(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with Vision Atlantic, today (Wednesday, Jan. 22) provided an update on the Camblin Hills housing development project. Construction on the 144 mixed-unit housing development project located on Olive Street between 17th and 22nd Streets, officially began in November of 2024. Dave Sturm, Snyder & Associates Business Unit Leader, said in a press release, that “The Camblin Hills Development infrastructure work commenced in late November. The site grading work is approximately 30% complete but has since been shut down for the winter due to the frozen ground. Earlier this week, Carley Construction began the installation of the underground infrastructure, starting with the sanitary sewer system. This work will continue throughout the winter months and be complete this spring.”

Camblin Hills will feature a mix of townhomes, duplexes, and single-family homes as well as lots for purchase for those interested in custom build. A park and biking/walking trail will be nestled in, offering a safe, family-friendly environment for any buyer. The Lakin Foundation Child Development Center will sit in the northwest corner of Camblin Hills, offering affordable childcare for up to 300 children. Vision Atlantic President, Christina Bateman says “Ten years ago, there were 73 houses on the market in Atlantic. Today, only 24 houses are on the market without offers. We have people in our community, and those looking to move here, who are ready to purchase larger homes and people ready to build their dream home, but they can’t find what they’re looking for in our community. This development will offer a little of everything, while also allowing buyers to “move up”, opening their existing homes for first time buyers or for those who are ready to downsize.”

With substantial monetary support from the Charles E. Lakin Foundation and local donors, $20 million has been raised in the past 12 months – 66% of the $30 million goal. In addition to the Lakin Foundation’s $8.6 million grant that will help construct the child development center and YMCA expansion, Vision Atlantic has also received access to an additional $23 million from the Foundation, which will act as a line of credit and help Vision Atlantic develop the land and construct homes in the Camblin Hills Housing Development. As the dollars are paid back each year, the Foundation will donate up to 5% of the interest paid back to Vision Atlantic, which will eventually be used to help operate the child development center. The $23 million is not part of Vision Atlantic’s $30 million fundraising goal. (Site development photos courtesy Atlantic Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bailey Smith)

Bateman says “Atlantic has always been blessed with generous, giving residents that prioritize reinvestment in the community. This helps sustain Atlantic as a great place to live, and we are grateful to see that altruistic support in this transformational project we have developed. Never has Atlantic seen such an influx of financial support coming in from outside our community like we have with the Lakin Foundation. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Atlantic and we’re proud to bring this project to our community.”

If you are interested in learning more about Camblin Hills Housing Development, or the project in general, contact visionatlanticiowa@gmail.com. Follow Vision Atlantic on Facebook for behind-the-scenes access to project updates or visit www.visionatlantic.org.

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About Vision Atlantic: Vision Atlantic is a 501(c)(3) non-profit with a mission to empower growth, enhance lives, and build a thriving community together through the economic development of Atlantic, Iowa. Through extensive research and surveying of the community and surrounding region, Vision Atlantic identified three areas that will help increase Atlantic’s population: expanded childcare, quality housing and quality of life amenities. A 144 mixed-unit housing development, 300 capacity child development center and expansion of the current YMCA will meet these needs. Vision Atlantic is currently fundraising for $30 million and infrastructure work for the housing development and child development center is currently underway, with construction slated to begin early this summer.

(Radio Iowa) – Congressman Randy Feenstra says by this time next month the outline of a massive bill that includes extending current tax cuts should be developed. “I’ll tell you what, I’m deep in the weeds on this. I sit on Ways and Means and that’s where the bill derives from,” Feenstra says. “…The plan is to have the first idea of what the bill is going to look like by mid-February, get a vote in the House mid-March and then it’ll go over to the Senate and we want this bill to be passed by Memorial Day.”

Feenstra, a Republican from Hull, has served on the Ways and Means Committee since he became a member of the U-S House in 2021. President Trump said he wants a “big, beautiful bill” that will be the largest, most far reaching piece of legislation ever passed by congress. Feenstra says beyond taxing and spending, the bill will include both repeal of bureaucratic red tape as well as new government rules regulations aimed at energy independence. “It will have the extension of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017,” Feenstra says, “and it will also have a lot of dollars in it for building a beautiful wall and for our border agents that will need it and for ICE.” Feenstra says a key part of the package will be exemptions to the federal estate tax of between 18 and 41 percent that’s charged on inherited cash and property worth over 13-point-six MILLION dollars.

Iowa Congressman Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) (official photo)

“We’re hoping that it will be an exemption of $14 to $20 million, somewhere thereabouts, an exemption of not paying that 41%, which is so significant,” Feenstra says. “We spend $31 billion as a country to try to circumvent this ‘death tax’ through trusts and other things.” Iowa is now one of 38 states that do not have an state tax. The STATE of Iowa’s estate tax was repealed on January 1st of this year.

(Radio Iowa) – One of the ten Iowans who was pardoned by President Trump this week for actions during the January 6th, 2021 attack on the U-S Capitol says he plans to join a massive lawsuit in response to his arrest. Kenny Rader of Sioux City, says it will be a 50-billion dollar class-action case against the U-S Department of Justice. “I’m not gonna settle for anything under seven digits,” Rader says. “I want to be compensated because I went through some hell.” Rader says he’s not surprised that he and more than 15-hundred other January 6th defendants were cleared of their crimes. He was sentenced to 90 days in prison, plus three years probation, after pleading guilty to illegally entering the Capitol.

