LOCAL TALK 26 April 2021
Dennis Hart gives a summary of Iowa news.
Iowa State Representative Ako Abdul-Samad from Des Moines describes the vision and feelings behind an April 22 gathering in Des Moines called a "Vigil in Support of the Central Iowa Black COmmunity to acknowledge the struggle and embrace hope" in the wake of the Derek Chauvin trial in Minneapolis. The rally was sponsored by more than 40 area organizations.
A group of people who conducted a program addressing the need to mitigate roadkill in Jefferson County, describe how they researched the viability of road bridges for animals to use, when crossing roads. Bob Ferguson and Sue DeLost of Sustainable Living Coalition in Fairfield Iowa organized the project, together with Leland Searles, Marshalltown Ecologist, from the BeWIld ReWild program of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. Their wildlife crossings project resulted in an analysis of most road bridges in their county and recommendations for new bridges that allow animals to cross.
Boone resident Mark Edwards, who is one of the organizers of the BeWIld ReWild program, describes it large vision of connecting the Midwest with other parts of the country that are addressing the need for wild areas in the landscape.