(Radio Iowa) – The Science Center of Iowa is one of the first in the nation to host a touring exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution called, “The Bias Inside Us.” Center spokeswoman Emilee Richardson says as our country grapples with issues like diversity, equity and inclusion, it’s critically to find new ways to understand and seek solutions. She says one part of the exhibit features everyday objects, like a notebook, to demonstrate bias. “For instance, with the notebook, it is designed for right-handed people. Left-handed people struggle to use notebooks and not smear their ink all over their paper and all sorts of different things,” Richardson says. “Another is soap dispensers. Automatic soap dispensers don’t always recognize dark skin. These are things that have a significant impact on large groups of people.”

The Des Moines facility is perhaps best known for exhibits that showcase dinosaurs, the weather or space exploration, but on occasion, the exhibits will branch off and take us out of our comfort zones — in order to look inward. “We at the Science Center strive to present our audiences with new ideas that stretch their ways of thinking and encourage thoughtful conversation,” Richardson says. “‘The Bias Inside Us’ is an exhibit that does just that. It helps us be reflective on our own lives and spark those conversations about how we can create a more welcoming place for everyone.”

The exhibit features compelling images, hands-on interactives and powerful testimonials and videos. There are hard topics we have to face as a society today, and Richardson says the exhibit helps visitors to understand those topics and learn to be able to discuss them. “The exhibit does a great job of not labeling anyone as racist or sexist. It’s not about making you feel bad about your biases. It’s about helping you understand that these are things that exist,” she says. “Biases are human. It’s a natural, normal thing for our brains to create shortcuts and help us understand the world around us. Not all biases are bad.”

We’re a product of our environment yet we can “retrain our brain,” Richardson says, to reflect, adjust and move forward in the world. The exhibit is on its fourth stop of a four-year, 40-city tour. It will only be in Des Moines through August 8th.

More online at sciowa.org

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The Audubon County Community Foundation is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted from organizations providing charitable services in Audubon County. As part of this fall grant cycle, $50,400 is available to support Audubon County nonprofit organizations and community projects. The deadline to apply for funds through the online application process is September 1st. Of the total allocated funds, $2,825 is restricted to the Exira area, $2,375 is designated for the community of Audubon, and $45,200 is available to support projects throughout the county.

Beginning July 15, application details, a fact sheet, and a link to the application form can be found online by selecting Audubon County under County Listing at www.swiowafoundations.org. Applications will only be accepted through the online system. Please note that there is a new grant application portal this cycle; all applicants will need to create a new account when first accessing the application.

Only organizations providing services in Audubon County are eligible to apply. They must be able to demonstrate broad community/county support and be an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) public charity, a local municipality, or a fiscally sponsored project.

The Audubon County Community Foundation aims to improve the quality of life in Audubon County by supporting community needs in the areas of civic engagement, culture, health, education, and social services. The objective of the grant program is to fund projects that will have a permanent impact on, and in, Audubon County. For Fall 2021, the Audubon County Community Foundation will entertain requests for capital and program support. Requests for general operating support will not be considered.

These grant funds are made possible by the generosity of Audubon County Community Foundation donors. To inquire about donating to the Audubon County Community Foundation, please contact the Community Foundations of Southwest Iowa staff or any board member listed below. Gifts to permanently endowed funds through the Audubon County Community Foundation may be eligible to receive a 25% Endow Iowa Tax Credit.

Board members of the Audubon County Community Foundation are Chair, Joel Hoegh of rural Brayton; Vice Chair, Steven B. Hansen of Audubon; Secretary/Treasurer, Megan Wagner of Audubon; Gina Benton of Exira, Bob Blomme of Audubon; Pat Kaiser of Audubon; and Donna Olson of Kimballton.

Please contact Stacey Goodman (stacey@omahafoundation.org) or Tess Houser (tess@omahafoundation.org) at 800-794-3458 with application-related questions. All completed grant applications will be considered at the October Board meeting, with applicants being notified of funding decisions by the end of October.

