NEWTON – The State Historical Society of Iowa and the nonprofit group Preservation Iowa presented the state’s highest awards for historic preservation Thursday, during the 2019 Preserve Iowa Summit in Newton. The State Historical Society, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, presented its annual Preservation Project of Merit Awards to historic properties in Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Northwood and Waterloo.

The awards recognize projects that exemplify the best practices of historic preservation, meet the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings, and use the State Historic Preservation and Cultural and Entertainment District Tax Credit Program.

Among the winners were those located in:

Coon Rapids: Rural Preservation: Historic Garst Farm House – The Historic Garst Farm House, owned by Whiterock Conservancy, is a visible reminder of the agricultural innovations Roswell Garst introduced, which changed the course of farming in Iowa and the world. In 1959, during the height of the Cold War, Garst hosted Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev at the Garst family farm. The visit not only helped open conversations about worldwide agricultural practices but also eased some of the tension of the Cold War. Under the guidance of RDG Planning & Design, the home was carefully restored to its 1959 condition.

Sioux City: Special Projects: Woodbury County Courthouse Website – The Woodbury Court House in Sioux City is one of the finest examples of Prairie Architecture in the United States. It is a National Landmark and listed on the National Register. To commemorate the building’s 100th anniversary, the Woodbury County Supervisors appointed a committee to plan a week-long celebration in order to encourage locals and out-of-towners to tour the property. The committee developed an eye-catching website that depicts not only the building’s beauty but also the rich architectural history of Prairie School buildings. The Courthouse Foundation funded the project.

Sioux City: Community Effort: Milwaukee Railroad Shops Historic District and Railroad Museum – The Milwaukee Railroad Shops Historic District in Sioux City is a 30-acre site that contains surviving structures, foundations, buildings, and a rail yard from the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad shops. The district is home to one of seven surviving roundhouse terminal landscapes in the nation. After being abandoned by the railroad in 1980, the district became a junkyard for farm equipment. Twenty-five years ago, there was little indication of the area’s historic significance, but the Siouxland Historic Railroad Association acquired the property in 1995 and began to celebrate the district’s long-ignored historical assets. During the past 10 years, more than 160,000 volunteer hours helped transform the district and implement many educational programs to keep the history of the rail industry in Iowa alive.

The State Historical Society of Iowa is a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. More information about Iowa’s historic properties and locations are available on the Iowa Culture app or iowaculture.gov.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig says the long-awaited passage of a federal disaster relief bill is good news for Iowa farmers. President Trump on Thursday signed the 19-billion dollar package designed to assist victims of several recent disasters — including Iowa flooding. Naig says the bill helps Iowans in a couple of areas.

“It brings much needed support for our recovery efforts in the recovery area there in southwest Iowa,” Naig says, “whether it’s levee repair, or funds that farmers need to help remove the debris from their fields, or providing some compensation for damaged grain. We know that those are very, very important things for our producers as they recover and get back on their feet, and be productive again next year and in future years.”

Naig says the bill also provides for U-S-D-A assistance for farmers who are unable to plant crops this year because of swamped fields, though questions remain. “We don’t know what it looks like yet,” he said. “It certainly can apply to those areas that are flooded. But, we’re wondering — and asking — whether it can also apply to folks who have taken ‘prevent plant’ in other parts of the state, as well. So, those are some question marks, but it’s much needed support for our flood recovery efforts.”

Naig says statistics compiled by his office indicate the losses incurred by Iowa farmers during this spring’s record flooding are staggering. “You’ve got 100,000 acres that have been impacted in Pottawattamie, Fremont and Mills counties,” said Naig. “Then, we did an assessment of how much grain had been damaged. That number comes to right around 1.9 million bushels of corn, and about a half a million bushels of soybeans.”

An assessment was also done on how much grain in storage was impacted, and again, he says, it was millions of bushels ruined due to the floodwaters. The ag secretary says it all adds up to an economic disaster for producers. Naig also expresses concerns about lingering issues associated with the flooding.

“I keep saying this: you just lost your 2018 crop,” he said. “You’re not able to plant the 2019 crop, and really, your 2020 crop is in question, given how much water is still remaining. So, this is really, economically, a tough pill to swallow for folks.”

(Radio Iowa) — Forecasters say Iowa may have cooler-than-normal temperatures and much less rainfall throughout June. That may sound great, but not if you’re a farmer. Rains will diminish over the coming weeks and other signs of summer may be lacking. Meteorologist Dennis Todey, director of the U-S-D-A’s Midwest Climate Hub in Ames, says the rainy spell we’ve been enduring for months is over.

“For once in quite a while, most of our region is free of expected big rainfalls,” Todey says. Still, that doesn’t mean there won’t be rain on Iowans’ parades. Todey says there will be plenty of opportunities for showers, thunderstorms — and for more flooding. “Much of our region still has chances for storms,” Todey says. “They’re going to be spottier and less effective in the way of big precipitation. We don’t have a lot of capacity in much of our hydrologic system in the soils and the rivers, so even minor rainfall amounts can cause some problems.”

