(Greenfield, Iowa) – Two men were arrested on separate Adair County warrants, last week. Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports 36-year-old Nicholas Allan Newcomb, of Des Moines, was arrested at around 12:10-a.m., Thursday (June 5th) at the Polk County Jail, on an Adair County warrant for Contempt of Court/Violation of a No Contact/Protective Order. Newcomb was held in the Adair County Jail until he served his required sentence and was released later that same day.

At around 12:40-p.m. Thursday, Adair County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 27-year-old Francisco Alberto Salazar Barragan, of West Point, NE., on an Adair County Bench Warrant for Violation of Probation. Salazar-Barragan was being held without bond pending an appearance in Adair County District Court.

(Radio Iowa) – A parade of tractors rolled through Dyersville this weekend as part of the annual Farm Toy celebration. Jerry Klostermann of Bankston was driving his Case I-H 52-50 — a working tractor that’s nearly nine feet tall. “It’s about 110 horsepower tractor…We use it on the mixer mill at home all the time,” Klostermann said. “We just take a power washer and wash it off for taking it on the tractor ride and tomorrow it’ll be back grinding feed again.”

The annual Farm Toy celebration rolls through Dyersville. (Photo by KMCH’s Janelle Tucker)

Eighty-year-old Henry Joosten of Green Bay, Wisconsin, has been coming to Dyersville for the past 22 years to participate in the event, which includes a tractor ride through the countryside. “It’s the only way to see Iowa,” Joosten said. “It’s the only real way to see what God gave us to take care of. You can go on a car, on a motorcycle, but there’s nothing like seeing it on a tractor.”

The National Farm Toy Museum in Dyersville hosts the annual event, which started in 1987. The two-story museum features over 30-thousand toys, scale models and replicas of farm equipment.

(Lewis, Iowa) – Officials with Trees Forever say, “For you prairie and gardening types, this should interest you.” Cass County Conservation and Trees Forever are hosting an “Intro to Prairie and Plant ID” prairie walk on Thursday, June 12^th starting at 6:00 pm out at Cold Springs County Park. Cass County Naturalist Lora Kanning will lead the tour and you can even get your hands dirty helping with a small planting after.

More information on the Trees Forever website or the Cass County Conservation Board website and more field days are scheduled in Cass County for July 10^th, August 14^th and September 11^th so don’t miss out!

MASON CITY, Iowa – June 9, 2025 – There is good news for summer travel in northeast Iowa and western Wisconsin as the Iowa DOT is reopening the Iowa 9 / Wisconsin 82 bridge across the Mississippi River connecting Lansing, Iowa, and Crawford County, Wisconsin. The bridge will be opened to traffic starting approximately 10:00 AM on Monday, June 9.

The Iowa DOT District 2 office closed the IA 9 / WIS 82 bridge on Saturday, May 17, when sensors detected movement.  Following a detailed inspection and engineering analysis, Iowa DOT has determined that the bridge is safe for motor vehicle traffic with the same size and weight restrictions that were in place prior to May 17.  Iowa DOT will continually monitor the bridge to ensure safety.

A new bridge is being constructed alongside the existing bridge. Iowa DOT anticipates another multi-week closure of the existing bridge this summer to allow for certain construction activities on the new bridge.  The department is planning to keep the bridge open at least through the July 4 weekend and will publicize any future planned closures at least one week in advance.  Planned closures will be announced through the project web page, the project Facebook page, local media, on variable message signs on either end of the bridge, and through 511 Iowa.

Even while the bridge is open, Iowa DOT will continue to offer a shuttle and water taxi service which offers a scenic and relaxing way to cross the river.  The service is offered Monday through Saturday, with scheduled departures starting as early as 6:45 AM and ending at 5:37 PM.  The service includes designated vehicle parking areas at the Lansing City Hall in Iowa and the DeSoto Community Center in Wisconsin.  From those locations, a shuttle will drive passengers to the river landings where the water taxi will cross the river.

The shuttle / ferry service is free for all passengers. Locations, schedules, and other details and are available online at https://iowadot.gov/modes-travel/roads-highways/major-construction-projects/mississippi-river-bridge-lansing/free-shuttle-water-taxi.

For more information on the construction of the new Mississippi River Bridge at Lansing as well as updates on the existing bridge status, go to iowadot.gov/lansingbridge and sign up to receive updates directly to your inbox or check out our Facebook page www.facebook.com/LansingBridge/.

