(Radio Iowa) – A bill that’s cleared the Iowa House would to prohibit the three state universities from requiring students take courses about diversity, equity and inclusion or critical race theory — unless the subject matter is directly related to their majors. Another House bill approved Tuesday would deny Iowa Tuition Grants to students who attend Iowa private colleges that have diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Representative Steven Holt, a Republican from Denison, says D-E-I is a destructive ideology.

“I wish it taught us to celebrate our differences, but it doesn’t,” Holt said. “In my opinion, DEI at its core is racist which is one of the reasons we are becoming so divided as a nation.” Representative Ruth Ann Gaines, a Democrat from Des Moines, has traveled the country for 46 years as a diversity trainer and was recently asked to take the words “diversity, equity and inclusion” from the courses she’s developed.

“Things are changing, quickly, and it saddens me,” Gaines said. “I feel that I am going to leave this world thinking that all the work that I have done is going to be eliminated.” House Democratic Leader Jennifer Konfrst of Windsor Heights says nine-thousand students got Iowa Tuition Grants this year to attend an Iowa private college or university.  “It simply blows my mind that we’re telling private organizations and businesses what they can and cannot do,” and we’re punishing the students who get those grants.”

Representative Henry Stone, a Republican from Forest City, says as an Asian American, he understands prejudice — and he says D-E-I is a treat to American society. “DEI only wants to look at what can be viewed from the outside and not what the person brings to the table in terms of their skills and abilities,” Stone said.

The bills passed with the support of all but a few Republicans in the House.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa House has overwhelming voted in favor of requiring schools to ban students from using their cell phones while they’re in class. Representative Jeff Shipley, a Republican from Birmingham, says it’s an important move.

“It is my hope that the discussion and the acknowledgment that the proliferation of electronic and digital devices can and does often come with negative impacts on both adults and children,” Shipley said. Shipley praised the Ottumwa School District and Des Moines Hoover High School for being trailblazers on the issue. A principal at Hoover — where cell phones must be kept in a student’s backpack — told Axios Des Moines there was a 31 percent increase in A’s and B’s earned by students in the fall semester and a six percent drop in the number of failing grades. There was also a 60 percent decrease in student suspensions at Des Moines Hoover High School last semester.

Representative Heather Matson, a Democrat from Ankeny, says many school districts have adopted successful cell phone policies that show restrictions are making a difference. “I think we all know of the incredible distractions caused by cell phones and other electronic devices. I mean, we all have one and we are constantly taking them out,” Matson said. “Imagine your children doing that all the time.”

The bill, which has the backing of Governor Kim Reynolds, passed the House by an 88-to-nine vote. A similar bill is eligible for debate in the Iowa Senate.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest late Tuesday evening on a warrant, of 40-year-old Adam Chandler Orr, of Red Oak. Orr was wanted on an active warrant for Domestic Abuse Assault by Impeding the flow or air/and-or blood. Orr was being held without bond on the Aggravated Misdemeanor charge, in the Montgomery County Jail.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Get ready for a fun weekend in Atlantic! Join the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce for an enjoyable blend of shopping, community spirit, and treasure hunting. This year, on Friday, April 11th and Saturday, April 12th, you can enjoy both the annual Girls Gettin’ Out Retail event and the Spring City-Wide Garage Sale weekend in Atlantic.

Kelsey Beschorner, Programs Director at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, shares, “We know the community is ready for Spring, and Girls Gettin’ Out is a fun way to kick off the season.”

And here’s a little extra something: one lucky shopper will win a basket of local gift certificates! To enter, simply take a picture or selfie that shows what shopping local means to you, and post it on the Chamber’s Girls Gettin’ Out Facebook post or send it to chamber@atlanticiowa.com. The winner will be announced live on the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook Page on Monday, April 14th.

“This is a great way to thank and reward people for shopping local. It gives them that extra nudge to spend the day in Atlantic,” says Beschorner.

