Wednesday night, the Atlantic city council began the process of eliminating the Park & Recreation Board.

The council voted 6-1 passing the first reading of the ordinance that would dissolve the publicly-elected board and replace it with an advisory committee.

Fourth Ward council member Linda Hartkopf was the only “No” vote.  The measure will need to be approved two more times to make it official.

The council also unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance that would create the advisory Committee.

If the council follows through on the plan, a new five-person committee would be formed, with three of the members being Atlantic residents, two other being Cass County residents and a one high school student who would be a non-voting member.

Concerns about aging members of Congress and the president were raised again after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky froze while speaking to reporters last week. Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says elected officials are expected to be able to handle the duties they were elected to carry out.

Ernst says McConnell was checked out no evidence of seizure, Parkinson’s or stroke was found.

Ernst says she met with McConnell Tuesday evening.

Ernst says the national media keeps focusing on McConnell, but not President Biden’s failures. It was the second time McConnell had frozen up while speaking in the past two months.

The harvest season will likely start in northern Iowa within a week to ten days, according to Angie Rieck Hinz (REEK HINES), a field agronomist at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. With the hot temperatures, low humidity and windy conditions we’ve had lately, she says the crops matured much more quickly than expected, and those dry conditions may lead to a much greater risk during the harvest.

As farmers prepare for the big job ahead, Rieck Hinz says they’d be wise to make a checklist, one that includes fire safety.

At least seven Iowa counties have active burn bans in place due to continued drought conditions: Buchanan, Delaware, Fayette, Greene, Grundy, Hancock and Worth.

Nearly 70 people have weighed in during a public hearing about a
proposal to streamline state licensing and either consolidate or eliminate about 100 state boards and commissions. West Virginia University economics professor Edwin Timmons told the panel considering the changes that Iowa requires a license or certification for too many professions and it limits job opportunities for low income Iowans.

Samantha Groark (GROH-ark), executive director of the Central Iowa Construction Trades Council, represents 15-thousand licensed tradesmen and women.

Elevator manufacturers and people who operate boiler systems that heat major facilities like public buildings and factories say proposed changes in the boards that oversee their professions threaten public safety. Pete Hird is secretary-treasurer of the Iowa Federation of Labor.

Iowans have until September 17th to submit written public comments about the proposed changes. A review committee set up by the government reorganization bill Governor Reynolds signed this year has until September 30th to draft a final set of recommendations. During Wednesday’s public hearing at the statehouse, licensed psychologists, social workers and chiropractors objected eliminating boards that oversee their professions and shifting that oversight to other boards. An advisory council created by bill that became law this summer may be on the chopping block. Bethany Gates of the Iowa Midwives Association says it’s a setback for midwives who planned to apply for a license.

Others warned elimination of the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service and revoking Iowa’s membership in a regional higher education board will cost the state millions in federal funding. Court reporters say the plan eliminates certification for their profession. Representatives of the state’s 11-hundred licensed athletic trainers say the plan eliminates their state licensing board and a different board may eliminate or downgrade the professional requirements for athletic trainers. Vic Miller, president of the Iowa Athletic Trainers Society, says any changes would greatly affect his ability to travel with the men’s basketball team at Iowa State University.

Andy Conlin, an Iowa based lobbyist who represents the Foundation for Public Accountability, says an overall review of state licensing requirements is long overdue.

The review committee is also considering repeal of the state law that requires boards and commissions at all levels of government to have as close to an equal number of men and women as possible. Laura D’Agostino (dag-uh-STEE-noh), an attorney with a California non-profit, says the committee and Governor Reynolds should ensure all Iowans are treated equally.

Iowans who testified at the hearing denounced the idea. Katherine Farris, the Iowa co-president of the American Federation of University Women, says in 1987, Iowa led the nation in passing a gender equity law applying to state boards and commissions and it was extended to local boards in 2009.

Iowa law lets state and local officials who’ve made a good faith effort for 90 days to ignore the gender balance requirement — and there’s gender balance on two-thirds of boards and commissions today. In January, Governor Reynolds told Radio Iowa the best people for government boards are those who have a passion for the work and she’s never felt good about the gender balance law. As a state senator, she voted against expanding the requirement to local government boards and commissions.

The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission has unanimously rejected Navigator C-O-2’s application to build a carbon capture pipeline in South Dakota.

Navigator is one of three companies with plans to build carbon pipelines in the Midwest. South Dakota regulators held public hearings on the company’s route through their state in late July and early August, then unanimously voted yesterday (Wednesday) to reject Navigator’s application for a construction permit. The head of South Dakota’s Public Utilities Commission cited concerns about Navigator’s notices to property owners along the proposed pipeline route. Navigator had objected to county ordinances restricting how close the pipeline could be built near homes, schools and other structures, but South Dakota utility regulators have also refused to override those county regulations. A written statement from the company says Navigator remains committed to responsible infrastructure development and will evaluate the written decision from South Dakota regulators before deciding what to do next.

