Officials with PRIDE (the Progressive Rural Iowa Development Enterprise) have announced two legislative coffees will be held in Cass County during the 2014 legislative session. The first is at 8 a.m. Saturday, February 22, at the Griswold Public Library, 505 Main Street. The City of Cumberland is the second host on Saturday, March 22, at 10 a.m. at the Fire Station, 216 Main Street.

PRIDE President Kenner Baxter says the coffees “Are opportunities to have face-to-face dialogue with our Iowa legislators. ” Usually, those legislators in attendance include Senators Hubert Houser and Jake Chapman, as well as Representatives Jack Drake and Clel Baudler.

P.R.I.D.E. is the economic development organization that works on behalf of communities, businesses, and citizens from Cumberland, Lewis, and Marne for Southwest Iowa development. For additional information, or to join P.R.I.D.E., please contact Kenner Baxter, president, at 781-2395, or Clarke Gerlock, vice-president, at 712-774-5476.

It’s time once again to determine which restaurant makes the best burger in Iowa. The 5th Annual “Iowa’s Best Burger” contest is looking for nominations. The event is sponsored by the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association. In this year’s quest, the Iowa Beef Industry Council and Iowa Cattlemen’s Association are encouraging you to nominate your favorite burger, whether it is gourmet or down-home style.

All nominations must be in the IBIC office by 5-pm on March 17th and nominations begin today (Thursday). The entries need to be 100 percent all beef burgers. The contest rules and nomination forms can be found online at www.iabeef.org. Burger lovers can also find a link to the nomination form at the Iowa Beef Council Foundation Facebook page or text Beef to 313131 and receive information on your cell phone.

The more nominations a burger receives, the better the chances it will make the top ten list announced in late March. Finalists will receive a certificate and be eligible for the secret taste-test of contest judges. The winner will be announced the first week of May to kickoff Beef Month. Last year, the Iowa Beef Industry Council received 6,320 nominations for 349 restaurants. The winner was the 61 Chop House, in Mediapolis. Among the top 10 finishers was Sam’s Sodas and Sandwhiches in Carroll, and the Elm’s Club, in Creston.

w/ Ric Hanson

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Iowa State University Extension in Cass County is partnering with the Anita Health and Wellness Center and CAM High School students to bring LIFE to Cass County! The Living (well through) Intergenerational Fitness and Exercise (LIFE) Program introduces older adults to “exergaming”, video games that integrate game play with physical activity. Younger adults (age 16-25) serve as LIFE trainers for the older adult participants. The program is part of a project developed by Iowa State University researchers, and funded by the Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Program of the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.  

The LIFE program will be coming to the Anita Health and Wellness Center, beginning on Wednesday, February 19^th. Cass County Extension Staff are also looking for local volunteers aged 16-25 to start the program at a site in Atlantic. Any interested local adults aged 60+ are encouraged to participate in this 8 week program, which already has proven beneficial to previous participants. 

Participants in the LIFE program will meet twice a week, from 8:45 to 9:45 AM on Mondays and Wednesdays, for 8 weeks- working with CAM High School students to get active through “exergaming” and other group activities. Interested participants will also be asked to fill out a survey before the first class, and after the last class, to meet the research requirements of the project. All participant data will remain completely confidential and anonymous to research conductors.  

The local students serving as volunteer trainers for the LIFE program have completed training on using the Kinect^® gaming system, leading interactive games, and offering assistance and applying safety precautions when working with older adults as they engage in physical activity. 

After the eight week program, participants are encouraged to continue the program on their own if they are interested in doing so. For 16 weeks they also will receive eight bi-weekly newsletters targeting physical activity, nutrition and wellness. 

Cass County Extension is looking for local volunteers, from 16-to 25-years of age, who are interested in leading the program at a site in Atlantic. If this may be you, or you know of someone who would be a good fit for the program, please call Kate Olson at the Cass County Extension Office (243-1132) or email keolson@iastate.edu. More information on the LIFE program can be found online at www.extension.iastate.edu/life.  

w/ Ric Hanson

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Iowa Democrat Representative Bruce Braley, candidate for the US Senate seat currently held by Tom Harkin, will be in Atlantic next week. The Waterloo man will visit the Family Table restaurant next Wednesday, February 19th, from 9:30 to 10:15 AM. Braley, a Congressman from Iowa’s First District, announced his candidacy for the Senate seat soon after Harkin made public his retirement plans.

