(Radio Iowa) – The annual “Water Rocks” summit is underway at Iowa State University for some 31 teachers representing 24 Iowa school districts. Spokesperson Ann Stout says the workshop participants range from kindergarten to high school teachers. “It’s helping to build educators’ awareness and their knowledge base of different environmental and agricultural topics, the interconnection of our water, our land, our wildlife in the state of Iowa,” Stout says. One topic they learn about is watersheds.

“So a watershed is an area of land that all drains to a common water body. So, everything that happens on that land can ultimately affect the rivers, the streams, the lakes where that water ends up,” she says. Stout says it’s something that has been at the top of the news lately with high nitrate levels in rivers that are impacting the water supply for Des Moines and surrounding cities. The event focuses first on water issues, but Stout says they also include some other environmental topics. They will have a professor from Central College in Pella teaching about the various bats in the state.

“He’s going to share some information about the exciting role of bats, the different bats that we have here in Iowa,” she says. “And then as part of that, we will also be going on a field experience and netting bats. So, he’ll be setting out large nets and we’ll be going out at dusk to be able to see what sort of bats use different habitats here in Iowa.” Stout says the goal is to give the teachers information they can use to teach their students about these topics.

“We’re not giving them a curriculum, but we’re giving them, I would describe it as enhanced learning activities that they can then put into their existing curriculum,” Stout says. The “Water Rocks” summit got underway today (Tuesday) in Ames and wraps up tomorrow.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Two members of the non-profit Anita Economic Development Corporation (ADC) appeared before the Cass County Board of Supervisors this (Tuesday) morning, to seek a loan from the County for a new housing development project in Anita, to transform what Darrell Hockenberry said “What was once one of the worst parts of Anita into one of the best areas in town.”

He said they have acquired about 80-percent of the dilapidated trailer park for the construction of new homes. Snyder and Associates Engineers have surveyed the property for the organization. Hockenberry said they have a great deal of support for the project from the City of Anita, Atlantic Municipal Utilities and CADCO (Cass-Atlantic Development Corporation), which has agreed to provide a $100,000 interest-free loan.

The homes will be built with a crawlspace foundation and will include a detached two-car garage. Local builders will construct the homes. Hockenberry He asked the county if they would be interested in backing a loan of about $250,000 so the AEDC can place their order for two of the homes. He said “We’re not looking for a hand-out. We’re just looking for some help to fund the project.”

No decision on the request was made during Tuesday’s meeting. The matter will instead be placed on the next meeting agenda for possible approval.

(Radio Iowa) – Ryan Melton, the Democratic candidate in Iowa’s fourth congressional district the past two elections, has suspended his 2026 campaign. Melton, who lives in Webster City, announced on social media it was a tough decision to exit the race, but Melton has been notified he’s losing his full time job in the private sector and needs to focus on finding a new job to support his family. Melton also said he’s dealing with a health concern he needs to prioritize and his campaign schedule had been hard on his six-year-old son.

Melton finished his 2024 race against Republican Congressman Randy Feenstra with nearly 33 percent of the vote, about two points better than his finish against Feenstra in 2022. Melton says he doesn’t regret a single minute of his campaigning over the past several years and it was an honor to build up the Democratic Party in an area of the state that’s been dominated by the G-O-P.

Ryan Melton

Feenstra, who was reelected last year to a third term in the U-S-House, has set up a committee to explore a run for governor. Republican Lynn Evans, a member of the state senate, announced last month that he’s exploring a campaign in Iowa’s fourth congressional district.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors, today, Tuesday, June 17^th, approved, pending a review by the Cass County Board of Adjustment, plans by Landus for improvements to their newly constructed anhydrous ammonia storage site south of their facility just west of Highway 71 (formerly Wickman Chemical), because of the proposed increased capacity. Kasey Harken, Capital Projects Lead at Landus talked about their current anhydrous capacity.

In addition to the Atlantic facility, Landus has a couple of tanks in Exira.

Harken says the site plan conforms to IDALS requirements. Officials with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship have inspected the site, and according to the agenda comments, have no issues with adding the additional tank.

After Harken explained the project, the Board received a monthly report from Cass/Guthrie County Executive Director of Environmental Health, Jotham Arber, and a presentation from officials with Anita Economic Development.

The Board discussed a bond counsel proposal from Ahlers-Cooney Attorneys, but tabled action on the matter until Board Chair Steve Baier could get some answers to the Board’s questions. They pased a resolution calling for an adjustment to the Medical Examiner fees (+$250) and the Medical Examiner’s Fee to review the necessary legal documents ($100), for a total of $350.

The Board also passed a resolution for a Rural Transit System Joint Participation Agreement with SWIPCO/SWITA. They approved a payroll status change for Hannah Rochter from Auditor’s Clerk to Auditor’s Clerk and Elections Specialist, at a rate of $24/hour, effective June 16, 2025. And, they approved the hiring of Brook Lilly as Auditor’s Clerk, effective June 30, 2025, at a rate of $23/hour.

Other Board action included Renewing the contract of County Engineer Trent Wolken for three-years (June 20, 2025-June 30, 2028).

