(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Chamber Ambassadors were hosted by Nishna Valley Mental Health on Thursday, April 23rd, 2025, to celebrate the Grand Opening of the new business in the lower suite under Atlantic Dental Center.

Jessica Richter, owner & founder, grew up and graduated from Elk Horn-Kimballton in 2008 and went on to earn her master’s degree in clinical counseling from Bellevue University in 2021. During and after graduation, Jes worked for different organizations within the mental health field and fell in love with helping others become the best versions of themselves. Fast forward to today, Jes is proud of the intimate setting she has created for her clients to feel seen, heard, validated and understood.

Ambassador (Left to Right): Chris Parks, Colt Doherty, Dr. Keith Leonard, Angie Bitting, BJ Hart, Jim Kickland, Rae Ome Conn, Jeff Christensen, Emily Kennedy, Dolly Bergmann, Krysta Hanson, Gary Richter, Jes Richter, Greg Richter, Sally Richter, Jovie Richter, Grey Richter, Jenner Richter, Alisha Wagner, Bristol Richter, Gabby Wahlert, Gage Richter, Lilly Richter, Tori Gibson, Josten Kilworth, Alisha Hass, Elvis Hass, James Kilworth, Kathi Kilworth, Kelsey Beschorner, Jen McEntaffer

Nishna Valley Mental Health is a private practice specializing in mental health therapy services that include cognitive behavioral therapy, Dialectical behavior therapy, play therapy, and couples and family therapy. Jes sees individuals of all ages, including children and teenagers struggling with behavioral issues, adults, couples and families. Her specialty areas are anxiety, depression, life changes, behavioral issues and mood disorders.

Nishna Valley Mental Health is located at 1404 E 10th Street, Atlantic.

To learn more about services, or to schedule an appointment, call 712-249-7054 or visit https://www.nvmhtherapy.com/

(Radio Iowa) – The Board of Regents has approved a budget of more than 81 million dollars for renovation of the Iowa Memorial Union. Regent David Barker was the lone vote against the proposal, which is largely funded by student fees. “I think the the regulation and funding of higher education is changing rapidly and I think it’s the wrong time to put future students in debt for this 80 million-dollar project,” Barker says. Barker says delaying the project is a better move.

“A time of rapid change like this, I think the priorities and needs of future students might be very different from today’s. A renovated I-M-U is not necessary now,” he says. “Pausing this project, I think, is a good place to start to prepare for a possible new world with less funding and less competition between universities to build the most lavish amenities.” The U-I says the fee was proposed and supported by the Undergraduate Student Government and the Graduate and Professional Student Government. U-I Vice President Rod Lehnertz talked about the project during the facilities committee meeting on Wednesday.

“It will address more than 55 million dollars in deferred maintenance and long-standing systems aging within that facility, which was originally built in 1925,” Lehnertz says. He says the renovation will be done in phases starting this year and running through 2027. The funding for the I-M-U will include 75 million dollars, with 100 to 120 dollars in fees per semester for undergraduate and graduate students. Six-point-four million dollars from the Student Health Services Reserve Funds will also be used.

The project includes the relocation and integration of student health, wellness and counseling into one location that would have a separate entrance.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig intends run for office in 2026 — and is considering whether to seek reelection to his current post or run for governor. Naig says Governor Kim Reynolds’ decision not to seek a third term was a surprise. “What that causes us to do is pause and say: ‘We should take a look at this,'” Naig says. “We’ve been encouraged by what we’ve been hearing from supporters and friends across the state to do just that and, boy, it’s not something you rush into. We want to be thoughtful about it, seeking a lot of advice, praying about it, talking about it as a family.”

Governor Reynolds appointed Naig to be Iowa’s ag secretary in March of 2018 when Bill Northey resigned to become a deputy in the U-S-D-A. Three months later, Naig and four other Republicans competed to be the party’s General Election nominee for ag secretary. “I went through a congested primary, a busy primary, a five-way primary with people who I consider to be friends and people I have a lot of respect for,” Naig said. “I hope that however a primary shapes up for governor on the Republican side of things is that it’s focused on somebody’s ability to serve, their vision for the state and not about tearing each other down, but just getting to the right place and the right candidate for the General Election in ’26.”

Other Republicans, including Attorney General Brenna Bird, House Speaker Pat Grassley and state senator Mike Bousselot  have said they are considering a run for governor. Naig says he’s not prepared to talk about any other potential candidate.  “We’re looking at what the pathway looks like for us, if there is one, and how I can best serve our state and, again, if that’s as secretary, I’m going to do that. I intend to be on the ballot in ’26, I will give you that much,” Naig said.

