(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department, today (Friday), asked for your help in locating a missing Council Bluffs woman. Authorities say 62-year-old Lisa Marlene Bonham-Gunderson was visiting with family members since the passing of a relative. She has not been seen since July 8th, when she was planning to take her vehicle in for repairs. Bonham-Gunderson has not had contact with her family since July 8th, when she advised she was not feeling well.

Lisa Bonham-Gunderson is a 5-feet, 4-inch tall Caucasian female. She has brown hair and eyes, and weighs approximately 180 pounds.  If you have any information on her location, please contact Sgt. Ted Roberts with the Council Bluffs Police Department, at 712-890-5212, or your local law enforcement agency.

Lisa Bonham-Gunderson

(Omaha, NE) – Officials with the Community Foundations of Southwest Iowa, today (Friday), announced applications are now being accepted from organizations providing charitable services in Audubon and Cass Counties. As part of this fall grant cycle, $29,940 is available to support Cass County nonprofit organizations and community projects, and $45,420 is available to support Audubon County nonprofit organizations and community projects. The deadline to apply for funds in each respective county, through the online application process, is September 1st.

Of the total allocated funds in Cass County, $4,000 is restricted to the community of Griswold, and $25,940 is available to support nonprofit organizations and projects throughout the county.  Of the total allocated funds in Audubon County, $2,375 is restricted to the Exira area, $5,060 is designated for the community of Audubon, and $37,985 is available to support projects throughout the county.

Beginning July 15, application details, a fact sheet, and a link to the application form can be found online by selecting either Audubon County or Cass County, under County Listing at swiowafoundations.org. Applications will only be accepted through the online system. Only organizations providing services in Audubon County and Cass County are eligible to apply, and only in their respective counties. They must be able to demonstrate broad community/county support and be an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) public charity, a local municipality, or a fiscally sponsored project. For the Fall 2023 grants, the Audubon and Cass County Community Foundations will entertain requests for capital and program support. General operating support will only be considered for extenuating, non-recurring circumstances.

The Community Foundations aim to improve the quality of life in Audubon and Cass Counties, by supporting community needs in the areas of civic engagement, culture, health, education, and social services. The objective of the grant program is to fund projects that will have a lasting impact. These grant funds are made possible by the generosity of the Cass and Audubon County Community Foundation donors. To learn more about donating to either the Audubon or Cass County Community Foundation, please contact the Community Foundations of Southwest Iowa staff or any board member listed below. Gifts to permanently endowed funds through the Audubon or Cass County Community Foundation may be eligible to receive a 25% Endow Iowa Tax Credit.

Audubon County Community Foundation Board members: Chair Pat Kaiser of Audubon; Vice Chair Gina Benton of Exira; Secretary/Treasurer Megan Wagner of Audubon; Bob Blomme of Audubon; Travis Nelson of Exira; Donna Olson of Kimballton, and Doug Carter of Audubon. Cass County Community Foundation Board members: Chair Kristi Burg of Massena; Vice Chair Gaylord Schelling of Atlantic; Secretary/Treasurer Sue Hunt of Atlantic; Sandy Bierbaum of Griswold; Justin D. Hockenberry of Anita; and Mike Tibken of Anita.

Please contact Sunni Kamp (sunni@omahafoundation.org) or Sydney Calcagno (sydney@omahafoundation.org) at 800-794-3458 with application-related questions. All completed grant applications will be considered at the October Board meeting, with applicants being notified of funding decisions by the end of October.

(Radio Iowa) – It’s a sport many Iowans only know from television, but a polo match between teams from Iowa and Minnesota is being staged this weekend as a fundraiser for Variety, the Children’s Charity of Iowa. Variety’s Alison Hanner says this is the agency’s 27th annual Polo on the Green event and yes, it’s a real polo match with riders on horseback swinging those long mallets. “It is so fun! It’s very unique. No one else can really duplicate it,” Hanner says. “We have a fully air conditioned tent and it’s just a beautiful polo field. The views are spectacular and being able to watch the horses and the players, it’s very cool.”

