(Atlantic, Iowa) – Local Trees Forever spokesperson Dolly Bergmann has announced spring tree vouchers are available through the Trees Forever program, beginning May 1st.  Bergmann says there is a limited number of vouchers available, and the limit is one voucher per homeowner, so more people can get a start replacing trees that are being removed.

Tree vouchers are a great way to help with the cost of a tree to plant. The vouchers are for $30 off the cost of a tree, and can be obtained at the Atlantic Hy-Vee, 1630 E 7th Street when you purchase a tree. Voucher information should be completed at the time of use, as that information is of a great help to Atlantic Trees Forever.

Hy-Vee Garden Center personnel in Atlantic can help you determine what kind of tree would work best in the location you would like to plant a tree. Bergmann reminds those who plant trees to water them this spring, and during the summer.

(Radio Iowa) – Nine Senate Republicans have taken the rare step of delivering speeches in the Iowa Senate, each calling on GOP leaders to allow debate on bills to preserve the private property rights of Iowans who don’t want the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline on their land. “Individuals are who government is for, not corporations,” Senator Dennis Guth, a Republican from Klemme, said. “It’s important that we do what is right and it’s time to do it now.”

Senator Jeff Taylor, a Republican from Sioux Center, said it’s “unjust and unconstitutional” to grant the company eminent domain authority to seize property for the project. “The Utilities (Commission) made the wrong decision when they granted that permit to Summit,” Taylor said, “and I think it’s up to the State of Iowa to try to correct that mistake and if we’re able to do that by voting on those House bills, I’d like to see that happen.”

Senator Kevin Alons, a Republican from Salix, said he won’t vote for any bills to fund state government until Republican leaders allow the senate to consider pipeline bills.”I do commit to not voting for a budget and I think it’s important that we have this debate,” Alons said. “…I implore my fellow colleagues to stand up and be counted.”

Senator Doug Campbell, a Republican from Mason City, suggested his margin of victory in the 2024 campaign was due to his support of property owners fighting the pipeline. “These people spoke — 5000 more voters in Senate District 30 — that this is what they want and they will get it,” Campbell said.

Senator Sandy Salmon, a Republican from Janesville, has long said the project will not benefit the public, but will benefit the pipeline developer. “Property rights, we have been fighting for it for four years now and it is truly my hope that we can get this done this session,” Salmon said.

Senator Cherilynn Westrich, a Republican from Ottumwa, thanked the Iowans in the senate viewing gallery who’ve been lobbying for action on the issue. “I would like to see us run something on the floor that protects the private property rights, that honors and respects those folks who have shown up so many days at the Capitol,” Westrich said.

Senator Tony Bisignano, a Democrat from Des Moines, suggested Republican leaders haven’t allowed debate of the pipeline-related bills because they are afraid of Bruce Rastetter, the founder of Summit Carbon Solutions and a prominent donor to Republican candidates. “When ‘Daddy Warbucks’ shows up, everybody starts to get skittish,” Bisginano said. “This isn’t about money, this isn’t about campaign contributions, this isn’t about anything but property rights.”

Republican Senators Lynn Evans of Aurelia and Dave Sires of Cedar Falls gave speeches last week in support of limiting the use of eminent domain to seize land for the pipeline project. Sires spoke again today. “As our founding fathers found, and I don’t think we could ever say it any better, ‘If it’s not for the public good, it’s not for us,’” Sires said.

A spokesperson for Senate Republican leaders was not immediately available for comment after the Senate adjourned today.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s two U.S. senators are reintroducing legislation that aims to immediately deport illegal immigrants who are convicted of sex crimes. Senator Chuck Grassley says he and Senator Joni Ernst believe certain criminals need to be kicked out of the country right away using what they’re calling the Better Enforcement of Grievous Offenses by Unnaturalized Emigrants Act. “We call it the Be Gone Act,” Grassley says, “and sexual assault would be an immediately deportable offense.”

Grassley says the bill would classify sexual assault and aggravated sexual violence as “aggravated felonies” and those migrants who are convicted would be subject to immediate deportation and barred from reentering the U.S. “We’ve heard this, even before they get to the United States, about how women are abused through Mexico,” Grassley says, “how there’s an awful lot of human trafficking, and obviously that’s economic slavery, but also sex slavery.”

Grassley says Immigration and Customs Enforcement revealed last year that more than 15,000 illegal immigrants convicted of sexual assault were residing in the U.S. outside of federal custody. “It seems to me, we aren’t tough enough in that area,” he says, “and we’re working to be tough in that area.”

