(Radio Iowa) – A new walking tour in the Iowa Great Lakes includes information about where music icons like Louis Armstrong and Johnny Cash performed. Rebecca Peters is the director of Okoboji Tourism.  “People are always looking for a unique way to experience this area,” Peters says. “We really loved the idea of a walking tour because you get to explore the Arnolds Park area and you get to learn a little bit about some great rock and roll history.” The Roof Garden Ballroom in Arnolds Park was the second largest dance hall in the country when it opened in 1923. The Glenn Miller Orchestra was among its earliest bookings. In the 1950s, the venue began hosting rock ‘n roll acts. The Beach Boys performed there in 1963. Peters co-authored a book about the ballroom.

“We got to visit with people and hear stories about how friends would pile into their car and get as many people into a car as possible and come to Arnolds Park to listen to great music,” Peters says. “…Music has always drawn people here and so I think it’s really special to be able to have this walking tour that just remembers that history.”

The original ballroom was torn down in 1987. A brand new Roof Garden opened in 2019. That’s where the walking tour starts, at displays of memorabilia like signed contracts and posters for some of the concerts at the Roof Garden. The second stop is at the Iowa Rock and Roll Music Association Museum. The final stop is at the site of the original Roof Garden Ballroom. Walkers can stand on a newly installed star positioned where the ballroom’s center stage was located — and bands like The Turtles performed.

(Radio Iowa) – A new book offers a glimpse into what it was like to grow up about a century ago in the small north-central Iowa town of Duncombe (DUN-cum). Author and former Webster City resident Kent Wills, who uses the pen name Jack Weicz, is releasing the book this week called “Duncombe Gal.” Wills says it’s about a woman in the last year of her long life reflecting back on her many experiences as a member of what’s considered the Greatest Generation.

While the woman is Wills’ mother, who was from Duncombe, he says it’s a work of biographical fiction as he had to imagine certain conversations. He says his mother never longed for more than an ordinary life while living through one of the most remarkable times in American history. The 77-page book is available on Amazon and Kindle.

(State News) – The Iowa State Patrol reports there was one fatal accident Friday night, and an injury accident Friday afternoon. In Polk County, 40-year-old Jerry Lee Baskett, of Des Moines, died when the 2004 Dodge RAM 2500 pickup he was driving, left Interstate 80 westbound at mile marker 150, and entered the ditch. The vehicle rolled several times before coming to rest. Baskett was ejected from the pickup and died at the scene. He was not wearing a seat belt. The crash happened at around 10:47-p.m.

The second accident happened at around 2:30-p.m. Friday, in northern Iowa’s Butler County. The Patrol says 69-year-old Duane Earl Gibson, of Shell Rock, was seriously injured when the 2005 Harley Davidson motorcycle he was riding struck a deer on westbound Highway 3, just west of the intersection with T-47 (Sinclair Avenue).

The motorcycle came to rest on the highway, with Gibson pinned beneath the machine. He was not wearing a helmet. Gibson was transported by air ambulance to a hospital in Rochester, MN.

(Clarinda, Iowa) – The Page County Sheriff’s Office has issued a report on eight arrests, dating back to May 24th. Most recently:

• On June 5th and June 1st, 55-year-old Richard James Linfor, of Red Oak, was arrested at the Page County Jail for theft in the 5th degree. Linfor was also arrested on May 28tht at the Mills County Jail, on an active Page County warrant for Violation of Probation ($5,000 bond)
• On June 3rd, 39-year-old Paul Nathaniel Falk, of Shenandoah, was arrested on the Wabash Nature Trail north of Shenandoah Iowa. Arrested for public intoxication. Bond is $300.00 cash or surety.
• On the 2nd of June, 40-year-old Lyle Francis Stogdill, of Shenandoah, was arrested at the Page County Jail  for criminal mischief. Bond is $300.00 cash or surety.
• On May 26th, 53-year-old John David Stone, of Braddyville, was arrested for driving while barred. Bond is $2,000.00 cash or surety.
• On May 25th, 23-year-old  Zachary Lee Miller, of Shenandoah, was arrested at the Page County Sheriff’s Office on an active Page County Warrant for Failure to Appear. Bond is $300.00 Cash Only
• And, on May 24th, 28-year-old Bill Louis Stockwell, of Elk Horn, Iowa, was arrested at the Audubon County Sheriff’s Office on a valid Page County Warrant for driving while barred. Bond was set at $5,000.

Mobile, Ala. – Alina Markutsya of Ames, Iowa will travel to Mobile, Ala., on Wednesday, June 14, to participate in the 66th Distinguished Young Women National Finals on June 22, 23, and 24 at the Mobile Civic Center Theater. Markutsya is one of 50 representatives competing for $155,000 in cash scholarships and the opportunity to represent the program as the Distinguished Young Woman of America for 2023.

Following her selection as the Distinguished Young Woman of Iowa, Markutsya began preparations for the National Finals competition, which will include five categories of evaluation: scholastics, interview, fitness, talent, and self-expression. During her two weeks in Mobile, Markutsya will participate in team building activities, complete community service projects, interact with the Gulf Coast community through various events, and engage in many hours of rehearsal in preparation for the three-night scholarship competition.

“We are excited to welcome the 50 outstanding state representatives to Mobile for the 66th annual National Finals of Distinguished Young Women,” said Carole Hegwood, Executive Director of Distinguished Young Women. “These young women are accomplished, talented, intelligent, and have exciting futures ahead of them.”

If selected as the program’s overall winner, Markutsya will spend the next year representing Distinguished Young Women across the country through various appearances and promoting the program’s national outreach initiative of Be Your Best Self. The outreach program is designed to combat major issues facing children today including childhood obesity and high school drop out rates, as well as encourage young people to take an active interest in their communities through service. The outreach program consists of five elements – Be Healthy, Be Involved, Be Studious, Be Ambitious, and Be Responsible.

