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Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
JOHNSTON, Iowa – October 14, 2024 – Officials with Iowa Corn have announced the names of students selected to participate in the 2024-2025 school year’s Collegiate Advisory Team (CAT) program. The program focuses on increasing college students’ understanding of the corn industry. During the one-year program, students will visit the Capitol, tour industry leaders’ operations, and expand their network and knowledge outside of the classroom. 
2024 – 2025 Collegiate Advisory Team Students:
The Collegiate Advisory Team will meet four times over the course of the 2024 – 2025 school year, providing experience and training by Iowa Corn in areas such as leadership, effective communication, policy, and industry relations. For more information on the program, visit https://www.iowacorn.org/CAT
(Atlantic, Iowa) – The 2024 “Scrooge” Contest, sponsored by the Atlantic Chamber, benefits the Atlantic Food Pantry and those they serve. Food Pantry leader Brad Osborne says food insecurity in our community is on the rise and the need continues to be great-as the statistics illustrate. In 2019, Osborne says, the Pantry averaged 24 households per week and 53 individuals per week being served. Today they are averaging 72 households and 216 individuals.” Over a 400% increase in our community and support like the Scrooge campaign has never been more important, according to Osborne, who says “That is the plain and simple truth.”
The contest was started in 2001 and was organized yearly by Eleanor Hoover (“Big E”). Eleanor’s daughter, Jackie Sampson, says “It is a vital part of the yearly work our Food Pantry and their committee members do and helps them fill in some of the gaps they encounter in trying to help meet the rising needs.”Sampson says financial records for the last eight-years, show during that time, over $154,150 and 29,230 food items have been raised for the food pantry. “The need continues to be very great in our community to help combat food insecurity.”
2024-09-30 GRAPH – Households per Week
2024-09-30 GRAPH – Individuals per Week
In honor of their mother, her daughters (Billie, Lori, Jackie and honorary daughter Karen), have pledged $1,000 to kick-off the contest—with each Scrooge candidate getting a jump-start toward their total.
2024 candidates for the title of “Scrooge” include:
– Randy & Michelle Roy (Randy’s Computer)
– Graydon Schmidt (Schmidt Family Funeral Homes)
– Jeremiah Thompson (Landus/Atlantic Fire Dept)
– Ben Winford (New Life Church)
The campaign begins November 1st. The food barrel drop-off locations will be announced soon. The candidates will turn-in funds collected and non-perishable goods they have obtained, on November 26th at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce office on N. Chestnut Street. The results will be tabulated and the winner announced. The winner will serve as the Grand Marshall for the Lighted Christmas Parade in Atlantic, in December.
Atlantic Food Pantry Donated Food Suggestions for 2024:
*canned soup (chicken noodle, tomato, cream of chicken, cream of mushroom,
vegetable beef,….)
*canned fruit (peaches, pears, applesauce, cocktail)
*beef ravioli (cans) or SpaghettiOs
*cereal (boxes) or Quick Oats (no milk needed)
*crackers (saltine)
*tuna or chicken (cans)
*macaroni and cheese
*canned corn, green beans, peas (12-15 oz. cans)
*“complete” pancake & waffle mix (no milk)
*Pancake/waffle syrup
*spaghetti and pasta sauce
*Manwich or Sloppy Joe cans
Food Items to be collected will be limited to only what is on the Food Pantry list this year as storage space is limited and food distribution to families is different due to Post-Covid.
(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Congressman Randy Feenstra says the prospects for passage of a five-year Farm Bill are positive — after the election. “We have great hope that we can come together, that all four corners — meaning Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate can come together and pass a Farm Bill,” Feenstra says. If no action is taken before the end of the year, the federal farm policies in place decades ago will go into effect — meaning farmers will not get federal crop insurance subsidies, for example. “We have been meeting over the last few months, trying to get this done,” Feenstra says. “We as House Republicans passed it bipartisanly out of the (House) Ag Committee. We could take it to the floor, but we don’t want to negotiate against ourselves.”
The Senate Ag Committee has not passed its own version of the Farm Bill and Democrats who are in the majority in the Senate say the House G-O-P’s proposed 30 BILLION dollar cut in federal food assistance is unacceptable. Feenstra, a Republican from Hull, says funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is a stumbling block. “SNAP is one of the challenges,” Feenstra says. “SNAP is the nutritional program that’s 85% of the cost of the Farm Bill. We want a responsible SNAP program. That’s very important.”
Ryan Melton of Webster City, the Democrat who’s running against Feenstra, says the Farm Bill needs to address water quality. “I certainly agree that we need to subsidize ag, but we have choice over how we do that,” Melton says. “I’ve talked to plenty of farmers on the ground that know — farmers themselves who know that the status quo is not working…that so many of folks cannot recreate in our rivers and lakes and our streams.” Melton says federal farm policy has to respond to the significant increase in large-scale livestock operations. “You’re adding so much more manure to the landscape and yet you have not added more and more mitigation strategies to protect our waterways,” Melton says. “We need to sinc up the increase with increased protections for public health and for water.”