(Radio Iowa) – There’s a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the person or people responsible for a week long fire at a northwest Iowa ethanol that caused significant damage. The fire at the POET facility in Emmetsburg started in the evening on May 12. Stacks of the corn stover used to make ethanol burned and POET estimates $5 million worth of the material was destroyed.

The Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office and fire investigators say the fire is being “treated as an act of arson.” The general manager of the plant says it was “a serious criminal act that put people and property at risk.”

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City of Atlantic’s Planning and Zoning Commission will meet 5:30-p.m. Tuesday, June 10th, in the City Council’s Chambers at City Hall. The Commission is expected to review and discuss an Industrial Building Addition site plan for Olsen Properties, LLC, at 5 Commerce Street.  Owner Keith Olsen is seeking a permit to build an addition to his warehouse on the site, for the purpose of cold storage, mostly delivery truck storage. The site permit will allow the current structure to be “squared-off,” so trucks and equipment can be stored and protected from the outside elements. The proposed addition is 33-feet by 30-feet (or, 990-square feet), on the northeast side of the existing building.

The Commission will also review and discuss the City Council’s referral on vacating a “Phantom” right-of-way between 401 Laurel, 405 Laurel, and 411 Laurel. During the May 21, 2025 City Council meeting, Mr. Rob Stamp requested that a phantom alley be vacated near his property. He was informed the process begins with a letter to the Council and then is referred to the Planning & Zoning Commission for review and a recommendation to the City Council on action. Since the format of the letter was not specified, Mr. Stamp, being very successful with his business and short on time, chose to submit his letter in the form of a napkin and it has been scanned for Council. He has since provided a map of the property in question.

City Administrator John Lund says Public Works Director Kirk Knudsen, Wastewater Superintendent Tim Snyder, and representatives of AMU’s electric and water divisions have reviewed the alley, and no hidden
utilities or utility easements exist on this property. The supermajority of the phantom alley is in the flood plain. The lots abutting the alley are a mixture of “I-1” or Light Industrial, “I-2” or Heavy Industrial, or “R-3” High-Density Residential. Given the proximity of the phantom alley to industrial property, being located largely in the flood plain, and the fact that alleys have fallen out of favor in modern residential land use planning, there is little value of this alley to the City for future development.

In other business, the Planning and Zoning Commission will review, discuss, and vote on proposed Phase 1 Zoning Ordinance changes for Articles 1-though 6 of the City’s Zoning Ordinance, and forward their report to the City Council.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa-born astronaut Peggy Whitson and three crewmates are preparing for tomorrow morning’s launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket headed for the International Space Station. Calling herself a “science nerd,” the 65-year-old Whitson says the two-week Axiom Space mission will be packed with some 60 experiments to conduct aboard the orbiting station. “This mission will focus on a diverse range of science, technology demonstrations, and outreach activities that will benefit not just the space community, but people back here on Earth,” Whitson says. “We’ll be conducting research that spans biology, material and physical sciences, as well as technology demonstrations.”

Whitson is director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space and this Ax-4 mission is her second with the private, Houston-based firm. She flew three missions with NASA prior to retiring from the agency in 2018. Considered America’s most experienced astronaut, Whitson says she’s thrilled to be returning to the ISS for this venture. “As a science nerd, I’m most looking forward to seeing the impact of our research,” Whitson says. “In particular, one investigation that will serve as a pathfinder to one day enable people with diabetes to fly in space, and another looking at the effectiveness of two novel types of medications for inhibiting cancer cell growth.”

Joy, the mission’s zero-g indicator (Axiom Space photo)

To date, no diabetic has ever gone into orbit. “You may not know, but a person with diabetes can’t fly in space because it’s disqualifying and not considered to be safe because we wouldn’t know how their bodies would respond,” Whitson says. “So if we have the appropriate technology to monitor the individuals, we feel that we can open up that door and that path for a lot of folks in the world and just open up space a little bit more.”

Whitson is mission commander, and her three teammates hail from different countries: India, Hungary, and Poland. During an Axiom Space news conference last week, Whitson revealed the mission’s stuffed mascot, a fuzzy white swan with a black-and-yellow beak named Joy. She says the bird will be their “zero-gravity indicator,” as it will float around in the SpaceX Dragon capsule once they leave the Earth’s atmosphere.

