ELK HORN, Iowa – In a live Facebook video Wednesday, staff with the Museum of Danish America announced that the organization has achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition afforded the nation’s museums. Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, to governments, funders, outside agencies, and to the museum-going public.

Alliance Accreditation brings national recognition to a museum for its commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards and continued institutional improvement. Executive Director Rasmus Thøgersen said “Accreditation is a tribute to all who have helped the museum get this far – one step at a time, little by little. We are deeply grateful to all the past and present board members, the staff, the interns, the volunteers, and our great local community for all the support we have gotten throughout the years.”

Museum of Danish America

Of the nation’s 35,000 museums, less than 3 percent are accredited. In western Iowa only four Sioux City museums share the honor. The Museum of Danish America was organized in 1983 as the Danish Immigrant Museum. In 1994 it opened its half-timbered facility on the west edge of Elk Horn and has grown its collection to more than 35,000 artifacts relating to Danish-American experience. Its exhibits regularly tour the nation, and its Genealogy Center conducts professional research and translations for patrons near and far.

The Museum of Danish America is offering free admission during the month of April, since part of its exhibits are undergoing their first major renovation in a decade. Many other features, including two temporary exhibits and the Design Store, will be open each day as usual.

Officials with the Iowa DNR say the Grand River Grasslands Bird Conservation Area will be at center stage on April 8th for the 14th Annual Prairie Chicken Festival, originating from the viewing platform on 300th Avenue, southwest of Kellerton.

Viewers should plan to arrive early as the best viewing occurs at dawn. The event will proceed until the birds diminish their courtship dancing and booming, which is around 9:30 a.m. Prairie chickens were reintroduced to the area and each spring their courtship dances occur where their booming calls resonate across southern Iowa hills and valleys.

Spotting scopes, binoculars, cameras and phones will be trained on capturing the images and sounds of the unique mating ritual that is part dance, part combat, and part haunting symphony. Iowa’s prairie chickens are only found in Ringgold County.

Campers anxious to reserve spots for the Fourth of July weekend should mark March 31 on their calendars, when reservations for a Friday arrival open. Campers can make reservations for sites three months ahead of their first night’s stay. Todd Coffelt, chief of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources State Parks Bureau, says “Electric sites go quickly. And some sites will already be reserved by campers arriving prior to the holiday weekend.”

Not every campsite is available on the reservation system. Parks maintain between 25 and 50 percent of the electric and nonelectric sites as non-reservation sites, available for walk-up camping.

Information on Iowa’s state parks is available online at www.iowadnr.gov/stateparks including the link to reservations. Campers can also log on directly to http://iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com; enter their preferred dates and/or parks to see what sites are available and make a reservation.

Lucas Mosier of Gade Insurance Services was recently recognized by KHI Solutions with the 2016 Partners in Excellence Grow Your Business Award. In a Press Release, KHI says the award acknowledges the expertise and sales experience Mosier uses to find the right products to fit the individual needs of his clients. KHI presented the award to the top 10% of their agents based on their 2016 sales production at a dinner reception held in early March.

Mosier shares the same philosophy as KHI by focusing on the needs of his clients by providing the right product at the right price to deliver unsurpassed confidence and peace of mind to his clients.

KHI Solutions has offices located in Fort Dodge, Webster City and West Des Moines and is contracted with all the major health insurance carriers and has more than 450 independent agents.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports the River Valley Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Park in Council Bluffs is scheduled to reopen for riding Saturday, April 1st. The park was closed due to safety concerns over flood-damaged trees. Loggers recently completed work removing potentially hazardous trees and trails are now re-established.

More than 80 volunteers recently helped with final clean-up and preparation for opening. Due to safety concerns and to sustain the work recently completed, riders are reminded they cannot go off trail or make new trails.

River Valley is open to ATV, off-road motorcycles and side-by-sides that are 65 inches in width or less. Riders must have their machines registered with their county recorder’s office or with an ELSI vendor for nonresident user permits. ELSI vendors can be found where hunting and fishing licenses are sold.

Riders who are ages 12 through 17 are required to have a valid ATV education certificate in their possession. Operators of side-by-sides must possess a valid driver’s license. For more information about park rules, go to www.dnriowa.gov/ohv

Representatives of Iowa businesses and individuals who might be affected are pushing back against a G-O-P lawmaker’s plan to limit state tax credits. This past year, the State of Iowa awarded 427-MILLION dollars in tax credits. The top tax credits benefit businesses with significant research programs and investors who restore historic properties. One of the other top tax credits is the “Earned Income Tax Credit” for low-income Iowans.  “It does a good job. It’s one of the best policies that you have in the state of Iowa to help those families.”

