(Griswold, Iowa) – The Atlantic Chamber Ambassadors were hosted by Desiree Hoye, owner/photographer of Heart of Hoye Photography, on Thursday, September 23rd, 2021. The Ambassadors joined Desiree and her husband Anthony in celebrating the opening of the new photography studio located at 404 Main Street in Griswold.

Desiree Hoye has always had a natural eye for taking photos and designing, but it wasn’t until a friend asked if she would take engagement photos that she truly took hold of her gift for photography. Fast-forward to summer of this year when she officially opened a studio of her own. Desiree shared that the studio allows her to create a warm and welcoming environment for sessions in conjunction with her many outdoor settings.

Ambassadors Pictured Left to Right: Jessi Klever, Alden Harriman, Ruth Sears, Dawn Marnin, Anthony Hoye, Scott Bennett, Desiree Hoye, Dolly Bergmann, Megan Roberts, Mike Cook, Kathie Hockenberry.

Desiree takes pride in her ability to connect quickly with the individuals/ families which allows everyone to feel comfortable and at ease. This connection paired with a calm environment allows Desiree to catch true emotion and candid moments during any engagement, wedding, family, or newborn session. Heart of Hoye Photography is located at 404 Main Street in Griswold.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – A tree that can live as long as 3,000 years (according to ArborDay.org), will be planted by the Atlantic High School Class of 1970, Saturday afternoon, on the grounds of the High School. Dr. Tressa Wilcox, of Atlantic, say a Gingko Tree will planted at 2-p.m. Saturday by the east drive of the Atlantic High School. The “50-year plus 1” event was delayed due to the pandemic. The AHS Class of 1970 planted a Gingko Tree back in 1970, also.

The class planted their first tree on the grounds of the downtown Atlantic City Park. It can be found on the northeast side, and a little toward the central part of the park. Dr. Wilcox said that first tree “is doing very well.”

Gingko leaves in the Fall

Since they graduated, the AHS Class of 1970 has lost 35 of their classmates.

Dr. Wilcox says school officials have been very supportive of the tree planting.

The hole the tree will be located in, is deep enough for the 12-foot tall tree.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowans may have recently received a text message that makes it look like they aren’t registered to vote, but county and state officials say the text isn’t from them. Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate as well as many county auditors on Thursday posted social media messages that there’s a text message circulating throughout the state regarding voter registration and that it did not come from their office.

The text says “According to our records, you may not have registered to vote in Iowa.” It then tells the message recipient that you can secure your vote by clicking on a link to complete a voter registration form. Pate says that his office has talked to the entity that sent the text messages, which is a political party, and they assure that the website is secure.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to two separate accidents during the past week.  Officials say on Wednesday (9/22), an accident occurred on eastbound Interstate 80, in Cass County. Authorities say Trevor Dean Bennett, of Davenport, was traveling east in a 2015 Ford Fusion.  A semi-tractor trailer braked ahead of the car, causing the vehicle to strike the rear of the semi-trailer.  The semi-truck continued on, and did not stop.  Bennett suffered minor injuries, and was transported to Cass County Memorial Hospital by Cass County EMS.

And, on September 17th, Cass County Deputies responded to an accident at Highway 71 and I-80.  Officials say Changaze Khan, of Stockton, California, was driving at 2017 Freightliner Semi and leaving the I-80 west bound exit ramp, when he failed to yield, striking another semi that was traveling southbound on Highway 71.  A 2009 semi-truck driven by Richard Allan Hansen of Audubon, was struck in the rear driver’s side of the trailer.  Khan was treated at the scene for minor injuries.

The broadcast News at 8:07-a.m. from Ric Hanson.

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Area and State news at 7:06-a.m., from Ric Hanson.

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(Radio Iowa) – Republican Chuck Grassley announced at 4 a.m. this (Friday) morning that he is running for re-election to an eighth term in the U.S. Senate. Grassley’s campaign account on Twitter features a photo of Grassley in a corn field, with a sentence quoting Grassley as saying he “has a lot more to do, for Iowa.” During an interview with Radio Iowa earlier this month, Grassley said he was gauging the opinions of Iowans on the topic. “It’s very difficult to determine because I don’t have just a few people say, ‘You ought to retire, ‘ and maybe those are people who want me to retire because they want to elect a Democrat,” Grassley said. “I don’t kow their motives, but I get a lot of people who encourage me to run and say: ‘We need your common sense there.’ That’s very encouraging.”

