(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, in a news release today (Sunday), said the driver of a pickup truck was cited following an investigation into a property-damage accident that occurred September 1st. Authorities say the Sheriff’s Office received a call Thursday (Sept. 4) about damaged roadway signs at the intersection of Union Avenue and 240th Street in Montgomery County. An investigation revealed a 1996 Ford F-150 pickup belonging to 58-year-old Charles Samuel Williams, of Villisca, had struck the signs.

When deputies spoke with Williams, it was determined that at around 9:30-a.m. on Sept. 1st, Williams’ pickup was traveling south on Union Avenue. The man told deputies that he saw a coyote in the ditch, and stopped on the roadway. When he put his pickup in reverse, he lost control of the vehicle, which entered the east ditch and struck two roadway signs, causing an estimated $1,000 damage to the Montgomery County Secondary Roads Dept. signs.  The report did not list any damage to the pickup.

Williams was cited for Failure to Maintain Control.

DES MOINES— On Saturday, September 6, 2025, Governor Kim Reynolds and a delegation from Iowa traveled to India for an eight-day trade and investment mission with visits to Delhi, Pune, and Mumbai. The delegates include Iowa Economic Development Authority Director Debi Durham, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, and agricultural and business leaders from the state. The purpose of the Governor’s return to India is to build on relationships established during an initial visit a year ago and to further explore growth opportunities with one of the world’s largest emerging economies.

“Our visit to India last year kicked off a number of relationships between Iowa and Indian businesses and trade associations and furthered conversations on investing in Iowa and market access for certain Iowa agricultural products,” Gov. Reynolds said. “I look forward to further solidifying those relationships and establishing new connections on which to build.”

While in Delhi, Governor Reynolds and Secretary Naig will speak at DialogueNEXT, a symposium presented by the World Food Prize Foundation that organizes food system stakeholders to discuss pathways toward food security. Governor Reynolds and the delegation will also attend a business panel discussion hosted by the Sehgal Foundation, recognized for its work in economic and educational growth in rural India.

The governor will also sign a partner state agreement with the Indian state of Maharashtra, lead roundtable discussions with the U.S.-India Business Council, the U.S. Soybean Export Council and the U.S. Grains Council, and meet with Indian industry leaders. She will also meet with officials from the U.S. Embassy and U.S. Consulate in Mumbai in addition to senior-level Indian government officials.

The trade mission was organized by IEDA with support from the U.S. Embassy in Delhi and U.S. Consulate in Mumbai.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from Red Oak was arrested Friday on a warrant. Authorities say 27-year-old Dixon William Harley Briggs was arrested on the warrant for Violation of Probation. Briggs was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $2,000 bond.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – This week’s Produce In the Park Farmer’s Market in downtown Atlantic, marks the anniversary of 9/11, and is appropriately enough themed “Emergency Responders Night, ” and there’s a great lineup of local emergency responders, and much more. Event coordinator Ciara Hoegh says “This is a time to recognize the important role emergency responders play in our community.”

You can expect to find first responders including: Cass County Sheriff’s Department and their K9 dog, Chase, Atlantic Fire Department with a fire truck, Atlantic Police Department, Iowa United 1st Aid. There will also be a free bounce house, live music, lots of visiting organizations. This week’s food truck is Pim’s Thai. Vendors selling lots of fresh produce, local meats, eggs, honey, breads and baked goods, arts and crafts, and more.

Also note that the Suicide Awareness Community Walk is being held in City Park following the farmer’s market, beginning at 7:00 PM.

Produce in the Park takes place Thursday, September 11, 2025 from 4:30-until 6:30 PM, in the Atlantic City Park, at 10 W 7th Street. There is no admission fee!

Thanks to September Sponsors: Rush CPA, Gregg Young Chevrolet of Atlantic, City of Atlantic, 1st Whitney Bank, Cass Health, Cass County Tourism, Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, and Nishna Valley Family YMCA
Event Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/share/17BAYJ3RRY/

(Mt. Pleasant, Iowa) – A collision between a car and a motorcycle Thursday afternoon in southeastern Iowa’s Henry County resulted in injuries to the operator of the motorcycle. The Iowa State Patrol says the accident happened at around 3-p.m. at the intersection of U-S Highways 218 and 34, when the motorcycle stopped at the Highway 218 northbound off-ramp, but then proceeded into the intersection, while attempting a left turn.

The 2025 Harley Davidson, operated by 67-year-old Jackie Lewis Bilotta, of Bellefontaine, MS, was struck by a 2003 Oldsmobile Alero, driven by 30-year-old Tanner Waterhouse, of Brighton.

Bilotta was transported by ambulance to the hospital in Mt. Pleasant. The Patrol noted Waterhouse did not have a valid driver’s license. Mt. Pleasant Police assisted at the scene.

