LaVon Eblen speaks with ARISE President Steve Livengood about a new roof and an upcoming program from Dana Kunze at the American Legion Memorial Building about Cass County: Wild West.
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LaVon Eblen speaks with ARISE President Steve Livengood about a new roof and an upcoming program from Dana Kunze at the American Legion Memorial Building about Cass County: Wild West.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.8MB)
Subscribe: RSS
(Radio Iowa) – What’s billed as the Midwest’s largest and most colorful winter kite festival is scheduled for Saturday in north-central Iowa. Libby Hohn, tourism director for the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce, says the Color The Wind Kite Festival is an exhibition of hundreds of traditional and inflatable kites, and even stunt kites doing aerial choreography to music. “We’re expecting great crowds and beautiful kites,” Hohn says. “We have dozens of kiters from all over the United States and even a kiter coming over from England to show off their kites.”
The 36-hundred acre lake is an ideal venue for kiting, she says, as there are no obstacles like trees or power lines. Ten-thousand spectators are expected for the one-day festival which will go on whatever the weather — as long as there’s wind. “Several years ago, there was very low wind and they would just attach kites to some ATVs and drive them around to try and pick up some wind,” Hohn says. “The way our topography is here in Clear Lake, there’s typically a nice breeze or wind so that’s also what makes us a great sailing lake in the summertime.”
Color the Wind Kite Festival (File photo, Clearlakeiowa.com)
At last check, the ice was 19-inches thick, so it’ll be safe to walk right onto the frozen lake to take in the spectacle in the skies. “We really recommend to dress for the weather. If you want to wear ice cleats on your boots, if you’re going to venture out on the ice, that helps with stability,” Hohn says. “If you’re bringing children, we recommend bringing a wagon or even a sled to pull them around on the ice.”
She notes, only kiters can park on the ice, though there’s free parking at Clear Lake High School and free shuttles. The event runs Saturday from 11 AM to 4 PM.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Chamber Ambassadors, Thursday, visited with Leah Mundorf, owner of Skip’s Home Décor & More on East 7th Street, to celebrate the Grand Opening of her Home Décor/ Gift Shop in Atlantic. After closing The Gym, Leah and her husband Mitch were left with an opportunity to try something new. That something new came in the form of a Home Décor Store named after Leah’s late mother’s nickname. Leah is passionate about decorating and helping people create gifts for others and you can sense that when you arrive in the newly remodeled building.
Skip’s Home Décor & More has a little bit of everything from decorative signs, pillows, flowers and candles alongside cards, gift bags, and even some clothing. Leah has no desire to expand into clothing, but she “couldn’t help herself” with some of the pieces on display. Skip’s Home Décor & More has regular business hours of Monday and Thursday, 10AM to 6PM, Tuesday and Friday, 10AM to 3PM, and Saturday, 10AM-2PM. 
Skip’s Home Décor & More is located at 1000 E. 7th Street in Atlantic. To learn more about Skip’s Home Decor, visit their Facebook group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/879933082670149/
(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s largest manufacturing employer is reporting a drop in income but a rise in sales. John Deere is reporting first quarter net income of 903-million dollars. That’s down more than 321-million from the first quarter a year ago. Worldwide net sales and revenues for Quad Cities-based Deere rose five-percent in the quarter to more than nine-and-a half billion, up from about eight-billion last year. 
Deere chairman and C-E-O John May calls the performance “impressive” given last fall’s U-A-W strike as well as “persistent challenges posed by the supply chain and pandemic.”
DES MOINES, IA (Feb. 18, 2021) — Officials with the Healthiest State Initiative have announced the winners of the 2022 Healthiest State Annual Awards. The winners were recognized for their efforts to improve the physical, social and emotional well-being of their students, employees and fellow Iowans. Among the winners in western Iowa, was the City of Manning. Each winner was awarded a monetary prize to continue their work focused on improving the health and wellness at their site.
The winners in the 10 categories are:
Healthy Hometown (Powered by Wellmark) Community Award:
Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh holds a ceremonial check for the 2021 Healthy Hometown award as part of the Healthiest State awards for that year. (2021 File photo)
Early Care award:
Small – Neverland Child Care (Sioux City)
Large – Theodore’s Academy Preschool & Childcare (Sioux City)
K-12 School award: Clay Elementary (Southeast Polk Community School District)
Out-of-School Program award: Girls on the Run of Central Iowa
Workplace award:
Small – Claude W. and Dolly Ahrens Foundation (Grinnell)
Medium – Merchants Bonding Company (West Des Moines)
Large – Optimae LifeServices (Des Moines)
Health Care award: UnityPoint Clinic Pediatrics – Walnut Creek (West Des Moines)
Individual award: Daira Driftmier (Hy-Vee KidsFit)
The winners were announced during an online award ceremony Thursday on Facebook and YouTube. Viewers also heard from keynote speaker Jessica Heims, a two-time Paralympian Iowa who spoke about her inspirational athletic journey that led her to represent Team USA at the 2016 and 2020 Games. To watch a replay of the award ceremony, visit IowaHealthiestState.com/Awards.
