(Atlantic, Iowa) – A retired Navy Vietnam Veteran who has called Atlantic home for more than 15-years, appeared before the Atlantic City Council Wednesday evening, asking residents to show their support for the brave men and women from the area who were recently deployed overseas to Kuwait, Syria and other areas. Some 18-hundred Iowa National Guard soldiers are on deployment to the Middle East. Denny Daniel said the mission of “Operation Front Porch”is simple: Just tie a yellow ribbon around a flagpole, tree, or porch post.

Daniel wants everyone to keep the yellow ribbons displayed until all of the deployed National Guard soldiers return home.

Atlantic Mayor Pro-Tem/Councilperson Elaine Otte thanked Daniel for what he’s doing, and mentioned her son was deployed a couple of times with the Iowa National Guard, and understands where Daniels is coming from, when it comes to support of our troops.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa State Fair opens its 11-day run today (Thursday) in Des Moines. Fair spokesperson Mindy Williamson says a big change this year allows you to bring in your own drinks. “You can now bring in your beverages excluding alcohol. You cannot bring in alcohol, but if you want to bring in your water, iced tea, Gatorade. coffee that you purchased on your way in, you can do that this year,” she says. Williamson says you can also bring in a soft-sided cooler with food. “If you have, you know, a special diet that you’re trying to stick to, or if you need snacks and things for your children, we feel like you know the fair is a family friendly place, and we want you to be as comfortable as possible. And so we made that change this year.” Williamson says.

There are parking lots outside the Fair, homeowners who charge you to park in their yards, or you can park at three pickup points and take a bus. “The Capitol and then west of the capitol, and then at Southeast Polk (High School). And you can easily ride those into the fairgrounds. It’ll drop you off at gate. ten which is near the Craft Beer Tent and the little kids rides, and then it’ll pick and then you can walk back there and ride it back to your car easily without the traffic,” she explains.

Williamson says there are several new things at the Fair. “People will not want to miss our new Shivers Plaza, which is the area right to the South of JR’s South Pork Ranch, and right across from our pavilion,” she says. “And it’s an area like a food court where there are vendors, there’s picnic tables and shade. There’s new restrooms.”

The Iowa State Fair gates open at 8 a-m. You can find out more about the schedule and daily events at iowastatefair.org.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak this (Thursday) morning, arrested a man on a Burglary charge. Authorities say 45-year-old Luke Daniel Rinehart, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 1:50-a.m. in the 300 block of 2nd Avenue, on a charge of Burglary in the 3rd Degree. Rinehart was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

(This report was researched and produced by the Iowa Capital Dispatch, which is solely responsible for its content) –

Three southwest Iowa care facilities were among five from across the State that were recently cited for alleged incidents of abuse. The Iowa Capital Dispatch says inspectors with the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing (DIAL) – which oversees and inspects Iowa’s nursing homes – cited Corning Specialty Care, the Salem Lutheran Home in Elk Horn, and Chapters Living in Council Bluffs, following separate, alleged incidents of residents’ abuse.

Corning Specialty Care – This home was cited for failing to properly inform the state of the verbal abuse of a resident by a staff member in February 2025. According to inspectors, a certified nurse aide told state inspectors in May that she heard a female CNA at the home tell a male resident, “You did this to yourself, so you can get yourself up and clean yourself up.” A licensed practical nurse also reported hearing the comment and told inspectors the resident was left crying.

A third worker reported she had seen the accused CNA “on many occasions” tell the resident that he was “a grown-a– man” and that he needed to “wipe your own a–.” A fourth employee of the home corroborated that claim, adding that she had assumed other staffers had reported the aide’s conduct. A fifth worker reported that on one occasion she heard the accused aide tell the man, “I’m not going to clean your a–. If you’re going home, you need to do it yourself.”

Salem Lutheran Home, Elk Horn – This facility was cited for failing to properly investigate and report the alleged abuse of a resident. A resident of the home told inspectors in June 2025 that a few months earlier, a female CNA at the home had left her sitting on a bedpan for five hours with her call-light placed out of reach.

