(Radio Iowa) – Congresswoman Cindy Axne met with mayors from the Des Moines metro and smaller cities like Greenfield and Griswold to discuss how to seek the new federal funding available for infrastructure projects. Clive Mayor John Edwards says Walnut Creek frequently floods areas of his city.  “The funding from the infrastructure bill and the American Recovery Act are key especially as you know here for storm water and flood mitigation,” Edwards says, “and it’s going to help us, in particular, to become more resilient to the flooding, the intense rain events.”

Small city leaders expressed concern the federal funding would flow mainly to larger cities. The mayor of Runnells says his town of 500 residents is trying to find a way to pay for the five million dollar cost of rebuilding its waste water plant. Axne is promising to connect smaller towns with grant writers and she handed out a list of state officials who’ll help decide which projects get funding. “We’re getting the money to the state and the state’s really responsible for getting this out, so a lot of it’s going to rely on your conversations with the state,” Axne says. “but we’ve got to make sure that maybe the parameters are around, but that maybe the parameters are around: ‘Don’t exhaust all your money on this or that,’ and it’s a fair distribution process.”

Rep. Axne & Clive Mayor John Edwards. (RI photo)

Iowa stands to get about five billion dollars for roads, bridges, broadband and water projects over the next five years from the infrastructure bill that cleared congress this fall. “I’m proud to say that all of Iowa will benefit because of my vote,” Axne said. Axne, a Democrat from West Des Moines, and Republican Senator Chuck Grassley were the only two members of Iowa’s congressional delegation to vote for the infrastructure package. Altoona’s mayor says he’s concerned the money will mainly go to repair already existing infrastructure rather than help growing communities like his build new roads and sewers.

Waukee’s mayor says her city spent 45 million dollars on infrastructure projects last year. Axne says she’ll seek assurances growing metro areas will be able to compete for the infrastructure money.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with Cass Health in Atlantic, Wednesday, announced the arrival of the first baby of 2022. Mayah Victoria was born Monday, January 3, 2022 to proud parents Linda and Juan Rodriguez, and welcomed by older brothers Kevin and Zahir, of Red Oak.

Photo courtesy Cass Health

The obstetrics department at Cass Health presented the family with a special certificate, baby blanket, and a year’s supply of diapers.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of 22-year-old Brook Anna Marie Moon of Red Oak on Wednesday afternoon following an incident at 1211 Boundary Street. Moon entered a residence without permission and was noticeably intoxicated on drugs other than alcohol. She would not leave when asked to do so by the homeowner. Moon was arrested and charged with Trespass 1st Offense and held in the Montgomery County Jail on $300 bond.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office today (Wednesday), reports three arrests. Tuesday evening, 29-year-old Keith Patrick Schreck, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Failure to Appear on a Burglary in the 2nd Degree charge. His bond was set at $10,000. Sunday evening, 39-year-old Lester Robert Harmon, of Shannon City, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia. He was taken into custody at 360th Street & Highway 34, and held on a $1,300 bond.

And, at around 11-p.m. on Dec. 30th, 42-year-old Jason Alexander Houston, of St. Joseph, MO., was arrested at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office, on a warrant for Violation of Probation. His bond was set at $1,000.

There were also two accidents reported in Mills County. On Dec. 31st at around 8:35-a.m., a 2004 Dodge driven by 20-year-old Nicholas Livington, of Glenwood, was traveling north on 221st Street, when his vehicle went out of control after hitting a patch of ice. The vehicle slide into the east ditch, and in the process struck and knocked down two mailboxes. Livington was not hurt, but his Dodge, which came to rest on the east ditch, facing south, was totaled.

And, early Friday morning, a 2003 Lincoln driven by 87-year-old Ethlyn Spires, of Malvern, was traveling north on Highway 275 in Mills County, when her vehicle went out of control on a patch of ice, and spun off the road before rolling over and coming to rest on its wheels. Spires suffered head and body injuries. She was transported by Glenwood Rescue to the hospital. Her vehicle was a total loss.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday morning,received Fiscal Year 2023 funding requests from four entities, including the Library Association, Southern Iowa Trolley, Midwest Partnership and SICOG. All funding requests will be taken under advisement for later action during the County’s budgeting process.

The Library Association, which represents the four libraries in Adair County, each received an allotment last year from the County, of $1,500 each, or $6,000 total. This year, they are requesting $8,000, or $2,000 per library. Southern Iowa Trolley representative Leesa Lester requested about $700 less money from the County in the coming Fiscal Year than in the current year.

Southern Iowa Trolley has provided door to door service in seven Southwest Iowa counties: Adair, Adams, Clarke, Decatur, Ringgold, Taylor and Union, since 1979. Drivers are available Monday-Friday in the following towns: Greenfield, Corning, Osceola, Leon, Mt. Ayr, and Creston. Lester said business has been slowly on the increase since COVID impacted ridership.

She said also, Adair County is running about the same, ridership-wise as last year. And, Peter Johnson the new Director for Midwest Partnership told the Supervisors they are requesting the same amount of funding as in the current Fiscal Year. Johnson said their focus this year is on filling childcare and housing needs.

Tim Ostroski, with the Southern Iowa Council of Governments, requested a 2.5 cent increase for FY 23 over FY22, as a means of keeping up with inflation.

Adair County’s dues for just the rural population in the coming fiscal year will amount $3,916.89, based $1.13 ½ cents per person. As an offset, SICOG gave the County in FY2021, $3,018.24, through the Housing Trust Fund, for the General Relief Program. In essence, he said Adair County is putting $900.