Melton suggests it’s time to consider federal regulations on how much manure and other farm chemicals can be applied to cropland. “We need to be more responsible when we have a ramp up in industrial ag to also recognize the downstream implications, which are many,” Melton says, “to public health, to home values, to the hollowing out of our communities, to the fact that they are driving more and more small and mid-scale farmers off the land.”
Melton made his comments during a recent appearance on Iowa Press on Iowa P-B-S.
(Elk Horn, Iowa) – The Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton School Board’s regular monthly meeting takes place in the High School Conference Room, beginning at 5:30-p.m., Tuesday (Oct. 16). Action items on their agenda include:
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(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors will meet in a regular session beginning at 9-a.m. Tuesday (Oct. 15), in their Atlantic Courthouse Board Room. The Board expects to receive a Monthly report from Cass/Guthrie County Environmental Health Executive Director Jotham Arber, and a Quarterly report from Cass Co. Conservation Exec. Director Micah Lee, in addition to a regular report from Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken.
Action items on the Board’s agenda include:
The Board’s next regular meeting will be held Nov. 12th.
(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors regular weekly meeting begins at 8:30-a.m. Tuesday (Oct. 15th) in their Red Oak Courthouse Boardroom. The Board is expected to approve a Hungry Canyons Alliance project agreement in the amount of $58,830, for a portion of grade control pertaining to a project on G Avenue, north of 190th Street.
In other business, the Board will hear from Jenna Ramsey, with regard to an IEDA (Iowa Economic Development Authority) grant, and they will discuss a RenewGov support services agreement, with action on both topics as necessary.
Discussion items on their agenda include: Rescheduling the Supervisor’s regular meeting in light of the upcoming election on November 5th, as well as scheduling the General Election Canvass of votes. The Montgomery County Supervisors remind interested persons about a Summit Carbon Solutions open house on Nov. 6th, to learn more about safety, as it pertains to CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) transportation. The event takes place at McCalpin Place in Red Oak, from Noon until 2-p.m.
And Auditor Jill Ozuna will remind Montgomery County residents the First Day of early voting in the Auditor’s Office is this Wednesday, Oct. 16th, beginning at 8-a.m.
(Washington County, Iowa) – A collision between a car and a train early this (Monday) morning in southeastern Iowa, resulted in a death. The Iowa State Patrol reports the crash happened at around 1:50-a.m., in Ainsworth. Authorities say a 2011 Ford Fusion was traveling south on Spruce Avenue, when it ran a stop sign over a railroad crossing, and struck a westbound train. The vehicle came to rest in the west ditch. The driver died at the scene. Their name was being withheld, pending notification of family. The crash remains under investigation.
(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department report seven people were arrested on separate charges over the past three days. Two people were arrested Friday, three people were arrested Saturday, and there were two arrests Sunday, in Creston.
Friday morning, 32-year-old William Alwynn Darius Bell, of Creston, was arrested on two Union County Warrants. The first was for Violation of a Court Ordered No-Contact Order. The second warrant was for Domestic Abuse Assault by impeding the flow of Air/Blood. Bell was also charged with another count of Violating of No-Contact Order. He was taken to the Union County Jail and held without bond until later being released on his own cognizance. Friday night, Creston Police arrested 37-year-old Samuel Bernadack Munoz, of Creston, for OWI/2nd Offense. Munoz was taken to the Union County Jail and later posted a $2,000 bond.
Saturday afternoon, 36-year-old Edgar Orlando Mendez Lopez, of Creston, was arrested for OWI/ 2nd Offense and four counts of Child Endangerment. Lopez was taken to the Union County Jail where he later bonded out on a bond of $10,000.
Saturday night, 60-year-old Robbie Allen Dohrn, of Creston, was arrested for Driving While Barred, and Eluding/Attempting to Elude a Law Enforcement Vehicle. Dohrn was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on a $7,000 bond. And, 39-year-old Travis James Klos, of Creston, was arrested for Driving While Barred. Klos was later released on $2,000 bond.
A little before 3-a.m., Sunday, Creston Police arrested 39-year-old Derik Wayne Bud Pickrell, of Fontanelle, for Driving While Barred. Pickrell posted a $2,000 bond and was released from the Union County Jail. And, Sunday night, 50-year-old John Everett Major, of Creston, was arrested for Domestic Abuse/Simple Assault – 1st offense. Major was being held without bond in the Union County Jail.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic is expected to act Wednesday evening, on at least two important matters. First, the Council is being asked to approve a letter of support for Vision Atlantic. The Council’s meeting starts at 5:30-p.m. in their chambers at City Hall.
