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Low income assistance program has more money this year

News

October 5th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The program which helps low-income Iowans with their heating bills will have more money this year. Christine Taylor oversees the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program known as LIHEAP. “Our program begins November first of every year, but if there are households that have someone in the home that is 60 years of age or older, or disabled, then those households can begin applying October 1st. This year we do have more money than we have had in the past. We received funds from the American Rescue Act just for that specific part of our program,” Taylor says.

That money is on top of what they will get from the state. She says they will be passing the extra money onto the recipients. “Regular payment is around 470 dollars and we are anticipating that households will receive an extra bump sometime in the spring, and we’re hoping it will be somewhere around that amount,” according to Taylor. Taylor says the spring payment is important as it will come after the moratorium that prevents utility shutoffs for lack of payment ends. “Usually when they are coming out a moratorium there are bills that they haven’t been able to pay over the winter — and we can help with that,” she says. “We can be proactive, and we might be able to relieve some of that tension that everyone has been feeling.”

Taylor says they’ve already helped some Iowans through their emergency program. “This year because of the influx of funding we have been able to help people with some really high arrearages — and hopefully that will help them stay on top of their bills a little easier,” Taylor says. Taylor says the unpaid bills can get quite high. “We’ve seen quite a few at three-thousand or four thousand in arrears. And when it gets that high you begin to feel pretty helpless — like you’ll never be able to pay that down,” Taylor says. “The people that we serve, many of them are working poor, and they simply don’t make enough.” To find out more about the LIHEAP program — go to the Department of Human Services website.

Legislators convene today to make a decision on redistricting

News

October 5th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Legislature convenes at 10 a.m. today (Tuesday) in special session, to vote on the first plan for reconfiguring legislative and congressional district boundaries. The new district maps are based on 2020 U.S. Census data, showing population loss in rural Iowa and gains in metro areas. The top two Democrats in the Iowa legislature have announced they’ll vote for the plan. Senate Minority Leader Zach Wahls of Coralville says there’s no legitimate reason to vote no.

“If Republicans vote down the first map, that is a clear signal that they are planning to gerrymander Iowa legislative districts to keep themselves in power,” Wahls says. Republicans hold the majority of seats in both the Senate and the House. Republican leaders have avoided making any public declaration about the maps. House Speaker Pat Grassley was a recent guest on Iowa Press on Iowa P-B-S.

“This is a decision for 10 years. I don’t think it’s something you just rush out immediately and be like, ‘Yes’ (or) ‘No,'” Grassley says. “I think you have to make sure you really think through and take all the factors in play.” Today (Tuesday), legislators will be voting on what’s called Plan 1 and Iowa’s redistricting process does not allow the plan to be amended. If Plan 1 is rejected, the non-partisan Legislative Services Agency has 35 days to submit Plan 2 to lawmakers.

The reapportionment process is usually done in the spring, but the late arrival of Census data pushed the process beyond the constitutional deadline for getting it done. The Iowa Supreme Court has given legislators leeway to follow Iowa’s redistricting rules, but has set December 1st as the deadline for completing the process.

Axne says Fox News program misconstrued her remarks about Christians

News

October 5th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa)  – Democratic Congresswoman Cindy Axne says remarks she made during an online forum that were recently broadcast on Fox News program were misinterpreted. Host Tucker Carlson criticized Axne’s reference to “anti-vaxxer crazies” and he accused Axne of hating human beings.

“As this talking head normally does, it’s taken out of context and completely misconstrued and, as a matter of fact, he put words in my mouth,” Axne says. During the brief video segment played on Fox, Axne appears to be commenting on the recent uproar over mask mandates in schools and she’s heard suggesting the situation is a “hot mess.” Here’s what Axne had to say to reporters on Monday:

“I’m frustrated by folks around this country who use religion as a way to deny science and put our communities at risk because I grew up as a Catholic saying that you support people in your community, you serve others,” Axne said, “and you put others above yourself.” After a meeting with constituents in Norwalk, Axne told reporters the Christian right is wrong to try to weaponize religious to make political points.

