The Young Professionals of Atlantic (YPA), along with Megan Roberts State Farm and the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, have announced the recipients of the 2nd Annual YPA Gala awards. The gala was held Wednesday, April 29th at the Atlantic Golf and Country Club.

YPA Award winners (Photo submitted)

The awards, presented by Renew Ag Supply, recognized the achievements of young professionals who demonstrate a commitment to excellence and innovation in his/her profession and community.

• The Public Servant of the Year award went to Lora Kanning of Cass County Conservation.
• Newcomer of the Year went to Dan Mehmen of The Principal Financial Group and Darryl D. Smith Company.
• Tricia Brosam received the Entrepreneur of the Year award.
• The YPA Business Leader of the Year was awarded to Kevin Wieser of Brown’s Shoe Fit.

The Young Professionals of Atlantic would like to thank everyone who nominated an individual or a business. Nominations are open year round, and more information can be found at www.atlanticiowa.com.

Officials with the Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources said late this (Wednesday) afternoon, that they have traced ammonia found in a culvert near Red Oak to a hog confinement on the southwest corner of town. On Tuesday, the DNR responded to a report from Hog Haven, owned by Lindoah, LLC, that a broken pipe leaked drinking water into a manure pit under the building. The excess water caused the pit to overflow.

Today (Wednesday), the DNR confirmed that ammonia found in a culvert Tuesday came from the hog confinement. An unknown amount of contaminated water flowed into a road ditch and eventually to the culvert and a tributary of the East Nishnabotna River.

In another incident Tuesday, the DNR investigated a release from Nachurs, a fertilizer company in Red Oak. The release occurred when the company pumped water from a storm water basin into a drainage ditch. The company reported the release once they realized the water was contaminated.

Both releases have been contained. The DNR checked the river below Red Oak Wednesday and found no sign of an extensive fish kill. However, they did find six dead minnows below Nachurs. Field test results from Tuesday and Wednesday showed no further sign of contamination in the river. However, residents should keep children and pets out of the creek between Nachurs and the Nishnabotna River until 48 hours after cleanup is complete.

The DNR is working with both companies and Montgomery County Emergency  Management to ensure proper cleanup.

The Page County Attorney’s Office reports 51-year old Jeana Marie Walker, of rural Clarinda, has been found guilty in connection with a shooting incident that took place in mid-February.

Jeana Marie Walker

A jury found Walker guilty of Assault causing bodily injury (a serious misdemeanor), and on a felony charge of Going Armed with Intent, in connection with the Feb. 19th shooting of 48-year-old Michael James Brown, of Burlington Junction.Walker is scheduled to be sentenced July 6th.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Page County Sheriff’s Office and Clarinda Police investigated the case.

Entries for Iowa’s Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin will be accepted starting this Friday. Kelsey Sutter, spokeswoman for the Iowa Pork Producers Association, says it’s a hotly-contested title for a much-loved sandwich in the nation’s number-one pork producing state. “Really, breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches are just a staple, a Midwest favorite, and we’re simply on the search for the best one in the state,” Sutter says. “If you have one in your community that you think is fantastic and goes above and beyond, we’d love to know about it.”

Last year, a record 98 sandwiches were judged in the contest with nearly two-thousand nominations received. Last year’s winning tenderloin was from The Lucky Pig Pub and Grill in Ogden. Sutter says there will be a change in this year’s judging process so it’s assured the finalists come from all over the state. “We’re going to take the top five that are nominated in each of our eight districts,” she says. “Iowa Pork Producers has eight districts across the state, so we’re going to judge 40 sandwiches this year, the top five from each district.”

This is the 13th year for the contest. It’s open to any cafe, restaurant or tavern that serves hand-breaded or battered pork tenderloins on its core menu. The deadline for nominations is June 8th. The winner will be announced in October. For more details, visit: www.iowapork.org.

(Radio Iowa)

On April 27th, 2015, Hy-Vee, Inc. issued a recall for Hy-Vee Summer Fresh Pasta Salad that is sold in its stores’ kitchen department cold cases and salad bars. The pasta was recalled after Hy-Vee was notified the frozen vegetables used to make the ready-to-eat pasta were potentially contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The frozen vegetables were produced by Inventure Foods, Jefferson, Georgia.

The company listed stores on its website indicating where the affected product was sold. The only stores included on the list in the KJAN listening area, were those located in Carroll, Harlan, and two stores in Council Bluffs (at 2323 W. Broadway, and 1745 Madison Avenue).

The Summer Fresh Pasta Salad is packaged upon customer request from the kitchen cold case and would have been packaged in 16oz. (1 lb.) or 32oz. (2 lb.) clear plastic containers. A light tan scale-produced label with the product name, weight and price would have been affixed to the container. The recalled product would have been available in a limited number of stores between April 9th, 2015 and April 27th, 2015.

Hy-Vee has since pulled the ready-to-eat Summer Fresh Pasta Salad from its distribution channels and the stores in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and South Dakota to which it was distributed. All stores that received the product have been instructed to dispose of the product.

To date, Hy-Vee has not received any complaints associated with the Summer Fresh Pasta Salad. Customers who purchased Summer Fresh Pasta Salad from the Hy-Vee kitchen department cold case or salad bar between April 9, 2015 and April 27, 2015, should dispose of the product or return it to the store for a refund.

For questions, please call Hy-Vee Customer Care at 1-800-772-4098.

Officials with the Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency said Wednesday afternoon, that the spill at Nachurs Alpine Nutrition plant has been contained, and was in the process of being cleaned up. Crews worked throughout the night pumping out the waterway between Nachurs and the east side of the levy.

Crews were expected to begin work on the area between the Nishnabotna River and the west side of levy this (Wednesday) afternoon, to remove any standing water. Over the next several days and possibly the next couple of weeks, crews will be in the area along the creek to remove any contaminated soil.

Two people were arrested on separate charges Tuesday, in Atlantic. According to the police dept., 28-year old Joshua Batenhorst, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication. And, 19-year old Amanda Cooper, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Failure to Appear in court on a Trespassing charge.

Both subjects were booked into the Cass County Jail.

Audubon Police Chief Matt Starmer reports 29-year old Sarah Marie Horn, of Audubon, turned herself-in to the Police Dept. on April 13th. Horn was wanted on warrants charging her with Possession of Marijuana and two counts of child endangerment. The charges stem from an incident that took place on April 6th. Horn was held in the Audubon County Jail and was later released on promise to appear by the magistrate.
And, last Saturday (April 25th), a 15-year old male was arrested and referred to the juvenile court system on the charge of Criminal Mischief – 5th degree. The report did not include the teens’ name.

An Adams County man who was arrested last week on an OWI charge, was arrested today (Wednesday), on a warrant for Violation of Probation. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says 43-year old Ronald C. Kingery, Jr., of Corning, was located at a residence in Villisca and taken into custody without incident.

The man was transported to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center, where he was being held on a $5,000 cash bond. Deputies with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office assisted the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office in conducting the arrest.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says no injuries were reported following a single-vehicle rollover accident this (Wednesday) morning, about five-miles south of Atlantic. According to authorities, a 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix owned and driven by 34-year old Melinda Brooke Reynolds, of Stanton, was traveling north on 620th Street just before 8-a.m., when the car went out of control, and rolled into the east ditch. Damage to the vehicle is estimated at $6,000.