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Cass County Board of Supervisors’ News 7/13/21

News

July 13th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors met Tuesday morning in a regularly scheduled session. During their meeting, County Veteran’s Affairs Director Mitch Holmes presented his three-part report. The fourth quarter report he said, is mandated by State Code.

In the same report, Holmes noted the Cass County Veteran’s Affairs (CCVA) office assisted 121 Veterans, conducted 96 Office and 4 home visits, made 184 phone contacts, answered 167 various pieces of correspondence (Mail, e-mail & faxes), and they assisted five Veterans with their Driver’s Licenses. Then came the Annual Report for FY2020-21.

The CCVA assisted 47 Veterans process and receive their Federal VA Compensation Benefits, and other benefits, such as Nursing Home and Health Care, Death/Burial Benefits, and other matters. They also assisted a total of 341 Veterans, had 407 Office visits and 40 home visits. CCVA made 988 phone contacts, handled 1,288 pieces of correspondence, and assisted with 20 driver’s licenses.

The third and final report Holmes presented to the Board was the FY Geographic Distribution of VA Expenditures. The report shows the County has a Veteran population of 1,258. Total Federal dollars coming into Cass County specifically for Veterans, amounted to more than $8.9-million, including $4.1-million in Veterans Compensation and Pension.

In other businesses, Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken presented his regular report on Secondary Roads Department matters. He mentioned they placed project pipe along Troublesome Creek Road the last week or so, which allowed to be re-opened. He says they’ll continue to work with project pipes as they are delivered to the County. And, work on the Boston Road and Olive Street Bridge projects continues.

He said also, work will begin soon on a Indian Creek Road box culvert project, north of Highway 6.

Crazy Daze in Atlantic this Saturday!

News

July 13th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) –  Atlantic will find more people buzzing around town, shopping and dining on Saturday, July 17. Participating Atlantic businesses will, once again, offer crazy summer deals during the Annual Crazy Daze shop local event. Crazy Daze is an annual event that encourages customers to support local businesses. Kelsey Beschorner, Programs Director at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce says “We would like to thank all the customers for supporting our small businesses throughout 2020. What better way to celebrate shopping local then with AtlantiCash?”

Four lucky shoppers will get the chance to win $250 in AtlantiCash. Shoppers are encouraged to post their shopping or dining “selfies” on Facebook during Crazy Daze, using the hashtags #MyAtlanticIA and #LoveLocal. The four winners will be announced Monday, July 19th LIVE on the Chamber’s Facebook Page. Kelsey says  “This is a great way to thank and reward people for shopping local. It gives them that extra nudge to spend the day in Atlantic.”

Shop or eat at these participating locations to be entered in to win $250 in AtlantiCash:

  • Akin Building Center
  • Atlantic Motor Supply
  • Aunt B’s
  • Bonnesen’s Five & Ten Store
  • Brown Shoe Fit
  • Brymons Interiors
  • Cappel’s Ace Hardware
  • CoffeeGirl
  • Downtowner Cafe
  • Eleven O’ Three
  • Elixir Downtown
  • Farmhouse & Flowers
  • Golden Dragon
  • Hanson’s Fine Jewelry
  • Interior Touch
  • Plaza Azteca
  • Rancho Grande
  • Scooters Coffee
  • Shaved Tail Louie’s
  • Something For You
  • Sweet Joy Shoppe
  • Udderly Delicious
  • Valley Boutique

For more information on Crazy Daze deals and other Chamber events, visit atlanticiowa.com or contact the Chamber office at 712.243.3017.

Produce in the Park July 15 Features Country Music Band Cloverdayle

Ag/Outdoor, News

July 13th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

ATLANTIC, IA (July 13, 2021) – Produce in the Park is welcoming a special musical guest to the market this Thursday, July 15. The country music band Cloverdayle will be giving a free concert in the Atlantic City Park this Thursday, July 15 from 5:00-6:00 PM. Rolling Hills Bank & Trust is sponsoring this week’s musical entertainment. Bring a lawn chair, and enjoy yard games and dinner at the park while you listen to the music.

Produce in the Park is held every Thursday evening from 4:30-6:30 PM in the Atlantic City Park from the beginning of June through the end of September. This week, the market will offer fresh produce favorites including green beans, cucumbers, zucchini, carrots, and more. In addition to delicious, fresh, local produce, Produce in the Park offers baked goods including Danish Kringle from the Kringleman Danish Pastries, dinner in the park, and handmade crafts including goat-milk soaps and lotions, candles, and more. The market also features a guest chef offering taste tests, free produce snacks for kids, and other kids activities, in addition to information booths by area community organizations.

Produce in the Park’s summer farmers market and community gatherings are sponsored by Atlantic Community Promotion Commission, 1st Whitney Bank and Trust, Cass County Tourism, Camblin Mechanical, Cass Health, Nishna Valley Family YMCA, and the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce. Produce in the Park now accepts SNAP EBT, a payment method also known as “food stamps,” and many vendors accept credit cards and Venmo.

Stay up to date on the latest with Produce in the Park by signing up for the Produce in the Park newsletter at www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com, and following Produce in the Park on Facebook @ProduceInThePark and Instagram @ProduceInTheParkAtlanticIA.

Intermittent lane closures on U.S. 6 between U.S. 71 and Iowa 48 in Cass County begin Monday, July 19

News

July 13th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

CRESTON, Iowa – July 13, 2021 – Road construction work on U.S. 6 between Iowa 71 near Atlantic, and Iowa 48 near Lewis, will require intermittent lane closures weekdays from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. beginning on Monday, July 19 until Aug. 5, weather permitting. That’s according to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Creston construction office. Officials say during the project, traffic will be controlled with flaggers and a pilot car while work is taking place. A 16-foot lane width limit will be in effect.

