(Radio Iowa) – An official who’s in charge of state boating safety courses says the first step to a safe boating weekend is checking the equipment that will be transporting a vessel on land. Susan Stocker has been the boating law administrator for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources since 2009. “Memorial weekend is coming up and, of course, it’s the start of the Iowa boating season,” Stocker says. “People, before they even head out to the lake, make sure that their trailer, wheelbearings and their lights are all in working condition so you’ll be able to get yourself to the body of water you want to go on.”

Once on the water, Stocker says boat operators and passengers need to be on the look out for floating debris. “We’ve got some higher water throughout Iowa, so you want to make sure that you see if there are any logs that are just under the surface of the water and you want to make sure that you, though surrounded by water…drink plenty of water and have sunscreen.” Stocker says, “and make sure that you save the alcohol when you’re back on shore.” Stocker says drunk boating can be as dangerous as drunk driving on the roads because the affects of the wind and glare of the sun can enhance the effects of alcohol.

“It can slow a person’s reaction and cause some hazardous conditions when trying to operate a boat,” she says. A wearable life jacket is required safety equipment for every person aboard a boat. Vessels that are 16 feet or longer need a floating device, like a ring buoy on a rope, that can be thrown to someone who may be in trouble in the water.

(Radio Iowa) – Historic buildings that used to be part of Maytag’s campus in Newton will be renovated into a hotel and an apartment building. The former Maytag campus was donated to Des Moines Area Community College in 2016 — nine years after Maytag closed. The college has sold nearly four acres to a Des Moines developer who plans to repurpose four buildings and open the hotel and apartments next year.

Kim Didier , the executive director of business resources for DMACC, says the two buildings that will become a boutique hotel have “The Maytag Company” written in large letters along the rooftops.  “Very iconic for the community and for Maytag over the years,” she says. The two buildings were built in the early 1900s. Another building nearby, completed in 1914, will be converted into 70 apartments.

“A brick building, exposed rafters, wooden floors — just very historic,” Didier says. “Kind of a warehouse, factory feel to it.” A smaller building next door will have some amenities for the apartment dwellers. According to a DMACC news release, the hotel and apartment building project will cost about 35 million dollars. DMACC will continue to have an academic center nearby.

“DMACC on the Newton campus has a baking program,” Didier says, “and we’re very hopeful we’ll be able to have that kind of collaboration and synergy where the baked goods that would be offered in the hotel restaurant or just as a cafe would be coming from our culinary program, our baking program.” Didier, who used to work at Maytag, has lived in Newton for 24 years. She says there’s been a lot of collaboration in the community to get this latest project going.

“It’s monumental and transformational,” Didier says, “and we think will continue to propel the redevelopment of the rest of the buildings that were part of the Maytag headquarters.”A couple of other former Maytag buildings already have been turned into commercial space. A brewery and a pub are among the 18 tenants. “We’ve had this vision of really creating this mixed use neighborhood that would have the residential component,” Didier says, “that would have the retail.”

Maytag was founded in 1893 and by the 1920s one of every five washing machines in America was made in Newton. The company was sold to Whirlpool in 2006 and a year later operations in Newton were shut down. There were three previous owners of the emptied out Maytag campus until DMACC took over. The State of Iowa is providing a 14 million dollar “reinvestment district award” that will support the development of the apartments and hotel as well as several other related projects in Newton.

(Corydon, Iowa) – Two people were injured during a head-on crash Monday afternoon, east of Corydon, in Wayne County. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2014 Dodge van driven by 72-year-old Norman George, of Allerton, was traveling west on Highway 2, and was attempting to pass a 1967 John Deere 40-20 farm tractor pulling a hay trailer, when the van hit the rear of the tractor/hay trailer, causing the van to be pushed into coming traffic. The tractor was operated by 68-year-old George H. Harders, of Corydon.

The van then struck a 2014 Chevy Sonic head-on before rolling over. The impact resulted in the car entering the north ditch. The tractor/hay trailer stopped on the right shoulder of the road. The crash happened at around 2:35-p.m.

Norman George, and the driver of the Chevy Sonic, 34-year-old Robert W. Schuler, of Seymour, suffered severe injuries and were flown by Mercy One helicopter to Mercy Hospital, in Des Moines.

The Patrol says George was not wearing a seat belt.

(Radio Iowa) – Farmers saw enough dry weather last week that planting season is closing in on the end. The U-S-D-A crop report shows 95 percent of the corn crop is now in the ground. That’s nine days ahead of last year and 12 days ahead of the five-year average. Sixty-five percent of that corn is poking through — about six days ahead of average.

Soybean planting moved from 69 to 84 percent complete in the last week. that puts farmers around one week ahead of last year and two weeks ahead of normal. Forty-three percent of the beans have emerged — which is six days ahead of average.

(Creston, Iowa) – A collision Monday afternoon (May 22) in Creston, resulted in one person being transported to the hospital for treatment of unknown/possible injuries. Creston Police report the accident happened at around 12:49-p.m. on Highway 34, near Sumner Avenue.

A 2000 Saturn LS1 driven by 27-year-old Jerrie Michelle Boothe, of Creston, was traveling westbound on Hwy 34 and approaching the intersection with Sumner. Boothe thought she was clear to make a left turn into the Creston Wal-Mart parking lot, but her car was struck on the front right side by an eastbound 2008 Chevy Silverado pickup, driven by 27-year-old Jose Luis Carreon, of Creston.

Boothe complained of neck pain. She was transported by ambulance to the hospital. Carreon was not injured. He was unable to provide proof of financial liability, and was cited. Damage from the collision amounted to $3,000.

