Investments will impact Appanoose, Audubon, Carroll, Clayton, Crawford, Decatur, Fremont, Greene, Grundy, Guthrie, Harrison, Jackson, Poweshiek, Sac, Union, Van Buren, and Washington counties

DES MOINES, Iowa, Sept. 21, 2023 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director in Iowa Theresa Greenfield today announced that the Agency is investing $4,782,800 in loans and $268,500 in grants to 13 rural Iowa projects to help communities and businesses improve critical community infrastructure and promote economic development.

“These investments will help our rural neighbors establish and operate vital services, such as health care facilities, volunteer fire departments, and school transport,” said Director Greenfield. “Under the leadership of the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA has made improving communities and expanding access to capital for small business top priorities. When we address these needs with grants and loans, we help uplift rural Iowa.”

Among the USDA Funded Projects:

-The City of Randolph in Fremont County received a $22,000 grant from the Water and Waste Disposal Predevelopment Planning Grants program to prepare a water facility improvements plan. This project will produce a facility plan created by professional engineers that includes alternatives and recommendations to meet the rehabilitation needs of the entire water system. Once completed, the project will help guide the city’s planning efforts and will promote the safety of the local water supply for the residents of this rural community.

–Region XII Council of Governments in Carroll received a $1 million loan from the Intermediary Relending Program to expand the lending capacity of its revolving loan fund. This project will enable the organization, a voluntary association formed to facilitate multi-community collaboration, to finance development projects by providing loans to businesses in their seven-county region. Once completed, this project will promote economic progress and increase employment opportunities for residents in rural Audubon, Carroll, Crawford, Greene, Guthrie, and Sac counties.

Community Facilities Grants were awarded to:

-The City of Coon Rapids: a $45,600 grant to purchase equipment. This project will provide 14 air packs and related materials to facilitate firefighting and rescue operations. The project will replace the fire department’s expired air packs. Once in service, this equipment will help safeguard the lives of the city’s fire volunteers during the dangerous situations they may encounter while serving the emergency needs of this rural Carroll County community.

–Woodbine Community School District: a $35,700 grant to purchase a vehicle. This project will provide an 11-passenger van to transport small groups of students. Once in operation, the vehicle will increase operational efficiencies and promote the safety of school district passengers in this rural Harrison County community.

-The City of Creston received a $28,600 grant to purchase a law enforcement vehicle. This project will replace an aging patrol unit with a new model for the city’s law enforcement department. Once in operation, the new vehicle will increase operational efficiency and promote the safety of residents and law enforcement personnel in this rural Union County community.

(Radio Iowa) – Kevin Reynolds, the husband of Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, has been diagnosed with lung cancer. The governor issued a written statement this (Thursday) revealing her husband’s diagnosis. Reynolds says the couple has every reason to be optimistic, as their doctor has assured them there have been significant advancements in lung cancer treatment. Kevin and Kim Reynolds have been married for 41 years.

She describes her husband as her anchor throughout their marriage and Reynolds says she will be the same for him as he begins treatment. The governor says she and her husband are blessed to e surrounded by a loving family and a community of prayer warriors — and they know God is with them on this journey.

(Radio Iowa) – John Deere is laying off nearly ten percent of its workforce at the Harvester Works in East Moline, Illinois.
K-W-W-L T-V reports the company let employees know at a meeting Wednesday they were being laid off indefinitely. Deere leaders told employees that they had learned of the need for layoffs just one week ago.

They say lagging economic conditions for farmers are the primary reason for laying off employees. Some 225 workers will be laid off on October 16th.

Cass Health Senior Life Solutions is hosting a community walk Saturday in support of National Suicide Prevention Month.  Program Therapist Casey Peterson says people of all ages can be considering suicide for many reasons.  She says it can be a bit more difficult to see the risk in the older population.

The free event will begin at 6:30 Saturday evening at the Rotary Shelter at Schildberg Recreation Area with a local speaker sharing a personal story.  The walk will begin at 7:00 pm around the trail loop.  There will be light refreshments and community resources available.  Peterson says she hopes the walk will help raise awareness of a very important issue.

The event is co-hosted by Healthy Cass County, Cass County ISU Extension and Zion Integrated Behavioral Health Services.   If you, or someone you care about is in an emergency, call 9-1-1 immediately.  If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or are in crisis, call, text or chat the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 9-8-8.

A new national health study gives Iowa poor marks for its efforts to try and keep in shape. According to the report from Trust for America’s Health, Iowa is among 22 states with an adult obesity rate at or above 35-percent. Nadine Gracia (GRAH-see-ah), director of government relations for the trust, says Iowans are in worse condition than in most other states.

While 22 states had adult obesity rate at or above 35 percent this year, Gracia says there were 19 states in that category last year, including Iowa, while a decade ago, there were -no- states at that level. She says it’s a dangerous trend for the nation, and for Iowa.

The lessons for getting fit are familiar — they revolve around diet and exercise — but Gracia says it doesn’t stop there.

The trust’s “State of Obesity” report shows West Virginia has the highest rate of adult obesity at 41-percent, while Colorado has the lowest rate at 25-percent.

