(Radio Iowa) –  [updated] Governor Kim Reynolds says a display from the Satanic Temple of Iowa will stay in the Capitol in Des Moines this month, but she’s asking Iowans to join her in prayers focused on the nativity scene nearby.

The Satanic Temple display features a statue with a ram’s head surrounded by electronic candles. The group got a permit to put up the display in December. A Republican lawmaker called on the governor to have it removed. Reynolds says she finds the display objectionable, but the governor says in a free society the best response to objectionable speech is more speech.

Image of left of Satanic Temple of Iowa display near the Grand Staircase; image on right of crowd gathered around Christmas tree and nativity scene in center of Capitol rotunda. (RI photos)

Reynolds is encouraging Iowans to join her today in praying over the Capitol, where a nativity scene is also on display. Reynolds says the nativity represents the true reason for the season.

Reynolds joined a large crowd gathered in the Capitol today (Tuesday) for a midday prayer service. The crowd gathered around a Christmas tree and a nativity scene that are in the center of the Capital rotunda. The smell of incense from the Satanic Temple display near the main staircase wafted over the crowd.

(Cumberland, Iowa)  – Cumberland Mayor Virginia Coughlin reports the City is conducting maintenance at the treatment center this morning. In a statement on social media, the Mayor said “At this time we are [asking] residents to boil water until we let let you know otherwise. Thank you.”

Police in Red Oak (IA) report the arrest at around 9-a.m. today (Tuesday), of a woman on a Theft charge. 61-year-old Brenda Marie Mutschler, of Red Oak, was arrested at the Red Oak Rehab and Care Center, for Theft in the 5th Degree. Her bond was set at $300.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Choral Society will present their annual Holiday Concert Thursday, December 21.  The program will be in the Atlantic Middle School Auditorium at 7:00 pm.  There is no charge for admission, but free-will donations will be accepted.  Donations are used to fund the group’s music and support the Atlantic Ministerial Association’s Helping Hand Fund.

In 2018, Ray McCalla and Jan Highfill came up with the idea of forming a Choral Society.  Their first concert was that Christmas and was followed by a summer show and Christmas concert in 2019.  “I had wanted to field a community choir for years, and it seemed like the right time to do it,” McCalla said. “Making music together with others is a joy. It brings people together.” Covid forced the group to pause performances in 2020, but they resumed with Christmas concerts in 2021 and 2022.  The group is directed by McCalla and Michelle Andersen.

Any community member is welcome to join the Choral Society; rehearsals for Christmas concerts usually begin in October and are held on Sunday afternoons.  For more information, contact Ray McCalla at 712-250-1607.

DES MOINES, Iowa, Dec. 12, 2023 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director in Iowa Theresa Greenfield today (Tuesday), announced that the Agency is investing $1,084,171 in grants to 16 rural Iowa projects to connect medical professionals to patients, support water system planning, and establish basic quality-of-life and services for individuals and families in rural communities.

With funding from the Distance Learning and Telemedicine program, Trinity Regional Medical Center received a $122,371 grant to equip one hub site and ten end-user sites throughout Buena Vista, Calhoun, Humboldt, Pocahontas, Sac, Webster, and Wright counties in northern Iowa with telemedicine equipment. Medical professionals at Trinity Regional Medical Center in Webster County will provide nephrology, dermatology, pulmonology, women’s health, pediatrics, and mental health care to ten locations benefiting 16,800 individuals.

Three grants were funded through the Water and Waste Disposal Predevelopment Planning Grants. The program is designed to assist eligible low-income communities plan and develop applications for proposed USDA Rural Development water or waste disposal projects.

-City of Knierim received a $22,000 grant to help create a water facility plan developed by engineers. This project will address water system conditions and performance, including alternatives and recommendations, to meet the rehabilitation needs of the entire water system. This project will assist with the costs of planning for construction and will promote water quality for residents of this rural Calhoun County community.

–City of Murray received a $22,500 grant to help complete a wastewater system plan. The project will supply a plan created by engineers with alternatives and recommendations to address rehabilitation of the city’s wastewater infrastructure. The project will help support much-needed wastewater upgrades that will promote the health and safety of residents of this rural community in Clarke County.

–City of Pisgah received a $22,000 grant to create a water facility plan developed by engineers. This project will address water system conditions and performance and will include alternatives and recommendations to meet the rehabilitation needs of the entire water system. This project will promote better water quality for residents of this rural Harrison County community.

Twelve of today’s (Tuesday’s) investments were funded through the USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Grants program. The program is designed to provide affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. An essential community facility is defined as a facility that provides an essential service to the local community for the orderly development of the community in a primarily rural area, and does not include private, commercial, or business undertakings. Among the grant recipients is:

-The City of Griswold, which received a $7,100 grant to help purchase communications equipment. This project will provide voice pagers for the city’s fire department personnel. Once completed, the project will streamline fire department operations and promote the safety of residents of this rural Cass County area.

-The City of Lenox received a $43,000 grant to help purchase equipment for the fire department. This project will promote the operational efficiency of fire personnel. Once completed, the project will streamline fire department operations and promote the safety of residents of this rural Taylor County area.

-The City of Blockton received a $50,000 grant to help purchase a vehicle. This project will provide a tanker truck for the city’s volunteer fire department to increase water capacity in fire-fighting operations. Once in service, the project will promote the safety of residents and property in this rural Taylor County community.

–Montgomery County Memorial Hospital received a $50,000 grant to help purchase medical imaging equipment for Villisca Medical Clinic. This project will provide an X-ray machine to make more accurate diagnosis and to save patient travel time to distant hospitals. Once in place, the new equipment will promote the health and safety of residents of this rural Montgomery County area.

–City of Corning received a $49,000 grant to help remodel city hall. This project will renovate and update the shingles, concrete, and lighting on the building. Once completed, this project will better facilitate official business of the city and improve on-site safety for residents using the adjoining community center in this rural area in Adams County.

–City of Anita received a $50,000 grant to help purchase an ambulance. This project will expedite vehicle access to response sites and make patient transport safer and more reliable. Once in operation, the new ambulance will facilitate emergency services for the residents of Cass County and nearby rural areas.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Cass County (IA), today (Tuesday), passed a Resolution approving the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the County Sheriff’s Office and AFSCME, the union representing the Sheriff’s Office. The Board also approved continuing with the County Wellness Plan, and the removal of Ronnie Ross and Medical Examiner Investigator, retroactive to Dec. 6, 2023.

The Board also passed a Resolution to set the Posted Weight Limits on County Bridges, based on the most recent bridge inspections. Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken said it won’t be hard to figure out which bridges have an embargo on their load limit.

Cass County BOS mtg. 12-12-23 w/Engineer Wolken in the background.

Wolken also updated the Board on Secondary Roads Department maintenance and activities, especially with regard to box culvert projects.

The Cass County Supervisor’s next meeting is on December 19th.