(Radio Iowa) – The oldest living graduate of Grinnell College is the focus of events in Grinnell this weekend. Edith Renfrow Smith was born in Grinnell 110 years ago and graduated with a degree in psychology in 1937. “She knew from the time that she was a young girl that Grinnell was going to be her choice for college,” Jayn Chaney, a Grinnell College vice president, said. “She was the first black woman to graduate from the college.”

A new residence hall for Grinnell students that’s located in downtown Grinnell has been named Renfrow Hall. “We are excited to be able to honor her and have her legacy really celebrated and uplifted in this facility,” Chaney said.

The Renfrow Hall dedication ceremony is scheduled for Saturday at noon. A display in an art gallery on the Grinnell campus provides a timeline of the entire Renfrow family’s trajectory. “Grinnell College has been so honored to be the recipient of many of the treasured, beloved family photos that Mrs. Renfrow Smith’s mother and other family members assembled over time that really helps tell the story of the Renfrow family and the early African American community in Grinnell,” Chaney told Radio Iowa. About 60 Renfrow family members are expected for this weekend’s events in Grinnell. There will be a parade Saturday morning and on Saturday afternoon a temporary mural honoring the Renfrow sisters will be installed on the side of a bank in downtown Grinnell.

110 year-old Edith Renfrow Smith graduated from Grinnell College in 1937. (Grinnell College photo)

Edith Renfrow Smith moved to Chicago after graduating from Grinnell College. She retired from a teaching career in 1976 and has been recognized for her volunteer work in retirement. At the age of 108, she was declared a “super-ager” in Northwestern University research about older adults who have the memory capacity of someone much younger. Renfrow Smith turned 110 in July.

(Radio Iowa) – The University of Northern Iowa is developing a Center for Civic Education after recently receiving approval from the Board of Regents. The head of the Cedar Falls school’s History Department, Jennifer McNabb, helped put together the proposal. “The Center will emphasize the production of educational resources. First, our pre-service teachers at U-N-I will be producing lesson plans and support material for in service teachers across the state, and we will sponsor an annual conference at U-N-I on civic education and free speech,” she says. McNabb says they will also reach out beyond the campus.

“Our public history students will work on public education in civic ed through the creation of traveling exhibits for education and for civic spaces, hoping to draw on our partnership with the Iowa community colleges,” she says. U-N-I already has civic education curriculum in place, created by a team of faculty members after they received National Endowment for the Humanities grant. The new center will build on that curriculum.

Jennifer McNabb, Scott Peters. (photo from Board of Regents meeting)

“The center’s ultimate goal is to help our community develop the civic knowledge, skills and dispositions required for understanding and application the values of free speech, civic leadership, public service and citizenship,” McNabb says. She says the Center for Civic Education is U-N-I’s response to the Board of Regents’ directive in November 2023 for the Regent schools to establish a widespread initiative that includes opportunities for education and research on free speech and civic education.

(Radio Iowa) – This is “See Track? Think Train” week. Francis Edeker, the state coordinator for the “Operation Lifesaver” program, says more than 23-hundred people are injured or killed every year at railroad crossings. “Running around the gates and lights is a big problem — 60% of the incidents with the trains happened at crossings where there are lights and gates out there,” He says. “And 25% of the incidents are people that drive into the side of trains…and 25% of them hit the 30th or 40th or 50th car of the train, which means they’re doing a distraction and not paying attention.”

Edeker says having pedestrians on and near railroad tracks has become a major concern. “Family pictures and high school senior pictures being taken on the railroad tracks — that’s a big problem here in the state of Iowa and even in the United States all over,” he says. Edeker says pedestrians and vehicles are only allowed to cross the railroad tracks at designated crossing areas.  “Any other place or walk down them or beside them on the right-of-way — your trespassing,” Edeker says. “The way the law reads is all the officer has to do is see you out there…and he can write you a ticket.”

The fine for a first trespassing violation in Iowa is 200-dollars. This past July, the state fine increased to 520-dollars for ignoring crossing gates and warning lights and illegally driving across railroad tracks in so-called “quiet zones.” Trains approaching railroad crossings in the 21 “quiet zones” in Iowa are not required to sound the horn, to reduce noise in cities.

The cities in Iowa that have quiet zones includes: Ames, Bellevue, Boone, Burlington, Creston, Denison, Fairfield, Hiawatha, Mason City, Mount Vernon, Nevada, Ogden, Ottumwa, Sergeant Bluff and Sioux City.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic School Board held a Special Session this (Wednesday) evening at the Achievement Center. During their session, the Board approved a low bid from Electronic Engineering, for portable radios (Walkie-Talkies), which will be paid for through a Homeland Security Safety Grant amounting to $200,000 ($50,000 for each of the district’s 4 buildings). Interim Superintendent Dr. Beth Johnsen said District Technology Director Roger Warne recommended the Board approve Electronic Engineering’s bid.

