(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Public Library will hold it’s Summer Kick-0ff event beginning on Monday, June 2^nd. Library Director Michelle Andersen invites you to stop-by the Library at 507 Poplar Street, for fun activities, and register for summer library events along with summer day camps with Cass County Conservation and ISU Extension, and pick-up for pool passes for the summer.

Registration forms for kids’ Summer reading programs will be available, along with reading logs for kids, teens and adults, and June calendars so you can keep track of events you want to partake in.

The Atlantic Public Library and A Community for Kids, along with local businesses, have partnered to offer Adventure Passes.It’s a new feature being offered this year.

Atlantic (Iowa) Public Library

Adventure Passes are like checking out a book, but instead of reading a story on pages, your family can create real life memories together. Any adult with a library card in good standing can check out passes that provide free entry to participating family fun destinations locally. There is NO charge for the program. Adventure Passes are available on a first-come, first-served basis and can be checked out through the Atlantic Public Library. To check out an Adventure Pass, a family simply needs a valid library card and someone 18 or older checking it out. Patrons will have 7 days from checkout to “Adventure Out” and use the pass.

Other activities coming up the Atlantic Public Library, include “An Alaskan Sled Dog: Mush with Noggin” on June 6^th at 10-a.m. Join library staff and profession musher Karen Land and her Alaskan Husky “Noggin,” in observance of 2025 as the 100th Anniversary of the 1925 Diphtheria Epidemic Serum run in Alaska. Land brings along with her Husky, her dog sled, mushing gear, and arctic clothing.

Many other programs are in-store for the whole family. Check out the Atlantic Public Library’s Facebook page or go to https://www.atlantic.lib.ia.us/ for a calendar of events and details.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A man from  Montgomery County was arrested at around 3:30-p.m., Friday, on a drug-related charge. According to the Red Oak Police Department, 42-year-old Matthew Wayne Echternach, of Red Oak, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, 3rd offense. His arrest occurred in the area of Highland and Forest Avenues.

Echternach was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $5,000 bond. Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputies  assisted Red Oak Police officers in making the arrest.

LITTLE SIOUX, Iowa — A new addition is coming to the Loess Hills State Forest in western Iowa after Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) transferred the former Little Sioux Scout Ranch to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

The 1,776-acre property sits on the western slope of the Loess Hills in Monona County, about halfway between Sioux City and Council Bluffs. The site offers numerous opportunities for outdoor recreation such as hiking, birdwatching, wilderness camping, fishing and hunting. The property has dozens of miles of established trails that will link to the surrounding state forest and a 20-acre lake with excellent fishing.

The property will be open to the public after boundary signs are installed in late June. A public celebration is tentatively planned for Friday, Sept. 26.

The site is mostly old-growth oak woodland and remnant prairie on the western bluffs of the Loess Hills, a globally unique area consisting of ridges formed by wind-blown soil. It is in a state-designated Bird Conservation Area, making it a haven for birdwatching, one of North America’s fastest growing outdoor activities. It is also in a National Park Service-designated Special Landscape Area and lies along the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway.

“To be able to protect a piece of this size, and what that means for wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said INHF Loess Hills Land Stewardship Director Kody Wohlers.

INHF photo

Little Sioux Scout Ranch had been used as a scout camp for more than 50 years by troops from Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. The site is well-known for a tragic event. On June 11, 2008, a deadly EF3 tornado struck the camp, injuring 48 and killing four young scouts. A memorial and open-air chapel were erected in their honor.

In 2021, the Gilwell Foundation, which owns all the properties used by the Mid-America Council of Scouting America, came to the difficult decision to sell the camp to INHF due to declining attendance.

In working on the sale with the council, INHF has agreed to do three things: Open the property to the public; maintain the memorial to four boys that died in a 2008 tornado on the property; and honor and share the history of LSSR as a scout camp.

INHF privately raised $2 million from more than 500 donors — including lead gifts from the Iowa West Foundation, Polina and Bob Schlott, the Gilchrist Foundation, and the MidAmerican Energy Foundation — to help protect the property. Additional funding came from the Forest Legacy Program administered by the U.S. Forest Service and Iowa’s Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) Program.

“We’re grateful to all the donors and partners that made the protection of this special place possible,” said Joe McGovern, INHF president. “This was one of the largest protection projects INHF has ever done. Donors have told us they want to see this place protected — staying in one piece and not being developed — but they’re also excited to see it opened to the public.”

