(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic RAGBRAI  ® Committee is excited to announce, “Music & Margs” Town Hall Meeting Sunday, May 5th from 4PM-6PM at the Telegraph Building at 14 E 4th Street in Atlantic.

“We invite anyone interested in learning more about Atlantipalooza to come to this come and go, family friendly event, to learn how to be involved in the fun,” Kelsey Beschorner, Atlantic RAGBRAI Publicity Chair stated.

Along with housing, volunteer, vendor, and sponsorship information, attendees will receive an exclusive look at event apparel, merchandise, and receive information about day-of festivities.

“The Atlantic RAGBRAI Hospitality Committee have super fun ideas to make RAGBRAI riders feel welcome as they ride in and out of town. One of the ideas includes repurposing used bikes, which community members are encouraged to donate during the Town Hall Meeting”, Beschorner stated.

The Atlantic RAGBRAI Committee will continue to meet regularly to plan for Atlantipalooza on July 22nd. As information is available, it will be shared with the community and on the website www.atlanticragbrai.com. Community members and riders alike are encouraged to follow Atlantic RAGBRAI on Facebook and Instagram for all things Atlantic RAGBRAI.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Kansas City man was sentenced on April 11, 2024, to 260 months in federal prison after being found guilty by jury trial on Counts One and Two of the Indictment. His co-defendant was sentenced on December 12, 2023, to 120 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to Counts One and Two of the Indictment.

According to public court documents, George Madison Kitchen, IV, 46, and Cardel Jordan Harris, 26, were transporting methamphetamine from Kansas City, Missouri with a destination of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In July 2022 law enforcement stopped Kitchen for a traffic violation with Harris as a passenger. Kitchen and Harris were asked to step out of the vehicle due to the odor of marijuana, instead of stepping out, they fled the scene. Kitchen led officers, from different agencies, on a high-speed pursuit northbound on Interstate 29. The vehicle was stopped north of Council Bluffs. Kitchen and Harris threw bags out the passenger side window while speeding along the interstate. Officers found the bags along the interstate which resulted in the discovery of distribution quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine.

Kitchen must serve a ten-year term of supervised release after the prison term. Harris must serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Council Bluffs Police Department, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department, and the Missouri Valley Police Department were involved in the apprehension and the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department, and the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force were involved in the apprehension and investigation of the case.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced on April 11, 2024, to 180 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to count one of a three-count indictment. His co-defendant was sentenced on December 11, 2023, to 120 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to two counts of a three-count indictment.

According to public court documents Diana Morales, 30, was a drug supplier to co-defendant Donavan Edward Belt, 25, who distributed methamphetamine in the Council Bluffs metropolitan area. In February 2023 law enforcement completed a controlled buy at the residence of Morales and Belt resulting in the seizure of 112.97 grams of actual methamphetamine. A subsequent search warrant resulted in the seizure of additional methamphetamine.

Belt must serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. Morales must serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force and the Council Bluffs Police Department investigated the case.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Commerce City, Colorado man was sentenced on April 11, 2024, to 18 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Hong Dinh Nguyen, 42, was arrested in in Council Bluffs on April 22, 2023, following a traffic stop on Interstate 80. Nguyen’s vehicle had a strong odor of marijuana coming from the inside. Located in the trunk of his vehicle, in heat sealed bags, were 34,424 grams of marijuana. Nguyen stated that he agreed to transport and deliver the marijuana to another person in Minnesota and in return would be paid $6,300.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Nguyen will be required to serve 3 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Division of Narcotics Enforcement of the Iowa Department of Public Safety and the Iowa State Patrol.

(Radio Iowa) – Ground is being broken on an expansion of one of Clear Lake’s most historic sites, on what will be called The Surf Ballroom Music Enrichment & Immersive Center. It will include a visitors center, a gift shop, lesson studios, a conference space, and an exhibit area to showcase the ballroom’s significant contributions to music history. Jeff Nicholas, with the North Iowa Cultural Center & Museum — which oversees the Surf, says the new facility will offer a great learning experience.

