A reminder from the Mills County Sheriff’s Office: Motorists should expect heavy traffic today, when the Des Moines heavy metal rock band Slipknot and other acts perform at the Mid America MotorPlex, during “KnotFest.” Gates at the complex, located near Pacific Junction, will open at 2-p.m.  The concert will not end until 11:30-p.m.

Officials say to expect heavy traffic at Exit 35 off Interstate 29 and Highway 34. Anyone not attending the concert, is strongly encouraged to find an alternate route to home and/or work. You should expect delays also, on southbound I-29 from Council Bluffs.

w/ Ric Hanson

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This Saturday the Living Loess Family Tour features Garden Grove eatery and Harvest Studio for a truly nature filled experience.  In addition to the beautiful vistas of the Loess Hills this time of year, the scent of lavender, the pleasures of aronia berries, wine art, gourmet food, jewelry, and the appreciation of hardwood creations- the July Living Loess Family Tour Day August 18 features the Garden Grove restaurant and Harvest Studio mini-classes.

The Garden Grove restaurant just on the outskirts of Crescent, Iowa, is a local- “you’d better get in line early” favorite.  With mouth-watering menu selections, the Garden Grove is an experience in itself.  Plan ahead this Saturday so as to not miss this unique culinary delight.

An unidentified woman using the art technique which will be taught this Saturday at harvest Studio during the Living Loess Tour 9am-3pm. (Pott. Co. Conservation/photo)

The second opportunity is a special class using charcoal and pastel sticks on large pieces of brown paper.  Using the side of the drawing stick gives more freedom of expression.  Stop by Harvest Studio this Saturday for a free mini class on this technique.  The artist, Cynthia Gehrie, is offering a 10% discount on paintings and prints this Saturday only.  For more details, log onto www.harveststudioonline.com.

Plus, all the traditional Living Loess attractions will be open August 18.  Living Loess is a collaboration of nine artisan attractions located within 20 miles of each other nestled in the Loess Hills in Pottawattamie and Harrison counties in western Iowa.  The group opens its doors every third Saturday of the month from May to October offering programs and discounts to the public.  All nine locations will have special activities Saturday, from 9am-3pm.

Visitors are encouraged to pickup a passport at any of the Living Loess stops.  After the passport is signed by all nine entities, they will be entered into a drawing at the end of the season to win a handcrafted Hope Chest from Loess Hills Wood Works along with products and gift certificates.

Living Loess attractions include: Gallaher Designs, Garden Grove Eatery, Harrison County Historical Village and Welcome Center, Harvest Studio, Hitchcock Nature Center, Honey Creek Creamery, Loess Hills Lavender Farm, Loess Hills Woodworks and Sawmill Hollow Family Farm. The Living Loess Tours inaugural season last year was very well received.  Hundreds of visitors enjoyed this hands-on experience in the beautiful Loess Hills.

The group also offers individual group tours upon request for groups 15 or larger.  To schedule a group tour call 1-800-228-6878.  For more information on Living Loess, log on to www.livingloess.com or call 712-642-2114.  Brochures are also available in the Council Bluffs Chamber Visitor Center, 149 W Broadway in downtown Council Bluffs.

(Press Release – Pottawattamie County Conservation Board)

A call about a person allegedly smoking marijuana led to the arrest Thursday, of a Red Oak man. According to Red Oak Police, 22-year-old Devin Alexander Davis was arrested when officers investigated the reported incident having taken place at 1508 North 2nd Street. Davis was found to allegedly be in possession of the illegal weed.  He was brought the Montgomery County Jail and  held on $1,000 bond, pending a court appearance.