That’s Mike Owen of the Iowa Policy Project. Lana Shope is executive director of the Iowa Community Action Association. She says the Earned Income Tax Credit is a “real incentive” for low-income Iowans.  “Oftentimes they’re taking that entry-level job, at an entry-level wage, because they don’t have a history of work experience for a variety of reasons,” she says.

Businesses like Monsanto say they might consider relocating their research facilities to other states if Iowa policymakers no longer allow the Research Activities Tax Credit to be “refundable.” Some businesses get a check from the State of Iowa because the size of their research operation gets a tax credit so big, it’s larger than their overall tax bill to the state of Iowa. Nicole Crain of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry says the numbers show the Research Activities Tax Credit is working.

“The companies not only pay their employees good wages, they also give back to those communities and it really is a good benefit for the tax base of the state of Iowa… property taxes, all kinds of investment,” Crain says.

The state awards dozens of other tax credits ranging from a credit to cover adoption expenses to the 100-dollar annual tax credit for Iowa fire fighters and advocates are urging lawmakers to continue those as well. Crain says her business group is urging lawmakers to take a more comprehensive approach. “Talk about what is comprehensive tax reform and what does that look like, not just a conversation about eliminating tax credits,” Crain says.

Some Republican legislators ARE trying to craft proposals that would cut income tax rates for individuals and corporations, but no plan has been unveiled. Governor Branstad said in January the state isn’t in a financial position to cut taxes this year.

(Radio Iowa)

Iowans are continuing to gather donations to help cattlemen across Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas who were hit hard by recent wildfires. Iowa Cattlemen’s Association communications director, Katie Olthoff, says an auction is planned on April 7th to raise money to help “We know there are a lot of needs out there as producers in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas begin to rebuild,” Olthoff says. “They are going to need things like fencing supplies, milk replacer for their calves, hay of course, and eventually they’ll need some replacement livestock. So we want to provide as much cash as possible to help them get what they need to get back on their feet.”

They hope the auction will bring in cash that can go toward purchasing the needed items. She says they are partnering with the Iowa Cattlemen’s Foundation, Dream-Dirt Farm and Ranch Real Estate for the online auction fundraiser. “We’re hoping to get some really great donations. We’ve got some equipment donated, we’ve got some beer and some cattle donated. We’re working some vacation packages right now that will be on that auction,” Olthoff says.

She says you don’t have to be a cattle producer to take part in the auction or to donate to the cause. “Iowans are generous and eager to help when they see people who are hurting and in need of help. And so, we want to make this open to everybody and get as much involvement as we possibly can,” Olthoff says.

Olthoff says Iowa farmers have been quick to respond as they know it could easily have been them who were hit by the disaster. “In our farming communities we know that it often takes generations — decades — to build a successful farm and most of us in the ag community are hoping to pass that on to our children,” Olthoff explains. “So, I think when we see other farmers hurting, wherever it is, we are willing to help out.”

Olthoff says you can got to the Iowa Cattlemen’s website at: www.iacattlemen.org for more information on the auction. She says there’s auction information on the site as well as information on some of the things that have been donated. Olthoff says they are still taking donations for the auction which will be Friday April 7th at 10 o’clock. “You can also bid beforehand if you’d like to participate that way too,” Olthoff says.

Many Iowans have already donated hay already, and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association is helping match those donations with transportation.

(Radio Iowa)

Rescue crews from Casey have been called to the scene of a rollover accident off Interstate 80 in Adair County. The incident happened between the 84 and 85 mile marker eastbound (about 2 miles west of the Greenfield exit), at around 10:50-a.m. The vehicle was said to have rolled into the south ditch. No word of any injuries.

The CAM School District’s Board of Education, Monday, acted on setting April 11^th at 6:30-p.m., as the date and time for Public Hearings on the 2017-18 School Calendar and Budget. The latter is expected to show a tax asking of $10.82 per $1,000 taxable valuation, which is just a penny more than last year’s published rate. The proposed calendar calls for a start date of August 23^rd, the earliest allowed by the State.

In other business, the CAM School Board approved contracts and bonds for the Massena Elementary school addition project. Jensen Builders of Ft. Dodge was the low bidder. And, at a cost of $25,000, the board agreed to add a small, year around-type greenhouse to the Massena building.

The Glenwood Police Department reports 38-year old Joseph Jack, of Glenwood, was arrested this (Tuesday) morning, for Possession of Marijuana and Trespassing. His bond was set at $1,300 cash or surety.