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The group formed in March 2025, a year after a couple hundred thousand gallons of fertilizer polluted the East Nishnabotna River and resulted in more than 750,000 dead fish. Terry Langan, co-president of the organization, said the purpose of the billboards is to inform locals of what is in their water, alert them to the free nitrate testing kits available from the Izaak Walton League of America and to key them in on other water quality issues in the region. “We don’t want people to be poisoned; we don’t want people to have rising cancer rates,” Langan said.
Izaak Walton League’s Nitrate Watch program equips citizens with nitrate test strips so they can test and report the levels in the streams around them. According to the citizen-scientist data, nitrate levels in the Nishnabotna rivers exceeded concentrations of 10 milligrams per liter at various points this year. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency holds that concentrations above 10 mg/L can cause adverse health effects, specifically an illness known as blue-baby syndrome, which can be fatal to infants.
A billboard near Avoca encourage Iowans to monitor their water for nitrate. (Photo by Taylor Thomas/Nishnabotna Water Defenders)
Some research, however, has found that exposure at even lower levels could be linked to preterm birth and low birth weights and certain types of cancer. Water quality experts have said the high concentrations in the rivers this summer is linked to the heavy rains this year that followed years of drought conditions. Scientists in a comprehensive study of water quality in Polk County predicted that climate change will cause more of these weather patterns.
The report, in correlation with a lawn watering ban in Des Moines and surrounding communities due to high nitrate concentrations in the Raccoon and Des Moines rivers, have generated greater awareness of nitrate pollution in the water. “I think a lot of people operate under the assumption that everything was cool and the water is great, and it’s not,” Langan said. “That’s becoming very well known.”
The report from Polk County pointed to agriculture as the primary contributor to nitrate pollution in the river. Langan said Iowans are “suffering” from the “corporate capture” the agricultural industry has in Iowa. Scott Kovarovics, the executive director at the Izaak Walton League of America, said in a press release that nitrate pollution is a “serious” problem in Iowa, but also in other communities across the country.
“When local groups put up billboards along the highway, you know they are not just concerned— they’re fed up,” Kovarovics said of the Nishnabotna group’s actions. In addition to the partnership with Izaak Walton League to provide nitrate testing kits, Langan said Nishnabotna Water Defenders is working to raise funds to provide testing kits for other water pollutants that are also impacting the watershed.
The first billboard is located on U.S. Highway 59, outside of Avoca. Jodi Reese, Nishnabota Water Defender’s secretary, said the group chose that location because it’s near the Flying J gas station that spilled petroleum into the nearby West Nishnabotna River. Reese said the billboard highlights the “habitat death” of these spills and gets “people to think about what they’re drinking and what’s going on with their water.”
The group’s next billboard is slated to go up near Shenandoah, which – prior to the heavy rains this summer – had been under water conservation orders for more than a year. That billboard is also near Clarinda, where an algal bloom in the Nodaway River recently contaminated the city’s water supply. “This level of violence against the environment is not sustainable,” Langan said. “There are universal laws that are being violated. We’re going to end up – on this trajectory – in a wasteland.”
Langan hopes the billboards can extend beyond the Nishnabotna watershed and pop up in communities across the state. The group is hosting an event Oct. 12 in Red Oak to raise funds for additional water testing materials and the billboard initiative.
“There’s nothing more ubiquitous than water,” Langan said. “There’s nothing more sacred to us and more of a necessity – it literally runs through our bodies and through our neighborhoods.”
(Red Oak, Iowa) – A regular meeting of the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors takes place beginning at 9-a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 23rd, in Red Oak. On their agenda is a Courthouse maintenance update from Dan Wright, and comments with regard to the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions carbon sequestration pipeline project, from Montgomery County resident and pipeline critic, Jan Norris.
The Board will receive an update on City/School elections and Voter Registration, from Auditor Jill Ozuna, and act to approve claims payable for Wed., Sept. 24th.
Following regular business (and at around 9:15-a.m), the Supervisors in Montgomery County will hold a Budget Work Session, with regard to the FY2027 County Budget.
In other business, the Atlantic City Council will receive an annual presentation from Cass-Atlantic Development Corporation (CADCO) Executive Director Jennifer McEntaffer, and act on orders to approve temporary street closures on Oct. 3rd for the Homecoming Parade, and Oct. 11th for the Fireman’s Parade.
They will also act on an Order to approve a new assistant City Attorney Agreement with Kaleigh Koch, who is with the Crary-Huff Law Firm. The Council will review and act on: a recommendation with regard to City-owned property at 302 Birch Street; An Order regarding Steve Livengood’s request for a flagpole in the street and sidewalk right-of-way in front of 318 Elm Street.
Other action on their agenda includes: the Third and Final Reading of an Ordinance vacating that portion of the right-of-way between 401 and 411 Laurel Street; The Second Reading of an Ordinance amending the City Code with regard to Flood Plain Regulations; and, the First Reading of an Ordinance regulating the use of Electric Scooters, Motorized Scooters and Low-Speed Vehicles, as recommend by the Community Protection Committee.
City Administrator John Lund is expected to report on a Federal Jury Summons he has received, and, Mayor Grace Garrett is expected to announce that Halloween Trick-or-Treating will take place in Atlantic on Oct. 31st, from 5-until 7-p.m.
(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird says colleges and universities should not use the murder of Charlie Kirk to suppress the free speech rights of students. Bird says colleges should not create what she called an “assassin’s veto” by imposing security costs or facility fees that prevent conservatives, liberals or non-political speakers from appearing on campus.
