(Radio Iowa) – Cornell College in Mt. Vernon has returned a Native American statue that had been part of its art collection for more than a century. Art History professor Chris Penn-Goetsch says Cornell graduate Natalie Zenk uncovered the statue’s origins at a burial site while completing her senior thesis.  “Through her research, she was able to find an article from 1952… which points out that the work was first found in Bartow County, Georgia, along the Raccoon Creek,” she says.

Zenk says she was working on her senior thesis when she found the statue was taken from a burial site in Georgia in 1886. It was eventually purchased and donated to Cornell College in the early 1900s. “They had expressed that it was a cultural object that they had very dear feelings for, and so I knew that was something that I really wanted to make sure that got back to them.”

Representatives of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation joined Cornell’s art and art history department on campus last week to receive the statue. The Secretary of Culture and Humanities for the Muscogee Nation says the statue will be taken back to be reburied.

(Radio Iowa) – A planetary geologist at the University of Iowa is part of an elite NASA team pouring over data being relayed from the Perseverance Mars Rover, which has discovered some of the clearest signs yet of ancient life on the Red Planet. Valerie Payré, a professor in the U-I’s School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability, is working with what’s called the rover’s SuperCam, which uses a laser and spectrometers to determine the origin of rocks on the Martian surface. “Every day, I receive some images and analysis from the Perseverance rover that is looking at the chemistry and makeup of rocks around the rover,” Payré says. “So every day we are a team, looking at the measurements and the images, trying to understand what is going on around the rover and understanding the geology of the surroundings.”

The SuperCam has sophisticated instruments which NASA says can identify the chemical and mineral makeup of Martian samples as small as a pencil point, from a distance of more than 20 feet. The rover is exploring Jezero Crater, which was once a lake, searching for a sign of life — and she says it may’ve found one.  “The rover took a picture of the surroundings and it looked at this really interesting rock that had those rounded features on it,” Payré says. “That was really interesting because when we see that on Earth, usually those rounded features are byproducts of life. So right away, we wanted to see what those were made of, and if it was the same thing as what we’re seeing on Earth.”

Similar rounded rocks on Earth can indicate byproducts of microbial life, like what can be found in sedimentary deposits in lakes, but the compounds can also be formed in other ways that -don’t- include a life form.”So we are on the fence some here, and to understand whether this rock is related to life, we need to do more analysis, but we don’t have the instrumentation on board the rover for that,” Payré says. “We would love to have that rock on Earth and look at more chemistry in there to see if indeed those features are related to life or not.”

Payré says every day holds new opportunities, and they’re never sure when the next image may contain elements of a billion-year-old biosignature.  “This is a very cool discovery and exciting for us, but also for the public, because those could be related to life,” Payré says, “and that would mean maybe we’re not alone in the universe.”

(Cherokee, Iowa) – The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office in northwest Iowa, is warning residents after two possible attempted child abductions were reported in Cleghorn and Cherokee.

Officials said a report was made about an incident on Tuesday, Sept. 30, in Cleghorn. They said a white pickup truck with a Connecticut license plate pulled up near two boys, aged 10 and 4, who were playing in a city park. The driver, described as a tan or dark-skinned man with dark blond hair, reportedly offered them candy and tried to pick up the younger child. The older child was able to get them both safely back home.

The sheriff’s office said it was then made aware of something similar that happened about two weeks prior in Cherokee, where a 10-year-old girl reported that a white pickup had followed her home from school.

The sheriff’s office is investigating and is asking parents to talk to their children about not approaching strangers.

(Radio Iowa) – Three Republican candidates for governor appeared at a rally on a western Iowa farm yesterday (Sunday) and each promised to defend the private property rights of Iowans who’ve been fighting to keep a carbon pipeline off their land. Candidate Adam Steen of Runnels — an entrepreneur and former state agency director — says he’d sign a bill that would bar Summit Carbon Solutions from using eminent domain to seize land along the company’s proposed pipeline route. “Ain’t no way a private entity is going to abuse eminent domain on my watch,” Steen said. “There’s no chance.”

The candidates were given 15 minutes to speak to the crowd and then answered questions from the audience. Steen brought up Congressman Randy Feenstra, who’s expected to formally launch his campaign for governor soon. “Why isn’t Randy Feenstra here? Why isn’t he answering these questions? Where is he?” Steen said. “I’d be getting more animated, but I’m going to fall off the stage because it fires me up. He’s hiding in D.C., he’s hiding in his basement and he’s going to come out with millions of dollars in his campaign. Where do you think those millions of dollars came from?”

Rep. Steven Holt (R-Denison) speaks to crowd gathered for rally on Shelby County farm on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025. (RI photo)

A spokesman for Feenstra was not immediately available for comment on Sunday. Sundays’ event featured several state legislators who worked to pass a bill that would have established new regulations for the proposed pipeline. Candidate Eddie Andrews of Johnston says he loves Governor Reynolds, but Andrews says she was dead wrong to veto that bill in June. “What happened in Iowa is like throwing a middle finger to the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of these United States,” Andrews said. Andrews has been a state representative since 2021.

“When I raised my right hand to defend the constitution of the United States and the constitution of the State of Iowa, it was to defend property rights and not to add to the pocket of Bruce Rastetter,” Andrews said, to applause and cheers. Rastetter owns Summit Carbon Solutions, the company that has proposed building a pipeline through five states to collect carbon from ethanol plants. Candidate Brad Sherman of Williamsburg, a pastor who served one term in the Iowa House, says there’s no need to build a pipeline to sequester carbon.