Senator Ernst released this statement:

“President Trump and his team have hit the ground running reversing the damage from the last four years, but we must ensure that every last sexual predator let in by Joe Biden is deported,” Ernst said. “The health and safety of our citizens must always come first, and I am proud to continue working with President Trump to protect the American people. These violent, criminal illegal aliens need to BE GONE!”

(Des Moines, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be presenting new proposed deer hunting regulations for portions of Western Iowa, that are intended to allow the deer herd to recover from a major sustained decline throughout the region for the past 15 years.

Proposed regulations will be presented and discussed at three public meetings: May 19, in Denison, at Yellow Smoke Park Lookout Shelter; May 20, in Hinton, at Dennis L. Sohl Center; and May 21, in Sioux Center, at Sandy Hollow Lodge. The meetings begin at 6:30 p.m.

“Hunters have an opportunity to provide support or concern for these proposals to help guide our path forward,” said Jace Elliott, state deer biologist with the Iowa DNR. “Deer hunting is one of Iowa’s most recreationally and economically important traditions. Our goal is to manage deer numbers at a level that is acceptable to our citizens and that supports a quality hunting experience.”

The Iowa DNR held eight meetings in Western Iowa last July to address the sustained decline in deer population in that region. Attendees were provided with information on the population decline, impacts of disease, changes in land cover and high doe harvest over the past decade, and were surveyed for their satisfaction of the local deer density, current antlerless harvest restrictions, support for further harvest restrictions and more. The results from the survey guided the new proposed regulations.

This is the second phase of the Western Iowa deer initiative where the Iowa DNR will present specific proposed regulations for the region, different from anything done in the past, and gauge the support and tolerances of the hunters.

(Radio Iowa) – A Minnesota man faces more than 30 years in prison after being accused of having sexual conversations with someone he believed to be a 14-year-old girl, but who was really a Winnebago County (Iowa) sheriff’s deputy. A criminal complaint accuses 46-year-old Brian Bauer, of Nerstrand, Minnesota, of attempting to cause a law enforcement officer or agent posing as a minor to engage in prohibited acts between February 1st and March 24th of this year. The complaint details several different alleged online conversations between the undercover deputy and Bauer discussing sexual content, which included Bauer sending photos.

Bauer was arrested on April 23rd and charged with: one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, a Class B felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison; one count of grooming, a Class D felony; and three counts of telephone dissemination of obscene material to a minor. Bauer’s arraignment hearing is scheduled for May 6th in Winnebago County District Court.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Montgomery County Auditor Jill Ozuna, today (Tuesday) reported to the Board of Supervisors, on a problem the County encountered earlier this month, that caused issues with their server, and resulted in a temporary disruption of services provided by the county auditor, treasurer, recorder, assessor, and public health departments. Ozuna said the issues began to show up during the middle of the week, April 7^th through the 10^th. An investigation revealed a cascading-type problem.

Ozuna said the source of the problem is not yet clear and is being researched, but there are some suspected causes.

Once the host rebooted, several servers experienced corruption due to an abrupt shutdown.

Montgomery County BOS mtg. 4-29-25 via Zoom

IT officials, she said, are currently reviewing network infrastructure and implementing changes so that if a similar issue occurs, it will not have as much of an impact as that which occurred earlier this month. Several changes have already been made to help prevent issues in the future, but others will take more time.

In other business, the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors set May 27^th at 9:15-a.m., as the date and time for a Public Hearing on the FY25 Budget Amendment. County Engineer Karen Albert provided the Board with a weekly report on Secondary Roads Department projects and activities.

And, the Board approved the Treasurer’s Semi-Annual report, ending fund balance for March 31, 2025.

(Radio Iowa) – Workers’ memorial events were held in communities across Iowa on Monday to remember the Iowans who’ve died in the workplace. In a Sioux City union hall, a bell was rung as the names were read of the 45 Iowans who died on the job last year. Union leaders say they worry the Trump Administration will continue cutting OSHA, including inspectors, who help keep employees safe on the job. Jennifer Pellant is president of the Western Iowa Labor Federation that oversees 37 counties, for cities including Sioux City, Fort Dodge, and Council Bluffs.

