(Radio Iowa) — The only restaurant in Hamburg affected by repeated flooding this past Spring, is preparing to reopen after several months of being closed. The Blue Moon Bar and Grill in Hamburg has been closed since mid-March because of high water. One of the owners, Vicki Sjulin, says she and her husband are dedicated to bringing the restaurant back. She says it’s the kind of place farmers love.

“They come in at noon. We pretty much know where they’re going to sit, what they’re going to drink and for the most part, what they’re going to order,” Sjulin says. “It’s just a staple. It’s a community social place. They all meet, talk about the crops.”

The Blue Moon’s two buildings were inundated with at least three feet of water last spring and it’s been closed five months. Sjulin says, “Not only have we lost everything, we’re reinvesting part of our retirement money that we still have back into the business to try to get it open again.”

Sjulin bought booths and chairs from a closed Perkins restaurant. She’s installed a new kitchen and is waiting for an electrician to wire it. She’s getting one of the two buildings ready for a couple of inspections and hopes to reopen it for business the day after Labor Day.

(Thanks to Katie Peikes, Iowa Public Radio)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CDT

COLLINS, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in central Iowa say crews have stopped a leak that sent plumes of dangerous anhydrous ammonia into an area around Collins. Hazardous materials crews were called around 11 a.m. Tuesday to Landus Cooperative, where a 30,000-gallon tank of anhydrous ammonia leaked. A news release by the sheriff’s office says the leak was contained around 1:30 p.m., and the evacuation order lifted. No injuries were reported.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A Des Moines lawyer working for Iowa Workforce Development as an administrative law judge has been named the new director of the Iowa Civil Rights Commission. Gov. Kim Reynolds said Tuesday she appointed Elizabeth Johnson of Altoona to head the commission responsible for enforcing state civil rights laws designed to prohibit discrimination in employment, public accommodations and education.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg says rural Americans embrace immigration when they see it as the solution to their employment needs and a shrinking population. The South Bend, Indiana, mayor discussed his rural economic policy proposal with reporters Tuesday at the Iowa State Fair. Buttigieg says if residents are part of the decision to invite immigrants to their communities, it would change the way they look at things.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A legislative panel has delayed a portion of the new sports gambling rules that would allow the state to collect some the winnings of those who owe child support, back taxes or criminal debt. The Iowa Administrative Rules Review Committee on Monday approved a request by the state’s casinos to delay that portion of the rules to allow lawmakers next year to clarify how they want debts collected against sports gambling winnings.

Members of the City of Atlantic’s Planning and Zoning Commission, Tuesday evening, tabled action until next week on approving a site plan for Scooter’s Coffee, over concerns about traffic congestion in the area between Oinkers and McDonalds.

Aerial view

Site plan

Scooters Construction Manager Dan Forslund provided details about the company’s desire to erect a drive-thru coffee shop on green space currently located south of the Verizon building at 1500 E. 7th Street.

Commissioner Vicki Brown and others were worried about traffic congestion at the Y turn located just east of McDonalds. Forslund said he would talk with the Iowa Department of Transportation to try and make the turn onto 7th Street both east and westbound, instead of just westbound, as is currently the case, in hopes that, if approved, that would alleviate some of the traffic congestion.

If the DOT gives its blessing, Forslund will come back to the P&Z next week with revised plans for the property. If the business gets the go-ahead from all parties, Scooters would be open from 6-a.m. to 7-p.m., serving a variety of coffee products and breakfast. Forslund said they need to make $1,200 a day to be profitable, and he said their normal heaviest traffic flow is 8-a.m. to 9-a.m., except on Sunday’s.

Police in Red Oak, Tuesday afternoon, arrested 40-year old Tyler Geoffrey Jennings, of Red Oak. He was taken into custody on a Red Oak P-D warrant for Domestic Assault/2nd offense and was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa’s gasoline prices continue to be among the lowest in the country, according to Mark Peterson with Triple-A Iowa. “Today, the average price per gallon in Iowa is at $2.45 and the national average is $2.65,” Peterson says. “What’s interesting is if we compare that to last year at the same time, in Iowa, a gallon would cost you $2.73.”

While there’s still more than a month of summer left, the summertime driving season is coming to an end with the start of school. Still, Peterson says there’s an unusual trend starting to emerge in gasoline sales.

“Demand just started picking up in the last few days, over the weekend,” Peterson says. “Maybe some people are just trying to get that vacation in toward the end of the year, but we’re starting to see a bit of a change in demand but the prices are still staying down, which kind of surprises us.”

Based on the boost in demand, simple economics dictates we should soon see a corresponding boost in prices. “There’s still a lot of things out there that have an impact that we have no control over,” Peterson says. “Some unresolved tensions in the Middle East have contributed to some of the prices and that situation could change very quickly. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to anticipate that affecting gas prices across the state.”

The daily Triple-A survey finds the cheapest gas in Iowa is being sold in Sioux City at $2.35 a gallon while the most expensive gas is in Dubuque at $2.62.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg says rural Americans embrace immigration when they see it as the solution to their employment needs and a shrinking population.

The South Bend, Indiana, mayor discussed his rural economic policy proposal with reporters Tuesday while taking a walk through the Iowa State Fair. His proposal calls for towns and counties, and not just corporations, to be able to seek employment visas.

Buttigieg says if residents are part of the decision to invite immigrants to their communities, “it does change the way we look at things,” and they are less likely to fear outsiders.

Buttigieg has embarked on a three-day trip through Iowa, including rural counties carried by Democrat Barack Obama in 2008 and Republican Donald Trump in 2016.