“It is a boondoggle that is based on a false premise…I’m for clean water and clear air and all the issues that go along, you know, with it. I mean we’ve got the highest rates of cancer. These are all issues that need to be addressed, but folks — CO2 is not causing cancer in anybody. This is life gas that makes our farms work,” Sherman said. “Everybody’s going to claim they’re for property rights…I won’t be bought. Government is not for sale, period, absolutely not.”

The forum was held on a Shelby County farm and the crowd was encouraged to donate to the campaign of local State Representative Steven Holt of Denison. Holt has led Iowa House debate of several pipeline-related bills over the past few years.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Two people from Elliott were arrested Sunday. According to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, 39-year-old Erin Jean Larson and 59-year-old Richard James Reynolds were arrested on four counts of violation of a protection order. They were being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail.

And, the Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest on Sunday, of 49-year-old Michael Lee Lafollette, of Red Oak, for Violation of a No Contact Order. Lafollette was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held no bond.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Organizers with Atlantic’s Produce in the Park have announced the first of five Holiday Market events takes place October 18th at the Nishna Valley YMCA in Atlantic. The “Boo-tique” Market by Produce in the Park will be held from 10-a.m. until Noon on the 18th, at the NV YMCA (1100 Maple St.), in Atlantic. There is no admission fee.

The BOO-tique market is a Produce in the Park farmers market with a LOT of extra fun–trick-or-treating, hand-led horse rides, face painting, bounce houses, balloon animals, and more. Costumes are welcome!

Food Trucks:

• Tikka Talk – Indian food including hot chai tea, rice pudding, butter chicken, naan, samosas, channa masala, wraps, kebabs, mango lassi, and more
• Liza’s Sushi & More

Vendors will be selling: fresh produce including sweet potatoes, butternut squash, onions, garlic, spinach, and more; local meats (chicken, pork, and beef); farm-fresh eggs; local honey; breads including sourdough; baked goods and desserts; freeze-dried snacks; arts and craft vendors; garden decorations and potted plants (like spider plants!).

Thanks to Sponsors: Gregg Young Chevrolet of Atlantic, City of Atlantic, 1st Whitney Bank, Cass Health, Cass County Tourism, Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, and Nishna Valley Family YMCA

Event Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BFKuLqswo/

(Atlantic, Iowa) – (Updated 10/6/25) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday morning (Oct. 7th), will act on passing a Resolution (2025-33) to “Contribute ($2.5-million) Toward the Vision Atlantic Child Care Facility.” During their Special Meeting last week, the Board gave their support to the 300 child capacity Child Development Center project, by unanimously approving the contribution of $2.5 million at $500,000 a year for the next five years, using economic development funds, beginning in Fiscal Year 2026-2027. Last June (2025), the Cass County Board of Supervisors also approved earmarking $150,000 of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for Vision Atlantic, specifically to help with costs for the child care center.

In other business, the Board will discuss and likely approve, a lease for the Willow Heights building, and they’ll receive a presentation from Chief Judicial Court Officer Curtis Hamstra, with the 4th District Judicial Court Services, with regard to facility options in Shelby County. And, they will act on setting dates for Public Hearings on the vacating of the following roads:

• A section of Keystone Road between 610 and 620th Streets.
• A section of Jasper Road on the north line of the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 19 in Washington Township.
• An untraveled portion of Buck Creek Road in the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of Section 30 in Pymosa Township.

The Board will receive updates from Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken, and County Community Services Director/Mental Health Advocate, Debbie Schuler. The Supervisors meeting begins at 9-a.m.

Join Electronically:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2899195216?pwd=R0hSa2FOOTh0NUdra1ZSdVhVWHpMUT09
Meeting ID: 289 919 5216
Passcode: 012064
Call In:
312-626-6799, press *9 to indicate you wish to speak.

(Red Oak, Iowa0 – The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors, during their regular weekly meeting 9-a.m. Tuesday, at the Red Oak Courthouse, will act on two easement matters:

• Approving an Easement Agreement between the Burlington Northern-Sante Fe (BNSF) Railway Company and Montgomery County, Iowa. And,
• A Memorandum of Easement between the County and Railroad with regard to the Easement Agreement.

The Board will receive a Reconnect Programs overview from NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness)/SW Iowa Executive Director Anna Killpack and Partnerships Director Chris Adcock.  NAMI Southwest Iowa works to achieve a community which is stigma free by: increasing public awareness about mental illness and providing support and education to individuals and families impacted by mental illness.

The Supervisors in Montgomery County will also act on approving the following Red Oak Township appointments:

• Wayne Peterson – Clerk
• Brett Querry – Trustee.

Those who cannot attend the meeting in-person, may view it electronically HERE.

Meeting ID: 850 3969 3411

Or, dial-in by your location to  +1 312 626 6799 If you are calling in, Press *9 to raise your hand if you wish to speak.31

(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Guthrie County are set to meet in a regular session beginning at 9-a.m., on Tuesday, Oct. 7th, in their Guthrie County Courthouse Board Room. On their agenda is discussion with County Attorney Dana Minteer, with regard to the County’s “Resistance to the Summit Carbon Solutions Transport LLC, Motion for Consideration.” Background: Residents in Guthrie County and other areas have expressed significant opposition to the pipeline, with some forming community groups to block its passage through their properties.  A central point of contention is Summit’s use of eminent domain to secure land for the private pipeline, with many Iowans and their representatives seeking to restrict this power.  The Guthrie County Supervisors have engaged in discussions regarding the pipeline, considering resolutions to object to the IUB’s power to grant eminent domain in such cases.

The Board will also hear from Human Resources Director Jamie Lindsay, with regard to the Effective Date of County Health Insurance. And, Guthrie County Engineer Josh Sebern will talk about Department Pay Structure.

In other business the Supervisors in Guthrie County will act on calling for a Special Election on Dec. 9th, with regard to Diamondhead Lake and Lake Panorama Rural Improvement Zones.