(Radio Iowa) – The Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce had canceled this year’s “Color the Wind Kite Festival” that was scheduled for February 17th.

Chamber officials in a statement say consistent above-average temperatures in recent weeks have made the ice unsafe to host the festival that drew nearly 20,000 people to Clear Lake last year. The festival showcases a collection of gigantic inflatable kites flown by dedicated enthusiasts from all corners of the United States.

(Photo courtesy of the Color the Wind Kite Festival.)

This is the third time in the festival’s 24-year history that it has had to be canceled due to deteriorating ice conditions, with the first time in 2013 and the other time being in 2017.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says she will send another group of state law enforcement agents and Iowa National Guard soldiers to the US-Mexico border, but she’s waiting to coordinate the timing with Texas officials. “Twenty-five governors have said they’re going to stand with Governor Abbott and do what this president refuses to do,” Reynolds said today during a news conference at the Iowa Capitol.

Reynolds plans to use federal pandemic relief funds to pay for the mission. Reynolds was among a dozen Republican governors who were in Texas Sunday in support of Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s actions at the border. “The reality is we don’t know who is entering our country, but we know what they’re capable of…It’s why Governor Abbott has stepped up to defend his state, his people and truly our nation,” Reynolds said. “For three years Texas has been on the front line of the most serious national security and humanitarian crisis of our time.”

Governor Kim Reynolds speaking at a news conference on Feb. 5, 2024. (RI photo)

In 2021, Reynolds sent a group of state troopers and investigators to assist Texas officials at the border for two weeks. Last year, the governor deployed 109 Iowa National Guard soldiers and 31 state law enforcement officials to Texas for a month. Reynolds does not expect the bipartisan plan developed by U-S Senate negotiators to toughen immigration rules to pass. She said President Biden already has the authority to act. “We do not need a new law,” Reynolds said. “He needs to follow the existing law. He is not denying illegal entry into the country.”

Reynolds told reporters two Chinese nationals were arrested in rural Iowa last week in connection with what investigators describe as a $30 million nationwide fraud case. “One of the individuals charged is believed to have entered the country illegally through the southern border months before his arrest,” Reynolds said.

Reynolds said 26 of the state’s drug investigations last year were linked to the Mexican drug cartels.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports three recent arrests:

At around 7:40-p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1st, 41-year-old Bradley Gene Olsen, of Griswold, was arrested on a warrant for Failure To Appear. His bond was set at $2,000.

Friday morning, 28-year-old Joseph Ray Moreno, of Council Bluffs, was arrested in Mills County for Possession of a Controlled Substance – Bond: $1,000.

And, Sunday evening, 28-year-old Dennis Eugene Runyon, of Glenwood,  was arrested for OWI/1st Offense. Bond: $1,000.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic is set to meet this Tuesday evening (Instead of their normal, Wednesday session). Their session takes place at 5:30-p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6th, in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall. On the agenda is:

• Discussion and Consideration of the purchase of 16 Airpaks for the Atlantic Fire Department.
• An update from the Splash Pad Fundraising Committee.
• Consideration of/submitting a letter of support for, a Splash Pad CAT (Community Attraction and Tourism) Grant.
• Action on a Resolution “Allocating the Alliant Energy Gas Franchise Fee for Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025.”
• Action on a Resolution “Authorizing bids for 2024 Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation.”
• An Exempt Session for purposes of Collective Bargaining Strategy (as allowed in the Iowa Code).

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports a man was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $200,000 bond associated with an Adair County warrant for multiple, alleged, sexual abuse offenses. 45-year-old Joshua David Huddleson, of Orient, was arrested January 30th on warrants charging him with:

• 3 counts of Sexual Abuse in the 2nd Degree
• 2 counts of Lascivious Acts with a Child by fondling or touching
• 1 count of Child Endangerment with Bodily Injury.
• 1 count of Indecent Contact with a Child.

