(Atlantic) – Grow Another Row, a program started last year to encourage, support, and network local growers for food donation, is back in 2021 with plans to expand! Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh says grow Another Row Cass County is a Healthy Cass County campaign started in 2020 by a group of local growers to encourage residents to grow and share more food. Grow Another Row Cass County invites local farmers and gardeners to plant a few more rows of produce to share again this year.

Hoegh said expansion started with filling a dedicated coordinator role. This temporary position is made possible through AmeriCorps funding.

2021 Grow Another Row Coordinator Claire Smith.

New Grow Another Row Coordinator, Claire Smith, said “I am extremely excited to get started and I love the mission of this program.” Smith is currently a student at Northwest Missouri State University where she is majoring in agronomy with an emphasis in horticulture and a minor in adapted & recreational gardening. She said she has always loved gardening and has her own home garden where she grows a variety of flowers and vegetables such as petunias, zinnias, roses, marigolds, tomatoes, peppers, and more!

In high school, Claire was active in FFA and 4-H and showed in the Iowa State Fair FFA Floriculture show for four years.
All growers—large and small—are invited to share food with others as part of Grow Another Row. According to Brigham Hoegh, “Even just a few tomato plants can end up producing a lot more than a household can consume, so we encourage all growers to join us.” Sign up for the Grow Another Row newsletter by emailing Grow Another Row Coordinator Claire Smith at claires2@iastate.edu or visiting https://www.extension.iastate.edu/cass/content/grow-another-row-cass-county.

Not sure what to grow to share with others? According to ISU Extension, the 13 best produce donations are: tomatoes, winter squash, zucchini, potatoes, onions, peppers, cucumbers, melons, broccoli, cabbage, sweet potatoes, carrots, and beans. The Grow Another Row leadership team requests additional potatoes, carrots, melons, and green beans in 2021 because these items were in highest demand last year. Grow Another Row Cass County 2021 donation sites are being
finalized and will be publicized at a later date, but Cass County food pantries are sure to be included in the line-up.

• Cass County Food Pantry Information:
  Anita Food Pantry:
  Phone: (712) 762-3645
  Address: 208 Chestnut St, Anita, IA 50020
  Hours: 1st & 3rd Saturdays, 9:00am – 11:00am
  Produce donations: Tracey Lett (712)249-4996
  Monetary donations: mail checks to “Anita Food Pantry” (PO Box
  96, Anita, IA 50020)
• Atlantic Food Pantry:
  Address: 19 W. 4th St., Atlantic, IA 50022
  Hours: Thurs., drive-through 1:00pm – 2:00pm (or until line
  ends)
  Produce Donations: Pre-bagged produce requested. Contact:
  (712)243-1820
  Monetary Donations: mail checks to “Atlantic Food Pantry” (19 W
  4th Street. Atlantic, IA 50022)
• Cumberland Care & Share Pantry:
  Phone: (712) 774-5818
  Address: 317 Monroe St, Cumberland, IA 50843
  Hours: 1st & 3rd Wednesday, 4:00pm- 5:30pm
  Produce Donations: contact (712) 774-5818
  Monetary Donations: mail checks to “Cumberland Care & Share”
  (317 Monroe St, Cumberland, IA 50843)
• Lord’s Cupboard of Griswold
  Phone: (712) 778-4178
  Address: 100 Cass St., Griswold, IA 51535

For information on Cass County food pantries, farmers markets, and other locally-driven food initiatives, follow the Cass
County Local Food Policy Council on Facebook @CassCountyLocalFood. Healthy Cass County is a community-focused volunteer network formed to promote the health and well-being of Cass County residents. Follow Healthy Cass County on Facebook @HealthyCassCounty (https://www.facebook.com/HealthyCassCounty/). Reach out to Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh at bhoegh@iastate.edu or call 712-249-5870 for more information.

The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department’s Board of Directors met via Zoom, Monday evening. Parks and Rec Director Bryant Rasmussen said he plans on meeting with a contractor to get the bathroom for the Sunnyside Park Tennis Court opened-up, soon. There were issues with the facilities that required it to be closed, last year.

Rasmussen said some of the dog park equipment that’s been in storage for the Winter, was installed over the past week or so. He said “Everything that’s out there, we were able to [put into place] because of the donations that came in through the donation post” located at the dog park. The only piece of equipment that has yet to arrive, he said, is a hoop that is being built by Curtis Welding. There are numerous tires of various heights and styles that are partially sunk into the ground for dogs to play on. They’ve been painted in a colorful and whimsical way, to make them attractive and fun to look at.

