(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Red Oak Police Department reports six juvenile males were arrested Monday, following an investigation into a report of harassing phone calls. The victim, a local teacher, reported receiving multiple calls from various phone numbers. Authorities said the callers appeared to be young males attempting to disguise their voices, with audible laughter heard in the background.

Officers were able to trace the phone numbers to a group of juvenile males, on Monday evening, the suspects were arrested for Harassment in the 3rd Degree, a simple misdemeanor. All juveniles were subsequently released to the custody of their parents.

Red Oak Police say the incident “Should serve as a reminder that prank calls are not harmless – they are considered harassment under the law. Individuals engaging in this type of behavior can and will face legal consequences.”

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – A new WalletHub report ranks Iowa as the state with the worst economy in the nation. The report ranked states according to economic activity, economic health and innovation potential. Out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, Iowa ranked last in economic activity, 48th in economic health and 28th in innovation potential. The report also claims Iowa has one of the lowest changes in GDP, the lowest amount of startup activity and one of the lowest changes in non-farm payrolls.

Despite that report, the head of Iowa’s economic development agency told a Cedar Rapids Rotary Club Monday that the state’s economy is strong. She also acknowledged one big issue holding the economy down. KCRG-TV says that while Iowa Economic Development director Debi Durham celebrated the successes of Iowa’s economy, she also highlighted a major issue holding it back: slow population growth and an aging population.

Iowa has about 1.6 million workers. That’s about 20,000 less than it had before the Pandemic. Without more workers, companies have a hard time expanding or moving to Iowa. Some cities, like Cedar Rapids are concentrating on bringing younger workers to Iowa by increasing quality of life items, like the trail system and trying to attract businesses that would be more popular with the younger generation.

Debbie Durham says economic development depends on quality of life, housing, and creating a state where people want to settle down. According to Durham, Iowa needs to capitalize on tourism efforts that already bring people to the state. She and other community leaders say despite the population problem, Iowa’s economy is better now than it has been for a long time.

(Creston, Iowa) – A man who swerved to avoid striking three people who ran across the street Monday night in Creston, struck two legally parked vehicles, but no one was injured. A third legally parked vehicle was struck by one of the other parked vehicles during the accident.  According to the Creston Police Department, 52-year-old Jason Lohoff, of Creston, was driving a 2008 Pontiac G6 southbound on Elm Street at around 9:50-p.m., when the incident occurred.

When his car swerved, it struck the driver’s side mirror of a parked 2021 Cadillac SUV, the rear and side of a parked 2013 BMW 328Xi. The BMW moved forward and struck a parked 2022 Hyundai Kona. Damage to the parked vehicles amounted to $2,600. Lohoff’s car sustained $1,000 damage and had to be towed away.

No citations were issued.

(Radio Iowa) – The Trump Administration is closing all Job Corps Centers in the U-S by the end of this month, including centers in Denison and Ottumwa. The federal program has provided free education, vocational training and housing to young adults since 1964, but a U-S Department of Labor analysis concludes the centers cost too much to operate and have a national graduation rate of 38 percent. Representative Steven Holt, a Republican from Denison, says that’s not the case in Denison, where the graduation rate is over 94 percent.

“That federal data may be indicative of some of the centers, but it’s certainly not indicative of the centers here in Denison and Ottumwa,” Holt says. “They’re very successful. They’re very important to our communities, to the young people that are served by them and I’m hoping we can get this changed.” Representative Hans Wilz, a Republican from Ottumwa, says the center in his community has been highly successful. “They’re not just going to Job Corps. They’re working in our businesses,” Wilz said. “…Their placement rate is 90%.”

Holt says the students at the Denison Job Corps Center have been told to leave by June 12th. “It just seems to be happening very, very quickly and so that is a big concern to me. These are some young people who are, in some cases, going to be homeless and don’t have anywhere else to go,” Holt says. “…These young people, in a lot of cases, have had their trust violated over and over again and now here is a situation where they’re are going to feel like something they could believe in to give them these opportunities has also turned out not to be there for them.”