“It will inspire our youth not only to learn about the culture of our community, the culture of the Surf Ballroom, about the music, about all the friendships and all the relationships,” Nicholas says. “This place is bricks and mortar, but it’s so much more than that.” City Administrator Scott Flory says the improvements with the center, as well as other improvements to the Surf area, will ensure the legacy of the ballroom remains relevant for many generations to come.

Flory says, “We all know the Surf Ballroom has a very unique story to tell, and the new Music Enrichment & Immersive Center, the streetscape improvements that we are making here, are all things that are critical and pivotal for us to help continue to tell the story of the Surf Ballroom, a National Historic Landmark.” Iowa Economic Development Authority director Debi Durham says the Surf’s mission is evolving, from one that celebrates the legacies of the musicians who have played there, but it also celebrates public art, the lake, and a hands-on learning experience that will inspire generations to come.

“It is game-changing for Clear Lake, and an incredibly successful story for Iowa,” Durham says. “What I love about this project is not just its potential, but its story of reinvention, creative thinking and partnership. You have this collective leadership with the community and the companies that came together around the Surf District.” Rock-and-roll stars Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly and “The Big Bopper” J. P. Richardson all died in a plane crash near Clear Lake in February of 1959 after playing a concert at the Surf. Connie Valens, Ritchie’s sister, says the center will give an opportunity to continue to teach and enrich future generations about what the Surf represents.

Photo by Bob Fisher, KRIB

“The Enrichment Center, through the dedication of the teachers and students, will be at the heart of continuing the legacies of the three young men who changed rock-and-roll history and continue to inspire new generations of musicians.” The rest of the Surf District project, which received a $4.37 million Destination Iowa grant, will include gateway and streetscape enhancements around and on Buddy Holly Place, and waterfront connections from the ballroom to the lakeshore. The Music Enrichment & Immersive Center recently was awarded an additional $400,000 Community Attraction and Tourism grant.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa legislators are making final decisions on next year’s state spending plan, but disagreements remain as the Iowa General Assembly aims to adjourn for the year soon. Senate Republicans propose a two percent salary hike for Iowa judges. House Republicans propose a more than six percent increase that’s in line with what the Iowa Supreme Court’s chief justice has recommended. Caitlin Jarzen, director of governmental affairs for Iowa’s court system, says the pay for county attorneys has kept pace with inflation, but judges’ salaries have not.

“We’re seeing a really a big problem with retention and recruitment,” Jarzen said. “…The Judicial Branch is being left behind while other salaries are increasing.” Some county attorneys are making almost as much as a district court judge. “This is a big problem because a huge portion of our judicial applicant pool is county attorneys,” Jarzen said. “…We’re going to get to a point where the position of a judge is not attractive to a county attorney anymore and we’d like to have their expertise on the bench.”

Jarzen says many attorneys in state government have salaries that are higher than a district court judge. The legal counsels working in state government agencies are even paid more than the Chief Judge on the Iowa Court of Appeals.  “We even understand we’re not going to compete with private industry salaries,” Jarzen said. “An attorney in private practice is going to make more and that’s just an accepted part of reality that you take a salary cut with public service, but now the judges’ salaries are getting to the point that other public servants aren’t even wanting to apply to be on the bench because it’s a salary cut for them, too.”

Iowa judges are paid less than judges in every neighboring state. The six-point-two percent salary hike proposed by the chief justice still won’t raise those salaries above judges in surrounding states.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa legislature has approved the governor’s plan to create a combined system to help Iowans with a mental illness as well as those with addiction issues. Republican Representative Joel Fry of Osceola says it’s the culmination of many years of work to improve services.

“I have worked on a variety of different pieces related to mental health and substance abuse for my last 14 years here,” said Fry, who is not seeking reelection, “and this is a great opportunity for the state of Iowa to be able to see these two worlds merge and to have a system statewide that I believe will benefit Iowans in some pretty dramatic ways.”

There are currently 13 mental health regions and 19 separate substance use treatment regions in Iowa. On July 1st of next year, they’ll be combined into seven behavioral health districts. Advocates say it will be particularly helpful for people who have a mental health diagnosis and also need treatment for substance abuse.

The bill does not provide a new source of funding for the system, but state officials say after the merger, they’ll be able to use 23 MILLION dollars that hasn’t been spent in some of the mental health regions.