The event is being held Saturday at Powder River Ranch in Cumming, just southwest of Des Moines. Hanner says one popular part of the outing is “divot stomping” at half time. “It helps keep the field level for the horses, so they take time to make sure that the divots are stomped down, so you get to go out and participate in the event,” Hanner says. “It’s kind of a highlight as you get to go out on the actual field and everyone really enjoys that.”

After the match, there will be a catered dinner with an open bar, live music, live and silent auctions, and fireworks. Last year’s event raised 250-thousand dollars for the charity and this year’s goal is to beat the previous haul. Hanner says money raised will support Variety’s mission to improve the lives of children who are at-risk, underprivileged, critically ill, or living with special needs.

Screenshot from PoloOnthegreen.com

Hanner says, “We have our specialized mobility program where we provide specialized bikes, gait trainers, walkers, any piece of mobility equipment that is going to get a child moving and out in the community and help build strength in their legs and core and coordination to help them be more mobile.”  Since 1975, Variety has raised more than $134 million to support children in need throughout the state. Learn more and buy tickets at: poloonthegreen.com

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Red Oak Police report no one was injured during a collision between an SUV and a car Thursday afternoon. The accident happened at the intersection of N. 2nd and E. Elm Streets at around 4:43-pm.  Authorities say when officers arrived on the scene they found a 2014 Jeep Cherokee owned and operated by 23-year-old Sadie Anna Graham, of Stanton, was on its top with the airbags deployed, and a 2015 Hyundai Elantra owned and operated by 21-year-old Austin Edward Wilkins, of Red Oak, with front end damage. Graham was helped out of her SUV by citizens in the area.

According to the accident report, the Jeep was traveling east on E. Elm Street, and the car was traveling north on 2nd Street. When both vehicles arrived at the uncontrolled intersection at the same time, Graham failed to yield to Wilkins’ car. As a result, the car struck the SUV on its passenger side, causing it to overturn and come to rest on the north side of E. Elm. Police say Graham was visibly shaken, but she said she was not injured. She did have a red mark on her left bicep, but refused medical treatment at the scene. Wilkins declined to be examined by medics.

Police say Sadie Graham was issued a written warning for failure to yield to a vehicle on her right. Her vehicle was totaled, with the loss estimated at $21,000. The Hyundai sustained $6,000 damage but was driven from the scene. Red Oak Fire and Rescue assisted Red Oak Police at the scene.

Johnston, IA – The Iowa National Guard (IANG) recently received three Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, a new series of military vehicles designed for survivability and tactical mobility in combat environments. IANG received its first vehicle in January 2023, and two additional vehicles in June. Weighing in at around 14,000 pounds, the vehicle sports a futuristic exterior with advanced computer technology integrated throughout its structure that makes it uniquely capable to handle heavy loads and protect service members from outside attacks. The JLTV has a touch screen display for maintenance troubleshooting, making it easier for National Guard troops to monitor equipment malfunctions.

The JLTV’s were provided to the Iowa Ordnance Training Center located at Camp Dodge to educate Active Duty, Reserve and National Guard Soldiers in maintaining these vehicles. The technical school offers a variety of sustainment and skill qualification courses, including the seven-week Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic transition course which now includes a dedicated week of instruction on the JLTV. “The capability of this truck is far beyond anything that we’ve had,” said Sgt. 1st Class Bradley Meyer, an IOTC instructor. “It’s fun, it’s exciting to see.”

A Joint Light Tactical Vehicle rests at low suspension while on display at the Camp Dodge Summer Concert Series in Johnston, Iowa, on June 29, 2023. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Tawny Kruse)

The introduction of the technologically advanced JLTV into the Army and other U.S. armed forces, including the Marine Corps, is just one indicator of the large-scale modernization efforts taking place throughout the Department of Defense. The vehicle will be operated in addition to the “Humvee,” or High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, which the Army has used in training and combat since the 1970s. The Humvee proved to be vulnerable to IED attacks during the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars.

