(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic, Wednesday, held a public hearing on the adoption of the FINAL Fiscal Year 2025 City of Atlantic Budget. Having received no oral or written comments, the Council passed a resolution adopting the budget as presented. The budget will be submitted to the Atlantic News Telegraph for publication, and to County Auditor Kathy Somers, so that it can be submitted to the State.

The Council passed the following resolutions, Wednesday:

• A resolution “fixing the date of meeting for a public hearing on the receipt and approval of proposals for the disposal and development of certain City-owned Real Property in the Southeast Urban Renewal District.”
• The first reading of an Amended Ordinance pertaining to RAGBRAI. It essentially updates the vendor fees, and dates for the limited-time Ordinance, which is in effect from July 22^nd and 23^rd, 2024.
• A Resolution “Adopting the wages for Seasonal/Part-Time Parks & Recreation and Airport Employees.” City Administrator John Lund…

• and they passed a Resolution “Setting Salaries for Appointed Officers and Employees of the City of Atlantic,” for the Fiscal Year that runs from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025.

The Council acted to approve Orders pertaining to a Grant Management Services Agreements and a Development Agreement – with SWIPCO – for an Upper Story Rehab Grant for 300 Chestnut Street, and a Community Catalyst Grant for 207 Chestnut Street. They also passed three readings of an amended Ordinance with regard to the “Abatement of Nuisance[s] by Written Notice of Collection Costs.”

The Atlantic City Council removed discussion and action from their agenda pertaining the contract and bonds for the Sunnyside Park Splash Pad Project. That is expected to take place during their next meeting.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Mayor of Atlantic issued the Oath of Office this (Wednesday) evening, to the City’s newest Police Officer. The Oath was administered by Mayor Grace Garrett, to Officer Kelby Smith, after the Mayor provided a brief bio of the latest addition to the police force.

Mayor Garret issues the Oath of Office to Officer Kelby Smith

After he was sworn-in, the Mayor introduced local Trees Forever representative Dolly Bergmann, prior to the the issuance of a proclamation for an Arbor Day designation. Bergmann explained what the honor of being a Tree City USA means.

To qualify as a Tree City USA, the City must have: A Tree Board of Department; A Tree Care Ordinance; An annual forestry budget of at least $2.00 per capita, and an Arbor Day Observance and Proclamation.

Bergmann said also, Trees Forever received a grant from Alliant Energy for $3,000, which means the addition of more trees to an Atlantic Recreation Area.

Local Trees Forever Representative Dolly Bergmann

She said they welcome volunteers to the Schildberg Recreation Area to help plant trees near the campground, on or about June 7th. The City has offered to help dig the holes for the new trees.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Red Oak Police, Wednesday afternoon (today), arrested 41-year-old Bridget Raeann Wood, of Red Oak, for Theft in the 5th Degree. Wood was arrested in the 1600 block of E. Summit Street, following an alleged shoplifting incident at the Fareway Store in Red Oak, earlier in the day. Wood was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.

(Elk Horn, Iowa) – A public hearing was held Tuesday evening in Elk Horn, as part of the Exira-EHK School Board meeting. The hearing took place during a presentation of the proposed 2024-2025 Exira-EHK Budget. There were no oral or written comments during the hearing. Having received no comments, the Board went into their regular session, and according to the meeting minutes provided by Business Manager/Board Secretary Mallory Meyer, the Board, after a presentation about the District Speech Program, congratulated Irelynd McCarthy and Emily Bricker, for receiving double All-State honors in Speech.

During the Action Items portion of the meeting, the Board passed resolutions pertaining to the redemption of General Obligation School Bonds, Series 2018, dated 5/1/18, a second amendment to an Escrow Agent Agreement, and the levying of a tax for FY 2025, for the redemption of said bonds.

They passed related resolutions, with regard to a Paying Agent, Note Registrar, and Transfer Agent, along with the Issuance of Notes. Afterward, the Exira-EHK School Board passed the proposed 2024-25 Budget as presented, and they approved a Tentative Agreement with the Exira-EHK Education Association. In addition, the Board approved 2024-25 Non-Certified Staff, and Principal Raises. They also set May 22, 2024 at 5:30-p.m., as the date/time for a 2023-24 Budget Amendment Public Hearing.

