(Radio Iowa) – House Democrats are planning to push to make contraceptives, like the pill, available without a prescription. Representative Lindsay James, a Democrat from Dubuque, says pharmacists in 20 states are able to provide birth control without a doctor’s prescription. “Pharmacists especially in rural Iowa are an important resource and an important part of this equation,” James says. “They are an access point for care and can help eliminate barriers and expand access to contraception.”

In 2019, Republican Governor Kim Reynolds proposed making the pill available without a prescription, but the bill stalled in the House. This year, G-O-P lawmakers in the House and Senate are considering proposals that would still require prescriptions, but the required appointments with the prescribing doctor would be less frequent. House Democrats are also proposing an amendment to guarantee abortion rights in the Iowa Constitution along with other legislation related to reproductive health care. House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst of Windsor Heights…

“We campaigned on reproductive freedom,” Konfrst says. “It is still a crisis in this state and it’s critically important we address it.” During House debate of a wide ranging bill Republicans are considering, Democratic Representative Beth Wessel-Kroeschell of Ames intends to ask that Medicaid patients get one year of health coverage after childbirth rather than just 60 days. “What has been discovered is that a lot of women have problems after that 60 day time period,” Wessel-Kroeschell says, “and we have seen some maternal deaths after that time period, which is just simply tragic.”

She’ll also call for restoring Medicaid coverage for family planning and sexually transmitted disease testing at Planned Parenthood. Republican lawmakers ended state and federal funding for those services at Planned Parenthood in 2017. Key Republicans say they stand by the decision to “defund” Planned Parenthood and have no intention of reversing it.

(Radio Iowa) – A man and woman living in Wapello County have been sentenced to two years in federal prison for coercing two men from Micronesia to work in an Ottumwa meatpacking plant. A federal judge has ordered the couple to pay nearly $70,000 in restitution to the victims. According to the U.S. Justice Department, the couple are citizens of Micronesia and U.S. residents who recruited two young men from Micronesia to come to Ottumwa to work, telling them they could send money back to their families in Micronesia.

The couple pleaded guilty to withholding the workers’ passports and confiscating most of their wages. A deputy in the U.S. Justice Department says the defendants callously exploited the victims and used their power over them to profit from their hard work at the Ottumwa plant.

ANAMOSA– Due to the ongoing investigation, Anamosa State Penitentiary has been placed on restricted movement for the foreseeable future. This will limit inmate movement throughout the facility and give DOC staff the ability to conduct a large-scale search of the prison for illicit contraband. Visitation will not occur during the restricted movement period.

Two other inmates were found unresponsive in their cells and were administered Narcan on Sunday, March 19. Neither inmate required outside medical attention and both tested negative for illegal substances. Responding staff did not become ill following their encounters with these inmates. DOC has determined these cases are unrelated to the original incident that occurred on Saturday, March 18.

The original incident remains under investigation and DOC will continue to work in conjunction with the DPS Narcotics Division.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The normally non-confrontational Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department Board of Director’s meeting was just the opposite for more than 30-minutes, Monday evening. Heads began to butt as Ali Pieken with the Splash Pad Financing Committee spoke about getting a letter of support for submitting a grant application for project funding, using Shift ATL as a grant writing agency. Councilman Gerald Brink asked why the grant application wasn’t going through Parks and Rec Director Wyatt Adderton.

Pieken said going through the process of applying for a grant is a tremendous undertaking for one person.

She said a community member brought to her attention that someone on the Atlantic City Council was not behind the Splash Pad Project. She asked the Board & Mayor Grace Garrett, “Is this project a go?” Parks & Rec Board member Jeremy Butler, who is a Co-Chair on the fundraising committee, said the Committee is ready to go, but things aren’t moving forward.

Mayor Garrett said she was at a recent meeting with Butler, and didn’t understand what he meant by a “No go.”