“We’ve got to stop. We’ve just got to stop,” Axne says. “I hope that, as a country, we should come together as a country better and realize that we should be talking to the people, like I’m doing right now and going out and talking to the people I serve, as opposed to trying to create false narratives.” State and national Republican groups have criticized Axne’s remarks on the Fox video, in which she’s heard saying the Christian right uses the cross like a political weapon.

A spokesman for the Iowa G-O-P called the remark disgusting. The Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition says Axne is out of step with the overwhelmingly Christian culture in Iowa. Axne, who describes herself as a life long Catholic, suggests she’s following the words of Pope Francis.  “I’m not sure when we’re going to get past having the public understand that what they see on Fox television is being misinterpreted,” Axne says.

Last month, the pope said the cross should not be used as a political symbol or a flag to wave.

Register’s Iowa Poll finds Trump favorability at 53%

News

October 4th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A new Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll finds former President Donald Trump’s favorability rating in Iowa is higher now than it was while he was president. Trump is scheduled to hold a rally in Des Moines this Saturday, his first trip back to the state since leaving office in January. The Des Moines Register Iowa Poll found 53 percent of those surveyed have a very favorable or mostly favorable view of the former president.

Among Republicans, Trump’s favorability rating is 91 percent. That’s 10 points better than Senator Chuck Grassley’s favorability measurement among Republicans.

Axne talks about negotiations on infrastructure

News

October 4th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Third district Congresswoman Cindy Axne, a Democrat from West Des Moines, says there is less turmoil among Democrats working on an infrastructure package than is being portrayed in the media. “Progressives and the moderates are working together on a lot of issues…like ensuring that we can include dental and vision and hearing with Medicare,” Axne says. “We’re all pushing for that.” But Axne says she wishes Democrats had gone about this process differently.

“I’ve never seen a good organization, quite honestly, start with: ‘Here’s the dollar amount.’ You start out with what you need to get done,” Axne says. “…Then, if we have to meet a dollar amount, we start pulling back from that, but it’s based on the values that are most important for the people that we’re serving.” The Senate passed part of the package — the $1.5 trillion infrastructure bill that got bipartisan support and Axne says Senate Democrats then left it to Democrats in the House to draft the rest of the so-called “Build Back Better” plan.

Axne spoke to a handful of people at a park in Norwalk over the noon-hour. She emphasized the need for broadband expansion, federal aid for the biofuels industry and help for families struggling with child care expenses — elements of the infrastructure package Axne supports. “This is not an additional massive expense for this country. It’s an investment that we will see a return on and Iowa is poised to see one of the best returns in the country,” Axne said, “and that’s why this is so important and why I will fight tooth and nail to make sure both of these bills get passed into law.”

Axne suggested failure to pass the legis;ation will be an economic set back for the country. “If we don’t make a turn around for working families at this point in our country, which is what the president wants to do, we won’t see the success that we deserve,” Axne said.

Axne told reporters a vote on raising the federal government’s borrowing limit isn’t about future expenses, it’s about paying current bills that are due. Republicans say they will vote no on raising the debt limit because Democrats control the House, Senate and White House and it’s their responsibility to act.

Special traffic enforcement uses trooper and a trucker to find drivers using cellphones

News

October 4th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The last of five statewide Traffic Fatality Reduction Task Force special non-holiday enforcement efforts wraps up in the state today (Monday). Iowa State Patrol spokesman, Sergeant Alex Dinkla, says they used a new technique this (Monday) morning in central Iowa. “We had a trooper who was in with a semi driver and we were driving up and down I-80/35 specifically looking for motorists who were using their cellphone or electronic communication device in an inappropriate manner that was unsafe driving up and down the roads,” Dinkla says.

Dinkla says they only used the Trooper and the truck for a few hours, but were busy. “We saw a lot of violations happening. The troopers who were working on that project stayed completely busy. And when you drove up and down the interstate all you saw were troopers pulling people over,”Dinkla says. “We wrote 21 citations in the two hours this morning — and ten of those alone were for texting and driving.” He says texting was one of the top violations, but there were other unsafe things going on as well.