(Goldfield, Iowa) – An accident involving a UTV near Goldfield, in Iowa’s Wright County, has claimed one person’s life and resulted in injuries to another person. The Iowa State Patrol says a John Deere Gator was traveling near the Boone River in the area of Highway 3 at around 3:10-a.m. today (Saturday). when the operator misjudged how close the machine was to the river.

The Gator entered the river after a significant drop from the river bank. Both occupants were ejected from the vehicle. The passenger, 20-year-old McKenna Mae Woodbeck, of Huxley, died at the scene after being trapped beneath the UTV. The driver, 21-year-old Levi Edward Rasmussen, of Goldfield, was injured and transported by Eagle Grove Ambulance to Iowa Specialty Hospitals & Clinics. Neither was wearing a seat belt.

The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Wright County Sheriff’s Office, Eagle Grove Police and Ambulance, as well as the Goldfield Fire Department.

CEDAR RAPIDS – The Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) recently honored exceptional housing initiatives and leaders through the annual HousingIowa Awards, presented at the 2025 HousingIowa Conference in Cedar Rapids. These awards recognize programs, projects and professionals who are setting the standard for innovation and leadership in advancing housing opportunities for Iowans. Award categories include Single-Family Development, Multifamily Development, Innovation, Special Needs Development, the Mark Sertterh Friend of Housing Award and the Kay Anderson Friend of Iowa Award. Each year, nominations are accepted statewide and judged by an independent panel.

2025 HousingIowa Award Winners 

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Two women were arrested on separate charges late Friday, Sept. 5th, in Red Oak. According to Red Oak Police, officers arrested 25-year-old Courtney Ann Redd, of Red Oak, at around 7:45-p.m. in the 200 block of E. Oak Street. Redd was charged with Domestic Abuse-Serious Assault. She was being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail, pending an appearance before a magistrate.

And, at around 9:15-p.m., Red Oak Police arrested 26-year-old Samantha Duffield-Cunningham, of Red Oak, for Theft in the 5th degree and Public Intoxication. She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.

(This report was researched and written by the Iowa Capital Dispatch) – An Iowa nursing home inadvertently locked a resident out of the facility, leaving her outside the building overnight in the rain. The Iowa Capital Dispatch says according to state inspection records, a female resident of the Harmony Marshalltown nursing home exited the facility at 8 p.m. on July 7, to sit in the home’s courtyard. The resident couldn’t get back into the facility until 6 a.m. the following day.

Inspectors allege the staff failed to do visual bed checks on the woman for 10 hours, leaving her pounding on the door of the building amid rain, thunder and lightning. The woman “began to panic, became fearful, scared and crying,” inspectors allege. Eventually, a kitchen worker heard her pounding on the door and let her inside.

The woman “experienced serious actual psychosocial harm due to being left outside overnight,” the inspectors reported. Inspectors concluded that while the courtyard door’s locking mechanism wasn’t engaged, the latch and the weight of the door effectively locked out anyone not strong enough to open it. The door “failed to open without excess force,” the inspectors concluded, which resulted in “in a serious likelihood of serious injury, impairment or death.”

The Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing proposed three fines against Harmony Marshalltown totaling $19,000. The fines have been held in suspension while the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services determines whether a federal fine is warranted.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Auditor’s Office reports two new filings from candidates for public office in the upcoming City elections on Nov. 4th:

Lewis City Council (Vote for 2):

David Raymond

Griswold Mayor (Vote for 1):

Brad Rhine

With the addition of Raymond and Rhine, the race for city offices is beginning to take shape. There are now three candidates for two seats on the Lewis City Council: David Raymond; Jim Triller and Russell Miller.

Each of the other offices in the County have one candidate (as of Friday, Sept. 5th):

• Dana Halder is running for re-election to the Atlantic City Council 5th Ward.
• Deanna Andrews is running for one of 3 seats on the City Council in Anita.
• Jeremy Butler is running to fill one At-Large seat on the Atlantic City Council.
• Rob Clausen is a candidate for Mayor in Atlantic.
• Matthew Dolch is in the running for one of 3 seats on the Cumberland City Council.
• Rachel McCann is a candidate for Mayor in Cumberland.
• Dorri Borras in hoping to fill a Vacancy seat on the Cumberland City Council.
• (as mentioned above) Brad Rhine filed papers Friday to become Mayor in Griswold
• and there are the three candidates (mentioned above), who are running for two seats on the Lewis City Council.

There is a little less than two-weeks left for persons interested in running for a city office in Cass County to file their completed nominations papers with the Cass County Auditor’s Office. The deadline is 5-p.m.Thursday, September 18th.