In other business, the Board appointed Carla Christensen as Board Secretary/Treasurer, effect May 1, 2024, and they approved the list of 2024 graduates, provided they meet the graduation requirements. The Board accepted the resignations of: Cory Bartz – Grades 6-8 Math Teacher, and Doug Newton, JH Boys Track Coach.

They approved the hiring of: Drew Buckholdt – Asst. Baseball Coach; Randy Kelly – Head Baseball Coach, and Andrea Schwery, Head Softball Coach.

(Radio Iowa) – The New Hampton Police Chief has resigned just days before his first anniversary on the job. New Hampton Mayor Steve Geerts accepted the resignation of Police Chief Tim Pederson. According to a City press release, Pederson submitted his resignation because of “conduct that did not meet the expectations of police chief’s position.”

The City says on March 29th, while at a local store, Pederson noticed 40 dollars in cash left in a self-checkout lane. Rather than turn the money into customer service or store staff, Pederson kept the money and left the store. Pederson was called to the store when the customer returned looking for the money, and he gave it back to the customer.

The city statement adds, “While the City of New Hampton is undoubtedly disappointed by Chief Pederson’s actions, we have been very pleased with his performance and the direction he has taken the police department. The City of New Hampton will have no further comment regarding this matter and wishes him success in his future endeavors.”

Pederson joined the New Hampton Department on April 19, 2023, after almost two decades with the Harlan Police Department, including a stint as the interim police chief from 2022-2023.

(Radio Iowa) – An Iowa State University study concludes the state of Iowa is offering a successful program model for young people after they leave the foster care system.

Professor Carl Weems, who chairs ISU’s department of human development and family studies, helped develop the study which gauges the risks and effects of trauma, along with prevention and interventions that bolster resilience.

“Community agencies who do this work with the kids directly provide mentoring, and access to different services,” Weems says. “We’ve compiled five years of that data to look at how they’re doing in terms of finishing their education, getting their high school diploma, or going on to college, and employment, their general satisfaction with the services.”

Young adults who leave foster care are less likely to have a safety net and financial support from family, he says, adding to the challenges in the transition to adulthood.

Prof. Carl Weems (ISU photo)

Weems says most youth in our state’s foster care program enroll in the Iowa Aftercare Service Network shortly after they turn 18, and they engage in the program for more than two-and-a-half years.

“Our report is about how well that support network is working,” he says, “and the data that we published in our paper and a peer-reviewed journal is suggesting it’s a pretty good model and working really well.”

The Iowa Aftercare Service Network is designed to reduce risks and helps to support the 18-to-21-year-olds as they become self-sufficient.

(Radio Iowa) – The West Des Moines-based Hy-Vee grocery store chain is acquiring a chain in Indiana.

Hy-Vee announced it is in the process of acquiring the Strack & Van Til Food Markets which has 22 stores throughout northwest Indiana. The company says Strack & Van Til has approximately 2,800 employees and will maintain its name and operate as a subsidiary under Hy-Vee.

The acquisition is expected to be completed in May and will bring Hy-Vee to 75,000 employees at more than 550 retail operations, which include grocery stores, drugstores, pharmacies, restaurants and convenience stores.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill on its way to the governor would prohibit insurance companies from forcing Iowa customers to switch to a different prescription drug if there’s no medical reason for the change — and the patient’s condition is stable. Substituting a less expensive generic drug for a brand name medication with the same active ingredients would still be allowed, however.

The bill will prevent insurance companies from denying coverage or requiring a higher co-payment in the middle of a health plan’s year. “I am just so happy to see this coming to fruition, finally, after seven years,” said Representative Thomas Moore of Griswold, a long-time advocate of the bill.

