(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.

(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)

It’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.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Conservation Board is asking…”When do you think the first Trumpeter Swan will arrive at the Schildberg Quarry?” Call in your prediction (by November 11th) to the Conservation Board at 712-769-2372, leave a message and return phone number if their staff are not in. Duplicate dates will not be allowed. For example, if a caller predicts November 25th, no one else will be allowed to predict that arrival date. So, call anytime until November 11th to make your prediction! One prediction per family, please.

The sponsors of this contest will determine the official arrival of more than 6 trumpeter swans to Lake 4. The winner will receive a Trumpeter Swan 8×10 print from the Cass County Conservation Board. Sorry, this contest is only for residents of Cass County.

Officials say Trumpeter Swans have visited the Schildberg Quarry for, at least, Twenty-two out of the last twenty-three winters. Arrival and departure dates of the swans have been as follows:

1997/1998 December 18 – January 2

1998/1999 Nothing on record

1999/2000 December 25 – February 15

2000/2001 November 23 – March 6

2001/2002 December 25 – February 24

2002/2003 November 23 – March 15

2003/2004 November 26 – March 21

2004/2005 November 25 – March 18

2005/2006 November 17 – March 5

2006/2007 October 30 – March 9

2007/2008 November 22- February 14

2008/2009 November 18- March 12

2009-2010 November 19 – January 5

2010-2011 November 5 – February 10

2011/2012 November 17 – February 21

2012/2013 November 24– March 4

2013/2014 November 12- April 7

2014/2015 November 11- April 6

2015/2016 November 22- March 24

2016/2017 November 19- March 9

2017/2018 November 9- March 20

2018/2019 November 11- January 23

2019/2020 November 8- March 3

2020/2021 November 30- February 13.

(Radio Iowa) – Supply chain experts are encouraging you to start your holiday shopping now as the hurdles brought on by the pandemic will be similar to last year, with some new challenges. The chair of Iowa State University’s department of supply chain management, Scott Grawe, says there will likely be some by some products not available in stores or online because of slow shipping times combined with a labor shortage. “The supply chain is still trying to get itself back into balance. And it’s not yet balanced, which means for a lot of different products, you’re going to find either empty shelves or shelves that are not replenished quite as you might like, which is certainly going to create some issues when it comes to holiday shopping,” Grawe says.

He says you should consider all the shopping alternatives. “While you may not get the exact thing that you’re looking for, there may be a perfectly good substitute out there as well,” Grawe says. You just need to be more flexible in your shopping. “So as you’re thinking about your holiday shopping plans, you may want to have a plan B and plan C available as well,” he says.

Grawe predicts the old standby of gift certificates may be a popular, and more reliable, present choice this year.

(By Kassidy Arena, Iowa Public Radio)

DES MOINES, Iowa/KCCI — The Iowa Department of Public Health on Monday released new COVID-19 data that shows positive tests are on the rise after a steady decline since mid-September. IDPH reports 9,841 positive tests, up from 9,628 at last report on Friday. That brings the total number of positive tests to 495,810 since the start of the pandemic. IDPH also reports an increase in the statewide positivity rate, up from 9.5% to 9.6%. State data shows those under 18 are responsible for 24% of all positive tests in the state. However, that age group makes up only 3% of those hospitalized.

There are 629 Iowans hospitalized with COVID-19, down from 634 reported on Friday. There are 140 patients in intensive care units, down from 149 on Friday. Of those hospitalized with COVID-19, 76.4% are not fully vaccinated and 87.9% of those in ICU are not fully vaccinated. IDPH reports one additional long-term care facility reporting a virus outbreak, bringing the total to 29.

Iowa reports 3,474,752 vaccine doses administered in the state, with 66.2% of all Iowans 18 and older fully vaccinated. The Iowa Department of Public Health releases new COVID-19 data each Monday, Wednesday and Friday on this website.

