The Cass County ISU Extension Office says efforts are currently underway to strengthen and build on the long and strong historical presence local food and agriculture has had in Cass County. In late 2015, Cass County Extension and the Cass County Local Food Policy Council began a collaboration through a grant project in partnership with the ISU Community Design Lab, ISU Extension and Outreach and the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. The group has been building a comprehensive history of local food and agriculture activities and working to identify interested partners.

In the spring of 2016, the group began formally working together as the Cass County Food System Action Coalition. The goal of this newly-formed coalition is to identify current ag-related resources and needs to make fresh, local food products more widely available to residents. The process involves community networking, analysis of local data, public input session, project prioritization and design implementation and documentation.

Depending on the community, the process might result in more community or school gardens, establishment of a CSA or food box program, the addition of edible plants to existing parks or public spaces, or new facilities where farmers and entrepreneurs can process food.

The local coalition of partners is now looking for input from local residents about their food systems. Several dates have been set at local events where residents are invited to come and share their food stories, discuss the changes they’d like to see, and explore new ways to increase food access in Cass County. Members will be available this Saturday, July 16^th, from 9 AM to Noon at the Atlantic Farmers Market in the Orscheln’s parking lot, and on Monday, July 18^th from 4 to 6:30 PM at the Anita Farmers Market at the bandshell park. Organizers expect additional dates to be added in communities around the county in August.

The coalition is also still looking for steering committee members, as well as folks who are interested in participating in special projects as they develop. For more information or to get involved in the project, visit the Cass County Extension website at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass, call the Cass County Extension office at 712-243-1132 or email Program Coordinator Kate Olson at keolson@iastate.edu.

The Trevor Frederickson Foundation is footing the bill for transportation to the State Softball Tournament next week, in Fort Dodge. Atlantic faces Davenport Assumption Tuesday, July 19th, beginning at 1-p.m. Foundation officials said Thursday, anyone wanting to ride the Atlantic High School Pep Bus in support of the Trojan Softball Team, should contact the High School by no later than the end of the day today (Friday), at 243-5358, and reserve your spot on the bus. In addition, the Foundation will pay the students’ admission ticket price to the game for any student wishing to ride the Pep Bus.

There is no limit to the number of people who can ride, and they’ll use as many buses as needed. The Foundation will pay the cost of the buses. In addition, there will be a drawing on each bus, for a $50 gift card from Olsen’s B-P.

The Trevor Frederickson Foundation is working with the Atlantic School District Administration to coordinate the project.

Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputies, Thursday afternoon, arrested a man wanted on a Montgomery County warrant for Theft in the 2nd degree. 46-year old Bradley Gene Adolphson, of Emerson, was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $5,000 bond.

A central Iowa business owner has claimed a big lottery prize for the second time this year. Tom Clark went to Iowa Lottery headquarters Thursday to claim the top prize available in the “$250,000 Riches” scratch game. In February, the 63-year-old Clark claimed a $77,777 prize from another scratch ticket game. “I’m extra lucky. This is unbelievable,” Clark said. The most recent winning ticket was purchased Thursday morning at a Des Moines convenience store.

Clark, who co-owns Clark Glass, Inc. with his brothers, said he was in a hurry so he just scratched off the bar code of the $20 ticket so that he could check it right away using a self-scanner inside the store. “I just slid it in there to see it, if it was a winner or not, and it came up $250,000,” Clark said. “I thought, ‘what? no way!'” He then scratched off the entire ticket and verified that he had indeed won $250,000.

Clark plans to use his lottery winnings to pay off his mortgage and save for retirement. “I’m just going to enjoy life from now on,” Clark said.

(Radio Iowa)

A top Obama Administration official will meet with many of the nation’s governors in Des Moines today (Friday) to discuss the opioid epidemic. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell says as many as 78 Americans overdose on heroin or prescription painkillers every day. “I’m from the state of West Virginia where it is a particularly acute issue,” Burwell says. “But it is a problem all over the nation and the governors have been very active partners.”

The National Governors Association summer meeting is underway today (Friday) in Des Moines. Forty-five of the nation’s governors signed a “compact” this week, pledging to encourage treatment and recovery for addicts. They agreed to issue warnings about the danger of over-prescribing painkillers, too. Burwell says there appears to be a growing recognition this is a public health issue.

