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(Atlantic, Iowa) –  The Cass County Local Food Policy Council (CCLFPC) reports they have expanded their 2021 farmers market coupons to be used at approved farm stands for the remainder of 2021. Although the printed coupons indicate they are only redeemable at farmers markets in Cass County, as of September 2, the coupons will also be redeemable at approved Cass County farm stands. The coupons were distributed at schools, food pantries, and other events throughout the summer, and were originally designed to be redeemed at Cass County’s four farmers markets:

• Atlantic Farmers Market
• Anita Farmers Market
• Produce in the Park
• and the Lewis Farmers Market at 3HO.

As of September, only Produce in the Park and the Lewis Farmers Market remain open, and the Cass County Local Food Policy Council is hoping to have more coupons redeemed. Therefore, the CCLFPC is now allowing the 2021 farmers market coupons to be used at approved farm stands. In order to accept the coupons, a farm stand needs to fill out a simple application available from Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh via email at bhoegh@iastate.edu or from the Cass County Iowa State University Extension office (805 W. 10th St Atlantic, IA 50022). The application ensures the farm stand will agree to only accept coupons during specified business hours for produce grown on their farm.

Farm stands accepting coupons will be advertised on the CCLFPC’s Facebook Page @CassCountyLocalFood. People without access to Facebook can call or email Brigham or call 712-249-5870 for a list of approved stands. The coupons will continue to be accepted at the two Cass County farmers markets open this fall.

Produce in the Park is held in the Atlantic City Park (10 W. 7th St. Atlantic, IA 50022) from 4:30-6:30 PM every Thursday evening through October 14. The Lewis Farmers Market is held at 3HO (201 1st St. Lewis, IA 51544), from 4:30-6:30 PM every Tuesday and Thursday evening through October 14.

The coupons, which can only be spent on locally grown produce, promote the CCLFPC’s strategic goals of increasing consumption of nutritious food and supporting local farms and food businesses. All farmers market coupons must be mailed or turned in to Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh at the Cass County Iowa State University Extension Office (805 W. 10th St Atlantic, IA 50022) by December 31, 2021.

More About Cass County Local Food Policy Council
For more information on local food, farmers markets, and food access, follow the Cass County Local Food Policy Council’s Facebook page @CassCountyLocalFood. The Cass County Local Food Policy Council is a Cass County Government advisory body that promotes local foods and food access. The Council facilitates networking among people and groups who are involved in all aspects of the local food system—from growing and processing, to selling and eating. In its work, the Council gathers information about local food-related needs and considers what might be
done to make sure everyone in Cass County has access to healthy food. The Council then makes recommendations and supports organizations working toward that goal. To learn more about the Council, contact Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh at bhoegh@iastate.edu or (712) 249-5870. The next Council meeting is September 14 at 2:00 PM at Mollett Park (1020 E. 3rd St. Place, Atlantic, IA 50022). Meetings are open to the public.

(Radio Iowa) – Many newer cars have a display on the dashboard that estimates how many miles you can drive before you run out of gas, but a new study finds those gadgets aren’t always accurate. Meredith Mitts, spokeswoman for Triple-A-Iowa, says the motor club’s researchers tested the in-vehicle fuel systems that measure fuel economy and fuel range. “For the most part, they work, it’s a good average,” Mitts says. “Overall, they are fairly accurate, but as you’re getting towards those lower amounts of gas in your gas tank, if you’re relying on it for the exact mileage to that next exit and to that gas pump, you could be in some trouble if you’re taking it that literally.” The report finds some vehicles underestimate the miles-to-empty, but others overestimate, which can leave you stranded if you rely too heavily on it. The best bet, Mitts says, is to keep an eye on the trusty red needle that swings from F for Full down to E for Empty.

“Really, the most accurate one is where your fuel gauge, the lever, is and you should be watching that,” Mitts says. “As you get closer to the quarter tank of gas during the summer, that’s about the time you should think about filling up.” During the wintertime, she suggests filling up even sooner, whenever you reach a half-tank. “You never know what’s going to happen ahead of you,” Mitts says. “There could be an accident on the road, there could be a detour, maybe the gas station’s out of gas, all sorts of things can be happening here and when you reach that point, that’s when you should fill up.”

