(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic, Wednesday evening, awarded the 2023 Fireworks Display Contract to last year’s vendor, “Wild Wayne’s,” and after discussion, tentatively set the days fireworks may be used leading up to the show, as June 30 through July 4th, from 6-until 11-p.m. on those dates. Action on approving the actual days for fireworks use by the public, will come during their next City Council meeting.

The agreement with “Wild Waynes” will cost the City $12,500, which is more than what was budgeted for, but City Administrator John Lund said he can accommodate the cost overrun through use of the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) Progress Fund. A spokesman for Wild Wayne’s said he knows there were complaints about last year’s show at the Well Fields/Sports Complex being too short and not visible enough. He attributed that latter due to the fact he was situated on a lower part of the terrain, which didn’t give him the proper placement needed to set-off the type of display his Class-B fireworks should have had. The Council will finalize this year’s site location after consulting with Fire Chief Tom Cappel, and Public Works Director/Street Superintendent Kirk Knudsen.

Atlantic Mayor Grace Garrett asks residents to be considerate of their neighbors when setting off fireworks.

In other business, the Council, after a public hearing was held – during which there were no comments – passed an amended FY 2023 Budget, as previously explained and twice published in the local newspaper. The Council tabled, however, approving an agreement with Fusebox Marketing, for City Website Design & Development, Website hosting, Security, and Site Health, a Website Enhancement plan along with photography and video services. It was the second time the matter was tabled.

Atlantic City Council mtg. 5-17-2023

After much discussion, the Council agreed they wanted to hear formal presentations from 5Q in Atlantic, and Fusebox Marketing, to compare services that are not currently offered and those that could be. While 5Q services are currently used by the City, the Chamber and CADCO, Mayor Grace Garret said feedback she’s heard privately from certain individuals indicates they are not entirely happy with the company, and that she herself has had issues navigating the City’s website.

She said also, “There are no local customer service representatives. They are east coast to west coast, which means we are all on a different time frame.” Garrett said “We must have adequate technology,” and space, to provide what is required of a city to publish. The Mayor said when she personally tried to help someone outside of Atlantic navigate the City’s website in order to find information they were requesting, she had to go through about “six layers to find what I needed to tell them to use.”

A motion by Councilperson Otte to approve an agreement with Fusebox, was rescinded by her, until such time as the Council hears presentations from both website providers. In other news, the Atlantic City Council passed a Resolution “Adjusting season 2023 benefits for Sunnyside Pool lifeguards,” which, as we’ve mentioned provides for a $1,000 sign-on bonus, with $500 paid after a full 40-hours of work completed, and the balance at the end of the swimming season. The Council also passed the 3^rd and final reading of an amended Sewer Service Ordinance, and the 2^nd reading of an amended Special Parking Permit section of Ordinance #1032.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic City Council was shocked to learn during their meeting this (Wednesday) evening, that our new Parks and Recreation Department Director has submitted his resignation, effective May 26, 2023. City Administrator informed the Council about the news Wyatt Adderton, is resigning. Adderton told Lund about his decision following Monday’s meeting of the Parks and Rec Board. Lund says the news came like a “shot in the stomach.”

John Lund said Wyatt is an exceptional worker and offered to talk through Adderton’s issues with the Personnel and Finance Committee.

Adderton said he would wants to the discuss his reasons for feeling disparaged. One is the management of the Sunnyside Pool. Lund says compensation isn’t an issue for Adderton, “it’s the work environment,” and issues of harassment.

Wyatt will talk with his spouse and see if they can “Make this work.”  Lund made it clear though, that “effectively, the Parks Department is a joke,” and a symptom of a dysfunctional organization that we have.”

The City Council will meet 1-p.m. Monday with Wyatt and the Personnel and Finance Committee to discuss the issues at hand, and ask if he will reconsider his resignation.

(Edna, Iowa) – An accident late Wednesday morning near the northwest Iowa community of Edna, claimed the life of a 77-year-old man from Rock Rapids. The Iowa State Patrol reports Myron Krull was driving a 1963 International tractor that was pulling a spraying implement, when a 2007 International tanker truck attempted to pass on the left. The truck struck the left rear corner of the sprayer, which became detached from the tractor, causing the tractor to roll over into the north ditch.

