(Washington, D-C)   U-S Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigeig, last week, announced the Biden-Harris Administration has awarded more than $2.2 billion from the RAISE discretionary grant program to 162 different infrastructure projects across the country. The funding includes a nearly $23 million grant to build a pedestrian bridge and a multi-modal transit hub to better connect neighborhoods and college campuses to downtown Orangeburg, South Carolina.

Iowa was awarded a $24.7 million grant to replace up to nine bridges in poor condition in rural counties. Some bridges are weight-restricted and currently force detours for both residents and commercial truck drivers.

Pottawattamie County Engineer John Rasmussen issued a statement, saying “The RAISE Grant will add a Center Left Turn Lane to G30 from Railroad Highway to I80 in Underwood, as well as replacing the Mosquito Creek Bridge.  The existing Mosquito Creek Bridge is Structurally Deficient with weight restrictions looming. The existing pavement on this section is beyond repair.  There is a lot of truck traffic and congestion due to the truck stop, repair shops, hotels, restaurants, commuters, and the Jack Link’s warehouse. The goal of this project,” he said, “ is to resolve these issues and maintain through traffic during the construction.”

Rasmussen said also, “While the County isn’t receiving less funding than in the past, inflation has caused us to reduce the number of projects that we are planning by about 30% to make up for the higher costs.  The RAISE Grant will help get a project done that we’d otherwise be saving money for a decade to complete.  This funding will be instrumental in helping Pottawattamie County overcome the challenges of inflation that we expect to experience over the next few years.”

The RAISE grant program, expanded under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, supports communities of all sizes, with half of the FY2023 funding going to rural areas and the other half to urban areas. The grants are part of the Biden Administration’s “Investing in America” agenda.

(Radio Iowa) – The board that governs the three state universities approved budgets for the schools that includes one-point-66 Billion dollars in general operating expenses. University of Iowa president, Barbara Wilson, talked about her budget, including special funding from the state for the nursing program. “The main thing we’re going to do with that funding, two-point-eight million million is to hire additional faculty, and retain those that we have so that we can grow our student body. We have a clear accreditation requirements there. And so this funding will allow us to grow the faculty and in turn allow us to add 48 nursing students per year,” Wilson says. She says that will get to 208 students per class by 2026, which is 30 percent increase over four years. Wilson says they also will put more funding toward student aid.

“We know that student aid and student debt are critical issues for us, they’re critical issues for public higher ed across the country,” Wilson says. “We’re happy to report that we’re going to increase our student aid by eight-point-one million dollars internally. That doesn’t count the amount of money that our very generous donors are providing for student scholarships.” Wilson says the goal is to help students keep down their debt. The U-I’s general operating budget is 802 million dollars. University of Northern Iowa president, Mark Nook, says they are also working to address the nursing shortage as their new program approaches. “Renovation is underway to create a state of the art nursing facility should be completed in time for the launch of the program by next fall,” he says.

Nook says they are also working on the teacher shortage and have created several new programs. “One of those programs is the purple pathway for para educators. This is a program that opened just a year ago. And about half of that cohort is supported by the teacher peer educator registered apprenticeship opportunity that was also made available by the state,” he says. He says it is designed to make it easier on the students in the program. ” This program allows current para educators in a school system to complete their coursework on-line to become certified teachers receive a baccalaureate degree and do their student teaching at the institution in the school district that they’re currently working in. So there’s no need for them to relocate,” Nook says. U-N-I’s general operating budget is 167 million dollars.

Iowa State University president, Wendy Wintersteen, says they are focusing on their strategic plan and the new recruitment campaign “Cyclone in the making.” She says they had 14-thousands students at summer orientation. “We’re seeing a significant increase in demand for on campus housing. We had to reopen Wilson Hall with double occupancy rooms to accommodate the number of students who want to live on campus,” she says. Wintersteen says they also opened up a new way for students to apply. “And within the first six hours midnight to 6 a-m, 30 students applied for fall 2024 for admission. So if you’re wondering what students are doing from midnight to 6am, some of them are actually applying to go to college,”Wintersteen says.

The I-S-U general operating budget is 691 million dollars. The Regents received the same amount of state money for the new budget as they got the year before. They recently voted to raise tuition by three-point-five percent for the next year.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is applauding legislation that’s passed the House and Senate which aims to break up the monopoly that controls how donated organs are delivered — or not delivered — to people who desperately need transplants. Grassley says one non-profit group, the United Network for Organ Sharing, has cornered the market since the 1980s, determining how hearts, lungs, livers and other vital organs are harvested and used. The system has led to “mismanagement” according to Grassley, and 200-thousand deaths.