“The pardon for me, it really didn’t change anything,” Rader says. “I’ve already served my time and my case is resolved, but to see all the other guys, you know, I stayed up pretty late watching them walk out in droves, and that’s what I was really happy for.” Even before a presidential pardon, Rader claims he didn’t break the law on January 6th. “I walked in, picked up some glass, and walked out,” he says. “So I was definitely, in my opinion, wrongfully charged and convicted and sent to prison for no crime.”

Some of the other Iowans pardoned by Trump include 44-year-old Doug Jensen of Des Moines, who was convicted of leading a mob through the Capitol, and Kyle Young of Redfield, who was accused of assaulting a police officer guarding the building.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors today (Wednesday), received a program update and funding request from officials with Crossroads Behavioral Health Services, along with a funding request for FY-2025-26. Executive Director Brittany Palmer provided one part of the report.

Crossroads Behavioral Health Services provides mental health and addiction services for Adams, Adair, Taylor, Union, Clarke and Madison counties.

Crossroads is requesting $37,500 in funding for the next fiscal year. No action was taken on the request at this time.

Sawyer Hansen, Assistant to Adair County Engineer Nick Kauffman, presented for the Board’s approval and Chair Nathan Baier’s signing, a Swap Funding Agreement for the County Road P-48 Resurfacing Project. The Board passed a motion approving the signature. Hansen also presented the front page plans for the FY25 Granular Surfacing Project for Farm-to-Market roads, for Baier’s signature. He described the roads included in the project that will begin later this Spring.

Those plans were also approved for Baier’s signature. And, Hansen provided the Adair County Secondary Roads Department regular Maintenance and Activities report. The Board concluded their weekly meeting with a Budget Work Session.

CLIVE, IOWA – Carroll County pig farmer Aaron Juergens has been named the new president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA). He assumed the role during the organization’s annual meeting in Des Moines on January 21. Juergens manages over 100,000 nursery and finishing pig spaces for Sunburst Valley Farms near Carroll. Juergens said in a press release, “It’s an incredible honor to lead this outstanding organization and work alongside such a dedicated board of directors. This group has always been a source of inspiration for me. I never imagined being elected to serve on the board, let alone as president. It’s truly overwhelming.”

Juergens previously served as IPPA’s president-elect in 2024. He succeeds Matt Gent, a Wellman pig farmer who now holds the position of past president on the IPPA Board of Directors. Juergens expressed his gratitude for Gent’s leadership, noting his ability to navigate the association through a challenging year. Both Juergens and Gent will serve one-year terms in their respective roles. “Matt did an outstanding job guiding us through a tough year, and I hope to build on his success,” Juergens said. “2025 looks promising, and I’m optimistic about a great year ahead for Iowa pork producers.”

Juergens has been an active member of IPPA since joining its board of directors in 2020. He has contributed to several committees, including public relations, finance, and producer education. Additionally, he is a graduate of the Iowa Pork Leadership Academy and the National Pork Producers Council’s Pork Leadership Institute. For over a decade, Juergens has served as a speaker for Operation Main Street, a program tied to his recognition as a recipient of the Dale Carnegie Course Highest Award for Achievement.

Aaron Juergens

Beyond his work with IPPA, Juergens is deeply involved in agriculture and his community. He is a member of the Carroll County Pork Producers and has received multiple accolades, including the Iowa Environmental Steward Award in 2009, the national Pork Industry Environmental Steward Award in 2010, and the inaugural Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award in 2011. In 2014, he was named an Iowa Master Pork Producer.

Juergens also participates in several local organizations, including the Carroll County Farm Bureau, Rotary Club of Carroll, Carroll Chamber of Commerce, and the New Hope Foundation, a nonprofit supporting adults with disabilities. He holds a business management degree from Loras College in Dubuque. Juergens and his wife, Chelsey, reside in Carroll with their three children.

During the annual meeting, the delegates passed three resolutions:

• That IPPA and NPPC have meaningful conversations with USDA and the new Secretary of Agriculture as to why the pork industry is being burdened with USDA’s country of origin labeling requirements for the Federal Nutrition Assistance Programs, particularly in relation to pork coming from Canada.
• That IPPA will work with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) to continue the engagement of all types for pork producers in the US SHIP, and that IPPA will provide additional resources to enhance the participation in US SHIP.
• That IPPA work in collaboration with NPB, and colleges of veterinarian medicine to develop actionable plans and strategies for when a PRRS outbreak takes place and to develop an evidence-based protocol for producers to use on the farm.

The delegates passed a complimentary resolution to recognize Matt Gent for his outstanding efforts as IPPA president in 2024.

(Griswold, Iowa) – The Griswold School Board, Monday evening, approved a High School Gym Floor Replacement Project, which, according to Superintendent Dave Henrichs said, came in under the engineers estimate, and included construction costs. The Board’s action came following a presentation and public hearing during Monday’s meeting.