Jennifer Pellant, president of the Western Iowa Labor Federation (Photo by Sheila Brummer)

“We need to make them as safe as we possibly can,” Pellant says. “We need to make sure those workplaces are being inspected and we need to make sure people working those environments are old enough and experienced enough and trained enough.” Pellant worries the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, is making drastic and dangerous cuts to OSHA. “It was already at a terribly low cost to Americans. We weren’t investing enough in worker safety, and now that’s one the things they’re trying to cut,” she says. “That’s not a good recipe for protecting Americans at work.”

Workers’ Memorial Day is April 28th, the anniversary of the signing of the Occupational Safety and Health Act into law.

AMANA, Iowa (KCRG) – Whirlpool in Amana is delaying its plan to layoff 650 workers. The company announced the workforce reduction on April 1, saying it was driven by consumer demand. The layoffs were expected to go into effect on June 1. That date has now been delayed, but a new date has not been announced.

In a statement to KCRG-TV, Whirlpool officials said “On April 1, Whirlpool Corporation announced a production line adjustment at our operations in Amana, Iowa. We are delaying these workforce changes until later this year. We have committed to keeping our Amana employees updated, and are grateful for their commitment and contributions.”

MUSCATINE, Iowa (KWQC) – A woman from southeast Iowa, charged after businesses around Muscatine were vandalized, has pleaded guilty to multiple charges. Police arrested 30-year-old Alisa Rilla Nicols Staats, of Muscatine, in January, after some of the businesses shared images of swastikas having been spray-painted on their doors or facades.

On April 24, she pleaded guilty to the following charges:

• One count of second-degree criminal mischief, a Class D felony punishable by five years in prison
• One count of first-degree harassment, an aggravated misdemeanor
• One count of fourth-degree criminal mischief, an aggravated misdemeanor
• Seven counts of fifth-degree criminal mischief, a serious misdemeanor
• One count of terrorism, a Class D felony
  

  Police arrested Alisa Rilla Nicols Staats, 30, of Muscatine, in connection to numerous reports of vandalism across the city over the weekend.(Muscatine Police Department)

Muscatine Mayor Brad Bark spoke out against the vandalism on social media. Police say there were 11 victims associated with the crimes, including two restaurants, a Bar & Grill, a Tobacco & Liquor store, a hotel, the Muscatine City Hall, Susan Clark Junior High School, Muscatine Community College and two other properties.

(Radio Iowa) – Colorful tulips are already starting to bloom in Pella, where thousands of visitors are expected for this week’s annual Tulip Time festival. This marks the 90th year for the celebration of all things Dutch in the south-central Iowa town, and it’s also the 40th anniversary of the Thistles Flower Market on Pella’s town square. The store is owned by Alie Muller-Heit, who’s been fascinated by tulips and this festival since she was a girl. “It’s huge. I mean, just last week, my grandpa pulled out the original Tulip Time brochure from 90 years ago,” Muller-Heit says. “My family has been heavily involved in Pella Tulip Time growing up, doing things with my grandparents and my parents in the community for Tulip Time, and to host tours.”

The flower market is offering something unusual to festival visitors this year, a blooming tulip and bulb in a clear plastic gift bag. “We worked with Nunnikhoven Farm, a local farm in Marion County, and they grew 5,500 tulips,” Muller-Heit says. “The tulip is attached to the bulb. You actually have to have the tulip die off the bulb so that you can make sure that the bulb is usable in the next season, so in the fall.” The store’s also launched a website — PellaTulipBulbs-dot-com — where people can purchase 70 different varieties of tulip bulbs that are sourced from the Netherlands, including two rare varieties in very limited quantities — the Giant Orange Sunrise and the Nightmare tulip.

Photo courtesy of Thistles-Flower-Market.

“The Giant Orange Sunrise is exactly what it sounds like. It is a huge bulb and bloom, maybe larger than the size of even my fist. The Nightmare starts as a deep purple and it actually turns into a pigmentation that is black, so it is the only black tulip,” Muller-Heit says. “We’re selling both of those by the bulb, whereas everything else is sold in quantities of 50.” The flower market is also offering free classes in tulip care, as she there’s a lot of finesse involved in successfully growing tulips from bulbs, year after year. “You want to put it in sandy soil, and then in our master class, we actually talk about the varieties that you might be interested in purchasing, dependent on the looks and the time of season that you want the blooms,” Muller-Heit says. “We also talk about how to arrange them. Tulips are a really unique flower. They continue to grow after cut and they follow where the sunshine is coming in.”

Tulip Time runs Thursday through Saturday.