(Atlantic, Iowa) – Residents of Atlantic will find more people buzzing around town, shopping and dining this Saturday, July 23rd, during “Discount Dayz (Previously known as “Crazy Dayz”). Participating Atlantic businesses will offer crazy summer deals during the shop local event. Kelsey Beschorner, Programs Director at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, says “In the past, Crazy Dayz has primarily been focused on retail-based businesses. We wanted to be more inclusive to businesses of all forms, so we decided to change the name. Businesses will still offer the same great deals, consumers will have the opportunity to experience savings beyond typical retail,” she said.

One lucky shopper will get the chance to win $250 in AtlantiCash. Shoppers are encouraged to post their shopping or dining selfies on Facebook during Discount Dayz, using the hashtags #MyAtlanticIA and #LoveLocal. The winner will be announced Monday, July 25th LIVE on the Chamber’s Facebook Page. “This is a great way to thank and reward people for shopping local. It gives them that extra nudge to spend the day in Atlantic,” Beschorner said.

Shop or eat at these participating locations to be entered in to win $250 in AtlantiCash.

• Bonnesen’s Five & Ten Store
• Brown Shoe Fit
• Brymons Interiors
• CoffeeGirl
• Downtowner Cafe
• Golden Dragon
• Hanson’s Fine Jewelry
• Hy-Vee
• Jazzercise
• Olsen’s Fuel
• Outfitters Plus
• Plaza Azteca
• Rancho Grande
• Randy’s Computer
• Shaved Tail Louie’s
• Something For You
• Subway
• Udderly Delicious

For more information on Discount Dayz deals and other Chamber events, visit www.atlanticiowa.com or contact the Chamber office at 712-243-3017. Discount Dayz is sponsored by First Whitney Bank & Trust and the Atlantic Community Promotion Commission.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand will meet with community members across southwest Iowa on Wednesday and Thursday this week, as part of his 100 Town Hall Tour.  Auditor Sand will highlight the accomplishments of the office that have saved Iowa taxpayers millions of dollars.  They include uncovering the misuse of public funds and the creation of the Public Innovations and Efficiencies (PIE) program, which encourages local governments to cut costs by reducing waste.

Locally, on July 21st: Sand will be in Atlantic from 6:15-to 7:15-p.m., in the downtown Atlantic City Park; In Audubon at Albert the Bull Park, from 4:15-to 5:15-p.m.; In Red Oak at the Legion Park, from 9:30-until 10:30-a.m., Thursday, and in Harlan, Sand’s Townhall will be in Harlan at Potter’s Park, from 2:45-to 3:45-p.m. See the graphic below for other scheduled dates and times (please click on the image to enlarge).

(Radio Iowa) – The latest Des Moines Register “Iowa Poll” shows Republican U-S Senator Chuck Grassley may be facing his closest election since 1980. Grassley says he’s not concerned. “You know, I don’t worry much about these polls,” Grassley says. “I don’t worry much about who my opponent is, because I’ve got to work hard as a Iowa’s senator and I’m fighting the bad policies of this Biden administration.”

The poll shows fellow Republican and Governor Kim Reynolds has a 17-point lead over her Democratic opponent, while the same respondents gave Grassley an eight-point lead over his Democratic challenger, Mike Franken.”I got an opponent that says Biden’s doing a fabulous job and I think Iowans disagree with that as evidenced by Biden inflation, by gas prices going up, and not enforcing the open border,” Grassley says. “I think things are very much in Republicans’ favor, particularly in Iowa.”

Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) speaks to SWIPCO employees and community leaders. (Ric Hanson photo) _ FILE PHOTO

A politician once said there’s only two ways to run for reelection, unopposed or scared. Grassley disagrees: “Listen, I’ve never run unopposed as far as I can remember, at least not since I’ve been in Congress, and I never run scared. I’m running doing my job.”

The Iowa Poll was conducted July 10-13 and shows Grassley leads Franken, a retired Navy admiral, by 47 to 39-percent.