In other business, the Board acknowledged the receipt of an e-mail pertaining to wind turbine noise during recent wind events. And, the Supervisors set February 2^nd as the date for a public hearing on the FY22 Budget Amendment for the American Rescue Plan Act Funds. The Board approved the appointment of Bethany Smith as Treasurer Clerk and a resignation from the Condemnation Commission.

Tim Ostroski, with the Southern Iowa Council of Governments (based in Creston), requested a 2.5% increase for FY 23 over FY22. SICOG provides and coordinates community and economic development services through the delivery of planning services, technical program assistance, and grantsmanship.

(Radio Iowa) – Health experts urge Iowans to think twice about going to the emergency room for non-emergencies, as COVID-19 hospitalizations recently set record highs along with large numbers of respiratory virus infections and flu cases. Dr. Theresa Brennan, chief medical officer for the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, says consider visiting an urgent care clinic if it’s a less-pressing medical issue. “An urgent care is a great place to go when you might need stitches, or you might need an X-ray or you might need some minor lab tests or you might need some IV fluid,” Brennan says, “really reserving the emergency room for a place where you really need some emergency care.”

Brennan, a cardiologist and U-I professor of internal medicine, says an emergency room should only be used — in emergencies. “The emergency room should be really reserved for those that are the most ill, those that are having really more major illnesses, strokes, heart attacks, major traumas, head injuries.”

A coalition of central Iowa hospitals took out a full page ad in the Des Moines Register this week, urging Iowans to get vaccinated as medical centers are being overwhelmed, with the vast majority of new patients being people who have refused to get the shots.

(by Natalie Krebs, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa) – A group of Republicans from the Iowa House are proposing legislation that would bar Iowa businesses from hiring and firing anyone based on their vaccination status. The bill would prohibit businesses from asking if an employee has been vaccinated and it would be illegal for businesses to keep records of an employee’s vaccination status. Republican Representative Jon Jacobsen of Council Bluffs says the bill would be simple to implement and protects Iowans from what he described as the tyrannical reach of the federal government.

Republican Representative Mark Cisneros of Muscatine says Covid mandates have created hardships for many Iowans and there’s no need to wait for court rulings because the Iowa legislature has the power to take action. On Tuesday, Republican Governor Kim Reynolds and House Speaker Pat Grassley said the legislature should wait until the U.S. Supreme Court issues a ruling on the lawsuit challenging federal Covid vaccination requirements for large businesses.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – A woman who has held the Office of Cass County Recorder since Nov. 2013, says she intends to seeks a third term in advance of the June 7th Primary Election. Mary Ward says she really enjoys working with the public. The County Recorder handles many tasks, including real estate transactions and records.

On the subject of real estate records, Ward says people will be able to access them much quicker in the near future, thanks to COVID Recovery Funds the County is receiving, which will allow the digitization of those records.

Mary Ward (photo via Iowa Land Records County Recorder Directory)

Like most government offices, the pandemic has impacted how transactions were handled, but Mary says things are slowly getting back to normal as far as traffic flow into her office is concerned.

The flow has increased due to the housing market, “which has been booming the past year or more. It’s really a buyers market right now,” Ward says. Mary worked in the courthouse prior to becoming the County Recorder. She graduated from the Adair-Casey High School and obtained a Sales and Marketing Degree from Iowa Lakes Community college. Ward says she’s been a member of the community for a number of years, and hopes to continue serving the County.

The official filing period for County Office in Iowa is March 7th through the 25. The filing period for State and Federal Office is Feb. 28th through March 18th. More filing information is available online at https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/electioninfo/primary/index.html

(Walnut, Iowa) – The City Council in Walnut is scheduled to meet 5-p.m. Thursday (Jan. 6), at the Walnut Community Center. Among the discussion and/or possible action items on their agenda, is:

• A Regional Water update.
• A request for Tourism support from the City Merchant’s Association.
• A request for a garbage rate increase.
• A Review of the Library Budget
• Setting the date for a Public Hearing on the proposed Fiscal Year City Property Tax Levy in Walnut, and the date for a Budget Workshop.

In other business, the Mayor will talk about the Snow Ordinance, and the Council will discuss complaints about merchandise on downtown sidewalks.

(Radio Iowa) – A 98-year-old western Iowa native who says one of his greatest regrets was not getting a high school diploma will be awarded that document today (Wednesday) in a special ceremony. Donald Huisenga didn’t graduate from the former Auburn High School in 1943 because he was drafted to serve in World War Two. Kevin Litterer, principal of East Sac County High School, heard about Huisenga and took quick action. “I contacted somebody who had a diploma from 1948, a graduate of Auburn High School, so I had a copy of it,” Litterer says. “I called Jostens and talked to my rep there. By the end of the day we had a diploma in the process of being made with the Auburn High School logos on it, May of 1943.”

Huisenga served in the European theatre and parachuted into Normandy in 1944. He also spent six months in a German prisoner of war camp. District administrators decided Huisenga is more than deserving of the diploma, so Litterer is flying to Texas, where Huisenga now lives. They’ll meet this afternoon at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in San Angelo. “At 1 o’clock, we’re going to meet and he’ll be presented that diploma,” Litterer says. “His grandkids and his children are going to be at the ceremony as well. It’s just going to be an exciting and probably an emotional time as you present a 98-year-old World War II veteran his high school diploma.”

Litterer says everybody in the school district is excited for the ceremony and he’ll be bringing some special gifts along. “We actually have our three buildings, the elementary, middle school and high school are all making ‘Congratulations on your graduation’ cards that I’ll take down with me,” Litterer says. “I got a call from (a woman) representing an organization in Sac County called Quilts for Valor. They’re giving me a quilt that I’m going to take down and present to Donald as well.”

The unique graduation ceremony will be livestreamed on the E-S-C Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/East-Sac-County-Community-Schools-597123240374029