(Johnston, Iowa) – Officials with the Iowa Army National Guard said Monday (Today), approximately 150 Soldiers will be honored in a community welcome home ceremony for the 3654th Support Maintenance Company, o Tuesday, Nov. 23rd, beginning at 11:45 a.m.  The ceremony takes place at the Des Moines International Airport, Endeavor Air hangar, 2811 Willow Creek Ave.

The public is welcome and encouraged to attend the homecoming ceremony. Parking is located a couple of blocks away from the hanger; therefore, it is recommended to arrive early. Vans are available to shuttle attendees to and from the hanger. Masks are required for this event. Iowans can also view the ceremony live by going to the Iowa National Guard Facebook page @IowaNationalGuard.

The unit is headquartered in Knoxville and supported by a detachment based in Oskaloosa. During the company’s deployment, they covered a vast area, maintaining military equipment at 22 locations within U.S. Central Command. The CENTCOM region encompasses 27 countries, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Within the region, the company provided a broad spectrum of support, including COVID-19 response teams, Afghanistan retrograde operations, non-combatant evacuation operations, and area recovery support. The 3654th SMC also provided maintenance advisory teams to help other organizations in CENTCOM build successful maintenance programs.

During the 3654th SMC’s deployment, Soldiers supported Operation Spartan Shield, Operation Inherent Resolve, and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.

(Radio Iowa) – Cedar Falls public safety officials have arrested two local residents on charges connected to a violent weekend kidnapping. Authorities took 46-year-old Donovan Danielson and 32-year-old Nicole Sage into custody Sunday on charges of first-degree kidnapping for allegedly holding a man against his will inside their Cedar Falls home. Officers were dispatched to a local motel Sunday morning after the victim walked into the business and reported that he had been assaulted. The victim told authorities that he met with an acquaintance at 310 Iowa Street, and while there, he was held by force against his will.

According to officials, the victim was gagged and tied to a chair for a lengthy period of time, burned, and struck with blunt objects by two people armed with a shotgun. Officials say the victim was treated for multiple injuries at an area hospital. Cedar Falls public safety officials say they obtained a search warrant for the home and discovered evidence associated with the reported kidnapping.

If convicted of the Class A felony, Danielson and Sage will spend the rest of their lives in prison.

(Radio Iowa) – Forecasters says it’ll likely be too cold to throw the football around outside with your nephews on Thanksgiving Day, but on the plus side, there’s no rain or snow predicted to muck up the roads. Meteorologist Roger Vachalek, with the National Weather Service, says it’ll be a rollercoaster week as Iowans will experience above- and below-average temperatures. “The good news is we’ve got a banner week for travel here throughout at least the Midwest,” Vachalek says, “with little if any precipitation expected.” Much of Iowa is under cloud cover this (Monday) morning but those should burn off by mid-day, bringing in warmer weather.

“We should have highs in the lower 40s in central Iowa, some 30s in the northeast and upper 40s in the southwest,” Vachalek says. “You’ll notice the winds picking up though for tomorrow and Wednesday. Highs are going to bump right up to the mid 50s in central Iowa, mid 40s in northeast Iowa, and even around Omaha, they should be in the lower 60s in the southwestern portion of the state.” If your vehicle sits outside, you’ll likely have to scrape frost off the windows on Thanksgiving morning before hitting the road to visit family.

“We’ll have highs in the lower 30s in central Iowa on Thanksgiving Day, upper 20s in the north and mid 30s in the south,” Vachalek says. “Fortunately, that will be short-lived as we head into Friday and the weekend. We’ll start to see a warm-up again with highs pushing back in the 40s.” Another advantage to having freezing weather on Thanksgiving is — if your garage is enclosed but not heated, that could be a great place to store all of those leftovers that won’t fit in the fridge.

(Des Moines, IA) The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has authorized boosters of the Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines for all adults age 18 and over. Prior to this authorization, eligibility had been limited to individuals age 65 and older and those who lived or worked in high risk environments.

Those who received a single shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are already eligible for a booster two months after their initial dose. To date, 74% of Iowans age 18 and over and 71% of Iowans age 12 and over have received at least one dose of the vaccine. With the recent authorization of the pediatric Pfizer vaccine, over 31,000 Iowans in the 5-11 age group have also received their first vaccine.