We hope you’ll join us for a truly exciting Spring weekend in Atlantic. Whether you’re searching for deals, supporting local businesses, or simply enjoying the community atmosphere, there’s something for everyone. You can find more details about Girls Gettin’ Out at atlanticiowa.com or contact the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce office at 712.243.3017 or chamber@atlanticiowa.com.

A detailed map for the City-Wide Garage Sales will be available at the Chamber office on Thursday April 10th.

The Cass County, Iowa Master Gardeners are again offering a $1,000 scholarship to local students, with applications due April 1, 2025. The purpose of this scholarship is to provide post-secondary funds to individuals who are studying and intend to pursue a career in a horticulture-related field. This scholarship is available to students who are graduating seniors or alumni from any of the following Iowa school districts, in which currently reside members of CCMG: Atlantic, AHSTW, CAM, Griswold, or Red Oak. Students of any age studying in a horticulture-related field are encouraged to apply, regardless of the type of program they are studying, as long as they intend to obtain some degree or certificate in a horticultural-related field. The scholarship can be used at any two-or four-year college, or trade school program.

The goal of the Master Gardener program is to support horticulture education and community service. Cass County Master Gardener members provide many hours of volunteer service and gardening education within their local communities. This scholarship is designed to further that focus on education and community service. Enrollment in a horticulture-related program of study is required for consideration. Examples of horticultural-related fields are included on the application to give applicants an idea of degree fields that may be eligible to apply. The scholarship winner will be selected based upon horticulture-related career goals, history of community service, academic success, and quality and completeness of application. (Financial need is NOT a consideration.)

The scholarship is for any student pursuing post-secondary education during the 2025-2026 school year. A scholarship check will be issued in January 2026, in the student’s name directly to the academic institution, upon receipt of an official grade transcript for the completed Fall 2025 semester, demonstrating a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5. A previous scholarship recipient may re-apply, but an individual may only receive a total of two scholarships from this program.

The application form is available through the high school guidance departments of any eligible school district, or on the Cass County Extension website at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass/. Applications should be submitted to the Cass County Extension Office, 805 W 10th St, Atlantic, Iowa 50022, or emailed to keolson@iastate.edu on or before the April 1 deadline for consideration. Questions can be directed to the Cass County Extension Office at 712-243-1132.

(Radio Iowa) – An attempt that could have forced the Iowa Senate to vote on restrictions for the proposed carbon pipeline has failed. During consideration of the Senate’s operating rules, Democratic Senator Tony Bisignano proposed a route for bringing a bill up for debate. “It’s time to have the debate on the pipeline or eminent domain or property rights or whatever you want to call it,” Bisignano said. “it’s time to have that debate for Iowans.”

Bisignano, who is from Des Moines, challenged Republicans in the senate who want to ban the use of eminent domain for the pipeline to support his plan. “These people are your constituents. I can’t imagine having my constituents out in that rotunda, day after day, month after month, year after year and ignore them,” Bisignano said. “I’ve never probably heard more desperation from some of these farmers, century farmers talking about their property being taken, tears in their eyes. You can tell they’ve been stressed for years.”

Four Republican senators joined 14 Democrats to support the move — but were voted down by 30 Republicans. Senator Mike Klemish, a Republican from Spillville, successfully led the G-O-P opposition to Bisignano’s plan. “We hear a lot about rights,” Klemish said. “The rights of the voters that voted us into this chamber to take control of this chamber and make sure that Iowans are represented by Republican values and principles would be undermined by this.”

It’s been 14 years since the senate had this kind of a showdown about forcing a vote on a bill. Democrats, who were in the majority in 2011, voted down the G-O-P’s attempt to force a vote on a bill to ban same-sex marriage.

(Radio Iowa) – National media outlets are publishing what’s described as an internal memo from Social Security officials outlining thousands of job cuts and even the shutdown of the agency’s 800-number to comply with DOGE orders to pare back. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he recently met with President Trump’s nominee to head Social Security, Frank Bisignano, and Grassley says he was assured, services would be enhanced, not slashed.

