(Red Oak, Iowa) – The driver of a Subaru Outback was cited, but no injuries were reported, following a collision Saturday afternoon, in Red Oak. According to Red Oak Police, the 2018 Subaru driven by 80-year-old Evelyn C. Nelson, of Corning, was traveling eastbound on E. Joy Street in Red Oak, at around 3:50-p.m., Saturday, when Nelson failed to yield at the stop sign with the intersection of 8th Street. Her vehicle struck a 2009 Chevy Silverado pickup broadside, as the pickup, driven by 65-year-old Lee Allen Edds, of Red Oak, was traveling north on 8th Street.

Damage from the collision amounted to $3,000 altogether. Both vehicles were driven away from the scene. Red Oak Police cited Nelson for Failure to Yield.

(Creston, Iowa) – A man from Creston was arrested Sunday morning on two-counts of Domestic Abuse Assault. According to Creston Police, 20-year-old Nathan Lee Novotny was arrested at around 9:10-a.m. in the 1500 block of W. Townline. In addition to the Assault charges, Novotny was charged with Interference with Official Acts. He was being held in the Union County Jail.

AMES, Iowa [KCCI/ISU Police]—More than half of the nearly three dozen people arrested or cited during “801 Day” in Ames had no affiliation with Iowa State University, according to ISU police. Police say 31 people were arrested and/or cited between 7 a.m. Saturday and 3 a.m. Sunday. The Saturday before classes start at Iowa State is commonly known as “801 Day,” a reference to an old rule that said fraternities and sororities were prohibited from having alcohol until 8:01 a.m. the Saturday before classes started.

Of those 31 people arrested or cited, 51.6% (16 people) had no affiliation with the university, police say. This follows a recent trend; last year, nearly 60% of the 36 arrested or cited had no affiliation with ISU. ISU police say all of the arrests and citations happened outside of sanctioned ISU events. There were no hospitalizations.

Thirteen people were arrested this year. Of the citations issued, 18 were for possession of alcohol under the legal age of 21 and two for unlawful use of license.

(Radio Iowa) – Fifty people from around the world became U-S citizens at the World Food & Music Festival’s Naturalization Ceremony in Des Moines Friday. Immigration Attorney Anne Johnson says it takes a long time for citizenship applications to be processed. She says people wait at least a year to get their green cards, and another five years to begin the application for citizenship. Some refugees may spend 17 years in a foreign refugee camp before they can even come to the U.S. “I can’t even fathom what they go through, and I think that our country is blessed with their values and their work ethic,” Johnson says. They waved U-S flags and posed for photos with the judge conducting the ceremony.

Twenty-two-year-old Ericlyn Bowa is originally from Côte d’Ivoire. “It means everything, especially in this new, like era of time. It’s really important for me to have my citizenship. It just makes me feel secure. I feel like I can do anything, go anywhere, and just have that freedom,” she says.

Immigrants wait at least five years to begin a citizenship application after getting their green card.

(Radio Iowa) – The Des Moines Symphony Orchestra is offering back-to-back free concerts over the upcoming Labor Day weekend highlighting the music of two popular, consecutive decades from the last century. Symphony spokeswoman Angela Schwartz says there will be plenty of space on the lawn of Lauridsen Amphitheater at Water Works Park to spread out a blanket for a picnic, or to serve as an impromptu dance floor. “Saturday, we’re going to be hearing some ’80s music, of all the classics. We’re going to be doing ‘Material Girl’ from Madonna, Billy Joel and even some Footloose,” Schwartz says. “Then on Sunday night, we have Disco Divas, so that’s going to be music of the ’70s, icons like Gloria Gaynor and Earth, Wind and Fire.”

The symphony also hosts the annual Yankee Doodle Pops concert on the West Terrace of the Iowa State Capitol grounds over the 4th of July weekend. It typically draws more than 100-thousand people and is Iowa’s largest single-day concert event. The Water Works Pops shows, now in their sixth year, won’t be nearly as packed, but the focus remains the same. “One of our goals is to get out of the Civic Center and get right into the community at a place where people feel comfortable and safe to just enjoy themselves with no strings attached,” Schwartz says. “Then, hopefully they’ll get a taste of this and they’ll come back to the Civic Center for some of our pops concerts, like some of the movies that we’re doing this year, or they’ll try out a master works concert.”

The open-air concerts under the stars have free parking and free admission, offering plenty of musical fun for all ages, even for those who weren’t around in the 1970s and ’80s. “We also have a costume contest that we’re doing,” Schwartz says. “I think it would be really awesome if people dress on theme and maybe get a chance at winning some symphony tickets and merch.” Shows both nights begin at 7:30. Conducted by Joseph Giunta the past 36 years, the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra is marking its 88th season as one of the nation’s leading regional orchestras.

(Creston, Iowa) – One person was injured during a single-vehicle rollover accident early this (Monday) morning, in Union County. According to the Union County Sheriff’s Office, 21-year-old Damon Michael Hayes, of Afton, was driving a pickup truck southbound on Owl Avenue at around 12:40-a.m.

Hayes told deputies as the pickup came upon a sharp curve at around 60-to 65-mph, he was unable to negotiate the curve. The vehicle entered the east ditch and rolled-over through several feet of barbed wire held up on fence posts before coming to rest.