DES MOINES, Iowa —October is Pork month, and the Iowa Pork Producers Association on Monday (Today) announced the finalists for this year’s best breaded tenderloin. Three are in southwest Iowa. The list (In no particular order) includes:

Elk Horn — Larsen’s Pub (winner in 2007)
Emerson — Old Road Cafe & Bar
Harlan — Victoria Station
Indianola — Z’s Eatery and Draught Haus
Miles — Stalker’s Pub

Kelsey Sutter, IPPA’s marketing and programs director, said “We are always looking for a tenderloin that celebrates the taste of pork. I’ve been involved with this contest for 10 years, and I’ve seen a definite increase in restaurants offering thick, hand-breaded tenderloins that do just that.” In the spring, IPPA called on tenderloin fans everywhere to nominate their favorite sandwiches. Nearly 6,000 nominations were submitted for 526 different establishments.

The five restaurants with the most nominations from each of IPPA’s eight districts—for a total of 40 from around the state—were reviewed during the summer by IPPA’s restaurant and foodservice committee. Leading contenders were then turned over to undercover judges who scored tenderloins on the quality of the pork, taste, physical characteristics, and eating experience. Any Iowa restaurant, café or tavern offering hand-breaded or battered pork tenderloins on its daily menu was eligible to be nominated. To win, the business must be open year-round with regular hours. Food trucks, concession stands, seasonal establishments, and catering businesses were not eligible.

The first- and second-place winners will be announced later this month, dubbed #Porktober21 on social media channels as part of the monthlong celebration of pig farmers and the great product they produce. The winning restaurant will receive $500, a plaque, a banner to display, and statewide publicity that will bring in new business.

First-place restaurants are not allowed to compete for five years afterward.

Winners from the past five years: 2020 – PrairieMoon On Main, Prairieburg; 2019 – The Pub at the Pinicon, New Hampton; 2018 – Three C’s Diner, Corning; 2017 – Grid Iron Grill, Webster City; and 2016 – Nick’s, Des Moines.

(Des Moines, Iowa) –  As part of an ongoing effort to address the financial impact of COVID-19, Iowa has received over $10 million in federal aid to help households that have fallen behind in water bills and are facing disconnection of service or have already been disconnected. The new federal Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) will provide assistance in the form of benefit payments made directly to water vendors on behalf of households for past-due charges, fees, and taxes for drinking and wastewater services.  The program will be administered by the Iowa Department of Human Rights and locally through Iowa’s Community Action Agencies that serve all 99 counties.

Iowans may apply by contacting their local Community Action Agency starting October 8, 2021. To locate the agency nearest you, please visit https://humanrights.iowa.gov/dcaa/where-apply or call the Iowa Department of Human Rights at 515-242-3861. Program eligibility mirrors that of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), meaning applicants must qualify to receive federal LIHEAP benefits, total household income must be at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, and a current water crisis must be present.

The application period is open year-round.  LIHWAP will run through September 30, 2023, or until funds are exhausted. To learn more about LIHWAP, visit https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/programs/lihwap or contact your local community action agency.

(Radio Iowa) – The Facebook whistleblower who will testify in congress this week was born and raised in Iowa City. Francis Hougen, a former data scientist at Facebook, kept her identity a secret when she filed a complaint with the Securities and Exchange Commission against Facebook and shared internal Facebook documents with The Wall Street Journal. Last night, Hougen was revealed as the whistleblower during a report on “60 Minutes” and Hougen said she’ll testify to congress that Facebook has deceived regulators and the public about its monitoring of hate speech and misinformation. She said on “60 Minutes” that Facebook is choosing profit over safety.

Hougen is a 2002 graduate of Iowa City West High School and her website says her parents are professors. Hougen has an electrical engineering degree from Olin College and an M-B-A from Harvard. She worked at Google and Yelp before she was hired at Facebook in 2019. She resigned from Facebook in May of this year.

A spokesman for Facebook told C-N-N that the social media platform reflects the good, the bad and the ugly of humanity and Facebook is trying to amplify the good and mitigate the bad.