Garrett said “The idea of having SHIFT involved to begin with was an idea and a suggestion, but I don’t think in that regard there was ever a go, because we were waiting” [on a legal clarification] to see if that would be possible. City Clerk Barb Barrick commented on what transpired during the meeting Butler referred to…

Butler said the City has three choices.

Butler at one-point stood-up and was about to leave, but then eventually sat back down.

Jeremy Butler (Standing) speaks with Mayor Garrett as he prepared to leave.

Mayor Garrett reminded Butler that she was “All about a Splash Pad”…and that “Our Council has never said they weren’t for a Splash Pad.” Ali Pieken said she has always felt support for the Parks and Rec Board for what she’s trying to accomplish, but she has not felt support from the City Council. Wyatt Adderton offered to be the Chairperson of the Fundraising Committee and an intermediary to foster communication between the Committee and City Hall. Because the Splash Pad was on the agenda for discussion only, no action was taken during the meeting.

While the City awaits a legal decision on SHIFT ATL being a funnel for grant funds, donations for the Splash Pad can be made through City Hall. We’ll have more from Monday’s Parks & Rec Board meeting later this week.

(Radio Iowa) – A study commissioned by the renewable fuels industry suggests corn prices in Iowa would drop significantly if carbon capture pipelines are not built in Iowa. “It’s like asking a farmer, a corn farmer on the corn side of their equation to take an 85% pay cut,” Shaw said during an online news conference this morning.

New federal tax credits are available for proposed pipelines that would capture carbon from Midwest ethanol plants and ship the carbon to underground storage in North Dakota and Illinois. “We are now looking at Iowa being the only…state on the map where there is still an active effort to derail these projects,” Shaw said.

A bill in the Iowa House would establish new steps pipeline developers would have to clear. Most notable is a requirement that property owners along 90% of a pipeline’s route voluntarily let developers have access to their land. The study found the price for corn could plummet by as much as 80 cents per bushel if carbon capture pipelines are connected to ethanol plants elsewhere, but not in Iowa. The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association is asking its members to lobby House members to vote against the bill.

Tim Recker, a corn farmer from Arlington, spoke during today’s news conference. He called carbon pipelines the next step for the ethanol industry. “If we don’t find favor in getting CO2 transported, I’m going to be shipping corn to my neighboring states or I’m going to be putting a lot more corn on the river system — an 80 year old lock and dam system, our rail sytem or trucking it a lot farther than I do today,” he said “and to me, that’s going backwards in our industry, not forward.”

Shaw cited part of the study which found just 6% of Iowa field corn currently leaves the state without having value added either by being used to make ethanol, fed to livestock or converted to industrial use. “If we don’t align ourselves to be profitable under the current policy and market conditions and we let the ethanol production migrate out to those areas that do, the study found…44% of our corn would leave this state without having any value added to it,” Shaw said.

Key Republican lawmakers who have proposed new regulations for the pipelines say they’re defending the rights of landowners who don’t want their land seized through the government’s eminent domain process. Other pipeline opponents question the safety of the pipelines and whether capturing carbon from ethanol plants is among the best ways to reduce greenhouse gases.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Jeffrey Kiley, Co-Founder and COO of Advantage Archives, will be at the Atlantic Public Library on Thursday, March 23 beginning at 1 pm. Kiley will demonstrate how to access and use Advantage. Jeff has a passion for history contained in the pages of old newspapers.

Advantage Archives is a business located in Cedar Rapids which serves communities across the nation. Their purpose is to digitize newspapers and other historical documents to make them accessible free online to anyone, anytime, from anywhere. Services are used by interested individuals, State & Local Governments, Libraries & Historical Societies, Newspaper Publishers, Educational Institutions, State Historical Societies, Manufacturers, Legal Professionals, and many more.

An interest in history, genealogy, past community events can be extended through Advantage. It might even settle a family disagreement about a date or event. It could be entertaining to read newspapers from the past as writing styles have changed a great deal.

Most libraries offer a link to this or similar service. Check their websites. The Atlantic Public Library offers it under Genealogy. Find information in the earliest newspaper such as Atlantic News Telegraph, 1870 to 1879.