Naig made his comments during taping of “Iowa Press” which airs tonight (Friday) on Iowa P-B-S. He also discussed the ongoing bird flu outbreak, the potential impact of tariffs on ag exports and other ag-related issues.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa House has unanimously voted to create a grant program to help grocery stores buy new equipment, update technology or utilities and make other improvements. Representative Shannon Latham of Sheffield says the number of food deserts is growing in Iowa. “In fact, the number of independent grocers has decreased by 15% in Iowa in the past decade,” Latham said, “and this decline is more staggering in rural Iowa where more than 40% of grocery stores have closed in communities with populations less than 1000.”

Latham says the proposed Iowa Grocer Reinvestment Fund could offer grants of up to 100-thousand dollars that would have to be matched by a grocery store owner.  “Profit margins are extremely thin for small grocery stores,” Latham said, “so some of them could be just one freezer breakdown or one cooler breakdown away from having to close their doors.” Representative Austin Harris of Moulton says the bill defines what a grocery store is to ensure small town “country stores” could qualify for a grant.

“It has to be at least 50% of retail space dedicated to traditional grocery shopping or 30% of revenues from the store comes from the grocery,” Harris said. “I know a lot of towns in my district and other parts across the state, their little town has a grocery store, but it’s not just a grocery store. It’s also a diner or something else.” Representative J-D Scholten of Sioux City says the bill is a step in the right direction, but more must be done to address unfair competition.

“For decades we’ve had out of state corporations undercut local grocers. That’s the problem,” Scholten said. “The Walmarts, the Dollar Generals have come into Iowa and economically bullied our local grocery stores.” The bill also calls for state grants for grocers to process and sell locally raised meat and produce. Representative Latham says studies show obesity rates are lower in areas where people have access to a grocery store. “Not only do they provide nutritious food for residents, but these businesses add to our local economies…and they play an important role in connecting local residents with people outside their homes.”

The bill sets up the grant programs, but House leadership says a decision on how much money to set aside for these grants hasn’t been made yet.

• On April 18th: 51-year-old Gene Christopher Reed, and 57-year-old Steven Paul Winebrenner, both of Atlantic, were arrested for charges of possession of controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia. They were booked into the Cass County Jail. And,
• On April 19th, Cass County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 46-year-old Joshua Duane Mohn, of Red Oak, on charges of possession of controlled substance. Mohn was also booked-into the Cass County Jail.

(Radio Iowa) – About 150 people attended a town hall meeting at North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City this (Thursday) morning with Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson. There were cheers and jeers as the Republican from Marion answered a number of questions. She was asked about national security and the flap last month over a group chat on the app involving Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and says it’s important to make sure classified information remains secure.

“It’s my understanding that nothing that was actually classified was communicated in those chats. What I do think is important though is that we make sure that we make sure that no classified information is actually being communicated on non-classified channels. So that is where Congress’ role is in making sure we’re protecting the integrity,” she says. Hinson defended the Department of Government Efficiency cuts to a number of programs due to the country’s 36 trillion dollar debt.

“You know, ten million dollars for male circumcision in Mozambique, or 20 million dollars for Arab Sesame Street? Arab Sesame Street in the Middle East? I mean, come on, do you think we should be funding Sesame Street in the Middle East, or should we be funding priorities for the American people?,” she asked. “That’s what I think, so I’m focused on making sure we continue to reel in that growth of government, we restore as much power to the American people as we can.” Hinson drew more crowd reaction when addressing the immigration situation in the United States.

“This is the number one issue that I heard about on the campaign trail last cycle from my constituents. Securing the border is critical to national security,” she says. “We need to start deporting illegal aliens with criminal track records, and we need to disincentivize illegal immigration, leading to record low border crossings. I am so proud that we are at that point where we have record-low border crossings. Again, as the president said, we didn’t need a new law to do that, we just needed a new president.”

Hinson also addressed questions about the Farm Bill, Medicaid, and healthcare during the hour-long forum.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill that supporters say will shield Iowans from lawsuits meant to silence critics has cleared the legislature and is headed to the governor. Republican Representative Steven Holt of Denison started working on the legislation seven years ago when a local newspaper was sued for reporting on a local policeman. “I was just corresponding back and forth with Doug Burns this morning from the Carroll newspaper who spent $100,000 defending himself in court after telling the truth and he basically lost his newspaper as a result of it,” Holt said, “so this is very important legislation.”