Rep. Thomas Jay Moore (R-Griswold) (official photo)

Representative Megan Srinivas, a physician from Des Moines, said she’s seen patients suffer from prescription drug switches ordered by their insurance company. “This was one of the main reasons that I really wanted to be a legislator, to help fix this issue and I was really excited to work on this as my very first bill when I became a legislator,” Srinivas said, “and it is very great to see that we’re going to do something so good for patient care.”

Insurance companies say the switches let them offer patients alternatives when pharmaceutical companies raise the price of a drug in the middle of an insurance plan’s year. Medicare, the government’s health care plan for seniors, prohibits midyear changes unless the federal agency that oversees the program authorizes it.

(Radio Iowa) – Authorities say a man who went to the Forest City Public Library to use the library’s phone to call police now faces gun and drug-related charges.

Forest City’s police chief says the man told library staff he’d had a fight with his roommate and needed to call police. A library employee asked the man to wait outside while she called police and, when officers arrived, they found the man was carrying a long gun wrapped in some jackets, a loaded handgun and ammunition as well as some meth in his backpack. Forest City’s police chief says it appears the man didn’t intend to use the guns and may have stuffed all his possessions in the backpack after the argument with his roommate.

Hery Geovanny Rodriguez-Ayala has been charged with drug possession as well as driving while barred and being a person ineligible to carry a dangerous weapon. All are misdemeanors.

(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office today (April 17th) released information with regard to four accidents that took place between April 5th and the 14th. One of the accidents resulted in a teen from Panora being flown by Life Flight helicopter to a hospital in Des Moines. Authorities say at around 8:10-a.m. on April 5th, 16-year-old Dylan McKenzie Burchfield, of Panora, was driving a 1997 Ford Crown Victoria at a high rate of speed, southbound in the 1800 block of Utopia Avenue.

The car went out of control and left the roadway to the right. The vehicle struck the west ditch and a tree before coming to rest on the driver’s side. Panora Fire and EMS responded and removed Burchfield from the car by mechanical means. Lifeflight responded to the scene due to the seriousness of her injuries and flew her to an unknown Des Moines hospital (Methodist or Mercy).  Authorities say it’s unknown what time the accident took place, but it is believed it occurred for up to 45-minutes before law enforcement was notified, due to Burchfield being trapped in the vehicle with no means to call for help. She eventually located her Apple Watch and called her father, who then called 9-1-1.  The vehicle was totaled in the crash.

On April 14th, a 1983 Ford F150 pickup driven by 31-year-old Cameron Joel Hester, of Guthrie Center, went out of control at around 2-a.m. on Redwood Avenue, and ended-up on its passenger side in the ditch. Hester was cited for Failure to Maintain Control. While the pickup was being towed from the scene, it caught fire. The flames were extinguished by crews with the Guthrie Center Fire Department. The vehicle was a total loss. There were no injuries.

An accident on April 13th caused a total of $11,000 damage to a 2012 VW Passat. The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office says 23-year-old Hannah Marie Stark, of Stuart, was driving the car, she struck a 2015 Hyundai Accent, driven by 24-year-old Jacob Lane Kelderman, of Waukee. The collision occurred just before 10-a.m. at the intersection of 200th Street and Highway 4. A witness said the Hyundai was facing north on Highway 4 and turning left onto 200th Street, when it was rear-ended by the VW. Stark admitted to causing the accident, which resulted in $5,000 damage to her car, and $6,000 damage to the Hyundai. No injuries were reported, and no citations were issued.

A minor, property damage accident occurred at around 9:45-a.m. April 6th, in Menlo. Authorities say 86-year-old Patricia Kay Trent, of Stuart, was attempted to turn and park in a parking spot on Sherman Street, in Menlo, when the pickup she was driving struck a legally parked 2018 Chevy Equinox. Damage from the mishap amounted to $1,450. No citations were issued.

And, at around 7:36-p.m. on April 6th, a 2021 Dodge RAM pickup driven by 62-year-old Dennis Dean Mleynek, of Panora, was backing out of a parking space in front of a bar in Jamaica, when  the vehicle scraped the driver’s side mirror and door of a parked 2019 Toyota Camry. There were no injuries. Damages amounted to $3,000.