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Maquoketa Caves State Park ready to open with new look

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A view from Maquoketa Caves State Park. (DNR photo)

A popular eastern Iowa state park with very unusual geological features is reopening to the public next week after being closed more than three months for extensive renovation.

Park Ranger Scott Dykstra says Maquoketa Caves State Park will again be a spectacular destination for nearby residents and for visitors from around the world. Dykstra says you’ll notice the changes right away.

“The biggest thing will be our road construction that we had go through the whole park,” Dykstra says. “They replaced the old asphalt road with concrete, and then we upgraded electricity in our campgrounds. We only had 30 and 20 amp receptacles. Now, we’re at 50, 30 and 20 and we increased the number of electrical sites in our campgrounds.”

One of the largest of the many caves, Dancehall Cave, has new LED lighting for energy efficiency and increased brightness. That cave also has Raccoon Creek running through it, which brought in tons of debris over the years.

“The creek floor had about 8 to 12 inches of mud and rock and dirt,” Dykstra says. “We took equipment in there and were able to clean out that sediment. And then the lights will really make a big difference. People now can see the cave formations a lot better without a flashlight in that cave.”

Other upgrades include: a new footbridge on Woodland Trail, new boardwalks on all trails, a new check-in station for campers and a new parking lot with sidewalks near the cave entrance. Soon enough, the park should be pulling in plenty of visitors to explore the six miles of trails and its many unique caves, limestone formations and rugged bluffs.

“We would see roughly anywhere from 1,000 to 1,500 people per day on a Saturday and Sunday,” Dykstra says. “Then, on average, it was hit and miss on weather, about 400 to 500 people on the weekdays. We’re hoping to see that happen.” The park reopens to visitors and campers next Friday, August 24th.

 

Presentation celebrates Iowa author Robert James Waller

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Scott Cawelti

The music and poetry of best-selling Iowa author Robert James Waller is the subject of a presentation this weekend.

Scott Cawelti is a retired professor from the University of Northern Iowa who played in a band with Waller from 1961 to 1986. Cawelti says he never would have predicted his friend would make it big in 1993 with the novel, “The Bridges of Madison County.”

“Actually, I was in Germany at the time when it hit the best-seller list and I could hardly believe it,” Cawelti says. “I could recall those songs and I remembered that in a couple of those songs he referred to the very same plot of ‘Bridges of Madison County.’ It was on his mind for most of his adult life, this idea of finding the love of your life and then losing the love of your life.”

Cawelti says Waller had aspirations but was rejected when he took his songs to Nashville. “He had an ambition, he wanted to be a songwriter and he was actually quite a good songwriter, I thought,” Cawelti says. “His songs are poignant, moving, complex, dark, deep, all of that. His songs were not the kind of thing popular songs are made of but I find them really interesting and really beautiful, actually.”

Cawelti says Waller wrote at least a half dozen other novels, a couple of non-fiction books and published some collections of essays. “He was a prolific writer but the one he was most known for, the one the whole world knows about is, of course, ‘Bridges of Madison County,’ about finding this amazing love that changes everything,” Cawelti says. “Once you fall in love like that, you never fall in love again, that’s the idea anyway.”

Waller was born in Charles City and grew up in Rockford, Iowa. He died in March of 2017. Cawelti will give his presentation at 1 o’clock this afternoon at Mulberry Center Church at Wilson Brewer Park in Webster City.

(By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City)

 

Teens arrested and charged with sabotaging Wabash Trace Nature Trail, injuring bikers

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Bicyclist shows injury from Wabash Trail sabotage.

Bicyclists are feeling a lot safer on a popular trail in southwest Iowa following the arrests of three teenagers.

Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s deputies believe the juveniles were trying to injure cyclists on the Wabash Trace Nature Trail. Greg Losh, vice president of the group (Southwest Iowa Nature Trails) that manages the 62-mile long trail between Council Bluffs and Blanchard, says the incidents began in late June.