The bill gives a defendant the ability to immediately ask an Iowa judge to dismiss a lawsuit that impedes their freedom of speech or freedom of the press. The House has previously passed four bills to address so-called SLAPP actions — SLAPP stands for “Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation.”

Representative Steven Holt (R-Denison)

“Thirty-four other states have this language in place from the Uniform Law Commission,” Holt said earlier this year. “I am proud that in a bipartisan way this chamber has been anti-SLAPP before anti-SLAPP was cool.”

This is the first year the Iowa Senate considered the legislation. Senator Jeff Reichman of Montrose was the only senator to speak during debate of the bill. “It’s designed to provide for early dismissal from meritless lawsuits filed against people for the exercise of First Amendment rights,” Reichman said.

Today (Thursday), the House unanimously accepted a small change in the bill and to send it to the governor.

(Radio Iowa) – Board of Regents president Sherry Bates talked about the proposed tuition increase during their meeting today (Thursday). “Setting tuition rates is one of the most important things the board does. I have served on the board for a decade, and we have always been thoughtful and deliberative when considering tuition rates,” She says. “Our board feels strongly that we must continue to do this, weighing the cost to our students and their families, but while also being cognizant of the need to provide the universities the resources they need to continue to provide a first-class education.”

The comments by Bates come as a bill is on the way to the governor that would set an April 30th deadline for a tuition rate decision from the Regents. The group normally votes on tuition increases at its June meeting.

The bill also calls for a study of a fixed tuition rate, so the rate charged in a student’s first year at one of the state universities would be the same rate they’d pay in the next three years. Regent Bates announced today that she is appointing a two-person study group on tuition. “To research the merits of a tuition guarantee program, whereby resident students who enroll as freshmen at a Regent University would not see a tuition increase during their subsequent years, the results of this study should be reported to the board no later than the November 2025 meeting,” she says.

Board of Regents meeting in Ames. (photo from Regent video feed)

The proposal would raise resident tuition by 3% at the University of Iowa and Iowa State University, and 2.7% at UNI. The Regents will vote on this year’s tuition proposal at their June meeting, along with an increase in mandatory fees by three percent at the UI, 2.7% at UNI, and 1.7% at ISU.

Bates also says the Board will continue to work to find efficiencies in the operation of the universities. “I am asking the universities to redouble their efficiency efforts so that we can find additional savings and reallocations, much like the governor’s DOGE task force is trying to accomplish,” Bates says.

The Regents raised the tuition each of the last two years after the Iowa Legislature approved less funding than they had requested. The Board also approved salary increases for the three university presidents and the executive director of the Board of Regents, each of the past two years, after approving the tuition increases.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill that backers say will strengthen Iowa’s anti-human trafficking law has cleared the House and Senate unanimously. The bill ensures people can be charged with human trafficking in state court if they are caught by an undercover officer who’s posing as a potential victim or as someone in a human trafficking network. Representative Mark Thompson of Clarion led House debate of the bill.

“We’re trying to, again, give more tools to our investigators and our prosecutors,” Thompson said. Under current Iowa law, there must be an ongoing relationship with a victim for someone to be charged with human trafficking.

Representative Mark Thompson (R-Clarion) (official photo)

Representative Brian Lohse of Bondurant says the bill changes that as well, to cover what are considered “spontaneous” relationships. “Making the attempt to traffic them will be sufficient to make them a victim,” he said, “even if somehow they escape.”

The bill passed the House unanimously a month ago and Senators approved it on a 48-to-zero vote yesterday (Wednesday). The Iowa County Attorneys Association, the Iowa Organization for Victim Assistance and the Network Against Human Trafficking are all registered in support of the bill.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department Advisory Commission Chair Kevin Ferguson has announced a new monthly family game, will celebrating Atlantic’s parks. The game is themed “Parks, Picnics, and Post.”

Ferguson said the promotion kicks-off in May, with the Atlantic Dog Park near the Schildberg Recreation area.

Different parks will be highlighted each month.

The community is invited to explore the featured park, take a photo of their group or family enjoying their time there, and submit it to the Atlantic Parks and Recreation Facebook Page for a public vote on the favorite picture. Again, your first assignment, if you will, is to visit the Dog Park and submit your pictures to the Parks & Rec Facebook page.

Ferguson mentioned that participants can earn bonus points for displaying creative signs, such as “I Love ATLANTIC PARKS!” It’s not clear if there will prizes for photos that get the most votes, but proud pooch owners will definitely have “Bragging rights,” according to Ferguson.