Survey: Nonprofits won’t be back to pre-COVID levels for 1-2 years yet

News

July 13th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A survey of dozens of nonprofit organizations across western Iowa and Nebraska finds many are still feeling the financial impacts of the pandemic after already losing millions of dollars in the past year. Hannah Young, spokeswoman for the Nonprofit Association of the Midlands, says their Nonprofit Pulse Poll shows the nonprofit sector is stabilizing in the two states, though the future remains uncertain. “We’ve had a lot of federal funding that has helped a lot of nonprofits through the last year and now that that’s starting to back off, what will nonprofits do now? We just don’t know the answer to that yet,” Young says. “I think we’ll see next year how many, unfortunately, do have to close down or maybe merge.”

Mergers of nonprofits that offer similar services isn’t necessarily a bad thing, Young says, as two could emerge as a stronger one. Still, the survey found nonprofits surveyed anticipate losing more than 15-million dollars combined this year due to COVID-19, an average of nearly 100-thousand dollars per agency. “That’s only out of 159 responses that we got, so that number is much, much larger,” Young says. “That number was just compiled of the average amounts that people projected they would lose in 2020. Again, that’s a very conservative number due to the fact that there are many, many more nonprofits in our area.”

Compared to a poll a year ago, the newest survey found 16-percent of nonprofits feel less financially stable than last year, and about six-percent report they are in financial crisis. Even with all of the challenges the pandemic presented, Young says some positives have come out of COVID as well, like expanding services, increased collaboration, and the rise of virtual programming and training. “I think the biggest one is that virtual programming returned,” Young says. “That’s something, for instance, we’re doing. We’re able to reach so many more people now by having some of our meetings and webinars on Zoom. That’s a really cool opportunity that we had before but we didn’t really utilize.”

Many of the non-profits surveyed project it will be one to two years before they’re again operating at pre-COVID levels.

More at www.nonprofitam.org

Lane closures on east- and westbound I-80 in Cass County begin Wednesday, July 21

News

July 13th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

CRESTON, Iowa – July 13, 2021 – The Iowa Department of Transportation’s Creston Construction Office reports, a bridge deck overlay project on east- and westbound Interstate 80 between Iowa 173 (exit 54) three miles east of Marne, and Cass County Road N-16 (exit 57) five miles west of Brayton, will require reducing traffic to one lane controlled with temporary barrier rail beginning at 8 a.m. Wednesday, July 21, until Oct. 7, weather permitting.

Work on the project will be completed in stages with the left lane closed first and then the right lane closed after work is completed in the left lane. A 13-foot-8-inch lane width limit will be in effect during this project.

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. Visit 511ia.org; call 511 (within Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide); stay connected with 511 on Facebook or Twitter (find links at https://iowadot.gov/511/511-social-media-sites); or download the free app to your mobile device.

CAM Superintendent reminds patrons of Wednesday Facility Focus Group meeting

News

July 13th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Anita) – The CAM School Board met Monday evening in a regular session. Shared CAM-Nodaway Valley Superintendent Paul Croghan says with regard to the District’s facilities, there is a Financial Focus Group meeting scheduled for 6:30-p.m. Wednesday, in Massena.

He says the community had been engaged with and highly interested in, the process of coming up with a facilities plan.

They started out with about 150 people attending the first, in-person meeting. Since then, there’s been at least 70 or 80 people attending, and countless more seeing and listening to the discussion on-line. He says they anticipated things to continue to progress and refining the process as they move along.

In other discussion/action, the CAM School Board made some adjustments in association with the FY2020 Audit Review, by clearing inactive Activity Accounts. There were also minor changes in the Student Handbook.

They approved an Out-of-State Football Trip for a Football Camp for later this month, but if CAM Baseball continues to win as they did Monday night, then the trip will not happen, according to Croghan. It could be made-up this Fall. The CAM School Board renewed an agreement with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office for a School Resource Officer, and Sharing Agreements with Nodaway Valley.

(Podcast) KJAN News, 7/13/21

News, Podcasts

July 13th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

The 8:05-a.m. Broadcast News w/Ric Hanson.

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A third candidate plans to seek GOP spot to challenge Axne

News

July 13th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Republican State Senator Zach Nunn of Bondurant plans to run for congress and challenge the only Democrat in Iowa’s D-C delegation. Nunn served two terms in the Iowa House and was elected to the state senate in 2018. He’s also a member of the Iowa National Guard who was deployed this past year. Nunn is the third Republican to announce they’re running in the current third congressional district, which is represented by Congresswoman Cindy Axne, a Democrat from West Des Moines, so a G-O-P primary is likely. Republicans Mary Ann Hanusa, a former state legislator from Council Bluffs, and Nicole Hasso of Johnston, who works in the financial services industry, also plan to seek to the G-O-P spot to challenge Axne. Axne has said she’s considering her options for 2022 and seeking a third term in the U.S. House is one of them.

The state legislature plans to approve new maps for all four of Iowa’s congressional districts next month and the Des Moines metro — where Axne, Nunn and Hasso live — will be in the same district. Hanusa aims to run against Axne, even if Hanusa’s Council Bluffs home is no longer in the same congressional district. According to the US Constitution, candidates are only required to live in the state they plan to represent in the U.S. House, but there’s no requirement they must live within the district.

(Podcast) KJAN News, 7/13/21

News, Podcasts

July 13th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

The broadcast News at 7:07-a.m., from Ric Hanson.

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