The Vision Iowa Board, Wednesday, awarded $134,642 in grants to the restoration of the Johnny Carson Birthplace home and a trail project in Des Moines. The grants were approved by the Vision Iowa Board at their meeting in Des Moines. In Corning, a $21,100 Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT) grant fund was awarded to the Johnny Carson Birthplace Society Home Restoration Project, which is expected to cost $139,100. The grant award, which is the exact amount requested by the restoration group, is contingent upon completion of fundraising within 30 days. The project includes the full restoration of Johnny Carson’s birthplace home. When completed, the home will be permanently maintained as a 1925 period home with memorabilia of Carson’s life and career.

Work is set to begin this summer on restoring the home where the late night television icon was born. Johnny Carson was born in Corning, on October 23, 1925 and lived in a small home there for three years before his family settled in Norfolk, Nebraska. The makeover will make the home appear as it did in 1925. Beth Waddle is with the Johnny Carson Birthplace Society in Corning.  She told Radio Iowa’s Pat Curtis  “When we received the home, many alterations had been made on the property from its original style and setting back in 1925 when (Carson) was born there, so, we worked with a historical architect who has developed a plan for restoring it back to that 1925 appearance.”

The home will also include memorabilia from Carson’s life and career. Waddle believes it can become a much bigger tourist attraction. She says “TV Land and Entertainment Weekly did a poll several years ago and Johnny Carson was named the number one TV icon.”  Waddle said she’d like to partner with other nearby attractions to bring more visitors to Corning. She mentioned the John Wayne birthplace home in Winterset and Glen Miller’s birthplace in Clarinda as examples. A Johnny Carson Gallery is located in a museum in Norfolk, Nebraska – where Carson grew up and graduated from high school. Johnny Carson, who hosted the Tonight Show for 30 years, died in January 2005 at the age of 79.

On the web: www.johnnycarsonbirthplace.org 

(Ric Hanson – KJAN/Pat Curtis – Radio Iowa)

Participation from community members is critical at the Pancake Supper to ensure the continual success of the Cass County Endowment and 4-H Program. Endowment Committee member Curt Behrends and Youth Action Committee chair Michelle Behrends catch their pancakes.

More than 350 people were served at the 4-H Endowment Pancake Supper, held Tuesday, March 13. The Endowment Committee wishes to thank all of the community members who came out to support this fundraiser which raised more than $2300.  “The current program development fee for each member is 30 dollars and we have more than 250 members so that takes a lot of pancake eating and support from the community,” shared Susan Oliver, Cass County Youth Coordinator.

Proceeds from the 4-H Pancake Supper will directly benefit the Cass County 4-H Program.  This money defrays the cost of the Program Development Fee each year, provides scholarships to send Cass County 4-H’ers to camps and conferences, start up dollars for new programs such as Clover Kids, as well as 4-H program materials and awards.  “With support from the community, the opportunities we can provide are limitless,” says Oliver.

The Cass County 4-H Endowment was established in 2002 as an opportunity for the community to invest in the positive youth development program.  The 4-H Endowment’s sole purpose is to receive and solicit gifts, contributions and bequests on behalf of Cass County 4-H.  The Endowment Committee will accept contributions anytime during the year.

There are a variety of ways community members can contribute to the 4-H Endowment:
*         4-H 400/1000 – A yearly pledge program of $40 to $100 per year for 10 years
*         Memorials – Gifts in memory of family members or friends
*         Tributes – Gifts to honor someone or a special occasion
*         Gifts in Kind – Products of services given to support Cass County 4-H.
*         Life Insurance – Name the 4-H Endowment Fund as a beneficiary and deduct premium costs
*         Securities or Real Estate
*         Charitable Gift Annuity – Transfers assets to the endowment and allows giver to receive continuing income from the assets through his/her lifetime

Anyone wishing to contribute to the Cass County 4-H Endowment may contact Susan M. Oliver, County Extension Youth Coordinator at the Cass County Extension Office at 243-1132.  Contributions can be made out to “Cass County 4-H Endowment” and may be sent to the Cass County Extension Office, 805 West 10th Street, Atlantic, IA 50022.

A recent fundraiser held at the Atlantic Eagles Lodge has resulted in a donation of slightly more than $1,700 to the Cass County Memorial Hospital Foundation.

Shown making the donation are (front row, left to right): Dawn Marnin, CCMH Foundation Director, Summer Petty, Gracie Olsen, Amanda Christensen, Cherie Petty, Donna Snyder (back row, left to right): Jo Worth, Southwest Iowa Surgery; Lesley Ferguson, CCMH; Cody Christensen, Tabitha Olsen, Brad Herring, Harley Moodie, Sid Petty, Dr. Chad McCance, Southwest Iowa Surgery; Ralph Tilton.

