Wednesday’s kickoff to the Ice Cream Days celebration in Le Mars included an announcement by officials with Wells Enterprises about expansion plans for the town’s Blue Bunny Ice Cream parlor. Wells Vice President of Retail Sales Adam Baumgartner says the parlor already attracts over 230-thousand (230,000) visitors a year. He expects the multi-million-dollar renovation project will draw even more tourists to the town nicknamed “The Ice Cream Capital of the World.” In addition to redesigning the parlor, Baumgartner says Wells has purchased a building next door to make room for an interactive “farm to spoon” display.

Blue Bunny Ice Cream parlor in Le Mars (Radio IA)

“We’ll be able to highlight how we get our milk, where it comes from, the processes it goes through to get into our facilities, how it gets processed in there, and how it gets turned into ice cream,” Baumgartner said. The added space will also feature rooftop seating. “Outdoor rooftop seating — so, a first-of-its-kind in downtown Le Mars. We are super excited about that,” Baumgartner said.

The exact cost of the renovation project was not revealed at Wednesday’s announcement. The parlor will be closed in October and much of November, as well as between March 1st and mid-June of 2019. The project should be ready for next year’s Ice Cream Days, when the town of Le Mars will also celebrate its sesquicentennial.

(Radio Iowa)

The director of Iowa’s Medicaid program says the state will save about 140-million dollars in the current year because patient care is being managed by private companies, but Mike Randol is not explaining why that estimate has tripled since he became Medicaid director in January.  “I think it’s important to understand that regardless of the methodology, that there are savings,” Randol said.

Randol made his comments yesterday (Wednesday) in a verbal report to the state board appointed by the governor to oversee the agency. Randol then left the room and did not speak with reporters seeking details about how his savings estimate was developed. Senator Pam Jochum, a Democrat from Dubuque, says Randol didn’t address how patients and health care providers have been affected by Medicaid privatization either. “The director’s analysis or presentation to the council was incomplete and I really question the accuracy of the numbers that he provided,” Jochum said.

Last week, Republican State Auditor Mary Mosiman announced she will review the agency’s calculations. Fred Hubbell, the Democratic candidate for governor, said yesterday (Wednesday) that the lack of transparency about the finances of the state-run Medicaid program is “baffling and completely unacceptable.”

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 4:00 a.m. CDT

NEWELL, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a Storm Lake man has died after the agricultural sprayer he was driving was hit by a train at a rural northwestern Iowa railroad crossing. The Sioux City Journal reports that the crash happened Wednesday morning, killing 33-year-old Kyle Drey. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Buena Vista County Sheriff Kory Elston says the crash happened about four miles northwest of Newell.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A 34-year-old Waterloo man who sent threatening tweets to U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst has been sentenced to six years in federal prison. Federal prosecutors say Joseph Hilton Dierks was sentenced Wednesday in Cedar Rapids’ federal courthouse. Prosecutors had said Dierks sent Ernst several threatening tweets in August, one which suggested he would shoot her and included a link to a 2010 movie in which a man shoots a woman in the head and kills her.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have launched a second investigation into the suspected misuse of public money by an employee at an Iowa soil and water conservation district. The latest investigation centers on the Jasper County Soil and Water Conservation District in Newton. A similar audit and criminal investigation have been going on for months into an employee who allegedly embezzled funds while working as an assistant in the districts based in Black Hawk and Bremer counties.

DUNKERTON, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say they’re investigating the death of a child in northeastern Iowa. The Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office says deputies and medics were called to a Dunkerton home around 7:40 a.m. Wednesday for a report of a child not breathing. Officials say the child was taken by ambulance to a local hospital and pronounced dead. An autopsy has been ordered.

The Atlantic Community School District is looking for a few great teachers. During his report to the Atlantic School Board, Wednesday evening, Superintendent Steve Barber said there are three positions yet to fill: Industrial Tech, High School English, and Physical Education Weight Trainer. He said with regard to Industrial Tech, if someone has a teaching degree, the district can probably obtain an executive license. He said also that despite all due diligence, they have not found a person qualified for the position, which Barber said is an important piece to the program, and includes trades, drafting an engineering aspects.