Myron Krull died at the scene. The truck, driven by 52-year-old Dennis Hayenga, of Little Rock, IA, came to rest on the road. Hayenga was not injured.

The crash happened at around 11:15-a.m. in the 3600 block of 180th Street, in Lyon County.

(Radio Iowa) – A competition among veterans from across the country gets underway this Saturday in central Iowa. Local coordinator, Joni Osmundson, says this is the 37th year for the National Veterans Golden Age Games. “It features around 20 sporting competitions for veterans who are aged 55 and older. It’s available to veterans all over the country. So it travels to a new city, a new community each year,” she says.

The Department of Veterans Affairs organizes the games that include everything from air pistol to bowling competitions. “Our motto is fitness for life. And the goal is to promote sports and a healthy lifestyle and active and active lifestyle for our senior veterans and giving them purpose to stay involved, stay active in their community, ” Osmundson says. She says the V-A has a lot of different programs to keep veterans active and as long as they can in all stages of their life and to support their rehabilitation and their wellness goals for both physical and mental health.

“The veterans work year round with their local recreation therapist or their local V-A coach. And so they practice they set their goals for their events, they set their goals just for their overall health and wellness,” Osmundson says. “And they use these events as motivators to keep going. And it builds the camaraderie…this event is unlike any sporting competition that you’ll see in the community that the camaraderie among the veterans is pretty incredible.” She says they are starting to see the participation come back after dropping during the pandemic.

“We didn’t have the in person events during those years. Last year was our first year back in person in Sioux Falls,” She says. “And we saw around 400 veterans participate. So this year, we have over 700 registered and we’re getting back up there in our number. So we’re excited, excited for that.” She says there are more than 50 central Iowa veterans who registered for the event this year and there could be more from Iowa. The Iowa Events Center is the main venue for the games, but they will be spread out across Des Moines and the metro area. Osmundson says the games are open for spectators to watch, and they also are still looking for volunteers to help.

There’s still a lot of shifts available. There’s a lot of locations. So you can kind of choose you know, depending on where you live, what event is happening in your area and sign up for volunteering,” she says. You can find out about volunteering on the V-A Central Iowa Facebook page or you can go to VeteransGoldenAgegames.va.gov. The games will run through next Thursday.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowans who are 65 or older and own the home they live in have about six weeks to apply for a new property tax exemption.

The tax plan Governor Reynolds signed into law earlier this month includes a new property tax exemption for Iowa seniors. It will reduce the taxable value of a home by $3250 for property taxes due this September and next spring. For the next assessment year, the exemption doubles to $6500.

Iowans who were at least 65 years old by January 1st of this year have until July 1st to file a form with their local county assessor to claim this exemption. Once the exemption’s granted, there’s no need to reapply in future years. The Legislative Services Agency estimates it will be worth $50 million annually to Iowa seniors.

Iowans who are receiving or are eligible for the military service property tax exemption will see it increase to $4000. Veterans who were on active duty during a war or served 18 months during peacetime may claim the exemption on the home they live in.

(Radio Iowa) – Upper Iowa University in Fayette is closing seven of its regional education centers in neighboring states and laying off more than three dozen people.

According to the Cedar Rapids Gazette, 22 people who work on Upper Iowa’s campus in Fayette are losing their jobs. Upper Iowa is closing its only regional center in Illinois along with all six of Upper Iowa’s regional centers in Wisconsin. Fifteen employees who work at those sites will be laid off.

The newspaper reports the university is refocusing on areas with the highest enrollment. That includes its Fayette campus and online courses as well as regional education centers in Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Waterloo and the Quad Cities, plus four remote learning sites in Louisiana. Upper Iowa will continue to operate programs at four U.S. military bases, too.

Earlier this month, Upper Iowa’s board of trustees announced leadership changes at the school. Upper Iowa’s president will retire in mid-2024 and will spend the next year fundraising. The university’s VP for finance and enrollment will serve as interim president during the search for a new Upper Iowa president.

