(Lewis, Iowa) – The Cass County Conservation Board is holding a “Movie in the Park” Campground Program this Friday night, featuring the 2021 release of Tom & Jerry. The public program will be held at the Campground Shelter at Cold Springs Park in Lewis, Friday May 27th 2022, beginning at 9-p.m. There is no charge to attend, and you do NOT have to be a registered camper to attend! Enjoy a chaotic battle ensues between Jerry Mouse, who has taken refuge in the Royal Gate Hotel, and Tom Cat, who is hired to drive him away before the day of a big wedding arrives. 

Come out for a great movie under the stars! Bring a blanket or chair, dress for the weather, and note that the show may be rescheduled for a later date, if it rains.

(Lewis, Iowa) – The Cass County Conservation Board is holding “Stand Up Paddleboard” (SUP) Demonstration this weekend and for one weekend in June. The first public demonstration will be held Saturday May 28th, from 1-until 4-p.m, at the Cold Springs Park- Beach. There is no charge to attend or participate. SUP is the fastest growing sport in the paddling community not only across the country, but especially in land-locked areas like Iowa.

Paddle Boarding

It’s fun, healthy as a total body work-out and offers a unique perspective when it comes to being on the water. After a quick demonstration try out the boards for yourself! If you do not bring a life jacket one will be provided to you. Children must be 16 years or older. Paddler must weigh LESS than 250 LBS. Due to Staff availability, May 28th and June 11th will be the ONLY Stand Up Paddleboard programs of the season.

Saturday May 28th:

1-p.m.- 5 spots

2:30-p.m. – 5 spots

June 11th

12:30pm- 5 Spots

1:15pm- 5 Spots

Cold Springs Park- Beach

You MUST CALL to get your spot! 712-769-2372 The CCCB staff hope you will join them! The program will be cancelled if there is unsafe weather conditions on the Lake.

Elkhart, Iowa — A Catholic priest has resigned, soon after he was reinstated at the Saint Mary Holy Cross parish in Elkhart. The diocese had suspended Father Jim Kirby in 2020 for making inappropriate comments about a Simpson College student. Kirby was a part-time track coach there. He is no longer affiliated with Simpson College. The diocese had reinstated Kirby in April, saying he had completed a rehabilitation program.

The parish announced the resignation of Father Kirby in a newsletter Sunday. The statement read in-part: “Fr. Jim Kirby tendered his resignation as pastor of St. Mary-Holy Cross, Elkhart, Iowa. The Diocese looks to fill this position; however, at this time no other priests are available to serve as pastor. I ask for your prayers for Fr. Kirby and the parish.”

(Nevada, Iowa) — Two former city officials in Story County have allegedly committed fraud. According to the Story County Sheriff’s Office, former McCallsburg Mayor Chris Erickson and former City Clerk Jennifer Heithoff are charged with felonious misconduct in office, a class D felony; fraudulent practice, a class D felony; and tampering with records, an aggravated misdemeanor. The investigation showed Erickson owed a total of $2,138.03 for water utility bills during a period between September of 2017 through July of 2019. During that time, Heithoff allegedly adjusted Erickson’s account giving the appearance of the balance being paid.

“Subsequent to Heithoff resigning, this amount was zeroed out,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a press release. “Erickson was the only city official known to have access to the billing software during this time.” The investigation also revealed Heithoff was claiming over twice the amount of hours she was authorized to work. She provided no documentation to the city. Heithoff also claimed fraudulent mileage reimbursements. Erickson signed Heithoff’s payroll and mileage reimbursement checks, the Sheriff’s Office said.

(Radio Iowa) – The latest data from Iowa Workforce Development shows more than 10-thousand jobs were added to the payrolls at Iowa restaurants and hotels over the last 12 months. Jessica Dunker is C-E-O and president of the Iowa Restaurant Association. “It’s no surprise that we would be showing growth, but I can tell you we would show substantially more growth if there were more people out there to hire.” Dunker says the state’s restaurant industry still has about 10-thousand fewer workers than it did in 2019, before the pandemic hit.