Johnsen said purchase of the radios includes staff and administrator training in their use. In other business, the Atlantic School Board reviewed proposals from three professional search firms, with regard to the hiring of the District’s next, full-time Superintendent. They previously received proposals from McPherson & Jacobsen, Ray & Associates, and HYA. Finance Director Lisa Jones said money for the hiring of a search firm would come from the School Board’s budget.

Atlantic School Board Special Session, 9-25-24

HYA had the highest bid at approximately $18,000, including a consultation fee. The other two firms were pretty much in the same ballpark price-wise, and slightly lower.  The Board discussed the possibility of saving the costs associated with going through a professional search firm only to possibly come full-circle and offer Dr. Johnsen the full-time job. Johnsen has indicated she would be willing to stay in the position if the Board wishes.

In the end, though, the Atlantic School Board voted to table a decision on hiring a firm for a couple of weeks, until they can talk with the public and others, and attempt to justify expense of having an outside consulting agency, or explore other options.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Members of the Atlantic Park Advisory Commission met this (Wednesday) afternoon. Parks and Rec Coordinator Jeff Christensen remarked he’s continuing to see vandalism in some of the City’s Parks, in Mollet and Cedar Park. He said the vandalism he’s seen this year alone is more than the past three years, and measures were being taken to try and catch the perpetrators.

Splash Pad representative Ali Pieken said the concrete shade structures for the different pad features have been erected on the concrete pad, and they’re still on-track for the Pad features to arrive at the end of October or early November. They’ll turn it on for testing and then winterize the Splash Pad until it’s officially turned on until the grand opening next year.

Board Chairman Kevin Ferguson said he’s spoken with the Junior Federated representatives about new signage along the Bull Creek Pathway, and the estimated cost ($600), but to date, has not heard back on a commitment to move forward. Chelsie Rush with the YMCA reported on Sunnyside Pool Finances. The information was from the YMCA’s side of things only, and not the City. It included payroll and management expenses and loss amounts to. Revenue from RAGBRAI (approximately $10,000) helped to bring the net loss down by that same amount.

Atlantic Splash Pad shade structures installed (9-25-24) – Ric Hanson photo

Atlantic Public Works Director Kirk Knudsen reported on the condition of the asphalt on the trails around the Schildberg Recreation Area, and the costs for the materials, transported the materials, and other costs associated with laying down. He noted that with the City of Atlantic’s downtown street projects coming up next year, there will be an asphalt plant nearby, which could help to lower the costs of transportation.

Jeff Christensen remarked the Nishna Valley Trails group is hoping for another grant to resurface with asphalt or concrete some of the trails next year, as with years past. The City would be willing to provide the labor for the trail surfacing. Christensen said he would get some numbers together to present to NVT President Dave Chase.

(Radio Iowa) – The Friends of Ledges State Park in Boone County will celebrate its 100th anniversary Saturday. Park manager Andy Bartlett says it’s a favorite place for one particular form of outdoor recreation. “Ledges is known, not only in central Iowa but across the state, as a premier hiking destination,” he says. Bartlett says there are only four-and-a-half miles of trails, but the provide a lot of different challenges.

“There’s a diversity of difficulty levels, the scenery is amazing, the topography makes it a little challenging, and it’s just really a big draw, especially in the fall months,” he says. “The colors are changing, the weather’s cool, the bugs are almost gone, and you will find a fantastic place to hike here, at Ledges.” He has a favorite spot to visit in the park. “Ledges canyon itself is really one of the focal points, most unique areas in all of Iowa, from the sandstone geology to the native plant diversity the animals that call it home, just the unique experience that it offers for our visitors,” Bartlett says.

Ledges State Park. (DNR photo)

Ledges has faced some challenges through the years with too much water. “Flooding has been, you know, a thorn in the side of any past employee who’s ever worked here at Ledges. The Des Moines River being our west boundary Pease Creek, which flows through the heart of the Ledges Canyon, both of those offer different types of flooding at different times of year, and can pose a little bit of a challenge,” he says. “We had a little bit of flooding early this spring from the Des Moines River, but it it receded out of here in plenty of time for this event.” The event Saturday is open to the public.