In an effort to re-wild the property to benefit nature and align with the rest of the state forest, most of the camp infrastructure has been removed. More than $250,000 in buildings and materials were salvaged to be used by other scout camps, nonprofits and county conservation boards. The memorial and chapel on the site will be maintained.

Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation is a nonprofit conservation group that works with private landowners and public partners to protect and restore Iowa’s land, water and wildlife. Since its founding in 1979, INHF has helped protect more than 200,000 acres of Iowa’s natural resources. Learn more at www.inhf.org.

Senator Joni Ernst held her first in-person town hall meeting of the year and many in the crowd in Parkersburg raised concerns about the “Big Beautiful Bill” that passed the House and is under consideration in the U-S Senate. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill would cut over 700 billion dollars from Medicaid over the next ten years. Ernst said the goal is to make sure people who are not eligible for Medicaid benefits aren’t getting them.

Ernst says Republicans intend to return to the original rules for Medicaid.

Ernst says she agrees with most of the House provisions on Medicaid, but she did not comment today (Friday) on the section of the bill that would establish work requirements for able bodied Medicaid recipients. Ernst told the crowd in Parkersburg senators would eliminate some policy items in the “Big Beautiful Bill.” That’s because Senate rules only allow spending related matters to pass by a 51 vote margin. Bills that include policy are subject to the senate’s 60 vote filibuster rule.

(Radio Iowa) – Republican Congressman Randy Feenstra hosted his annual fundraiser today (Friday) in Sioux Center — but did not mention running for governor. Feenstra announced yesterday (Thursday) that he’s raised over three MILLION dollars for his campaign for governor, but his remarks today (Friday) were focused on his work in the U.S. House.

Feenstra says he worked with the Trump Administration in writing parts of the package that deal with tax and ag policies.

Iowa Congressman Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) (official photo)

The bill extends the tax cuts President Trump approved in 2017 and Feenstra mentioned the new tax credit for contributions to scholarships that go to students in K-through-12 private schools.

Feenstra says the bill will secure crop insurance for farmers. According to Feenstra, the package moves the country into the future Trump described on the 2024 campaign trail.

Feenstra announced in mid-May that he had formed a fundraising committee to explore a run for governor. He’s already run campaign style ads and the bio on Feenstra’s account on X, or Twitter, does not mention he’s a member of congress. It says Feenstra is a “Republican for Governor of Iowa.”

(UPDATED/Radio Iowa) – Opponents of a proposed carbon pipeline urged Governor Kim Reynolds again today (Friday) to sign a bill into law to limit the use of eminent domain by pipeline developers. Mary Powell of Shelby County recalled that Reynolds mentioned Iowa’s state motto-“our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain”-during a nationally televised speech a few years ago.

Page County landowner Marty Maher says the bill won’t stop any pipelines, but it will make the process more fair.

Supporters of the carbon capture pipelines are asking Reynolds to veto the bill, saying it would kill those projects and hurt Iowa’s ethanol industry. Reynolds has said she’s meeting with groups on both sides of the issue to help her make a decision. She has to sign or veto bills passed in the legislative session by June 14th.

CEDAR RAPIDS – Officials with Google, today (Friday),  announced the tech company is investing an additional $7 billion in Iowa within the next two years in cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, as well as in expanded workforce development programs — meaningfully increasing the pace of investments the company has made in the state since 2007.

The announcement reflects development of both a new data center in Cedar Rapids, and expansion of its existing facility in Council Bluffs, as well as funding to support an innovative program with the electrical training ALLIANCE (etA) to help increase the electrical workforce pipeline in Iowa by 95%, further powering this next chapter by helping develop the labor force needed to build new energy infrastructure.

The company said is a new release, “Google’s deep, longstanding investments in American technical infrastructure, as well as research and development, will help the U.S. continue to lead the world in AI, unlocking substantial economic opportunity for American businesses, advancing scientific breakthroughs, fortifying cybersecurity for the U.S., and creating new career opportunities for millions of Americans.”