The study found the reliability of in-vehicle fuel systems varied significantly based on changes in speed, acceleration and distance. Read the full report here:
https://media.acg.aaa.com/content/1205/files/E_1_%20Accuracy%20of%20In-Dash%20Fuel%20Economy%20Displays%20Research%20Report_FINAL.pdf

(Radio Iowa) – Several dogs and cats displaced by Hurricane Ida have been brought to the Siouxland Humane Society in Sioux City. Spokesperson Kelly Erie says there are nine dogs and six cats. She says the animals were at a Louisiana shelter and were waiting for new homes when the loss of power and water forced their evacuation. The pets came to Iowa through “Operation Sunflower” after flying into Sioux Falls and being brought to Sioux City in a van. It’s not the first time the organization has helped. “We’ve helped out Louisiana I want to say three times. The most devastating one was Hurricane Katrina. We helped out with the last one (hurricane) and also the Texas flooding,” she says.

The cats and dogs will be ready for adoption after a few days. “They’ve had their first set of vaccinations, deworming, they are all ready to go. We’re just giving them a couple of days so we can place them under observation and make sure everything is doing well,” Erie says. You can adopt one of the animals from the Siouxland Humane Society — or make a donation to go toward their care.

(Radio Iowa) – Long-term plans are for portions of Interstate-80 in Iowa to expand to six lanes. Stu Anderson is the director of the Transportation Development Division at the Iowa D-O-T. He says in some areas, freight — hauled by semis — accounts for 40 percent of the traffic on I-80. “There some areas that will require six lane improvements, primarily in eastern Iowa initially,” he says.

“The Commission has programmed some funding to do some of that work east of Iowa City, continuing all the way to Davenport and the Illinois River we’ll be looking at making those improvements eventually and probably working its way to Des Moines. Western Iowa the traffic is a little lower, so that will take some time, but definitely I-80 and even I-35 in some stretches will need some major improvement.”

I-80 rest stop near Grinnell. (DOT photo)

You may notice some new bridge decks in eastern Iowa have been widened. Anderson says bridges have a very long life span, so bridge work on I-80 is being done with the future in mind. Anderson says transportation planners are also tracking how automated vehicles that drive themselves may impact the interstates that run through Iowa.  “That could alleviate some of those capacity needs as you have vehicles that can drive closer together, maybe have narrower lanes,” he says, “so that might really have some influence in the next 20 years as well.”

But to deal with current capacity issues, drivers in eastern Iowa are noticing the ongoing project to rehabilitate and widen the interstate that feeds into I-80 near Coralville. “The Interstate-380 corridor between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City has been a real priority corridor because of the huge demand from the commuting traffic and safety issues,” Anderson says. Anderson says that interchange is being built to handle future projects that would add lanes to I-80 in that area. “The I-80/380 interchange is a really good example of an important project because of the freight movement on that corridor,” Anderson says.

“The existing interchange just had challenges with weaving movements that caused problems for semi trucks.” About 45-hundred bridges in Iowa are rated in poor condition — in need of repairs and upgrades. Anderson says state officials have been using part of the money from the state gas tax increase that took effect in early 2015 to fix bridges. “We now just have 32 poor condition bridges on the state system,” Anderson says. Anderson says bridges rated in poor condition are still safe for traffic, but have issues that need to be addressed.

The D-O-T does an in-depth review of the state’s transportation system every five years and will submit that report to the governor and legislators later this year. Anderson made his comments during a recent appearance on Iowa P-B-S.

(Mondamin, Iowa) – Three people were injured during a collision on Interstate 29 just south of the Mondamin exit in Harrison County, Saturday evening. According to the Iowa State Patrol, a 2013 Chrysler driven by 35-year-old Junior Belleh Solo, of Des Moines, was southbound on I-29 at around 7:50-p.m. near mile marker 89, when the car drove onto the west shoulder and struck the rear of a 2019 Toyota Camry, that was parked on the shoulder with a flat tire.

Following the impact, the Chrysler went across both lanes of traffic and came to rest on the east shoulder of the road against the cable guard rail. Solo suffered non-life threatening injuries and was transported to the Missouri Valley Hospital by Mondamin EMS. The driver of the Toyota, 35-year-old Abhijit Bahl, of Omaha, also suffered non-life threatening injuries and was transported to the hospital in Mondamin by Missouri Valley EMS.