A trooper rode in a semi to find drivers illegally using their cellphone in central Iowa. (ISP photo)

“We had a person who was watching a movie going down the road. People have to take responsibility for their own actions — and that’s supposed to be driving — not using a cellphone while driving down the road,” he says. Dinkla says the number of drivers seen using their phones shows there’s a lot of work left to do. “You know, we preach about it, other people preach about the dangers, you hear about the dangers, but the natural reality is that we still have people doing it all the time and the temptation is still there, Dinkla says. “Until people understand that temptation and can alleviate that temptation — we are going to continue seeing motorists use those cellphones every time they hear that chime for a text message, or they want to go and check their social media.”

The five special enforcement dates were set based on past history of traffic fatalities on the roadways outside of the holiday driving periods. Dinkla says the Fatality Reduction Task Force will be looking at their success.  He says they are going to reevaluate each of the projects and things they may change or add, with the ultimate goal to drive down the fatality rate. “But we cannot do that alone,” he says. One of the first goals is to have the yearly deaths on Iowa roadways drop below 300.

Driver pulled over during special operation. (ISP photo)

“We’re close and approaching that 300 fatalities for the year, but we still have two-and-a-half months left in the year. If we are going to achieve that first goal of 300 or under — we are going to need the public’s help, we need everybody’s help,” Dinkla says. State roadway deaths were at 256 as of today (Monday).

Iowa 39 from U.S. 59 to Avenue C in Denison to close Monday, Oct. 18

News

October 4th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – October 4, 2021 – A pavement repair project on Iowa 39 from U.S. 59 to Avenue C in Denison will require closing the roadway to traffic beginning Monday, Oct. 18, until Wednesday, Oct. 27, weather permitting. That’s according to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s District 3 Office.

During the project, motorists will be detoured around the work zone by using U.S. 59, Arrowhead Road, and Avenue C.

The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

The latest traveler information is available anytime through the 511 system.

Adair County Sheriff’s report, 10/4/21

News

October 4th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Greenfield, Iowa) – Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater, Monday, reported the arrest Saturday evening, of 39-year-old Michael Gail Steward, from Fontanelle. Steward was taken into custody at his rural residence after an altercation with his parents at the Avondale Church, and an alleged previous incident with his father at residence.

Deputies arrested Michael Steward on an Adair County warrant charging him with two counts of violating a No Contact/Protective Order, Assault, and Contempt of Court for Violation of a No Contact Order. His total cash-only bond was set at $6,000.

Steward was released from custody Monday morning.

SWIPCO AND SWITA ANNUAL MEETING AND AWARDS

News

October 4th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa October 4, 2021) – After skipping a year due to pandemic restrictions, Southwest Iowa Planning Council (SWIPCO) held its annual meeting and awards luncheon covering both 2020 and 2021 on September 23rd at the Atlantic Golf and Country Club. A morning tour group visited the Atlas Atlantic Cinema as well as downtown façade rehab and other projects in Atlantic that had received assistance from SWIPCO over the past two years.

Following lunch the annual report was presented. Across the past two years Southwest Iowa Transit Agency (SWITA) provided 683,479 public transit rides and drove 3,421,392 miles. This is the equivalent of transporting the combined populations of Omaha and Des Moines to the moon and back 7 times. SWIPCO’s community development department likewise reported outstanding outcomes. The housing team rehabbed 128 housing units, demolished 11 dilapidated buildings, and assisted 50 homebuyers with down payment assistance. 576 rental and building inspections were also completed.

The planning team’s accomplishments included a huge variety of planning projects and grants, especially for flood and pandemic recovery, including the first ever levee project funded with Economic Development Administration funds to protect Hamburg, Iowa. In total the planning team secured 48 separate grants during the two-year period, totaling $53,346,182.68 in grant funds brought into the region.

Officials say partnerships were key to this success and several entities were recognized with partnership awards. These included:

City of Hamburg: (Left to Right) John Cox, Cox Contracting, Sheryl Owen, Hamburg City Clerk, Alexsis Fleener, SWIPCO, Cathy Crain, Hamburg Mayor, John McCurdy, SWIPCO

Fremont County: (Left to Right) Alexsis Fleener, SWIPCO, Chris Clark, Fremont County Supervisor, Terry Graham, former Fremont County Supervisor, John McCurdy, SWIPCO.