This presentation is sponsored by Cass County Genealogical Society. There is no fee and everyone is welcome. Bring your laptop or phone to follow along.

Red Oak, Iowa – The Southwest Iowa Housing Trust Fund (SWIHTF) Board recently approved 4 applications submitted by the city of Red Oak for the demolition program.

The demolition program, which is funded through SWIHTF, is designed to assist cities with the cost of demolition of blighted, residential properties. SWIHTF will pay 50% of the cost, up to $15,000, for demolition of the city owned properties. Over the past seven years, the trust fund and partnering cities have demolished 37 dilapidated houses that were beyond repair.

All cities within the SWIHTF region of Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, and Shelby Counties can apply at any time. The SWIHTF Board meets quarterly to review, score, and approve the applications. Scoring criteria includes: city utilized the grant last year, asbestos inspection has been completed, condition of the building/collapse, inherent danger of the property, impact on the neighborhood, and plans for the space after demolition.

“When I visit our schools, civic organizations and with people in the community, one of their main concerns is the extent of dilapidated and dangerous properties within the community which greatly detract from the beauty of our hometown”, stated City of Red Oak Mayor Shawnna Silvius. “As mayor, knowing how many properties are now the city’s, I am driven to lead by example. Growing property valuations is essential to improve our tax base, and housing is one of our most critical needs.”

One of the biggest benefits to this program is that it allows for cities to promote beautification initiatives that will build communities where families choose to live and businesses choose to locate. Mayor Silvius stated, “eliminating our nuisance lots and thinking out-of-the-box to redevelop areas, whether infill housing or redeveloped blocks using tiny home concepts to 3-D printed concrete houses, or creating other community garden, splash pad or river front/park-type amenities, we can literally rejuvenate dying areas of town into something bright and beautiful.”

For questions or to request/send an application contact Sandy Hansen at 712-243-4196 or sandy.hansen@swipco.org.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports numerous arrests took place over the past week. At around 9:40-p.m. on the 13th, 40-year-old Dustin Brian Benge, of Greenfield, was arrested after a Greenfield Police Officer observed Benge driving a riding mower down the street. The machine had no front or rear lamps. The Officer knew Benge was driving with a revoked license. Benge was subsequently arrested for Possession of a controlled substance – 2nd offense/methamphetamine, and Driving While License Denied or Revoked. He was later released on a $3,000 bond.

At around 3:24-a.m. on March 14th, Police in Stuart arrested 29-year-old Shannon Rae Snyder, of Stuart, for Possession of a Controlled Substance/1st offense – Marijuana, Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia, and Poss. of a Controlled Substance/1st offense. She was later released on a $2,300 bond. Later than same day during a traffic stop, Police in Adair arrested 23-year-old Manuel Arturo Avila-Leanos, of Des Moines, for PCS/Marijuana-2nd offense. He was later released on a $1,000 bond. The driver, 24-year-old Ramiro Miguel Mendez, of Marshalltown, was arrested by Adair Police for PCS/3rd or subsequent offense – Marijuana. Bond was set at $2,000

26-year-old Abraham Junior Pena, of Paterson, NJ, was arrested by Adair Police on March 14th, following a traffic stop. Pena was charged with Intent to Deliver Cocaine greater than 500 grams, Drug tax stamp violations, and PCS/Marijuana-1st offense. His bond was set at $25,000. His passenger, 22-year-old Darielfy Jesus Pena-Ortega, of Raleigh, NC., was arrested on the same charges. His bond was also set at $25,000.

On March 15th, Adair County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 64-year-old Danny Ray Robinson, of Des Moines, for Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia, following a traffic stop for speeding. Robinson was cited and released on a summons to appear in court. On March 16th, 35-year-old Anthony William Runner, of Des Moines, was arrested on I-80 in Adair County, by the Iowa State Patrol. Runner was charged with OWI/3rd offense, Driving while license denied or revoked for OWI, Speeding 91 mph in a 70 mph zone, and Child Endangerment, as there were four children in the vehicle, ranging in age from 5-to 9-years. Runner was later released on $8,000 bond.