Officials with the non-profit Vision Atlantic say they are asking for the letter “to support and strengthen some of [their] federal funding and various grant application [they] have submitted to date.” In addition, the organization says “As our donations and pledges continue to raise, we are getting close to the threshold where [the] grant committee can start to apply for some other key grants (some have a minimum percentage of the project needed to be secured before applications can be submitted).
In other business, the Atlantic City Council will act on an Order to have City Administrator John Lund execute a purchase order for an ambulance from Braun Northwest. Cass EMS, the City’s ambulance service exists as a 28E Agreement with costs being split evenly between the City of Atlantic, Cass Health, and Cass County. According to John Lund, “We are in a financially unsustainable commitment with Cass EMS. Over a period of five years, expenditures have increased 1,197%. This increase has occurred even with the generous contribution of a brand-new ambulance for Cass Health.”
Atlantic City Hall building
EMS Subsidy
Expenditures
FY 2016 50,400
FY 2017 55,200
FY 2018 55,200
FY 2019 55,200
FY 2020 55,200
FY 2021 192,874
FY 2022 255,119
FY 2023 340,164
FY 2024 390,000
FY 2025 718,808
FY 2026 736,778
FY 2027 755,197
FY 2028 774,077
FY 2029 793,429
FY 2030 813,265
FY 2031 833,596
FY 2032 854,436
FY 2033 875,797
FY 2034 897,692
FY 2035 920,134
Lunds says “To control costs for our pending negotiations for our expiring contract with our private sector provider, the City must now step up and contribute towards some means of controlling the subsidy required to keep this service running. The City is purchasing an ambulance to compliment the one purchased by the County. The Personnel & Finance has reviewed this issue on two occasions. During their meeting on October 9th, 2024, the Committee has unanimously endorsed the purchase of an ambulance as the City’s Contribution to Cass EMS.”
The Council’s final order of business is to hold the second reading of an Ordinance pertaining to “Prohibited Trees.” The list of trees prohibited from being planted comes from recommendations by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Trees Forever, as is due to their lack of disease infestation resistance and likely damage to infrastructure and property during severe storms. “Prohibited Trees” include the following varities: Freeman/Hybrid Maple (Acer x freemanii Autumn Blaze, Armstrong, Marmo, and Sienna Glen are frequently seen cultivars), Amur Maple, Norway Maple, Ash, Blue Spruce, Callery/Ornamental Pear, Ornamental Cherry, Mulberry, Golden Raintree, Tree of Heaven, Black Locust, White Poplar, Siberian Elm, Russian Olive & Salt Cedar.’”
(Radio Iowa) – The new Broadway musical version of the biggest film of 1985 makes its Iowa debut this week, with a former Iowan in one of the lead roles. In “Back to the Future: The Musical,” Don Stephenson plays Doc Brown, the inventor who creates a time machine out of a DeLorean sports car. Stephenson argues it’s the greatest time travel story ever told and says if you loved the movie from almost 40 ago, you’ll equally love this updated version for today’s stage. “You’re going to recognize all of it, but with new stuff, because obviously, this is a musical, but I would always say that the original movie was leaning towards being a musical anyway,” Stephenson says. “Because it had the Huey Lewis songs, it had ‘Johnny B. Goode,’ of course, and the dance at the end, so all of that is there.”
Practically everyone who was going to movies in 1985 saw the original, but even in this age of instant streaming, Stephenson says there’s a whole generation who’s never heard of Marty McFly. “People who have never seen the movie come and see the musical, and they’re sitting on the edge of their seats waiting to see what’s going to happen next, and that always amazes me,” he says. “I’ll see people after the show, and I’ll say, ‘Are you a Back to the Future fan?’ and they’ll say, ‘I’ve never seen it before. This was the first time,’ and I always love that.”
Stephenson says he adores it when he can spot devoted fans in the audience who dress as their favorite characters from the film; sometimes it’ll be a dad in a Doc wig beside his young son as Marty. The original film had a certain chemistry that just worked, Stephenson says, as a combination science fiction, action, romance — that was also about family and friendship. Even if you’ve seen the movie a dozen times, he says the musical offers something new along with the familiar. “To see something happening in front of you, you really do see it fresh from a new perspective, even if you know the story so well, because that’s what theater can do, that’s what live theater does,” Stephenson says. “And so you’re going to see it from a different angle, even if you know it very, very well by seeing it on stage.” 
Stephenson has called New York City home the past few decades, but grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where his parents still live. When asked by Radio Iowa if this would be his first time in Iowa, he paused, then laughed: “When I was a baby, my father got a job in Iowa, and we moved there, I think when I was six months old, and stayed for maybe slightly less than a year, and then moved back to Tennessee because my parents didn’t like the cold.”
He remembers nothing of the experience, not even what town they were in, only that it was near a river. Stephenson acknowledges he’s technically a former Iowan, and he’s hoping for a much warmer reception this time around.
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