(Radio Iowa) – Veterans will get a chance to tell their story and have it preserved at the Library of Congress this weekend in central Iowa. Sara Robinson does the interviews as part of the Iowa Veterans’ Perspective organization she founded. “I travel all over the state depending on who wants to host me. The local libraries usually know the veterans in the area — so I am able to coordinate with them in order to bring in the local veterans in places like Newton, Guttenberg, Sioux City,” she says.

Her next event is Saturday at the Urbandale Public Library. Robinson is a member of the Iowa National Guard and says her family’s long military history spurred her to do this. “It’s a part of the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project, so they have kind of a script that I go by that just asks generic questions about their life, because once you know a little bit more about a person’s life — you definitely know more about our nation’s history,” Robinson explains. She believes her own background makes it easier to get the veterans to open up. “I’ve actually found that as a veteran myself, since I can talk the talk, I am able to get them to open up to me a little bit more,” according to Robinson. “Because I know those little nuances in the conversation — such as the difference between boot camp and basic training — and we’re speaking this language that every veteran speaks, which is the language of veterans.”

She makes appointments for the interviews so there is time for the stories and so veterans don’t have to wait. You can sign up online. “My website is www.vetstories.org, or you can just go to Google and type in Iowa Veterans’ Perspective and it will take you to all my different social media platforms, and you are able to send me messages that way,” she says. Robinson says any libraries that would like to host a session can also contact her. She says the interviews are an hour to an hour-and-a-half and then volunteers package up the interviews and send them to the Library of Congress for historical preservation.

The Veterans Interview Day Saturday has appointments starting at 9:00 a-m and running until 6:00 p-m. Veterans of all wars and representing all military branches are encouraged to register to share their stories. If you have questions about the interview process, contact Sara at Iowa Veterans’ Perspective at 515-710-9869.

(Radio Iowa) – A line of severe storms swept through Iowa Wednesday, with trained spotters confirming more than a dozen tornadoes. Tornadoes started touching the ground in north central Iowa late Wednesday afternoon, along the Highway 20 corridor and to the east of Interstate 35. Just after 10 p.m., National Weather Service radar confirmed a tornado east of Monticello. Farmsteads, the school bus shed in Lake City, the football stadium in Oelwein and the sale barn in Manchester are among the facilities damaged. Just before 8 pm, spotters reported a tornado on the ground southwest of Manchester and another touchdown to the north. Delaware County Emergency Management Director Mike Ryan. “I thought: ‘Oh no, here we go. We’ve finally got that one night where we’ve got one that cuts a path through town on us,'” he says. “It affected some folks and then it just dissipated.”

There was minor damage to a convenience store’s building and vehicles on the lot. The Delaware County Fair is underway this week and about 15-hundred people were evacuated from the fairgrounds. Ryan says about five years ago, the fair board updated its emergency response plans. “We did a two-and-a-half hour exercise where we challenged that plan this spring,” Ryan says, “and tonight’s an example of why we do this stuff.” A tornado touched down west of Lake City shortly before 4 p.m. Eric Wood is the city administrator in Lake City. “A lot of trees, most of the power lines are down,” he says.”The school’s bus barn lost its roof. Bowie International lost a roof on a building and then it continued east out of town.”

A month ago, Dobson Pipe Organ Builders in Lake City was destroyed by fire and this is the second tornado in six years to hit the community.  “We feel like we’re a little snake bitten in town right now with the Dobson fire and six years ago,” he says. “Luckily this didn’t do any more damage. We had our public works crews out right away. We had a couple of volunteers running some skid loaders and a couple of other things. We have the trees pushed off the roads.”

The storm system also produced some downpours and flash flooding in the state. More than five-and-a-half inches of rain was reported near Maxwell.

The Cass County Community Foundation is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted from organizations providing charitable services in Cass County. As part of this fall grant cycle, $33,200 is available to support Cass County nonprofit organizations and community projects. The deadline to apply for funds through the online application process is September 1st. Of the total allocated funds, $2,000 is restricted to the community of Griswold, and $31,200 is available to support projects throughout the county.

Beginning July 15, application details, a fact sheet, and a link to the application form can be found online by selecting Cass County under County Listing at www.swiowafoundations.org. Applications will only be accepted through the online system. Please note that there is a new grant application portal this cycle; all applicants will need to create a new account when first accessing the application.