The U.S. Army’s Combat Support and Combat Services Support office said the Humvee is suited for its original purpose as a light utility truck and provides useful payload and mobility, but “was never intended to be a combat vehicle.” The Iowa National Guard unveiled the JLTV to the public at the final Summer Concert Series event at Camp Dodge on June 29. Iowans had the opportunity to get a close-up look and learn about the vehicle. The JLTV’s powerful suspension system, viewpoint cameras, automatic fire extinguisher and heated windshield were just some of the features highlighted as people took turns climbing into the driver’s seat.

A community member from nearby Camp Dodge sits inside a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle during a display at the Camp Dodge Summer Concert Series in Johnston, Iowa, on June 29, 2023. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Tawny Kruse)

(Iowa DNR News) – Preserve the memory of your child or grandchild hooking their first fish this summer with a special certificate. Print the certificate yourself from an electronic file posted online or request a printed certificate. Apply for a first fish certificate online at www.iowadnr.gov/firstfish. It’s easy and free to participate. There are no size, species or age requirements – only that it is the very first fish the angler has successfully landed.

Family and friends can join in on the celebration by viewing the first catch photos of their kids and other budding anglers on the First Fish webpage once the entry is approved. Give your kids a lifetime of BIG memories this summer. Follow the simple tips for taking kids fishing on the Iowa DNR website at https://www.iowadnr.gov/idnr/Fishing/Fishing-Tips-How-Tos/Taking-Kids-Fishing.

AMES, Iowa – The application window is opening July 17 for the fall 2023 Master Gardener training cohort, which will be offered in 55 counties or extension regions. The training will benefit Iowans wanting to deepen their understanding of gardening and horticulture. Area counties offering fall training include: Adams, Dallas, Guthrie, Madison, Mills, Pottawattamie, Ringgold, Taylor and Union.

Iowans wishing to complete Master Gardener training choose a county to complete training through, participate in online learning modules and attend at least four in-person training sessions organized by the county office. After completing the 10-week training, trainees put their knowledge to work with a 40-hour internship in their training county. Applicants have from July 17 to Aug. 18 to apply for the fall session. Training for the fall session begins Sept. 5. Learn more about the program online or through your county extension office.

Alicia Herzog, Master Gardener statewide coordinator with ISU Extension and Outreach, says “Many people have misconceptions about what the Master Gardener program truly is. The Master Gardener training program is about more than just learning how to grow your best garden, although you will learn that as well. Trainees use knowledge gained in training to grow food for those in need, partner with area organizations to design green spaces and present programs in their local communities.” Master Gardeners are volunteers who use research-based information to educate people and coordinate projects that promote healthy communities.

Master Gardeners embody the slogan “Learn it. Grow it. Teach it.” in their various volunteer roles. Presenting public programs is just one way Master Gardeners impact their communities.

Local extension staff can help anyone with questions about joining Master Gardener training this year, including details of when and where in-person meetings will take place in their county or extension region. Iowa State has offered Master Gardener training for over 40 years, engaging more than 15,000 people in learning about gardening best practices.

For more information, Herzog can be reached at 515-294-3627, or aherzog@iastate.edu.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Thursday, said they were notified on July 10th, of a fish kill on the lower Des Moines River. DNR staff from the Fisheries Bureau investigated and found an estimated 20,000 dead shovelnose sturgeon in a 60 mile river stretch from near Ottumwa to Farmington in southeast Iowa. Freshly dead fish collected on July 11 were submitted to Iowa State University for testing. The investigation began with determining the start and end of the fish kill. DNR fisheries staff collected water temperatures and dissolved oxygen levels at nine locations along the fish kill path and sampled for ammonia. Using the American Fisheries Society (AFS) guidelines, staff started counting dead fish at bridge accesses and then expanded their count to free-flowing areas.

