(Atlantic, Iowa) – As with years past, the City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Department is having to deal with issues of vandalism to Parks property. Assistant Parks Director Jeff Christensen, Monday, told the Parks & Rec Board, that the incidents have been destructive, and disgusting.

Board member John Krogman said noticed someone smashed a light on the waterless restroom at the Schildberg Park.

Christensen said they are actively pursuing, with the Police Department, the suspects involved in some of the incidents.

There’s also been damage to the floating docks at the Schildberg Recreation Area. The list of incidents, Christensen said, go on and on.

He said there were incidents last Summer, as well, including mirrors broken and pulled-off the walls at some park restrooms, a tree and a slide was spray painted.

On a more positive note, Christensen said new playground for the Harl-Holt Park should be arriving this fall. Jeff said he would be reaching out to officials with Pour-N-Play, and get a price quote on their safety material to prevent injuries from falls that might occur while kids use the playground equipment.

Pour-N-Play lasts longer than other such materials, such as wood chips and rubber chips.

(Radio Iowa) – A 71-year-old Iowa native who retired to a lake front property in Indiana has been chosen as the first “Golden Bachelor.” A-B-C launched The Bachelor — a reality T-V dating show — in 2002 and The Bachelorette debuted a year later. The network has created a spin-off called “The Golden Bachlor” and they’ve chosen Gerry (GAIR-ee) Turner, formerly of Davenport, as the lead.

This fall, Turner will be featured dating women who are also in what the network describes as their “golden years.” Turner is a widower. He married his high school sweetheart in 1974 and she died suddenly in 2017 after 43 years of marriage.

Turner was interviewed on Good Morning, America yesterday (Monday) and said he’s hoping to connect with a high energy partner, who maybe plays golf or pickleball.

(Adair, Iowa) – Two vehicles were engulfed in flames late this (Monday) afternoon, in Adair. The accident happened at around 4-p.m. The fire erupted after a vehicle struck one of the gas pumps at the Casey’s General Store. Adair Fire Chief Matt Richter told KJAN News a vehicle came off of the Interstate ramp and went out of control before striking a gas pump, knocking it off of its base. The vehicle that struck the pump and a second vehicle, described as Ford, both caught fire.

One person was injured and transported to the Adair County Memorial Hospital, in Greenfield. Casey Fire provided mutual aid at the scene. Firefighters were on site for about an hour. Chief Richter said the Adair Casey’s Store will not be dispensing fuel until further notice, due to the fire. He praised his crews and those from Casey for their quick work in getting the blaze under control.

Photo credit Angel Anderson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – A handful of citizens turned-out during the Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department Board of Director’s meeting, to voice their concerns over the possible dismantling of the elected Parks Board. The Atlantic City Council will take up the matter during their meeting Wednesday evening, at City Hall. Atlantic resident Vicki Nordskog was the first to speak during the public forum, Monday evening. She voiced her opposition to the proposed elimination of the Parks Director’s job, and the Parks Board.

Cathy Booth has lived in Atlantic for 55-years. She praised the Board for their efforts and diligence.

She said solutions to the issues leading to the proposed dissolving of the Board should be made with input from the public. LaVon Eblen was the final person to address the Board. She said her concern is that the Board will be divided.

Parks Board member Jeremy Butler said the Board was informed of the proposed changes, but they were not a part of the discussion. He said also, the Board doesn’t have a say in the outcome, and they can’t vote to dissolve the Board. Atlantic Mayor Grace Garrett spoke during the Parks and Rec Board meeting, Monday. She said, with regard to a recommendation on the proposed future plans for the Department, it’s anticipated the Council will elect not to replace the Director’s position at this time.

She said also, Assistant Parks Director Jeff Christensen’s job title will change to “Coordinator,” and he will report to Public Works Director Kirk Knudsen.

Garrett said there is a balancing act between having nice, maintained amenities, economic development and code enforcement.

If the Council decides to proceed the disbanding the Parks and Rec Board, the process doesn’t end, Wednesday. As previously mentioned, there would be a public hearing on August 2nd, followed by the first reading of the ordinance within 30 days, and a second and third reading. One suggestion coming out of Monday’s Park Board meeting, was to have an “Advisory Board,” and a newly formed group called “Friends of the Parks,” who are passionate about the City’s parks. That group could be comprised of appointed representatives from various organizations (Like the Master Gardeners, Nishna Valley Trails and others), who would not be elected.

