The Atlantic Fire Department has announced that they are continuing their partnership with the Muscualar Dystrophy Association for this year’s Fill the Boot fundraiser. Atlantic firefighters will be at the intersection of 7th and Poplar Streets in Atlantic on Saturday, August 13th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to accept donations in a fire boot to support MDA.

The funds raised held support MDA’s mission of research, care, and advocacy for families living with muscular dystrophy, ALS, and related neuromuscular diseases.

You can also donate to the AFD’s Fill the Boot online by visiting https://filltheboot.donordrive.com/team/12666 #FilltheBoot

The Iowa State Fair opened today (Thursday) the chair of the Fair board started things off.

“Find Your Fun” is the theme of the 11-day fair. State Fair C-E-O, Gary Slater, says there’s plenty to watch and do.

He says the State Fair is still recovering from the pandemic. Governor Kim Reynolds says she expects there will be good attendance this year as people look for some entertainment.

Reynolds is heading to Dyersville later today for the Field of Dreams Major League baseball game. It was announced that there won’t be a game next year. Reynolds says she’s confident the game will eventually return.

The governor this week announced more than 12 million dollars in funding for a permanent ballpark near the Field of Dreams site. She says it will help build on what they are doing there to draw in people.

Opponents of the governor question the spending — but she says the money has been spread out in a lot of areas.

Reynolds says there has been other money provided for roads and infrastructure as well.

Attorneys representing Governor Kim Reynolds have taken the formal step of asking a district court to let a state law take effect that would ban most abortions in Iowa.
Attorneys with the Alliance Defending Freedom and Iowa attorney Alan Ostergren filed a motion, asking the court to lift its injunction against a law that bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. That’s generally around the sixth week of a pregnancy. In a written statement, Governor Reynolds indicated recent rulings from the U.S. and Iowa Supreme Courts provide a pathway to challenge the injunction and have the law take effect. Reynolds says life and death are determined by a person’s heartbeat and Reynolds said she believes that includes unborn children. When Reynolds signed the so-called “fetal heartbeat” law four years ago, it was the toughest abortion law in the country.

Two Southwest Iowa residents have announced their candidacy for the state legislature.

Pat Shipley

Mayor of Nodaway Pat Shipley has announced her candidacy for Iowa House District 17. She grew up in Villisca and graduated from Iowa State. Shipley has worked in public education for over 40 years, first as a teacher and coach for 16 years and then with the Iowa State Education Association for more than 26 years as a public education employee advocate. Shipley’s campaign is advocating for the education system and access to health care.

Shipley says, “For rural Iowa to sustain itself, there must be a reason for young adults to stay and raise a family. If Iowa is to thrive, we need good-paying jobs, a strong public education system, access to affordable health care, and reliable broadband. Furthermore, we need to recognize that a changing climate impacts our farming practices and that communities that welcome diverse populations grow stronger. Iowa is headed in the wrong direction and has spent too much time longing for days gone by. For our state and local communities to prosper, we must embrace the changes before us and move forward with vision and courage to create a better future for every Iowan.”

Villisca resident Tripp Narup has announced his candidacy for Iowa State Senate District 9. He currently serves on the Villisca City Council and has focused his campaign on the issues of reproductive rights, education, infrastructure, and the tax code.

Tripp Narup

Narup said he is excited to meet fellow rural Iowans and discuss the issues they are facing. “Iowans are friendly and sensible people,” he said. “They know it is the time to get back to basics, to get back to doing the job state government is meant to do: educate our kids, maintain our roads and bridges, and protect individual rights. We’ve had enough of political bickering and make-believe culture clash issues. Let’s get back to work.”

MONTGOMERY – Montgomery County voters interested in voting absentee for the November 8 General Election may file requests for absentee ballots with the Montgomery County Auditor’s Office starting August 30, 2022.

Due to legislation changes, the time period to request absentee ballots has been reduced from 120 days to 70 days. The new legislation also has shortened the number of days that the Auditor’s Office may have ballots available for absentee voting. Voters now have 20 days to vote absentee either by mail or in-person rather than 29 days.

Voters wishing to receive a ballot by mail for the General Election will need to complete an absentee ballot request form and return it to the Montgomery County Auditor’s Office, 105 E Coolbaugh Street, PO Box 429, Red Oak, before 5 p.m. on October 24th. Voters are reminded that due to recent legislation changes, the ballot must be returned to the County Auditor’s Office before the polls close at 8:00 p.m. on November 8th to be counted.

In-person early voting in the Auditor’s Office and mailing of ballots will begin October 19th.

