(Atlantic, Iowa) – Another hat was tossed into the ring when it comes to the Mayor’s race, in Atlantic. The Cass County Auditor’s Office, Wednesday afternoon, said Tim Teig, of Atlantic, filed nomination papers to have his name on the Nov. 2nd ballot. There are currently four candidates for Mayor in Atlantic.  Teig, who is retired, formerly worked as a Regional Manager for Snyder and Associates Engineers in Atlantic.

As of Wednesday Sept. 1st, the following candidates have filed to run for offices in Cass County:

Mayor of Atlantic:

Tim Teig

Pat McCurdy

Grace Garrett

Kathy Somers

Atlantic City Council, 5th Ward (Vote for 1):

Dick Casady (Incumbent)

Mayor of Anita (to fill a vacancy):

John Knutson (Appointed – term ends 11/2021)

Anita City Council (Vote for 3):

Simon Jensen (Incumbent)

Anita City Council (to fill a vacancy) – Vote for 1):

Mark Harris (Incumbent)

City of Atlantic Parks and Recreation Board (Vote for 1):

Shirley Jensen

Cumberland City Council (Vote for 3):

Mike Hill (Incumbent)

Darrin Hardisty (Incumbent)

Cumberland City Mayor

Nancy Virginia Coughlin (Incumbent)

Nomination papers may be filed with the Cass County Auditors Office until 5-p.m., Sept. 16th.

DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Department of Public Health today (Wednesday) released new COVID-19 data for the past 7 days. IDPH reported 8,907 additional positive COVID-19 tests, for a total of 441,889 positive tests since the start of the pandemic. The health department reported 39 additional COVID-19 deaths, totaling 6,307 since the pandemic began.

Hospitals in RMCC Region 4 (western and southwest Iowa) report:  29 patients are hospitalized with COVID; 9 patients are in an ICU; 6 were admitted and one person was on a ventilator. The latest data on deaths in Cass & surrounding counties (since the beginning of the pandemic) show:

• Cass County: 56
• Adair: 32
• Adams: 4
• Audubon: 14
• Guthrie: 32
• Montgomery: 38
• Pottawattamie: 180
• Shelby: 39

The state’s 14-day positivity rate is up from 8.2% to 8.6% in the last 7 days, and the 7-day rate is up from 8.3% to 8.6%. There are COVID-19 outbreaks in 16 of Iowa’s long-term care facilities. That is twice as many outbreaks as last week’s total of 8.

The number of people completing a vaccine is 1,612,253, up from 1,593,557. As of Sept. 1, 49.2% of all Iowa residents are now fully vaccinated. Iowa’s hospitalization data has not yet been updated by the health department. IDPH has been releasing COVID-19 data on a weekly basis since July 1.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic School District Superintendent Steve Barber, Wednesday, said “Thanks to the DOT and Kirk Knutsen for getting the Achievement Center classified as a school zone with a 35 mile per hour speed zone. Starting tomorrow (Thursday) morning, the flashers will be flashing from 7:45 to 8:15 in the morning and 2:45 to 3:15 in the afternoon.”

Barber urges motorists to “Please take notice of these flashing lights and slow your speed down through the school zone.”

(Radio Iowa) – Iowans who want to help residents on the Gulf Coast recover from the destructive Hurricane Ida may need to do a little homework before making a donation, according to Susan Bach, at the Better Business Bureau.
* “You want to make sure that you are researching those charities before giving,” Bach says. “We recommend that you use our Wise Giving Alliance to see if those charities meet our standards for charity accountability.”

You can check out charities — good and not-so-good — at the Better Business Bureau’s “GIVE-DOT-ORG” website. “When you are researching charities that you would like to donate to, if you’ve never heard of the charity, it really deserves a second or third look,” she says. If you’re going beyond the well-known large relief agencies like the Red Cross, United Way or Salvation Army, Bach says to be very careful where you send your donations.

“You want to make sure that it’s an experienced group, that they have the means and are already ready to provide quick and effective assistance to the affected area,” Bach says. “You want to make sure that you give money instead of goods.” Bach says donating money is the quickest way to help as it provides charities the flexibility to channel the most-needed resources to impacted areas.

(Radio Iowa) – A 39-year-old Georgia woman has been sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison for stealing the identities of dozens of University of Iowa employees to claim their tax refunds. Court records indicate Florence Rosale Julio was able to illegally obtain more than 450-thousand dollars in tax refunds that were owed to University of Iowa staff in 2015. The money was deposited in bank accounts in Georgia she had opened under a fake business name.

A total of one-point-four million dollars was laundered through those fake accounts. According to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice, Julio used 44-thousand dollars worth of funds from one account to buy a Mercedes Benz from a dealership in Nashville.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa City police say a fraternity house was damaged during a protest last night. Police say a crowd of more than one-thousand people gathered at the Phi Gamma Delta or FIJI Fraternity in response to an online petition that accuses two members of the fraternity of rape last year. Police say windows and doors were broken and graffiti was written on the house.

Much of the crowd then went to another residence and did the same type of damage, as well as overturning cars. Police say the crowd broke up and no one was injured. They are asking for anyone with video of the protest to contact them. The department also says it takes all allegations of sexual assault seriously and investigates them to the fullest extent possible.

(Harlan, Iowa) – Officials with the Harlan Police Department, Wednesday (today), said 40-year-old Joseph Allen Schoemann of Harlan, was arrested Tuesday (8/31), for domestic abuse assault, and interference with official acts. And, last Friday, 40-year-old Woyo Dike Leko, of Harlan, was cited for driving while suspended.