Under the bill, which President Biden is expected to sign, the federal Health Resources and Services Administration will step in and allow other non-profits and for-profit groups to bid on taking over parts of the system to break the monopoly.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A domestic disturbance at the residence northwest of Red Oak, Wednesday night, resulted in the arrest of a 14-year-old male. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports Deputies responded to the 1700 block of Avenue G at around 9:40-p.m., and upon further investigation, arrested the teen for Domestic Assault. The juvenile was released to the custody of a parent. His case was referred to juvenile court. The boy’s name was not released because of his age.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa State Fair begins a week from today (Thursday), with a new manager who’s only the 13th person in the fair’s 169 year history to serve in that role. Jeremy Parsons, who took over as Iowa State Fair C-E-O and manager in March, has the photos of two former state fair managers hanging on the wall in his office. J.C. Simpson is one of them. Simpson was State Fair manager from 1901 to 1911. He oversaw construction of major facilities that still stand today.

“When you look at the fairgrounds: Swine Barn, Livestock Pavilion, Ag Building, Administration Building, Varied Industries Building and the first phase of the Grandstand were all in his 10 years, so I think about his and what he’d think of today’s fair for sure.” Parsons says most of the 2023 entertainment and events had been announced well before he started as Iowa State Fair manager, so he hasn’t been tinkering.

“I tell people my goal for this year’s fair is not to screw it up,” Parsons says, with a laugh. “When you’re leading one of Iowa’s iconic institutions, you really don’t want to screw it up, but the staff here is tremendous — a seasoned staff.” There are 70 full-time employees year round and another 80 work from May through October on what Parsons describes as a “reimagined” fairgrounds that hosts events all year long.

“A lot of new facilities,” he says. “A lot of renovated facilities.” During the fair’s 11 day run, however, the staff size swells to 16-hundred, as hundreds of thousands of visitors come through the fair gates. Parsons says his goal as fair manager is to serve those who return for state fair traditions and those who want to see something new.

“How do we make sure we represent all of Iowa?” Parsons asks. “How do we make sure that we have offerings here that really appeal to people that have never been to the Iowa State Fair here in our own state and those who come every year, to entice them to come back?” Parsons, who is 46, estimates his first trip to the State Fair was in 1977. “I was born in June, so I was probably here in August,” Parson says. “I was probably one of those two month old Iowa State Fairgoers, for sure. Lots of memories in the campgrounds with my grandparents and parents. Lots of great memories here at the fair.”

Long-time Iowa State Fair manager Marion Lucas, who retired in 2001, helped Parsons learn the ropes of the job. Parsons, who grew up in Leon, wrote the state fair’s manager a letter as part of an elementary school assignment. Lucas invited Parsons to a tour of the fairgrounds during the next state fair and several fairs after that. When Parsons was 17, Lucas suggested Parsons apply to be a seasonal state fair employee.

“I literally was here 12 summers between high school college and then I taught school right out of college,” Parsons says. But Parsons soon got into the fair business full time, leading fundraising for the Missouri State Fair. He was C-E-O of the Clay County Fair when he was tapped to lead the Iowa State Fair.  “One of the things I bring with me from 12 years at the Clay County Fair in Spencer is I intentionally spent part of my day really just wandering around the fair, like a fairgoer,” Parsons says. “That’s really the only way you can really see the product from that perspective.”

Parsons gave Radio Iowa a golf cart tour of the fairgrounds this week. First stop was at a newer venue on the northwest side of the fairgrounds that hosts State Fair events that create some noise. “Tractor pulls, demo derbies, ATV events,” Parsons says. “Can we add rodeo? It’d be cool every afternoon for something to be going on.” This week bleachers are being set up at various venues around the fairgrounds. Food and beverage stands are popping up along streets and sidewalks.

“It’s kind of fun this time of year,” Parson says. “It kind of grows every day.” Flags are flying on top of some of the buildings and barns. “Our maintenance guys were telling me the other day there are 120 flag poles on the grounds,” Parsons says, “so it just takes a while to hang all the flags.”

The fairgrounds were declared a Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987 and many of those flagpoles are on buildings or barns that are more than a century old.

(Atlantic, Iowa)  – “Corn 4 a Cause” is hosting a community sweet corn picking day this Saturday, August 5, 2023 from 8-until 10-a.m. Area residents are invited to the farm north of Atlantic to pick a dozen ears of free sweet corn to take home to their household, and welcomed to pick extra sweet corn to share with neighbors in need.

Corn 4 a Cause is an Atlantic-area non-profit that donates as much corn as they sell because they want all Iowans to be able to enjoy sweet corn. Teens and adults with all ranges of sweet corn picking experience are welcome at this Saturday’s event. Closely-monitored children are also welcome. Corn 4 a Cause will provide breakfast snacks and orange juice. All pickers are encouraged to bring a bottle of water, and wear clothes and shoes that can get dirty.  Light long sleeves, pants, close-toed shoes, gardening gloves, and safety glasses are recommended for premium safety.