Only organizations providing services in Cass County are eligible to apply. They must be able to demonstrate broad community/county support and be an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) public charity, a local municipality, or a fiscally sponsored project.

The Cass County Community Foundation aims to improve the quality of life in Cass County by supporting community needs in the areas of civic engagement, culture, health, education, and social services. The objective of the grant program is to fund projects that will have a permanent impact on, and in, Cass County. For Fall 2021, the Cass County Community Foundation will entertain requests for capital, program, and operating support.

These grant funds are made possible by the generosity of Cass County Community Foundation donors. To inquire about donating to the Cass County Community Foundation, please contact the Community Foundations of Southwest Iowa staff or any board member listed below. Gifts to permanently endowed funds through the Cass County Community Foundation may be eligible to receive a 25% Endow Iowa Tax Credit.

Board members of the Cass County Community Foundation are Chair, Kristi Burg of Massena; Vice Chair, Mark D. Kyhnn, CPA of Atlantic; Secretary/Treasurer, Sue Hunt of Atlantic; Sandy Bierbaum of Griswold; and Gaylord Schelling of Atlantic.

Please contact Stacey Goodman (stacey@omahafoundation.org) or Tess Houser (tess@omahafoundation.org) at 800-794-3458 with application-related questions. All completed grant applications will be considered at the October Board meeting, with applicants being notified of funding decisions by the end of October.

Audubon County Fair Schedule
7:00-8:00 AM 4-H/FFA Swine check in
8:00- 9:00 AM 4-H/FFA Sheep & Goat check in
9:00-10:00 AM 4-H/FFA Beef check in
9:00 AM-6:00 PM Commercial Exhibit set-up
9:30AM-11:00 AM 4-H/FFA/Open Class Rabbit/Poultry check in
11:00 AM 4-H/FFA Horses must be stalled
11:30 AM Farm Bureau Meal – Hoop
Agriland Ice Cream
1:00 PM 4-H/FFA Exhibitor Meeting
6:00 PM Open Class static must be entered
6:30 PM Pie Auction followed by
Queen Contest-Grandstand
8:00 PM Open Class exhibits must be in place

(Full Schedule HERE)

East Pottawattamie County Fair Schedule

7:00am – 8:30am Beef Weigh In
9:00am Table Setting Contest
3:30pm Livestock Judging Contest – subject to change
6:00pm Family Night

(Full Schedule HERE)

Montgomery County Fair Schedule

(Full Schedule HERE)

Shelby County Fair Schedule

7:00-8:00a.m……….. Enter & Weigh 4-H/FFA Breeding Beef Heifers, Beef Cows/Calves, Feeder Calves, Dairy Heifers & Cows in Production – All livestock is to unload at dock and be inspected by a Veterinarian.
8:00-9:00 ……………. Enter 4-H/FFA Bottle/Bucket calves – All livestock is to unload at dock and be inspected by a Veterinarian.
8:30a.m ………………. Enter 4-H/FFA Cats & Small Pets (tent)
8:30a.m. ……………… Judge 4-H/FFA Poultry (tent)
8:30a.m. ……………… Judge Open Class Non-Livestock Departments (see department rules for actual judging times)
9:00a.m ………………. Judge 4-H/FFA Cats & Small Pets
9:00-9:30a.m……….. Enter Bottle Animals – All livestock is to unload at dock and be inspected by a Veterinarian.
9:30a.m. ……………… Judge 4-H/FFA Feeder Calves, Beef Cow/Calves, Breeding Beef, and Dairy Cattle
9:30-12:30 …………… 4-H/FFA Bottle/Bucket Calf Interviews – 4-H building
10:00a.m. ……………. Carnival
10:30a.m …………….. Pie & Muffin Baking
1:00p.m ………………. Judge 4-H/FFA/Clover Kids Bottle Bucket Calf Show
2:30p.m ………………. Open Class Bottle Show
4:00p.m. ……………… Commercial Building opens to the public
6:00p.m ………………. Shelby County Fair PARADE – Theme – “Stir-up Some Fun“
7:00-7:30p.m.……..Strolling Act – Farmer Phil
8:00-8:30p.m.……..Strolling Act – Farmer Phil
8:00p.m……………Show Ring: Crowning of 2021 Shelby County Fair Queen and Hall of Fame Recognition
9:00-9:30p.m.……..Strolling Act – Farmer Phil
4-H & Open Class Buildings open following judging to 10:00p.m.
Commercial Building opens 4:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., Nishna Valley Model Railroad Building open from 4:00p.m. – 9:00p.m

