GRINNELL — Poweshiek County Health Department and UnityPoint Health – Grinnell Regional Medical Center are conducting a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) aimed at gathering valuable insights into the health needs and priorities of residents in Poweshiek County.

The CHNA survey, which will be conducted over the next three months, seeks to engage community members in a dialogue about their health concerns, experiences and goals. By understanding the unique challenges and opportunities facing our community, we can better tailor our programs and services to address the most pressing health issues. 

“This assessment is a valuable public health tool to inform community members and decision makers regarding community health issues and strategies, said David-Paul Cavazos, Grinnell Regional Medical Center president. “By gathering input directly from residents and analyzing local data, we can make informed decisions about where to focus our efforts, ensuring resources are used effectively to improve health outcomes for everyone.”

Topics covered in the survey include access to health care, chronic disease management, mental health, substance abuse, social determinants of health and more. It will be available online at and distributed through various community channels to reach as many residents as possible. 

“We encourage everyone living in Poweshiek County to participate in the survey and share their perspectives,” said Brooke Holder, Poweshiek County Public Health manager. “Your input is invaluable in helping us create a healthier and more vibrant community for all.” 

The results of the survey will be carefully analyzed and used to inform the development of a CHNA Report, which will be available to the community later this fall. This report will serve as a roadmap for prioritizing health initiatives and allocating resources effectively.

For more information about the CHNA survey, please contact Brooke Holder. You can also learn more online. To complete the survey, please visit www.prcsurvey.com/begin/Grinnell2025CHNA or use the QR code provided below. Spanish language can be accessed by clicking on the “toggle” at the top of the survey screen.

EDDYVILLE — On Friday, May 30, 2025, at approximately 2:15 pm, searchers located the body of a deceased male, believed to be that of 47-year-old Waylon Straube of Eddyville, in the Des Moines River 1⁄4 mile south of the Chillicothe Bridge in Wapello County. 

Mr. Straube went missing following a boating accident on Sunday, May 25 at approximately 9:50 am, when he was ejected from a boat that he was operating near 310th Street. A female companion, identified as Roseann Benda of Corydon, lowa was also ejected from the boat during this accident. Shortly after the accident, Ms. Benda was rescued from the river with the help of two citizen boaters. With the help of other Public Safety Agencies, the Sheriff’s Office has been searching the river daily since the accident. 

This male’s body will be transported to the lowa State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny, lowa for positive identification and autopsy. The Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the following agencies during this multi-day river search: Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Wapello County Sheriff’s Office, the Emergency Management Agencies from ADLM, Wings of Mercy, Rapid Response Services Search and Rescue out of Illinois, National Canine Facility, Chariton Dive Team, Lucas County Water Rescue Team, Eldon Fire Department, Oskaloosa Fire Department, New Sharon Fire Department, and Eddyville Fire Department. 

DES MOINES — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today announced 33 schools or school districts have received grants to participate in the Choose Iowa Food Purchasing Program for Schools. The one-year pilot program connects Iowa schools with Choose Iowa members to encourage school food service programs to purchase and serve more ingredients and products sourced from local farmers and small businesses.

The pilot program was authorized during the 2024 legislative session and is an initiative of Choose Iowa, the state’s branding and marketing program that identifies and promotes Iowa grown, made, and raised food, beverages and ag products.

“This Choose Iowa pilot program is yet another way we’re connecting Iowa farmers and small businesses with schools to provide fresh, local, and nutritious food to our students. This one-year pilot program saw strong demand from interested schools that far exceeded the available program budget,” said Secretary Naig. “As Choose Iowa continues to expand, we will work to open even more opportunities to connect local producers and school food programs. Choose Iowa’s membership is growing quickly and is already demonstrating how it can be a powerful tool for strengthening and growing our rural communities.”

The school pilot program has a total budget of $70,000, and each school was eligible to apply for up to $1,000 per school building. Both public and private schools were encouraged to apply. Selected schools are required to provide a minimum one-to-one (1:1) financial match. For example, a school receiving $1,000 must provide at least $1,000 from other sources for a total of $2,000 spent on local foods through the pilot program. Choose Iowa received applications from 61 schools or school districts totaling $158,249, an overall request far exceeding available funding.

The following schools, listed in alphabetical order by county of location, received grants:

Appanoose: Moulton-Udell Community School District

Benton: Belle Plaine Community School District

Black Hawk: Bosco Catholic School System

Boone: Boone Community School District

Cass: Griswold Community School District

Clayton: MFL MarMac Community School District

Dallas: Waukee Community School District

Dubuque: Holy Family Catholic Schools

Franklin: Hampton-Dumont Community School District

Grundy: Dike-New Hartford Community School District

Hamilton: Webster City School District

Harrison: Missouri Valley Community School District

Howard: Riceville Community School District

Ida: OABCIG Community School District

Jefferson: Fairfield Community School District

Johnson: Lone Tree Community School District

Lee: Central Lee Community School District

Linn: Center Point-Urbana Community School District

Linn: Xavier Catholic Schools

Marion: Pella Community School District

Mitchell: Osage Community School District

O’Brien: Sheldon Community School District

Page: Clarinda Community School District

Plymouth: Hinton Community School District

Polk: Bondurant-Farrar Community School District

Pottawattamie: Council Bluffs Community School District

Poweshiek: Montezuma Community School District

Ringgold: Diagonal Community School District

Scott: Pleasant Valley Community School District

Sioux: West Sioux Community School District

Winneshiek: Decorah Community School District

Winneshiek: St. Teresa of Calcutta Catholic School

Woodbury: Westwood Community School District

Eligible products that can be purchased include meat and poultry, dairy products (other than milk), eggs, honey and produce. Funding for milk is available through a different federal program. To be eligible for funding through the Choose Iowa Food Purchasing Pilot Program, schools must purchase food from a Choose Iowa member. If selected schools wish to purchase from specific Iowa farmers, they should encourage those farmers or businesses to apply to become a Choose Iowa member. Food hubs that are Choose Iowa members are also eligible for food purchases within the program. Products purchased through food hubs must come from Iowa producers.

Additional details on the school pilot program can be found on the Choose Iowa website. The school program accompanies the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s Choose Iowa’s Food Purchasing Pilot Program for Food Banks, which launched last summer to connect food banks with Choose Iowa members to help alleviate hunger within our communities.

EDDYVILLE – Authorities are continuing to search for an Eddyville man who remains missing after his boat hit underwater concrete in the Des Moines River on Sunday.

The search for 47-year-old Waylon Straube of Eddyville continued for a fourth day yesterday, and area officials are now calling the search a recovery effort. Straube was one of two people thrown from a boat on the Des Moines River near the Bussey Bridge; the other, 50-year-old Rosanne Benda, was rescued shortly after the accident by other boaters. 

The recovery effort for Straube remains active.