According to forecast models, Todey says much of the month ahead will be cooler than usual and may not bring Iowa’s acres of corn and soybeans the warmth they need to mature. “June is one time when above-average temperatures would help spur more development and accumulate some more ‘degree days’ without reaching those stressful mid-to-upper 80s on a regular basis,” Todey says.

“Instead of having above-average temperatures, we’re likely to have below-average temperatures throughout almost all of our region. It will be pleasant from a human standpoint and for livestock, but for our crops, it’s not good news.” Summer arrives two weeks from today. Todey says the effects of the ongoing El Nino pattern will be felt well into fall.

(Radio Iowa) — High water on the Missouri River has resulted in the U-S Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers closing the river to all boat traffic. Woody Gottburg reports: (click on the left side of the audio bar below, to listen)

DES MOINES – Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a disaster proclamation today (Friday), for Fremont County in response to severe weather beginning May 17 and continuing. The governor’s proclamation allows state resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of this severe weather and activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program for qualifying residents, along with the Disaster Case Management Program, for Fremont County.

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For more information:

The grant application and instructions are available on the Iowa Department of Human Services website.  For information on the Disaster Case Management Program, contact your local community action association or visit www.iowacommunityaction.org.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) reports officials have used the state’s safe haven procedures for the 36th and 37th time since the law went into effect. A girl was born May 24, 2019, and a boy was born May 27, 2019. Both infants were released to the custody of DHS.

A court hearing to terminate parental rights is held within a month. Specific details are withheld in order to protect the identity of the parents and the children.

Through Iowa’s safe haven law, parents have the option to safely hand over custody of babies age 30 days or younger without fear of prosecution for abandonment. The
parent, or their authorized representative, can leave the newborn at a hospital or health care facility, and can remain anonymous.

The safe haven law was approved in the wake of a high-profile case in 2001 involving a teen mother in eastern Iowa who killed her home-delivered newborn. Infants who are safe haven babies are placed with currently-approved foster or adoptive families.

If you are interested in becoming a foster or adoptive parent, please visit
https://iowafosterandadoption.org/.   For more information on the safe haven procedure: http://dhs.iowa.gov/safe-haven

Page County Sheriff’s deputies, Thursday, arrested a Clarinda man on Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s warrants for Distributing drugs to a minor and gathering where controlled substances are used. 32-year old Frank B. Cates, of Clarinda, was being held in the Page County Jail on a $30,000 cash-only bond.

Frank Cates

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Kamala Harris is facing doubts among Iowa political activists about her commitment to the state and its coveted caucuses. The California senator is falling behind other top-tier candidates in visits to Iowa and staff on the ground. Harris returns to Iowa this weekend promising renewed focus on the state.

But her relatively small staff and frequent travel to other places suggests Iowa isn’t the linchpin in her strategy to win the Democratic presidential nomination. Harris is expected to ramp up her visits to the state, and the campaign plans a major hiring spree, adding to its staff of 15.

Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker already have more than 50 staffers fanned out across Iowa. Bernie Sanders and Beto O’Rourke have more than 40.

The Atlantic Police Department reports two Atlantic men were arrested on Burglary and Theft charges late last month. On May 25th, 29-year old Justin Jacobs, of Atlantic, was arrested Burglary in the 2nd Degree, Theft in the 3rd Degree, and Interference with Official Acts. On May 28th, 38-year old Michael Parrott, of Atlantic, was arrested for Burglary in the 2nd and Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree.

On May 30th, 32-year old Aaron Ihnken, of Atlantic, was arrested for Criminal Mischief in the 3rd Degree, 1st offense Trespassing, Disorderly Conduct, Simple Assault and Criminal Transmission of an Infectious Disease to another.

On June 1st, 37-year old Donald Kadereit, of Atlantic, was arrested for OWI and Interference with Official Acts. June 4th, 28-year old Jade Nicolson, of Atlantic, was arrested for carrying a weapon. The following day, 39-year old Mark Kantaou, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intox. and Disorderly Conduct.

On Thursday (June. 6), 37-year old Chad Wilcox, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County warrant for OWI. And, 39-year old Mark Kantaou, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intox. and Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense.

Each of those subjects were booked into the Cass County Jail.

SCOOBA, Miss. (AP) — A woman from Iowa was among three people killed in a four-vehicle crash this week in eastern Mississippi. The Mississippi Highway Patrol identified those killed Wednesday as 67-year-old Kathleen Estling of Altoona, Iowa; and 56-year-old Kimberly S. Holliday and 12-year-old Bailey Southerlen, both of Southaven, Mississippi. Five other people were injured.

Investigators said a southbound pickup crossed the median of U.S. Highway 45 and hit three northbound vehicles — one carrying Estling and another carrying Holliday and Southerlen. The other vehicle hit was a Meridian school bus with a driver but no passengers.

It was the second fatal wreck within three days near the small town of Scooba in Kemper County. Eight people were killed Monday when a box truck and a passenger van collided on Mississippi Highway 16.