Rasmussen said the response has been phenomenal, and “The donations keep coming, so we’re starting to look at what other things we can continue to add out there.” He said also, he was contacted by the City of Creston late last week. They were looking for advice on putting in a dog park, as well, and wondered how the attractions for the Atlantic Dog Park were obtained. The Park Board members praised the way the Dog Park has turned out. Park Board Member Jolene Smith said “It was really used Sunday,” when the weather was just about perfect.

Rasmussen said he and Foreman Kyle Welter are working on plans for summer programs, including the possibility of incorporating “Jazzercise” into the parks through Jazzercise, Atlantic. “Hopefully this summer we’ll be able to roll [that] out,” and maybe hold the class three or four times over the Summer.  Rasmussen said they’re looking to have the cost of most Summer Programs the same as last year, except for Slow Pitch softball. There is also the possibility of Co-Ed slow pitch, since it wasn’t available last year. The final decision on SP will come later this Spring. Swim Team, Tennis and Pickle-ball would all be the same, and some events will be free.

In other news, the Campground Kiosk at the Schildberg Rec Area has been updated to include the requirement that campers have evidence of having paying for your spot. That must be with you at all times, whether that’s in the window of your camper, or whether Parks Staff knock on the door and ask for proof of payment. Rasmussen said they’re trying to eliminate “The go-between that we get into, running back to City Hall,” to see if a person had actually paid and then running back to see if the camper has evidence for it if they haven’t paid for their spot. Rasmussen said the Campground Hosts are in-place. They will help to make sure spaces are being used by PAID campers.

Rasmussen said there are some questions that have been raised with regard to parking at the Little League/Soccer Complex (across from KJAN), which the City rents from AMU. The question, he said, boils down to “How that area is used. The issues right now is, during Little League days, they don’t have enough parking, so they are wanting to have overflow parking go onto the soccer fields.” He said the Soccer Association obviously doesn’t want that to happen, “Because they’re wanting to make sure their fields aren’t getting torn-up.”

Parks Board member Ashley Hayes said the problem is that people aren’t parking smartly out there. “You should be able to get four rows of parking on the west side, and two rows of parking on the east side.” There really hadn’t been an issue with parking until Soccer began to grow in popularity over the past five-years, the Board said. The complex is owned by AMU (Atlantic Municipal Utilities). Rasmussen will try and coordinate a meeting between the respective parties and AMU, to come to some sort of compromise on the matter of parking.

The Parks and Rec Board voted to return to City Hall for their regular monthly meetings, beginning May 17th at 5:15-p.m. Up until now, their meetings had been held electronically, due to concerns over COVID. Increased vaccinations and a reduction in Cass County cases prompted the decision to return to in-person meetings for the foreseeable future.

(Radio Iowa) – A Central Iowa man will spend 12 years in prison for receiving child pornography. Court information shows the F-B-I got a tip in December of 2017 that 33-year-old Joseph Cerwick of Urbandale received pornography from the internet.

The F-B-I executed a search warrant and found hundreds of images of child pornography and a video of child pornography. Cerwick was ordered to pay nine-thousand dollars in restitution along with his 144-month prison sentence.

A Council Bluffs woman was sentenced Monday (April 19) in Council Bluffs U-S District Court, to serve slightly more than 4-years in prison for Possession with the Intent to Distribute/Methamphetamine. As part of her 50-month sentence, 21-year-old Destiny Marsh was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow her prison term and pay a $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund. There is no parole in the federal system.

On March 3, 2020, Marsh was found unresponsive in her motel room at the Deluxe Inn in Council Bluffs. The Council Buffs Fire Department was dispatched to the scene and upon arrival saw a large bag containing approximately 800 grams of methamphetamine and cash next to Marsh. She pleaded guilty to the offense on November 6, 2020.

The investigation was conducted by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force and the Council Bluffs Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

Area Counties: Dallas-Cass-Adair-Madison-Adams-Union-Taylor-Ringgold  (256 PM CDT Mon Apr 19 2021)

…FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 12 AM until 9 AM TUESDAY…
…FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 12AM Wednesday until 9 AM WEDNESDAY

Area Counties: Pottawattamie-Mills-Montgomery-Fremont-Page:

…FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM MONDAY until 9 AM TUESDAY…
…FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM TUESDAY TO 9 AM WEDNESDAY…

* WHAT…For the first Freeze Warning, sub-freezing temperatures as low as the upper 20s expected. For the second Freeze Warning,sub-freezing temperatures as low as middle to upper 20s  expected.

* IMPACTS…Frost and freeze conditions will kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. To prevent freezing and possible bursting of outdoor water pipes they should be wrapped, drained, or allowed to drip slowly. Those that have in-ground sprinkler systems should drain them and cover above- ground pipes to protect them from freezing.

