(Radio Iowa) – As the strike at a dozen John Deere plants in Iowa, Illinois and Kansas enters its fourth week, a Deere and Company executive says some production may shift to plants outside of the country to meet customer demand. The president of Deere’s Worldwide Agriculture and Turf Division told The Des Moines Register the company still aims to reach an agreement with striking union workers, but Deere’s international factories employ thousands that can make parts and components that are in demand.

During an appearance today in Pella, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds told reporters she’s confident both sides will reach a settlement to end the strike and she has no plans to try to intervene. “We’re letting the process work out and it is working out,” Reynolds says. “They’ll continue to come to the table, they’ll continue to work on the negotiations and, hopefully, they’ll reach that settlement sooner rather than later.”

A spokesperson for Deere said last week that the company will not resume negotiations with the United Auto Workers and the company’s second contract offer was it’s best and final offer. Union workers rejected the agreement on a 55 to 45 percent vote.

The Harlan Police Department is reporting two recent arrests and a citation. On Sunday, 28-year-old Ashlen Marie Rutherford, of Harlan, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault and False Imprisonment. On Saturday, 26-year-old Alexander Archer Foster Gorka, of Manilla, was cited for Driving While Suspended.

And, on Nov. 2nd, 56-year-old Michael Mario Morelli, of Harlan, was arrested for Assault.

Officers with the Red Oak Police Department, Tuesday, arrested a Pottawattamie County man for Interference with Official Acts. Authorities say 47-year-old Robert Michael Lynn Petersen, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at around 10:30-a.m. He was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 bond.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Representatives of the Cass County Library Association, comprised of the head librarians from each of the libraries in the County, provided an annual report to the Board of Supervisors Tuesday morning, and made their traditional, annual request for funding. Sara Young, Head Librarian at the Anita Public Library, thanked the board for its continued support for the libraries.

As part of their early childhood literacy efforts, the library directors came up with a plan to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to all Cass County residents.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library partners with local affiliates to provide high quality, age appropriate books to children across the United States and beyond. Cass County is now one of 22 counties in Iowa that offers the program. Any child under 4 1/2-years old who lives in Cass County can register to receive a free book a month until their 5th birthday. Young said there are currently 178 children enrolled in the program.

With regard to funding, the directors requested: A $5,000 increase from the County for the Atlantic and Cumberland Public Libraries; $2,500 for the Anita and Griswold Public Libraries; a $1,000 increase for the Lewis and Massena Public Libraries. The request was taken under advisement and will be acted on when the Board meets in early 2022 to determine where county funds will be spent.

(Radio Iowa) – Tens of thousands of Iowans checked the box when they renewed their drivers licenses to become organ donors, but should they happen to die of COVID-19, will their organs still be used? That depends, according to Heather Butterfield, spokeswoman for the Iowa Donor Network. Butterfield says, “Based on studies that have been conducted and with the approval of our medical directors, our current policy is that as long as the patient isn’t actively infectious with COVID-19, so typically that means they would be at least 21 days out from a diagnosis or symptoms, then they can be considered for organ donation.”

Nationwide, more than 100-thousand people are waiting for organ transplants, while Iowa’s organ waiting list is nearly 600 names long. Organs are an exceptionally rare and valuable commodity and Butterfield says it would be a shame not to make use of those hearts, lungs, livers and kidneys that are healthy. “Our number-one priority is always the safety of the recipients and we want to make sure that the organs we recover are safe to transplant,” Butterfield says, “which is why we have the policy in place that we do.”

As yet, Iowa has not seen a dramatic upturn in the demand for organ donation during the pandemic, but there are fears about the situation worsening. “We are wondering, we have seen stories of people who have had COVID and have had long-term effects that are now needing a lung transplant,” Butterfield says. “We don’t know yet what the long-term implication of that will be. Will that mean the transplant waiting list will go up specifically for those in need of lung transplants? That is certainly a possibility.”

During the first year of the pandemic, Butterfield says the Iowa Donor Network set a new record for organ donations. “We had 103 organ donors give 300 organs for transplant despite the fact that, yes, we had a lot of people pass away from COVID but people who have COVID at the time of their passing cannot be organ donors,” she says, “so even despite the increase in deaths due to COVID, we still had a record year for organ donation in 2020.”

With less than two months remaining in 2021, Butterfield says this year is on track to break last year’s record, which would be the fourth straight year for new organ donation records in Iowa.
www.iowadonornetwork.org

(Radio Iowa) – A body was pulled from the Wapsipinicon River near Quasqueton this (Tuesday) morning. The Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office says it received a 911 call shortly before 8:30 a.m. from fishermen in the area, who reported a body in the river just north of the bridge in Quasqueton. Deputies, firefighters and EMS personnel responded to the scene. The sheriff’s office says a man’s body was found and recovered from the river.

The body has been transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny for an autopsy to identify the cause of death. The Sheriff’s Office says at this point, there is no reason to believe foul play is involved.

A body was pulled from the Wapsipinicon River near Quasqueton. ( photo from Buchanan County Sheriff.)

(Radio Iowa) – One thing for certain has returned to the way it was before the pandemic. Iowa D-O-T spokesman, Stuart Anderson, briefed the Transportation Commission today (Tuesday) on the traffic levels for October. “this month is the first month I believe that our overall traffic in the state of Iowa is above pre-pandemic levels on a monthly comparison basis,” Anderson says.  He says travel returned from a big drop during the height of the pandemic — and has been at a steady level until last month.  “Our October 2021 vehicle miles traveled in Iowa was one-point-five percent higher than October of 2019. We’ve been very steady around that zero percent level,” he says.

