(Radio Iowa) – An Iowa-based group that aims to help farmers practice a form of agriculture that benefits both the land and the people is working to recruit new members, especially in northwest Iowa. Practical Farmers of Iowa agronomist Sarah Carlson says the issue of water quality is one key area where they’ve determined they can start discussions with potential members.

Carlson says crop rotation, cover crops, and grazing all help to reduce nitrate loss and reduce erosion, which are two of the biggest water pollutants. Some of the older concepts are still very much workable, especially with precision agriculture, which Carlson says has led to a new term, precision conservation.

She says P-F-I works with farmers to diagnose trouble spots, get them out of production and into some sort of conservation project.

(Radio Iowa) – Key lawmakers in the Iowa House are working on changes in a Senate bill that would let state agencies refuse to release information to the state auditor’s office. Representative Michael Bergan, a Republican from Dorchester who’s an accountant, said the bill as currently written could endanger federal funding for state government agencies.

“I recognize there might be some challenges with the language the way it is,” Bergan said today during a House subcommittee hearing. “We are certainly open to some amendments on how we can correct some of those issues.”

A lobbyist for the Iowa Society of Certified Public Accountants said the bill would also impact the ability of private sector CPAs to conduct audits of Iowa cities and counties. The bill is scheduled for debate in a House Committee tomorrow.

The Republican who led debate of the bill in the Senate says it would protect the private of things like income tax returns, while letting the state auditor’s office have access to information that’s relevant for an audit. Representative Amy Nielsen, a Democrat from North Liberty, said Republicans are trying to limit the authority of State Auditor Rob Sand, the only Democrat holding statewide office. “I think that this bill is crazy inappropriate for us to be even looking at,” Nielsen said during the subcommittee hearing. “…We’re picking on the person in the office, not the office with this bill.”

Representative Bobby Kaufmann, a Republican from Wilton, replied: “This has nothing to do with the individual holding the current office, from my personal perspective…I think there’s been a lot of points brought up by the auditor’s office and I think there’s been some conversations about some language changes and I look forward to working with everyone.”

State Auditor Rob Sand said Kaufmann and other House members are giving officials from his office an opportunity to have input on proposed changes in the bill and he hopes they can come up with an alternative that’s reasonable. Sand has said the Senate-passed legislation would limit the ability of his office to investigate allegations of waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer money.

(Harlan, Iowa) – The Shelby County Board of Supervisors met Tuesday morning in a Special Session. According to the minutes of the meeting provided by Auditor/Board Secretary Mark Maxwell, the Board held a Public Hearing on the Maximum Tax resolution. There were no comments in any form submitted by the public, therefore the Resolution was approved as follows:

WHEREAS, the Shelby County Board of Supervisors have considered the proposed FY2024 county maximum property tax dollars for both General County Services and Rural County Services, and WHEREAS, a notice concerning the proposed county maximum property tax dollars was published as required and posted on county web site and or social media accounts if applicable, WHEREAS a public hearing concerning the proposed county maximum property tax dollars was held on March 28th, 2023. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Supervisors of Shelby County that the maximum property tax dollars for General County Services and Rural County Services for FY2024 shall not exceed the following: General County Services $ 5,269,301.00 Rural County Services $2,592,000.00. The Maximum Property Tax dollars requested in either General County Services will be limited to an increase of 108.58% and Rural County Services for FY2024 represents a maximum increase of 108% from the Property Tax dollars requested for FY2023.

The Shelby County Supervisors also passed a Resolution on the County Budget Estimate for FY 2024….

BE IT RESOLVED on this 28th day of March 2023, the Board of Supervisors of Shelby County, Iowa, met in special session for filing and considering the estimate of the County Budget for FY2024. There was present a quorum as required by law. Entry record for filing of said budget estimate was established and approved for publication. The Board, being fully advised, find that the date of the hearing on said estimate should be fixed, and it does fix, the 18th day of April 2023, at the hour of 9:00 A.M. as the date and time of hearing to be held at the Supervisor’s Chambers in the Courthouse in Shelby County, Iowa. The above and foregoing resolution was adopted by the Board of Supervisors of Shelby County, Iowa, on March 28th, 2022, the vote thereon being as follows: Ayes: Steve Kenkel and Charles Parkhurst and Bryce Schaben. Nays: None

Afterward. they considered a Shelby County 28-E Law enforcement agreement with the City of Harlan. Sheriff Neil Gross spoke to relay some details about the positive expectations of the agreement if passed today. Including retaining and hiring employees to a larger department may render those processes easier and less costly.

Amy Haas then spoke and voiced her opinion that it is not a good idea for the City of Harlan to lose the police department, losing control of the city is a concern. Getting applicants for future staffing was also a mentioned concern.