BLAIR, Neb. (AP) – A Nebraska utility has decided to hire outside expertise to run its troubled nuclear power plant. At a meeting in Blair on Thursday, the Omaha Public Power District directors voted to contract with Exelon Generation LLC to run the Fort Calhoun Nuclear Station.
The nuclear plant about 20 miles north of Omaha is under close scrutiny by regulators. Fort Calhoun was initially shut down for routine refueling maintenance in April 2011, but flooding along the Missouri River and the safety violations forced it to remain offline. Exelon Generation says it operates 17 reactors at 10 nuclear power plants situated in Illinois, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Chalk up another “W” for Cathy Carter. The Council Bluffs woman captured her 31^st Class A Iowa State Women’s Horseshoe pitching Championship earlier this week, in Des Moines. The Omaha World-Herald reports Carter, a former Class-B Champion who moved up to Class-A this year, won the title 30 years in a row before being sidelined last year by a broken ankle. Her victory during Sunday’s competition came over last year’s winner, Shirley Fletcher, who placed second in the event.

Carter, a lifelong resident of Council Bluffs, owns cleaning business in the community. She’s a winner in another area, as well. Two weeks ago, Carter became engaged to Joe Jones.

An obstructed view was listed as the cause of an accident Thursday afternoon near the Stanton Community School Building. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says the accident happened as a pickup truck driven by 48-year old Ronald Meier, Jr., of Villisca, and car driven by 44-year old Brenda Lynn Dickerson, of Emerson, were parked on the southeast corner of the school building at the intersection of Halland Avenue/Elliott Street in Stanton, while Meier Jr. & Dickerson were waiting to pick up children.

Officials say when Meier, Jr. backed up to leave, he didn’t see Dickerson’s 2006 Lincoln, because of the height difference in the vehicles. The pickup hit the car in the right front side. The Lincoln sustained $3,000 damage, while damage to the pickup was estimated at $500. There were no injuries, and no citations issued.

(used during 5-p.m. News, Thursday)

(corrects date of hearing to Sept. 4th)

A judge in the case of a former Anita Community School District teacher charged with sexual exploitation of a minor, has set a plea and sentencing date for September 4th, at 9-a.m.  Fourth District Court Judge Kathleen Kilnoski made the decision on Monday, during a Pre-Trial conference.  The trial for 65-year old William Glenn Foulkes had been scheduled to take place on July 10th, but on June 11th, Judge Jeffrey Larson agreed to extend the date until September 25th, at 9:30-a.m. in the Cass County Courthouse. Cass County Attorney Dan Feistner said the extension allowed attorney’s for both parties to continue any necessary review, preparation and discussions associated with the case.

Foulkes pled Not Guilty in March, to charges he sexually exploited a minor female over a period of 13-months. A former long-time Math teacher at the Anita High School, and Anita Elementary School, Foulkes was arrested March 15^th on a felony warrant for Sexual Exploitation by a School Employee, and 49-Aggravated Misdemeanor counts of Sexual Exploitation by a School Employee. If convicted on all of the charges, he faces a maximum time of 103 years in prison and fines of more than $300,000. Foulkes resigned from his teaching position in November 2010. He’s accused of engaging in sexual conduct on numerous occasions with a minor female while teaching the student in a math program from August 2009 until November 11, 2010.

While we’ve seen a few breaks from the hot, dry weather, the worst drought in decades is stressing some of us out and calls to the Iowa Concern Hotline are rising. The service offers information referral, a friendly ear and legal advice, if necessary. Hotline director Margaret VanGinkle says questions lately are about how to handle household finances as prices rise due to the drought. “What happens if we have to pay more for milk and groceries and then the price of gas has gone up, too,” VanGinkle says. “Where am I going to find funds to pay for that when my budget is already pretty tight now?”

Forecasters don’t expect a break from the current weather pattern until October, but some fear the drought could continue well beyond this fall and into next year. Van Ginkle says callers are worried about the potential for a prolonged drought. She says, “If there is a shortage of rural water and they’re being asked to cut back on water with their livestock, how does that effect the operation especially on those really hot days, just a concern that might happen.”

Once known as the Rural Concern Hotline, the service was launched by the Iowa State University extension in 1985 to offer advice to struggling farmers during the Farm Crisis. As the name now implies, VanGinkle says the Iowa Concern Hotline is not exclusive to the agriculture community. The number is 800-447-1985. Phone calls are free and confidential.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press