WATERLOO, Iowa (January 21, 2021) – Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area (SSNHA) is pleased to announce the winners of the 13th Annual Capture the Heart of America Photo Contest. “Best of Show” was awarded to Greg Punelli of Ankeny for his photo, “Battle in the Blizzard” in the Partner Site category. Taken in Prairie City at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, the photo was chosen by the public in an online voting campaign in early December.

Harvest Tailgating for Lunch, Sandy McCurdy of Bridgewater

Awards were also given to the top photos in each of six categories, voted on by panel of judges. People’s Choice “Most Liked on Facebook” was awarded to Joyce Meyer of Calmar for her photo, “Over the Rainbow” in the Iowa Farmscapes category. The “Visitor Guide Photo Feature,” selected by Silos & Smokestacks staff from the Partner Site category for a special feature in the 2021-22 Visitor Guide, was awarded to Brian Abeling of West Des Moines with “Mines of Spain Recreation Area.”

Category winners include:
Life on the Iowan Farm
FIRST PLACE: Ready For Work, Bee Klemzak of Waterloo
SECOND PLACE: Harvest Tailgating for Lunch, Sandy McCurdy of Bridgewater
THIRD PLACE: Summer Sunrise, Diane Michaud Lowry of Ames
HONORABLE MENTION: Puddle Jumper, Ann Clinton of Waukee

East Place Harvest, Linda Buxton of Creston

Modern Agriculture
FIRST PLACE: Hancock Harvest, Brian Abeling of West Des Moines
SECOND PLACE: Fly & Apply, Beau Brown of Iowa City
THIRD PLACE: East Place Harvest, Linda Buxton of Creston
HONORABLE MENTION: Chad Heggen, Deere in the Beans of Joice

While the Heritage Area covers a 37-county region in Northeast Iowa, the contest allows Silos & Smokestacks to share America’s agricultural story across the entire United States. A complete list of winners and their photos can viewed at www.silosandsmokestacks.org/photo-contest.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Republican Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa is asking the U.S. House to dismiss an election contest filed by her Democratic challenger that argues the 6-vote race was wrongly decided. The Des Moines Register reports that Miller-Meeks argues in a filing to the House that lawmakers shouldn’t consider Rita Hart’s appeal because Hart did not contest the outcome under Iowa law.

An attorney for Miller-Meeks argues that House precedents going back a century “require contestants to avail themselves of every single remedy before they go to Congress.” Hart claims that at least 22 votes in the race were wrongly excluded, enough to change the outcome in her favor.

SUMNER, Iowa (AP) — Police say the owner of a child care facility in northeastern Iowa has been arrested and charged with child endangerment after being accused of injuring a 1-year-old in her care. Television station KCRG reports that an employee on Tuesday reported 54-year-old Crystal Bahe, of Sumner, to authorities. Bahe owns and operates Crystal’s Christian Child Care in Sumner.

The facility’s operations have been suspended while local police and the Iowa Department of Human Services conduct investigations into the allegation. Officials say families of the children attending the daycare have been notified and children have been moved from the facility.

District 21 Republican Representative Tom Moore, from Griswold, reports the Iowa Restaurant and Bar Relief Grant Program will provide eligible businesses with a one-time grant to assist with short-term cash flow. Gov. Kim Reynolds’s Nov. 16, 2020 proclamation ordered bars, restaurants, and other establishments to limit their hours of operations and continue social distancing measures to assist in preventing the further spread of COVID-19.

Grant Eligible Businesses include:

•  An Iowa-based brick and mortar establishment in which the primary purpose is serving food or drink
• The independent, Iowa-based business must not be part of a national restaurant franchise as defined by the National Restaurant Association. A restaurant franchise has 20 or more locations doing business under the same name, regardless of the type of ownership.
• If restaurant, must provide full-service dining.
• Must have experienced at least a 15% decrease in gross sales, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in combined Q2 and Q3 2020 compared to combined Q2 and Q3 2019 (April 1-Sept. 30).
• Sales verifications will be based off Iowa Sales/Retailer’s Use Tax and Surcharge Return and verified with Iowa Department of Revenue database.Businesses without historical gross sales revenue loss data (ie Q2 and Q3 2019, such as eligible businesses established after June, 30, 2019) will be reviewed for a possible award and as funds are available.The business must have open for business on or before April 1, 2020.
• The business must not have permanently closed. If temporarily closed, business has plan to reopen.
• Must be registered to do business in the State of Iowa and have physical location in the state.

Ineligible Businesses include:

• Quick Service Restaurant (QSR), Fast Food, Snacks
• Fast Casual
• Delivery and Take-Away Only
• Ice Cream Parlor, Frozen Dessert
• Coffee Shop, Tea House
• Smoothie, Juice Bars
• Food Trucks
• Adult Entertainment
• Any organization not in good standing with the Iowa Department of Revenue (IDR), Alcoholic Beverages Division (ABD), Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA).

(Updated) Firefighters from Anita responded to a semi-trailer fire on Interstate 80. The call about the Old Dominion Freight line semi at the 63.75 mile marker eastbound went out at around 8:57-a.m.   The driver of the truck was out and safe. The semi and trailer are on the shoulder of the road. Both lanes are open.

Photo courtesy Mike Kennon, Cass County Emergency Management.

A traffic stop early Wednesday morning at Highway 59 and Frank Kearney Street, in Oakland, resulted in an arrest. The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports 24-year-old Tiffani Michelle Jerdon, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at around 2:45-a.m., for OWI/1st offense.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Two people were arrested on drug charges Wednesday afternoon, in Creston. Authorities says 21-year-old Demarco K Collins, of Dekalb, IL, and 20-year-old Devin J. Lacy, of Riverdale, IL, were arrested at 804 W. Taylor Street, in Creston. Both were charged with Possession for Controlled Substance/1st Offense. They were cited and each released on a Promise to Appear in court.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa reports a man from Carroll who possessed a gun after a previous attempted burglary conviction in 2019, was sentenced Tuesday in Sioux City, to more than 2 years in federal prison. Officials say 19-year-old Buomkuoth Lol received the prison term after an August 24, 2020, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon. At the guilty plea, Lol admitted on May 8, 2020 he possessed a gun and .40 caliber ammunition.  Lol admitted to knowing he was prohibited from possessing guns after being convicted of attempted burglary in Buena Vista County on November 5, 2019.

Lol was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system. Lol is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.