“Starting at 10 o’clock, we have a historical characters hike, which is being put on by our seasonal naturalist here at the park. They’re going to lead participants on about a mile and a half hike, pretty easy on the trails, but they’ll meet some of those historic characters that were such a big part of the story of this park and its origin,” Bartlett says.

You can go to the Friends Of Ledges State Park Facebook page to find out more about the events.

(Sioux City, Iowa) – A crash late Wednesday morning on U-S Highway 75 near Sioux City, resulted in the death of a woman from Plymouth County, and blocked both lanes of traffic for about 4 1/2 hours. The Iowa State Patrol says that a little before 10:30-a.m. a Chrysler Voyager minivan was struck by a 2000 International tractor-trailer near the intersection with County Highway C-70, or about a mile north of Sioux City.

According to the crash report, the minivan’s driver, 64-year-old Joann Martin of Hinton died in the crash that happened when the van was traveling westbound on C-70 and was attempting a turn to go southbound on Highway 75. The patrol says the minivan pulled into the path of a semi going northbound on the highway and was struck by the semi on the driver’s side.

Following the impact, both vehicles crossed the highway’s median and entered the southbound lanes, where the semi overturned and blocked the roadway. Joann Martin died at the scene. The driver of the semi, 53-year-old Scott Mitchell, of Hornick, wasn’t hurt. Southbound traffic was re-routed into Hinton while the crash was being investigated and the scene cleared.

(Radio Iowa) – University of Iowa Health Care is looking for volunteers to take part in a national study of a drug that shows promise in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Del Miller, the U-I’s principal investigator for the study, says they’re looking for people between the ages of 50 and 89 who are just starting to show signs of a problem.

Miller says, “These would be people that have either mild memory impairment or have a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.” U-I-H-C is among nearly 50 sites nationwide taking part in what’s dubbed the BenfoTeam study, which is funded by the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Aging. The drug is called benfotiamine and Miller hopes it will slow the symptoms or even reverse them.

“If a person decides to be a part of this study,” Miller says, “they would come in for their initial visit, and part of that would be doing some testing of their memory and other brain functions to see if they would meet that criteria.” Volunteering for the study will involve a commitment of more than a year of visits to Iowa City and Miller says it will -not- require a lot of invasive procedures.

“It’s in a duration of 72 weeks,” Miller says, “and so there are visits staggered throughout the study. Early on, it’s more frequently, and the first visit is more of a screening visit to see if the person is appropriate for the study.” For more information and to volunteer, call the study coordinator Karen Smith, at 319-353-5158.

Alzheimer’s is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. In Iowa, more than 62,000 people have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia, and there are nearly 100,000 family members and friends caring for their loved ones with the disease.
https://www.benfoteam.org/

(Des Moines, Iowa)  – The Iowa Insurance Division has issued a cease-and-desist order against William Campbell and All or Nothing LLC, a Clive, Iowa limited liability company doing business as All or Nothing Roofing and Construction.  The order claims that Campbell and his company have acted as an unlicensed public adjuster by soliciting business and offering services that require a public adjuster license in the state of Iowa.  All or Nothing LLC and Mr. Campbell have 30 days to request a hearing on the cease and desist order.

A public adjuster is any person who, for compensation, acts on behalf of an insured, during the investigation, negotiation, or settlement of a first-party claim for loss or damage to real or personal property of the insured. Iowa law requires public adjusters to be licensed.  It is important for property owners to know that if a disagreement with their insurance company arises over the cost and scope of repairs, the homeowner or a licensed public adjuster, not the contractor doing the work, needs to communicate and negotiate with their insurance company.  A contractor may provide information, such as damage reports and repair estimates, to the homeowner and, if asked, to the insurance company, but may not represent or negotiate on behalf of the homeowner.

Many times, contractors solicit business, especially after major storms, by offering services that fall under the definition of public adjusting. If an insured property owner has become involved with a contractor who has made these types of promises or commitments, the Iowa Insurance Division encourages the public to report it by emailing storm-chaser-scams@iid.iowa.gov. Deputy Commissioner Jared Kirby says “Dealing with damage from a storm is stressful for those impacted. Unlicensed storm-chasers may attempt to create expectations on settlement values or scope of repairs that do not align with the language of the insurance policy which can cause delays to claim resolution and added expense to consumers.”

It’s important for Iowans to make certain that any service provider working on storm restoration is a reputable company and provides the consumer with proof of insurance, proof of contractor registration and references to allow the consumer to make an informed decision regarding who will be chosen to perform the repairs.  Iowans with questions or concerns regarding their insurance policy or claim can file a complaint with the Iowa Insurance Division.