Pottawattamie County Emergency Management Director Doug Reed, said Wednesday, “The Water Boil Order for Macedonia residents has been lifted. You may resume normal water usage.” The Order had been issued Sunday night. Additional details were not released.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday, approved a Floodplain Permit/Application Flat Fee of $100 when a person applies, and once the permit is approved, a review fee not to exceed $400. They also approved the issuance of a Floodplain Permit to NextEra Energy, with an initial permit fee of $100. The Board approved the appointment of Stacy Huss as Treasurer Clerk, upon recommendation from Adair County Treasurer Brenda Wallace. In other business, they approved a Lake Road speed limit Resolution for 250^th Street and Marion Avenue, near the City of Greenfield. Board Chair Steve Shelley read the Resolution as written.

They also approved two Right-Of-Way (ROW)/temporary easement contracts, and a Service Agreement with U-S Cellular for backup internet service. The Adair County Board of Supervisors gave their blessing to have County Engineer Nick Kauffman review the suggested location of a Greenfield Chamber Mainstreet Sign, which was proposed to be placed along eastbound Interstate 80, southeast of the Casey Exit. Supervisor Matt Wedemeyer….

If Kauffman approves the sign following the review, the process can proceed.

In his report, Nick Kaufmann said on G-51, LeRoy and Sons will move in Sept. 7^th and start moving dirt for a box culvert project, with the work to be completed in about two-weeks. A pre-pour meeting will be held Thursday Sept. 9^th with regard to the bridge at North 34/Richland.

And, the Secondary Roads Department, he said will be undergoing CPR training Sept. 8^th and 22^nd.

OMAHA, Neb. (Sept. 1, 2021) – The MidAmerica Business Conditions Index (BCI), a leading economic indicator for a nine-state region that includes Iowa and Nebraska, has remained growth-neutral for 15 of the last 16 months. The survey by Creighton University director of Economic Forecasting Dr. Ernie Goss, ranges between 0 and 100. An index greater than 50 indicates an expansionary economy over the course of the next three to six months.

As of the latest report, the Index had fallen to a still healthy 68.9 in August, from July’s 73.1. Supply managers reported that supply chain bottlenecks represented the greatest challenge for the next 12 months and was restraining growth.  Iowa’s Business Conditions Index for August climbed to 68.2 from 67.9 in July.  Looking ahead six months, economic optimism, as captured by the August Business Confidence Index, dipped to 53.5 from July’s 53.6.  This is the third straight month that the index has declined.

Components of the overall July index were: new orders at 77.2, production, or sales, at 63.2, delivery lead time at 84.3, employment at 61.4, and inventories at 54.8. “Both durable goods and nondurable goods producers in the state are expanding at a solid pace. Metal products manufacturing and food producers are experiencing very healthy growth,” said Goss.

According to Goss, “Creighton’s monthly survey results indicate the region is adding manufacturing business activity at a healthy pace, and that regional growth will remain positive, but somewhat slower.  Supply chain bottlenecks and labor shortages remain obstacles to growth. Approximately 94% of supply managers reported supply chain bottlenecks for the month with half of those detailing significant supply disruptions,” he said.

The regional employment index remained above growth neutral for August, but sank to 64.6 from July’s two decade high of 67.2. “Even with strong manufacturing job growth, the region has yet to recover all job losses from the pandemic. The latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data indicate that current regional nonfarm employment is down by 431,000 jobs, or 3.3%, compared to pre-COVID-19 levels,” said Goss. Even with healthy job growth for the month, firms continue to report difficulties in finding and hiring new workers. One of five supply managers said finding and hiring qualified workers will be the greatest challenge for the next 12 months. One supply manager asked “Where did all the workers go?”

Other comments from supply mangers in the August survey were:

•   “Very difficult to get balance. Feel like a ‘fiddler on the roof.’”
•   “There has been a significant movement away from plastic products to paper-based packaging. This has significantly added to an already constrained market.”
•   “We are a heavy and medium duty truck dealership with sales, rental/leasing, service, parts and collision centers. Biggest challenges are delays on factory orders of new trucks with demand far outpacing supplies/deliverable orders.”
•  “Supply bottlenecks on assembly parts, collective bargaining work stoppages impacting new truck production, driver shortages are all impacting our sales efforts.”

The wholesale inflation gauge for the month slipped to 95.0 from July’s record high 98.7. Said one supply manager, “(It) will take a long time to catch up to demand, passing along rising prices does not seem to be denting demand.” As reported by supply managers, rising input prices represented the second greatest challenge or threat faced by their firm over the next 12 months. “At the wholesale level, Creighton’s survey is tracking higher and higher inflationary pressures.  Commodity prices are up approximately 20.9% over the last 12 months, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Supply managers in Creighton’s June survey expect prices for their firm’s products to advance by 7.7% for the next 12 months,” said Goss.

The regional inventory index, reflecting levels of raw materials and supplies, plummeted to 54.9 from 70.7 in July.  Despite supply chain bottlenecks, regional trade numbers were solid for the month. The new export orders index expanded to a very healthy 64.7 from July’s 63.9. Supply bottlenecks pushed the August import reading to a lower 52.4 from 65.3. Other survey components of the August Business Conditions Index were: new orders advanced to 75.8 from 73.5 in July; the production or sales index declined to 65.0 from July’s 67.9; and the index reading for the speed of deliveries of raw materials and supplies was unchanged from July’s index of 84.5. A higher reading indicates slower deliveries.