Absentee ballot request forms can be found on the Montgomery County website at www.montgomerycountyia.gov or on the Iowa Secretary of State’s website at https://sos.iowa.gov. They may also be requested by calling the Montgomery County Auditor’s office at 712-623-5127.

For more information about the 2022 General Election, contact the Montgomery County Auditor’s office at 712-623-5127 or visit the county website at www.montgomerycountyia.gov.

Today (Thursday) is 8-1-1 awareness day to remind you to call that phone number if you plan on any digging on your property. Iowa Utilities Board spokesman, Don Tormey, says the observance happens now because it’s — August 11th — or 8-1-1.

He says any type of digging requires a call — it doesn’t have to be a major project with excavators.

Tormey says there are all types of lines buried across the state, from sewer lines to fiber optic lines that each pose problems if they are cut.

Not only do you face a potential danger from hitting something underground, you can face fines for not calling before digging. Get more information at iowaonecall.com

Last weekend’s showers dumped up to seven inches of rain on parts of Iowa, while many areas stayed dry, but even with the scattered downpours, drought conditions persist over wide sections of the state. Angie Rieck Hinz (REEK HINES) is an Iowa State University field agronomist and says that’s typical and it’s bringing a drastic variation in crop conditions statewide.

Rieck Hinz is touring parts of north-central Iowa to inspect crops and says the drought isn’t keeping insects away from the fields.

Soybean aphids are problematic for some growers, while soybean gall midges are being found for the first time this season in three more counties: Kossuth, Humboldt and Webster. Rieck Hinz says a few crop diseases are thriving in the heat.

A new report is expected later this (Thursday) morning from the U-S Drought Monitor. Last week’s map shows more than 60 of the state’s 99 counties in some form of drought, with 13 northwest Iowa counties in either severe or extreme drought conditions.

DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs has selected 11 Iowa arts, culture, history and humanities organizations to participate in its first Iowa Culture Leadership Cohort program.

The two-year program runs now through June 30, 2024, and is designed to help participants build leadership skills and increase organizational capacity in areas including operations, sustainability and programming. The program is jointly administered by two department divisions, the Iowa Arts Council and State Historical Society of Iowa, and will address challenges these organizations face by providing training, networking and technical assistance.

“We’re pleased to establish the Iowa Culture Leadership Cohort as a skill-building program to help cultivate Iowa’s next generation of arts and cultural leaders,” Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs Director Chris Kramer said. “Our goal is to offer training and resources so organizational leaders can successfully run the museums, arts centers and other cultural institutions that drive tourism and experiential learning in their communities across the state.”

Although some of the participating organizations are in larger cities, the program will also help nonprofits in rural areas, where arts and culture can play an especially vital role in economic and community development.

Thirty-five organizations applied to participate in the pilot program, which is designed to primarily serve small and mid-sized organizations. The following 11 groups were chosen to participate:

Council Bluffs, Historical Society of Pottawattamie County
Des Moines, After School Arts Program
Forest City, Winnebago Historical Society
Fort Madison, Fort Madison Area Arts Association
Grinnell, Grinnell Area Arts Council
Iowa City, Public Space One
Maquoketa, Maquoketa Art Experience
Oskaloosa, George Daily Auditorium
Oskaloosa, Mahaska County Historical Society
Swedesburg, Swedish Heritage Society Foundation
Winterset, Madison County Historical Society

For more information about the Iowa Culture Leadership Cohort program, visit iowaculture.gov.

The Glenwood Police Department, Wednesday, said a woman was arrested Tuesday, for Driving While Barred. 42-year-old Sara Johnson, of Glenwood, was being held in the Mills County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

A man taking a dirt bike on a test ride at a high rate of speed Monday night in Guthrie County, and tried to jump over a farm terrace. In doing so, 19-year-old Sheldon Joseph Astley, of Coon Rapids, didn’t realize there was an ATV occupied by two females who were just on the other side of the terrace. The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office said the dirt bike struck the ATV.

Astley and the ATV operator, 25-year-old Cristine Deanna Evans, of Coon Rapids, were ejected from their machines and collided in mid-air.  Astley was found underneath the dirt bike following the collision. Evans was near the ATV, on the ground. A passenger on the ATV, 17-year-old Chloe Einfred, of Coon Rapids, was checked by EMS personnel after she complained of neck and head pain. The accident happened near 1104 Grant Avenue, at around 8:10-p.m., Monday.

Astley and Evans suffered from suspected serious, incapacitating injuries. Authorities say the owner of the dirt bike transported Astley to the Guthrie County Hospital. He was later transported to Mercy One by LifeFlight. Evans was transported by ambulance to Bayard and then to Mercy One, by LifeFlight.