southwest Iowa farmers and ranchers to produce net new nature and ecosystem services, while addressing rural environmental challenges related to soil health, water quality and wildlife habitat.

RC&D Executive Director Cara Marker-Morgan says “Producers in Iowa currently have access to many great cost-share opportunities. We are excited to bring ALUS to the region to both compliment as well as fill any gaps of these current programs. ALUS works alongside these opportunities to support the long-term management and maintenance of projects by providing on-going annual payments, but also by creating and supporting social networks within rural farming communities that facilitate knowledge sharing and peer-to-peer learning. With support from ALUS SWI, local farmers and ranchers will be able to generate permanent, positive environmental benefits for their farms and the surrounding community.”

Iowa is one of the top ten agricultural and cattle producing states in the US. Most of Iowa’s agricultural land was tallgrass prairie prior to settlement. Only 0.1% of Iowa’s prairie remain and most of the remnants are found in western Iowa. Creating tallgrass prairie along field edges and on marginal agricultural land, as well as incorporating prairie management into cattle grazing practices, is one of the areas ALUS SWI will focus their efforts.

Seth Watkins, of Pinhook Farms, says “Adding tallgrass prairie to the working landscape can help address some of the environmental challenges we have in Iowa, like soil erosion and nutrient run-off. Prairie grasses have deep roots that hold soils in place, prevent weed encroachment and filter nutrients and pesticides from water runoff. They’re resilient to drought and poor soil conditions and provide habitat for a variety of wildlife, like pollinators, beneficial insects and birds. This is one of the regenerative agriculture practices that can help farmers and ranchers build longevity into their operations while producing environmental benefits.”

ALUS communities work directly with farmers and ranchers to create, manage and maintain new acres of nature that best suit their farm operation and address local environmental challenges. This includes grassland restoration, but also projects like wetland restoration, tree and shrub planting (e.g., riparian buffers, windbreaks, buffer strips) and on-field regenerative agriculture practices, like modified grazing. New acres of nature are created on marginal land or field edges leaving productive land in production.

Bryan Gilvesy, CEO, of ALUS, says “ALUS has been a principles-based program from the very beginning. We believe in working at the grassroots community level to create solutions to local environmental problems. Our program was designed to be integrated alongside other funding mechanisms, such as government programs and grants, and to provide farmers and ranchers with a one-stop shop to access the knowledge, resources and funding they need to maximize the environmental potential of their marginal lands while maintaining farm productivity. We’re excited to launch the first ALUS community in the US in such a vibrant and critical agricultural region as Southwest Iowa.”

The launch of ALUS SWI is generously supported and funded in part by Builders Initiative and the Iowa West Foundation.

About ALUS

ALUS is a charitable organization that envisions a future where all farmers and ranchers produce ecosystem services from nature-based solutions alongside food and fibre to help solve the crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. Through its turn-key farmer-led, community-delivered program, ALUS supports more than 330 community leaders across 38 ALUS communities in helping over 1,600 farmers and ranchers build and actively manage 46,000+ acres of nature-based projects. These projects, like wetlands, grasslands and tree and shrub plantings, help capture carbon, keep lakes, rivers and streams clean, provide food and shelter for wildlife, and better prepare communities for extreme weather events like flood and drought.

ALUS also helps governments, businesses and philanthropic foundations invest in Nature & Climate Solutions on agricultural land to generate positive environmental, economic and social outcomes in the communities where they operate—one acre at a time.

Golden Hills Resource Conservation and Development’s mission is “To collaboratively develop and lead community, conservation, and cultural initiatives to improve our quality of life in rural western Iowa.” Our goals include ensuring healthy natural resources that meet the needs of agriculture, industry, private use, and recreational facilities; promoting and enhancing art, culture and historic resources in rural communities; and working on projects that fill gaps in community services to benefit people of southwest Iowa. Golden Hills was organized under and financially supported by the USDA NRCS in 1981. When USDA operational funding ended in 2011, ongoing work has been as a private non-profit. We have a twenty-three year history of successful conservation and development projects throughout the region. The official Golden Hills footprint is twelve Southwest Iowa counties but much of our projects extend beyond these counties throughout the western part of Iowa.