“The real dynamic, changing thing we need right now is an ability to get the states the resources they need to actually treat people,” Burwell says, “so our law enforcement officials are not the point of treatment in terms of overdose time and time again.” Burwell’s also the head of the federal agency in charge of implementing the Affordable Care Act.

She visited a Fort Dodge hospital Thursday afternoon to discuss health care access. Burwell says about 14 percent of rural Americans do not have insurance, compared to a 22 percent uninsured rate in rural America before the law took effect. “Here at Fort Dodge what we see is the example of how we can make even more progress,” Burwell says, “especially in the areas of affordability and increasing quality.”

Burwell praised UnityPoint Health in Fort Dodge for joining an “accountable care organization” that has emphasized regular check-ups and health screenings. Those steps have reduced the most expensive kind of treatment: emergency room visits.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:40 a.m. CDT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Governors from across the U.S. are expected to discuss international trade and the opioid crisis when they meet in Iowa on Friday. About half of the nation’s governors are in Des Moines for the summer meeting of the National Governors Association. They are expected to talk about the benefits of foreign trade and their plans to prevent overdose deaths involving pain relievers and heroin.

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — Police are scouring a small eastern Iowa lake looking for additional human remains, weeks after a decomposed human foot was found near a spillway. The Hawk Eye reports that Burlington police searched Lake West by kayak this week looking for additional body parts. Police Major Dennis Kramer says investigators have been using various techniques to search the lake in northwest Burlington, including pumping water from the five-acre lake.

SAC CITY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in northwest Iowa say they are investigating the discovery of a human skull near the Raccoon River in southern Sac County. The skull was found Monday afternoon.

CHEROKEE, Iowa (AP) — Tyson Foods says it’s willing to pay $400,000 to end its lease on a northwest Iowa plant it closed in 2014. Tyson says ending its interests in the building should help the owner and economic development officials market the site to other users.

Sheriff’s deputies in Fremont County responded to a reported “large fight in progress,” Thursday evening, in Hamburg. The fight was said to have involved several individuals, possibly armed with weapons. The incident took place in the 600 block of Main Street, in Hamburg.

Clayton Parsons

Following an investigation, deputies arrested 28-year old Clayton Parsons, of Hamburg, on charges that include Domestic Abuse Assault, 2nd Offense, Simple Assault, and Disorderly Conduct.

Deputies determined that no weapons were actually involved or displayed during the incident. Parsons was being held without bond at the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office.

An accident in west central Ringgold County involving two motorcycles early Thursday morning, resulted in two people being transported to area hospitals. The Iowa State Patrol says late model Harley Davidson motorcycles driven by 62-year old Galen R. White, of Kent, and 56-year old Michael A. Fry, of Creston, were traveling north on Ringgold County Road P-33 at around 12:50-a.m., when one of the drivers went to pass the other. The cycles collided, causing both to lose control. One of the motorcyclists was ejected from their cycle.

White was transported by Mercy 1 helicopter to Mercy Hospital. Fry was taken by ambulance to the Ringgold County Hospital in Mt. Ayr. A report on their conditions was not released.

Updating our earlier story, the Stuart Police Department reports their missing drug dog “Chloe” has been found and returned to her owner. Officials thank everyone who looked for her. The Black Lab was being watched by a neighbor while her handler was on vacation. When the neighbor took her outside, Chloe got loose and ran away. But again, the dog has been found.

A new $10 million emergency department was dedicated today (Thursday) at the VA Central Iowa Health Care System. Roughly 1,000 veterans a month arrive at the Des Moines facility needing emergency treatment. Dan Gannon chairs the Iowa Commission for Veterans Affairs. “I think it’s very positive because we feel very strongly here in Iowa about our VA hospital,” Gannon said. “We think it’s one of the best. It’s just another sign of them trying to improve their facility and…that story isn’t always being told.”

The new addition includes a designated space for infectious disease care, decontamination showers, and eight private treatment rooms. Leanne Haiwick will manage 20 emergency room nurses. “This is a larger space with private rooms. One room is a dedicated mental health observation room, so it’s a safe space for anybody who’s undergoing a mental health crisis,” Haiwick said. The Des Moines VA facility treats an average of 33 emergency patients a day.

(Radio Iowa)