(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.

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds says she’s really close to a decision on a bill that would limit carbon pipeline developers ability to use eminent domain to seize land along the pipeline route. Governor Reynolds has until Saturday to sign or veto all the bills that cleared the 2025 Iowa legislature. Late Friday, the governor’s office announced Reynolds had signed two dozen bills.

She approved the bill to require some able-bodied adults who get insurance through the government’s Medicaid program to work at least 80 hours a month. It would apply to Iowans with incomes up to 136 percent of the poverty level under an expansion of Medicaid approved a decade ago — if the federal government grants Iowa a waiver to enforce the policy. Reynolds says government programs should foster a culture of work and adults who can work should work.

The governor also approved a policy that requires public schools to let private school students who live in the district participate in extracurricular activities, like sports. Another state law that goes into effect for the next school year requires public, private and charter schools to start teaching about fetal development in the fifth grade, and show a students video that depicts the humanity of the unborn child.

And the governor approved higher penalties for violations of open meetings and open records law. The bill was sponsored by a Bettendorf lawmaker concerned about actions in the City of Davenport after the collapse of an apartment building.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa National Guard Colonel Adam “Ace” Carlson is the new commander of the 185th Air Refueling Wing in Sioux City. Carlson, who is from Lawton, Iowa, enlisted with the 185th in 1999 when it was a fighter wing flying F-16s. He returns after serving at the Pentagon and Andrews Air Force Base.

“Although I have done three tours out in the nation’s capitol, I consider myself a member of the 185th. It’s kind of a family affair. My dad retired out here. My sister’s out here. My wife’s out here. My brother-in-law’s out here,” he said. “…I bring a little different mindset to this position. I’ve spent some time out in D.C., so had some different positions, got some different knowledge base out there, so more of a strategic outlook is what I’m bringing back.”

The unit’s Stratotankers weigh over 322-thousand pounds when loaded with fuel at take-off and Carlson says getting a new runway is a priority. “It was never designed for this aircraft,” he says, “so to be able to ensure the longevity of the unit, we really need to ensure that our runway gets replaced.” The unit began flying the K-C-135 tankers in 2003. F-16 Falcons used the runway before that.

A formal change of command ceremony was held Sunday afternoon as Carlson takes over from Colonel Sonya Morrison. “Spent the last month connecting with one another, doing deep dives, doing the transfer over of command, so that way as he walks in ideally it’ll be seamless and it’ll be an easy transition for him,” Morrison said. Morrison has been commander of the refueling wing for the past three years. She’s heading to a new position at the Air National Guard Readiness Center at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.

“My family and I are moving out to Washington, D.C. I will go to the Air National Guard Readiness Center. I’ll work in the Inspector General office out there and really just help other Air National Guard wings be prepared for combat readiness inspections and making sure that they are also ready to deploy.”

Colonel Morrison is a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa and was commissioned in 1999 through the Army R-O-T-C program.

(Radio Iowa) – Firefighters and police officers in a state-run retirement system may now receive disability and death benefits if they’re diagnosed with any form of cancer. Governor Reynolds has signed the bill expanding state policy that had previously limited those benefits to just 14 types of cancer. Emily Broderick’s late husband was diagnosed with a type of liver cancer that wasn’t on the list, so his co-workers covered his shifts during his cancer treatment.

“Without them and their support and their willingness to show up for him, his job could have been on the line,” she said. “He wouldn’t have been getting paychecks and he could have been ultimately terminated from his position during his cancer fight.”

Joe Van Haalen is the president of the Des Moines Association of Professional Firefighters. He says because of the previous policy, firefighters in the Des Moines department covered an average of 120 shifts for each colleague getting treatment for a type of cancer that wasn’t covered. “It’s something that we wanted to do, that we wanted to take care of them, but it’s also a significant burden on our members,” he said. “And so with this legislation, we won’t have to worry about that and their families won’t have to worry about that anymore. That’ll all be covered.”

Governor Reynolds says the new policy recognizes the selfless service of firefighters and ensures they get the care they deserve.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s governor has signed legislation that says Iowa’s public school districts must let local private school students join the district’s sports teams if the private school isn’t offering the sport. Representative Henry Stone, a Republican from Forest City, is a former football coach at Waldorf University. During House debate on the bill, Stone said kids should be allowed to compete in sports, whether they’re enrolled in a public or a private school.

E-S-As are state-funded Education Savings Accounts to cover private school expenses. According to Representative Stone, the Clear Lake and Garner School Districts are no longer allowing students from the private Clear Lake Classical school to play sports.

Stone said “…What we’re talking about today are issues that are affecting our kids and affecting our grandkids. My two grandsons live in the Garner School District. In my opinion, we need to push past our differences and squabbles as adults and not take those differences out on our kids.” The bill passed the House and Senate with the support of Republicans. Democrats opposed it. Representative Heather Matson, a Democrat from Ankeny, said public school officials should be able to make local decisions based on serving students from families who’ve chosen to send their child to the public school.

The bill applies to middle school as well as high school students and Matson suggests that could be a problem in larger schools.