“There was a log in the trail, some juveniles were throwing large stones…and hit a man in the face right by his eye socket, and we discovered some twine (across) the trail at different times,” Losh said. The debris was often placed on the trail on Thursday nights when up to 2,000 cyclists participate in what’s called the “Taco Ride” from Council Bluffs to Mineola.

Two 15-year-olds and a 16-year-old were arrested during last Thursday’s ride.

“So, it’s been a relief and the officers involved have been great with their undercover work on this,” Losh said. According to Losh, the deputies caught the teens preparing something that could’ve critically injured a cyclist.

“They kind of knew what they were looking for and I think they hid and watched the youth starting to put some fishing line across the trail when they made the arrests,” Losh said. The trail is dark in the area where the teens were allegedly placing obstructions. Losh said one cyclist badly skinned his elbow, knee, and hand in early July when he was thrown from his bike after hitting a log placed over the trail.

“They probably thought it was a funny prank, but when people get hurt bad, it’s really not funny,” Losh said. The teens are charged with simple misdemeanors. Their names are not being released.

(Photo courtesy of Greg Losh)

 

Riverboat casino legal battle in Sioux City finally ending

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Dakin Schultz (file photo)

The long legal battle between the nonprofit license holder Missouri River Historical Development (MHRD) and the company which operated the former Belle of Sioux City riverboat casino is now over.

The opposing sides have filed a joint dismissal of a lawsuit and counter lawsuit in Des Moines. MRHD President Dakin Schultz says his group is ready to put the dispute behind them. “We are pleased to see this legal battle come to an end. It gives MRHD and opportunity to continue focusing on making the lives better of the residents of Woodbury County,” Schultz says.

Penn National Gaming, which owned the Belle had sued MRHD for breach of contract in 2012, alleging that MRHD sought to replace the casino with another operator before their 20-year contract expired. Each side will pay for their own legal expenses. The lawsuits had been scheduled to go to trial next month, but Schultz says a May ruling found two issues with the Belle’s lawsuit and MRHD’s counter lawsuit.

The judge ruled MHRD had the right to look for a new casino operator, but the judge also dismissed the group’s counter claim. “It’s safe to say that’s what brought about the dismissal,” Schultz says. Penn National eventually lost out in its bid for a new land-based casino in Sioux City. MRHD now partners with Sioux City Entertainment, which won the land-based license and operates the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

(By Woody Gottburg, KSCJ, Sioux City)

 

Iowa State Fair begins with walking tour

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The 11-day run of the Iowa State Fair opened this morning and for the fifth straight year, the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs hosted a walking tour showcasing the history of the fair, which dates back to 1886.

Jane Brickey participated in the tour. The 71-year-old from Des Moines believes she has attended the fair for 50 consecutive years. “It’s getting harder and harder to find something I’ve never done before and I try to find one thing new each year to do, so I decided this is my new thing this year,” Brickey said.

State Historical Museum curator Leo Landis helped lead the tour, which included a stop at the 4H Building. Decades ago, it was known as the Poultry Building. In 1962, the fair board decided to move the poultry show out of the building.

“The poultry producers were not happy about it, but they were able to bring a show back in ’63, just not in that building,” Landis explained. “Since 1965, that’s been where 4H exhibitions have been held…both demonstrations and displays.” People who took part in the walking tour also learned about how trolleys used to bring people to the fairgrounds.

 

 

Templeton Rye shows off new production facilities

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Templeton Rye Spirits held a grand opening for several new facilities today that will help produce their rye whiskey on the east side of Templeton.

Construction on the 35,000-square-foot distillery and 55,000-square-foot aging warehouse started in April of 2017. Templeton Rye Co-Founder, Keith Kerkhoff, says he is proud to bring all parts of the whiskey-making process from the 1920s and 30s back to town. A renovated visitor center goes along with the production facilities to highlight the town’s past.

Kerkhoff says the community was excited to step up and provide stories and artifacts from Templeton’s bootlegging days. “We certainly want to thank them for their support. Very meticulous, very pride-driven people. I am really proud to be an heir of this community,” Kerkhoff says.