New AI Infrastructure

During a community celebration held today (Friday), Google welcomed federal, state, and local leaders and community members to showcase the ongoing development of its new Cedar Rapids data center campus and announced the expansion of its facility in Council Bluffs. Among the most energy efficient in the world, Google’s data centers are the backbone of its AI capabilities and digital services — including Google Cloud, Workspace, Search, YouTube and Maps — providing the foundation for economic growth for American businesses. Iowa is part of Google Cloud’s global network of 42 cloud regions that deliver high-performance and low-latency services to large enterprises, startups, and public sector organizations, including Casey’s and Hy-Vee, Inc.

Workforce Development

To help Iowans access the opportunities created by these technology investments and innovations, Google has funded local organizations that have trained more than 100,000 residents in digital skills. Today, etA, with support from Google.org’s AI Opportunity Fund, announced $500,000 in funding to integrate AI tools into training curriculum and boost the number of apprentices in Iowa. The initiative will train existing electrical workers and more than 700 apprentices in the state by 2030, strengthening Iowa’s workforce, economy, and technological infrastructure.

Google is also partnering with the Iowa Department of Education and Community Colleges for Iowa to offer Googler Career Certificates and AI Essentials to students and faculty at Iowa’s K-12 schools and 15 community colleges, at no cost to them. This new partnership will help increase workforce readiness for Iowans across the state and help faculty to master the latest AI skills and tools.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds says “Google’s $7 billion investment in Cedar Rapids and our state reaffirms its role as an AI pioneer, and Iowa will play a key role in delivering that technology to the world.”  Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell said “We are thrilled to officially welcome Google to Cedar Rapids. This investment is a once-in-a-generation opportunity that changes the game for our city. Yes, it is a data center project adding new jobs and major local investment — but the real story is the ripple effect it will have across our economy and community.”

Council Bluffs Mayor Matt Walsh said “We are proud that Google first planted roots in Council Bluffs in 2007, and has provided a ripple of economic impact throughout our community ever since. Today’s investment announcement underscores Google’s commitment not only to Council Bluffs, but our state as a whole. Whether it’s supporting our schools and nonprofits, or building one of the largest free community wi-fi networks in the country, Google has worked to bring economic opportunity to all who live in Council Bluffs.”

Learn more about Google in Iowa at g.co/economicimpact/iowa.

(Radio Iowa) – A rising senior at Oskaloosa High School will get to help shape the future of high school athletics and activities across the country. Linus Morrison was picked to serve on the student advisory council for the National Federation of State High School Associations. He’s one of just 16 students nationwide who will serve on the panel which has a voice in the organization governing most high school sports and activities. Morrison will serve a one-year term.

“They really wanted to hear kids’ perspectives on things in the schools and throughout sports and activities,” Morrison says, “and they just wanted to see how we feel about stuff and what we want to do to try to make improvements on things.” Morrison plays golf and baseball for Oskaloosa High and says he’s thrilled to have a small leadership role in determining updates to national rules and initiatives that impact some 12-million student-athletes. He has some ideas for policies he’d like to see created.

Linus Morrison in foreground, right (Submitted photo)

“Yeah, I definitely do,” Morrison says. “There’s a few things that have already been improved in baseball that the NFHS has done and it’s really cool to see that in our everyday lives.” Playing positions including left-hand pitcher, outfield and first base, Morrison says he’s already seen the influence of the federation in changing the game of baseball, for the better, like adding a base at first base.

“There’s actually two bases at first base. You have the fielder’s base and then you have the runner’s base,” Morrison says. “The runner’s base is pink and you run through that one as the runner, and it’s just so there’s less collisions likely to happen at first base and everybody can stay safer.” The panel meets in person and via Zoom, and Morrison’s first experience with the council was an intensive in-person session in Indianapolis, where all 16 students met for the first time. “We were one big group for 40 hours straight,” he says. “We really got to know each other fast. It kind of felt like a family.”

After graduation from Oskaloosa in the spring of 2026, Morrison plans to attend South Dakota State University and play baseball, with a tentative major in business or economics.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says a man from Emerson was arrested today (Friday). 65-year-old Thomas Anderson was arrested in the 100 block of Coolbaugh Street, on an outstanding warrant for Probation Violation. Anderson was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 cash bond.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – Officials with the Glenwood Police Department report the arrest on Thursday (May 29th), of 40-year-old Marcus Munhall. The Glenwood man was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and on two-counts of Child Endangerment. Munhall posted a $5,300 bond and was released from the Mills County Jail.