The new mandate in the bill also applies to other extracurricular activities like band and drama. For many years, Iowa students who are home schooled have been participating in extracurricular activities in the local public school.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Master Gardener group is excited to host walking tours of 3 private gardens in and around Anita on Sunday afternoon June 22. The garden walk will feature three unique garden spaces for participants to explore at their leisure and gain inspiration for their own gardens, while enjoying a variety of garden styles and designs. Gardens will be open for touring between 2-6 PM and may be visited in any order. Two gardens are located in town, while one is out in the country. Highlights from featured gardens included sun and shade gardens, container gardens, custom garden art, functional fruit and vegetable gardens, houseplants galore, annual plantings, perennial beds and more! Follow the Cass County Master Gardeners on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/CassCoMG for sneak peeks of featured garden spaces leading up to the day of the tour.

The walk is coordinated by the Cass County Master Gardeners, but is open to anyone interested in gaining some gardening inspiration. Educational materials will also be available at each stop for those wanting to grow their own gardening knowledge. Tickets for the walk are $10 each, with all proceeds going to support local Master Gardener projects and activities. Tickets are available now for purchase at the Cass County Extension office, and a registration form can also be found on the Cass County Extension website at https://www.extension.iastate.edu/cass. Tickets should be presented at each location for admission. A map of the tour locations and description of each garden is on each ticket purchased. Additional tickets may be purchased at any of the three locations on the day of the event. Garden locations will not be made public until the day before the event, when they will be posted on the Cass County Master Gardener Facebook page. They will be listed on tickets that are purchased in advance, but attendees are asked not to “pre-tour” the locations, so the gardeners have time to put on all the finishing touches to make their spaces tour-ready!

So mark your calendars, grab a walking buddy, and plan to join the Cass County Master Gardeners on Sunday afternoon, June 22, for memorable walk in the garden(s)! For information about other upcoming Master Gardener activities in Cass County, or to learn about becoming a Master Gardener, visit https://www.extension.iastate.edu/cass/master-gardener-program, call the Cass County Extension Office at 712-243-1132, or email Cass County Extension Director and Master Gardener Coordinator Kate Olson at keolson@iastate.edu. In addition, you are invited to follow the Cass County Master Gardeners at their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CassCoMG to keep up with local events, garden previews, and tips for gardening throughout the year!

ATLANTIC, IA (June 8, 2025) – Produce in the Park is celebrating Wheels Day on Thursday, June 12 from 4:30 to 6:30 PM at the Atlantic City Park. This themed market features everything wheels—bike decorating, adult trike rides with the YMCA, and a free helmet giveaway (50 helmets available, first come, first served). Volunteers from Nishna Valley Trails will be on-site to air up tires and adjust seat heights, and the Atlantic Kiwanis will assist with helmet fittings and share information on their annual free helmet giveaway. The Atlantic Police Department will be talking bike safety, and the Atlantic Public
Library will be offering a free Library for All bicycle-themed art activity.

Produce in the Park Market Manager Ciara Hoegh shows off one of the free helmets being given away June 12

Three food trucks will be serving options for dinner in the park June 12. New food truck Karam’s Grill will offer a variety of Greek favorites, including gyros and fries. A-Town SmokeShack will offer their signature barbecue dishes, and Lucky Wife Wine Slushies will provide cool, refreshing slushie beverages for adults.

The June 12 market features more than 20 vendors selling local foods including early summer greens, radishes, and green onions, farm-fresh eggs, local meats (beef, lamb, pork, chicken), honey, sourdough bread, cookies, cupcakes, Danish kringle, and more. Shoppers will also find vendors with garden decorations and plants, crafts, and bath and body products including
soaps, body lotions, sugar scrubs, lip balms, lip scrubs, beard oils, and bath salts.

Market visitors will enjoy live music from Dr. Dave, playing classic rock from The Beatles to Elton John and Led Zeppelin, and Cass Health’s Clinical Dietitian, Sarah Andersen, will be serving as Guest Chef, sharing free samples of homemade ranch dressing that will pair well with early-season produce sold at the market.

Visiting organizations and sponsors sharing community information at the park June 12 include Cass County Tourism, Cass County Conservation, Atlantic Kiwanis, Nishna Valley Trails, Cass Health, Atlantic Police Department, Healthy Cass County, and the Atlantic Public Library. Admission to Produce in the Park is always free. The market accepts SNAP/EBT and Double Up Food Bucks for all qualifying food items.

Karam’s Grill food truck will be selling Greek food at Produce in the Park June 12

Wheels Day is made possible by generous support from June market sponsors Atlantic United Church of Christ, City of Atlantic, First Whitney Bank & Trust, Gregg Young Chevrolet of Atlantic, Cass Health, Cass County Tourism, Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, and Nishna Valley Family YMCA.

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For the latest market updates, follow Produce in the Park on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ProduceInThePark and Instagram at www.instagram.com/produceintheparkatlanticia/. Vendor and sponsor applications remain open for the summer season. Interested sellers of handmade or homegrown products—including local foods, crafts, art, and plants—can apply online at www.ProduceInTheParkAtlanticIowa.com or pick up paper copies at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce (102 Chestnut St., Atlantic.