(Atlantic, Iowa) – Officials with Vision Atlantic say Chris and Randy Blake have donated $10,000 to Vision Atlantic’s transformative project, which will bring a housing development, new child development center, and YMCA expansion to Atlantic. This gift was given in honor of Becker Blake.

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.

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 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 $13 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.

(Corning, Iowa) – The Adams County Sheriff’s office today (Monday), said a woman was arrested Thursday morning on an assault charge. Authorities say Adams County Dispatch received a report of a physical altercation in the 800 block of 15th Street in Corning. Upon further investigation, 18-year-old Jaycie Hutchings, of Corning, was arrested and charged with Domestic Abuse Assault.

Adam Steen spoke to a crowd in Atlantic on Friday, October 10 as he campaigns for the GOP nomination to replace Governor Kim Reynolds.  Steen, who grew up in Indianola and played professional baseball, also is an entrepreneur and business builder.  He served in Governor Reynolds’ cabinet as Director at the Iowa Department of Administrative Services.  He says his main message is simple.

Steen was asked about challenges facing the state, but he said he prefers to focus on opportunities.

Reynolds announced that she will not seek re-election after her current term ends.  Steen is one of a number of candidates that are expected to challenge for the Republican nomination in 2026.

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department report four arrests over the past three days, and one citation for drug paraphernalia. Two arrests took place Sunday, in Creston:

• At around 12:20-a.m., 34-year-old Joshua Gene Sweat, of Creston, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance – Marijuana/1st offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Sweat was transported to the Union County Jail and held.
• And, at around 1:40-p.m. Sunday, Creston Police arrested 26-year-old Noah Alexander Young, of Creston, for Interference with Official Acts, and on an outstanding warrant for Failure to Appear, on an original charge of Theft in the 5th Degree. Young was booked into the Union County Jail.

Saturday night, Creston Police arrested 40-year-old Amber Nicole Torres, of Creston, for Assault causing bodily injury. And, Friday night, 31-year-old Austin Allan Jones, of Creston, was arrested at his residence on outstanding warrants on original charges that include Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree, and Harassment in the 2nd Degree. Torres and Jones were booked in the Union County Jail.

Sunday afternoon, Creston Police conducted a traffic stop for a moving violation, and subsequently cited 49-year-old Colleen Ann Reed, of Creston, for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. She was released at the scene on a Promise To Appear in court.

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department, Sunday, said there were two separate, non-injury accidents, Friday. The first occurred at around 7:30-a.m., at the intersection of Highway 25 north and Highway 34. Authorities say a 2014 GMC Sierra pickup driven by 37-year-old Jami Sue Fletchall, of Afton, was traveling west on Highway 34 and had a green light at the intersection with Highway 25. She proceeded westbound through the intersection. A 2019 KIA Sorento, driven by a 16-year-old female from Corning, was traveling east on Highway 34, turning left (Northbound) onto Highway 25. She also had a green light. The Creston P-D says the teen failed to yield to the westbound pickup truck, and proceeded to turn north through the intersection. The vehicles collided at the northeast corner of the intersection, causing a total of $1,500 damage, but both vehicles were able to be driven away. No citations were issued.

The second, non-injury accident in Creston, happened at around 3:50-p.m. Friday, near the Creston High School. Authorities say a 2013 Chevy Equinox driven by 29-year-old Sydney Lynn Smith, of Creston, was traveling east on Townline Street through the intersection with Spruce Street. A 1999 Buick driven by a 17-year-old male from Creston, stopped at the stop sign at Spruce and Townline, before proceeding through the intersection, heading south. The left front side of the SUV struck the right front side of the car, causing a police-estimated total of $3,500 damage. The teen driver told police he looked before proceeding south, but a vehicle was blocking his view. There were no citations issued. The car sustained disabling damage in the collision, but the SUV was able to be driven away from the scene.

ATLANTIC, IA (October 13, 2025) – Produce in the Park is hosting BOO-tique Market on Saturday, October 18, at the Nishna Valley YMCA from 10 AM to noon. BOO-tique Market is a new Halloween-themed farmers market. In addition to lots of fresh, local fall produce and other local foods and handmade crafts, the event will include lots of spooky, fall fun. Kids will be delighted to find hand-led horse rides, face painting, balloon animals, free bounce houses made possible by the YMCA, and a free spider plant craft activity hosted by Imagine at Zellmer Century Farm.There is no cost to enter the YMCA for the BOO-tique Market, and Halloween costumes are welcome. Trick-or-treating will be available throughout the market.

The BOO-tique Market will offer two food trucks: Tikka Talk Indian Food, and Liza’s Sushi and More. Tikka Talk Food Truck will be serving both vegetarian and non-vegetarian Indian food including butter chicken, lamb tikka masala, samosas, naan, rice pudding, mango lassis, hot Indian Chai tea, and more. Fresh, local produce at BOO-tique Market is expected to include peppers, cherry tomatoes, onions, garlic, sweet potatoes, zucchini, squash, and carrots. Other local foods will include local meat (beef, pork and chicken), farm-fresh eggs, local honey, and freeze-dried snacks (fruits, vegetables, and candy), along with baked goods and desserts including breads, muffins, cookies, and pastries.

Shoppers can expect to find craft products such as candles and wax melts, soaps, sugar scrubs, beard oils, greeting cards, potted plants, garden gifts, holiday decorations, and crocheted items such as stuffed animals, rugs, sweaters, hats, and gloves.