Bottles of Templeton Rye.

The project is also a significant investment in the community — with a total of 17 new jobs to the town and total employment of 28 people at their new location. The company spent $35 million  on the project and the distillery can now produce nearly 500,000 proof gallons of rye whiskey per year, and up to 40,000 barrels of the product can then be aged on site at the new warehouse.

State and county officials, local residents and whiskey lovers were in attendance to see the changes firsthand.

(By Nathan Konz, KCIM, Carroll)

 

This is ‘Responsible Gaming Week’ in Iowa

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Most people who visit Iowa’s 19 state-licensed casinos don’t suffer from gambling addiction, but for the few who do, those environments can be very detrimental.

This is Responsible Gaming Education Week in Iowa. Wes Ehrecke, president and CEO of the Iowa Gaming Association, says it’s a time to focus on educating casino employees and patrons.

“Well over 98% of people can go to the casino for the fun and entertainment it’s intended to be using their discretionary dollars,” Ehrecke says, “but for those that it might be a problem, we want to heighten awareness about resources that are available, gambling treatment counselors, 1-800-BETS OFF and other tools and resources they could explore if they’re experiencing a problem.”

Last year, significant changes were made to the voluntary self-exclusion program as a result of legislation passed in the Iowa legislature. This week, continued emphasis will help clarify and explain to patrons this reform that allows a person to voluntarily ban themselves for either five years or for life. Ehrecke credits the work of gambling treatment counselors at facilities near all 19 casinos.

“They are coming in to spend time, in some cases interacting with the patrons by setting up tables near the entrances,” Ehrecke says, “but especially with the employees to do staff training to better understand intervention skills and how to recognize if someone may be having a problem.” Ehrecke says there is a new online link that was created by the Iowa Department of Public Health and the Iowa Gambling Treatment Program for those who are in need of help.

“They have developed this new link called Your Life Iowa,” he says. “It’s not just gambling. It could be substance abuse. It could be mental health, various issues people might be experiencing and they have it all under one umbrella. YourLife.Iowa.org is a very helpful resource for people.”

There is also more information at www.iowagaming.org.

(By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City)

 

Fireworks professionals focus on safety at convention in Mason City

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The Pyrotechnics Guild International is holding its convention in Mason City.

The Fourth of July is long past but the nighttime skies over Mason City are bursting with fireworks.

The annual convention of the Pyrotechnics Guild International is underway at the North Iowa Events Center. PGI president Paul Smith says Mason City has been a great host of the convention in the past and that’s why the organization is back again this year.

“The folks here really work well with us,” Smith says. “The community has been very helpful to us and attended the public displays well. The general situation is good geographically because our members can have good access to it and overall, the sites work well for us.”

Smith says the whole week deals with people who are interested in making and displaying pyrotechnics. He adds, it’s not just about shooting off the fireworks, it’s about educating members.

“Public displays is one aspect, our shooting of fireworks, the individual members can shoot here and there’s all sorts of educational things that go on,” Smith says. “It helps to accomplish our mission, which is a focus on fireworks and their use, doing it safely and how they can be of great entertainment value and of educational value.”

Many of the fireworks lighting up the evening skies in Mason City won’t be seen anywhere else in the world. “Some of the reasons some of the things are so unique is because in the last 50 years, there’s been a whole science, a focus on that,” Smith says. “Previous to that, it was all trial and error and figuring out how things work. Now, we understand the chemistry and how to adjust that to get this particular effect.”

Mason City is hosting the convention for the fourth time, following previous events in 2005, 2009 and 2014. Last night’s public display at the North Iowa Events Center was postponed to tonight due to the weather. More public displays are scheduled for Tuesday and Friday nights. For ticket information, head to visitmasoncityiowa.com.

(By Bob Fisher, KRIB, Mason City)

 

Butter sculptor doing double duty at Iowa and Illinois state fairs

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The Waterloo Boy.

A central Iowa artist is busy creating special sculptures in butter for two major state fairs.

