(Anita, Iowa) – The CAM School Board, during a regular meeting Monday evening, approved one-year employment contracts for the District’s certified and non-certified staff for the 2025-2026 school year, with the certified staff receiving a 3.99-percent pay increase. The contracts will be handed-out March 21^st.

According to CAM School Board President Cara Murphy, the CAM and Nodaway Valley School Boards will hold a joint closed session meeting on March 24^th in the Fontanelle Media Center, to review the list of prospective superintendent candidates. Both boards will hold a second joint closed session meeting March 31st at the media center in Massena, to narrow the list of Superintendent candidates to three. The finalists will be interviewed on April 7^th by both boards of education.

(Radio Iowa) – A documentary about an ambitious canoe trip will make its Iowa debut tonight in Davenport. The film called “Columbia River Canoe Project” is about two young Montana men who make a difficult odyssey in a special canoe that was hand-made in the Quad Cities. Todd McGreevy is Chief Paddling Officer at Navarro Canoe Company, based in Rock Island, Illinois. McGreevy says the movie is a must-see for all outdoor adventurers. “And it follows the journey of two cousins, Robert and Braxton, from Butte, Montana, all the way to the Columbia River system, all the way to the Pacific Ocean,” McGreevy says, “1,300 miles over 52 days and they did that in a single Navarro Canoe.”

He says it took more than 100 hours to handcraft the canoe into what’s considered an “heirloom, floating work of art.” It’s constructed of materials including fiberglass, Kevlar and cherry wood. “Our 17-foot expedition canoe designed by Bob Foote back in the ’90s, a famous canoeist, and he’s still alive,” McGreevy says. “He designed this model, and we’ve named it the Oberholtzer after Ernst Oberholtzer from Davenport, Iowa. He helped form the Wilderness Society.” The documentary is beautifully shot, he says, and displays the excitement, the exertion, and the exhaustion of the challenging trek across parts of Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon.

Still courtesy of Columbia River Canoe Project

“The journey was photographed by four film experts from the University of Utah, and they spent about a year editing it down to the 70-minute film that it is,” McGreevy says. “And it’s been showing out west in all kinds of film festivals and won documentary awards and so forth, out in Oregon and Utah and Montana, and we’re excited to have it premiere here in Iowa.” He says the documentary is partly a coming-of-age film about the two young cousins, facing their fears and the elements. “And then it’s also about stewardship of our environment,” McGreevy say, “and how Robert and Braxton go through the lock and dam system and talk about where some of these locks and dams can be retired so that the fish can flourish again.”

The first Iowa screening of the film is tonight at 6 at The Last Picture House in downtown Davenport, with more screenings every Wednesday through April 16th.

(HARLAN, Iowa)  – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is holding a public meeting on March 27 at 5:30 p.m. at the Harlan Public Library to discuss an upcoming alum treatment to improve water quality in Prairie Rose Lake.  DNR will present an overview of the proposed treatments and how this treatment will help reduce the frequency and intensity of harmful algae blooms (or HABs) in the lake.

Alum (aluminum sulfate) is a nontoxic substance used in everything from cooking to treatment of drinking water. It is commonly used to reduce phosphorus concentrations in lakes. Phosphorus, a key nutrient for algae growth, stems from runoff in the watershed. While much of the phosphorus that ends up in a lake is buried in the lake sediments, it can also be recycled within the lake under the right environmental conditions and released from the lake sediments when bottom waters have no oxygen. These “internal releases” of phosphorus often fuel large algae blooms, especially in the late summer and early fall. When applied to a lake, alum binds with the phosphorus in the water and settles as a thin flocculant on the lake bottom, where it will continue to inactivate phosphorus being released from the sediments. This process can significantly reduce the likelihood of HABs, which can be harmful to the ecosystem and limit recreation.

Prairie Rose Lake has experienced several blooms over the past few years. Recent research shows that watershed inputs and internal phosphorus recycling are driving these blooms, and a series of alum applications will likely help alleviate the frequency and duration of HABs. The alum will be applied using specialized barges over a one week, between April 1 and May 15, depending on weather conditions. During this time, lake users may see boats, barges, heavy trucking equipment, and storage tanks around the park. DNR asks that you maintain a safe distance from the equipment to allow the crews to work efficiently.

