July 29, 2025 (DES MOINES, IA) — Rural grocers and food producers are among eight recipients of the latest Rural Innovation Grants, announced today by the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA). Awarded through the Governor’s Empower Rural Iowa Initiative, the grants total $72,624 and will support projects designed to enhance local services and promote economic development. Among the eight recipients was the Minden Countryside Market. They will offer a drive-thru, with a faster, more convenient grocery pickup — ideal for busy households and individuals with mobility challenges.

IEDA/Iowa Finance Authority Director Debi Durham said “Rural businesses are essential to the health and prosperity of Iowa’s small towns. From improving access to fresh food to reaching new customers, they serve as anchors in their communities. This funding helps them modernize, grow and continue meeting the evolving needs of Iowans.”

The Rural Innovation Grant program encourages creative solutions to challenges faced by towns that have fewer than 20,000 residents and are not located next to cities with populations of 40,000 or more.

This round of funding prioritized independently owned grocery stores implementing technology upgrades or new service models; food producers investing in equipment, technology or regulatory support; and established businesses pursuing new markets through a partnership with the Colorado-based National Center for Economic Gardening.

IEDA received 10 applications from across the state. The other recipients selected include:

• Independence — Gedney Bakery & Coffeehouse
  The launch of a grab-and-go menu and expansion into small-event catering requires new equipment for food preparation, display, storage and delivery.
• Sumner — Ten Wasp Brewing Company
  A new fermenter and temperature control unit will increase production capacity by up to 17%, improve efficiency and allow for more seasonal and specialty brews.
• Winthrop — Nicks’ Family Grocery
  Equipment additions — including convection ovens, a Broaster and insulated food pan carriers — will support in-store take-and-bake meals and enable the delivery of hot, made-from-scratch food to households within a 5-mile radius.

The grant program is administered by IEDA’s Center for Rural Revitalization, in consultation with the Governor’s Empower Rural Iowa Initiative task force. The next round of Rural Innovation Grant funding opened July 1 and focuses on increasing rural housing availability. The deadline to apply is 4 p.m. CDT Aug. 29.

To learn more about the program, eligibility requirements or future grant opportunities, visit opportunityiowa.gov/community/revitalization/center-rural-revitalization/rural-innovation-grant-program or view the current application at IowaGrants.gov.

KELLOGG – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is investigating a fish kill at Rock Creek Lake in Jasper County.

On July 28, the DNR Field Office in Des Moines was notified of a fish kill at the lake. DNR field staff responded to the incident, and upon arrival observed dead fish sporadically throughout the lake and several miles upstream in the Rock Creek watershed.

Water samples were collected from several locations within the Rock Creek watershed, including the lake. DNR staff tested the water for dissolved oxygen, ammonia nitrogen, and pH, with all parameters falling within acceptable ranges for fish survival. There is no longer an active fish kill in the lake. The investigation is ongoing.

Out of an abundance of caution, a swimming advisory has been posted at the lake through Wednesday, July 30. Swimming is not advised until the advisory is lifted on Thursday.

To report a release after hours, please call the DNR’s emergency spill line at (515) 725-8694. Quick reporting can help DNR staff identify the cause of an incident. The DNR website has more information about spill reporting requirements.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – The Iowa Department of Corrections reports Ashley Nicole Duncan, who was convicted of Conspiracy/Commit Felony (Property) and Assault with a Weapon – Peace Officers/Others in Pottawattamie County, failed to report back to the Council Bluffs Residential Correctional Facility as required on Friday, July 25, 2025.

Ashley Nicole Duncan

Duncan is a 30-year-old, 5’2″, 146-pound White female. She was admitted to the work release facility on July 22, 2025.

Persons with information on Duncan’s whereabouts should contact local police.

(Radio Iowa) – Officials with the Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids are raising concerns about Alliant Energy’s plan for a gas-fired power plant nearby. The proposed facility would include two turbines powered by natural gas, just over a mile from the edge of a runway that’s under construction.

Airport director Marty Lenss says plumes from the turbines, which could be up to 250 feet tall, would pose significant risks to flight operations. “Both of those approach corridors scissor at a time with aircraft that are, particularly in inclement weather, are at critical stages of flight,” Lenss says. “We have to protect that corridor and this location just puts too much at risk for the airport to get to a conclusion it’s a good idea.”

Radio Iowa photo

Lenss says he’s concerned about the height of the turbines, as well as the plumes creating visibility and turbulence issues. He says they’d intrude on critical airspace. “Could the plumes interrupt an approach to a runway such that a pilot could not see the runway, would not be able to land and would have to divert to an alternative airport? Yes, that’s a very real possibility,” Lenss says, “and it happens today because of plumes that impact the airport.”

