SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The family of a U.S. couple who has been kidnapped in Haiti is pleading for their release. Nikese Toussaint says that gangs kidnapped her brother, his wife and a third person traveling with them on March 18. Toussaint said in a phone interview Monday from the U.S. that the gang is demanding $200,000 for each person, and that her family does not have that kind of money. She said the FBI is helping secure their release. Spokespeople with the U.S. government did not immediately return a message for comment. Haiti is fighting a surge in gang-related kidnappings after the July 2021 of President Jovenel Moïse.
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Lawmakers ponder new rules for setting salaries of county officials
Posted on by Sam Parsons
By O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa)
Four bills introduced in the Iowa legislature this year have been designed to set a new statewide policy for determining how much elected officials in Iowa’s 99 counties are paid, but lawmakers are still working out the details.
Senator Mike Klimesh, a Republican from Spillville, said an alternative that may be debated in the Senate this week is still being drafted. “We’re going to not allow counties to not have a compensation board. The supervisors must have a compensation board in the county,” Klimesh said during a Senate Local Government Committee meeting. “We’re going to make the county compensation board show their work.”
Klimesh indicated it would involve showing base salaries for all county officials who are elected to their positions and how those salaries compare to pay for officials in counties of similar size.
The Iowa House has already approved a bill that would let county supervisors dissolve compensation boards and make the salary decisions themselves. The bill also forbids counties from reducing one elected official’s salary, while all the rest are increased. “They could not be targeted for a reduction in pay for any retaliatory or political reasons,” Representative Amy Nielsen, a Democrat from North Liberty, said during House debate.
Compensation boards currently meet annually to make salary recommendations for each elected official in their county — the supervisors as well as the county attorney, county auditor, county treasurer and county sheriff. The supervisors may reduce the board’s recommendations, but current state law says they have to make the same percentage reduction for all officials.
Local Tourism Entities Receive Awards at 2023 Conference
Posted on by Sam Parsons
ALTOONA, IA — The Iowa Tourism Office presented 25 awards recognizing excellence in the tourism industry during the 2023 Iowa Tourism Conference in Altoona this week. Winners from Pella and Ottumwa were included in the 25 awardees.
“We continue to see tourism rebound in Iowa,” said Amy Zeigler, state tourism manager for the Iowa Tourism Office. “Events are definitely back, as evidenced by the 25 nominations we received for Outstanding Event. We look forward to continuing the positive momentum in 2023.”
Awards, divided into metro and rural distinctions, were made in 13 categories. In addition, conference attendees voted for the People’s Choice Award; nominees were the second-highest scoring nominations.
The complete list of 2023 Iowa Tourism Award recipients:
Outstanding Attraction
Wilson’s Orchard & Farm, Iowa City (Metro)
Surf Ballroom & Museum, Clear Lake (Rural)
Outstanding Community
Council Bluffs (Metro)
Winterset (Rural)
Outstanding Dining Business
de Kelder Speakeasy, Pella (Metro)
Harvestville Farm, Donnellson (Rural)
Outstanding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiative
Iowa State Fair Sensory-Friendly Morning, Des Moines (Metro)
Outstanding Event
Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience, Council Bluffs (Metro)
Sidney Iowa Championship Rodeo (Rural)
Outstanding Individual Leader
Joshua Schamberger, President at Think Iowa City (Metro)
Delaney Evers, Tourism and Main Street Director at PACT, Centerville
Outstanding Lodging Property
King’s Pointe Waterpark Resort, Storm Lake (Metro)
Field of Dreams Movie Site, Dyersville (Rural)
Outstanding Marketing Collaboration
Cedar Falls Tourism & KWWL (Metro)
Tour O’Brien County (Rural)
Outstanding Niche Market Initiative
Catch Des Moines (Metro)
Outstanding Promotional Material
Catch Des Moines (Metro)
Iowa Valley RC&D, Amana (Rural)
Outstanding Retail Experience
The District: Czech Village & New Bohemia, Cedar Rapids (Metro)
Cody Road Shopping District, LeClaire (Rural)
Outstanding Social Media Execution
Meet Ottumwa (Metro)
Wright County Fair (Rural)
Outstanding Website
Visit Fort Dodge (Metro)
Jefferson Matters: A Main Street & Chamber Community (Rural)
People’s Choice Award:
Travel Dubuque and Voices Productions
The Iowa Tourism Office, part of the Iowa Economic Development Authority, works closely with community partners, attractions and events, to promote the state’s beautifully vast scenery and unique history. Tourism in Iowa generated $1.8 billion in tax revenues in 2021, with more than $1 billion supporting state and local governments, while employing a total of 65,000 people statewide. For more information on everything Iowa has to offer tourists, visit traveliowa.com.