Todd Valline spoke and suggested to Sheriff Gross that his department reassure other communities with 28E Law Enforcement agreements with Shelby County that services will not be changed with this agreement.

Bryce Schaben made an motion to approve the signing of the 28E agreement, the motion was seconded by Parkhurst. A vote was held with Parkhurst, Kenkel and Schaben all voting in favor of signing the agreement. The motion passed.

Auditor Mark Maxwell spoke of buildings and ground issues; the first being a slab of concrete being poured on the west side of the Courthouse to be used by the Christmas Decorating committee for the building used in their display. It typically gets frozen, or snow covered at ground level to the bare lawn and can not be moved until conditions allow, sometimes in late winter. Two trees are scheduled to be remove in the Courthouse grounds and the sump pump work at the courthouse will be done soon. Maxwell also noted that all of the horizontal sewer replacement has been completed under the Courthouse.

Having no further business the meeting was adjourned.

(Audubon, Iowa) – The Audubon County Engineer & Secondary Roads Department reports, beginning the week of April 3rd, Audubon County Road M66/Bluebird Ave. will be closed to thru traffic for four miles North of Kimballton between 220th street and Hwy. 44, for intersection improvements and resurfacing.

There will be a temporary traffic light at the intersection with state Hwy. 44 during the intersection improvement phase. Residents located along this section of road will have access to their properties during this project.

Detour traffic will be routed East to US Hwy. 71 via Hwy. 44 and F32. Click on the link below for more details and a map.

The Audubon County Community Foundation awarded $140,936 to Audubon County nonprofit organizations and community projects during its Spring 2023 Grant Cycle.
The following organizations are Spring 2023 Grant Recipients:

All grantees met the criteria as Audubon County nonprofit agencies or organizations with charitable missions supporting community needs in the areas of civic engagement, culture, health, education, and social services. Only organizations providing services in Audubon County were eligible to apply.

Audubon County Community Foundation Advisory Board Members pictured include (from left to right): Dr. Bob Blomme, DVM; Pat Kaiser, Vice Chair; Megan Wagner, Secretary/Treasurer; Gina Benton; Steven B. Hansen, Chair; Sunni Kamp, Foundation Director; and Travis Nelson.

The Audubon County Community Foundation is an affiliate of the Omaha Community Foundation, which meets National Standards for Community Foundations, and is one of nine county members of the Community Foundations of Southwest Iowa. It receives funds annually from the State of Iowa County Endowment Fund Program for endowment building and grantmaking throughout the county. This cycle of grants was made possible through the County Endowment Fund Program and is funded by a percentage of the state’s commercial gaming tax revenue, which is distributed annually to participating community foundations associated with counties without a state-issued gaming license.
The Audubon County Community Foundation works with individuals, families, businesses, and organizations to create permanent and expendable funds that address changing, vital community needs and interests. To inquire about donating to the Audubon County Community Foundation, please contact the Community Foundations of Southwest Iowa staff or any board member listed below. Gifts to permanently endowed funds through the Audubon County Community Foundation may be eligible to receive a 25% Endow Iowa Tax Credit.
Advisory board members of the Audubon County Community Foundation are Chair, Steven B. Hansen of Audubon; Vice Chair, Pat Kaiser of Audubon; Secretary/Treasurer, Megan Wagner of Audubon; Gina Benton of Exira; Dr. Bob Blomme, DVM of Audubon; Travis Nelson of Exira; and Donna Olson of Kimballton.

The Cass County Community Foundation awarded $140,936 to Cass County nonprofit organizations and community projects during its Spring 2023 Grant Cycle.
The following organizations are Spring 2023 Grant Recipients:

All grantees met the criteria as Cass County nonprofit agencies or organizations with charitable missions supporting community needs in the areas of civic engagement, culture, health, education, and social services. Only organizations providing services in Cass County were eligible to apply.

Cass County Community Foundation Advisory Board Members pictured include (from left to right): Sunni Kamp, Foundation Director; Gaylord Schelling, Vice Chair; Kristi Burg, Chair; Sandy Bierbaum; Sue Hunt, Secretary/Treasurer; and Mike Tibken.

