(Atlantic, Iowa) –  The Atlantic RAGBRAI®  Committee reveals Atlantipalooza merchandise during the Town Hall Meeting on May 5th.

“The committee chose a music festival theme and came up with Atlantipalooza as a play off the well-known music festival Lalapalooza. The fun merchandise was revealed during the Town Hall Meeting this weekend, and the response from the community was great,” Kelsey Beschorner, Atlantic RAGBRAI Publicity Chair stated.

The merchandise features the bold “Atlantipalooza” logo on brightly colored tanks tops, tee shirts, sweatshirts, and stickers. The committee has limited designs and sizes on hand, but the full line of merchandise can be viewed and purchased on www. AtlanticRAGBRAI.com

The Atlantic RAGBRAI Committee will continue to meet regularly to plan for Atlantipalooza on July 22nd. All forms and information available can be accessed on the website www.atlanticragbrai.com. Community members and riders alike are encouraged to follow Atlantic RAGBRAI on Facebook and Instagram for all things Atlantic RAGBRAI.

WASHINGTON — Starting TOMORROW (May 7, 2024), staff from U.S. Senator Joni Ernst’s (R-Iowa) office will be holding traveling office hours in every county throughout the state.

 *Please Note: Senator Ernst will not be at the traveling office hours*

Representatives from Senator Ernst’s office will be available in all 99 counties throughout May to assist Iowans with problems or questions about issues involving Social Security, veterans’ benefits, military affairs, passports, immigration issues, and other federal programs. “Assisting Iowans is a top priority for me,” said Ernst. “That’s why my staff is bringing our office to you this May. Don’t hesitate to stop by when members of my team are in your area!”

Constituents seeking assistance with federal agencies who are unable to attend the traveling office hours can contact one of the senator’s offices directly or submit a casework request online at www.Ernst.senate.gov.

If you have any questions, please contact her office. Some of Ernst’s staff office hours in western Iowa include:

Adair County: Thursday, May 9, 2024 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM Adair County Courthouse, 400 Public St. Ste. 5, Greenfield

Adams County: Friday, May 10, 2024 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Corning Public Library

Audubon County: Wednesday, May 8, 2024 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Audubon Public Library

Carroll County: Tuesday, May 7, 2024 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Carroll Chamber of Commerce

Cass County: Thursday, May 9, 2024 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Atlantic Public Library

Crawford County: Tuesday, May 7, 2024 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Schleswig City Hall

Dallas County: Tuesday, May 21, 2024 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM Adel Public Library

Fremont County: Thursday, May 16, 2024 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Fremont County Courthouse, Sidney, IA

Guthrie County: Wednesday, May 8, 2024 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Mary J. Barnett Memorial Library, Guthrie Center, IA

Harrison County: Wednesday, May 8, 2024 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM Missouri Valley City Hall

Madison County: Thursday, May 16, 2024 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM Madison County Annex Conference Room, Winterset, IA

Mills County: Thursday, May 16, 2024 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Glenwood City Hall

Monona County: Tuesday, May 7, 2024 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM Mapleton City Hall

Montgomery County: Friday, May 10, 2024 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Red Oak Public Library

Page County: Tuesday, May 14, 2024 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM Clarinda Public Library

Pottawattamie County: Thursday, May 9, 2024 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM  Walnut City Hall, Walnut, IA

Ringgold County: Tuesday, May 14, 2024 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Ringgold County Court House, Mount Ayr, IA

Sac County: Tuesday, May 21, 2024 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Lake View City Hall Council Chambers

Shelby County: Wednesday, May 8, 2024 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Harlan Chamber of Commerce

Taylor County: Thursday, May 16, 2024 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM Bedford Public Library

Union County: Friday, May 10, 2024 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM Union County Court House, Creston, IA

Woodbury County: Tuesday, May 21, 2024 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM Danbury Shelterhouse, Danbury, IA

DES MOINES — U.S. Representative Zach Nunn (IA-03) today announced mobile office hours across Iowa’s Third District to assist constituents who may not be able to travel to one of the congressional offices located in Creston, Des Moines, and Ottumwa. During these mobile office hours, Iowans will be able to get help from their Congressional office with Social Security, Medicare, passports, visas, veterans’ benefits, military records, tax returns, and other issues with federal government agencies.