“People should have access to the telephone and have access to Social Security through the telephone,” Grassley says, “but I made even a stronger case for people that are working remotely to show up at the offices and that they have face-to-face contact.” Reports say Social Security’s current staff of around 57-thousand would be cut by at least seven-thousand, while the elimination of the toll-free phone line would force millions of people to file claims in person.

The plan also calls for closing six of the agency’s ten regional offices, creating what the memo calls “a real Catch-22” as filing in person would become extremely difficult. “Government is all about service. You can’t service people if you don’t have access to methods of communication,” Grassley says, “and particularly if you need to see people face to face, you can’t see them face to face.” Grassley couldn’t confirm whether DOGE had ordered the deep cuts at Social Security, cuts which would have a significant impact on millions, especially in rural areas of Iowa.

“I hope it’s just a rumor, and if it isn’t, then I’ll be expressing to the DOGE people, I’ll be expressing it to the nominee for Social Security administrator,” Grassley says, “when I asked and what he said he was going to do is enhance the service.”

The agency’s website says nearly 69-million Americans get Social Security benefit every month, for a total of around one-point-six trillion dollars in benefits every year.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Senate has — again — passed a bill that would penalize motorists who handle a smart phone while driving. Republican Senator Mark Lofgren, of Muscatine, says it hopefully will reign in distracted drivers. “We’ve all witnessed it as we’ve traveled highways and interstates back and forth to the capitol,” Lofgren said. “Twenty-five years ago the problem was not as prevalent, but today it is prevalent and it continues to get worse.” The bill has passed the senate in previous years and the vote on it today (Tuesday) was 47-to-one. There are some exemptions in the bill for people like bus drivers and people driving farm machinery.

Senator Tony Bisignano, a Democrat from Des Moines, voted for the bill, but argued people driving tractors and combines shouldn’t be handling a smart phone, too. “That’s great as long as it’s not my family driving up the secondary highway,” Bisignano said, “because that’s where the tragedy strikes.”

The bill passed on a 47-to-one vote and goes to the House, where it has stalled over the past several years. However, back in January Governor Reynolds used part of her annual address to lawmakers to call on legislators to send the bill to her desk this year.

ATLANTIC, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources report Bob Harris is the recipient of the 2024 Brass Bluegill award from the Iowa DNR’s Fish Iowa! program. Harris started a nonprofit organization in 2020 to promote fishing for Junior and Senior High School students. The Southwest Iowa Fishing Team aims to promote, advance, and sponsor amateur youth fishing for boys and girls in Southwest Iowa and surrounding communities.   Their primary initiative is to instill the ideals of good sportsmanship, education, conservation, and fish care through instruction, seminars, and training during all outdoor youth activities.

This endeavor has been a great success. Dozens of Junior and Senior High school aged boys and girls from all over Iowa have joined this team and competed in youth bass fishing tournaments locally and nationally. Harris also provides students with educational opportunities. Using fishing as a springboard, he and his team gain a better understanding of fish biology, habitat, and water management. He works with local agencies, organizations and businesses to access equipment, local resources, and funds for supplies.

The Southwest Iowa Fishing Team is committed to giving back to the natural resources in Iowa. Harris and his team successfully completed a fund-raising campaign to purchase materials the team used to build fish habitat at more than a dozen Southwest Iowa public fishing lakes.

Pictured from the left is DNR director Kayla Lyon, 2025 Brass Bluegill Award recipient Bob Harris, chair of the Natural Resource Commission, Marcus Branstad, and DNR fisheries biologist Andy Jansen. Photo courtesy of the Iowa DNR.

Iowa DNR Fisheries Bureau staff have been assisting Harris and his team to help make these efforts educational and engage students to learn and expand their knowledge about aquatic fish life in the area lakes and ponds. He has built strong support for fishing, and outdoor education overall, in the area schools and community.

The award, along with a set of fishing poles to use with their Fish Iowa! programs, was presented at the Natural Resources Commission Meeting on March 13. The Brass Bluegill award has been presented each year since 1996 to Fish Iowa! educators with outstanding local programs that exemplify the goals of the Fish Iowa! Angler Education program.