Wilz says the 240 students in Ottumwa also have to find somewhere else to live by June 12th and there’s a job fair today (Tuesday) in Ottumwa to try to help them find jobs and get a fresh start in adulthood.”These kids are out there, going to make a livable wage, have a family, get involved in their community, be great employers for the company they’re with,” Wilz said. Wilz says the program has worked closely with Ottumwa High School and Indian Hills Community College to help at risk students find success.

AVOCA – The Regional Water Rural Water Association announced Monday (June 2nd) that the drinking water boil advisory for their system, which went into effect on May 14, 2025, has been lifted effective immediately. This strictly applies to the direct customers of Regional Water.

The boil advisory remains in effect for those living within the city limits of Brayton, Exira, Earling, Panama, and Portsmouth while water samples continue to be collected and analyzed, with an estimated completion date of Wednesday, June 4, 2025.

To lift a boil advisory, two sets of negative bacteria samples must be obtained. Regional Water has completed its two sets of bacteria samples for their system, and both are negative. Regional Water’s water towers across the system have maintained pressure throughout the last week. Customers’ conservation practices and measures have proven helpful in filling the water towers.

While the water towers are currently in good standing, residents are asked to continue to be mindful of water conservation and use. Even with the anticipated boil advisory being lifted later this week, drought conditions continue to impact southwest Iowa. Until the temporary booster station is in place and running, water availability remains a concern.

The completion of the temporary booster pump between the region and Council Bluffs was delayed due to wet weather last week. However, in the last few days the area was dry enough to continue pipeline construction and testing; barring any unforeseen circumstances, Regional Water hopes the connection between Council Bluffs and Regional Water’s system will be completed around June 11.

Residents should be aware that if water use goes beyond the capacity of the system, the towers could lose pressure. If the towers lose pressure below 20 PSI, a boil advisory will go into effect again. The connection with the City of Council Bluffs will hopefully prevent overuse from happening. However, until that connection is complete, residents can help limit water use:

1. Limit (or avoid) watering or irrigation of lawns.
2. Limit (or avoid) washing vehicles, except at commercial establishments that provide that service as their only means of income. In these cases, hours of use will be restricted to 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
3. No water shall be used to fill private swimming pools, children’s wading pools, or similar articles.
4. No water shall be used to clean streets, driveways, sidewalks, etc.
5. Large volume water users, including industries, motels, hotels, eating establishments, and livestock confinements are requested to scale back services and/or production.
6. Schools are strongly urged to cancel physical education activities and inter-scholastic competitions that require showers or attract crowds and take other actions to reduce water consumption.

Regional Water wants to thank its customers for their patience and perseverance through the last several months. We know it has not been easy. Please know, Regional Water continues to work closely with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to ensure safe drinking water is delivered to its customers.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Trial in Cass County District Court in the case of an Atlantic man charged with the death of a child in his care, has been continued until late September. According to online court records, the trail for 25-year-old Corbin Michael Loudermilk, who was set to appear before a jury on June 17th, was pushed back instead, to September 23rd.

Loudermilk – who has waived his right to a speedy trial – faces felony charges of First-Degree Murder and Child Endangerment Resulting in Death, in connection with a child who was found unresponsive this past January, and who medical professionals say died from multiple head injuries allegedly caused by impact or shaking. He’s pleaded not guilty.

Loudermilk’s pre-trial conference is scheduled for September 8. He remains in custody at the Cass County Jail.

DES MOINES— Today (Monday, June 2, 2025), Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed House File 784, the Math Counts Act, a law focused on improving math achievement in Iowa schools through early identification, targeted intervention, and evidence-based instruction. “One of the greatest predictors of future success in the classroom and workplace, along with early literacy, is math proficiency,” Gov. Reynolds said. “This bill will ensure children who are struggling in math are identified and receive the personalized help that they need.”

The legislation strengthens math education by requiring schools to screen students for math proficiency, create individualized support plans, provide evidence-based professional development for teachers, align educator preparation programs, and offer families tools to support learning at home.