(Radio Iowa) – The insurance company for the City of Cedar Rapids is planning to pay an eight million dollar settlement to a black man who was shot during a 2016 traffic stop. Jerime Mitchell is paralyzed from the neck down. Mitchell and his wife sued the City of Cedar Rapids and Lucas Jones, the white officer who shot Mitchell. Jones was fired in June of last year for violating Cedar Rapids Police Department policy during a different traffic stop that happened 36 hours before the one at the center of this case. Mitchell was pulled over because the light on his license plate was out. Mitchell and Jones fought and Jones fired three shots into the vehicle.

Mitchell’s lawsuit was set to go to trial tomorrow (Tuesday). The Cedar Rapids City Council must approve the eight-million dollar settlement. In a written statement, city officials said the case has been divisive and they hope to build trust between the community and the Cedar Rapids Police Department. Mitchell’s lawyer says the most significant outcome from the lawsuit was getting an untruthful police officer fired. The officer’s microphone was turned off during Mitchell’s traffic stop and for the one two days before that led to his firing.

(Radio Iowa) – A half million dollar plan to replace security cameras in the Iowa Capitol complex has the support of Republicans in the Iowa House, but Senate Republicans have not included the project in their preliminary budget plan. In February of last year, a 23-year-old man was charged with vandalism after surveillance camera images showed him breaking into the Capitol on a Sunday morning. Senator Janet Petersen, a Democrat from Des Moines, says the man made it onto the floor of the Iowa Senate.

“We are setting ourselves up for a very dangerous situation if we don’t include money to upgrade the security of this facility,” Petersen says, “so I would encourage as we move on budget negotiations not to neglect security, especially even as we saw what happened at the nation’s Capitol.” Republicans who hold a majority of seats in the Iowa House and Senate are drafting a variety of bills that outline state spending for the next budgeting year. Republican Senator Craig Johnson of Independence predicts the statehouse security project may wind up in one of them.

“I would guess that would come together at the end of all of this,” Johnson says, “when we’re comparing our bills and looking at them.” There are NO committee meetings or floor debate scheduled today (Monday) in the legislature.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – A woman from Pottawattamie County was sentenced to 10 1/2 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine. The U-S District Court Judge in Council Bluffs handed down the sentence April 12th, in the case of 35-year-old Lindsay Hurst, Council Bluffs. Hurst was ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow her prison term and pay $100
to the Crime Victims’ Fund. There is no parole in the federal system.

In January and February 2020, Hurst sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant on three occasions – selling approximately 130.83 grams total of actual methamphetamine. Hurst
pleaded guilty on November 20, 2020, to the methamphetamine charge.

The investigation was conducted by the Council Bluffs Police Department and Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for
the Southern District of Iowa.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports two arrests took place last week. On Wednesday, 34-year-old Daniel Fritz Reeves, of Plattsmouth, NE., was arrested on an Adair County warrant for Conspiracy to Commit an aggravated serious misdemeanor, and Tampering with a Witness or Juror. He was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $4,000 cash/surety bond.

And, On April 11th, 28-year old Alyssa Marie Krzycki, of Orient, was arrested for Domestic Assault with bodily injury, for allegedly striking a subject in the arm. Krzycki was released on a signature bond that same day, after making an initial appearance before the magistrate.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa D-O-T is looking to bring back a popular holiday feature at the state rest stops. Rest Area Administrator Steve McMenamin, says they hope to bring back local groups which provide snacks for travelers during the July 4th weekend. “Unless we see some other spike in the COVID situation — I think because it’s outside, people are being more cautious, we probably will. We haven’t really decided to go ahead with that yet,” McMenamin says.

He says they won’t be ready to allow the groups during this Memorial Day. Labor Day is the other holiday where groups are allowed to offer FREE refreshments with a suggested donation. “Any non-carbonated drinks, they can’t have pop or anything like that. But water, coffee, lemonade, stuff like that. Homemade goods, cookies, donuts or whatever,” McMenamin says. “That can’t charge for it, but they are allowed to accept donations, which they do. Some groups do pretty well with that.”

He says there is usually a big demand from the groups. “They like the busier sites, typically the I-80 where there’s more traffic. Some groups apply every year. They can get one day, they can get multiple days…they are also allowed to put up a sign to say they are sponsoring — the Lions Club — or whatever it may be,” McMenamin says. He says the use of the rest stops has been increasing. “The traffic on the interstates has noticeably picked up. And even our visitations have noticeably picked up already this year. We are using some cases almost twice the water that we did at some of these sites than just a month ago,” McMenamin says.

McMenamin says the costs of maintaining some of the smaller sites have increased as they have had to increase the amount of staff time needed to clean and sanitize them.