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Prestigious traveling art exhibit stops in Le Mars

News

June 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A northwest Iowa art gallery is one of just three national stops for a traveling exhibit of over 40 paintings by international artists. The American Watercolor Society debuted the works in New York City in April before they were shipped to the Le Mars Arts Center. Nancy Thoma, president of the Arts Council in Le Mars, says it’s an amazing array. “There’s something for everyone in this exhibit. You don’t have to be an art lover or even an art appreciator to come in there and know that there was some major talent that produced some of these pieces,” she says. “You just wonder: ‘How did they do that?'”

The artworks will be on display in Le Mars through July 14th before being shipped to a museum in California. The traveling exhibit’s final stop will be early next year in Florida. Draven Haegs is the recently hired director of the Le Mars Arts Center. “To be perfectly honest, it’s a little bit daunting coming in and my first exhibit is this massive, prestigious organization that I studied a bit in college, so it’s an interesting exhibit to be a part of,” he says, “but it’s also one that I’m also so ecstatic to be a part of.”

The American Watercolor Society was founded in 1866. Famed artists Edward Hopper and Andrew Wyeth were members of the group, which holds an annual exhibition. The traveling exhibit’s opening this week in Le Mars is happening during the community’s annual “Ice Cream Days” celebration.

Polk County Sheriff’s Office Investigates Homicide

News

June 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Des Moines, Iowa) – [UPDATED) Officials with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the circumstances surrounding an incident of homicide that occurred in Runnells, early this (Friday) morning. A little after 1-a.m., the Polk County Communications Center received a 911 call about a shooting at 4532 SE 116th Street, in Runnells. Deputies arrived on the scene and made entrance into the residence, where they located a man who was deceased. Polk County S/O

The man has been identified as 50-year-old Richard David Selby, of Runnells. A suspect was identified during the investigation. 35-year-oldm Jacob Cole Harbold,of Des Moines, was booked into the Polk County Jail Friday morning on a first-degree murder charge.

Report: 1 in 4 Iowa students are chronically absent from school

News

June 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Des Moines, Iowa) – One in four Iowa students was chronically absent from school during the 2021-22 school year, according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. According to the Iowa Capital Dispatch, officials hope a tiered approach to the problem will encourage school-wide attendance and remove any barriers to attendance. They also hope additional investments in Iowa schools will counter the growing trend.

Executive Director of Student Services at Dubuque Community School District Shirley Horstman, said her district uses a three-tiered approach to improve attendance school-wide:

  • The first tier is aimed at all students and encourages schools to lay out a clear school schedule, recognize good attendance and establish the benefits of attendance.
  • The second tier is for students absent for 5% to 10% of the school year. Schools will reach out to the parents of those students and look for ways to remove any obstacles to regular class attendance.  If it’s a transportation issue, the school may help the parents set up a local carpool, teach students how to use city buses or recommend having an older sibling walk them to school, according to Horstman.
  • The third tier is for chronically absent students who miss more than 10% of school days. For those students, schools will set up a more formal conversation with parents and create an attendance agreement outlining joint efforts to improve attendance.

Missing that much school puts students at an educational disadvantage, said Anne Discher, executive director of Common Good Iowa, which helped with the report. “Once you get behind, it’s hard to get caught up,” she said. Discher said chronic absenteeism rates have grown across the nation since the pandemic. Iowa’s rate of chronic absenteeism of 26% is better than the national average of 30%, but both rates are still higher than the pre-pandemic national average of 16%.

Fourth-grade students who never missed a day of school scored proficient or above proficient in reading 40% of the time compared to 14% for students who missed ten or more days, according to the report. It’s not just grades that are impacted by constant absences, Discher said. A 2012 John Hopkins University study tracking Rhode Island students for seven years found that chronically absent students were more than twice as likely to get suspended or repeat a grade.

The increasing absenteeism rates negatively affect those who regularly attend class as well. Students in high-absence classrooms are more likely to have lower test scores, according to the report. Students who experience instabilities at home such as divorce, domestic violence or substance abuse are more likely to be chronically absent, according to the report. Students facing such issues are also more likely to repeat a grade and be indifferent to succeeding academically.

NW Iowa farmer awarded $200,000 from the USDA in support of farm workers

Ag/Outdoor, News

June 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

PALISADE, Colo., June 14, 2024 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today (Friday) announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is awarding $50 million to 141 awardees in 40 states and Puerto Rico, through the Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Program (FLSP Program), reaching 177 unique agricultural operations and over 11,000 workers. The awards will help improve the resiliency of the U.S. food supply chain by addressing agriculture labor challenges and instability, strengthen protections for farmworkers, and expand legal pathways for labor migration. Vilsack says the program delivers on a commitment made as part of the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection and furthers the Administration’s commitment to a regional approach to migration in the hemisphere.

In northwest Iowa’s Woodbury County, Greg Smith Farms, LLC, in Lawton, was awarded $200,000 from the FLSP Program, to “lift up employees, and ensure cattle and crops are cared for in the best way possible: Implementing new bonus and loyalty bonuses, creating a paid sick leave policy and establishing an employee working group to ensure ideas are heard from throughout the operation. Additionally, FLSP will help bolster their recruitment strategy to employ an additional 10 farm workers.”

Ag Secretary Vilsack says “These awards will largely support small and mid-sized farms to ensure they can hire and retain the workers they need to be competitive in the market, while also lifting up rural communities across the country.” Vilsack said “Farmworkers make an incredibly important contribution to food and agriculture and ensure we have food on our tables every day. Improving working conditions and quality of life for farmworkers, both U.S. based workers and those that come to our country to work, is one key step in building a stronger, more resilient food supply chain. The Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Program demonstrates the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to supporting employers and farmworkers alike.”

