CRESTON, Iowa – March 17, 2023 – Drivers on Iowa 92 between Lyman and Griswold will need to plan on following a detour route so construction crews can replace a bridge on the roadway. Beginning on Monday, March 27 to Thursday, Aug. 31, weather permitting, drivers will follow a marked detour route using U.S. 71, Cass County Road G-43, Cass County Road M-56, and Iowa 48.

Help keep everyone on the road safer. Drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, you should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

CLIVE, Iowa — A southwest Iowa man said he had to take a second look at his ticket after winning a $10,000 lottery prize. “I took a double-take and was like, ‘No way, I won $10,000!'” Lynn Young told officials Thursday as he claimed his prize at lottery headquarters in Clive. Young, 51, of Elliott, won the third prize of $10,000 in the Iowa Lottery’s “Hit The Jackpot!” InstaPlay game. He bought his winning ticket at Tiger Mart, 708 Main St. in Griswold and uncovered the big prize when he got out to his vehicle.

Young, who works for a fertilizer company, said his first thought after winning was getting home safely and hiding the ticket until he could claim his prize. “I was excited about it and I was nervous,” he said. “The only thing I could think of was put it in my billfold, get out of town, get home and hide it.” Young said he plans to use his winnings to retire debt and save.

Hit The Jackpot! Is a $30 game that features eight top prizes of $250,000, 40 prizes of $10,000 and overall odds of 1 in 2.97. The InstaPlay product combines features from instant-scratch and lotto games. InstaPlay tickets are called “scratchless” because they have no security coating that needs to be removed to determine the prize won. And rather than having supplies of tickets printed in advance like those in traditional scratch and pull-tab games, InstaPlay tickets are printed on demand from the lottery terminal.

InstaPlay games range in price from $1 to $30. For more information, visit ialottery.com.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County 4-H Endowment committee would like to thank everyone who attended or donated to the Cass County 4-H Endowment during the Pancake Supper and Silent Auction on March 7th. This was a record setting year of attendees and donations.

Over 600 individuals were served pancakes, a record-breaking number from recent years.  We had 18 Silent Auction items donated by community businesses and all 11 of our 4-H Clubs. Many also donated directly to the Cass County 4-H Endowment fund or through the silent auction items.

Total net proceeds from pancakes, direct donations, and the silent auction was over $4,500.00. Thank you to all who ate, donated, or bid on the silent auction items to help make that happen.

Proceeds from the 4-H Pancake Supper directly benefit the Cass County 4-H Program. All funds raised go to the Cass County 4-H Endowment. The 4-H Program Development Fee is $30 per youth each year to enroll. Instead of having individual 4-H’ers and families take on that expense, the Cass County Extension Council and the 4-H Endowment Committee pick up this cost. The Cass County 4-H Endowment also offers grants for youth to attend 4-H camps or conferences outside of Cass County, encouraging them to take their 4-H experience to the next level. They also offer scholarships to graduating senior 4-Hers and help support programs in the county like STEM and Clover Kids.

If you are interested in donation toward the Cass Count 4-H Endowment Fund you can stop in the office at 805 W 10th Street in Atlantic. Donations can also be made on the Iowa 4-H Foundation website, https://www.iowa4hfoundation.org/en/ways_to_give/.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa House has unanimously passed a bill requiring insurance companies to cover the cost of replacing child safety seats that are damaged in accidents. Some insurance companies deny coverage if a child was not in a safety seat at the time of the crash or if the automobile’s owner cannot provide receipts or a photo of the seat. Representative David Young of Van Meter says that doesn’t make sense. “Current law says that up to the age of six that you have to have child safety seats or restraint systems within your,” Young says. “This essentially becomes part of the car.”

Representative Keenan Judge, of Waukee, says it’s an important bill. “I’ve heard from constituents, believe it or not, about this bill — how happy they were,” Judge says. “And being the proud grandfather of two, my wife insisted we buy one of these expensive car seats.” Child safety seats range in price from 40 or 50 dollars up to a few hundred dollars. Booster seats for older children are less expensive. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends replacing a child’s car seat following a moderate or severe crash, even if it appears the seat was not damaged.

[12-p.m. News] – (Northboro, Iowa) – Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer reports one person is dead following an accident southwest of Northboro, Thursday. The Page County Dispatch Center (PageComm) received a call about a man’s body being found outside of a vehicle at around 5:36-p.m.  The accident happened in the 1400 block of 310^th Street. It was unknown if anyone else was in the vehicle.