While Iowa experienced some of the largest reading gains among students from low-income backgrounds in the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), Iowa continued to fall behind in math, underscoring the critical need to support evidence-based mathematics instruction statewide.

“Alongside teachers and families, the Math Counts Act championed by Governor Reynolds will help ensure all children in need of support are identified and receive personalized plans that empower them to meet high expectations,” said Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow. “Building upon Iowa’s new rigorous academic standards and support for high-quality instructional materials, this bipartisan legislation further realizes our commitment to evidence-based instruction and can serve as a model for the nation.”

The law also directs the Department of Education to implement a statewide plan and approve math screeners for K-6 classrooms.  HF 784 goes into effect July 1, 2025.

(Radio Iowa) – A Democrat from northwest Iowa who’s been a member of the Iowa House since 2023 is running for the U-S Senate. State Representative J-D Scholten of Sioux City says he decided to run Friday after he heard Iowa Senator Joni Ernst’s response when a woman suggested people would die if Republicans follow through on proposed cuts to Medicaid. “She said: ‘We’re all going to die,'” Scholten said. “Well, my version of that is we all don’t have to die so that billionaires can have a bigger tax break.” Scholten was on his way to a funeral when Ernst’s remark hit the airwaves.

“Sitting at that funeral, listening to everything, I was just like, ‘I can’t sit on the sidelines.’ I think most folks know me by now as being pretty competitive,” Scholten says. “…Then the next day when (Ernst) doubled down and I felt had a very cruel and sarcastic response, I knew I had to do this.” Scholten ran for the United States House of Representatives twice and, in 2018, came within three points of defeating longtime G-O-P Congressman Steve King.

Scholten, who has played pro baseball for teams in seven countries, got a last minute call before a game last July to pitch for Sioux City’s minor league team and wound up pitching the rest of the season. Scholten was just re-activated Sunday by the Sioux City Explorers and the 45 year old plans to pitch for the team this summer. “One thing that I learned last summer was that opportunity doesn’t come at convenient times and so, for me, I just was like, you know, I’ve got to do it,” Scholten says. “And the team was great and they were very supportive and had my back and so I felt like I just had to do it.”

Democrat J.D. Scholten Radio Iowa photo)

Scholten enters a potentially crowded contest among Democrats for the party’s U-S Senate nomination. Nathan Sage, the head of the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce, has been campaigning for several weeks and two other Democrats who are currently serving in the Iowa legislature have indicated they may jump in the race. Scholten says he’s prepared for a primary after running for congress twice. “You know in my 2018 campaign in a district Trump won by 27, we moved the needle 24 points and nearly pulled it off,” Scholten said.

“When it comes to a Democratic Primary, I’m the only one with federal experience. I’m the only one who’s won in a Trump district, which I did last fall. I’ve overformed in every single race I’ve been in.” In 2024, Scholten won his race for a seat in the Iowa legislature by seven points. Scholten says once the baseball season ends, he’ll visit each of Iowa’s 99 counties. In other campaign news, a Republican who’s been serving in the Iowa House since 2021 has filed the paperwork for a campaign for governor in 2026.

Representative Eddie Andrews of Johnston has sent his supporters an email saying he’ll make a major announcement about his political future on Wednesday.

(Council Bluffs, IA) –After a thorough evaluation process, the Community Foundation for Western Iowa and its Impact Grants Committee – a group of county residents and board members – have announced this year’s grant award recipients. The Community Foundation elected to award 42 Community Impact Grants totaling $65,364.00 to nonprofit and city organizations throughout Pottawattamie County. Community Grants Award Announcement – June 2025

The Community Foundation received 72 grant proposals totaling $285,630.33 in project requests, with combined total project budgets exceeding $9 million, signifying the incredible work being done in the communities throughout Pottawattamie County.

Among the grant recipients was:

• The Carson Community Rodeo, $2,000
  

  Aug 02, 2024: Check Presentation with Carson Rodeo

• The City of Avoca ($1,450 for Avoca Main Street entertainment & customer engagement; & Holidays on Main, $1,000).
• Macedonia Historical Preservation Society, $1,000.
• The Oakland Volunteer Fire & rescue Dept., $1,214.
• Southwest Iowa Art Tour,$1,000.
• Walnut Community Center Foundation, Inc., $2,500.