Assistant Parks Director Jeff Christensen said a “Friends” group could be instrumental in helping with various program, including Summer Recreation.

(Radio Iowa) – A ban on most abortions in Iowa is now on hold. A Polk County district court judge has issued a temporary injunction that blocks enforcement of the abortion restrictions that Governor Reynolds signed into law Friday. Sharon Wegner is a staff attorney for the A-C-L-U of Iowa, which is representing two abortion providers challenging the law. “This decision was incredibly important because it means that, for now, abortion in Iowa remains safe and legal,” she said. “…We know Iowans stand with us in wanting to protect abortion rights and keep politicians out of doctor-patient decision making.” The legislature met in a one-day special session last Tuesday and passed a bill to ban most abortions after cardiac activity can be detected, which is around the sixth week of pregnancy.

“This law bans abortion before many people know that they are pregnant,” Wegner said, “…and as such it violates the state constitution under the ‘undue burden’ standard that the Iowa Supreme Court has made clear is the governing standard for now.” In a written statement, Governor Reynolds said the abortion industry is trying to thwart the will of the people who elected her and the Republican majorities in the legislature. Reynolds says she will fight this case all the way to the Iowa Supreme Court, where Reynolds said she expects a decision that will finally provide justice for the unborn. Ruth Richardson, president and C-E-O of Planned Parenthood of North Central States, says her staff made hundreds of phone calls late last week to reschedule abortion appointments.

“While we know that the state may seek an appeal, we are proud to resume services for our patients and provide patient outreach to help break through the manufactured chaos that is our new normal,” she says. The injunction was issued Monday afternoon. Iowa law currently requires a 24 hour waiting period for abortions, so Wednesday is the earliest that elective abortions can be scheduled. Polk County District Court Judge Joseph Seidlin said the ban on most abortions created irreparable harm, but his ruling also allows the Iowa Board of Medicine to start writing rules to enforce the ban. Seidlin wrote that there are honorable and intelligent people…on both sides of this upsetting societal and constitutional dilemma.

CRESTON, Iowa – July 17, 2023 – If you are driving on Iowa 44 near the intersection with U.S. 169 north of Adel this week you need to be aware of short-term road closures that may slow down your trip.

The Iowa DOT’s Creston Construction Office reports crews need to close Iowa 44 at the intersection of U.S. 169 to allow for paving of the intersection and turn lanes. Road closures of 30 minutes or less will occur between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Wednesday, July 19, and possibly Thursday, July 20, weather permitting.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office, today (Monday), reported numerous Cass County residents were arrested over the past few weeks on drug-related charges. As a result of a lengthy investigation, the following individuals were charged in reference to the distribution and use of methamphetamine in Cass County (IA):

• On June 15, 2023, Connie Marie Nichols was arrested for Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
• On July 12th, Catherine Josephine Charles was arrested for Delivery of Methamphetamine.
• On July 13th: Anthony Ray Hernandez and Julie Ann Peters were arrested for Poss. with the Intent to Distribute Meth, and Failure to affix a drug tax stamp; Karen Dawn Hernandez was arrested for Sponsoring a Gathering where controlled substances are used; Brandon Ray Larson was arrested on two counts of Delivery of Meth.
• And, on July 14th, Joshua Dean Peters was arrested for Poss. with the Intent to Distribute Meth, and Failure to affix a drug tax stamp.

All criminal charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

(Radio Iowa) – July is National Ice Cream Month, but the Iowa State University Creamery makes the frozen treat year-round, offering new and classic flavors to customers on the Ames campus while providing a learning opportunity for students. Sarah Canova, the Creamery’s business administrator, says they produce about five-thousand gallons of ice cream every year, in addition to 600 pounds of cheese.

“We make it a fun time here. If we’re making ice cream, there can’t be that much stress, because everybody loves ice cream,” Canova says. “Everything in the creamery, because we’re so small scale, is labor intensive, so when we make ice cream at the Creamery, we make it from scratch. We make our own base formulas, which is unique. We don’t buy a pre-made mix from the grocery store.” While most of the ice cream is sold in the Creamery’s retail store in the Food Sciences Building, customers can also buy it at the cafes in the Student Innovation Center and in the College of Veterinary Medicine.

