(Radio Iowa) – The Board of Regents will meet Tuesday to vote on allowing the University of Iowa to purchase Mercy Hospital in Iowa City. The proposal calls for the U-I to pay 20 million dollars for the assets of Mercy Iowa City. The U-I sent a letter to its employees saying the plan includes Mercy entering chapter 11 bankruptcy, and once that process is completed they would join the U-I Healthcare system.

The move comes after Mercy financial investor, Preston Hollow Community Capital, requested the hospital be placed in a court-appointed receivership to keep it from unsustainable financial losses. The U-I says Mercy Iowa City will continue seeing patients throughout the process.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Iowans can take a step toward a healthier future by stepping back in time during the 9th annual Iowa State Fair Historical Walking Tour that kicks off the Iowa State Fair this Thursday, Aug. 10th. Co-hosted by the State Historical Society of Iowa and the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative, the historical walking tour is free with the price of admission to the Iowa State Fair. Gov. Kim Reynolds will be joined by Iowa Department of Administrative Services Director Adam Steen, Iowa Healthiest State Initiative Executive Director Jami Haberl, and Healthiest State Annual Walk co-chairs April Schmaltz of Delta Dental of Iowa and Heidi Parkhurst of Bank of America, as well as other fairgoers for the walking tour.

The tour will start at 8:15 a.m. near the Administration Building on the Grand Concourse and finish about 45 minutes later in time for the fair’s opening ceremony at the Public Safety Building. The route is approximately 1 kilometer, or about 1,500 steps for an average walker. Guides from the State Historical Society of Iowa will share stories at several historic sites along the way. This year’s tour highlights include the following:

• George Washington Carver of Ames who gained his start as an agricultural expert in Iowa at Iowa State College.
• Keith Elwick of Benton County whose inventions were the basis for Hawk-Bilt manure spreaders and gained him a meeting with Queen Elizabeth in 1963.
• Jessie Field Shambaugh of Page County who promoted youth clubs – that made her one of the founders of 4-H – and co-authored “Community Civics,” a book about civic engagement.

Iowa has had more USDA secretaries than any other state including the longest-serving – James Wilson of Tama County. The current secretary of agriculture, Tom Vilsack, has served the second-longest tenure. Details about the program can be found at history.iowa.gov

(Anita, Iowa) – Anita is hosting a mobile food pantry on Wednesday afternoon, August 16. A mobile pantry is a traveling food pantry that delivers food directly to families in need for a one-day distribution. People from surrounding towns and communities are welcome. Mobile food pantries are available free of charge. Anyone in need is welcome, and no documentation is required. Each car can take food for up to two households at a time. Full details about the August 16 Mobile Pantry, as well as dates for upcoming mobile pantries in 2023, are listed below:

Anita August 16 Mobile Food Pantry

Where: Anita Food Pantry (208 Chestnut St., Anita, IA 50020)

Time: 4-6 p.m.

2023 Dates: October 18

Upcoming Pantries:

Atlantic 2023 Mobile Food Pantries

Where: Cass County Community Center (805 W. 10th St., Atlantic, IA 50022)

Time: 4-6 p.m.

2023 Dates: October 11

Massena 2023 Mobile Food Pantries

Where: Southwest Iowa Egg Coop (74877 Clarke Ave. Massena, IA 50835)

Time: 4:30-5:00 p.m.

2023 Dates: October 11

Mobile pantry dates, times, and locations are subject to change. For the latest information on mobile pantries in Anita and Atlantic, visit https://foodbankheartland.org/food-resources/find-food/. For the latest information on Massena pantries, call (712) 779-3447. For information on upcoming events and local food, farmers markets, and food access activities, follow the Cass County Local Food Policy Council’s Facebook page @CassCountyLocalFood.

(Elk Horn, Iowa) – Authorities are on the lookout for a vehicle possibly used in the commission of an attempted bank robbery this morning, in Elk Horn. The incident occurred some time around 10-a.m. Authorities say the suspect did not display a weapon. They are believed to have left the scene in a white, Chevy Cavalier. Unknown direction of travel, possibly toward the Interstate. Additional information is currently not available.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Police in Glenwood say there were four arrests over the past week. On Sunday, 40-year-old Joseph Isenbart, of Glenwood, was arrested for OWI/2nd offense. He posted a $2,000 cash or surety bond, and was released. Glenwood Police arrested 40-year-old Robert McAtee, of Glenwood, on Friday. He was taken into custody for a Probation Violation. His cash-only bond was set at $2,000.

And, there were two arrests August 2nd, in Glenwood: 38-year-old Jacob Jones, of Glenwood, was arrested for Driving While Barred. He was later released on a $2,000 c/s bond. And, 33-year-old Jordan Henze, of Glenwood, was arrested for Driving While Revoked. He posted a $1,000 c/s bond, before being released.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – AtlanticFest, presented by First Whitney Bank & Trust, takes place this Saturday, August 12th, rain or shine. The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce is asking for the public’s cooperation in observing No Parking restrictions associated with street closures. The temporary street closures were approved by the Atlantic City Council, last week.

Officials says Chestnut Street, along with several side streets and city parking lots, will be closed for parking beginning at 5-a.m. Saturday, Aug. 12th, for AtlanticFest activities. The Chamber asks residents to have their vehicles removed from the following areas or the vehicle will be towed at the owners’ expense.

Below is a list of street closures approved by the City of Atlantic.