And, on March 17th, 51-year-old Dean Lemoine Griffith II, of Bridgewater, was arrested by Greenfield Police for Public Intoxication and Simple Assault. He was released the same night on a $300 bond.

(Ames, Iowa) – The Iowa Beef Industry Council has released the Top 10 list of restaurants nominated for the 2023 Iowa’s Top Burger Contest. Among them is Troy’s Bar & Grill in Earling, located in Shelby County. Iowans submitted nominations between February 13 – March 13 to kick off the quest to find the best burger in Iowa. Nominations were accepted online by the Iowa Beef Industry Council and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association. The number of votes each restaurant received determined the 2023 Top Ten restaurants. The restaurants making the Top Ten list (in alphabetical order) include:

• Arty’s Ice Cream & Grill, Wilton
• Ben’s Burgers, Ankeny
• Birdies, Burgers and Brews @ The Hillcrest, Graettinger
• Burger & Company, Spirit Lake
• Fishback & Stephenson Cider House, Fairfield
• Foodie Garage Eatery, Dubuque
• Flight Bar + Grille, Huxley
• Jeronimo’s Bar & Grill, Springbrook
• Parlor on Main, Central City
• Troy’s Bar & Grill, Earling
  

To qualify, the burger must be a 100% real beef patty served on a bun or bread product. Burgers may include any combination of condiments, sauces, cheese or toppings. “In total, we collected 6,414 votes for 509 Iowa restaurants,” said Kylie Peterson, Director of Marketing for the Iowa Beef Industry Council. “This year’s Top Ten restaurants are award-winning worthy, but are only a few of the many restaurants in Iowa that do an outstanding job of promoting and serving our beef products to their customers on behalf of Iowa’s beef farmers.” Five of the Top Ten restaurants are new qualifiers, including Ben’s Burgers, Burger & Company, Flight Bar & Grille, Jeronimo’s Bar & Grill, and Parlor on Main.

The final phase in the quest for the 2023 Iowa’s Best Burger will now begin. All Top Ten restaurants will be visited by a panel of anonymous judges who will evaluate the burgers based on taste, appearance, and proper doneness (160 degrees Fahrenheit). The judges’ scores and comments will be accumulated and the winner will be announced on May 1 to kick off May Beef Month.

Last year, The Flying Elbow in Marshalltown took home the title of 2022 Iowa’s Best Burger. Winners in previous years include: 2021 – Bambino’s of Ossian; 2020 – Twisted Tail Steakhouse & Saloon of BeeBeeTown; 2019 – Wood Iron Grille of Oskaloosa; 2018 – Café Beaudelaire of Ames; 2017 – The Smokin’ Hereford BBQ of Storm Lake; 2016 – The Chuckwagon Restaurant Adair; 2015 – The Cider House of Fairfield; 2014 – Brick City Grill in Ames; 2013 – 61 Chop House Grille in Mediapolis; 2012 – Coon Bowl III in Coon Rapids; 2011 – Rusty Duck in Dexter; and 2010 – Sac County Cattle Company of Sac City.

To learn more about the contest and the Top Ten restaurants, including addresses and hours, visit www.iabeef.org.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Glenwood Police Department reports two arrests last week and an accident at a car wash. Authorities say 54-year-old Robert Kastl, of Omaha, was arrested March 13th for Domestic Abuse Assault, and Violation of a No Contact Order. He later posted bond and was released. And, on the 15th, 38-year-old Angelina Carey, of Glenwood, was arrested for Assault, and Interference with Official Acts. She posted a $1,300 bond and was released.

Glenwood Police report also, a hit-and-run accident in caused $400 damage to a sprayer arm at the Superwash, in Glenwood.The incident happened at around 2:53-a.m. on March 14th. An automatic sprayer arm was found broken-off and laying in the wash bay. No suspect vehicle information was available.