(Radio Iowa) – Another long-running Iowa music festival is undergoing changes. The Englert Theatre in Iowa City has produced the Mission Creek Festival since 2014, but Festival Director Brian Johannesen says anew version is planned for next year. “After ten years, I think that we felt like the Mission Creek became such a huge part of our identity and what we do, and we’re so grateful for that, but we’re ready for the next chapter,” he says.

The Greater Des Moines Music Coalition announced in October that the 80/35 Music Festival it has put on since 2005 is ending and its future is not determined. Johannesen says the new festival will be produced by one of the festival’s co-founders.

“I think, on the whole, you know, we’re ready to kind of move on to some different exciting festival ideas that we’re working on, and needed to just kind of clear some space,” Johannesen says.

The Mission Creek Festival’s 20th season before the change will be next April in Iowa City. Organizers of the 80/35 event said there are now many music-related organizations and businesses in central Iowa that are well-positioned to continue the event.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Glenwood Police Department reports two arrests. On Sunday, 43-year-old Nathan Styles, of Glenwood, was arrested for Eluding, and Possession of a Controlled Substance. He later posted a $2,000 bond and was release. And, on Saturday, Glenwood Police arrested 44-year-old Barbara Riley, of Glenwood, for Driving While Barred. She also later posted a $2,000 bond and was released.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two people were arrested on separate drug charges over the past few days. Saturday night, 54-year-old Jessica Kay McFarland, of Emerson, was arrested following a traffic stop near Hilman Road and Highway 34 east. McFarland was transported to the Mills County Jail and charged with Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs, Poss. of a Controlled Substance, and Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia. Her bond was set at $2,300.

Thursday night, deputies in Mills County arrested 36-year-old Jeffrey Michael Sorenson, of Council Bluffs, for: a Drug Tax Stamp violation; Use of a dangerous weapon in a crime; Carrying a weapon while intoxicated; Poss. of a Controlled Substance, and OWI/1st offense. Sorensen was arrested on Interstate 29 near mile-marker 42. His bond was set at $17,000.

Monday afternoon, 30-year-old Diego Miguel Juaquin, of Omaha, was arrested in Tabor on a Mills County warrant for Failure to Appear. He was being held in the Mills County Jail without bond.

(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Guthrie County will hold a Special Session at 9:30-a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 13th, in their Guthrie County Courthouse Board Room. The meeting is being held to canvass the results of the Nov. 5th, 2024 General Election. The canvass will make official, the currently “Unofficial” results of the election.

The unofficial election results indicated, among the contested races, Guthrie County Sheriff’s Deputy Matt Harmann, a Republican, defeated long-time Sheriff Marty Arganbright, a Democrat, by more 1,550 votes.

(Radio Iowa) – A central Iowa girl who had a bout with bullying and bigotry has turned around what happened by writing a book that aims to make a positive difference in the world. Twelve-year-old Saily Bah of Urbandale says her goal for the book, called “Rise Above,” is to do exactly as the title says. “I experienced an act of racism at school and I felt really horrible because it was something that should never happen and that I didn’t even understand at the time,” Bah says. “It just hit me. It was a really bad experience.” To sort out her feelings, Bah wrote a speech about what happened for her class at Radiant Elementary School. The speech was so well received, she decided to create something more lasting — a book — out of those same words.

“I wrote the book because I didn’t want people to feel the same sense of being put down as I did,” Bah says. “It was a way of coping with negative things that should never happen. I want young people to realize that when things happen like this, they need to speak up instead of pushing it aside so that everybody knows not to do these things.” Bah loves to draw and also created all of the illustrations for the book.

Rise Above cover and Saily Bah (center)

“My main thing was actually butterflies and that’s what’s on the cover of the book,” Bah says. “Butterflies to me symbolize overcoming, because they’re just free and fly around and do whatever they want without any concerns, and I want people to feel that way, too.” At just 12, Bah says she’s not sure what she’d like to do for a profession some day. For now, she says she’s happy and “living the dream” as a student and author. All proceeds from the book sales will go to Bah’s college fund and art supplies.

Find the book through her Saily’s Swag Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/800773265011300/

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors will canvass the results of the Nov. 5th General Election, Wednesday morning, at the Adair County Courthouse in Greenfield. During their session that begins at 9-a.m., the Board will also draw lots for the vacant Washington Township Trustee position. Unofficial results show there were 10 Write-in names for the position after the ballots were reviewed.

The Board will also hear about Summer Program results, from Ag Extension representative Kerry Aistrope. And, they will act on authorizing Board Chair Jerry Walker to sign a Services Agreement with Adams County, with regard to assistance for tornado clean-up.

County Engineer Nick Kauffman will present his regular, weekly Secondary Roads Department report to the Board, prior to the meeting’s conclusion.

(Anita, Iowa) – The CAM School Board held their regular monthly meeting Monday evening, with one of their topics of discussion being the (Unofficial) results of the Nov. 5^th General Election, as it pertains to the proposed district facilities bond referendum. The Public Measure failed by a vote of 874 No to 697 Yes, or 44-percent. A 60-percent super majority was needed in order for the measure to pass. Superintendent Paul Croghan tells KJAN News, the Board spent some time in their discussion about the facilities and the next steps.

He says they won’t have the funds to do everything on their priority list for district facilities, but they will work on taking care of those priorities as best as possible, and continue to move forward. He was asked why he thought, after all the public meetings they had held emphasizing the need for funds to improve the district’s facilities, why the referendum failed. He said the timing of the referendum in conjunction with the presidential election and other important public measures did bring the voters out, but people are still concerned about the economy.

He said it’s too early say if they will make a third attempt to float a referendum before the voters.

Superintendent Croghan also discussed with the Board the enrollment numbers for 2024.

In other business, the CAM School Board approved an International bus lease agreement with the Hoglund Bus Company.

Planning ahead, he said, helps with the General Fund expenditures. And, the CAM School Board acted on numerous personnel matters, including resignations and contracts.

Mr. Croghan said also, they had a Veteran’s Day Program Monday with a special guest, that students and staff got to hear from.

He said it was a “very humbling experience for our kids.”