The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs recently announced that seven Iowa communities will receive support through two creative placemaking programs that help regions attract investment, tourism and quality-of-life enhancements.

The department has designated Indianola and Stanton as new Iowa Great Places and has re-designated the Sixth Avenue Corridor in Des Moines. The state agency also designated Cultural and Entertainment Districts in Ames, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Elkader and Spencer.

“It’s my pleasure to welcome these communities into the Iowa Great Places and Cultural and Entertainment District programs,” Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs Director Chris Kramer said. “Now more than ever, these state investments will generate economic growth in rural and urban areas where Iowans have developed bold visions for the future and formed the plans and partnerships to make those visions a reality.”

The Iowa Great Places program recognizes communities that cultivate the unique and authentic qualities of their local places – neighborhoods, districts or regions – and make them attractive places to live and work. Those qualities include arts and culture, architecture, business incentives, the diversity of the community’s residents, historic assets, housing options and the natural environment. The Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs partners with leaders of the Iowa Great Places communities to build their visions for future development.

In recent years, Stanton residents have seen new and creative businesses spring up downtown, alongside iconic symbols of the community’s Swedish heritage. A new events center opened last year, and plans for adding public art are in the works.

The department has invested nearly $21 million in a total of 44 designated Iowa Great Places since the program’s creation in 2006, leveraging local and private investment to drive economic growth. Funding for the program comes from the Iowa Legislature through an annual appropriation from the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The number of Iowa counties eligible for help from the federal government for damage after an unusual wind storm is dwindling/ Iowa emergency management director Joyce Flinn on Thursday said nine of the 27 counties that originally had requested Federal Emergency Management Agency help for individuals with damage to homes or other private property have withdrawn their applications for federal assistance. Flinn said those counties didn’t appear to meet federal guidelines for the number of properties destroyed or with major damage. Assessments are nearly completed for the remaining 17 counties initially included in Reynolds’ request for federal individual disaster assistance.

By RYAN J. FOLEY Associated Press
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A judge is ordering an Iowa county to invalidate 50,000 requests for absentee ballots, agreeing with President Trump’s campaign that the county elections commissioner overstepped by pre-filling them with voters’ personal information.Judge Ian Thornhill issued a temporary injunction that orders Linn County Auditor Joel Miller to contact those voters in writing to inform them that the forms should not have been pre-filled with their information and cannot be processed. Instead, voters will have to either fill out new blank requests for absentee ballots or vote in-person on Election Day. At issue was Miller’s decision to send absentee ballot request forms to about 140,000 county voters in July that were pre-filled with their personal information.

Cass County Democratic Party Chair Sherry Toelle reports that the Party has opened its new Headquarters at 514 Chestnut Street in Atlantic. It will be open Monday-Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.. COVID 19 precautions are in place–masks must be worn and physical distancing will be enforced. “We want to do everything we can to limit the risks of contracting the corona virus,” Party Chair Sherry Toelle explained.

Inside the Headquarters are voter registration and absentee ballot request forms. “We are a one-stop shop, also having candidate information available. We are just now receiving some of the candidate campaign signs and are awaiting the Biden-Harris and Kelley signs. People can stop in and complete a form to receive yard/barn signs. We will also help voters if they require assistance to complete voter forms. Our office telephone number is 712-250-3005,” Toelle stated.

The group plans to have a grand-opening at its Headquarters in September. Details will be shared at a later date.

Toelle also wanted to thank all the area folks that supported their annual school supply drive. “On behalf of all the children, families, and schools in Cass County, I want to thank everyone who donated time, money, supplies, and food to our School Supply & Food Drive. We had a great turnout but would not have been able to do so without the cooperation of the communities, organizations, and businesses that allowed us to put drop-boxes in their buildings. And many thanks to my volunteers who transported items back and forth between the community and our Headquarters. ”

Pam Miller–Anita Food Pantry

Sandy Merritt & Cheri Chester, CAM South Elementary School Secretary

Steve Pelzer–Cumberland Share & Care

Sandy Merritt, Democratic Party volunteer & Griswold Elementary School Secretary

Three young men from Union County were arrested on drug charges following a traffic stop in Montgomery County on Thursday night. At 8:57 p.m. Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies report observing a white Dodge Charger traveling east on Highway 34 at a high rate of speed. Deputies then conducted a traffic stop at the 30-mile marker and the car had three men inside and a strong smell of marijuana.

After further investigation Deputies seized 8.8 pounds of marijuana, 10.3 ounces of psilocybin mushrooms, multiple doses of THC wax and oil, and drug paraphernalia from the vehicle. The three males were identified as 20-year-old Adam Micheal Abel, 18-year-old Chandler Dean Parker, and 18-year-old Dylan Lynn Dowdell all from the Union County area.

All three men were charged with Possession with Intent to Deliver Psilocybin Mushrooms (Class C Felony), Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana (Class D Felony), and Drug Tax Stamp Violation (Class D Felony). All three were taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $50,000 bond.