(Winneshiek County, Iowa) – One person is dead and another was injured, following a collision between a truck and a van this (Thursday) afternoon, in northeast Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol reports the crash happened at around 4:05-p.m., southwest of Decorah.

Authorities say a 2016 Chrysler Town & Country van was traveling south on Highway 52, when a Mack truck failed to stop at the posted stop sign with Townline Road. The van struck the truck on the driver’s side.

No names were released as of this report, pending notification of family. The Iowa State Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office, Decorah Police and Fire Department, and Winneshiek Medical.

Creston, Iowa — The Creston Police Department reports at at around 10:30-p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 29th, law enforcement
officers from the Creston Police Department and Union County Sheriffs Office responded to an incident involving a reported robbery and assault within the city of Creston.

A Union County Deputy encountered a female juvenile in the roadway near South Sumner St., and Jefferson Ave., who appeared injured and in distress. The juvenile reported that she had jumped from a moving vehicle to escape an assault by the driver.

Through investigation, Officers identified the driver as 21-year-old Jayden Peavler, of Creston. The victim reported that she had met with Peavler regarding the sale of a personal item when he attempted to forcibly take it from her. When the juvenile attempted to contact law enforcement, Peavler allegedly assaulted her and accelerated the vehicle as she tried to exit. The juvenile jumped from the vehicle and sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

This (Thursday) morning, Creston Police Officers located Peavler, conducted an interview and subsequently arrested him for the following offenses:
• Kidnapping, 1 st Degree – Class “A” Felony
• Robbery, 1 st Degree – Class “B” Felony
• Assault While Participating in a Felony – Class “C” Felony
• Obstruction of 9-1-1 Communication – Simple Misdemeanor
• Interference with Official Acts – Simple Misdemeanor

The juvenile victim was evaluated by emergency medical personnel and treated for injuries at Greater Regional Medical Center. The Creston Police Department extends its appreciation to the Union County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance. This remains an active investigation, though no further information is expected to be released at this time.

All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

(Radio Iowa) – President Trump met with China’s president earlier today (Thursday) and Trump says China has agreed to start buying massive amounts of U.S. soybeans. U-S Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins says China purchased “multiple” shiploads of soybeans just before the meeting. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig says it’s all great news that will have a meaningful impact at a tough time for the farm economy. China has historically been the largest overseas market for U.S. soybeans, but stopped buying this spring in response to U.S. tariffs. American Soybean Association President Caleb Ragland says that made financial problems even worse for soybean farmers.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig on the “Iowa Press” set at Iowa PBS (Iowa PBS photo)

“We are hopeful that this market will be restored following the meeting between Presidents Trump and Xi,” Ragland said. “Still, high production costs and market losses mean soybean farmers are expected to face losses of $109 per acre for this year’s crop.” Ragland says the financial situation for row crop farmers remains dire, though, due to escalating costs for things like seeds, fertilizer and farm equipment. “As congress and the administration continue to address the overall cost of farm production, targeted farm assistance is desperately needed,” Ragland said.

President Trump suggested weeks ago that up to 10 BILLION dollars of emergency payments to farmers could be made using tariff revenue, but the plan was put on hold during the government shutdown.

• Earn: Double Up Food Bucks when you buy fresh fruits and vegetables with SNAP/EBT at participating locations.
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• Need a Card? Sign up for a Double Up Food Bucks card at a participating location or visit doubleupiowa.org.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with Vision Atlantic have announced the EF & Sylvia Schildberg Foundation has granted $11,000 to Vision Atlantic’s transformative project, which will bring a housing development, new child development center, and YMCA expansion to Atlantic. Mark Schildberg said in a news release, “The Schildberg Foundation was started by my grandparents as a way to give back to the communities in our service areas. Childcare is a much needed cornerstone in building and maintaining a thriving community. Vision Atlantic is a perfect way to ‘pass it forward’.”

As previously mentioned: Vision Atlantic, through extensive research and surveying of the community and surrounding region, identified three areas that will help increase Atlantic’s population: expanded childcare, quality housing and quality of life amenities. Infrastructure for the 142 mixed-unit Camblin Hills housing development and 300 capacity child development center is almost complete, with construction of 48 homes currently underway. Construction of the child development center and YMCA expansion is slated to begin early 2026.