(Deadwood, South Dakota) – In an update to our story over the weekend, officials with Lawrence County, South Dakota, Sheriff’s Office, released details about a fatal shooting that occurred last last Thursday, and that resulted in the death of an Audubon County (IA) man.

According to news release from Lawrence County Chief Deputy Sheriff Tavis Little, at around 5:22-p.m. Thursday, June 12, 2025, the Lawrence County Dispatch Center received a phone call regarding an altercation occurring at a rental cabin off Highway 385 South of Lead (SD). The altercation escalated into a physical fight between four men, all from Iowa and Nebraska.

Three of the men were staying at the cabin, and all involved people were there together as a group of UTV riders. During the fight, a .9-mm pistol possessed by one of the men involved in the fight was discharged one time. The bullet struck 59-year old Larry Petersen, from Audubon.

Petersen was pronounced dead at Lead-Deadwood Hospital. The name of the person whose weapon discharged has not yet been OFFICIALLY released by law enforcement. Authorities say their investigation is ongoing and additional details will be released at a later date.

(Griswold, Iowa) – The Griswold School District’s Board of Education, Monday night, approved personnel changes, including resignations and new hires. Superintendent Dave Henrichs…

Henrichs said the Board also approved the hiring of Andrew Almelien, as Elementary Classroom Teacher. In other business, the Board discussed the prioritizing of items identified during their May 19th walk through of District facilities.

And, they established Nutrition Prices.

Superintendent Henrichs said the Griswold School Board left the Convenience Fees for the 2025-26 school year unchanged.

(Radio Iowa) – Democrat Christina Bohannan has announced she intends to run again in Iowa’s first congressional district after losing to Republican Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks by 798 votes in 2024. Bohannan also ran against Miller-Meeks in 2022, losing by about 20-thousand votes. The first congressional district covers much of the southeast corner of Iowa, including Davenport, Iowa City, Newton and Indianola. The district is considered one of the most competitive in the U.S. House.

Bohannan, a University of Iowa law professor, said in a written statement that she’s running because Miller-Meeks has put partisan politics over Iowans again and again. Late last month, Miller-Meeks announced on social media that her campaign is going strong and she will seek reelection to a fourth term in the U-S-House.

Democratic congressional candidate Christina Bohannan campaigning at 2024 Iowa State Fair. (RI file photo)

Miller-Meeks is likely to face a Republican challenger in next year’s Primary election. Republican David Pautsch, of Davenport, came within 11 points of Miller-Meeks in the 2024 G-O-P Primary and he’s filed the paperwork for another race in 2026. The 2026 Primary Election is on June 2nd. The 2026 General Election is 504 days away.

(Fort Dodge, Iowa) – A search for a 16-year-old male from Fort Dodge reported missing/runaway by his family on Monday, June 16th, has ended with the recovery of his body. Officials with the Fort Dodge Police Department, today (Tuesday), said the body of Oliver J. Brockbank was found deceased in a body of water located southeast of 200th Street and Quail Avenue, in the Fort Dodge/Webster County area. His body was recovered with the assistance of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Story County Dive Team.

Investigators say at this time, there is no indication of foul play in connection with the death. Authorities extend their condolences to the family of the young man, and their thanks to multiple agencies who assisted in the search and investigation.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is joining with other lawmakers from Iowa and Illinois in seeking answers from the Secretary of the Army about future plans for the Rock Island Arsenal. Grassley says he’s hearing reports that several hundred jobs may soon be eliminated from the second largest employer in the Quad Cities, behind only John Deere. “I do not have an answer yet,” Grassley says. “In fact, since we have been slow at getting answers, we resubmitted almost the same letter again, making clear that they didn’t answer our questions and we need answers.” Grassley’s latest letter to Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll was dated Monday, while the original letter was sent April 4th.

The Arsenal, located on a large Mississippi River island between Davenport, Iowa and Rock Island, Illinois, is the only active U-S Army foundry. It makes everything from artillery and aircraft weapons systems to grenade launchers and howitzer canons.”We’ve been hearing rumors that government facilities for manufacturing some war material may be shut down,” Grassley says, “and I want to make clear that this Rock Island Arsenal and there’s other facilities, other places in the country that we need as backup.”

Rock Island Arsenal (Army Corps of Engineers photo)

The Arsenal employs some 250 military personnel and about six-thousand civilians.  “We depend so much on the private sector,” Grassley says, “and we should depend on the private sector, but just in case the private sector can’t meet our needs for war material, we’ve got government-run facilities that can fill in the void.”

An initial report indicated about 100 personnel would be let get with the shutdown of a data center, but Grassley say new reports indicate another 150 positions would be eliminated at the Arsenal’s headquarters along with 400 more positions across the facility.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Firefighters from Atlantic were paged-out to a hay bale fire at around 5:14-a.m. Today (Tuesday), at 56393 Highland Road, west of Atlantic. Atlantic Fire Chief Tom Cappel says when they arrived on the scene, there were numerous bales on hay on fire.

There were no structures damaged and no injuries reported. The cause of the fire remains undetermined.

Crews were back in the fire station by around 7-a.m.