To try and find suitable instructors, the District is advertising on TeachIowa.gov. If you are interested and qualified to be an Industrial Technology Instructor, or for the other positions, check out the website. Barber will also consider advertising in the local paper, and/or the Des Moines Register. In his report, Superintendent Barber said Camblin Mechanical has installed two HVAC units in the High School Gym. The classroom unit will be completed next month. Another project set to begin next month, is converting the High School Gym to LED lighting. Barber said also,they’re still waiting for the new bleachers to be installed in the Middle School. The old ones are set to be taken down yet this month, with the replacements installed by August 29^th. The district’s old copier machines, he said, will be changed out June 18^th and 19^th, and the District’s new propane bus is scheduled to arrive the first week in July . Click here to open a PDF of the available ACSD job openings: do_not_reply@atlanticiaschools.org_20180615_082451.pdf

He said by adding the new propane bus, they hope that the number of miles driven by the District’s propane-powered fleet will exceed the number of more costly, diesel miles driven. The District is also looking at replacing two rooms with new carpet. One is the High School Special Education room, the other is in the Schuler Elementary School, at a combined cost installed, of $6,930. In other business, the Atlantic School Board voted 3-to 1, with Board President Ali Bruckner absent, to approve Superintendent Steve Barber’s 2018-19 contract. Board Member Josh McLaren was the lone No vote, but it wasn’t because he had an issue with the terms of the contract. It was the wording that troubled him. He said the recommendation to approve the contract was from the Board President, when it should have said the Board as a whole.

Board Secretary Sarah Sheeder, said it probably should have been worded differently, and she acknowledged the mistake was partially her fault. Obviously, she said didn’t want it to say the Superintendent made the recommendation to approve his own contract. The Board also approved resignations, contracts and/or letters of assignment previously mentioned on our newscasts and website. The only additional resignation was for Ryan Henderson, High School PE Teacher. And the addition of Kelly Juhl, Summer Grounds person.

(Updated w/additional arrests) — Sheriff’s Deputies in Adams County, Wednesday, conducted a traffic stop at around 1:53-p.m., near the intersection of 6th and Adams in Corning. Upon further investigation, Cheyenne Haveman of Diagonal, was placed under arrest for Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs. At around 11-a.m. Wednesday, Adams County Deputies conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of 7th and Loomis Ave. in Corning. Upon further investigation, Jesse Allen Luft of Villisca, was placed under arrest for Driving Under Suspension and OWI 2nd Offense (test refusal).

On Monday, Adams County Deputies arrested Steven Michael Nutt, of Creston, on two Adams County warrants for Failure to Appear (in court), on original charges of Driving Under Suspension. Sheriff’s officials said also, that on June 10th, Deputies conducted a traffic stop near 265th and Elm Ave., in Adams County, and upon further investigation, Bruce Fitzwater of Villisca, was placed under arrest for Driving Under Suspension. Fitzwater was also cited for operating a non-registered vehicle and failure to provide proof of insurance.

On June 9th, David Marroquin Diaz, of Omaha, was arrested following a traffic stop in Adams County. Diaz was taken into custody for Operating a vehicle without a valid driver’s license. He was also cited for operating a non-registered vehicle, failure to provide proof of insurance, and speeding (16-to 20-miles over the posted limit).

Police in Red Oak, Wednesday evening, arrested a man wanted on a Mills County warrant. 33-year old Christopher Allen Lundgren, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 5:15-p.m. on the warrant charging him with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Lundgren was transported to the Mills County Jail, where his bond was set at $300.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A 34-year-old Waterloo man who sent threatening tweets to U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst has been sentenced to six years in federal prison. Federal prosecutors say Joseph Hilton Dierks was sentenced Wednesday in Cedar Rapids’ federal courthouse. A judge noted at the sentencing Dierks’ criminal history, which included a prior conviction for harassing a Waterloo police officer and carrying weapons.
Prosecutors had said Dierks sent Ernst several threatening tweets in August, one which suggested he would shoot her and included a link to a 2010 movie in which a man shoots a woman in the head and kills her.
U.S. Capitol Police contacted the Waterloo police and officers sent to Dierks’ home say he promised to “tone it down.” Within 24 hours he was sending more threatening tweets to Ernst.