There should be minimal disruption to regular activities on the water. The application dates were selected to minimize interference with spring fishing activities. No swimming or boating restrictions are anticipated. DNR staff will be on site to monitor the application. This treatment is one part of a broader effort to continue to improve water quality and recreational opportunities at Prairie Rose Lake. An additional treatment is scheduled for Fall of 2025.

(CRESTON, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is holding a public meeting on March 26 at 6:00 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room (Room 124) in the Performing Arts Center Building on the Southwestern Community College to discuss an upcoming alum treatment to improve water quality in Green Valley Lake. The DNR will present an overview of the proposed treatments and how the treatment will help reduce the frequency and intensity of harmful algae blooms (or HABs) in the lake.

Alum (aluminum sulfate) is a nontoxic substance used in everything from cooking to treatment of drinking water. It is commonly used to reduce phosphorus concentrations in lakes. Phosphorus, a key nutrient for algae growth, stems from runoff in the watershed. While much of the phosphorus that ends up in a lake is buried in the lake sediments, it can also be recycled within the lake under the right environmental conditions and released from the lake sediments when bottom waters have no oxygen. These “internal releases” of phosphorus often fuel large algae blooms, especially in the late summer and early fall.  When applied to a lake, alum binds with the phosphorus in the water and settles as a thin flocculant on the lake bottom, where it will continue to inactivate phosphorus being released from the sediments. This process can significantly reduce the likelihood of HABs, which can be harmful to the ecosystem and limit recreation.

Green Valley Lake has experienced several significant HABs over the past few years and generally has very poor water clarity. Several research efforts have shown that watershed inputs and internal phosphorus recycling are driving these blooms, and a series of alum applications will likely help alleviate the frequency and duration of HABs. The alum will be applied using specialized barges over a period of two weeks, between April 1 and May 15, depending on weather conditions. During this time, lake users may see boats, barges, heavy trucking equipment, and storage tanks around the park. DNR asks that you maintain a safe distance from the equipment to allow the crews to work efficiently.

There should be minimal disruption to regular activities on the water. The application dates were selected to minimize interference with spring fishing activities. No swimming or boating restrictions are anticipated. DNR staff will be on site to monitor the application. This treatment is one part of a broader effort to continue to improve water quality and recreational opportunities at Green Valley Lake. An additional treatment is scheduled for Fall of 2025.

DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) – Many Iowa State Patrol troopers were out on the roads helping people who were stuck in the snow last week. The blizzard conditions didn’t stop state troopers from putting their lives on the line to make a life-saving delivery. A surgical team in northern Iowa was running dangerously low on blood during a surgery last week. They needed more from a blood center just outside of Des Moines. That was 100 miles away, and the blizzard had already shut down parts of I-35.

Iowa State Trooper Nathan Nemmers said he knew this assignment was crucial. He told KCCI “Dispatch had advised me that there was a patient actively in the operating room waiting on these blood products and needed it emergent.” Trooper Nemmers picked up the blood products from Life Serve Blood Center. He got them to Story City, where a second trooper took the blood products further north, and a third trooper got it to the patient. The blizzard conditions made the travel treacherous. Trooper Nemmers said the journey was a bit unnerving, and it had to slow down because not a lot of snow had been removed from that section of the roadway.

Life Serve says the last they heard, the patient is in the ICU in stable condition.

DES MOINES – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is offering a program to teach skills needed to hunt, field dress and cook wild turkey, to participants age 16 and older who have little to no wild turkey hunting experience. The workshop is a two-part series which will be held from 6 to 9 p.m., on April 8 and April 10, near Polk City. Both evenings will feature knowledge and skills building sessions with instructors who will provide hands-on learning that will teach the basics.

“For those interested in the challenge of wild turkey hunting as a means of sourcing their own protein, this program provides the opportunity to learn the skills and knowledge it takes to do it all yourself,” said Jamie Cook, Hunter Education coordinator with the Iowa DNR. Participants will learn basic strategies for hunting wild turkey, such as proper equipment, where to hunt, safe shooting practices, and how to field dress, butcher and cook them. For more information, including costs, location, times and to begin the registration process, visit: http://license.gooutdoorsiowa.com/Event/ViewEvent.aspx?id=3398

Early registration is encouraged as space is limited. This program is provided through a partnership with the Iowa DNR and the National Wild Turkey Federation. It is part of a national effort to recruit, retain and reactivate hunters due to the overall decline in hunting and outdoor recreation.

