A musical act that defies genre will make its first-ever stop in Iowa next week, bringing an Iowa native home with his high-energy acoustic band. Jared Hall is the keyboardist for Velvet Caravan, a five-member act that was assembled in Savannah, Georgia, from a wide array of musicians — hailing from as far away as Boston, Austin, Venezuela and Slovenia. “We started just kind of molding all of our sounds together playing in this little restaurant in Savannah,” Hall says, “and it’s amazing how it all just started to work.”

The 40-year-old Hall, a native of Atlantic, says it’s the diversity in their backgrounds that makes their sound so strong and unusual. Their influences include: southern rock, classical, jazz, gypsy, Latin and honkytonk. “We began composing and writing our own material and next thing you know, we had what I like to describe as just this gumbo of great sounds,” Hall says, laughing. “To be funny, we kind of describe it as European Redneck Music.”

The quintet features the musicians on: guitar, violin, standup bass, percussion and keyboards. The eclectic sound often draws a very unusual collection of people in the audience, he says, from grey-haired seniors tapping their feet to break-dancing high schoolers. “We see a lot of young people who are really into that kind of music,” Hall says. “There’s a big resurgence right now for gypsy-jazz, gypsy-swing kind of stuff. We see that all the way from someone who might appreciate jazz music, we see jazz fans out there, we see classical music fans out there. We even have quite a little hipster following going on.” (Here’s a snippet of their sound):

Velvet Caravan’s first Iowa show is scheduled for October 12th at the Temple Theater in Des Moines.

Some renewable fuels advocates are questioning the Trump Administration’s commitment to biofuels in light of recent proposals from the EPA. Those proposals include reducing the RFS blend requirement for biodiesel and having U.S. biofuel export volumes count towards compliance with the RFS. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he expressed his concerns to President Trump in a phone conversation last Friday.

“I don’t want to say what the President said, but I was very satisfied with the position the President took in our discussion,” Grassley said. As a result of that conversation, Grassley and several of his Senate colleagues will be meeting with EPA administrator Scott Pruitt on October 17.  “I will tell administrator Pruitt that the proposal is counter to what the President has pledged,” Grassley said.

The EPA, Grassley added, appear to be undercutting the President’s support of biofuels. Grassley said while he has no direct evidence that the oil industry is pressuring the EPA on biofuels, he isn’t ruling out the possibility. “Big Oil may be accomplishing something in EPA it couldn’t get through Congress,” Grassley said. “And like a duck, if it quacks like a duck and walks like a duck, it’s probably a duck.”

Grassley will be holding town meetings in Iowa next week during the Congressional recess.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 1:55 a.m. CDT

SUTHERLAND, Iowa (AP) — A northwestern Iowa woman was killed in the Las Vegas concert shooting. Carly Kreibaum of Sutherland was among the 59 people who died from injuries sustained Sunday during the deadliest shooting in U.S. history. She was 33. The Sioux City Journal reports that Kreibaum attended the outdoor music festival with two friends who say they got separated from Kreibaum but saw her get shot.

CRESTON, Iowa (AP) — A southern Iowa candy factory is closing its doors, taking more than 250 jobs from the area. The Des Moines Register reports Ferrara Candy Company announced Wednesday it would close its unionized Creston plant sometime in December. The company makes well-known candy brands, including Brachs, RedHots, Jujyfruits, Lemonheads and Trolli Gummi candies. The plant has operated in Creston for more than 30 years.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A former Des Moines hospital pharmacy worker accused of stealing painkillers from hundreds of patients has been arraigned on federal charges. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Des Moines says Victor Van Cleave was in court Wednesday, charged with to face two criminal counts: tampering with consumer products and obtaining fentanyl by misrepresentation, fraud, deception and subterfuge.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Whether high-capacity ammunition magazines should be banned is a question getting renewed attention after the attack in Las Vegas, where a gunman rapid-fired bullets into a crowed of concertgoers. Eight states have passed restrictions limiting magazines to 10 or 15 bullets. Gun-rights advocates say the Second Amendment protects their right to own high-capacity magazines, which they prize for sport shooting and self-defense.

Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones and Councilman Dana Halder presented gifts during Wednesday night’s City Council meeting, to Linn Headlee, President of the Atlantic Public Library’s Board of Directors. Mayor Jones was the first to speak.

Mayor Dave Jones presents an award to Linn Headlee.

He thanked her for her years of service and presented her with an award. Jones said “Thank you for your years of service at the public library as an officer and President of the Library Board of Trustees. Your dedication and service to the Library is greatly appreciated.” Jones says people serving on boards often times don’t get the recognition they deserve, and Headlee “Was going above and beyond” in terms of her service.

Councilman Halder, who serves as the Council’s liaison to the Library Board, presented Linn Headlee with a ceramic vase with flowers. He said he promised if she stayed on as Library Board President, he would bring her chocolates and flowers. In addition to the flowers, Halder presented Headlee with “Some premium chocolate clusters…I shopped local.”

In her report to the Council, Headlee said the Library Board continues its efforts to find a new Library Director to succeed Natalie Struecker, who resigned a couple of months ago. Their staff, she said, continue with school outreach programs, story-time, and other educational programs. She added that representatives Iowa Works come to the library once a month, to help out of work persons in their job search, resume preparation and Iowa Workforce website for employment opportunities. They began doing so on Oct. 2nd, but haven’t had much turnout for the hours they are available. Therefore, Headlee said they are requesting that persons who want to use their service, please call ahead and reserve your time slot. For more information, you can call the Library.

Councilman Halder presents the flowers and chocolates.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Iowa Congressman David Young today (Wednesday), asked U.S. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta to assist the employees who will be affected by the closing of a Creston candy production factory.