The Creamery also launched an online store in May to provide direct-door service. “The mission of the Creamery, first and foremost, is to educate students,” Canova says. “We, of course, sell our ice cream to gain back some money from the costs of the supplies and paying these students, but we need to educate them and give them that hands-on learning experience.” Among the students working in the Creamery, Hannah Even, an I-S-U junior majoring in culinary food science, says her friends are only focused on one aspect of the job.

Student-employees at the Creamery (ISU photo)

“Everyone brings up the eating of the ice cream,” Even says. “Everything else that happens, like all the cleaning we have to do, because it’s so hygienic, and the food safety stuff, they don’t care about that. They’re like, ‘You get to eat ice cream all day!'” With the goal of becoming a product developer chef, Even says her dream job would be to work with ice cream and make new flavors for Wells Enterprises. She enjoys thinking up new flavors and then creating them.

“Getting to make it myself is much better than reading, even though I was fascinated learning about it in my classes,” Even says. The Creamery at I-S-U is among only about 20 on-campus creameries in the U-S, the majority of which are at land-grant universities.

DES MOINES – The State Historical Society of Iowa has awarded nearly $600,000 in grants to preserve Iowa’s historical collections and country schools, invest in communities through historic preservation, and promote Iowa history.

The grants support 26 projects in 24 Iowa communities, from Orange City to Burlington and Greenfield to Decorah. Funding comes from the State Historical Society’s Country School Grant Program and the Historical Resource Development Program, funded through the Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) program. See the entire list, HERE.

In the category of Documentary Collections, The Creston Historic Preservation Commission/Union County Historical Newspapers Digitization Project, received a $12,270 grant. Creston and Afton newspapers from around 1878 to 1925 are saved on microfilm but are not online. This project will digitize these historic newspapers and make them available and searchable on the local public library website.

In the Historic Preservation category, the Greenfield Historic Preservation Commission received a $3,854 grant for the Tastee-Freez/Tiger Drive-In National Register Nomination Project. This project will enable the Greenfield Historic Preservation Commission to hire a historic preservation consultant to research and prepare a nomination for the Tastee-Freez/Tiger Drive-In in Greenfield, Iowa, to the National Register of Historic Places.

Tastee-Freez, Greenfield, IA

State Historical Society of Iowa Administrator Susan Kloewer said “Today’s grant recipients have a strong connection to the history of our state and we’re delighted to partner with them to preserve our past. Their passion and commitment to Iowa history will inspire the next generation of Iowans to make sure our state’s legacy lives on. Congratulations to this year’s grant recipients.”

The Country School Grant program helps to preserve or maintain Iowa’s one- or two-room country schools or to provide historical interpretation or educational activities related to the school.

The Historical Resource Development Program grants help preserve, conserve, interpret, enhance and educate the public about historic preservation, museum collections and documentary collections.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Congressman Zach Nunn is sponsoring a bill that would require new public disclosures from two companies that have an outsized role in the investing world. Nunn’s legislation targets two firms that control shareholder votes and guide public firms’ investments that promote environmental, social and governmental or E-S-G priorities. “Under current law, investment managers may actually decide to invest based on a company’s policies or even their political views rather than focus on maximizing return for investors,” Nunn says.

Some states have passed laws that forbid state contracts with companies that follow what’s called E-S-G investing. Iowa legislators considered a ban on companies, including banks, that do not invest in the gun industry, agriculture or the petroleum industry. Nunn, a Republican from Bondurant, says his bill does not call for that, but would require disclosure when those kind of policies are pursued for investments.

“If you were a family who had a very strong moral or even a political belief, you may not know that you’re actually funding something on the complete on the other side of the aisle,” Nunn says. “Whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican, we’ve got to have some transparency in here and, most importantly, I don’t want two companies making these decisions and then everybody else basically carbon copying their recommendations because they’re not doing the due diligence to really realize where those portfolios are going.”

Nunn is a member of the House Financial Services Committee. Firms that handled shareholders’ proxy voting were initially seen as a way for investment advisors to avoid conflicts of interest. The two firms involved have argued new regulations, in general, add an unnecessary speed bump to the process of shareholder votes.