Airport officials are organizing a meeting with Alliant Energy to discuss alternative sites for the power plant.

A statement from Alliant says the company is in the early stages of its site selection process. Alliant says it’s continuing its work with officials from Fairfax and Cedar Rapids to determine if the facility would be compatible with airport operations.

(Radio Iowa) – Strong storms blew into northern and eastern Iowa last night packing winds clocked in some areas from 70 to 100 miles and hour. Sioux County Emergency Management Coordinator Ryan De Kruyf says it hit there around 9:15p-m. “Throughout the county, we’re seeing a lot of tree damage, infrastructure damage, trees that fell on houses, and yeah, it’s ‘s pretty remarkable to drive around and there’s not a lot of areas that don’t have any damage whatsoever,” he says. Some 10-thousand homes were without power and De Kruyf says crews are working to get that restored. “Be cautious and if you don’t have to be out, definitely don’t be out and looking around give the workers that are out there working trying to clear the debris and clear the trees away room to work and so everyone can stay safe,” De Kruyf says.

He says no one was injured in the storm. “We did have a couple houses that some people were trapped in just simply because the exit or doorways were blocked with trees, but we got those people out safely,” De Kruyf says. De Kruyf says many of the toppled tree were large and old. “Orange City specifically, there’s a bunch of pretty old trees that are down and it’s pretty remarkable what this wind event did. It’s it’s snapped a bunch of trees that are quite old, probably ten feet up, and I’ve never seen anything like this,” De Kruyf says.

Tree damage in Sioux County. (KSOU photo)

Garner Mayor Tim Schmidt saw the same type of damage in his Hancock County town in north-central Iowa. “It’s quite severe, probably the worst I’ve ever seen,” Schmidt says. He says you couldn’t get anywhere right after the storm hit. “Streets were pretty impassable. I went up to City Hall prior to this storm, otherwise I would have never made it. They’ve been working and hitting the streets cleared. There was a lot of power lines down. Power has been restored on most of the houses,” he says. Schmidt says it’s going to take a lot of work clearing the large number of trees. “I’d say right now, rough estimates 150 to 200. You know you can’t go down a street without being damage,” he says.

Schmidt says the Hancock County Supervisors have declared the county a disaster area.

(An Iowa Capital Dispatch report) – How career and technical education for students across the state is implemented could see drastic changes in the coming years after the Iowa State Board of Education voted to shift millions in funding for these programs away from community colleges and to K-12 school districts. Community college officials told board members that changing the formula that determines how federal funding for career and technical education (CTE) is dispersed between community colleges and school districts would lead to students having less access, with colleges possibly having to close programs that school districts could not provide alone, even with additional dollars.

The Iowa State Board of Education voted in June to approve its 2025-2029 Perkins V (5) plan, which would change the ratio of allocations to community colleges and K-12 school districts from a 53.5% and 46.5% split to a 60-40 split, with K-12 schools getting the larger share. The more even ratio will be used for funding allocations in the 2025-2026 school year, with the new rates being implemented for the rest of the plan’s timeline. Perkins V funding comes from the Strengthening Career and Technical Education (CTE) for the 21st Century Act, and provides around $14.5 million to Iowa annually, according to the Iowa Department of Education website. These funds are distributed for use in CTE programs across the state, including career academies and other initiatives aimed at helping high school students start their career training.

The board approved the plan with the expectation of revisiting it at its December meeting, as members said during discussion they’d like to hear more information and feedback from community college and school district stakeholders before the new rates . Kyle Collins, associate vice president for academic affairs at Des Moines Area Community College, spoke during public comment at the meeting in opposition to the change and said in an interview moving dollars away from college CTE programs will negatively impact the quality of education students will receive in their career training, ultimately harming the workforce pipelines career academies and other initiatives create for local industries.

Around $400,000 of the $1.4 million DMACC usually receives in Perkins funding would instead be allocated to school districts, he said, and if that number is broken down among the 89 public, private and charter schools the college works with, each would receive an average of $4,500. Iowa Valley Community College District President Anne Howsare Boyens also spoke during public comment period, adding that an estimated $2 million will be allocated away from Iowa’s 15 community colleges and spread across the state’s more than 300 districts.

“Without this Perkins funding, rural community colleges may be forced to scale back or eliminate specialized CTE programs that are costly to maintain, threatening the long term viability and responsiveness of academic offerings to our community and industry needs,” Howsare Boyens said.