Sarah Pratt, of West Des Moines, says the Iowa State Fair asked her to create the famed “Waterloo Boy” tractor in butter to honor the 100th anniversary of Quad Cities-based Deere and Company. Pratt says the tractor posed some construction difficulties.

“The wheels are so open and exposed with the spokes and the gears and I really want that to shine through and not get bulky and clunky with a lot of structure,” Pratt says. “That’s been a challenge, to design something that will hold up, hold the butter weight, without getting in the way of the butter.” As a 14-year-old 4H member, Pratt learned how to sculpt from Norma “Duffy” Lyon, Iowa’s “butter cow lady” and Pratt took over in 2006 when Lyon retired.

Also this year, the Illinois State Fair asked Pratt to create something unique for that state’s bicentennial, but she can’t reveal what it is before the unveiling at the fairgrounds in Springfield. “After a tradition has been, like the state of Illinois, for 200 years and the tradition of having butter sculptures in Illinois for over 90 years now, a lot of ideas have been done,” Pratt says. “It’s a mix between what’s fresh and what’s traditional.”

Butter sculpting is a family affair in the Pratt household. Her dad, brother and husband help out by welding the frame together. Environmentalists and sanitarians will be happy to know the butter is recycled. “Each fair has their own stock of butter that’s been donated by a local dairy producer,” Pratt says. “The cooler gets warmed up just a little bit, softens it, and then it gets scraped down, packed into the buckets really firm to leave out any air and moisture and then it gets frozen — until the next fair and then it starts all over again.”

The Iowa State Fair worked with Deere which sent Pratt photographs of the 1918 Waterloo Boy. She also visited the John Deere Tractor and Engine Museum in Waterloo to study the iconic tractor. At the Iowa State Fair, which opens Thursday, Pratt will answer questions and put the finishing touches on her butter sculptures — the tractor and a cow. She’ll have to complete her works of art for the Illinois State Fair before opening day, which is also Thursday.

(Thanks to Michelle O’Neill, WVIK, Rock Island)

 

DNR taking comments on proposal to raise cost of hunting and fishing licenses

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The price Iowans pay for an annual hunting or fishing license would rise from $17 to $20 under a proposal from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Joe Larscheid, chief of the Iowa DNR’s Fisheries Bureau, believes the fee increases are long overdue. “It’s been 14 years for most licenses and some licenses, it’s been over 20 years since they’ve been raised,” Larscheid said. Revenue from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses is deposited into the Fish and Wildlife Trust Fund, which receives no tax payer money from the state general fund. This would be the first increase in the price of a hunting license since 2002 and the first increase of a fishing license since 2004.

“Really, the modest increase we’re talking about – which is about a 17% increase – doesn’t even keep up with the cost of inflation since the last time the fees were raised,” Larscheid said. “What we’re going to be able to do with this increase is keep the programs we have going now and hopefully add back some programs that were reduced or actually cut in recent years.” According to Larscheid, even with the proposed increase, Iowa’s hunting and fishing license fees would remain lower than most other Midwest states.

“With the caveat that some states, such as Missouri and Minnesota, receive a lot of general funding from different initiatives that have passed over the years and not just license revenues that run the state’s trust fund programs,” Larscheid said. Until recently, hunting and fishing license fees were controlled by state lawmakers. The Iowa Legislature and Governor Reynolds approved a bill last year that shifted the authority to the Iowa DNR and the Natural Resource Commission.

“It puts it on us, the DNR and the Natural Resource Commission, to adjust the fees more often – hopefully – than in the past,” Larscheid said. “So, instead of going for a 17-percent or 30-percent increase, maybe a 2-to-5-percent increase every couple of years, which I think would be more acceptable to most people – because people understand, you know, inflation happens.”

Full details on the proposed license fee increases are on the DNR’s website  and Iowans can provide feedback either online or at “listening sessions” scheduled for August 21from noon to 2 p.m. in Des Moines, Spirit Lake, Ventura, Lewis, Manchester, and Brighton.