This is Memorial Day, a time we set aside to pay tribute to our nation’s honored veterans who died in service to our county. Look for a video provided by the Iowa National Guard, showing the names and faces of those Iowan’s who sacrificed themselves so that we may be free. Here are some of the area events in observance of Memorial Day….

Memorial Day Services will be held at the Atlantic Cemetery.  The service will begin at 10:00 am. with a cannon fire.  Alan Cranston deliver the keynote address.   The Atlantic High School Band will play several selections.  The service will be live-streamed on KJANTV.

Memorial Day Services will be held at the Brayton Town Hall beginning at 10am.  Sponsored by Brayton Legion Post 350. Everyone is welcome.

Morning Hike at Prairie Rose State Park will take place at 9:00 a.m.  Meet at the park office and hike around the east side of the lake.  This hike is about two miles and relatively easy.

Kimballton/Jacksonville Memorial Services will be held beginning at 9:30am at the Jacksonville Cemetery; at 10:15am at the Bethany Cemetery and at 11am at the Kimballton Cemetery.

Memorial Day Services will be held in the Elk Horn are…at 9:30am at the Clay Township Cemetery; Monroe Cemetery at 10am and at 11am at the Elk Horn Lutheran Church followed by freewill offering lunch.

Memorial Day Services will take place oat the Grave of the Unknown Soldier at Sunnyhill Cemetery in Adair beginning at 10:00am. Services will be held at the Adair Fire Station in case of rain. Members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #8877, American Legion, V.F.W Firing Squad and Color Guard will be attending.

Memorial Services will be held at the Exira Cemetery beginning at 10:30am. Following the service, they will travel to St. john’s Cemetery and Holy Trinity cemetery, then a service at the river will be held.

First Baptist Church in Cumberland will host a Memorial Day Service beginning at 10:30am at the Cumberland Community Building.

Griswold Cemetery Circle of Flags will take place at 10:30am. Dr. Robert Peterson will be the speaker. Lunch, served by Legion Auxiliary, will following service at the Griswold Community Building. In case of rain, services will be held at the community bldg. Sponsored by American Legion Post #508

Anita American Legion Post #210 will hold their Memorial Day Services at the Anita Evergreen Cemetery beginning at 10:30am. Legion members of the community are invited to a meeting at the Legion Hall on Saturday, May 27 and after  services on Monday, May 29 at 4:00pm to help with flags.In the event of rain, the service will be held in the CAM High School commons.

Anita Congregational Church will host their annual Memorial Day dinner beginning at 11:00am at 501 Locust in Anita. Ham balls, cheesy potatoes, green beans, salad, roll, pies and drinks will be served. Cost is $13 for adults, $7 for kids. Carry out is available. Call 712-249-2392… 712-250-0307 …or 712-250-0121

Grant United Methodist Church will hold their Memorial Day Dinner from 11:30-1:00. Sloppy Joes or Ham Sandwiches, Baked Beans, Assorted Salads, Pies and Desserts. Coffee, Tea or Lemonade will be served along with the meal. All for a free will donation. Proceeds go to supports the Grant Church and the Grant United Women in Faith and their mission work.

Massena Memorial Day Services will be held online on facebook or youtube. No in person, live services.

The Iowa National Guard (Which has provided the video above), invites you to join them today (Monday, May 29th, 2023) for two special Memorial Day events:

– The Iowa Gold Star Military Museum ⭐️ is hosting a FREE observance with complimentary breakfast from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. Live music and vendors will be present as well.

– The Adjutant General of Iowa, Maj. Gen. Steve Osborn, will be giving keynote remarks during a ceremony at the Van Meter Veterans Cemetery at 8:30 a.m.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisor’s weekly meeting takes place beginning at 9-a.m. Tuesday (May 30), in their courthouse Board Room. During their session, the Board will act on approving Iowa Retail Permit Applications for Cigarette/Tobacco/Nicotine/Vapor products for: Dollar General, in Griswold, and 21st Century Co-Op, in Massena.

The Board will also discuss, and possibly act on approving, funding for the Cass County Wellness Plan, effective July 1, 2023 through Dec. 31st, 2023, due to changing health insurance plans on July 1st.

They’re expected to then receive a regular weekly report, from Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken.

Join Electronically:
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(Red Oak, Iowa) – A public hearing will be held during Tuesday’s (May 30th) regular meeting of the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors, with regard to a proposed (FY22-23 Budget Amendment). The Board meeting starts at 8:30-a.m., with the hearing at 8:45-a.m.   The hearing will be followed by action on approving an Appropriations Resolution for the Budget Amendment, and an Interfund Transfer for Capital Projects to the Debt Service Fund.

Following closure of the Public Hearing, and under New Business on the Board’s Agenda, the Supervisors in Montgomery County will act on approving:

• An Iowa Dept. of Transportation (IDOT) Budget Amendment for FY2023
• SWIPCO – Rural Transit System Joint Participation Agreement.
• An EBS transfer in the amount of $9,000 from the PSF Claims Account balance, to create a cushion in the IGHCP Trust bank account.
• and, they will act to approve a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) from the Dept. of Management (DOM) OCIO (Iowa Offices of the Chief Information Officer), to implement Endpoint Detection and Response Software (Crowdstrike) on county computers, servers, and other devices, which will replace Webroot, provided by Solutions.