A front seat passenger in the Toyota, 28-year-old Kanika Dhawan, of Omaha, was flown from the scene by Life Flight to the UNMC in Omaha. All three of the injured were wearing their seat belts. The accident remains under investigation. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department.

(Radio Iowa) – Third district Congresswoman Cindy Axne is co-chair of the new Rural Reinvestment Task Force formed by the New Democrat Coalition in the U.S. House. Axne says she’ll be recruiting other House Democrats who can articulate a policy agenda that supports rural communities. “I see it as an opportunity for us to have a greater voice of a concerned group of legislators who can raise these issues up,” Axne says. “…There is a big misunderstanding of what rural America does contribute.”

Last Thursday Axne heard from representatives of farm groups, the biofuels industry and farmers growing organic crops at a forum on the Dallas County Fairgrounds. She expects other House Democrats to hold similar forums around the country. “We want to make sure we’ve got it from the north to the south, from the east to the west,” Axne says. Axne says the New Democrat Coalition represents 95 of the 224 Democrats in the U.S. House and the group will lobby to direct more federal resources to support rural areas, focusing on things like broadband access, housing and biofuels policy. Axne is a member of the U.S. House Ag Committee.

Democratic Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, the other co-chair of the Rural Reinvestment Task Force, is also a member of the House Ag Committee. Bustos, who represents a district in northwest Illinois that includes Moline and Peoria, is not seeking reelection in 2022.

(Radio Iowa) – Vaping among Iowa teens is at epidemic levels and officials with the American Lung Association are launching an effort to provide kids better access to cessation programs, support and education. Beth Turner of Urbandale, director of health promotions for the association’s Iowa chapter, says schools can apply now to become a part of the proven intervention programs.

“Our Vape-Free Schools initiative provides school administrators and educators training to be able to offer an alternative suspension approach for students that are caught vaping, smoking or chewing on school property,” Turner says. “This also includes a voluntary vaping and tobacco cessation program for youth who are wanting to quit.” Now more than ever, Turner says schools need support in helping students to quit tobacco products.

“We’re seeking to raise funds to give schools across the country access to these programs,” Turner says. “There’s a cost of $400 per training seat, so our goal is to raise $400,000 to serve 1,000 schools in need by the end of 2021.” While the number of adult smokers in Iowa has remained steady or fallen slightly in recent years, the number of young people vaping and using other tobacco products is quickly rising.

“In Iowa, we see our high school tobacco use rates at an alarming 22.7%,” Turner says. “This is higher than our adult rates for smoking and we see on a national basis nearly one in five teens are vaping and close to one in four teens are using at least one tobacco product.” One of the Lung Association’s teen smoking/vaping cessation programs is called NOT, for Not On Tobacco. The 10-session program offers teens the tools, information and support to end their addiction. Learn more at lung.org.

(Radio Iowa) – A delegation of 60 Iowans will be traveling to our sister nation of Kosovo in southeastern Europe later this month. Among those chosen for the trip is Joe Nelson, the superintendent of the Clarion Goldfield Dows Community School District or C-G-D in Wright County.  Nelson says, “Our goal with the country of Kosovo is to start that international partnership and international learning so that we get some students from Kosovo to come over and embrace everything that we love about CGD.”

Agriculture is an important industry both in Iowa and Kosovo and Nelson says the students in his district will be great ambassadors for Iowa. “One in six kids in our high school are involved in FFA and the roots of ag run deep in Clarion, 4H started here,” Nelson says. “We’ve had some highly successful kids who have graduated from here and gone on to great careers in ag, so why not open that up to the world.” The city administrator of Fort Dodge and the mayors of several Iowa cities will also be a part of the delegation.

“General Orr from the National Guard is leading the delegation,” Nelson says. “We’ll be going over to the country of Kosovo for about a week. The clay is still wet on this project but what an exciting project to be a part of and what a cool partnership opportunity for our students.” The trip is scheduled for September 23rd through October 2nd. Iowa has had a sister state relationship with Kosovo since 2013 when then-Iowa Governor Terry Branstad signed an agreement with that country’s president.