Individual grant awards for this year’s funding cycle ranged from $500 to $4,000 to benefit innovative and meaningful projects that align with the Foundation’s mission to improve the lives of all county residents. Annually, Community Impact Grants funding is eligible to any tax-exempt, nonprofit organization or governmental entity for creative or impactful projects that meet a clear, identifiable need in Pottawattamie County. Grants are allocated to projects in a variety of focus areas, such as: Arts & Culture, Community Betterment, Community Engagement, Education, Environment, Health, Human
Services, and Youth.

Jul 17 2024: Check Presentation with Avoca Farmers Market

Donna Dostal, CEO of the Community Foundation for Western Iowa, states: “On behalf of the Board of Directors, Impact Grants Committee, and staff at the Community Foundation for Western Iowa, we are honored to support the transformative work of our nonprofit and city partners. Pottawattamie County and southwest Iowa are strengthened every day by the work of these mission-driven organizations to build stronger, healthier, and vibrant communities. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to each of these outstanding organizations and look forward to the lasting change these grants will help bring to our communities.”

The majority of the Community Foundation’s grant-making is directed by donors who have established funds to purposefully impact charities located within our community and throughout Western Iowa. The Community Impact Grants are given from the discretionary funds of the Community Foundation. Dostal added that individuals and businesses can create their own fund through the Community Foundation to “give back,” and contributions can receive major tax benefits. In 2024, investors at the Community Foundation awarded 320 grants totaling nearly $3.9 million to a variety of nonprofit organizations.

For information on creating a fund, please call 712-256-7007 or visit www.givewesterniowa.org for details.
The Community Foundation for Western Iowa is nationally accredited by the Council on Foundations
(www.cfstandards.org)

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce report “AtlanticFest,” presented by First Whitney Bank & Trust, will be held Saturday, August 9th rain or shine. AtlanticFest is an annual festival that serves as a fundraiser for the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce.

2024 AtlanticFest

Chamber Program Director Kelsey Beschorner says “AtlanticFest is the largest fundraiser of the year for the Chamber. Our sponsors help cover a lot of the costs of the event, allowing us to raise funds through registration fees and pop stand sales. We use the funds from AtlanticFest to continue to grow community events while also supporting business-based programs. We love this partnership with First Whitney Bank and the experience AtlanticFest offers the community. It also gives us the chance to support local businesses and civic organizations.”

Downtown Atlantic will be filled with fun activities for the whole family to enjoy! Come early and start your day with a pancake breakfast or enjoy a 5K run/2K walk in the Annual Road Race with chip timing. There will be crafters from all over the Southwest Iowa area to browse through, as well as some of the best food vendors around that offer a wide variety of menu choices. Kids can enjoy fun bounce houses and games throughout City Park. The 27th Annual Car Show and 10th Annual Motorcycle Show will be taking place once again this year. Also returning is the bags tournament that will be held in City Park. And with free entertainment throughout the day, the activities are endless.

Preregistration for the Car Show, Motorcycle Show, Road Race, and Bags Tournament is open now, with day-of registration accepted. Registration to be a craft or food vendor is also being accepted now through August 4th. To register for any activity, visit www.atlanticiowa.com, email chamber@atlanticiowa.com or call the Chamber office at 712-243-3017.

AtlanticFest is sponsored by: First Whitney Bank & Trust, Gregg Young of Atlantic, A.M. Cohron & Son, Atlantic Municipal Utilities, Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Roland Funeral Home, Armour Insurance, Brocker Karns & Karns, Nishna Valley Family YMCA, Brown’s Shoe Fit, Salute Gymnastics, Camblin Plumbing & Heating, McAtee Tire, Rush CPA & Associates, Rolling Hills Bank & Trust, Atlantic Home Reality, The Downtowner, and Wiota Steakhouse.