The woman also reported that on one occasion the worker was “acting drunk” and being disrespectful to her – throwing a pile of blankets in her lap and telling her to pick the one that she wanted. The woman told inspectors she didn’t report the incidents to management because she feared the CNA was friends with the director of nursing. According to inspectors, the home’s administration was aware of the incident involving the bedpan and acknowledged that no report of the matter had been sent to the state.

Chapters Living, Council Bluffs – This facility was cited for failing to properly report the alleged abuse of a resident. A resident of the home had reported that a CNA had come to her room during the night and then spilled the contents of her bedpan onto the bed. According to inspectors, the worker at first denied spilling the bedpan, rudely informed the resident she was on her call-light too much, tossed the resident’s call-light out of reach, and then left the resident in soiled bedding before later returning to change the sheets. According to the inspectors, the home’s administrator later admitted the call-light had been placed out of the resident’s reach, but said that was inadvertent.

(Dunlap, Iowa) – A service station in Dunlap was destroyed by a large fire Wednesday morning. The incident took place at around 9:23-am., at the Rockin K Service Station (formerly Heller Implement) on N. 6^th Street, in Dunlap.

According to Dunlap Fire Chief Pat Cogdill, some employees were using a brake drum cleaner when the liquid spilled onto the floor. Because it was giving-off a strong odor, an employee, not realizing the fumes were flammable, plugged in a fan, which caused a flash fire. There were four people in the building when the fire started. All safely evacuated. One employee was transported by private vehicle, however, to seek treatment for a minor burn.

(Photo by Matt Gengler)

A utility company shut-off power to the structure. Numerous area fire departments responded to a call for Mutual Aid due to the presence of hazardous materials, including personnel from the Earling, Woodbine, Dow City, Denison, and Harlan Fire Departments. They were able to bring the blaze under control in about two-hours. Firefighters continued to look for hot spots for several more hours.

Image submitted to KJAN

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Wednesday evening said they were investigating a related release of as much as 12-hundred gallons of fuels, oils, aerosols and other products to the Boyer River, from a stormwater ditch in Crawford County.

The DNR’s Atlantic Field Office was notified of the release resulting from the structure fire at Rockin K Solutions near the intersection of Highway 30 and County Road 37 in Dunlap. Much of the hazardous materials released was consumed in the fire, according to the DNR.

An unknown amount of product entered a storm drain, where it then flowed into a stormwater ditch to the Boyer River. No immediate impact to aquatic life was observed.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic this (Wednesday) evening, welcomed the latest addition to the City’s Police force. Mayor Pro-Tem Elaine Otte spoke about Officer Scott Wiersma’s background.

Officer Wiersma joined the A-PD in July, 2025. City Clerk Laura McClean administered the Oath of Office to Wiersma.

APD Facebook page photo (City Clerk Laura McLean administers the Oath of Office to Officer Wiersma)

The Council then proceeded to pass a Resolution (#55-25), setting the FY26 Compensation for the Police Department Secretary-Dispatcher position. Councilperson Otte…

The Council passed also a Resolution (#56-25) approving a new Professional Services Agreement with former City Clerk Barb Barrick, for City Clerk Consulting Services.

The Atlantic City Council passed the Third and Final Reading of an Ordinance (#1060) raising the late fee for non-payment of parking tickets after 30 days $20-dollars, from the current $30 to $50. The change was previously approved unanimously by the City’s Personnel and Finance Committee.

In other business, the Council passed a Resolution setting August 20 (2025) at the date for a Public Hearing on a proposed Ordinance that would allow the vacating of a portion of the right-of-way located between 401, 405 and 411 Laurel Street. They then reviewed the 2024-2026 CIP (Capital Improvement Plan) project list and financing options. City Administrator John Lund said pending any major change orders, a surplus of about $848,171 should exist in the FY 24-26 CIP Fund.

On a related note, the Council discussed, but tabled at the request of City Engineer Dave Sturm, adding Iowa Avenue to the CIP Project list, which have reduced the surplus fund to $583,170. The matter will be taken up again at the Council’s next meeting on August 20th.

