THROWBACK NEWS Twenty years ago, “Tommy Boy” was playing at the Strand Theatre and a new concession stand below the bleachers at the CHS football field was being planned. More Throwback news on page 2A.
ON TO NATIONALS The Southwestern Spartan 4x400 relay team qualified for nationals at Jim Duncan Invitational with a blazing time of 3:17.85. Read more in SPORTS, page 8A. >>
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THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2015
FOOD FOR THE SOUL Lawmakers
say changes possible to law on seized items
Local pastor JoAnna King to open Southernstyle restaurant in uptown Creston April 29. ■
By BAILEY POOLMAN CNA staff reporter
bpoolman@crestonnews.com
To JoAnna King, soul food means more than just a meal of fried chicken, macaroni and cheese and collard greens. It also means feeding the human soul. King, pastor at God’s Outreach Deliverance, located at 124 N. Maple St., is currently in the process of opening a restaurant called JoAnna’s Soul Food, located at 211 N. Pine St. Opening day is scheduled for April 29. “The Lord spoke it to me, and told me to open up a restaurant,” King said. Decorated with orange walls, purple grapes and vines and scrolls of scripture throughout the long rooms, the business will offer different meats like fried chicken, catfish and turkey, and a variety of side dishes, such as macaroni and cheese, black-eyed peas and applesauce. Drinks and desserts will also be available. Alcohol will not be served, and prices are comparable to the area. The restaurant is set up to be “server friendly,” as King put it. She compared it to serving God, in that those who come in for a hot meal can order from the menu chalked on the walls, a server will go to a buffet-style hot table in the back of the restaurant and the patrons are immediately served their food. “Our goal is to watch people be blessed in food and fellowship,” King said. The restaurant’s logo consists of a plate on which are a chicken leg to repre-
CNA photo by BAILEY POOLMAN
The Rev. JoAnna King poses for a photo with the sign of her restaurant, JoAnna’s Soul Food. The restaurant is located at 211 N. Pine St., and boasts a full menu of Southernstyle options.
sent food, and an ichthys, or “Jesus fish,” to represent faith. King’s hope as owner of JoAnna’s Soul Food is to employ between eight and 10 people struggling to find jobs, such as single parents, former addicts and those recently out of prison. The restaurant will be open for two meals, which will be lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and dinner from 5 to 9 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday. King said breakfast is a future possibility. JoAnna’s Soul Food is not affiliated with God’s Outreach Deliverance, but is its own entity. “Our vision of this is to be more involved in the community,” King said. “We felt having a restaurant would definitely benefit the community.” The restaurant was founded on the scripture of John 15:5, which reads, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in
“Success is measured by having a meal with God and loving his people. My hope for this restaurant is that souls will be saved for Jesus and that it will be a blessing for the community.” — JoAnna King
me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” King said once God told her to open the restaurant, the process was fairly straightforward. She has 10 years of previous work in the restaurant business, and had to do some research, but putting the ideas to-
gether and building it until it became a physical location wasn’t difficult. “The only thing that was probably the most challenging was to get the place ready for inspection,” King said. “It went really well.” The meals will be homemade with recipes King learned from her grandmother. She said her grandmother called it “cooking with love.” “Success is measured by having a meal with God and loving his people,” King said. “My hope for this restaurant is that souls will be saved for Jesus and that it will be a blessing for the community.” Future plans for the restaurant include expanding to the younger demographic and hosting Christian bands and community talent nights, as well as supporting a shelter in the area. “I have been all led by the Lord,” King said. “We give all glory to the Father.”
DES MOINES (AP) — Changes are possible to an Iowa law that allows authorities to seize money and other items from people suspected of illegal activity, members of a legislative committee said after testimony Wednesday from both supporters and critics of the law. People in favor of reforming what is known as civil asset forfeiture testified to the House Government Oversight Committee that revising state law could ensure people are treated more fairly, though law enforcement officials defended the system in place. The Iowa law, which is similar to laws around the country, allows authorities to seize assets such as cash, cars or property from a person suspected of illegal activity, including the sale ■ Data shows of drugs. In some instances, Iowa law law enforcement officials enforcement keep the seized items even if a case does not result in has seized charges or a conviction. Crit- nearly $43 milics say such laws make it difficult for a person to retrieve lion since 2009 seized items because the le- through state gal process to do so is often or federal civil expensive. Jeff Shipley, a political activist involved with a forfeiture laws. grass-roots advocacy group known as Liberty Iowa, said owners “typically have few legal rights” when they get involved in a civil asset forfeiture, which often involves traffic stops. Law enforcement officials say there are several procedures in place to ensure a person can get a seized item back and say the law is focused on helping authorities tackle organized crime involving drugs. The money is also used for drug investigations and training that otherwise might have been secured through taxpayer dollars, said Jim Saunders, director of investigative operations at the state Department of Public Safety. “I have not come across an instance where I thought law enforcement was motivated by profit,” he said about the law. According to data collected by The Des Moines Register, law enforcement agencies in Iowa have seized nearly $43 million since 2009 through state or federal civil forfeiture laws. Law enforcement officials said they were open to changes to the law, including a better tracking system for how seized money is spent. Lawmakers expressed an interest in adding clear rules that would allow a person to have attorney fees paid if he or she is cleared of wrongdoing.
Trees Forever award 34th grant for Creston By JAKE WADDINGHAM
CNA associate editor jwaddingham@crestonnews.com
The Creston FFA Chapter and Southwestern Community College Agriculture Department partnered together to plant 52 deciduous trees valued at $9,995 in Creston during the week of April 13. The trees were planted at Southwestern Community College, Southern Prairie YMCA, and Bill Sears softball and VFW baseball complexes. In addition, 16 London Plane trees were planted along the SWCC entrance on West Townline to replace the trees lost during the 2012 tornado. “The impact our tree planting projects have on our community
might not be obvious today, but it is something future generations will come to appreciate,” said Creston FFA Advisor Kelsey Bailey in a press release. Creston FFA has utilized the Alliant Energy Trees Forever grant since 1992. SWCC ag students joined in the effort in 2010. In all, 3,005 deciduous trees, 706 evergreen trees and 786 shrubs valued at $564,585 have been planted in 114 landscaping projects around Creston. “Getting out in the community to plant trees is a great opportunity to build environmental diversity and adding to the natural beauty of our town,” said Creston FFA President Please see TREES FOREVER, Page 2A
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Volume 131 No. 227
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CNA photo by JAKE WADDINGHAM
Creston FFA celebrates the 34th grant from Alliant Energy’s Trees Forever program to plant deciduous and evergreen trees.
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