Hayes suffered minor injuries but was able to exit the vehicle and walk on his own to a nearby residence to call for help. He was transported by his parents in private vehicle, to the hospital in Creston. His pickup, a 2002 Dodge RAM 1500, was declared a total loss. Damage to the barbed wire fence and posts, owned by Aaron Mathes, of Lorimor, was estimated at $500.

(Radio  Iowa) – The coop that owns the Kemps dairy plant in Le Mars and the Teamsters Union have reached a tentative agreement — and the strike at the plant that began late Thursday afternoon ended at 8 p.m. Friday. Adrian Macias is with Teamsters Local 554.

“There’s been a good, fair deal proposed on the table for us to bring back to our membership,” Macias says. “We’re putting everything together in detail for us to have a meeting this week coming up with all the employees and they’ll have an opportunity go through the whole deal and vote yes or no on it.”

The strike lasted about 27 hours and employees have returned to work. “A peaceful strike,” Macias says. “People were actually passing by, dropping off water, cookies, so it was good to see that from the community and we want to thank everybody that supported us and we want to thank the company also for coming to the table and giving us a good proposal.”

Dairy Farmers of America issued a statement about the tentative agreement, expressing appreciation to dairy farm families who have invested in the plant and jobs for valued employees. Dairy Farmers of America acquired the Le Mars plant nearly five years ago. This past December, a majority of the nearly 200 people employed at the facility voted to join the Teamsters.

(Radio Iowa) – Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson says the “America First” movement is no longer a rallying cry, it’s a governing agenda.  “We really have changed course in our country and it is pretty simple. It’s because President Trump is back in the White House and, let’s face it, America is back, aren’t we?” Hinson said, to cheers. Hinson held her 5th annual B-B-Q Bash fundraiser this weekend in Cedar Rapids.

Hinson was reelected to a third term in the U.S. House last November and has indicated she’ll seek reelection in 2026. “We have not come this far to only go this far and I think we have a lot of work left to do, so we need to make sure that the president is able to complete the full four years of wins,” Hinson said. “We need to make sure that we have a Republican congress in order to do that.” Hinson says she’ll fight alongside Trump to secure the border and deport illegal aliens and she favors ending birthright citizenship for children of parents who are in the country illegally.

Hinson is co-sponsoring a bill that would double prison sentences for anyone convicted of attacking Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. “We want to make sure that they are put away for a very, very long time,” Hinson said, to applause. “…I didn’t run for office to roll over. I think you know that about me. Right now I’m not afraid to pick a fight. I might do it with a smile, but if anybody thinks I’m too nice to do this job, they don’t know we well enough. I have fought to secure the border and deport these violent criminals who never should have been here in the first place.”

Hinson represents the second congressional district, which includes Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Dubuque and Mason City. Four Democrats say they’ll compete for their party’s nomination in the second district. They are State Representative Lindsay James of Dubuque; pastor Clint Twedt-Ball of Cedar Rapids; Kathy Dolter of Dubuque, the former dean of nursing at Kirkwood Community College; and former Pine Lake State Park manager Don Primus.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Another Produce In the Park event in Atlantic heads your way this Thursday, August 28th. Get ready for some spicy fun, as the theme this week is “Salsa Night at Produce in the Park!”  Watch guest chefs in a Chopped-style salsa showdown, then taste their creations. Bring your dancing shoes for salsa-style Jazzercise (all welcome!), plus a salsa-themed kids scavenger hunt and “Blind Date with a Book” with the Atlantic Public Library Friends & Trustees.

Live music will be provided by Jenna Nevins. Vendors this week will be offering fresh produce (peppers, tomatoes, onions, zucchini, and more), local meats, farm-fresh eggs, honey, baked goods, arts and crafts, fresh flower bouquets, handmade soaps, and more. Zipp’s Pizzaria is bringing their food truck to the downtown Atlantic City Park, for Produce In the Park, and visiting community organizations will have booths set up, including: Zion Integrated Behavioral Health Services, Cass Health, Atlantic Public Library, and others.

Thanks to August Sponsors: Zion, Cass Health, Gregg Young Chevrolet of Atlantic, City of Atlantic, 1st Whitney Bank, Cass County Tourism, Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, and Nishna Valley Family YMCA.

For more information and to apply to be a vendor at our farmers markets visit https://www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com. Facebook event link: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Ark9pVsyG/

(Weekend News) – One person suffered what were described as suspected minor/non-incapacitating injuries during a collision Friday afternoon, in Red Oak. According to Red Oak Police, a 2013 Yamaha moped operated by 42-year-old Nicklaus Lynn Jackson, of Red Oak, was stopped on 1st Avenue at a stop sign, facing east, waiting to turn onto Broadway Street. Jackson looked, by did not see a 2013 Chrysler van driven by 69-year-old Craig Willard Nielsen, of Red Oak, traveling south on Broadway Street.

When the moped turned onto Broadway Street, Nielsen swerved into the middle lane to avoid striking the moped, but the collision occurred, resulting in injuries to Jackson. The accident happened at around 3:05-p.m., Friday. Jackson did not require transportation to the hospital. Both vehicles sustained minor damage.

Nicklaus Jackson was given a written warning for Failing to Yield/Obey a Stop Sign. Red Oak Police noted that a construction area just north of the accident scene in the Casey’s parking lot, slightly protruding into the roadway, that vehicles must move over to avoid, and which may have obstructed Jackson’s vision.