CLIVE, IA – Are you the king or queen of backyard barbecue? It’s time to put your skills to the test! Amateur grillers from across Iowa are invited to showcase their talent at the backyard BBQ competition, part of the BBQ & Brew at the Ballpark event this summer in Des Moines. Presented by the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA) and the Iowa Cubs, the third-annual BBQ & Brew is a fun-filled, charitable event happening Saturday, June 21 at Principal Park. Open to the public, attendees will enjoy mouthwatering Iowa pork, locally brewed craft beers, live music, and expert cooking demonstrations—all while supporting food pantries across the state.

A Chance to Win Big & Earn Bragging Rights

“This event is all about celebrating Iowa’s love for pork and barbecue,” said Aaron Juergens, IPPA president and a pig farmer from Carroll. “It’s a great opportunity for backyard pitmasters to step up, show off their barbeque techniques, and compete for top honors—and some serious cash.” The all-pork BBQ & Brew Contest will award nearly $12,000 in total prizes, with competitors vying for top spots in three categories: pork loin, pork butt, and St. Louis-style ribs. Cash prizes will go to the top 10 overall competitors, as well as the top 10 finishers in each category. Certified judges will evaluate entries based on appearance, taste, and tenderness.

But the competition doesn’t stop there! BBQ & Brew attendees will have the chance to taste samples from the competitors and vote for their favorites in the People’s Choice Contest, where winners will receive:

·        $1,000 cash

·        $1,000 to donate to a hunger-relief charity of their choice

Sign Up & Fire Up the Grill

Registration is now open for teams to claim one of just 30 competition spots. The entry fee is $250 per team. The deadline to enter is May 16. Once spots are filled, a waiting list will be available. BBQ & Brew admission tickets will be available for purchase soon. For full competition details and to register, visit iowapork.org/bbq-brew.

(Radio Iowa) – The director of the Iowa Department of Transportation says they have seen some federal programs put on pause. Scott Marler says that includes the New Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program. “They put a hold on the NEVI funding, pending some additional guidance that we expect to come out later this year. And these are the electric chargers. And so they have paused that program pending some further guidance,” Marler says. The D-O-T had announced 16 million federal dollars would go to 28 projects to install electric vehicle charges across the state. D-O-T planner Stuart Anderson tells Radio Iowa that money has not gone out yet. Anderson says federal officials say they will announce new NEVI guidelines this spring. Director Marler also talked about other federal programs that are on hold right now.

(DOT graphic of proposed EV charge sites)

“These include programs like the Protect program, the low and no emission transit vehicle program, the rail crossing elimination program, commercial driver’s license and motor carrier safety programs,” he says. Marler says the payments for ongoing roadwork are not being held up. “The weekly contractor reimbursement program that we process these reimbursements through the Federal Highway Administration for Iowa’s road construction program, highway construction program. Those have continued and are continuing at this time,” Marler says.

Marler made his comments during an update Tuesday at the Transportation Commission’s meeting.

(Radio Iowa) – The University of Iowa is ending three of its identity-based residential communities, acting on orders from the U-S Department of Education. Three of the U-I’s so-called Living Learning Communities will not be offered starting next school year: All-In, Unidos and Young, Black and Gifted. They’re the only three organized by identity. Daniela Pintor-Mendoza is president of the university’s Latino Student Union. “We love to be Hawkeyes. We love to be from Iowa,” she says. “You know, I’m hecho in Iowa. Born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa. It’s their job to protect us and we feel like they failed us in that.”

Pintor-Mendoza says the U-I’s actions were in response to a letter issued by the federal agency, targeting D-E-I programs and race-based initiatives. “It was the university complying, and at the same time, in complying, they were giving up any type of protection that they gave to us as students,” she says. “It was really disappointing, and it was like the university failed us, failed us students.”

Pintor-Mendoza says the university should focus on allocating funds to existing programs that help underserved students. Many of these programs are also being investigated for compliance with Iowa Board of Regents directives.