USDA announced the FLSP Program in September 2023, in coordination with other federal agencies, to help address workforce needs in agriculture; promote a safe and healthy work environment, as well as ethical recruitment for farmworkers; and support lawful migration pathways for workers, including expansion of labor pathways for workers from Northern Central America, through the H-2A visa program. FLSP was designed with significant input from immigration, labor, and agricultural stakeholders – informed by the experiences of farmworkers and farmers themselves.

The FLSP Program grants will support a range of required and elective supplemental commitments to expand benefits and protections for all employees.

Heartbeat Today 6-14-2024 (Part 1)

Heartbeat Today, Podcasts

June 14th, 2024 by Jim Field

Jim Field visits with M.J. Brown about Tori’s Angels, a group holding a fund raiser in Panora Sunday to help families with children undergoing life-saving medical treatment.

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Heartbeat Today 6-14-2024 (Part 2)

Heartbeat Today, Podcasts

June 14th, 2024 by Jim Field

Jim Field visits with Dave Hansen about Brayton Big Days this weekend.

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CAROL MEYER, 79, formerly of Atlantic (Svcs. 6/22/24)

Obituaries

June 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

CAROL MEYER, 79, formerly of Atlantic , died Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at Northridge Village in Ames, Iowa. Funeral services for CAROL MEYER will be held 10-a.m. Saturday, June 22nd, at the Massena United Methodist Church. Roland Funeral Service in Atlantic has the arrangements.

The service will be recorded and available at www.rolandfuneralservice.com by end of day Saturday.

An open visitation will be held at the funeral home on Friday, June 21st, from 10-a.m.-until 5-p.m.; Visitation with the family present will held Saturday, from 9-a.m. Until the time of service, at the Massena United Methodist Church,

Burial will be in the Massena Center Cemetery, north of Massena.

Memorials may be directed to the family for later designation to the Massena United Methodist Church or the Massena United Methodist Church Women.

CAROL MEYER is survived by:

Her daughter – Cheri (Jeff) Thieleke, of Ames,

and three grandsons.

6 arrested in Creston in recent days

News

June 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports six people were arrested in recent days. A little before 5-p.m., Thursday, 53-year-old Michael Dean Williams, of Creston, was arrested in the 700 block of W. Jefferson Street, on a warrant for Harassment in the 1st Degree – Threaten Forcible Felony, and Domestic Abuse Assault – Strangulation with Bodily Injury. Williams was being held in the Union County Jail on a $7,000 bond.

Just before 6-p.m. Thursday, 41-year-old Kristin Jan Gross and 21-year-old Huntor James Gross, both of Creston, were arrested in the 600 block of N. Poplar Street, in Creston. Authorities say Kristin Gross was arrested for Disorderly Conduct (by loud or raucous noise). She was later released on a $300 bond. Huntor Gross was arrested for Harassment in the 2nd Degree – Threaten Bodily Injury. He was later released on a $1,000 bond.

At around 7:40-p.m., Thursday, Creston Police arrested 32-year-old Brandon James Case, of Creston, for Driving While Barred. He was later released on a $2,000 bond. Wednesday morning, Creston Police arrested 35-year-old Jessica Lynn Wilker, of Creston, for allowing an Animal to run At Large. She was cited at the scene and released on a Promise to Appear in Court.

And, at around 1:25-p.m. Tuesday, 40-year-old Abel Olivera Martinez, of Creston, was arrested for Violation of a Protective Order. He was later released on a Promise to Appear in Court.

Man arrested on drug charges in Adams County

News

June 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Corning, Iowa) – The Adams County Sheriff’s Office says a man was arrested Thursday evening on drug charges. 58-year-old Timothy Jay Blank was taken into custody after the Adams County Sheriff’s Office received a call at around 5:50-p.m., about a man who was intoxicated. When deputies arrived on the scene, they found Timothy Blank was visibly under the influence of a controlled substance.

Newly acquired Adams County K9 “Midge” was deployed and alerted positively on Blank’s vehicle. He was subsequently arrested for Public Intoxication and Possession of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine – 2nd Offense.

First tenant signed up for CYTOWN

News

June 14th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The Board of Regents has given Iowa State University the approval to move ahead with a lease for an anchor tenant in its CyTown development project near Jack Trice Stadium. I-S-U attorney Michael Norton says the lease agreement is with McFarland Clinic. “McFarland is committed to building a comprehensive medical clinic in the CyTown development area. The services provided the clinic will include sports medicine, urgent care, family practice and pain management, physical therapy, occupational medicine, and imaging and lab services,” Norton says. He says it is a long-term agreement.

“The terms of the agreement include a 30 year ground lease with four five-year extension rights the initial ground lease will be 50-thousand per year escalating five-thousand per year through the life of the contract,” he says. Norton says I-S-U will not be involved in the construction. “McFarland will build the facility at their own cost and then convey ownership of the building to the university upon completion, and the building will then be leased back with the cost of construction being essentially prepaid lease for the use of the building over the term of the agreement,” Norton says.

I-S-U is tax exempt, and the agreement includes a provision to with the City of Ames dealing with the tax issue. “Under the agreement with the city I-S-U will agree to charge all tenants of the CyTown development, an amount equal to what they would pay if the development was developed on privately owned land as payments in lieu of tax,” Norton says. “This ensures that tenants are not given an unfair competitive advantage to locating their business in the CyTown development area.”

The area develop approximately between Jack Trice Stadium and the Iowa State Center is 40 acres and the University continues working to secure other tenants.