WILLARD, Mo., Nov. 19, 2021 – United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small today (Friday) announced that USDA is investing $222 million to build and improve critical community facilities in 44 states, Guam and Puerto Rico. This community infrastructure funding will benefit nearly 2.5 million people in rural communities (including Kimballton and Red Oak, locally). It also includes $132 million to support health care, food security, and emergency response services for more than 850,000 rural residents in 37 states.

More than 68 rural communities across Iowa will be receiving a total of $11.5 million in loan and grant funding to assist with improvements to 74 infrastructure and critical community facilities. Nationwide, USDA is investing in 537 projects through the Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program. The assistance will fund essential community services that will help keep rural America resilient in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. The projects will finance emergency response vehicles and equipment; build or improve hospitals and clinics; and combat food insecurity.

Recipients of USDA investments in Iowa will receive $8,411,800 in loans and $3,124,082 in grant funding. View all 74 Iowa projects here. Examples include:

• The City of LeMars is receiving a $8,300,000 loan to help expand and renovate sections of the Floyd Valley Hospital (FVH). FVH currently operates a 25-bed critical access hospital in Le Mars. This project will allow the city to expand the existing clinic by 14,300 square-feet, expand the physical therapy space by 5,300 square-feet, upgrade the facility’s geothermal system, and make other essential mechanical and electrical upgrades.
• The City of Red Oak is receiving a $50,000 grant to assist in making street infrastructure improvements in the community. The section of street being improved is in danger of collapse due to poor storm water drainage, putting pedestrians at risk of injury. This project will allow the city to make the necessary street improvements to more effectively handle storm water runoff in heavy rainfall events and to provide a safe walkway for pedestrians.
• The City of Kimballton is receiving a $99,000 grant to help renovate street infrastructure. An existing 420-foot section of South 2nd Street is currently in disrepair with curbing that does not accommodate individuals with disabilities. This project will help replace the damaged road and also update the curb ramps at the Odense Street intersection to be compliant with ADA regulations for individuals with disabilities.

More than 100 types of projects are eligible for Community Facilities funding. Eligible applicants include municipalities, public bodies, nonprofit organizations, and federally recognized Native American tribes. Projects must be in rural areas with a population of 20,000 or less.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports a woman was arrested Nov. 14th on assault and other charges. Authorities say 25-year-old Taylor Rourick, of Wiota, was arrested on charges that include Domestic Assault w/ Intent, Child Endangerment and Reckless Use of a Firearm. Rourick was transported to the Cass County Jail where she was later released after posting bond.

And, a man from Minnesota was arrested Tuesday, following an investigation into an accident that happened on I-80 west bound. Deputies located a single vehicle sitting in the median which had struck the cable barrier. The operator was identified as Shaun Parks of Minneapolis, MN. Parks did not recall what had taken place. Subsequent investigation led deputies to believe that Parks was operating his vehicle while under the influence. Parks was arrested on the charge of OWI 1st offense. Parks was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was later released after posting bond.

The vehicle sustained approximately $3,500 of damage, but the cable barrier was not damaged.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports one arrest and one minor accident. At around 1-a.m. today (Friday), 30-year-old Michelle Lynn Kasha (no address given) was arrested on Myrtle Street, for Possession of a Controlled Substance. Her bond was set at $2,000.  And, a guardrail was damaged Thursday night, when a Kenworth semi driven by 61-year-old Jonathan Swensen, of Aberdeen, SD, was pulling into the parking lot of “The Playground,” an adult entertainment venue. Swensen was turning south when the trailer his truck was pulling failed to make the turn and struck the guardrail.

There were no injuries, and no citations were reported.

(Radio Iowa) – A national chain of drug stores is announcing significant closures, though the impact in Iowa is still uncertain. CVS has nearly 10,000 stores nationwide but plans to close 900 of them, up to 300 a year for the next three years. The company isn’t saying yet which stores it will close. In Iowa, the chain has 38 stores in 19 cities. CVS says it’s adjusting to consumers who are buying more online. In a news release, the company says the closures will bring a retail presence that means it has the “right kinds of stores in the right locations for consumers and for the business.”

CVS lists the following stores in Iowa: Altoona (1), Ames (2), Ankeny (2), Bettendorf (1), Cedar Falls (2), Cedar Rapids (5), Coralville (1), Council Bluffs (2), Davenport (3), Des Moines (4), Dubuque (1), Fort Dodge (2), Iowa City (2), Marion (1), Mason City (1), Sioux City (1), Urbandale (2), Waterloo (3) and West Des Moines (2).

(Radio Iowa) – The president of Coe College in Cedar Rapids is announcing he’ll identify a senior staffer to oversee diversity, equity and inclusion — or D-E-I — initiatives on campus. It follows a protest march and rally by hundreds of students and at least one faculty member on Thursday. Coe student Angelina Ramirez called for diversifying the school’s board of trustees.  “To fix structural issues we need structural reform. That is necessary. That is why we are here today,” Ramirez says. “Our demands will result in accountability and representation. Again, that is necessary and that is why we are here today.”

Coe faculty member Anthony Kelley joined the demonstration and protested with the students. “We’re sick and tired of being sick and tired,” Kelley said. “We’re sick and tired of a board of trustees composed of mostly wealthy white men who do not reflect the racial, ethnic and gender diversity of our broader campus community. We’re sick and tired of feeling unwelcome.”

The students were galvanized by the resignation of a longtime trustee who criticized the school’s recent presidential search process as lacking diversity.