“Joy represents the shared aspirations of three nations, united in their return to human spaceflight,” Whitson says. “The swan is rich in cultural symbolism. It stands for wisdom in India, resilience in Poland, and grace in Hungary. Through Joy, we will celebrate our diversity and our unity in the shared journey of space exploration.”

Ax-4 crew (Axiom Space photo)

Whitson, who grew up on a farm near Beaconsfield, has spent 675 days in orbit, more time than any other woman astronaut. Launch of Ax-4 is scheduled for 7:22 AM/Central on Tuesday from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Watch the launch live HERE.

(Creston, Iowa) – Three people were arrested over the past few days in Creston. According to the Creston Police Department, at around 12:36-a.m. Saturday, June 7th, 33-year-old Jessie Ann Peckham, of Clearfield, Iowa, was arrested at 403 E Townline in Creston. Peckham was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance – Marijuana 1st Offense, Possess Drug Paraphernalia, Operating While Under the Influence 1st Offense, and Possession of Controlled Substance – Methamphetamine 1st Offense. She was taken to the Union County Jail, where bond was set at $3,000.

Friday evening, 21-year-old Jayden Ronald Vernon Peavler, of Creston, was arrested at his residence. Peavler was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault W/Intent or Displays Weapon, and Harassment 1st degree. Bond was set at $4,000. And, Friday afternoon, 50-year-old Nichole Ann Hayes, of Creston, was arrested in the 1500 block of N Lincoln in Creston, and charged with Operating While Under the Influence/1st offense. Hayes was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on a promise to appear in court.

(Radio Iowa) – A request by Pattison Company in Clayton County to nearly quadruple its water usage to more than three-point-seven (3.7) billion gallons has raised concerns among county residents. The Pattison company already uses around one billion gallons of water a year in its quarry, and residents worry the increase could dry up their wells. Company manager Kyle Pattison tells K-C-R-G T-V it’s not about expanding their operation, it’s about increased costs by not being able to use the water under them. “It would increase our costs somewhat, which has an impact on the amount of people we can employ and the wages that we can pay them,” Pattison says. The D-N-R met with some resident last month to discuss some of their concerns, and one common issue was the long-term impact on water levels in the area if Pattison’s permit is approved. Pattison said increased water usage would leave water in the same levels as before.

“We haven’t seen any cone of depression area outside of our site, and really on any of our wells,” he says. Pattison tells K-C-R-G T-V they are having little impact on the water system. “All the water runs from the west to the Mississippi river and the east to the Mississippi river so we’re just changing its path for a short bit and then it ends up in the same spot,” Pattison says. The city of Garnavillo wrote a letter to the D-N-R, sharing concerns about draining water from the area and possible water contamination. Pattison responds: “There’s groundwater all around in this area that goes into the drinking water, and the only problem I’m aware of is just nitrates from the farmers,” Pattison says.

Pattison says the company wouldn’t necessarily use the full three-point-seven billion gallons of water the permit would allow, but it would use much more than it’s currently allowed.

(Iowa News Service) – During Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, mental health advocacy groups are highlighting treatment and medication advances in the last decade. Developments are helping people see the early warning signs of dementia, and teaching them how to plan for the future living with a disease that, so far, has no cure.

The Alzheimer’s Association Iowa Chapter‘s Communications Director Lauren Livingston said while a cure is still not on the horizon, all the work that has gone into research and fundraising has helped advocates make progress, and allowed patients to extend the time they have with their families.

During Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, the Alzheimer’s Assoc. says it needs at least 50,000 people to participate in ongoing clinical trials examining potential new treatments, with hundreds of thousands more for broader dementia-related studies.

“So just in the last, really, five to 10 years, we have learned so much more about Alzheimer’s disease than we did in the previous several decades,” said Livingston. “And because of that, there are treatments available for those in the early stage of Alzheimer’s disease that can actually slow the progression.” She added that the Alzheimer’s Association holds several fundraisers during June, including a bike ride to raise money on June 21, the longest day of the year.

More than 62,000 Iowans live with Alzheimer’s disease. Beyond treatments, Livingston added that researchers have also made other important discoveries about Alzheimer’s in the last few years. “We know a lot more about the risk factors that cause Alzheimer’s disease and a lot of them, nearly 50% of them, are modifiable risk factors,” said Livingston, “like your blood pressure and your health, and how much sleep you’re getting and things like that.”

The Alzheimer’s Association has published a list of 10 healthy habits to stave off Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. That, and a lot more information, is online at alz.org.