While fewer children have been sick with COVID-19 compared to adults, children can be infected with the virus, and there is no way to tell in advance if a child will get a severe or mild case. After a natural infection, some children have developed a rare but serious disease that is linked to COVID-19 called multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C). Since the beginning of the pandemic, 63 cases of MIS-C have been reported to the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH).

One month into flu season, IDPH urges Iowans to get their flu vaccines as soon as possible. Flu activity in the state is still low, but cases have increased in the last week. Both the flu and COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death from these viruses. By getting vaccinated for both influenza and COVID-19, we can prevent avoidable hospitalizations and help preserve health care resources for other needs, including illnesses, injuries and emergencies. Iowans with questions about vaccines for themselves or loved ones consult with their health care provider.

Getting vaccinated now will provide more protection in advance of winter holiday gatherings. Find vaccine providers here and here.

(Radio Iowa) – A sheriff in Arizona is asking Iowans in the Independence area for tips that might help solve a murder that happened 26 years ago. Authorities in Arizona found a man’s body northeast of Flagstaff in October of 1995. The man had been burned and an autopsy confirmed he’d been murdered. It was 21 years later — in 2016 — when D-N-A technology led to the identification of the victim.

Robert Bresson (Photo from IowaCold Cases.org.)

Robert Bresson was 56 years old and Arizona investigators say he was known to be associated with the Independence and Lincoln, Nebraska areas. He was last seen alive in Why, Arizona.

ATLANTIC, IA (November 22, 2021) – Today’s (Monday, 11/22) Harvest Market 2021 is expected to be a popular event. Produce in the Park has released an event map and is sharing tips to help customers prepare for a smooth shopping experience. Harvest Market will be held at the Cass County Community Center (805 W. 10th St. Atlantic, IA 50022) from 3-7 pm.

Parking: All customers who plan to shop at the market in-person are asked to park in the front parking lot. If the front parking lot is full, additional parking can be found behind the building. However, customers picking up their pre-orders drive-through style will be guided to the back of the building, and traffic may be slow. Vendors and volunteers are also being asked to park behind the building.

Pre-orders: Customers who have pre-ordered items are reminded they can either pick up orders drivethrough style, or come into the building to gather their purchases and do extra shopping.

Some vendors outdoors: Lastly, customers planning to purchase food from the Pomodoro Fresh Italian Food Truck are reminded that the food truck will be parked outside the building, and dressing warmly is recommended.

The Harvest Market is held the Monday before Thanksgiving so customers can pick-up local food, decorations, and gifts to enjoy at holiday celebrations. Harvest Market offers premium local produce, meats, baked goods, desserts, and other local foods such as granola, eggs, honey, jams, jellies, and syrups. The market also offers locally-made craft products including seasonal candles, goat milk soaps, holiday and home decorations, and products that make great gifts, such as doll clothes, children’s books, beauty products, tumblers, and more. Pomodoro Fresh Italian Food and A-Town SmokeShack will be offering prepared food, so hungry shoppers don’t have to make plans for dinner.

Harvest Market 2021 Vendors:
 A-Town SmokeShack – BBQ sandwiches and sides
 Bridgewater Farm – Squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beets, spinach, greens, garlic,
carrots, kohlrabi, eggs, meat
 Brun Ko Farm – Produce, meats, and pies
 Connie’s Creations – Knitted items and more
 DeLaine’s Designs – Doll clothes
 DezaRae Farm Soaps – Goat milk lotions and soaps
 Eblen Embellishments – Decorated kitchen towels, pillows, other soft house goods
 Erickson Foods – Squash (acorn, spaghetti, butternut), carrots, beets, radishes, potatoes,
syrups, fruit butters, and jellies
 Frosting Inc. – Cupcakes, pies, baked goods, hot cocoa bombs
 Hilltop Creations – Squash (butternut, buttercup), onions, popcorn, crafts, and plants
 Hygge Cottage – Children’s books and bird/squirrel feeders
 JD Crafters – Items made using a laser and CNC router and a lathe, including Christmas
and table ornaments, signage, cutting boards, coasters, & more
 Johnna Joy Designs – Jewelry & more
 Kingwood Farm – Goat milk Soap, detergent, bath shreds, lotion. Pasture-raised pork,
eggs, beef
 Kringle Man – Danish Kringle, cream horns, Danish letters, Danish pastries
 Lefty Lucy Soapworks – Handcrafted all- natural soaps, lotion bars, shower steamers, and
lip balms
 Noble Provisions – Beef
 Pomodoro Fresh Italian Food Truck -Homemade pasta, sauces, sandwiches, salads and
dessert
 Slightly Sassy Orchid Designs – Tumblers and signs
 Smudge – Bath and body products, soaps, and candles
 Sue’s Country Garden – Jams, breads, crisps and cakes, tie blankets for small dogs and
cats, potholder/towel combos, and more
 Sweet Sisters Vegan – Vegan health and beauty products
 Ter-Bear Honey – Honey
 The Chalking Teacher – Holiday decorations including wood, glass, and metal chalked
surfaces
 The Pet Bistro – Dog and cat food and treats; cat toys and beds
 TJ’s Kitchen – Wine bread pastries