Jami Haberl, Healthiest State Initiative executive director, said “The work being done by our finalists and winners to create healthier environments for their students, colleagues and fellow community members is critical to the wellbeing of our state. We are continually inspired by their efforts and were honored to recognize them at the 2022 Healthiest State Annual Awards.” The 2022 Healthiest State Annual Awards are sponsored by Wellmark® Blue Cross® and Blue Shield®, HealthPartners UnityPoint Health, Iowa Department of Public Health, Iowa Medical Society and Malvern Bank.
(Griswold, Iowa) – Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh reminds you that there is one more FREE, QPR (Question. Persuade. Refer) suicide prevention training coming up, in Cass County. The session will be held on Monday, Feb. 21st in the Griswold Public Library, beginning at 5:30-p.m. Hoegh says ” We’ve held this training twice this week, once in Atlantic, and once in Anita, and it has been getting excellent feedback from participants. I love hearing people say they wish more people could take it!” 
The program brought to you in part by USDA, Healthy Cass County, and Cass County Extension. Cass County Extension is providing free pizza. Registration appreciated but not required. Call 712-243-1132 or visit www.extension.iastate.edu/cass/ to pre-register
******
Details:
Event: Griswold | Question. Persuade. Refer. Suicide Prevention Program
Date: Monday, February 21; Time: 5:30-7:00 PM; Location: Griswold Public Library (505 Main St., Griswold, IA 51535)
Say “Yes” to saving the life of a friend, colleague, family member, or neighbor. Just as people trained in CPR help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR can recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and learn to question, persuade, and refer someone to help.
Missouri Valley, Iowa – Officials with the Southwest Iowa Planning Council (SWIPCO), in Atlantic, report following the spring flood of 2019, SWIPCO helped the city of Missouri Valley obtain a $583,000 CDBG Disaster Recovery grant from the Iowa Economic Development Authority to restore damaged drainageways and ditches, as well as replace street surfacing destroyed by flood waters. The project is now in its final stages of completion.
2019 Spring Flood affects Missouri Valley (SWIPCO photo)
Missouri Valley City Administrator Jodie Flaherty said “The drainage system we had in place before was just not functional, and that led to some serious delays in the floodwater receding in 2019. This project is going to prevent a lot of damage to property and make Missouri Valley a safer place to live going forward.” In addition, Flaherty said the $1.9 million project, whose funding came from a combination of FEMA funds following the 2019 flood events and the CDBG administered by SWIPCO, will boost the economic and physical well-being of the city. 
City officials including Flaherty, Mayor Shawn Kelly, Streets Public Works foreman Robert Riesland, and City Engineer Jim Olmsted were all involved in the project’s development and implementation, in coordination with SWIPCO community development staff. Following the spring 2019 floods, the city made temporary repairs, like placing granular surfacing on damaged streets, but FEMA officials agreed the reconstruction of the drainage infrastructure and replacement of the street sub-base and surfacing was needed to prevent further challenges down the line.
The construction of the new drainage infrastructure, as well as the resurfacing of the roads, will result in increased property values and provide additional vitality to the Willow Park subdivision of the city of Missouri Valley. Officials note that with improved infrastructure, Missouri Valley may be more attractive to developers and builders who are looking to build on empty lots.
SWIPCO routinely provides grant writing and administration services to its member communities in Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Pottawattamie, and Shelby Counties and brought over $53 million in grants to the region in the last two years alone.
Ag/Outdoor, Heartbeat Today, Podcasts
Jim Field speaks with Griswold FFA members Trista Swain, Logan Evans, Emma Mundorf, and Bailey Baucom about their chapter and celebrating National FFA Week.
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The Creighton men’s basketball team picked up a win over DePaul on Thursday night in Chicago 71-59. The Bluejays led by 2 at half and outscored the Blue Demons by 10 in the second half.
Atlantic’s Ryan Hawkins had a big game with 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists. Ryan Nembhard added 19 points and 6 assists.
Creighton improves to 17-8 on the season and 9-5 in the Big East.
Next up for the Jays is a home game on Sunday against Marquette at 2:00 p.m.
Today: Partly cloudy & windy. High near 50. SW-NW @ 15-25.
Tonight: P/Cldy. Low 10. N @ 15-25 mph diminishing.
Tomorrow: Mostly sunny & cooler. High 38. S @ 10-20.
Sunday: P/Cldy & warmer. High 59.
Monday (President’s Day): Mo. Cldy & colder once again. High 34.
Thursday’s High in Atlantic was 30. Our Low was 7. Last year on this date the High in Atlantic was 21 and the Low was -5. The Record High on this date was 67 in 2017. The Record Low was -25 in 1978.
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