FOOD & DRINK

A local Perry business will give people the ability to learn and explore art this weekend. Atelier at 1109 will be hosting the Artists in the Courtyard Art Show which will feature state and local artists. The event will take place from 10 am to 3pm Saturday at Soumas Court in Perry.

All Together Now: Children’s Summer Library Program – June 1 to July 28. This year's Summer Library Reading Program theme is All Together Now! Get ready for a fun-filled summer of making new friends, spreading kindness, learning how to help your community, and earning prizes in new and fun ways. We have lots of activities and programs planned, as well as special field trips. New this year, children will log not only their reading, but activities including family time, donating items, helping others and more. Each age group will meet weekly and will have different logs to fill out to earn prizes. Age groups are divided into: Wee Wonders (birth to 2 years old); 3 to 5 years old; COMPLETED kindergarten to 2nd grade; and COMPLETED 3rd to 5th grade. Families should register each child in their separate age group, but may attend whichever program they feel most comfortable. Grand prizes include a Kindle Fire, STEM package and tickets behind home plate to an Iowa Cubs game. Our grand finale will be a family picnic. Registration begins May 22. Register in-person, online at www.perry.lib.ia.us or at KidsFest.

There are certain topics that most people can agree on, especially when it comes to food. We love the smells, tastes, and of course the presentation of meals. More importantly, we love the local chefs that create these meals. Our communities wouldn't be complete without the local talent inside restaurants...

DES MOINES, Iowa—Today, Governor Kim Reynolds and fitness icon Jake (Body by Jake) Steinfeld, Chairman of the National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Councils (NFGFC), announced the three Iowa schools that were selected to each receive a state-of-the-art $100,000 DON’T QUIT! Fitness Center. The multi-million dollar DON’T QUIT! Campaign has named Aldo Leopold Intermediate School in Burlington, Boone Middle School in Boone, and Susan Clark Junior High School in Muscatine the state’s most outstanding schools for demonstrating leadership in getting and keeping their students fit.

Anyone with fishing equipment, but doesn’t have a license can test out the waters for this weekend with no penalty. Department of Natural Resource Officer for Dallas County Dusting Eighmy says that the free fishing weekend runs from Friday through Sunday. Eighmy explains that someone without an updated fishing license can legally fish, but all other regulations remain in place. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio that its a perfect time to take family members fishing or introduce a friend into the sport of fishing.

A new aspect will be included in a summer event in Jefferson, with the goal of attracting more interest from the public. Tower Tunes Live concerts return on Wednesdays in June from 12:15-12:30pm. Mahanay Maestros will perform songs of their choice on the four octave carillon of the Mahanay Memorial Carillon Tower. New this year is a contest called “Name That Tower Tune.”

The Adel Family Aquatic Center has begun serving customers for the summer. The pool opened on May 27th. The pool will be open from 12:30pm to 5pm and reopens from 6 to 8pm Monday through Thursdays. On Friday the pool will be open from 12:30 to 5pm and on the weekends the pool will be available to the public from 1 to 6pm.

The Perry Chamber of Commerce is excited to get their weekly farmers market going. Chamber Executive Director Lynsi Pasutti says that their summer farmers market will start this week and run until late September from 4 to 7pm every Thursday in downtown Perry. The market will sell anything that involves locally grown produce, baked goods and hand crafted items. Chamber Executive Director Lynsi Pasutti says this market will go on for 18 weeks and it not only gives vendors a chance to sell their products, but community members to get out and about.

Kuehn (pronounced Keen) Conservation Area is not only a uniquely beautiful area with forest, restored prairie, and wildlife but also pays tribute to the Native Americans that once lived on the land. Learn about the historical significance and explore the 1000-acre area. Prehistoric artifacts were found on the land from...

The Adel Public Library will celebrate the release of the new “The Little Mermaid” movie with a party this week. Patron Services Manager Amy Puck says they are asking for princesses and princes to come to their “Little Mermaid Find Your Voice Party,” from 10 to 11:30am tomorrow. Pucks says they will have stories from under-the-sea, snacks, activities, crafts and a special guest appearance.