(R-IA) Sen. Charles Grassley

Grassley celebrated his 88th birthday on Friday. He is one of seven senators who are in their 80s and Grassley says his age is no reason to retire from the Senate. “Don’t you think octogenarians need some representation, too?” Grassley said, with a laughter. “That’s kind of a tongue in cheek answer, but don’t you think you need a little institutional knowledge around?”

Grassley says he’s had a physical, is healthy and goes for a run before sunrise six days a week. Grassley could face a G-O-P Primary challenger next year, as Republican State Senator Jim Carlin of Sioux City announced earlier this year he’s running for the U.S. Senate. Two Democrats have announced they’re seeking a spot on the 2022 ballot to challenge Grassley. Abby Finkenauer of Cedar Rapids is a former member of the U.S. House. Dave Muhlbauer of Manilla is a former Crawford County Supervisor.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Economic Development Board recently approved the rules for a new fund designed to help small meat processors. Iowa Economic Development Authority spokesperson, Kannan Kappleman, says the agency is charged with handing out the 750-thousand dollars.  “The fund provides financial assistance in the form matching grants to businesses for projects related to small-scale meat processing, licensed custom lockers, and mobile slaughter units,” according to Kappleman.

She says those rules lay out the requirements to receive the grants. She says the I-E-D-A website has a document on frequently asked questions and the rules. Kappleman says the shutdown of the large-scale meatpackers during the pandemic shined the light on the smaller operations. “So these smaller establishments were fulfilling the needs that were definitely in demand at that time,” she says.

The grants can be used to modernize and improve the operations. The Iowa Legislature passed and Governor Kim Reynolds signed what officially called “The Butchery Innovation and Revitalization Fund” into law in June of this year.

(Radio Iowa) – Republican Governor Kim Reynolds confirmed in June that she plans to seek reelection in 2022, but she does not intend to use her campaign fundraiser tomorrow (Saturday) to formally kick off her bid for a second full term. Two Democrats have been actively campaigning for the chance to challenge Reynolds. State Representative Ras Smith of Waterloo compares his decision to run to his grandmother’s decision to move from Mississippi to Iowa in 1957 when she couldn’t make the rent as a sharecropper.

“As I’ve been on this campaign trail, I’ve encountered some of our party’s most influential folks who are afraid to be named publicly, who are afraid to make their voices heard, see, because they’re afraid of a vindictive Governor Reynolds, but like my grandmother, I’m not waiting,” Smith said. “You see, like my grandmother, I’m not asking for permission because in this moment is our greatest opportunity for change.”

Smith made his comments Saturday at the Polk County Democrats’ Steak Fry fundraiser. Deidre DeJear, the Iowa Democratic Party’s unsuccessful nominee for secretary of state in 2018, is the other Democrat currently running for governor. She says Democrats shouldn’t loose sight of what’s possible. “The things that we need to overcome, the challenges we see facing us, the requests that we have are not unreasonable requests. In fact, they’re not even dreams. We’re at a point where they’re basic needs,” DeJear said. “…When you’re asking for clean water, you’re not asking for too much…When you’re asking for your governor to believe in science and consider science, you’re not asking for too much.”

Both DeJear and Smith were active in 2020 presidential campaigns in Iowa. DeJear was the statewide chair for the Kamala Harris campaign. Smith was hired in November of 2019 as an advisor for Joe Biden’s campaign.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa State Patrol reports a woman was struck and killed by a school bus this (Thursday) morning, in Guttenberg.

The Patrol report says 66-year-old Judy Puls of Guttenberg was crossing a street when a school bus driven by 73-year-old Ronnie Moser was attempting to make a turn and struck her. Puls died at the scene.

No charges have been filed as the State Patrol continues to investigate.