(Full Schedule HERE)

CARROLL—Officials with the Iowa DNR, Wednesday evening issued a statement with regard to a crop duster accident in Carroll County, Tuesday evening, just before the plan ditched near a field, the “crop duster released several gallons of insecticide near a private residence southwest of Swan Lake State Park.” Authorities said also, the pilot estimated he released about 10 gallons of Lorsban and six gallons of Capture about an eighth mile from the park, near 220th Street and Mahogany Avenue. The public should avoid this area while DNR investigates the incident and monitors the cleanup.”

According to the DNR, “There are potential health risks to anyone who has direct contact with quantities of these chemicals. If you have questions about possible exposure, call the Poison Control Center at 800-222-1222. If calling from an out-of-state cell phone number, call 712-277-2222 to reach the Iowa Poison Control Center.”

The plane is reportedly registered to Central Ag, LLC, of Corsica, S.D.  According to a report from the Federal Aviation Administration, the aircraft crashed due to the loss of the engine in a field near 22224 220th Street. The pilot was not seriously injured.

The DNR will continue to oversee cleanup and may take appropriate enforcement action. The Federal Aviation Administration and Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will also be investigating.

The Atlantic School Board, Wednesday (July 14), approved the resignations of Amber Caudle – MS Paraprofessional, and Rob Hansen – HS Asst. Baseball Coach. They also approved Contract Recommendations for: Paul Iekel – 1/2 time Special Education Teacher at Schuler Elementary; Tori Dolch – Freshman Volleyball Coach; Adam Smith – Volunteer Football Coach; Katy Christensen, Vol. Volleyball Coach; Bruce Henderson – Vol. Cross Country Coach; Clair Acker, Jim Mullenix and Roger Warne – Substitute/Activity Bus Drivers.

In his report to the Board, Superintendent Steve Barber mentioned, that after speaking with Food Service Director Natalie Ritter, he was made aware the National Food Program would provide free breakfast for all students during the 2021-22 School Year, as part of COVID relief. According to Barber, “Familes who qualify Free and Reduced lunches also get reduced student fees, advantage in driver’s ed and other program discounts.” He said, with regard to free breakfasts and lunches, “One of our concerns is that, if everybody gets free breakfasts and lunches, that all the sudden no one is going to fill out the application. And it’s really important that everybody qualifies for Free and Reduced still fill out the application,” because “by having the percentage of Free and Reduced we do, we’re able to offer that free summer breakfast and lunch. If we go under a certain amount, we lose that [as well as]. Also our title programs benefit from your Free and Reduced percentage.”

He says the District will put into effect a campaign telling parents/guardians “We still want you to fill out these forms. There’s benefit for you besides the lunch program, for you to do that.” He said also, the “Grab and Go” food program the last week of July will look similar to what the district did last year with COVID because the Schuler Gym is being painted. Mr. Barber said also, computers are on schedule for delivery, despite concerns over supply shortages of computer chips.He said “Our I-Pads should be in yet in July, and the Chrome Books the first week of August. So we should be in good shape when the kids come on August 23rd.”

2021-22 Student Fees (Superintendent Steve Barber says the current fee structure has remained unchanged for the past three-years, and he sees “No reason to make any change for the upcoming school year.” Adult lunch prices have not yet officially been posted. Mr. Barber says “If these lunches need to be different than $3.95, we [the Board] will need to revisit next month.”

The Atlantic School Board awarded a 2021-22 Fuel Contract to Olsen Fuel Supply, Inc., for an estimated $85,000. It was noted that comparing the bids to those received last year, the district saw a significant increase in prices. The Board also approved (previously mentioned) Spring 2022 Coaching Contracts. And, they selected their priorities to send to the Iowa Association of School Boards in their dealings with the Iowa Legislature: Mental Health, Marketing-competitive wages, teacher recruitment and licensure, and local accountability and decision-making.