The Cass County Community Foundation is an affiliate of the Omaha Community Foundation, which meets National Standards for Community Foundations, and is one of nine county members of the Community Foundations of Southwest Iowa. It receives funds annually from the State of Iowa County Endowment Fund
Program for endowment building and grantmaking throughout the county. This cycle of grants was made possible through the County Endowment Fund Program and is funded by a percentage of the state’s commercial gaming tax revenue, which is distributed annually to participating community foundations associated with counties without a state-issued gaming license.
The Cass County Community Foundation works with individuals, families, businesses, and organizations to create permanent and expendable funds that address changing, vital community needs and interests. To inquire about donating to the Cass County Community Foundation, please contact the Community Foundations of Southwest Iowa staff or any board member listed below. Gifts to permanently endowed funds through the Cass County Community Foundation may be eligible to receive a 25% Endow Iowa Tax Credit.
Advisory board members of the Cass County Community Foundation are Chair, Kristi Burg of Massena; Vice Chair, Gaylord Schelling of Atlantic; Secretary/Treasurer, Sue Hunt of Atlantic; Sandy Bierbaum of Griswold; Justin D. Hockenberry of Anita; and Mike Tibken of Anita.
For information about donating or establishing an individual foundation/fund, please contact Sunni Kamp, Iowa Foundations Director, at 800-794-3458 or sunni@omahafoundation.org.

(Radio Iowa)- Former Vice President Mike Pence is back in Iowa, the day after a federal judge ruled Pence must testify before a grand jury investigating January 6th and former President Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. “We’re currently talking to our counsel about the balance of that decision and determining the way forward, but I have nothing to hide,” Pence said. “I’ve written and spoken extensively about that day and the days leading up to it.” Pence spoke with reporters after addressing the Westside Conservative Club in Urbandale this (Wednesday) morning. Host Kim Schmett praised Pence for not bending to the pressure on January 6th.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the way our vice president represented us at a time when things were really tough. Not only were they tough, they were dangerous for him physically and he stood there with his principles and backed that up and his family was even there at the time,” Schmett said. “This is really, really tough stuff.” Pence, who drew the largest crowd of the year at the Westside Conservative Club, has not yet announced whether he’ll run for the Republican Party’s 2024 presidential nomination. He answered audience about the economy, partisan rancor and the war in Ukraine. While answering a question about border security, Pence recalled an Oval Office meeting with Trump.

“Obviously it did not end well, but all those four years the president and I had a very good working relationship, bringing different talents, oftentimes different temperament to things, but we both understood each other, we were both working the same agenda.” Pence is making a midday stop in Cedar Rapids to address a crowd of Linn County Republicans. He’s scheduled to be in Iowa City tonight (Wednesday) as the keynote speaker at the Johnson County Republicans Reagan Dinner.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – In his report Tuesday, to the Cass County Board of Supervisor’s, Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken said crews were laying contract rock in the Griswold area since last week, in anticipation of the closing this past Monday, of the Highway 92 bridge.  The rock is being used for the detour routes. He said they’ve rocked about 15-miles so far in the Griswold area.The stockpile of rock at the Lyman storage site is exhausted, and they’re working on using the G-43 stockpile.

Meanwhile work continues on Bridge 32, with the piers poured last week. The first abutment was expected to be poured soon.

The Rolling Hills Wind Farm Power project is beginning to wrap-up. Wolken said he met with their construction representatives last week.

With regard to the closing of Highway 92 and the detour route, Board of Supervisor’s Chair Steve Baier said traffic by his rural house is up considerably, because people are not following the posted detour route.

He said the DOT didn’t do a very good job of putting signage up for the detour route. Wolken said he would look into the problem. The marked detour route is supposed to use U.S. 71, Cass County Road G-43, Cass County Road M-56, and Iowa 48.

The American Cancer Society’s Iowa Relay for Life organization is holding a Rally For Hope in Iowa today. This one-day fundraising campaign shows that ONE DAY CAN IMPACT A LIFETIME.

On this day of giving, every donation has the potential to make double the impact thanks to a generous donor who will match the funds raised through all Iowa Relay For Life events up to $10,000.  While the match will not hit each individual fundraiser, team or event, the dollars you raise through your local Relay For Life on March 29th, will receive DOUBLE the rewards points to be redeemed at www.shopacsrewards.org. as well.

This makes it a great day to register for Relay for Life in your county and raise some funds to help your local fight against cancer. Find out more and see the statewide progress today HERE

(Union County, Iowa) – Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources report the DNR’s Field Office 4 staff were notified Tuesday afternoon of wash water release from an Iowa Select livestock trailer wash facility in Union County.

The release, due to a broken check valve, caused approximately 5,000 gallons of wash water to overflow onto the ground. The wash water reached an unnamed tributary, which connects to Sevenmile Creek. A fish kill did not occur because the unnamed tributary is currently dry.

Iowa Select staff have taken action, including flushing and pumping the wash water out of the area, south of Highway 34 and downstream of the unnamed tributary to prevent wash water from reaching Sevenmile Creek.

The DNR will continue to monitor clean up efforts and consider appropriate enforcement action.