Upper Iowa was founded 166 years ago. It was originally affiliated with the Methodist Church, but became independent in 1928. Its first regional education center opened in Madison, Wisconsin in 1981. That center is among the seven that are being closed.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass Health, in Atlantic, will host a health fair in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. Officials say the fair will be held on Tuesday, May 23 from 1 to 5 pm in Conference Room 2, and the public is encouraged to attend. Everyone in the community is also encouraged to wear green that day; green is the official color for Mental Health Awareness.

Vendors at the fair include Cass Health’s Senior Life Solutions team, Southwest Iowa Mental Health Center, Therapy Place, Family Connections, Cass County Public Health, Veterans Affairs, Cass County Extension, and NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness).

National Mental Health Awareness Month was created by Congress in 1949 as part of an effort to help address the mental health struggles of WWII veterans.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Bureau has announced they will host four public meetings, to present results from the DNR’s comprehensive evaluation of administrative rules and regulations. The comprehensive review is required by Gov. Reynold’s Executive Order Ten.

The public meetings are scheduled for

• May 30, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Waverly Public Library, 1500 Bremer Ave, Waverly
• May 31, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Ventura Wildlife Office, 15300 Balsam Ave, Ventura
• June 1, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Atlantic DNR Field Office 4, 1401 Sunnyside Ln, Atlantic
• June 2, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Story County Conservation Center, 56461 180^th St, Ames

The Iowa DNR Wildlife Bureau will present the proposed edited chapters during the meetings. These meetings are not seeking input on future hunting seasons or proposed hunting regulations.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Directors, Wednesday, announced that Lisa Jones will serve as the next School Business Official for Atlantic Community School District effective July 1st, 2023.

Jones, who is from Lamoni, Iowa, has accepted the School Business Official position at the Atlantic Community School District. The current Business Manager at Lamoni Community School District, Jones has served as a School Business Official at Lamoni for 10 years, along with 18 years of working in higher education.

Officials say Lisa is passionate about public school education and considers herself to be a lifelong learner. She is passionate about school finance and being part of a district with a strong vision and positive culture. Lisa will be moving to the Atlantic area and begin her duties July 1, 2023.

Lisa Jones (Lamoni CSD photo)

Lisa has 2 children; Luke Jones who is an electrician for K&W Electric in Cedar Falls, Iowa and Logan Jones a current student at UNI majoring in Education.

Jones will succeed current SBO Sarah Sheeder, who, as we’ve mentioned, submitted her resignation in April, effective at the end of this month. She will take on a similar position with the AC/GC Community School District.

(Radio Iowa) – The city of Mount Pleasant is preparing for Iowa Wesleyan University to close at the end of the month and there are still many questions about what that will mean to business and labor in the community. At the Grange Public House and Brewery, owner Sue Sorensen says her husband Eric is more optimistic about the end of Iowa Wesleyan. “I’m the one who’s super concerned — like what’s going to happen? What’s his town gonna look like? What’s our business gonna look like?,” she says.

The U-S-D-A is taking ownership of the campus, and has been holding meetings in the town to help find a new use and a new owner for the campus. Rachel Lindane works in economic development in Mount Pleasant, she says while she’s gotten a lot of calls and questions about the road ahead, there just aren’t many answers at this point. “We don’t know that. But what we can tell you is those students were staff of many of our local organizations. Yeah, right now I’m hearing more about labor than I am anything else,” Lindane says.

Mount Pleasant was first incorporated as a town in 1842, the same year the University was established. I-S-U Architecture and Design professor, Kimberly Zarcore, is studying how quality of life in a small town can be maintained even as it loses population. She says the town’s future is tied up in what makes Mount Pleasant a good place to live in the first place. “Not everyone in Mount Pleasant worked at the university or had their children there, right? There’s a whole world of Mount Pleasant that didn’t rely on the university,” Zarcore says. “And that part of the community is going to have to step up and express itself and maybe even become bigger, in terms of the community’s identity.”

Iowa Wesleyan Univ. campus

This is what Mount Pleasant residents like Sue Sorensen and her husband will have to figure out with their neighbors. “I have no idea what this is going to look like in two months, because we don’t know what’s gonna look like after all the students are gone. Let’s wait and see. Which is so hard for me,” Sorensen says.

The U-S-D-A says it will work side by side with the community as it moves ahead.

(reporting by Zachary Smith, Iowa Public Radio)