Pictured: Mark Schildberg with Vision Atlantic board members and volunteers. (Photo submitted)

Vision Atlantic has a fundraising goal of $39 million, which will be used to construct the YMCA expansion and child development center. To date, they have raised $26.5 million of that goal, thanks to an $8.6 million lead grant from the Charles E. Lakin Foundation and significant support from local donors. In addition to their grant support, the Lakin Foundation has created a separate investment fund of $23 million that will be used to construct homes in the Camblin Hills housing development. The capital will be used as a line of credit, and as the dollars are paid back, the Foundation will donate up to 5% of the interest paid back to Vision Atlantic, who will use those dollars to operate the child development center.

Vision Atlantic’s Project Committee is actively working to secure the remaining $12.5 million needed to meet their fundraising goal. If you are interested in helping transform Atlantic, whether it’s through monetary donations or acts of volunteerism, please contact Vision Atlantic at visionatlanticiowa@gmail.com. Visit www.visionatlantic.org and follow on Facebook for behind-the-scenes access to project updates and in-depth information of the project scope.

Vision Atlantic is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission is to empower growth, enhance lives, and build a thriving community together through the economic development of Atlantic, Iowa.

(Radio Iowa) – Two U.S. senators from neighboring states say rural hospitals will take a financial hit if tens of thousands of residents in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin lose Affordable Care Act subsidies. The federal tax credits available to middle income Americans buying health insurance on the Affordable Care Act Marketplace will expire December 31st if congress doesn’t vote to extend them. Democrat Amy Klobuchar, a U.S. Senator from Minnesota, says the loss of those tax credits would be a major blow to rural America.

“As one of my soybean farmers recently told me, this is a perfect storm of ugly,” Klobuchar said, “between the tariffs, between the input cost increases because of the tariffs, because of the other problems that have been out there for a while for our farmers with the cost of land and the like and then these health care cuts.” Democrat Tammy Baldwin, a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, says if congress fails to take action, many rural Americans won’t be able to afford the spike in their premiums and will be uninsured next year.

“Rural hospitals are teetering on the edge,” Baldwin said, “and they may face the options of either closing vital services like delivery and mental health services or close all together, meaning people have to drive much further for their health care.” In 2009, the Affordable Care Act passed congress solely with Democrats’ votes and Republicans have never voted for the subsidies that are expiring — arguing problems in the law must be addressed. Baldwin says congress can’t resolve the structural issues in the health care system between now and December 31st, when the tax credits for 22 million Americans expire.

“More than one in four farmers nationwide relies on the Affordable Care Act for (health insurance) coverage,” Baldwin said, “and the expiration of these tax credits will be just yet another blow.” Klobuchar says rural hospital officials are bracing for more uninsured patients who often require more expensive care because they’ve quit taking expensive prescription drugs and skip regular check-ups. “If people start dropping their health care because they simply can’t afford it, then they have uninsured people sadly showing up in emergency rooms,” Klobuchar said. Klobuchar and Baldwin made their comments during an online news conference.

South Dakota Senator John Thune, the top Republican in the U.S. Senate, has said Republicans are willing to discuss extending the tax credits — once more Democrats in the Senate join Republicans and vote to reopen the federal government.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Farmers are pondering the question of whether or not this is a good time to apply anhydrous ammonia to their fields after the harvest. Aaron Saeugling ISU Extension/Outreach Field Agronomist for Cass County says it’s a “difficult question to answer, with several variables,” but Saeugling says “I will say NO it is still too warm we need soils to cool a bit further to reduce the conversion to nitrate.  We want spoils that are trending downward in temperature the 4-inch soil temp fluctuates more in dry soils and with sunny days.  Some folks will justify this by that timing to get it all applied is challenging, while I do agree that getting it applied is a challenge just prepare your self to lose more nitrate than if you are to wait.” He urges crop producers to “Be safe!”

More information is available HERE.

• Drug Trafficking 5GM to 100KG Meth
• Intent to Manufacture/Deliver Fentanyl
• 2 counts of Drug Tax Stamp Violations
• Unauthorized Credit Card Use < $1,500
• Possession Marijuana 1st.

Shannon was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held. And, on October 29th, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 50-year-old David William Devall, of Griswold on the charge of Driving while license suspended, denied, revoked, or barred – OWI. Devall was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and later released on his own recognizance.