AMES, Iowa — As drone spraying technology rapidly reshapes agriculture across Iowa, producers, ag professionals, and entrepreneurs are seeking the knowledge to keep pace with this innovation. To meet that demand, Iowa State University’s Digital Ag Innovation Lab and Terraplex, Iowa’s premier drone spraying company, are co-hosting a new educational event:

Drone Spraying Essentials: From Basics to Application

Thursday, September 4, 2025
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Digital Ag Innovation Lab | 3800 University Blvd | Ames, IA 50010

Designed for a wide range of attendees, from curious farmers to licensed applicators and agtech startups—this full-day workshop will provide both foundational knowledge and advanced insights into the world of agricultural drone spraying.

ISU extension photo

Attendees will learn:

• How drone spraying is transforming farm practices
• Certification and licensing requirements for drone applicators
• Safe and effective drone operation strategies
• Legal and regulatory considerations
• Expert advice from industry leaders
• Live Q&A sessions with policy and technology experts

Whether you’re just exploring the technology or already working with spray drones, this event will offer valuable tools and connections to take your operation to the next level.

Terraplex, co-hosting the event, is known for its high-precision drone spraying services and commitment to revolutionizing agriculture through technology. Their mission:

“Revolutionize agriculture with cutting-edge drone technology to optimize operations and maximize yields.”

Registration Details

• Cost: $225 (includes lunch, breaks, and handouts)
• Pre-registration required – space is limited to 100 attendees
• Deadline to register: August 15 at 11:59 p.m.
• Register online: https://go.iastate.edu/ATMKGV

(Atlantic, IA) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors held a regular bi-weekly meeting this (Tuesday) morning, in Atlantic. During their session, the Board discussed bids from the July 15, 2025 Iowa DOT letting for a road resurfacing project. They heard from Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken, who said there were four for the N-28 (690^th Street) project, near Cumberland, from Highway 92 to the County line.

The bid of slightly more than $2.84-million from Blacktop Service Company out of Humboldt, was slightly higher than the engineer’s estimate, Wolken said. Wolken said he understands the timing of the project (harvest season, isn’t the best)…

Following discussion, the Supervisors awarded the project contract to Blacktop Service, and passed a Resolution to that effect. Wolken provided the Board with an update on various, ongoing Secondary Roads Department projects.

The Cass County Supervisors approved a FY25/26 wage for Sheriff’s Office Assistant Mandy Parks. The Board had overlooked paying the adjusted wage at an earlier meeting. The Board then discussed issuing a County credit card to new landfill (Cass County Environmental Control) Director Chris Jahnke, and approved the card for his use. Supervisor Steve Green…

They passed also, a resolution designating voting representatives for the Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC). And, since Cass County Treasurer Tracey Marshall was not available to present her report for the quarter that ended June 30, 2025, the Board tabled discussion about the report, until they could hear from Marshall, and ask questions if necessary. Commenting on Marshall’s written report, Supervisor Pettinger said, however, “It looks good. It looks like we’re in good shape.”

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he’s closely following reports that say as many as 220 workers at the J-B-S meatpacking plant in Ottumwa are being told to leave the country as their work visas are being revoked. Grassley calls the actions “very significant” for the southeast Iowa city and knows it will create waves of uncertainty there and elsewhere. “From reports, it sounds like these workers were staying in the United States through a program called Temporary Protective Status,” Grassley says. “It’s obvious by its name this program was meant to be temporary, and the Department of Homeland Security is responsible for designating and terminating temporary protective status.” Reports say the workers are from nations including Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

Grassley, a Republican, says he understands the impact this type of decision has on rural communities and on Iowa livestock producers. “President Trump wants farmers to succeed and Congress is working with the administration to provide farmers with as much certainty as possible,” Grassley says, “but obviously, you have less certainty when these deportations take place, as legal as it might be.” KCRG-TV reports Ottumwa Mayor Rick Johnson says J-B-S is giving each worker one-thousand dollars to help them self-deport. Instead of pulling hundreds of workers from Iowa factories, Grassley says he’d rather see ICE and Homeland Security focus the spotlight elsewhere.

Senator Grassley (file)

“I hope that we’re giving primary consideration to the deportation of people that are on the terrorist watch list or people that are human traffickers or people that are criminals, and I doubt we’ve got them all rounded up yet at this point,” Grassley says, “so I would encourage emphasis upon that.” During a conference call this (Tuesday) morning with Iowa reporters, Grassley focused the blame on the Biden administration, under which he says, “the border was just opened up for anybody to come here.”