Pella School Board Discusses Certified Budget, Natural Gas Costs
Posted on by Sam Parsons
By Sam Parsons
The Pella Community School Board met last night and discussed their certified budget process. The board set the public hearing for their certified budget for April 10 and discussed some of the main numbers. The total proposed property tax rate for the district will be at 14.607, which is 0.2 cents per $1,000 higher than last year’s rate, and the maximum the district will be able to spend in all funds next year would be about $78.6 million; roughly $9.6 million lower than last year. It’s estimated that the district would spend $7,229 of property tax dollars per student under the proposed budget. The budget will be up for approval at the April 10 public hearing.
And the board approved a 28E agreement for the district to participate in the Iowa Local Government Risk Pool, an organization that helps school districts across the state manage the cost of natural gas. Superintendent Greg Ebeling said that the cost of natural gas has been volatile in the past, but that this program helps to stabilize it and ideally for a lower price.
Over the previous 5 years, the district had spent between $64,000-96,000 a year on natural gas, but last year, the number rose to over $119,000. Ebeling said participating in the program and moving the $82,000 in expenses to the management fund would essentially free up those dollars from the general fund. Ultimately, the agreement was approved by the board.
The next Pella School Board meeting will be held on April 10.
CMT Music Awards Trims Video Of The Year Noms To Six
Posted on by Bob Ballard
The CMT Music Awards are this Sunday – and they’ve narrowed down the original list of sixteen nominees for the top award – the CMT Music Video Of The Year – to six worthy candidates.
Up for the big prize:
- Blake Shelton – “No Body”
- Carrie Underwood “Hate My Heart”
- Cody Johnson – “Human”
- HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson – “wait in the truck”
- Kane Brown & Katelyn Brown – “Thank God”
- Morgan Wallen – “You Proof”
Fans have been casting their votes for their favorite videos across all categories over the past three weeks. On the morning of the awards, the six clips in the Video of the Year shortlist will be narrowed down to a Top 3; voting will then continue through the live show, before the announcement of the winner at the end of the broadcast.
The show will be broadcast live on CBS from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas on Sunday at 8pm ET/11pm PT, and will be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.
Source: Yahoo
This day in Country Music History
Posted on by Bob Ballard
- Today in 1981, Hank Williams Jr.’s “Texas Women” hit #1 on the Billboard country chart.
- Today in 1992, Reba McEntire hit the top of the Billboard charts with “Is There Life Out There.”
- Today in 2001, the “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” soundtrack went platinum. It featured Emmylou Harris, Ralph Stanley, the Soggy Bottom Boys, Alison Krauss, Harry McClintock, Gillian Welch, John Hartford and The Cox Family, it was produced by T Bone Burnett.
- Today in 2003, CMT placed Johnny Cash in the number 1 spot when it listed “The 40 Greatest Men Of Country Music.”
- Today in 2009, Love and Theft performed “Runaway” in its Grand Ole Opry debut.
- Today in 2013, Black Shelton sung The Lumineers’ “Ho Hey” dressed like a chicken with three cast members from NBC’s “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.” He also performed “Sure Be Cool If You Did.”
- Today in 2017, Eric Paslay announced a long-term partnership with Habitat For Humanity.
- Today in 2018, Cam teamed with Smokey Robinson as a new edition of “CMT Crossroads” premiered. Among the performances: “Burning House,” “The Tears Of A Clown” and “I Second That Emotion.”
- Today in 2018, Bebe Rexha’s pop single, “Meant To Be,” which features Florida Georgia Line, was certified platinum and double-platinum by the RIAA.
- Today in 2020, Jan Howard died in Gallatin, Tennessee, a day after her 49th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. A former wife of songwriter Harlan Howard and duet partner of Bill Anderson, she earned a Top 5 country hit with the 1966 single “Evil On Your Mind” and a Top 15 hit with “My Son,” written about her boy, who died in Vietnam. That evening, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Jenny Gill and Corinna Grant Gill performed “How Great Thou Art” to honor Jan as the Opry was held in front of an empty house while much of the nation was on COVID-19 quarantine.
Jonathan Majors arrested on assault charge in New York
Posted on by Sam Parsons
NEW YORK (AP) — The actor Jonathan Majors was arrested Saturday in New York on charges of strangulation, assault and harassment after a domestic dispute. New York police said in a statement that the victim was a 30-year-old woman who was hospitalized with minor injuries to her head and neck. The NYPD confirmed he was no longer in custody Saturday night. Majors is the star of the recently released “Creed III” and “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania” and considered one of Hollywood’s fastest rising stars. A lawyer for Majors contended Sunday that there was evidence showing that he was “entirely innocent.”