Bird spoke earlier today (Friday) during taping of the Iowa Press program the airs on Iowa P-B-S and did not directly comment on the investigation of some social media posts made by staff at the three state-supported universities. However, Bird said free speech rights in the public square are very different than free speech rights in the workplace that are subject to employment policies.
(Radio Iowa) – The Board of Regents has approved the 26-member advisory council the proposed Center for Intellectual Freedom at the University of Iowa. Regent Nancy Dunkel asked the meeting Thursday that the vote be delayed as she had concerns about the makeup of council.
Dunkel also says she is concerned that a number of the people on the advisory board would be from out of state. Regent Christine Hensley has led the process to put the board together and says there will be oversight of the decisions.
Hensley says they shouldn’t delay and she is confident they have a good group for the advisory council.
Regent David Barker also said it is important to keep the process moving.
Other Regents pointed out they can indicate the involvement of the council members in the bylaws. The list of council members includes three Iowa regents, the Fareway C-E-O Reynolds Cramer, and former governor Terry Branstad. It also includes former Republican Congressman Greg Ganske. The list also includes professors from Northwestern, Princeton and Stanford. The list was approved on a vote of 7-2 with Dunkel and student Regent Lucy Gipple both voting against it.
(Radio Iowa) – Activists in Council Bluffs are taking to the streets to help people who are homeless through a new program called “A Path Forward.” Chasity Kephart is a first responder community health coach with the Council Bluffs Police Department. She spent last week hiking along the Missouri River, reaching out to people who need help.
Kephart says they helped more than 40 people last week and plan to connect with many more when they return to the riverfront next week. She says a majority of the homeless people are struggling with addiction, mental health and economic issues.
Kephart says hands-on support seems to be a better option in connecting people with resources. Sixteen different agencies are participating in the project.
SCHOOL BOARDS THAT WILL BE ON VARIOUS BALLOTS IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Red Oak School Board:
Director At Large – Vote for Three: Kelly Osheim; Bret Blackman; Bryce Johnson.
Director At Large TFV- Vote for One: Ricky A. Rohrig.
Stanton School Board:
Director At Large – Vote for Three: Alex Cabbage; Ryan Hart; Jaclyn Hoyt; Cameron Lewellen.
Villisca School Board:
Director At Large – Vote for Two: Thomas Gourley; Leland Shipley.
Southwestern Community College:
Director District #1 – Vote for One: Jane Ernst.
Director District #3 – Vote for One: Susan Stearns.
Director District #5 – Vote for One: Kevin Britten.
Director District #6 – Vote for One: Zach Gunsolley.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Auditor’s Office, Friday (today), released the names of candidates who will appear on the November 4th ballot for school elections in Cass County.
Atlantic School Board – Member at Large
CAM School Board Member – South
CAM School Board Member – North
CAM School Board Member – At Large
Griswold School Board – At Large
Griswold School Board – Director 3
Griswold School Board – Director 4
(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Police Department reports four arrests occurred recently. On Tuesday, Sept 16th, 23-year-old Jlast Ewar, of Atlantic, was arrested on a warrant for Failure To Appear on an original charge of Theft in the 5th Degree.
On Sept. 14th, 35-year-old Jordan Foster, of Atlantic, was arrested for OWI/1st offense, and possession of carrying of dangerous weapons while under the influence.
Atlantic Police arrested 27-year-old Charles Adams, of Atlantic, on Sept. 12th, for Disorderly Conduct/fighting or violent behavior. And, 22-year-old KR Mwarecheong, of Atlantic, was arrested on the 12th, for Public Intoxication and Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree.
(DES MOINES, IA) – The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) Board today, (Friday), approved awards for six companies, which will assist in the creation and retention of 305 jobs and result in $267 million in new capital investment for the state. These projects are located in Altoona, Ankeny, Eldridge, Fairfield, Iowa City and Knoxville. The board also approved assistance for startups in Coralville, Iowa City and Waukee. In addition, projects in Bondurant, Shenandoah and West Des Moines received a Destination Iowa grant and projects in Lenox, Newton and Louisa County received a Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT) grant. IEDA recently approved assistance from Iowa’s State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) Innovation Fund for a startup in Iowa City.
In southwest Iowa, a Destination grant of $600,000 was awarded to the Southwest Iowa Nature Trails Project, Inc. and City of Shenandoah, which plans to build the Wabash Trace Rapp Park Connector Trail, linking the 63-mile-long Wabash Trace Nature Trail to the outdoor recreation opportunities in southwest Iowa. The project is valued at $2.5-million. The different components aim to upgrade and create safer off-road connections to different sporting activities, local shops and the 200-acre Rapp Park. It is estimated that the trail will draw 75,000 annual visitors. The Destination Iowa program invests in transformational attractions that will bolster the quality of life and attract visitors and new residents. It helps Iowa communities make strategic investments to create and support infrastructure projects for lasting tourism opportunities. Award recommendations for these funds are made by an internal and external review committee and presented to the IEDA Board for approval.
And, a CAT (Community Attraction and Tourism) Grant of $162,000, was awarded to the City of Lenox, to renovate the public swimming pool complex, including the shallow pool area, spray features, climbing wall and basketball hoops. The total project cost is $541,000. The CAT program provides financial assistance to communities for the construction of recreational, cultural, educational or entertainment facilities that enhance the quality of life in Iowa. Award recommendations for these funds are made by the CAT Review Committee to the IEDA Board for approval.
For more information on the other grant awards, go to https://opportunityiowa.gov/press-release/2025-09-19/ieda-board-approves-assistance-six-established-companies-three-startups-and-six-community-quality.
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