*Please note, this is a public meeting; however, it may be conducted via ZOOM
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Meeting ID: 861 8514 1628
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(Radio Iowa) – Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer, and Iowans who spend any time enjoying the outdoors need to be on-guard for ticks, as Lyme disease cases are on the rise in the state. Dr. Greg DeMuri, an infectious disease physician, says you can cut your chances of an infection by taking a few simple precautions anytime you’re heading into the woods for a hike. “Looks a little nerdy, but if you put a rubber band at the base of your pant legs to keep the ticks from crawling up, that’s number one,” DeMuri says. “Number two, doing tick checks after you’re done.” There are also a wide variety of tick repellents on the market which can be highly effective at keeping the pests away.

“Ticks are out with a vengeance. Some of the immature forms of the tick, the nymphs, are out and the ticks are reproducing right now,” DeMuri says. “Those forms of tick can highly transmit Lyme disease, they’re smaller and more difficult to see. So this is, unfortunately, a very high risk time for acquiring Lyme disease.” If you find and remove a tick from yourself or someone else, pay attention to its coloring before you dispose of it. A deer tick’s lower back is red in color, while a wood tick has a black lower back section.

“If you can identify whether it’s a deer tick versus a wood tick, it’s important to distinguish the two,” DeMuri says. “If you have a wood tick, there’s no risk of Lyme disease. If it’s a deer tick and it’s been attached for 72 hours or more, then you should contact your doctor. You might want to take a preventative antibiotic.” Scientists say our planet is gradually warming and DeMuri says climate change may be contributing to the number ticks in Iowa and across the region.

“When we don’t get those really, really deep freezes, that are below 20-below, the ticks can survive more,” he says, “but more importantly, their hosts can survive.” If you do get infected, Lyme disease can typically be cured with a course of antibiotics that runs two to four weeks, though some patients may have symptoms six months later. Those symptoms can include things like pain, fatigue and difficulty concentrating.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Goldstar Military Museum at Camp Dodge is open today (Monday) and providing a free breakfast to continues what has become a tradition on Memorial Day. Museum curator Mike Vogt says several other things are planned. “Throughout the day, we’ll have re-enactors in period uniforms representing different periods. We’ll have veteran volunteers in the galleries and helping with the with the event. We will have ice cream available, we’ll have a wreath laying,” he says. He says there will also be representatives of various veteran organizations there as well. Vogt says the Goldstar Museum highlights Iowan who served and the conflicts.

“We have a gallery containing a timeline of exhibits from the military on the frontier, the Dragoons, the forts of Iowa, as you walk through the into the gallery progress forward through time,” Vogt says. “A couple of years ago, we finished up an exhibit on Desert Shield, Desert Storm. 30 year old conflict already 31. And the war on terror.” Some of the exhibits are interactive. “One of our most popular exhibits is an F-16 cockpit simulator. We have it set up where you’re on the runway at the Des Moines airport and you can sit in and roar down the runway and fly over Saylorville Lake and see the Ruan Building,” he says. Vogt says it’s especially important to remember those who served on this day.

“Memorial Day is a is an observance that has its origins at the conclusion of the U-S Civil War — used to call it Decoration Day — and cemeteries north and south are decorated with flowers and wreaths honoring those dead from the Civil War. And over time that has evolved into what we know today is Memorial Day,” Vogt says. The Goldstar Military Museum is open today (Monday) until 1 p-m. Admission is free.

MASON CITY, Iowa – Mason City’s last bowling alley was engulfed in flames following a reported explosion that occurred at around 9:15-p.m., Sunday. Mystic Lanes, on the city’s east side just off Highway 122, was a total loss. There is no word on what caused the fire, and no reports of injuries. Fire departments from Clear Lake and Nora Springs responded with mutual aid to the Mason City Fire Department.

It was the second major fire in Mason City in a matter of weeks. The Kirk Apartments were destroyed by fire and displaced dozens earlier this month. Mason City previously had two bowling alleys before the Rose Bowl burned down in 2014. According to Mystic Lanes Facebook page, the bowling alley posted an update around 2 a.m. Saturday morning saying that they were closed for business and not re-opening until June 14th.

(Radio Iowa) – The population of the eastern Iowa community of Tiffin jumped 11 percent last year — making it Iowa’s fastest growing town. Tiffin is about a 15 minute drive from Iowa City. The latest estimates from the U-S Census Bureau indicate Tiffin’s population topped 58-hundred last July.

The population of the Des Moines suburb of Waukee grew 10 percent from mid-2021 to July of last year. Population growth in Des Moines was one-point-two percent. Sioux Falls, South Dakota was the only other Midwest metro that saw higher growth.

The U-S Census Bureau estimates Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Davenport, Council Bluffs and Sioux City have all lost population since the 2020 Census — while Iowa City and Ankeny saw population growth. In general, the U.S. Census found population decline in small towns in the Midwest and the overall population of the Midwest dropped one percent.

(Marion County, Iowa) – The body of a swimmer who went missing Saturday evening at Lake Red Rock was recovered late Sunday morning. The Marion County Sheriff’s office says the body of 21-year-old Irias Gbarjolo, of Johnston, was located using sonar, around 10:21 a.m. Sunday. His body was brought to shore, where he was pronounced dead.

Law enforcement received a 9-1-1 call at around 7:27 p.m. Saturday, informing them about a young man who went underwater at Lake Red Rock and didn’t resurface. Law enforcement from multiple agencies were involved in the search, which was suspended shortly after midnight on Sunday. The search resumed around 6 a.m. Sunday morning.

Gbarjolo’s was transported to the State Medical Examiner’s office for an autopsy. In a news release, Marion County Sheriff Jason Sandholdt said “My heart goes out to the family of this young man. It is always sad when an individual with such a promising future is taken from us at such a young age. Please keep his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers.”