Dunker’s also the president and C-E-O of the recently-formed Iowa Hotel and Lodging Association. “From a recovery standpoint, we are down about 10% from where we were pre-COVID on hotel employees,” Dunker says, “but in the restaurant industry our latest data tells us that 35% of the restaurants in the state are 30% below their pre-COVID staffing levels, so they are desperate to hire people.”

Mike Whalen, founder of The Machine Shed Restaurants, is president and C-E-O of the Heart of America Group which operates hotels as well. The company has job openings at properties in Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Kansas. “We’ve clawed our way back and we’re probably down about 10% from where we were from 2019, but it’s been difficult,” Whalen says. “It’s been a real a challenge and our biggest challenge to get back in business.” Whalen says there is a national trend of people who retired at the onset of the pandemic deciding to go back to work.

“I think we’re probably at the top of that list,” Whalen says. “You know, restaurants and the hotel business can be tough and demanding jobs, but I think you increasingly see that people miss it and come back.” And Dunker says prior to COVID, the fastest growing demographic in the hospitality industry was people age 55 and above. “On the restaurant side, in particular, we are such a part-time industry, we were really seeing that people were un-retiring or doing fun jobs — ‘fun money’ for themselves — in our industry,” Dunker says.

Dunker suggests with a scarce number of teenagers available, older workers and those who may be “un-retiring” are ever more critical for the hospitality industry. Dunker and Whalen made their comments this weekend on “Iowa Press” on Iowa P-B-S.

(Adair County, Iowa) – Officials with the Stuart Fire Department posted on social media this (Sunday) morning, “A reminder to slow down when coming up on any accident.” The post says that at around 3:45-a.m., “Stuart Fire was paged to a multi-vehicle accident involving 2 semis and 2 passenger vehicles at the 91mm west bound I-80. West bound was completely blocked and east bound partially blocked. While processing the scene there was a secondary collision of a semi and passenger vehicle going east bound.”

No serious injuries were reported. Stuart Fire was assisted by Menlo Fire and multiple law enforcement agencies.  (Photos from the Stuart Fire Dept. Facebook page)

A 9-1-1 call about a domestic disturbance early this (Sunday) morning, in Red Oak, resulted in the arrest of 29-year-old Randall Wesley Lynn Butts, of Red Oak. He was taken into custody for Interference with Official Acts. Butts was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.

A collision Saturday night on Interstate 29 in Mills County left one person dead. The Iowa State Patrol reports 40-year-old Caleb Wear, of Glenwood, died from his injuries, after being flown by Life Flight to the UNMC in Omaha.

Authorities say a 2011 Toyota Sienna van driven by 47-year-old Bharatkumar Patel, of Papillion, NE, was northbound on I-29 at the same time a 2006 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Wear was traveling northbound. For reasons unknown, van struck the rear of the motorcycle, causing both vehicles to leave the road and enter the east ditch. The accident happened at around 9:38-p.m.

Patel was not injured in the collision, which remains under investigation. Fremont and Mills County Sheriff’s Deputies assisted the Patrol at the scene,

(Mt. Ayr, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Ringgold County are asking for the public’s help in solving a shooting that resulted in the death of a horse. Authorities say a horse was shot and killed the weekend of May 14th two-miles south of Kellerton, in the area of Highway P-68 and 250th Street. The Hilltop Veterinary Clinic confirmed the cause of death and recovered a bullet.

Anyone with information about the incident should contact the Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office or your local authorities.

Photo via The Ringgold County S/O Facebook page.

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department report the driver of a 2000 Buick Lucerne suffered suspected minor/non-incapacitating injuries during a single-vehicle accident that occurred at around 5:20-a.m., Saturday. 18-year-old Colby Wayne Burg, of Creston, was traveling south on Elm Street and was looking at his phone to check a music app, when he lost control of the car.

The vehicle went off the road and damaged a City of Creston road sign (valued at $100) before hitting a set of concrete steps, causing significant damage ($3,000) to the vehicle. Burg was not transported to the hospital, and there were no citations issued.