An investigation determined 63-year-old Ronnie Eugene Hagey, of Burlington Junction, MO., died at the scene. Authorities say it appears that Hagey was the driver and only occupant of the vehicle. He was not wearing his seat belt. The accident remains under investigation at this time.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Page County Medical Examiner’s Office, Coin Fire and Rescue, and Shenandoah Ambulance Service.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Chamber Ambassadors were hosted by the Masonic Pymosa Lodge Thursday, March 16th, 2023. The Ambassadors learned about the Annual Masonic Scholarship Fundraiser, which includes a St. Patrick’s Day Stew Feed taking place this evening.

Donnie Drennan shared about the rich history of philanthropy of the Masonic organization and their annual fundraiser for the scholarship fund. Annual scholarships are awarded to area seniors to help offset the cost of tuition and vary in amount depending on donations the organization has received throughout the year. The Mason’s have been handing out scholarships to graduating Atlantic High School Seniors for over 30 years and as of this year, the organization will be opening scholarship applications to the CAM School District. Donnie thanked the community for their continued generosity and shared that in his 32 years with the Pymosa Lodge, the organization has awarded over $35,000 in scholarships.

The Irish Stew Feed is the main fundraiser for the organization, but the Masons also collect aluminum cans to be recycled. The money made through the can redemption goes directly into the scholarship fund. The Manson’s now have three drop-off locations: The Masonic Lodge, Boes Repair Inc, and the Cass County Landfill. Community members can also contact a Mason to have cans picked up from their home or business.

Ambassadors and Masons (Left to Right): David York, Gary Warwick, Rick Mericle, BJ Hart, Colt Doherty, Kathie Hockenberry, Anne Quist, Lana Westphalen, Julie Waters, Beth Spieker, John Bricker, Jim Kickland, Sue Liston, Bailey Smith, Donnie Drennan, Bill Saluk, Elaine Otte, Krysta Hanson, Dr. Keith Leonard, Dolly Bergmann, Amanda Hansen, Megan Sramek, Kelsey Beschorner, Brian York, Jeremy Butler, Rosa Schlapa, Rob Claussen. (Photo/story courtesy the Atlantic Chamber)

The 7th Annual Masonic Scholarship St. Patrick’s Day Stew Feed Fundraiser will be held tonight, March 17th from 5-7:30 PM. They will be serving Beef Stew, Vegetable Stew and Irish Soda Bread for a free will donation at the Masonic Lodge. The meal can be enjoyed inside the Lodge or via drive through lane alongside the building.

For further information about the Annual Irish Stew Feed, Scholarship Program, or to donate, please contact 402-740-1717.

The Masonic Lodge/ Pymosa Lodge #271 is located at 1010 SW 7th Street in Atlantic.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports 40-year-old Anthony David Smith, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 10:50-a.m. today (Friday), on two Bench Warrants for Violation of Probation. Smith was taken into custody in the 500 block of Reed Street and was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $40,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – The counties in Iowa that are not home to a state-licensed casino still received some of the gambling revenue again this year through the County Endowment program. Iowa Gaming Association C-E-O, Wes Ehrecke, says foundations in these 84 counties receive eight-tenths of one percent of the gambling tax. “So this past year is 160-thousand dollars to each of those non-casino counties,” Ehrecke says. “They have to put 25 percent in a permanent endowment the rest can be provided grants anyway they feel. Each have a separate board of directors for each county.” He says the program was started in 2004.

” Thirty-five-thousand grants and 136 million dollars since the inception of this program to the qualified community foundations in the non-casino counties. And just in this past year was 18-hundred and 38 grants and 10-point-7 million was provided out,” Ehrecke says. The 15 counties which have casinos have non-profits that hold the gambling license and they each are required by law to distribute a percentage of the gambling funds throughout their counties.

You can see the full details on how much grant money each of the 99 counties receives on the Iowa Gaming website at iowagaming.org.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill being considered in the legislature would eliminate the state sales tax on the sale on beehives. State Apiarist Andy Joseph estimates there are about half a million beehives in Iowa. “Most beekeepers are pretty small scale, between two and 10 hives,” he says, “and then we have a handful of beekeepers, maybe a dozen, maybe 15 on a commercial industry level and a lot of those have thousands and thousands of hives.” In total, there are an estimated 45-hundred beekeepers in Iowa. North Dakota produces the most honey of any state. Iowa currently ranks 16th.

“Once upon a time, ancient history, Iowa was number one. We had more beekeepers, more hives and produced more honey than anywhere else, so by basically every metric we were number one, but that’s going back almost 100 years,” Joseph says. “That changed with all the farm changes in the ’40s, you know, Farm Bill changes and then technology changes increased farming.” Jamie Beyer of Boone is a lobbyist for the Iowa Honey Producers Association. He says the economic benefit of bees is immense.