Ferrara Candy Company, the largest employer in Creston, announced it would be closing the factory in December which will result in the loss of more than 250 jobs. Ferrara Candy Company has been part of the Creston community for more than 30 years.

“The plant’s closing is deeply troubling. I know how important those jobs are to the Creston community and I know that the community will come together to make sure those affected are taken care of. I reached out to Secretary Acosta because the Department of Labor should immediately begin implementation of transition assistance and aid programs to lessen the impact on those affected and the Creston community as a whole,” said Congressman Young. “My office stands ready to assist anyone affected by the closing of the plant.”

Congressman Young’s letter to Secretary Acosta asked that the Department of Labor work closely with local and state officials and impacted workers to ensure they have access to available services designed to help them find new, quality employment in the future.

The National Weather Service in Omaha/Valley has issued a  Flood Watch for portions of southwest Iowa and southeast Nebraska, including the following Counties, in southwest Iowa: Fremont, Mills, Montgomery, and Page, from 1-p.m. Thursday through 5-a.m. Saturday.

* Numerous rounds of showers and thunderstorms with heavy rainfall potential are expected Thursday into Friday. This could eventually could create 2 to 4 inches of rain over a prolonged period of time, which may result in flooding of low lying areas,
and possibly some rivers and streams. Rainfall over the previous 48 hours has averaged three quarters to two and a half inches in some areas, thus the soil may already be wet in some locations.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A Flood Watch means there is a potential for flooding based on current forecasts.

You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.

Three school districts in north central Iowa went into lock-down mode this afternoon (Wednesday) after school officials reviewed threatening messages. It started on Tuesday night when the Algona Community School District received a threat to students and the district. The call came in around 10 o’clock. As a result, police and school officials cancelled school for Wednesday until further investigation could be made.

This (Wednesday) afternoon, the Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Community Schools received a text message threat against their school. That message was communicated to nearby districts such as the Eagle Grove and Belmond-Klemme Community School Districts. As a result, all three districts have gone into a Level 1 lockdown until dismissal today. Police are investigating the source of these threatening texts.

Meanwhile, doors to all of the schools remained locked and local police and the county sheriff’s offices are on extra patrol nearby. There are other safety precautions that are taking place within the schools to ensure the safety of the students, faculty and staff.

Classes were cancelled in Johnston on Tuesday after parents and students received threatening text messages from the 818 area code. Today (Wednesday) Sioux City officials are investigating a threatening text message sent to a student at North High School. Superintendent Paul Gausman says the threat is similar to the messages sent to families in Johnston.

“In that district, they had multiple text messages to different parents and, I believe, students’ cell phones in their community,” Gausman says. “Last night, I was informed that we had one parent in this district who had a student who received a similar text message.”

Sioux City’s superintendent says officials determined there was no credible threat connected to that text message, but police did a complete sweep of Sioux City North High School before students and staff arrived today (Wednesday) to ensure the building was safe. School officials in Johnston delayed the start of today’s (Wednesday’s) classes for a similar security assessment of buildings in the central Iowa district.

(Radio Iowa)

An Illinois-based company that owns a candy plant in southwest Iowa plans to close the facility, putting more than 250 employees out of work. Production at the Ferrara (fer-R-uh) Candy Company facility in Creston will end in mid-December. The plant has been making gummi bears and other candy for more than 30 years. According to a statement from the company, the “difficult decision” to close the Creston plant came after a “comprehensive review” of Ferrara operations.

Executives say the Illinois company plans to focus on its “most efficient assets” and invest in “state of the art facilities.” The 256 workers at the Creston plant will be offered “severance and transition assistance,” according to a company statement. City leaders in Creston say the news came as a surprise.

In 2015, then-Governor Terry Branstad toured the plant in Creston. Company officials said during that visit two years ago that their number one obstacle was finding enough workers.

(Radio Iowa)

CASS Incorporated has been awarded a 2017 Top Workplaces honor for the seventh consecutive year by The Des Moines Register. They are one of ten business in the state that have achieved this. The Top Workplaces lists are based solely on the results of an employee feedback survey administered by WorkplaceDynamics, LLC, a leading research firm that specializes in organizational health and workplace improvement.

CASS Incorporated, a 501(c)3 Iowa non-profit corporation, has been providing rehabilitative services for people with disabilities since the mid 1970’s. In September of 2017, CASS announced their merger with Crossroads of Western Iowa, a company whose mission mirrors CASS’s in that they provide training and support for persons with disabilities. The combined organization will expand services to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental illness and brain injuries.

Brent Dillinger, CEO of Crossroads of Western Iowa, said in a Press Release, “Being named a 2017 Top Workplaces is an honor to our organization as a whole. It shows that our mission of empowering individuals to seek an enhanced quality of life is alive in the community. We are excited about Crossroads’ merger with CASS Incorporated. It’s a great opportunity for our employees, clients and the community.”

Crossroads of Western IA has been in existence since 1975 providing individuals with disabilities opportunities in independent living, employment and volunteer services. Several aspects of workplace culture were measured, including Alignment, Execution, and Connection, just to name a few.

Doug Claffey, CEO of WorkplaceDynamics, said  “To be a Top Workplace, organizations must meet our strict standards for organizational health. And who better to ask about work life than the people who live the culture every day—the employees. Time and time again, our research has proven that what’s most important to them is a strong belief in where the organization is headed, how it’s going to get there, and the feeling that everyone is in it together.”

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of 36-year-old Gary O. Smith of Red Oak on Wednesday afternoon. Officers arrested Smith at 1:25pm in the 400 block of North 7th Street on a warrant for Failure to Appear on a charge of Disorderly Conduct. Smith was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $1,000 cash bond.