On January 31st, 36-year-old Corry Donald Johnston, of Des Moines, was arrested on an Adair County warrant for Failure to Appear on a Driving While Barred, charge. Johnston was released Feb. 2nd on a $2,000 cash-only bond. And, 32-year-old Bryan Dean Schultz, of Greenfield, was arrested Jan. 31st, on a Union County warrant for OWI/2nd offense. Schultz was turned over to Union County Deputies. His bond was set at $2,000.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce will host their Annual Dinner Friday, March 1st, 2024, at The Venue in Atlantic. Chamber Executive Director Bailey Smith says “The Annual Dinner is always a favorite for the Chamber. It’s a great opportunity for us to reflect on what we’ve accomplished, look forward to what we will accomplish and most of all, highlight all of our members and volunteers that have invested their time and money back into our organization and our community.” The Chamber will be recognizing businesses, organizations and individual leaders in the community. The 38th Annual Distinguished Service Award will also be given out at the dinner.

The Distinguished Service Award recognizes an individual, business or organization who has made the community a better place to live. They have rendered special services for the benefit of the community and have demonstrated an active leadership role for the betterment of the community through their involvement in business, civic and social service organizations.

Last year, the Distinguished Service Award was given to Melissa Ihnen for her dedication to Atlantic through her business, Meyer & Gross Real Estate, as well as her service to youth through her leadership in Boy Scouts the past 25 years. On top of the busy schedule those two commitments creates, she also serves on numerous community committees including Planning & Zoning, Board of Adjustment and the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce Board.

Smith encourages those who sent a nomination last year to do so again this year if their recipient didn’t win. “We received 12 incredible nominations last year and look forward to seeing what amazing individuals, businesses and organization are nominated this year.”

Nominations for the Distinguished Service Award are due by February 16th, 2024. You can nominate someone by submitting a nomination letter to the Chamber at 102 Chestnut Street, or email chamber@atlanticiowa.com. The Annual Dinner will begin at 6:00 PM with a social followed by dinner at 6:30 PM. You can register for the dinner at www.atlanticiowa.com.

(Cass County, Iowa) – In an update to our earlier reports, the Iowa State Patrol confirms one person died as the result of a head-on crash this (Monday) morning, in Cass County. The Patrol reports a 2007 GMC Sierra pickup driven by 43-year-old Vincent Samuel Trabona, of Amite, LA, was traveling west on Highway 6 (White Pole Road), at around 5:52-a.m., when for reasons unknown, the vehicle crossed the center line and struck a 2019 Chevy Silverado pickup driven by 59-year-old Greg Scott Cohrs, of Griswold.

Following the crash, the GMC pickup came to rest in the north ditch, while the Chevy came to rest in the south ditch. Cohrs was wearing his seat belt, but died from his injuries at the scene.  Highway 6 was closed for a little more than three-hours, while the crash was under investigation.

The Patrol was assisted at the crash site by the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Atlantic Police, Griswold Fire and Rescue, Lewis 1st Responders, and Cass EMS.

(Radio Iowa) – A Sioux Center dentist plans to provide free dental care for one day to kids in the community. Sioux Center Dental, owned and operated by Doctor Trevor Kuiper, will donate its facilities and staff to provide the free dental care to children on February 13th. Dr. Kuiper says the need is always there, and right now the need in Sioux Center is even greater because fewer dentists are practicing in town. “We’re trying to help these kids who haven’t either had the means or the opportunity to be able to smile or eat comfortably for a long period of time,” he says.

The state organization, I-Smile, is assisting Kuiper and his staff in organizing this first-time event for Sioux Center Dental. The event is a spinoff of the American Dental Association’s National “Give Kids a Smile Day”, so Kuiper is calling the event “Give Kids a Smile”. He says they hope to serve between 25 and 40 kids that day. “Obviously there’s a certain limit to what we’re able to do in one day but we’re going to try and get as much done as we can,” he says.

Sioux Center Dental Registered Dental Hygienist Amanda Van Beek and I-Smile Coordinator Dawn Ericson, also a registered dental hygienist, conducted more than 150 student screenings in Sioux Center schools in preparation for the event. School nurses continue to evaluate and identify dental needs, sending forms home for parents of children identified with those needs. Kuiper says they plan to provide basic services, but understands there may be more complex cases that come in. “And that children that we identify that do have cavities or abscessed baby teeth in particular, we’ll provide as much treatment as we can in terms of fillings or even extracting baby teeth,” he says. “We hope it’s not too many but if there are adult teeth that need extraction or fillings, we will do the same thing for those as well.”

The school is providing transportation for the children to the clinic on the day of the event. Sioux Center Dental is currently in contact with Sioux Center Christian School, hoping to get them involved next year. If you want more information on the Give Kids a Smile event, call Sioux Center Dental at 712-722-5155.