(Radio Iowa) – Before this week’s warm-up, more than 30 swans were trapped in the ice on Little Wall Lake in central Iowa’s Hamilton County. Rescue efforts were hampered as the ice was too thin to safely support humans, so a hovercraft was used last week to reach the struggling birds. Jeni Boonjakuakul, with the Iowa Bird Rehabilitation Center in Des Moines, says seven swans were saved, but three died, likely from a combination of exposure and lead poisoning. “We took the four remaining ones to the Nebraska Wildlife Center. They have a full-time vet and some amazing equipment and we were able to get the lead out of the gizzards of two of the swans,” Boonjakualkul says. “Two are still there because they were too unstable to do the procedure, but we are hoping within the next day or two, that they stabilize, and then we can do the procedure on them as well.”

Another 24 dead swans were pulled from the icy lake by rescue and recovery teams. Boonjakuakul says it’s common for swans to be afflicted with lead poisoning. “They usually are ingesting lead particles that are at the bottom of the lake, and Little Wall Lake is 30 inches lower than it normally is due to our drought,” she says. “The swans have very long necks, so they were able to reach the bottom, and as they forage, they’re picking up particles, and then the lead just sits in their gizzard. It doesn’t digest and it doesn’t move through their system and it just continues to poison them.” It’s hoped all four swans can return to the Iowa rehab center to be nursed back to health, though it could take months.

Iowa Bird Rehab photo from Facebook

For updates on the swans, follow Iowa Bird Rehabilitation on Facebook.
iowabirdrehab.org

(Griswold, Iowa) – Officials with the Noble Initiative Foundation (NIF) Board and Lakin Foundation Child Development Center (CDC) of Griswold, will hold a Grand Opening this Saturday morning for the new Center. Due to an anticipated over-flow crowd and occupancy limits for the Center (established by the State Fire Marshal), the Grand Opening will be held at the Griswold Church of Christ (51 Harrison St.) in Griswold, instead of at the facility. )

The event begins at 10:30-a.m.  It includes a brief presentation, followed by a reception.

Everyone’s flexibility is appreciated as the NIF Board and Lakin CDC are anxious to celebrate opening the doors this spring! At the ceremony the community will learn about the next steps that need to completed, before doors open and children are accepted.  Groundbreaking for the 8,800-square-foot, $2.3-million facility took place in May, 2023. It’s anticipated the center will house up to 100 children ages six weeks to four years old during the day, with a separate before and after school area for elementary-aged kids. Other amenities include four classrooms and a gym.

PLEASANTVILLE, Iowa [KCCI] — An Iowa high school student has been charged with first-degree harassment for allegedly making threats toward Pleasantville High School. KCCI says Pleasantville administrators were made aware of the threat at the end of the school day Wednesday and contacted law enforcement. Police officers detained the student on campus before taking them to the Pleasantville Police Station for further questioning.

“Upon thorough evaluation of the information provided by both the Pleasantville School District and the Pleasantville Police Department, it was concluded that a criminal complaint for Harassment in the First Degree would be filed with the Juvenile Courts,” Pleasantville police said in a news release. Authorities say there is no ongoing threat to students or staff at Pleasantville schools or the community. Counseling services are available to students who may want them.

“We would encourage families to continue to talk with their children about the seriousness of threats and the importance of reporting suspicious activities, threats, or disturbing information to a trusted adult,” the news release said.

(Creston, Iowa) – Creston Police say two people were arrested, Wednesday. At around 2:30-p.m., 38-year-old Manuel Luke Richardson, of Creston, was arrested at the Creston/Union County Law Enforcement Center on a charge of Failure to Appear. Richardson was taken to Union County Jail and later released after posting a $7,000 cash-only bond.

Wednesday night, 26-year-old Amanda Marie Blakley-Luddington, of Creston, was arrested at the Creston Fareway Store. She was charged with Driving While Barred. Blakley-Luddington was cited at the scene and released on a Promise to Appear in court.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic School District Superintendent Dr. Beth Johnsen, Wednesday, discussed with the School Board, “Protective Procedures,” with regard to school safety, in light of the fatal shootings in the Perry Community School District in January. On January 23, district officials met with Law Enforcement, a representative of the Cass County Communications Center and others in the community, to ask and answer questions, with the ultimate goal of becoming better organized to react to potential threats school districts face.

Dr. Johnsen says involving students in the process of keeping the District’s buildings safe, is essential because of what they see happening, and what could be done prevent a potential incident from taking place.

Atlantic School Board President Kristy Pellett (Left), & Superintendent Johnsen.

She said Atlantic’s elementary school building Principals are involving parents in the process, and explaining the District’s A.L.I.C.E. (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate) training.

A District Safety Committee meeting is set to take place February 26^th, during which they expect to hear feedback from students and parent groups. In other business, Dr. Johnsen mentioned she and others will be flying to Phoenix, AZ next week, to attend a nationwide TLC (Teacher Leadership & Compensation) Summit.

She said “As administrators and as leaders of the district, we hope to pick up on good practices and then when we get back, its’ ‘what’s our next steps?’”

In other business, the Atlantic School Board, Wednesday night, reviewed and discussed a “Staff Culture Survey,” and Dr. Johnsen touched a bit on the Board’s 2023-24 Strategic Priorities.

(Radio Iowa) – A singer, composer, guitarist and humanitarian from the Middle Eastern nation of Jordan is showcasing her musical talents in southeast Iowa this week. Farah Siraj is making multiple appearances in Oskaloosa, including at the George Daily Auditorium where Allison McGuire is the community engagement and education director. McGuire says Siraj is being accompanied by musicians from all over the world, singing in Arabic, English and Spanish.

Oskaloosa is the current Iowa host of the Arts Midwest’s World Fest. McGuire says the program offers small Midwestern communities once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to learn about the world from musicians inside and outside the U-S.

In the past year and a half, World Fest has also brought in musicians from Finland, Alaska and Ghana, who’ve engaged thousands of Mahaska County residents, performing at schools, bookstores, coffee shops, and as the halftime show of college basketball games.

George Daily Auditorium – Home