Chestnut Street (both lanes) from 2nd Street to 7th Street until 6:00 PM
6th Street (both lanes) from Walnut to Chestnut until 6:00 PM
6th Street (both lanes) from Chestnut to Poplar until 6:00 PM
5th Street from Chestnut to ½ block east of the alley before the Post Office until 6:00 PM
5th Street from Chestnut to Poplar Street until 6:00 PM
4th Street from Chestnut to ½ block east right before the alley until 6:00 PM
4th Street from Chestnut to Poplar Street until 6:00 PM
3rd Street from Walnut to Poplar until 6:00 PM
Walnut and Poplar will remain open

Chamber Executive Director Bailey Smith says “We are thankful for cooperation and partnership amongst residents and businesses that occupy downtown. We know it’s a bit of an inconvenience, but it helps make this one-day event run a lot smoother when we all work together to welcome a few thousands guests downtown.”

AtlanticFest will include free entertainment, car show, motorcycle show, road race, bags tournament, food vendors, crafters and family games. To register for any activity, visit www.atlanticiowa.com, email chamber@atlanticiowa.com, or call the Chamber office at 712-243-3017.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – One final reminder: The Cass County Iowa State University Extension office will host their annual farmland leasing meeting this Thursday, August 10, beginning at 9:00 a.m. at the Cass County Community Center, 805 West 10th Street in Atlantic. The meeting will last approximately 2 ½ hours and will be facilitated by Tim Christensen, farm and agriculture business management specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach.

The discussion will focus on various methods to determine a fair 2024 cash rental rate and the importance of good tenant/landlord communications. Emphasis will be placed on recent returns to Iowa Cash Rented Land and the 2023 Iowa Cash Rental Rate Survey.

Pre-registration is requested to ensure availability of materials, and a $20 per individual fee is payable at the door. Participants will receive a 100-page booklet and meeting handouts designed to assist landowners, tenants and other agri-business professionals with issues related to farmland ownership, management, and leasing arrangements.

Contact the Cass County Extension office at (712) 243-1132 with questions or to pre-register. A flier with more information is available online at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports six recent arrests, including the arrest of two people on drug charges. Authorities say at around 2:30-p.m. Saturday (Aug.5), 47-year-old Kevin Eugene Earley, and 46-year-old Teresa Joan Earley, both of Creston, were arrested at the intersection of Spruce and Devoe Streets, in Creston. Kevin Earley was charged with two-counts Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine – 1st Offense, Possession of Controlled Substance/Marijuana – 1st Offense, and Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drug. He was being held in the Union County Jail on $3,000 cash or surety (c/s) bond. Teresa Early was arrested on two counts Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana-1st Offense. Teresa Earley was transported to the Adams County Jail. She was later released on a $1,300 bond.

Sunday afternoon, Creston Police arrested 23-year-old Christian Garcia-Vasquez, of Creston. He was arrested at the Holiday Motel. Garcia-Vasquez was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault 2nd Offense, False Imprisonment, and Possession of Marijuana. He being held without bond in the Union County Jail. Also arrested Sunday, was 40-year-old Nicki Renee Jones, of Creston. She was charged with Driving while Barred and transported to the Union County Jail. Jones was later released on a $2,000 c/s bond.

And, there were two arrests Friday, in Creston. Authorities says at around 1:40-p.m., 44-year-old Rebekah Raelyn Moon, of Creston, was arrested at the Adult Probation Office. Moon was taken into custody on a Union County Warrant for Violation of Parole. She was being held without bond in the Union County Jail. And, at around 6-p.m., Friday, Creston Police arrested 34-year-old Caleb Benjamin Bensky Fredrickson, of Lorimor, in the Creston Fareway Store parking lot. Fredrickson was charged with Theft 5th Conceal/Destroy Property. His bond at the Union County Jail was set at $6,000 c/s.

(Atlantic, Iowa)[Corrects address due to wrong address on the agenda!] – The Cass County Board of Supervisors are set to meet 9-a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8th, in the Courthouse Board Room. On their agenda is discussion and possible action, with regard to: the Issuance of a Solid Waste Facilities Capital Loan Note to the Cass County Environmental Control Agency Board (Landfill), as it pertains to a 28-E Agreement. The Supervisors will also discuss and are expected to make, a formal recommendation that the County use local banks that contribute to the community. And, they’re expected to discuss and approve a County Credit Card Policy.

In other business, the Board will consider “communication to tenant at 707 Poplar” street. The Board is scheduled to receive a weekly report from County Engineer Trent Wolken, and committee reports.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – UPDATE 8/8/23 – **THE REQUEST HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN, therefore the meeting is cancelled ** The City of Atlantic’s Community Protection Committee will meet 3:30-p.m. Wednesday, August 9th, in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall. There is one item on their agenda: Reviewing and making a recommendation to the City Council, with regard to a request for target shooting permission at 1401 Sunnyside Lane, in Atlantic (The Iowa DNR Field Office 4 building). The request is being made by Brent Martens, who works for the DNR.

He requests consent to target practice with his box, during his lunch breaks at work. In a letter to Mayor Grace Garrett, Martens he had “Looked west of the building for some time now , and just feel it would be a nice area to get a couple of shots in,” while he’s on break. Martens notes that, to the south of the DNR’s building, there is a hay field, and beyond that, some communication dishes. “Further beyond that,” he says, “Is a building. The building which is the only inhabitable structure is one-quarter [of a] mile,” from where he would be shooting. Martens says if approved, he would use a foam target out to 40-yards.

The City of Atlantic, he acknowledged, has an Ordinance (41.11) making it unlawful for a person to “Throw stones, bricks or missiles of any kind, or to shoot arrows….or other dangerous instruments…” without written consent of the Council.