To slow the spread of COVID-19 at Harvest Market, Produce in the Park will be supplying masks donated by Cass County Public Health to all customers entering the market.
For the latest information on Harvest Market, follow Produce in the Park on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ProduceInThePark) or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/produceintheparkatlanticia/) visit the Produce in the Park website where you can sign up for the Produce in the Park newsletter at www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com.

Harvest Market is sponsored by the Atlantic Community Promotion Commission, First Whitney Bank and Trust, Camblin Mechanical, Cass County Tourism, Cass County Farm Bureau, the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, and Lindeman Tractor.

(Cedar Rapids) – The Iowa State Patrol, Sunday, said a teen was pulled-over for extreme speeding, in eastern Iowa. In a social media post , officials said a 17-year-old driver was stopped while traveling 120 mph on Highway 30 in Linn County. “The driver was not only driving at a high rate of speed, but also had 2 minor passengers in the vehicle with them – the youngest being only 9 years old,” the state patrol said on Facebook.

ISP Facebook post 11/21/21

A gathering of some of the latest area News, with News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department says a woman from Creston reported on Saturday, vandalism had occurred at Rainbow Park (601 S. Park St.). At the scene, a blow-up “Nutcracker” was punctured, and strings of lights were damaged. The loss was estimated at $42. And, on Sunday, a man from Afton reported to Creston Police, that his storage unit in the 900 block of S. Walnut Street had been broken into. Multiple items were taken. A dollar value of the loss was not available.

Late Saturday night, Creston Police arrested 18-year old Miracle Ann Freeman, of Creston, on an Assault charge. She was released from the scene with a citation. Also arrested Saturday night, was 23-year-old Kole Andrew Lovely, of Creston, for Harassment in the 2nd Degree. His bond at the Union County Jail was set at $1,000.

Late Friday morning, Creston Police arrested 31-year-old Brooke Marie Carter, of Creston. She was taken into custody at the Union County Courthouse, on a Union County warrant for Driving While Barred. Carter was later released on a $2,000 cash or surety bond. A few hours earlier, 39-year-old Charles Edward Keeton, of Creston, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on two outside agency warrants. His cash bond was set at $25,300.

(Atlantic, Iowa) The Cass County Board of Supervisors are set to meet 9-a.m. Tuesday (11/23) in their Boardroom at the Cass County Courthouse, in Atlantic. On their agenda, is an annual report and request for funding, from West Central Community Action (WCCA). Following an update from Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken, the Board will act on approving a Resolution to award a contract for a Bridge Replacement Project (L-280-73-15), and they expect to hear a report from the Director of CADCO (Cass-Atlantic Development Corporation), along with a request for a tax abatement.

The Board will discuss the establishment of an abatement plan for property improvements to certain classes of property in the non-incorporated portion of Cass County.  In other business, the Supervisors will act on allowing or disallowing certain family farm credits, and to approve agricultural Land credits, in accordance with the Code of Iowa. They will also discuss and/or take action on, the allowance rate and list of those eligible for reimbursement, with regard to the use of personal cell phones for County business.

Their final order of business is to discuss and/or take action on the use of American Rescue Plan (Covid Relief) funding.