BOO-tique Market is the first of five markets in Produce in the Park’s Holiday Market Series. Additional farmers markets in the 2025-2026 series include Harvest Market (November 24), Christmas Market (December 20), Sweetheart Market (February 14, 2026), and Spring Celebration Market (April 4, 2026). All are welcome at Produce in the Park farmers markets, and admission is free. The market accepts SNAP/EBT and Double Up Food Bucks for all qualifying food items.

Produce in the Park continues to accept applications for vendors and sponsors for their 2025-2026 Holiday Market Series. For details and applications, see www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com.
Produce in the Park farmers markets are made possible by support from the City of Atlantic, First Whitney Bank & Trust, Gregg Young Chevrolet of Atlantic, Cass Health, Cass County Tourism, Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, and Nishna Valley Family YMCA.

For the latest market updates, follow Produce in the Park on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ProduceInThePark or Instagram at www.instagram.com/produceintheparkatlanticia/, or sign up for the Produce in the Park email newsletter at www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa has ended a nine-week run where the U-S Drought map showed no color for dryness of any kind. The D-N-R’s Jessica Reese McIntyre says the northwest, southern and eastern areas of the state are back to abnormally dry, with a slice of moderate drought.  “It did have a small area, the equivalent of about one percent of the state, but still significant, along the Mississippi River in eastern Iowa,” she says. McIntyre says the rainfall slowed after what was the second wettest July on record. “It just progressively got worse through September because both August and September were drier than normal after having that really wet July,” she says.

McIntyre says there’s not a clear signal right now if the dry conditions will continue. “We don’t have the potential to see above normal precipitation for the next three months according to the National Weather Service forecast seasonal forecast,” she says. There’s just no real indication if we’ll go one way or the other and just kind of stay above average. So we will have to just kind of wait and see how that all pans out, how that forecast pans out, but it doesn’t look favorable to get above normal.” She says October could be warmer than normal, which could indicate we’ll stay dry. “One thing to kind of remember is that warm air tends to hold moisture, so it kind of kind of grabs it, right? So it can make these conditions worse, these dry conditions worse with warmer temperatures,” she says.

She says the drier conditions have helped farmers move quickly with the harvest, but also caused problems with dust and the potential for field fires.

HUMBOLDT, Iowa [KCCI-TV] — Parents of a child sexually abused by a former Humboldt Middle School teacher are suing the Humboldt Community School District for allegedly trying to cover up the abuse. Former teacher Samantha Meyer-Davis pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting a student between May 2022 and November 2023.

In the lawsuit, the parents claim the school knew about the abuse but did not inform them. Court documents claim the superintendent told staff not to tell law enforcement or open a formal investigation. It also claims the district did not take action to prevent the abuse until after the state became involved.

Last week, Meyer-Davis was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.

(Radio Iowa) – A 30-year-old man who survived the October 7th attacks in Israel two years ago says the release of Israeli hostages is a starting point, but there’s more work to do. Yoni Diller spoke last (Sunday) night in Des Moines at a gathering hosted by a non-profit called Iowans Supporting Israel.  “After the hostages are home, I think that’s when the real rehabilitation starts,” Diller said. “…Civilians, the soldiers, everyone’s post-traumatic. It’s like a national PTSD.”

Just over two years ago, Diller was part of a group that walked almost five hours through the desert to flee the Hamas attack on a music festival, where over 400 were killed. Diller, who’s in the midst of a speaking tour in the U.S., wishes he were back in Israel at this moment.”Our fight for getting back the hostages eventually was worth it. Every weekend people were there putting political pressure and social pressure just to get back these hostages and the U.S. government has listened to our voices,” Diller said.

“Thanks to them and the collaboration to bring our hostages back, but we’ll believe it when we see it — until every one is home.” In 2024, Diller was among a group of October 7th victims that filed a lawsuit in Delaware, alleging an American-based non-profit had funneled support to Hamas through a United Nations agency. “They gave them places to hide, they gave them food while Hamas were basically using their own people as human shields,” Diller said. “That is sick.” Diller describes his U.S. speaking tour as both therapy and a tribute to those who died and can no longer speak for themselves.

“One of the tools that helped me overcome this trauma is by sharing and speaking and not being afraid to be exposed. I always thought before October 7 that being exposed and sharing your feelings and sharing what you’re going through is a weakness,” Diller said. “…Now I know it’s the opposite, so by speaking and hopefully influencing, basically that’s my healing.”

Diller’s next stop is in South Carolina, to speak to the local Jewish Federation later this week. He’s been to several U.S. college campuses over the past two years as well.

Several players from Northwestern College in Orange City were injured Saturday in a wreck on the way to a game in Sioux City. Five players were hospitalized after one of the Northwestern buses carrying the team’s offensive players to Sioux City for a game against Briar Cliff struck a light pole near the entrance to Briar Cliff’s football field. One of the players taken to the hospital has a broken sternum and another suffered a broken nose.

Several other players suffered facial injuries when their heads hit the seat in front of them. The start of the game was delayed for four hours. Ten players, including several offensive linemen, were unable to play Saturday.

The Northwestern coaches moved other position players to the offensive line — and those players came through as Northwestern beat Briar Cliff 28-to-zero on Briar Cliff’s home field.