There were no public comments made prior to the Board’s action. Henrichs said also, the Griswold School Board approved three resignations, an early retirement.

And they approved four new hires.

Superintendent Dave Henrichs also, the Board discussed the 2025-26 School Calendar, which the Calendar Committee has tentatively agreed upon, but due to pending action in the Iowa Legislature, the proposal will not be brought before the Board for approval anytime soon.

In other business, the Griswold School Board agreed to set the first of two Budget Hearings March 24th instead of the 17th, because the first hearing cannot be heard until March 20th or later. And, they agreed to transfer funds from an FFA Account to the Scholarship Fund, in the amount of $13, 845, due to a coding error.

The Griswold and Lenox School Boards will hold a joint session Thursday evening, in Griswold. Dave Henrichs explained the meeting is to consider extending the Superintendent Sharing Agreement and Henrichs’ contract.

The meeting takes place in the Griswold Elementary School Library, beginning at 6-p.m.. Thursday (Jan. 23, 2025)

(Creston, Iowa) – Police in Creston, late Tuesday night, arrested 30-year-old Andrew Thomas Palmer, of Creston. He was taken into custody at around 10:35-p.m., following a traffic stop at Townline and Pine Streets in Creston. Palmer was charged with Driving Barred. He was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on a $2,000 bond.

DES MOINES –  Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Tuesday afternoon, said the DNR was investigating a wastewater discharge at the City of Nora Springs, in Floyd County. On Monday, January 20, the Iowa DNR Field Office in Mason City received a call from the City of Nora Springs regarding a wastewater discharge due to a frozen sewer line running below the Shell Rock River. The discharge is believed to have started sometime on January 18th, and is continuing to enter the river from a manhole on the bank of the river located near the 1st St SW bridge. The Shell Rock River is frozen in the area by the discharge. Wastewater is not visible on the surface, but is believed to be entering under the ice.

Attempts to resolve the plugged line were said to have been unsuccessful and it is anticipated the discharge will continue until later in the week when warmer temperatures allow for the line to be jetted. The DNR says there have been no observable impacts to the river in small pockets of open water downstream from the discharge, and no reports of backups in basements in the area. No dead fish have been observed. The Iowa DNR will follow up with the city for further assessment.

A clogged sewer line is leaking under the ice into Shell Rock River in Nora Springs. (Photo courtesy of David Knoll/DNR via the Iowa Capital Dispatch)

To report a release after hours, please call the DNR’s emergency spill line at (515) 725-8694. Quick reporting can help DNR staff identify the cause of an incident. The DNR website has more information about spill reporting requirements.

DES MOINES – 1000 Friends of Iowa has announced the winners of the 2024 Best Development Awards during a ceremony. The announcement took place this week at the Capitol in Des Moines. The awards honor projects that recognize connections between building and project development and quality of life. With a mission focused on responsible land use, 1000 Friends of Iowa promotes smart growth planning principles that help achieve socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable communities.

The winning projects of this year’s awards and categories are:

• Innovative Leadership – Local: Rippling Waters (Ottumwa) 
• Innovative Leadership – State: Conservation Acceleration Fund of the Great Outdoors Foundation
• Mixed Use: Star Lofts (Des Moines)
• New Residential: The Row on 1st (Council Bluffs): The infill project rejuvenates a previously industrial area, incorporating renewable energy and promoting transportation alternatives like walking and biking via the multi-modal First Ave trail. The Row on 1st transforms a single-family parcel into three townhomes, promoting higher-density living with direct access to the pedestrian-friendly First Ave and nearby amenities. Positioned in a revitalized corridor, The Row on 1st offers residents easy access to local businesses, schools, and parks, fostering a vibrant, connected community.
  

  Row on 1st New Residential Project in Council Bluffs (photo courtesy 1000 Friends of Iowa)

  
  

• Renewable Energy: Albia Schools Solar + Battery Project (Albia)
• Brownfield Revitalization: Harriet Street Brownfield Solar Field (Des Moines)
• Renovated Commercial – Small: Sequel Architecture Historical Renovation (Des Moines)
• Renovated Commercial – Large: Willards-Hopkins Historic Rehabilitation (Marshalltown)
• Bright Futures: Luther College (Decorah)
• Renovated Residential: Historic Winterset High School Apartments (Wapello)
• Transportation/Complete Streets: Ingersoll Avenue Streetscape (Des Moines)

Kari Carney, Executive Director of 1000 Friends of Iowa, said “We congratulate this year’s award winners and commend them on their great projects that highlight best practices in responsible land use and innovation in sustainable practices. Economic Development projects like those honored with this year’s awards create vibrant communities and serve as models for other Iowa communities.”

The Best Development Awards are selected from a pool of applications each year and judged by an independent group of jurors.

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1000 Friends of Iowa, founded in 1998, is a statewide nonprofit organization focused on land use and transportation.. Its mission is to unite Iowans in efforts to protect farmland and natural areas, revitalize neighborhoods, towns and cities, and improve quality of life for future generations. Additional details about 1000 Friends of Iowa’s smart growth priorities can be found at www.1000FriendsofIowa.org.