Sid Petty, along with family and friends, presented Dawn Marnin, CCMH Foundation Director, with the monies, which were raised at the “Kick It Cancer Fundraiser” held in Petty’s honor.

Sid Petty is a two-time colon cancer survivor, who wanted to give back to Cass County Health System for the excellent care he has received throughout his treatments. The gift will be divided between patient assistance needs and the CCMH Healing Garden. Kent Gade, President of the CCMH Foundation, said they are currently working to solicit $250,000 in donations, to create the Healing Garden, the concept of which originated from Al and Chris Wernimont and their family, following his medical journey.

The Healing Garden is being designed to serve as a “Peaceful haven for patients, their family members and the hospital staff.” It will feature a fountain, quiet places, benches and a healing Garden of Hope. For more information on how you can make a donation to the CCMH Foundation, call 712-243-7409.

The Cass County Memorial Hospital Auxiliary has announced two $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to students entering into or continuing education in the healthcare field. Application forms have been sent to area high schools and can be picked up from the guidance counselor’s office. Forms are also available from the Human Resources office at Cass County Memorial Hospital. The application must be returned to Cass County Memorial Hospital by March 31st. Applications can be dropped off or mailed to: Cass County Memorial Hospital, Attn: Human Resources, 1501 East 10th Street, Atlantic, Iowa 50022.

Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman reports the last member of the Cass County Board of Supervisors who is eligible to file for re-election prior to the June 5th Primary, has done so. District 4 Supervisor Chuck Rieken, a Republican from Griswold, filed his re-election papers today (Wednesday). Other Republican County officers who have filed for re-election include: Dale Sunderman, of Atlantic; District 1 Supervisor Duane McFadeen, of Atlantic, as well as District 5 Supervisor Frank Waters, of Cumberland; and, Sheriff Darby McLaren. To date, no one has filed to run against those incumbents. The last day to file papers for the Primary, is March 28th.

(AP) – Top small-business men and women from Nebraska, Iowa and every other state will get a chance to visit Washington, D.C., in May when one of them is named national small-business person of the year.  The U.S. Small Business Administration will recognize the winner of the national award during its conference, May 20-22. Timothy Greene, of Audubon, owns Quality Machine of Iowa. He won the Iowa Small-Business person of the Year award, and a chance at the national title.

Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon says that the communities of Atlantic and Griswold will begin testing their Outdoor Warning Sirens (Tornado warning siren) every Friday at noon, beginning this Friday, March 16th.  Kennon says the siren tests will not occur on days where there is a threat of severe weather.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa House has passed an education reform plan would give the state more control over how student progress is measured and how teachers and administrators are evaluated. Those are among just a few aspects of education traditionally handled by local districts but passed on to state officials in the Republican-backed bill.
 
Under the measure, the Iowa Department of Education would establish new procedures for evaluating teachers and administrators annually. High school students would have to take new tests to determine if they’re prepared for college or a career and third graders not reading at grade level would be held back from fourth grade.
 
The bill passed 53-46 after lawmakers debated most of Tuesday, ending just before midnight when a drafting error was discovered in the bill.

Sheriff’s officials in Adams County say a Prescott man was arrested Monday afternoon for Violation of a Protective Order. 47-year old David Adsit was taken into custody at a residence on 180th Street, after authorities received a report the man was allegedly violating his protective order. Adsit was brought to the Adams County Jail where he was being held pending a court appearance.

One person was arrested early this (Wednesday) morning in Pottawattamie County following a chase that began in eastern Nebraska and ended near Council Bluffs. Pottawattamie County Sheriff Jeff Danker says his deputies’ involvement in the chase began at around 5-a.m., when a broadcast was sent received indicating Douglas and Sarpy County, Nebraska Sheriff’s officials along with the Nebraska State Patrol, were in pursuit of a stolen vehicle. The chase was along Interstate 680 eastbound heading towards Iowa. When the stolen vehicle crossed the State line, Nebraska authorities terminated their pursuit.

When an Iowa State Patrol Trooper picked up the chase in the vicinity of 130th Street and River Road, the suspect’s vehicle took off north into a field. It then back tracked south through the field before exiting onto River Road in front of Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s deputies.

As deputies pursued the vehicle south on River Road, the suspect drove around a set of spike strips deployed by Council Bluffs Police. With deputies in pursuit, the suspect turned west onto an abandoned set of railroad tracks leading to a swing bridge. Shortly thereafter, he lost control of the vehicle and was taken into custody. The suspect’s name has not yet been released.