Autumn arrives Saturday but many Iowa farmers are already starting the fall harvest, and motorists in rural areas will need to share the roads with large, slow-moving farm equipment for the next several weeks. Franklin County Sheriff Aaron Dodd says he’s already spotted drivers taking big chances when they shouldn’t, like trying to pass tractors on a hill.

Such risky behavior might result in a collision, or at least a ticket.

Distractions are also causing crashes, and Dodd says people need to put down the number-one distraction — their smartphones — while driving.

From 2017 through June 30th, 2022, the Iowa Department of Transportation reports 30 people died in crashes involving farm equipment in the state. This is National Farm Safety and Health Week.

Former President Donald Trump is warning that Republican candidates may get clobbered in 2024 if they don’t learn how to properly talk about the abortion issue. Trump also reminded a crowd in Dubuque on Wednesday that he appointed three U-S Supreme Court justices who helped overturn Roe v Wade.

Trump recently said on N-B-C’s Meet the Press that Florida’s six week abortion ban had been a terrible mistake. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who’s running against Trump, told Radio Iowa Trump can’t claim to be pro-life after making that statement. Trump talked about the abortion issue in general yesterday (Wednesday).

Trump was endorsed yesterday (Wednesday) by an eastern Iowa lawmaker who’s pushing for a ban on all abortions, but Trump cautioned against that.

Earlier Wednesday afternoon, Trump told a crowd in Maquoketa that he’s been enduring what he called “made up allegations” since he first ran for president and that’s why his supporters are dismissing the criminal indictments he now faces.

Trump made his comments after a man in the crowd on the Jackson County Fairgrounds asked this question.

Trump says he’s gratified by his standing in national polls that show he has the backing of about 60 percent of Republican voters.

Trump finished about three points behind 2016 Iowa Caucus winner Ted Cruz. A couple of days later, Trump accused Cruz of cheating and asked for a re-vote or that Cruz’s Iowa Caucus results be thrown out. Trump reminded audiences in Dubuque and Maquoketa that the 2024 Iowa Caucuses are on January 15th.

Trump said he expects to campaign in Iowa five or six more times before the Caucuses.

(Radio Iowa) – State Treasurer Roby (ROB-ee, like “Robbie“) Smith says a rare trading card from a pro basketball star’s rookie season has sold for 54-hundred dollars. The 1986 Michael Jordan card was in a batch of unclaimed property Smith’s office put up for auction online this spring. When Smith was made aware of the card’s potential value, though, he ordered an appraisal — which found the card was authentic, in near mint condition and worth at least four-thousand dollars.

Smith has seen photos of the card, which was in an unclaimed lock box turned over to the state years ago. A very limited number of people have handled the card.

Banks turn unclaimed lock boxes over to the State Treasurer’s Office if the owner can’t be tracked down. The 54-hundred dollars made from the sale of this Michael Jordan card will go into an special state-managed account, just in case the owner or an heir steps forward in the future to claim the money. The state maintains the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt website where people can search for any unclaimed property.

Each year, the State Treasurer’s office receives up to 300 hundred safe deposit boxes that have been abandoned and is running out of space, so some of the boxes that have been in the state’s possession for several years are selected for auction. The state still has about three-thousand unclaimed safety deposit boxes in storage.

(Radio Iowa) – Slain Algona police officer Keven Cram was remembered today (Wednesday) as hundreds of family, friends, and law officers gathered in the Algona High School gym. Algona Police Chief Bo Miller says Cram was a man who cared about a life of service.

He says the 33-year-old Cram could be described as the perfect officer.

Away from the job, Miller says Cram cared so much for his family.

He says Cram would always talk about his Iowa blue chickens and sent him multiple articles on them. Miller says Cram had a sense of humor and started a running joke that he would eat road kill animals.

Cram Honor Guard (Media pool photo)

Miller recalled finding a dead raccoon on the road and sending Cram a picture to ask him if he wanted it.

Miller also had a message for the officers attending the funeral.

The funeral ended with the final call for Cram from the dispatcher using his badge number.

There was a private graveside service for Cram following the public funeral. The man accused of shooting and killing Cram last Wednesday night as he served an arrest warrant remains in jail awaiting extradition from Minnesota.

(Elk Horn, Iowa) – Members of the Exira-EHK Board of Education met Tuesday evening, Sept. 19th.  According to the meeting minutes provided by Business Manager/Board Secretary/Treasurer Mallory Meyer, it was noted that the following board members’ seats are up for election in November: Jodee Dixson; Terri Harris; Matt Jorgensen, and Joel Schlueter. Interested candidates have until 5-p.m. Thursday, Sept. 21st, to turn in the required paperwork to the Board Secretary.

In other business, the Exira-EHK Board unanimously approved a Request for Allowable Growth for Negative Special Education Balance, in the amount of $39,913.04. They approved also, the hiring of Andrea Halterman – Prom Sponsor, and Irene Blazek – Cheer Sponsor.

Followed a closed session, the Exira-EHK Board accepted the resignation of ParaEducator JoBeth LaFoy. A separate closed session was held with regard to the suspension or expulsion of a student, before the Board adjourned for the evening.

Their next regular session is 6-p.m., Oct. 17th, in the Exira-EHK Conference Room.