Cass County Democratic party Chair  Sherry Toelle says everyone is invited to attend the event and learn more about the candidate so they can make a more educated choice when the head to the polls in November.

The statewide telephone service 2-1-1 is being swamped with calls from people who are looking for help paying their utility bills. Shawna Forsberg is spokeswoman for the United Way of the Midlands and says the brutal winter is taking a significant toll on many Iowans’ finances. “A lot of calls are coming in around folks needing help covering their heat bills,” Forsberg says. “Maybe they’ve run into health issues in their family or loss of a job and are looking for some help in that.”

She says they’re seeing a 43-percent increase from last year in calls from people needing assistance with utility bills. Of those who called during January, 81-percent either had received a utility shutoff notice or had already been shut off. Forsberg says dialing 2-1-1 is a free, confidential call that provides information and referrals to a variety of public and non-profit programs.  “It could range from anyone that needs heat assistance or needs help in finding services for health care,” Forsberg says. “Right now, a really popular call is helping with taxes. There are free tax services available to people.”

As further evidence of the tough times, she says there’s also been a boost in people calling 2-1-1 looking for a hot meal.  She says, “Food and meals for example or finding out where pantries are at or congregate meal centers.” You can also reach the 2-1-1 information line online at the website: 211iowa.org.

(Radio Iowa)

A couple from Adel went to the statehouse Wednesday to urge legislators to pass a bill that would require more in-home day care providers to register with the state and undergo regular inspections. Travis Hoover told lawmakers of the 2012 death of his baby. “We lost our little daughter, Annie,” Travis Hoover said. “She was six months old. We actually buried her on her six-month birthday and she was at an in-home…day care center that was unregistered.”

Under current state law, an in-home day care that serves five or fewer kids is exempt from all state oversight. Some home day care providers are backing a bill that would require even those smaller day cares to be inspected. Kay Strayhorn, who cares for children in her Urbandale home, wonders if unregistered homes are meeting safety standards. “We wouldn’t know, because there’s no inspections being done,” Strayhorn says. In the past, Democrats have pushed to expand state oversight of small in-home day cares, but Republicans have resisted.

But this year, Peter Cownie — a Republican from West Des Moines — is backing the bill to boost regulation, after hearing the Hoover’s story. “You know, my wife and I have a 20-month-old and it certainly hits home with me and I think it’s something that we should take a look at,” Cownie says. But Cownie warns legislators have to figure out how to pay for more state inspections of day cares before his bill has a chance of advancing. Child care centers in Iowa pay a licensing fee, but Danielle Oswald-Thole with the Iowa Child and Family Policy Center cautions against assessing new fees to in-home day cares.

“Home providers are some of the lowest paid professionals in the state,” Oswald-Thole says. “Many of them barely make minimum wage.” The bill to expand registration requirements for small in-home day cares passed an initial hurdle in the House Wednesday. A three-member panel signed off, sending the bill to the House Commerce Committee.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A state panel has approved legislation giving prosecutors more options for helping minors mired in prostitution and increasing penalties for pimps who used children. The House Judiciary Committee voted 20-0 yesterday to approve the bill, which now goes to the House floor. Penalties would also increase for pimping involving a minor from a class “D” felony to a class “C” felony.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa City elementary school has lifted a lockdown caused by a suspect on the loose. Mark Twain Elementary School went on lockdown yesterday afternoon as authorities searched for a suspect wanted by county and state officials. The Press-Citizen reports that Iowa City Community School District says authorities later gave permission for the students to be dismissed. Authorities are still looking for the suspect.

BEVINGTON, Iowa (AP) — A Cedar Rapids man faces several charges in connection to a brief standoff with authorities on a freeway. The Des Moines Register reports 19-year-old Albert Austin the Third faces multiple charges related to the Tuesday afternoon incident, including operating while intoxicated, reckless driving and attempting to elude. The incident temporarily rerouted traffic for several miles.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — A Dubuque woman has been accused of hitting her boyfriend and using a golf club to repeatedly strike a car. The Telegraph Herald reports 21-year-old Cynthia Pendleton was arrested Tuesday afternoon. She faces charges of assault while displaying, child endangerment and third-degree criminal mischief.