Anderson says the traffic levels have varied a little bit based on which system you are looking at. “The county system had a nice bump in October — certainly the harvest season has impacted that,” according to Anderson. “Most importantly, overall traffic in the state is positive now.” He says rail volumes have increased some as well, but are still being held back by the supply chain issues. And air travel continues to rebound.

(Radio Iowa) – Third district Congresswoman Cindy Axne says the bipartisan infrastructure package that cleared the House late last week will provide five BILLION dollars to Iowa for roads, bridges and water infrastructure as well as the repair of locks and dams. Axne says at least 100 million of that will be spent on broadband projects. “Providing support for those in all parts of our state, urban included, who can’t afford it,” she says, “because access to the internet is about availability and about cost.”

Axne, a Democrat from Des Moines, was the only member of Iowa’s U.S. House delegation to vote for the bill. Republican Senator Chuck Grassley voted for it when it cleared the U.S. Senate in August. Republican Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks says she voted against it because it’s tied in negotiations to the so-called Build Back Better plan. That plan is expected to put hundreds of billions toward climate change and childcare costs. Axne says it aims to fix problems the infrastructure plan doesn’t.  “Not once have I heard: ‘Gosh darn it, I can’t get to work because a bridge is down,’ ’cause we’ll fix the bridge,” Axne says. “Over and over I hear: “I can’t find childcare and so I can’t get a job.'”

Axne says Democrats’ social spending package could come to a vote as soon as next week.

ATLANTIC, Iowa – Nearly a dozen special guests, including Iowa 3rd District Congresswoman Cindy Axne and U. S.  Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Undersecretary Xochitl Torres-Small, attended a roundtable event at Elite Octane, Tuesday morning. The local dry mill ethanol plant in Atlantic served as a backdrop for Axne to announce new rural energy investments in Iowa to help modernize energy infrastructure, lower energy costs, and implement renewable energy systems across the state. Elite Octane President & CEO Nick Bowdish began the meeting by saying the ethanol plant started the morning with 3.25-million bushels of corn on the property. Two huge bins hold two-million bushels each, leaving a large mountain of corn on the ground.

Bowdish said “It’s been a great-great harvest, safe harvest.” Congresswoman Axne, who toured the plant last year, was excited Tuesday to announce a REAP (Rural Energy for America Program) grant of $250,000 was awarded to the company, as part of $1.8-million being invested in Iowa.

Far end of the table, from left to right: Nick Bowdish; Xochitl Torres-Small; Rep. Cindy Axne & Darin Leach, Acting State Dir. USDA Rural Development in Iowa.

Another way the company is saving money and reducing the impact on the environment, especially with regard to the underground aquafirs, is by using recycled wastewater.

The funds are part of the government’s recently passed infrastructure improvement program.

Undersecretary Torres-Small, who is from rural New Mexico, and represented the Biden Administration and AG Secretary Tom Vilsack, said she knows how important biofuels are to the State of Iowa.

Axne and Torres-Small said the USDA investments reflect the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to help rural America build back better.

Other attendees at Tuesday’s meeting included Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones, Acting State Director of USDA Rural Development Iowa Darin Leach, and representatives from the Iowa Corn Growers Association, Cass/Atlantic Development Corporation, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, Iowa Farmers Union, Iowa Soybean Association, and Iowa Rural Development Council.

(Atlantic, Iowa) -The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce encourages you to “Get a kick start to your holiday shopping” by purchasing discounted AtlantiCash. The AtlanticCash event is available from 9-a.m. until Noon this Saturday, only, Nov. 13th. It’s presented by First Whitney Bank & Trust. AtlantiCash will be available in packs of $100 for $80, a 20% discount. Community members can purchase up to three packs. Payment must be made at time of purchase in the form of cash or check only. There is a first-come, first-purchased basis with only a limited amount of AtlantiCash available.

Bailey Smith, Executive Director at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce said, “This has become one of our favorite events to host every year. AtlantiCash is money that has to be spent at local businesses in our community, so not only does it boost Local Option Sales Tax, but it also supports all of our incredible businesses who have so much to offer this holiday season. Last year, we sold $30,000 in about 20 minutes, so our goal this year is to sell $40,000.”  She credits First Whitney Bank and Trust in making the promotion possible. “Their partnership helps us support local merchants and put money back into Atlantic,” Smith said.

The Holiday Open House will also be taking place Saturday beginning when retailers open. Businesses will be offering a holiday sneak peek as well as treats, giveaways and special promotions. Participating locations include: Akin Building Center, Aunt B’s, Bonnesen’s, Brown’s Shoe Fit, Brymons Interiors, Cappel’s Ace Hardware, Hanson’s Fine Jewelry, Something For You and Valley Boutique.

Pick up your Christmas Brochure from area retail businesses, like the Chamber on Facebook or follow on Instagram to find dates and details to celebrate Christmas in Atlantic. You can find a complete list of activities at www.atlanticiowa.com. Capture the Christmas magic with #MyAtlanticIA and post to the Atlantic Area Chamber’s Facebook page or Instagram (AtlanticIowaFan). Contact the Atlantic Area Chamber with any questions at chamber@atlanticiowa.com or call 712.243.3017. Christmas in Atlantic is presented by Momentum Exterior Services.