(Kate Payne, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa) – A group of Woodbury County residents appeared at the county supervisors’ meeting this week with concerns about the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions carbon dioxide pipeline. Gale Palmquist of rural Lawton says the pipeline would cross her property. “I am objecting to this proposal. Northern Natural gas already has a pipeline on our property — it has not been a congenial relationship. We have spent thousands of dollars repairing the damage they created on some of our more productive farmland,” Palmquist says,” I do not want to go through this again with another pipeline.”

Palmquist’s family has farmed the land since the 1800s. Woodbury County engineer Mark Nahra (NARE-uh) told the residents that eminent domain has not been approved for any pending pipeline. “People with objections should send letters to the Iowa Utilities Board while they’re within their comment period prior to having a hearing on the pipeline,” Nahra says.

Supervisors chair Rocky De Witt told the residents he is sympathetic to their concerns. “Not to mention the right of way that is a concern to these folks that they can’t do anything — develop their ground or dig too deeply,” De Witt says. “Several of the landowners out there have done some tile work, some underground drainage. And once that gets violated it’s impossible to fix correctly, and then again because the right of way then belongs to the pipeline company and they will never get that back. So yes, there are some legitimate concerns going forward with what this pipeline can do.”

De Witt says the project is still in its preliminary stages as Summit is looking for the best route.

Davenport, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Corrections reports a man convicted of Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon and other crimes in Scott County, failed to return to the Davenport Residential Corrections Facility as required, Thursday. Authorities say 23-year-old Corionte Crishawn Williams is a black male, 5-feet 9-inches tall. He weighs 183 pounds. Williams was admitted to the work release facility on August 17, 2021.

C.C. WIlliams

Persons with information on his whereabouts should contact local police.

Council Bluffs, Iowa — Authorities in Pottawattamie County said in an update to a death investigation in Council Bluffs, the incident was a murder-suicide, and the case is closed.

As we’ve previously reported, Sheriff’s Deputies and Police were called to home on the far east side of Council Bluffs at around 7:45-a.m. November 7th., on a report of a domestic disturbance. When law enforcement arrived on the scene, the found the body of 83-year-old Bonnie Rankin, dead from a gunshot wound.

Her husband, 86-year-old Harvey Rankin was suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to the Nebraska Medical Center for treatment, but died Nov. 16th.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s U.S. House delegation has voted along party lines as Democrats passed their Build Back Better Act. Congresswoman Cindy Axne, a Democrat from Des Moines, calls the bill transformational. “I don’t look at this as a bill for Democrats,” Axne says. “I look at this as a bill for Iowans and a bill for Americans because it fulfills the promises I made to the people here in the state when I decided to run which was putting money in people’s pockets and bringing more opportunity to the people that live here.”

The bill extends the enhanced child tax credits parents have been receiving since July and aims to lower the cost of some prescription drugs for seniors and for diabetics who rely on insulin. The legislation also provides federal funding to a variety of clean energy and climate initiatives. The House Republican leader spoke against the bill for eight-and-a-half hours, ending his remarks at about 4 a.m. Iowa time. Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, a Republican from Marion, says the bill is a monstrosity. “I can tell you from all the town halls on the road, the folks at home are frustrated by runaway government spending,” Hinson says. “They don’t want to see their hard-earned paychecks spent like Monopoly money.”

Congressman Randy Feenstra, a Republican from Hull, says the bill is a complete disaster. “We can’t continue to go down this path of continuing to see increases in our gas and our groceries and our hardware supplies,” Feenstra says, “all because of this reckless spending that continues to happen.” Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Ottumwa, the other Republican in Iowa’s U.S. House delegation, also voted no on the bill. Miller-Meeks says increasing government spending will make inflation worse.

(Radio Iowa) – Students at the Iowa Culinary Institute’s Baking & Pastry Arts Program at the DMACC Newton Campus are using the upcoming holiday as a learning experience. Chef Ryan Binney says they are selling Thanksgiving Dinner rolls and have had to learn about the whole process beyond baking. “We ran into some glitches in finding things. I involved the students in trying to order up all the ingredients and get everything in in time. Especially with the supply issues that we are going through right now — it’s definitely a challenge — and I want them to know what that looks like in the real world,” Binney says.

It is the second year of the program and they are selling the rolls by the dozen in either white or whole wheat. “Both of the rolls are made from scratch, there’s no preservatives at all,” according to Binney. “They are a lot better for you. They don’t really keep for a long time — so I would say if you have extra you can freeze them. I find that most people eat them all on Thanksgiving — or make some sandwiches after.”

Rolls cooked by students. (photo from DMACC.)

The rolls cost six dollars for a dozen and they come in a foil pan to make them easy to heat up. But Binney says these are much better than the traditional frozen rolls you buy to heat up for dinner. “A lot of times the students are surprised when you take all those preservatives and enzymes and stuff out of there just how good it actually tastes when you are actually tasting the wheat and the fermentation and the alcohol,” he says.

The Baking and Pastry Arts program is a one-year course. “So in the fall, they take artesian breads and fundamentals baking. And in the spring they take plated desserts and international pastries. And in the summer they take chocolate and sugar and cake decorating,” Binney says.  The money raised from selling the rolls is used to send students on a trip to a baking exposition show. Binney says there is a great demand for their skills in the food industry. “Students that I graduated in August, they are landing some of the top jobs in Des Moines and beyond,” he says. “I had a student who got a job offer at Disney and students who are really excelling in the field and becoming successful pastry chefs and bakers.”

Online orders for the rolls are being accepted now through noon on Monday, November 22nd. You can order by visiting baking.dmacc.edu. Rolls will be available for pickup between 10 a-m. until noon on Wednesday, November 24th at either the DMACC Campus in Newton or the DMACC Urban Campus in downtown Des Moines.