(Radio Iowa) – The main terminal at the Dubuque Regional Airport has been named in honor of a man who helped desegregate the U.S. military. Captain Robert L. Martin was born in Dubuque in 1919 and was one of the original members of the Tuskegee Airmen, a World War II unit of black pilots. Dawnelle Gordon is chair of the Martin Commemoration Committee. “At the time, people in the military were in debate and argument over whether Black Americans could be successful as officers in the military,” she says.

Captain Martin had graduated from Dubuque Senior High School, and studied engineering in Ames at what was then called Iowa State College. He was one of 12 Tuskegee Airmen from Iowa. “They stepped up to serve this country during a time when they had few opportunities, even worse adversity than today,” Gordon says, “but they wanted to serve this country they wanted to protect the United States and its freedom.”

Capt. Robert L. Martin

Gordon says convincing local officials to name the terminal for Martin was easy, but it was harder to raise the money to pay for an exhibit and for signs at the airport. Donations totaled 80-thousand dollars.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors declared May Mental Health Month, and throughout the month of May, businesses and organizations shared mental health resources and promoted mental wellbeing across Cass County. For example, yard signs with messages such as “Mental Health is Health” and “It’s OK to Not Be OK” were displayed outside the courthouse and at parks, and libraries and other businesses across Cass County shared brochures on mental health resources.

While Mental Health Month may be over, mental health resources remain available. Mental health resources and many mental health trainings can be requested at any time.

A message written in chalk says, Keep Trying Your Doing Great. Atlantic elementary students wrote mental health messages on sidewalks in downtown Atlantic during May thanks to a chalk donation from Cappel’s Ace Hardware.

Mental health crisis resources available to people in Cass County 24/7 include:

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:1-800-273-TALK (8255), www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
• Project Recovery Iowa: Free counseling via virtual sessions, chat or phone available to all Iowans. (800) 447-1985, Spanish: 531-800-3687, www.projectrecoveryiowa.com
• Your Life Iowa: For problems with alcohol, drugs, gambling, suicidal thoughts or mental health. (855)581-8111, www.yourlifeiowa.org
• Iowa Concern: For stress counseling, legal education, and financial concerns. www.extension.iastate.edu/iowaconcern/

For additional mental health resources in Cass County, see the Cass County Urgent Need Community Resource Guide at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass/. For a paper copy of the guide,
call or visit the Cass County Extension Office at 805 W. 10th Street, Atlantic, IA 50022.

Free Mental Health Programs available in Cass County on request include:
Programs are available to businesses, churches, clubs, and other organizations.

• Question. Persuade. Refer. Suicide prevention training for adults by ISU Extension. Length: 1-1.5 hrs. Contact: Cass County ISU Extension at 712-243-1132.
• Make It OK: Stigma is one of the greatest barriers to people getting mental health treatment. This is a mental health stigma reduction training. Length: 45 min – 1.5 hours.
  Contact: Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh bhoegh@iastate.edu or 712-249-5870.
• NAMI Ending the Silence: Ending the Silence is a 50-minute session designed for middle and high school students. Students learn about mental health conditions through a brief
  presentation, short videos, and personal testimony from a young adult who describes their journey to recovery. Contact: Anna Killpack, Executive Director of NAMI Southwest Iowa,
  anna@namisouthwestiowa.com, 712-542-7904. (NAMI Southwest Iowa is an affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), which is the nation’s largest grassroots mental
  health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.)
• CALM (Counseling on Access to Lethal Means) Is a suicide prevention training for adults related to reducing access to firearms. Length: 1 – 1.5 hrs Contact: Gina Moulas, Community
  Engagement and Partnership Coordinator for Suicide Prevention, VA Nebraska Western Iowa Health Care System, gina.moulas@va.gov, 402-810-0074.

For more information on available mental health programming or to discuss scheduling, call the Cass County ISU Extension Office at 712-243-1132.

Healthy Cass County is a community-focused volunteer network formed to promote the health and well-being of Cass County residents. Healthy Cass County meets on the second Monday of the month from 12-1 PM. Healthy Cass County welcomes participants from across Cass County. Reach out to Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh at bhoegh@iastate.edu or call 712-249-5870 for more information. For information on community wellness events or resources, follow Healthy Cass County on Facebook @HealthyCassCounty.