The Atlantic City Council set August 20th (2025) as the date of a Public Hearing on the Conveyance of Easements over Palm Street, to the Atlantic Golf and Country Club. City Administrator John Lund explained the division of the AG&CC into two parcels (east and west) separated by Palm Street, is problematic, as it would require two separate liquor licenses for the business.

As it stands, he said the issue is in the top ten of “Stupidest” things he has ever seen from State government.

DUNLAP, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is investigating a release to the Boyer River from a stormwater ditch in Crawford County. On Wednesday morning, Aug. 6, 2025, the DNR Atlantic Field Office was contacted about a release to the Boyer River from a structure fire at Rockin K Solutions near the intersection of Highway 30 and County Road 37 in Dunlap.

The fire destroyed a service station and resulted in the release of up to 1,200 gallons of fuels, oils, aerosols and other products. Much of the release was consumed in the fire. An unknown amount of product entered a storm drain, where it then flowed into a stormwater ditch to the Boyer River. No immediate impact to aquatic life was observed.

DNR field office staff are on-site investigating the release.

(Radio Iowa) – The governor’s government efficiency task force is considering 45 recommendations, including a plan to link the salaries for educators in Iowa’s public schools to student achievement.

Former Fort Dodge Mayor Terry Lutz, a member of the task force, said a pay-for-performance system would reward what matters. “Our current system rewards teachers and administrators for their length of service or the duties they take on, with no ties to student achievements,” he said this afternoon. “This system does not reward excellence in education.”

Fourteen years ago, Governor Terry Branstad proposed a merit pay system for teachers that would have used student test scores as one criteria for pay raises. Lutz said finally linking pay to student performance is about accountability. “We have slipped in national rankings to 24th in math, 26th in reading and 28th in science. We do not stack up well here,” Lutz said. “The current education funding model is not working.”

Iowa DOGE task force chair Emily Schmitt, chief administrative officer and general counsel for Sukup Manufacturing, speaks during Aug. 6, 2025 task force meeting (RI photo)

Through a combination of federal, state and local funding for public K-12 schools, spending per student is over $18,000 according to Lutz, who said that is higher than the national median. “As one of our largest statewide expenditures, we are not getting acceptable returns on our educational investment,” Lutz said.

Lutz leads the “Return on Investment” working group within the government efficiency task force and they recommend creation of online dashboards that compare “important student achievements” to dollars that are being spent. “It’s important to note we are not suggesting cutting costs, we are focused on spending that rewards what matters,” Lutz said. “…These dashboards would be reviewed periodically to track progress and build accountability into the entire educational system, rewarding those who are making an impact.”

The “Department of Government Efficiency” Task Force Governor Reynolds created in early February will release its final set of recommendations this fall. One of the proposals reviewed by the task force today calls for a comprehensive study of government employee pay and benefits. “Some public rolls have developed compensation packages that far exceed the private sector,” Lutz said, “including health and retirement benefits, time off and others.”

The Iowa Public Employees Retirement System, known as IPERS, is a defined benefit based on an employee’s salary and how long they worked in government. Lutz said the state should shift to a pension system for future employees similar to 401Ks that’s based largely on contributions from the worker and how well investments perform.

The governor’s task force is not calling for consolidation of counties, but Lutz indicated they will recommend “considerable sharing of services” by state, county and city governments.

“Our unique make up of 99 counties and numerous cities and townships was an efficient system when we traveled by horse and buggy 180 years ago,” Lutz said. “…The public is certainly aware that this system is plagued with inefficiencies and often results in poor service.”

He suggested having the Iowa DOT take over maintenance of county roads might be more efficient.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa State Fair spokesperson Mindy Williamson says they are working around the rainy weather as they prepare for opening day.  “The fairgrounds are buzzing even though it’s a little bit sprinkly out here today. So we have a last minute setup, our vendors are getting their food stands ready, maybe trying the processing of payments and things like that,” she says.

Williamson says the livestock judging has already been underway for a couple of days. “We have sheep coming in today, we have horses that have already been competing. We have pigs in some of the barns, so the Fair is in full swing,” Williamson says.

The Iowa State Fair opens tomorrow morning for its 11-day run.