(Radio Iowa) – Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says he expects D-C negotiators will strike a deal to raise the federal government’s debt ceiling. “To paraphrase Winston Churchill, when you try every other thing that doesn’t work, you somehow stumble upon what does work,” Goss says, “and I think there will be a solution.” But Goss says investors should expect volatility as the stalemate between Republicans in congress and President Biden remains unresolved.

“There will be some real deviations, some real swings here in the next week or so as they try to find that solution,” Goss says. “That would be swings in the stock market, swings in the bond market and also in terms of gold prices, for example.” If the impasse isn’t resolved before the U.S. government runs out of cash to pay its bills, Goss says things like Social Security checks could be delayed. The main impact of default, according to Goss, would be damage to the U.S. dollar, since central banks in other countries hold U.S. currency in reserve.

“The dollar will remain the reserve currency, but it will undermine it,” Goss says. Goss says it would aid China’s push to make the Yuan the reserve currency of the globe. Having the U.S. dollar be the dominant currency around the world aids U.S. trade and creates stability for the goods and services Americans buy.

(Dallas Center, Iowa) – The driver of a pickup truck died following an accident this (Monday) morning, in Dallas County. The accident happened on Highway E-44 near Dallas Center, at around 9:46-a.m.

The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2021 Chevy pickup driven by 69-year-old Michael Remus, of Grimes, was stopped in traffic westbound, waiting for other, turning traffic, when a westbound 2018 Kenworth concrete mixer driven by 32-year-old Kodi Hoback, of Grimes, struck the rear of the pickup.

Remus suffered fatal injuries in the collision. A passenger in the pickup,  65-year-old Julie Remus, of Grimes, was transported by Dallas County EMS to Methodist Hospital, for treatment of non-serious injuries. The driver of the Concrete mixer was not hurt.

DES MOINES, Iowa – Governor Reynolds has announced a schedule of informational webinars to assist parents and guardians who plan to apply for the state’s new Students First Education Savings Accounts (ESAs). The live webinars will be hosted by Odyssey, the program administrator selected by the state. Webinars begin Tuesday, May 23, and a total of six sessions will be offered through June 7. The complete schedule and registration links for each session are posted on the Department of Education’s ESA webpage. A recording of the webinar will also be available for parents and guardians who cannot attend a live session.

The ESA application period for the 2023-2024 school year will open on Wednesday, May 31, at 8 a.m.  A link to the online application will be provided on the Department of Education’s ESA webpage. Applications will be accepted through Friday, June 30, 2023.

The Students First Act was signed into law earlier this year and will provide state funding for eligible students who attend accredited nonpublic schools starting in the upcoming school year.

All incoming kindergarteners and all K-12 students currently enrolled in a public school district are eligible for the ESA program.

Families whose children currently attend an accredited nonpublic school are also eligible for ESAs based on their annual income during the first two years of the program. For the 2023-2024 school year, income eligibility is 300 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL); and 400 percent FPL for the 2024-2025 school year.

Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, all K-12 students in Iowa who choose to attend an accredited nonpublic school will be eligible for an ESA regardless of income.

Answers to frequently asked questions about the ESA application process, eligibility, and more are posted on the Department of Education’s ESA webpage

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic School District’s Board of Education will hold a Special Meeting beginning 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, May 24th, in the High School Media Center. During their meeting, the Board will act on Contract Recommendations for Bodie Johnson – Summer Grounds, and Maria Pearson – 6-through 12th Grade Teacher Librarian. The Board will also consider and act on the resignations of Dalton Franken – JV Boys Basketball, and Savannah Belt – Schuler Title 1 Teacher.

They will then proceed to consider the purchase of 1014/1016 E. 3rd Street Place, from the City of Atlantic (for the Building & Trades Program), and discuss/act on a District Developed Special Education Service Delivery Plan. Their final order of business, Wednesday evening, is action on a Pay Application, with regard to the High School Air Quality Project.

The Board will move into a closed session once the Special Session is Adjourned. The Closed Session – allowed under the Iowa Code – is being held to conduct the Superintendent’s Annual Evaluation. The next REGULAR meeting of the Atlantic School Board takes place June 14th, at 5:30-p.m.

(Radio Iowa) – A non-profit organization that works to bring locally grown food to people in need is getting more money from the U-S-D-A. Giselle Bruskewitz is the director of the Iowa Valley Resource Conservation and Development program that works with food hubs, food banks, and Meskwaki nation. “It’s going out to under-served communities and a lot of different ways. It’s not a one size fits all program. So the food hub and food banks especially are working with folks all across the state,” she says.

She says there are a lot of people in Iowa right now who need food and they work to get high-quality produce, meat, and other products out to them. “In different areas, the need is different. So you talked to one pantry, and they’ll say that the need for fresh produce is really, really dire and it’s hard to find those really high-quality produce items,” Brusckewitz says. “And then sometimes you’ll talk to another community access site and they’re more interested in finding those local high-quality meat products.”

Brusckewitz says setting up distribution systems so the food can be delivered fresh is part of the project. “The food hub managers working group has been working with the Department of Ag for several years to try to develop this hub-to-hub network. So, through this program and even before the program, but definitely thanks to the program, we’ve expanded a lot of those routes from the food hubs,” she says. “And the majority of the producer relationships are through a food hub. And so they’re getting really creative about how to help better distribute that food to food banks and other sites.”

Brusckewitz says they have a range of prices that the producers tell them are fair prices that meet their cost of production to sell their products to sustain their businesses. “And so, there’s opportunity for producers that are smaller scale, or maybe beginning farmers to be able to get into this new market and be able to build those relationships to help build their businesses. And so that’s a really big deal to be able to have that flexibility in pricing range so we can get more people sustaining their business and growing food in our state,” Brusckewitz says.

The latest award is two-point-nine million dollars, bringing the total to over five-point-six million dollars for the three-year program. To learn more about the program or how to participate, visit: www.iowalfpa.org.