“My top priority is providing exceptional services and support to Iowans,” said Rep. Nunn. “My hope is that these mobile office hours will ensure ease of access for all Iowans to receive assistance from my office regardless of where they live in the Third District.”

Mobile office hours will begin Tuesday, May 7. The schedule for May is below:

Cass County 
Griswold City Hall 
601 2nd Street, Griswold, Iowa
Tuesday, May 7, 2024
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Dallas County 
Perry Public Library 
1101 Willis Avenue, Perry, Iowa
Wednesday, May 8, 2024
12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Page County 
Essex Lied Library 
508 Iowa Avenue, Essex, Iowa
Wednesday, May 8, 2024
3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Montgomery County 
Villisca Public Library 
204 South 3rd Avenue, Villisca, Iowa
Thursday, May 9, 2024
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Adair County 
Fontanelle Public Library 
303 Washington Street, Fontanelle, Iowa
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Dallas County 
Perry Public Library 
1101 Willis Avenue, Perry, Iowa
Wednesday, May 22, 2024
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Madison County 
Earlham Public Library 
120 South Chestnut Street, Earlham, Iowa
Wednesday, May 22, 2024
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Adams County 
Corning Public Library 
603 9th Street, Corning Iowa
Wednesday, May 29, 2024
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Ringgold County 
Neighborhood Center/Matura 
306 South Garfield Street, Mount Ayr, Iowa
Thursday, May 30, 2024
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Additional dates and locations will be announced in the future.

(Radio Iowa) – Delegates at the Iowa Republican Party’s state convention voted to include a policy statement on marriage in the party’s 2024 platform. A 2022 law requires the federal government to recognize marriages as long as they were valid in the state where the marriage took place. Three Iowa Republicans — U.S. Senator Joni Ernst and Congresswomen Ashley Hinson and Mariannette Miller-Meeks — voted for it.

A majority of delegates at this weekend’s Iowa GOP state convention voted to encourage repeal of any law allowing marriage that’s not between one man and one woman. Iowa County delegate Brad Sherman, author of the platform plank, said the legal recognition of same-sex marriages violates religious freedom. “The attack on marriage and the family that we have seen is part of a strategic effort to destabilize our culture and destroy our nation,” he said.

Thomas Hansen of Winneshiek County said having government define marriage is the problem, because it has led to edicts from the court and congress. “If you want to use the Bible to define what marriage is, I’d like you to show me in the Bible where God says we need a license to do it,” he said.

Patrick Geren of Pottawattamie County was also among the minority of delegates who opposed adding the policy statement to the party platform. “People have the right to disagree with our religious beliefs and to follow their own conscience,” he said.

Gary Leffler of Polk County said the party needs to stand on principle. “We still believe in marriage between a man and a woman and I don’t care what the left says,” Leffler said.

A similar statement was included in the party’s 2022 platform. One of the first debates among delegates at this weekend’s GOP convention was about gender balance rules. David Chung of Davenport argued the national party should do away with requirements that each state have a National Committeeman and National Committeewoman. There’s also a rule that the national party have a female co-chair if the chair is a man — and vice versa.

“We Republicans are hypocrites,” Chung said. “…We Republicans should be consistent. We have stood against affirmative action, against DEI.”

A majority of delegates voted against Chung’s proposal, but a member of the Iowa GOP’s governing board said party leaders will discuss the issue.

(Radio Iowa) – The Board of Regents will hear the first reading of proposed tuition increases at the three state schools during their meeting Friday. The proposal would increase in-state tuition by three percent at the University of Iowa and Iowa State University, and a two-and-half percent at the University of Northern Iowa.

That amounts to a 270 dollar increase at the U-I and I-S-U, and a 168 dollars at U-N-I. They are also requesting a three-percent increase in mandatory fees at U-N-I, a two-point-five percent increase at I-S-U, and one-point-three percent increase at the U-I.

The tuition increase comes after the Regents requested 14-point-eight million more dollars in state funding and the Legislature approved a 12-point-three million dollar increase.