Iowa bicycling enthusiasts may not be able to do much pedaling in the freezing cold right now, but they’ll be flocking by the thousands to Des Moines later this week for the Iowa Bicycle Summit. Mark Wyatt, executive director of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, says it’s actually three big events rolled into one weekend. “We have the Iowa Bicycle Summit which is our education conference,” Wyatt says. “We train people to build trails and teach people how to install bike lanes and build better bicycling facilities into communities. The second thing we have is the Iowa Bike Expo which is our big outdoor enthusiast’s place to see new gear, new bicycles and find new destinations to vacation with your bicycle next summer.”

The third event is the Route Announcement Party for the annual RAGBRAI, a statewide ride that draws more than 10-thousand cyclists from across the world every summer. Wyatt says this statewide summit event at the Iowa Events Center continues to grow every year. “We’re actually setting a record for the Iowa Bicycle Summit at 140 people so far registered, so that’s outstanding,” Wyatt says. “The Iowa Bike Expo, last year we had great weather and had about 3,000 people attend. We have over 90 vendors that are going to be present to talk about bikes and gear and destinations.”

Iowa has some two-thousand miles of bike trails, with some of the longest continuous trail systems in the country. “Over half of Iowans, and we have 3-million Iowans, over half own a bicycle,” Wyatt says. “They may not ride them but certainly we know people have access to bicycles. It’s not too difficult to see the large increases in the amount people bicycling, especially with the introduction of a lot of trails and bike lanes and other infrastructure we have that really make it easy to go out and enjoy yourself.”

Learn more about the events on Friday and Saturday at www.bikeiowa.com.

w/ Ric Hanson

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Police in Council Bluffs are investigating the robbery early this (Monday) morning of a convenience store. Authorities say officers were called to the Kwik Shop at 3622 Avenue “G” at around 2:15-a.m.  The victim told police two individuals entered the store, one of whom displayed a handgun and demanded cash from the register.

After the clerk complied, the suspects left the area in a vehicle, with an undetermined amount of cash. No one was injured, and the incident remains under investigation by the Bluff’s P-D’s Criminal Investigation Division.

Much of Iowa is waking up to brutally cold temperatures this (Monday) morning. A wind chill warning is in effect until noon today for a wide section of north-central Iowa while an area north of Interstate 80 is under a wind chill advisory. Rod Donovan is a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Johnston. Temperatures are 5 to 10-below in northern Iowa as increasing north winds knock wind chills down to 25 to 35-below, which will last much of the morning.

Donovan says the cold weather will be hanging around for several days. Tuesday will see a slight warm-up into the teens with 20s on Wednesday, but he’s expecting temps below freezing all week. Donovan says Iowans will have to wait until next weekend for daytime highs in the 20s and 30s.

(at 5:30-a.m., it was 1 degree above zero in Atlantic, with winds NW @ 15-25 mph, creating a wind chill factor of around -21.)

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

Members of the Elk Horn-Kimballton School District’s Board of Education will meet Monday. During their 7-p.m. session at the high school in Elk Horn, the Board will hear regular reports from the district’s principals, and Superintendent Dean Schnoes, who is expected to provide an update on reorganization with the Exira School District, and discuss the heating compressor in the lunchroom.

The Board will discuss and possible take action on a new insurance program for One-to-One Computers, Iowa Association for Educational Purchasing savings to the district, and approval of OneSource as an employee or potential employee, background check company.

Members of the CAM School District’s Board of Education will hold a regularly scheduled meeting 7-p.m. Monday at the High School Media Center in Anita. During the session, the Board is slated to discuss and possibly act on matters pertaining to the Multi-purpose facility, including:  The holding of a Public Hearing on the Plan, Specifications, Form of Contract and Estimated costs of the project; a Resolution approving the plans, specs and form of contract; a review of the construction bids, and the awarding of a contract for construction.

The Board will also hear discussion, and possibly act on: a Driver’s Education instructor contract; Driver’s Ed tuition, an Open Enrollment application, and other administrative matters. Prior to adjournment, the CAM School Board will enter into a closed session to discuss negotiations for the 2013-2014 school year.

The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Department’s Board of Directors will meet 5-p.m. Monday, at City Hall. During the meeting, the board will receive updates on: The Schildberg Recreation Area; The Park Maintenance Building project; Sunnyside Tennis Court reconstruction project; The Dog Park at the Schildberg Recreation Area, and the new Boat ramp near the Water Treatment plant. In addition, Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring will provide his report on a Master Plan for the Schildberg Recreation Area, fundraising and grant writing progress.

The Atlantic Police Department reports a local woman was arrested early Sunday morning on three charges associated with an  disturbance involving a knife, which occurred just outside of Desperados Bar at around 1-a.m.  Officials say after investigating the incident, 26-year old  Prudence Penelope Gwendolyn Page, of Atlantic, was taken into custody on Willful Injury and Domestic Abuse Assault charges, along with a charge of Carrying Weapons. The charges stem from an alleged assault in the 100 block of East 5th Street, on Christopher Castillo, of Atlantic.

According to Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green, Castillo was stabbed in the upper torso. He was taken by ambulance to the Cass County Memorial Hospital, and later transported to an undisclosed hospital in Omaha. The extent of his injuries were not released. Prudence Page was being held in the Cass County Jail an appearance before the magistrate.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office says a Corning woman was arrested Sunday afternoon following an investigation into an incident which took place Friday, at the Brooks Bar. 20-year old Brooke Goldsmith was arrested at around 1-p.m., for Attempting to Purchase Alcohol under the legal age, a simple misdemeanor, and, Identity Theft, an aggravated misdemeanor. Goldsmith was brought to the Adams County Jail, posted a $2,300 bond, and was released.