Community sweet corn picking day with Corn for a Cause (Photo courtesy Ciara Hoegh)

Please RSVP to Ciara Hoegh at corn4acause@gmail.com or 712-249-5870 for exact field location.

Corn 4 a Cause shares sweet corn and popcorn through Cass County food pantries, Grow Another Row, and other organizations. More information on Corn 4 a Cause can be found at
https://corn4acause.org/.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – A plan is underway to have the postponed 4th of July Fireworks show in Atlantic to held on September 2nd, Labor Day Saturday. Atlantic Police Chief Devin Hogue – speaking as a citizen and not as Chief – during Wednesday’s meeting of the City Council, said he and Jason O’Brien, with “Wild Wayne’s” fireworks, have been trying to coordinate the event.

The two decided they would make the event more than just a fireworks show, and along with others, have garnered sponsors for the program, which – with the Council’s blessing – will be held at the Atlantic Sports Complex’ Little League Ball Field.

Hogue said “It’s coming together well,” but some details are still be worked out, such as the timing of when a band will play. The YMCA, he said, it working to get some bounce houses for the event, and the football team will run a sponsored “Punt, Pass and Kick” contest. All of the events are being sponsored by area businesses.

Details of what’s called the “Saturday night bash at the ball fields” are still being worked out. Expect additional information to follow in the weeks to come.

Atlantic, Iowa) – Roughly two dozen people attended this (Wednesday) evening’s meeting of the Atlantic City Council. Most of the audience was there to oppose getting rid of the Parks and Recreation Board, and Park Director’s position. First to speak was Vicki Nordskog, of Atlantic. She said the City needs someone to be an effective leader of the Parks Department. She acknowledged Assistant Parks Director Jeff Christensen’s role in taking the lead since recent the departure of Wyatt Adderton.

Nordskog said former Parks Directors set the bar for those who followed in their footsteps.

She submitted a four-page petition to the Council with 48 signatures, asking for the Parks and Rec Board and Parks Director’s position to be maintained, not dissolved. Roger Herring, who was the Parks and Rec Director from 2011 through 2016, acknowledged the City of Atlantic has made “great strides to improve our parks and draw people to the Atlantic area for family gatherings, and more.

Herring said the improvements and renovations were accomplished through the support of the Mayor, City Administrator, and the City Council, to support the initiatives, and helping to bring a parks department out the slump it was in up until 2009. That collaboration, he says, was one of the keys to the success of the parks board.

He said the other key to success was having a parks director.

Roger Herring said with no director or park and rec board, “the value of parks recreation in Atlantic has been diminished to a maintenance crew and to maintain status quo. I don’t’ believe that’s what we’re about.”

Others who spoke included Parks Board member Jeremy Butler, Scott Bennett with Nishna Net, and Atlantic School Board member Nick Hunt. They essentially reiterated the need NOT to dissolve the Parks Board and Park Director’s job. Each member of the Atlantic City Council said they had received calls and/or e-mails in support of keep the Parks Board and finding someone for the Park Director’s position. As we’ve previously reported, the City’s Personnel and Finance Committee submitted a recommendation to the Council, saying “with all respect due to the Board and the service of its members,” the Parks Board should be dissolved. Their recommendation followed the Committee’s meeting on July 10th, when they reviewed the situation of losing yet another Director for the Parks & Rec Dept, with regard to last month’s resignation of Wyatt Adderton.

Since then, the City Council has passed a Resolution that creates the position of Parks and Recreation Coordinator, including the job description and compensation for 2024. The Parks Director’s position will likely be divided between Public Works Director Kirk Knudsen and the new Parks Coordinator position, with the stipulation the Coordinator reports directly to the Public Works Director.

Following today’s (Wednesday’s) hearing, the Council must now wait 30-days before acting on the first-reading to repeal Chapter 24 of the City’s Code of Ordinances, and discontinue the Board.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak arrested a Page County man this (Wednesday) afternoon. Authorities say 35-year-old Bryce Michael McKinnon, of Clarinda, was arrested in the 100 block of N. 5th Street, in Red Oak, for Public Intoxication. McKinnon was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A woman from Mills County was arrested this (Wednesday) afternoon on a drug charge, in Montgomery County. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports 49-year-old Lorelei Pierce, of Hastings, faces a Possession of Methamphetamine charge/1st offense, following her arrest during a traffic stop at around 2:50-p.m., at W. Coolbaugh and W. 4th Streets, in Red Oak.

Pierce was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $1,000 bond. Deputies were assisted during the arrest by the Montgomery County K-9 Unit.