Mills County: (Left to Right) Alexsis Fleener, SWIPCO, Tim Jacobsen, ATC, Richard Crouch, Mills County Supervisor, John McCurdy, SWIPCO.

Fusselman Construction: (Left to Right) Matthew Lee, SWIPCO, Sandy Hansen, SWIPCO, Dustin Fusselman, Fusselman Construction, John McCurdy, SWIPCO.

Cass County Public Health: (Left to Right) Nancy Gibson, CCPH, Victoria Means, CCPH, Beth Olsen, CCPH, Linda Edelman, CCPH, John McCurdy, SWIPCO.

Iowa National Guard, Task Force Vigilant: (Left to Right) Mark Lander, SWITA, SSGT Grant Hurley, SGT Nick Padgett, MAJ Gabe Tramp, John McCurdy, SWIPCO

For flood recovery efforts:

  • City of Hamburg
  • Fremont County
  • Mills County

For outstanding housing work

  • Fusselman Construction, Atlantic

For Covid assistance

  • Cass County Public Health
    Iowa National Guard, Joint Task Force Vigilant

Of the awards, SWIPCO executive director John McCurdy said, “During the past two years we’ve experienced a huge amount of activity related to both recovery from the Floods of 2019, fighting the pandemic and our normal high tempo of work. We were in no way alone in this fight. The City of Hamburg and Mills and Fremont Counties partnered incredibly closely with us on flood recovery, including the buyouts of dozens of flooded properties. Fusselman Construction of Atlantic has been an exemplary partner over the years without which our housing rehab program would not be what it is today.

“Cass County Public Health goes out of their way to help us navigate the difficult situations that Covid has brought up for our drivers and clients. They recognized early on the importance of our transportation service to the most vulnerable and did anything they could help keep our drivers and riders safe. The Iowa National Guard, Joint Task Force Vigilant utilized our Council Bluffs bus facility to safely conduct Test Iowa drive through Covid testing and in total their program administered over 40,000 tests. We are extremely grateful for these partnerships and the others too numerous to individually thank.”

SWIPCO is a council of governments formed in 1975 to serve the cities and counties in Harrison, Shelby, Pottawattamie, Cass, Mills, Montgomery, Fremont, and Page Counties. It includes Southwest Iowa Transit Agency and administers the Southwest Iowa Housing Trust Fund. Its headquarters is in Atlantic and has a satellite transit facility in Council Bluffs. It employs approximately 100 people including on average 70 transit drivers. (All photos courtesy Dee Holtz, Administrative Assistant, Southwest Iowa Planning Council)

Homecoming week underway in Atlantic

News, Sports

October 4th, 2021 by admin

Trojan LogoIt’s Homecoming week for the Atlantic Trojans. A week full of activities will take place leading up to the Atlantic vs. Knoxville football game on Friday.

Dress up days for the week are as follows.

Monday: (A)Merica Monday
Tuesday: Tacky Tourist
Wednesday: Western Wednesday
Thursday: Travel Day – PJ’s
Friday: Coming Home – Spirit Day

Dodgeball will be played Tuesday and Thursday and each class will make a float and judging will be held Wednesday evening.

Voting for king and queen will take place on Wednesday, 10/6, after the Royalty Introductions during seminar. Queen candidates: Ava Bruckner, Chaylei Carey, Addison DeArment, Reagan Leonard, Aspen Niklasen, Addison Schmitt, Malena Woodward. King candidates: Lee Houser, Garrett McLaren, Tyler Molina, Gannon O’Hara, Ethan Sturm, Kadin Stutzman, Julian Tribolet.

Coronation/Pep Assembly will start at 12:13 pm on Friday, 10/8 with the parade to follow at 2:30. AHS encourages businesses and individuals to join the parade! Contact the office at
243-5358 if you have any questions or you can find a Parade Entry form on the school’s
website: atlanticiaschools.org

Awarding of the Spirit Stick will take place at half-time of the football game and the dance will be on Saturday, 10/9.