Iowans are warned to prep for foul weather ahead
Posted on by Sam Parsons
By Matt Kelley (Radio Iowa)
Today marks the start of Severe Weather Awareness Week in Iowa, as residents are reminded about some of the hazards that may be coming in the weeks and months ahead. Meteorologist Chad Hahn at the National Weather Service, says tornadoes are one of the worst risks to lives and property, and last year, we had plenty.
“In Iowa, we had 43 tornadoes observed across the state,” Hahn says. “That’s slightly lower than our normal or average historically, which is right around 50 that we typically observe. Of course, we’ve had some years that we’ve had over 100, so there’s wide variability when it comes to the number of tornadoes.” Each day this week, there will be a different weather focus. Today, Hahn says, they’re zeroed in on severe thunderstorms.
Hahn says, “We’re talking about what requires a thunderstorm to be considered severe, which is one-inch or larger hail and/or thunderstorm wind gusts in excess of 58 miles per hour.” Other days this week will center on things like flooding, the difference between a watch and a warning, and how best to stay informed through old-school weather radios or smartphone apps. A statewide tornado drill is scheduled for Wednesday at 10 A-M. Hahn says the weather service is opening a series of storm spotter classes today in Marion County.
“We picked about 20 spots this year, many of them that we haven’t been since before COVID, actually, physically in the location, so we’re excited to get out into the communities that we serve,” Hahn says. “I’m happy to say we’re going to be getting into a lot of the far reaches of our areas of responsibility, including Emmet County, way up in the northwest, all the way down to Taylor County in our southwest.” Learn more at www.weather.gov/dmx.
Kenny Chesney/Kelsea Ballerini Tour Begins With A Bang
Posted on by Bob Ballard
Kenny Chesney‘s “I Go Back” tour kicked off to a sold-out crowd in Charlottesville, Virginia Thursday night – and he brought Kelsea Ballerini along for the ride as his opening act. The two of them sent fans home knowing they caught an incredible three hours of country music awesomeness.
Kelsea kicked off the show with 50 minutes of her greatest hits mixed with new music – and then Kenny took over, playing for over two hours – and putting Kelsea back to work as she joined him on-stage for “Wild Child” and their duet “Half Of My Hometown.” Next stop on the tour: Wichita, Kansas Thursday night. See the complete list of tour dates here.
Check out both artist’s setlists from the tour opener:
Kelsea’s Set
Love Is A Cowboy
The Chicks’ “Cowboy Take Me Away” (interlude)
Hole In The Bottle
Heartfirst
Love Me Like You Mean It
Dibs
Yeah Boy
If You Go Down (I’m Goin’ Down Too)
You’re Drunk, Go Home
Penthouse
Blindsided (hear a clip of the performance here)
Muscle Memory
Peter Pan
Miss Me More
Kenny’s Set
Til It’s Gone
Beer In Mexico
We Do
Here And Now
Summertime
Reality
Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven
Somewhere With You
I Go Back (hear a clip of the performance here)
Get Along
The Good Stuff
Big Star
Save It For A Rainy Day
When The Sun Goes Down
All The Pretty Girls
Living In Fast Forward
Young
Noise
Wild Child (feat. Kelsea Ballerini)
Half Of My Hometown (feat. Kelsea Ballerini) (hear a clip of the performance here)
American Kids
Setting The World On Fire
Everything’s Gonna Be Alright
Out Last Night
How Forever Feels
Anything But Mine
Don’t Happen Twice
Beer Can Chicken (Snippet)
Source: CountryNow
Mahaska County Master Gardeners to Host Companion Planting Presentation
Posted on by Sam Parsons
OSKALOOSA, IA — Mahaska County Master Gardeners will be sharing information on Companion Planting on Thursday, April 13, beginning at 12 pm (Noon). Gardeners for ages have documented which plants seem to grow well together. Come and join the conversation of which plants enhance the growth and productivity of each other.
The event is free and open to the public. Registration is not required to attend, but appreciated. Inclement weather will postpone the event. If in doubt, please call 641-673-5841, check local media, our website, and the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach-Mahaska County or Mahaska County Master Gardener Facebook pages.
Mahaska County Master Gardeners are celebrating their twentieth year. The local program organized after the county held their first training. The educational volunteer program, sponsored by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, provides current, research based, home horticulture information and education to the citizens of Iowa through programs and projects. Master Gardeners receive horticulture training, and volunteer to promote a mission of education and service. The program is open to anyone 18 or older with an interest in gardening and a willingness to use their knowledge, experience and enthusiasm to make a positive impact on their local community.
More information about this and other horticulture events can be found at the Mahaska County Extension Office; 212 North I Street; Oskaloosa Phone 641-673-5841; and www.extension.iastate.edu/mahaska/yardgarden.htm.
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