“How do you measure good pollination versus poor pollination? When we have a lot of bee colonies across the state, we have better pollination,” he says, “even in our soybean fields.” Beyer, who is from Boone, manages about 50 hives for his business, called Beyer’s Bees. He says bees are just as valuable to the state’s economy as pigs and cattle — and the state sales tax shouldn’t be assessed when bee hives sold or rented for pollination. The Iowa Honey Producers Association hosted Honey Bee Day at the Iowa Capitol yesterday (Thursday).

Iowa Honey Bee Day at the Capital, Thursday (RI Photo)

“One of the goals of the Iowa Honey Producers Association is to become better at producing honey,” Beyer says. “We actually import twice as much honey as what Iowans consume.” The association served legislators, staff and Capitol visitors an array of food with honey as an ingredient. They also had a display of honey products that included a bottle of mead made in Iowa. Mead is fermented honey and the association had to get special permission to bring the alcohol into the Capitol — and keep the bottle capped.

March 17, 2023 (DES MOINES, IA) – Today (Friday), the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) Board approved awards for two established companies in Cedar Rapids and Muscatine, which will assist in the creation and retention of 69 jobs and result in a $102 million capital investment for the state. Innovation funding was awarded in support of four startups located in Ankeny, Des Moines and Hiawatha. The board also provided final approval on a reinvestment district plan for Newton. (A spreadsheet of the awards can be found HERE)

Collins Aerospace to upgrade Cedar Rapids facility
Collins Aerospace delivers advanced technology products and services to the aviation and defense industries. The company plans to remodel their manufacturing facility in Cedar Rapids to accommodate expanded microelectronics fabrication processes. The project represents a capital investment of $22 million and is expected to create and retain 41 jobs at a qualifying wage of $30.24 per hour. The board awarded the company tax benefits through the High Quality Jobs (HQJ) program.

Kent Pet Group to construct facility in Muscatine
A subsidiary of the family-owned Kent Corporation, Kent Pet Group produces natural and sustainable cat litter under brands World’s Best Cat Litter, BreederCelect and Back-2-Nature. The company plans to construct a new 113,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Muscatine. The project represents an $80 million capital investment and was awarded a $150,000 forgivable loan and tax benefits through the HQJ program. It is expected to create 28 jobs, of which 27 are incented at a qualifying wage of $22.08 per hour.

Awards made to four startups

With a focus on apprenticeship opportunities, AxisU of Ankeny connects pre-qualified candidates to local trades-based employers. The platform also provides ongoing apprenticeship training that, when combined with on-the-job training, is recognized with a certificate from the U.S. Department of Labor. The company was awarded a $100,000 Demonstration Fund loan for product refinement, market planning and entry activities, and key personnel.

Ankeny-based Enceinte Health Inc. developed a smart commode to understand an individual’s health and wellness behavior within their home. The monitoring technology offers a more efficient and effective method of identifying potential health issues or preventative care opportunities. The company was awarded a $100,000 Demonstration Fund loan for proof of concept work, product refinement, market planning and entry activities, key personnel and equipment.

MetaFuel, based in Des Moines, created a system to help truck fleets manage fuel tax compliance. The technology provides assurance through data visibility and unlimited cloud storage for fuel records and seamless integration with a truck’s existing telematics hardware. The company was awarded a $50,000 Proof of Commercial Relevance loan for product refinement and market planning and entry activities.

Headquartered in Hiawatha, Shaka Culture, Inc. provides software that addresses team morale in remote or hybrid work environments. A subscription offers companies access to virtual culture programs with the goal of improving employee retention and recruiting costs. The company was awarded a $100,000 Demonstration Fund loan for market planning and entry activities and key personnel.

 Award recommendations for these funds are made by the Technology Commercialization Committee to the IEDA Board for approval.

Newton reinvestment district plan receives final approval
The Iowa Reinvestment District Program is designed to assist communities in developing transformative projects that improve the quality of life, create and enhance unique opportunities, and substantially benefit the community, region and state. The program provides for up to $100 million in new state hotel/motel and sales tax revenues to be “reinvested” within approved districts that cannot exceed 75 acres in size and must be in an Urban Renewal Area.

On June 25, 2021, the board approved provisional funding for six reinvestment district applications. Final application materials fully meeting all the program’s requirements were due prior to February 25, 2022. Newton submitted a pre-application during the 2021 annual filing window. Since that time, project representatives worked with IEDA staff to complete the final application for board review. Final application materials were received by the deadline, and today they received approval conditions subsequent on additional documentation.

The board approved the maximum benefit amount of $14 million for the Newton Legacy Reinvestment District submitted by the City of Newton. The project is focused on adapting existing facilities from Maytag’s departure, including apartments, a boutique hotel, event space and green space, as well as downtown improvements and trail connections. The plan proposes a capital investment of nearly $48 million.