The Dallas County Conservation Board extends an invitation to anyone with a photography hobby to join them for an instructional session. Conservation Outreach Coordinator Sarah Gilchrist says that their “First-Time Fauna and Flora Photography,” program will be from 7 to 8:30pm on Thursday at the Kuehn Conservation Area in Earlham. She explains that they have invited nature photographer and master conservationist Tom Moss to give a presentation and discuss capturing nature.

Two businesses came together to donate a total of $2,700 to the Morman Family in Perry Thursday. Perry HyVee and Totally Rolled Ice Cream recently held a fundraiser selling food and ice cream to support the Morman Family after Chad Morman, who was an industrial technology teacher with the Perry School District lost his life in an April vehicle crash. Bailey Morman was the recipient of the check and she thanked the community of Perry.

A fun annual event will be taking place this weekend in Panora. The Guthrie County Arts Council will be hosting the 12th annual Art in the Village Square on Saturday from 10am to 2pm. Live bands will be playing, and various local vendors will be available to sell their products. Deardorff Highland Cattle will have a food truck on site as well. Art in the Village Square will take place on the city square in Panora, and Vets Auditorium.

The Des Moines Metro Opera has announced an economic impact report of $12 million for Warren, Polk, and Dallas counties. The announcement follows a study by Mark Imerman of Regional Strategic Ltd., and is based on data from the company’s 2022 season, an overall increase of $8.6 million from a similar study completed in 2023.

The Perry Volunteer Fire Department wants to make sure everyone is using their best practices when grilling this holiday weekend. Fire Chief Grason Hill reminds everyone that gas and charcoal grills are only to be operated outside and never used under any certain types of cover or placed close to a home. Hill says that a grill should be placed on a level surface and a gas grill should be checked for any leaks. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio that when a person starts a grill they should never leave it unattended.

A former Woodward woman, Ellie Altman, has started a GoFundMe campaign for the family of Woodward toddler whose face was badly mauled by a neighbor’s dog over the weekend. The 2-year-old boy remains hospitalized due to the severity of his injuries, and Ellie is trying to help the family of 12 by raising funds to help offset travel expenses and wages lost during their time of need.

The Guthrie County Historical Village and Museum is hosting an educational event this afternoon. The Marchant House is a late 19th century home located at the Historical Village in Panora, and has been on the city lot since it was first built before 1900. The structure is a current restoration project for the Historical Village, but a new project has popped up, and current plans are to move the Youtz Carriage House from its current location. The Carriage House will be moved from its location half a block east of the square in downtown Panora to the Marchant House lot.

The Perry Public Library Adult Summer Reading Program will get started next month, but registration is underway. Adult Services Librarian Mindy Farmer says their Adult Summer Reading Program with the theme “Books and Brews,” begins on June 1st for those patrons who are 18 years or older. Farmer says when adult patrons join they will receive a passport and collect stamps for completing activities like reading, volunteering, attending events and learning a new language. Farmer says they are partnering with businesses like Casa De Oro, the Perry Perk, the Proletariat, and the Tin Pig to put on events for people to enjoy a brew and discuss books.

There’s a new eye-catching mural in Jefferson on one of the newest structures the city owns. The Greene County High School painting class completed the mural on the east side of the new Greene County Animal Shelter in the Greene County Development Corporation West Business Park along Highway 4. Art teacher Sarah Stott tells Raccoon Valley Radio the students chose the final design that depicts a dog and cat waving with an intended message of “Take me home!” She says they also wanted to incorporate animal paws as a nod to the non-profit organization of the People for Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) of Greene County.

Several new projects are planned in Waukee. They include:. • A McDonald’s fast-food restaurant that is planned at 2820 Grand Prairie Parkway near where a Live Nation entertainment venue is under construction. The Waukee City Council this month approved a site plan for proposed project, which includes a 4,455-square-foot building. Fifty parking spaces are also planned. The 1.5-acre site is owned by the Quarter at Waukee LLC.