The Iowa Utilities Board hearing about the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline continues today (Thursday) in Fort Dodge with more testimony from witnesses who support the project. Landowners who oppose Summit’s pipeline testified over the past two weeks. The permit hearing for Summit’s route in SOUTH DAKOTA is scheduled to begin Monday. In early August, regulators in NORTH Dakota rejected Summit’s construction permit and the company has altered its route in North Dakota in response to concerns about it’s proximity to Bismarck and is asking North Dakota’s Public Service Commission to reconsider the application.

The wildfire smoke from Canada is back over Iowa once again. Brian Hutchins at the D-N-R Air Quality Bureau says the hazy conditions a visible in parts of the state.

Hutchins says there’s enough concentration of the smoke that it is impacting air quality.

He says you should take note of you tolerance and make adjustments to how much time you will be outside.

He says the haze will be visible at least through today (Wednesday).

You can check current conditions in Iowa at the E-P-A website called Air Now.

Council Bluffs Police report that on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 at approximately 8:35 a.m,. a party called the Council Bluffs Police Sergeants’ Office to report a juvenile being seen with what appeared to be a gun getting onto a school bus. The reporter did not have much information, as they had received this information from another party. The caller did have the number of the school bus.

The bus route was immediately identified and the schools that bus serviced were notified. Officers responded to those schools. The bus was located and stopped by officers. The bus video was reviewed and the juvenile was identified.

The juvenile (17 yr old male – student) was located was found to be in possession of a squirt /water gun.  There was no threat to the safety of students or staff members.

At this time there are no criminal charges for the squirt gun. The incident is being investigated by the Council Bluffs Community School District for any disciplinary action.

As a reminder, look-alike weapons at school are PROHIBITED and are a violation of Council Bluffs Student Code of Conduct.

Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports that on September 6th, Fremont County Deputies with the assistance of the Shenandoah Police Department conducted a narcotics investigation in the 2700 block of Highway 59 in Fremont County.  Deputies arrested 36 year old Fredreck George Steven Billings II of Shenandoah on charges of Delivery of Methamphetamine, less than 5 grams, Class C Felony; Drug Gathering, Class D Felony; Keeping a Premises of Vehicle for Controlled Substances, Aggravated Misdemeanor; Possession of Marijuana, Serious Misdemeanor
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Simple Misdemeanor.

Also, 47 year old Catina Jo Blank, age 47 of Shenandoah was charged with Delivery of Methamphetamine, less than 5 grams, Class C Felony; Drug Gathering, Class D Felony; Keeping a Premises of Vehicle for Controlled Substances, Aggravated Misdemeanor; Possession of Marijuana, Serious Misdemeanor; Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Simple Misdemeanor.

And, 25 year old Chelsea Jenon Blank of Shenandoah was charged with Drug Gathering, Class D Felony; Keeping a Premises of Vehicle for Controlled Substances, Aggravated Misdemeanor; Possession of Marijuana, Serious Misdemeanor; Possession of Methamphetamine, Serious Misdemeanor.

Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports that on September 5th, deputies were called to Farragut for a report of an intoxicated male causing a disturbance.  Deputies arrived and made contact with 34 year old Mark Anthony Hardin of St Joseph, Missouri.  Hardin entered a boat on Hartford Ave and refused to exit the vessel.  After a short standoff, Hardin exited the boat and began resisting arrest by deputies.  Hardin was charged with Interference with Official Acts, Public Intoxication, and Unlawful Possession of a Schedule III controlled substance.

Cass Health’s Senior Life Solutions team is hosting a free community walk in support of National Suicide Prevention Month on Saturday, September 23, 2023 beginning at 6:30 pm at the Rotary Shelter at Schildberg Recreation Area.  The event is being co-hosted by Healthy Cass County, Cass County Iowa State University Extension, and Zion Integrated Behavioral Health Services.

The event will kick-off at 6:30 pm with a local speaker who will share their story on how suicide has touched their lives.  The walk portion of the evening will begin around 7:00 pm.  Participants will walk the trail loop at the Schildberg Recreation Area.  Information about mental health services and community resources as well as light refreshments will be available at the Rotary Shelter.

Karmen Roland, RN, Program Director of Senior Life Solutions said “Suicide Prevention Month is a chance to take time to stop and assess yourself and those around you to ensure those who need help have access to it and aren’t living at risk.  By raising awareness and educating people about the signs that can indicate someone is having suicidal thoughts or are possibly in danger of attempting suicide, we can help to prevent suicide from happening.”

If you or someone you know is in an emergency, call 911 immediately.  If you are in crisis or are experiencing difficult or suicidal thoughts, call, text, or chat the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.

For more information about the walk, call 712-250-8100.

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is joining several Senate colleagues in asking the U-S Department of Education to determine how much money adversarial foreign governments are donating to American schools, including some in Iowa.

Espionage by foreign actors is a “constant threat,” according to Grassley, which can take on various forms, including trying to inject propaganda into our schools.

Grassley, a Republican, says there’s also evidence the Chinese have pumped money into the University of Iowa through what’s called the Confucius Institute.

He says the U-S must “thwart efforts by authoritarian regimes to peddle propaganda in our schools” as well as other threats to national security. Iowa’s other U-S Senator Joni Ernst is among the 18 senators who signed the letter requesting the nationwide audit.