Mark Flammang, Iowa DNR fisheries biologist, said “We didn’t find low levels of dissolved oxygen or high levels of ammonia which is usually indicative of some sort of spill, so it comes down to high water temperatures coupled with the low flows that we are experiencing at present.  Water temperatures are in the upper 80s and exceed levels known to cause shovelnose sturgeon mortality. It was also limited to shovelnose sturgeon; no other species were impacted.”

Shovelnose sturgeon (IA DNR photo)

Shovelnose sturgeon are relatively abundant below Ottumwa, as many of these fish move from the Mississippi River into this section of the Des Moines River during the spring and summer. “Ottumwa has one of the largest populations of shovelnose sturgeon in the world,” Flammang said. The shovelnose sturgeon population is a unique resource in the Des Moines River. According to Flammang, “Many of these fish are over 40 years old. It will take several years to repopulate this long-living fish.”

The affected section of the Des Moines River has had sizable fish kills over the years caused by low water levels and high water temperatures, with the most recent in 2012.  DNR fisheries staff partnered with Missouri Conservation to research the cause of that kill and learn more about the effects to shovelnose sturgeon populations.

If you see dead or stressed fish at a lake or river, call the DNR’s 24-hour spill line at 515-725-8694 as soon as possible. Quick reporting can help DNR staff identify the cause of a fish kill and potentially stop a fish kill in progress.

(Radio Iowa) – A professor of women’s and sexuality studies at the University of Iowa says she’s excited for next week’s release of the big budget movie, “Barbie,” that follows the iconic dolls Barbie and Ken as they transition into reality.

The U-I’s Naomi Greyser says she’s intrigued to see how Hollywood introduces Barbie to the real world. “I sort of love that the theme of the movie is she’s exiled from Barbieland because she isn’t perfect, which I feel like is this trend in movies right now, that we feel like we can identify with people’s imperfections,” Greyser says. “Barbie, for such a long time, was seen as too perfect in a way that people started to not identify with her, so it’s an interesting move for Mattel.”

Some early reviews criticize the film for reinforcing stereotypes about ditzy blondes, but others praise the movie for empowering girls and women — and Greyser says she’s fascinated by the pop culture impact. “I feel like they want to market it to people who are really earnest and enjoy the delightfulness of wearing pink,” Greyser says, “and also market it to people who are ironic and critical and want to nod and wink and enjoy Barbie in sort of over-the-top ways, so I feel like it’s kind of both.”

The color pink is prominent in the movie. Practically everything is pink, including Barbie’s clothes, shoes, house, car — and even the sand at the beach. Greyser says pink has meant many different things over the centuries, and color offers help in coding things from social class to values to identity. “Men wore pink to express masculinity in the 19th century, and at that time, pink was gender neutral,” Greyser says. “It was maybe due to the darker colors of military uniforms that darker colors started to be associated with masculinity, and then we saw pink and pastels become associated with femininity.”

A pink triangle, for example, was used in Nazi Germany to identify homosexuals, but it’s since been rebranded by the larger LGBTQ community as a symbol of pride. In the 1950s, pink for girls, blue for boys became popular across Americana, but then morphed and was monetized a few decades later. “Gender color coding took off once prenatal testing let people detect the sex of their babies before birth,” Greyser says. “In the 1980s, people started shopping for babies by gender, and it was a way for people to feel like they were personalizing their nurseries and also a way for companies to make more money by selling millions of different versions of things in different colors.”

She says “real men wear pink” is still a prevalent creedo in some social circles, but the color is also being used by corporations as a point of sale for women, what she calls the “feminization of pink.” “There’s this thing called the Pink Tax, where if you buy the same exact razor in pink instead of in blue, people pay more for it, for some reason, because people pay more for women’s products,” Greyser says, laughing. “So it definitely is not just about the color. It’s also about how corporations and marketers popularize it and spread it and it’s become a much bigger thing.”

Greyser says yes, she played with Barbies as a girl, but her fondest memories of the practice are more about sewing Barbie clothes for the dolls with her mom, and she adds, “My Barbies did -not- end up looking like the Barbies in the movie.”