Alina Markutsya

Markutsya is a 2023 graduate of Ames High School and the daughter of Svitlana Zbarska and Sergiy Markutsya About Distinguished Young Women Founded in 1958, Distinguished Young Women is a free program that encourages participants to reach their full individual potential. Their mission is to empower young women by providing over $1 billion in scholarship opportunities, connecting with a nationwide network of women, developing their self-confidence, and participating in our Life Skills Workshops that prepare them for success after high school.

National sponsors include Barbara Barrington Jones Family Foundation, Mobile County, City of Mobile, Alabama Power Foundation, Master Boat Builders, Gant Travel Management, Regions Financial Corporation, John Cauley Jeweler,  Jostens, and Alabama Media Group.

For more information about Distinguished Young Women, visit www.DistinguishedYW.org.

(Des Moines, Iowa) — The Iowa GOP will host its annual Lincoln Dinner fundraiser at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines beginning at 5PM CT on Friday, July 28th. Chairman Jeff Kaufmann will host the event which will feature GOP 2024 presidential candidates having the opportunity to mingle with and address attendees.

Presidential candidates who have confirmed their attendance so far include:

President Donald J. Trump
Governor Ron DeSantis
Vice President Mike Pence
Ambassador Nikki Haley
Senator Tim Scott
Vivek Ramaswamy
Governor Asa Hutchinson
Larry Elder
Perry Johnson

More details are expected to follow.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Congresswoman, Ashley Hinson, has introduced a flood mitigation bill that uses the existing U-S-D-A Regional Conservation Partnership Program. “Despite flooding being a major challenge for American agriculture, flooding has never really been elevated as a natural resource concern within the R-C-P-P programs,” Hinson says.

Hinson is a Republican from Marion and was a T-V reporter in Cedar Rapids during the flooding there 15 years ago. She says the legislation will expand prevention measures and ensure communities can secure the resources to protect themselves from flooding.

“The infrastructure for these programs already exists if we can use it for some of these other critical flood mitigation initiatives to protect homes and crops and across cost effective way I think that’s that is what the intent is,” Hinson says.

Democrat Illinois Congressman Eric Sorensen is co-sponsoring the “Flood Resiliency and Land Stewardship Act” with Hinson. Sorensen is a former T-V meteorologist.

(Wiota, Iowa) – The Wiota Steakhouse and Lounge façade revitalization construction is expected to be completed this month (June 2023) in time for Wiota’s Sesquicentennial Celebration. The city of Wiota received a grant from the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) in June 2022 under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Covid Façade program with assistance from Southwest Iowa Planning Council (SWIPCO). This grant was to revitalize the Wiota Steakhouse and Lounge and construction is nearing completion this month.

The CDBG award was for $300,000 in construction costs and administration and the owner contributed $95,433 of their own funding for architect and construction costs. These funds were able to repair the facades on the North, West, and South sides of the existing structure.

Brenda Williams, owner of Wiota Steakhouse and Lounge, said “I am excited to see this project getting so close to completion. We are celebrating Wiota’s Sesquicentennial this June and our city park is getting new playground equipment so the town will be looking its best just in time for the celebration.”

The playground also benefited from grant writing assistance from SWIPCO. SWIPCO assisted the City of Wiota with securing the Rural Revitalization Grant for $20,000 to help purchase the new playground equipment in Wiota.

The focus of CDBG Covid Façade programs is to eliminate “slum and blight” in communities by completing important building façade repairs and storefront improvements while respecting historic character. To participate, a property owner must contribute a minimum of 10% of the construction cost, commit to the program throughout the grant period, sign related documents, make timely payments, and follow all related grant requirements.

“A facelift to the exterior of the building was previously planned by the owners for summer 2020 but the financial repercussions from Covid-19 delayed this plan. The delay of this project caused further problems for the exterior of the building,” stated Tammy DeBord, Grants Specialist III with SWIPCO. “This grant allowed the building to be restored so that it can remain a source of pride for the residents and this business that draws people to Wiota.”

SWIPCO routinely provides grant writing and administration services to its member communities in Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, and Shelby Counties and has brought over $129 million in grants to the region in the last year alone.

DES MOINES – Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has announced the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has granted her request to provide assistance in the form of low-interest disaster loans for residents and businesses impacted by the partial building collapse of The Hotel Davenport Apartments.

Homeowners, renters, businesses, and most nonprofit organizations in Scott County whose property was damaged or destroyed by the incident will be able to apply for low-interest disaster loans from the SBA. Residents, businesses, and nonprofit organizations in the surrounding counties of Cedar, Clinton, and Muscatine, whose property was damaged or destroyed as a result of this incident, also may be eligible for SBA assistance. In addition, impacted small businesses, agricultural cooperatives, and nonprofit organizations in the above counties will be eligible to apply for Economic Injury Disaster loans.

Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information ,and download applications at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Revenue is reminding owners of non-residential electric vehicle chargers that new tax changes take effect July 1, 2023.

Owners of non-residential electric vehicle charging stations will be responsible for reporting and paying to the Iowa Department of Revenue two and six-tenths cents for each kilowatt hour ($0.026 per kWh) of electric fuel dispensed into an electric vehicle battery or energy storage device. Any business or organization, including local governments and nonprofits, that has a charging station for its employees or customers will need a license. Licensing and taxation does not apply to electric fuel dispensed at residences.

Visit the Department’s Electric Fuel Excise Tax guidance for more information about how to obtain a license and file and pay the tax. 

To receive notifications of resources and guidance issued by the Department, subscribe to updates by selecting the tax topics of interest.