(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission approved fines for one casino and two sports gambling companies during its meeting Thursday. The Wild Rose Casino in Jefferson was fined 20-thousand dollars after a 20-year-old woman was allowed on the gambling floor. General Manager Travis Dvorak apologized to the commission. “First and foremost, Wild Rose Jefferson accepts full responsibility for the matter. We take responsible gaming very seriously and we take underage gaming very seriously,” according to Dvorak. “This Tuesday we hit our six-year mark. And I did look — and in the six years we have been open our admissions have been almost two-point-seven million — during the two-point-seven million, this is only the second violation that I’ve had.”

Dvorak says they should have caught the violation — but says it was a little tougher because the woman’s dad was helping her get in. “The father would go to turnstiles and distract and block, distract the security guard and block the view so the daughter could sneak in. This is something that we are trained for and we should have caught it, so we do take responsibility. But this was serious enough that the D-C-I charged the father and the county attorney prosecuted the father,” he says.  Dvorak says the father and daughter were persistent. He says the same father-daughter combination tried the same thing eight days later and the father tried to say the daughter was 22, not realizing though the casino had a copy of her driver’s license. “These things go on. These are challenges that we face, but they are our challenges and we do take them seriously,” Dvorak says.

Iowa Racing & Gaming Commission meeting, 7-15-21

Dvorak says this was during the COVID mask requirement and that also complicated the issue. He says they did some additional training with the D-C-I on making identification when people are wearing masks. The Racing and Gaming Commission also agreed to a 20-thousand dollar fine for the William Hill Sports Book after two betting machines were mistakenly left on, and a person was allowed to use the mobile sports app without in-person registration. The PointsBet Iowa sportsbook was fined 75-hundred dollars after the self-exclusion list was not properly updated. A company spokesman says they have made adjustments to meet the requirement.

(Radio Iowa) – Republican Governor Kim Reynolds is urging conservative Christians to fight back against Democrats in power in Washington. Reynolds says President Biden’s Administration is pursuing a radical social agenda backed by liberal activists and corporations. “The elevation of angry, ever-shifting moral code of wokesness, bailouts, tax hikes, lock downs, open borders, closed schools,” Reynolds said. “Believe me. This is not an agenda for Iowa and it is not an agenda for our country.”

Reynolds was cheered repeatedly as she spoke at a summit in Des Moines organized by The Family Leader.

(Radio Iowa) – Officials in a southwest Iowa city are asking residents to obey a local ordinance regarding signs in non-commercial areas. Councilman Craig Hill raised the issue during this week’s Clarinda City Council meeting, as a growing number of signs are popping up in residential areas, advertising job openings in Clarinda.  “I sympathize with the problem that they’re having, trying to find employees, but there are ordinances that people need to follow,” he says, “so I encourage the businesses or industries to come to City Hall, make sure that they know the rules, get a permit and then follow those before they just start putting things out.”

Clarinda Mayor Lisa Hull says residents must pay a fee and get a permit to placing any sort of sign on a property zoned as residential. “It looks kind of trashy if you have these signs all over everyone’s yard,” she says. Hull, who runs a manufacturing business in Clarinda, has paid fees to the city to put a flag in her yard when she’s hiring. Hull says if a sign is in the city right-of-way along the street, the city is technically liable for the sign. “We need to regulate, really, what those signs ’cause somebody could put a sign talking about their neighbor, you know, and say anything they want to say,” Hull says, “so that’s why when you put signs in your yard, especially if it’s residential, you need to get a permit so the city can regulate what those signs say.”

Officials in the city of Johnston have fielded complaints about a sign painted on a bar that, among other things, declares it the site of Trump 2024 National Headquarters and includes a slur against Vice President Harris. The Johnston City Council discussed the matter earlier this month and are considering their legal options, but say the sign is likely considered speech protected by the First Amendment.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – In addition to faculty and other staff, one of the most important persons in any school district, is the School Business Officer (SBO)/Business Manager/Finance Director. The Atlantic School Board, Wednesday, recognized Finance Director Sarah Sheeder for all the work she does to make sure the district stays in the black. Board member Nicholas Hunt suggested she deserves recognition. Superintendent Steve Barber agreed.

Sheeder said she appreciates the kind words. After she presented the District’s financial reports during Wednesday’s school Board meeting, Nicholas Hunt said people might not realize what an SBO does. He asked Sheeder to briefly talk about her job, and the job of an SBO in general.

(She mentioned the Iowa Association of School Boards recently issued a statement (Data Boost_June25_2021) about “What’s happening in your business office at the end of the year.” She said this is the busiest time of year for SBO’s, getting the past school year wrapped-up and getting ready for the new year that begins next month.)

And, Atlantic Assistant High School Principal/Activity Director Andy Mitchell, Wednesday, paid tribute to two local Sports Broadcasters and one area newspaper Sports Editor, for the spreading of positive messages, especially with regard to coverage of Trojan Sports. KJAN Sports Director Chris Parks was among the names he mentioned.

Sheriff’s Deputies in Page County have cited the driver of a vehicle involved in an accident, following an investigation into the incident. Authorities 37-year-old Aaron Duwayne Childs, of Shenandoah, was cited Thursday night, for Failure to Maintain Control and Failure to Provide proof of financial liability (Accident-related insurance). The citations were the result of a call about a vehicle in the ditch off 140th St., about seven-miles northwest of Clarinda.

Childs notified authorities shortly after the report came in. He told them he had been driving the vehicle when it went into the ditch. Childs stated that he had left the vehicle in the ditch and would get it out within a couple of hours. The investigation into this vehicle in the ditch conducted by the Sheriff’s Office indicated that Childs was operating a 2008 Nissan westbound on 140th in the 2300 block. Childs said that he swerved to miss a deer, lost control of the vehicle and went into the south ditch where the vehicle struck an embankment and damaged a driveway tube. Childs stated that he was not injured.

The vehicle sustained approximately $5,000 in damage. Damage to the driveway tube owned by Christopher Campbell of rural Clarinda, was estimated at $3,000.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Chamber Ambassadors visited with Carrie Petersen, owner of CoffeeGirl, on Thursday, July 15th, 2021. The Ambassadors joined Carrie in celebrating the opening of her new location in Atlantic. CoffeeGirl is located on the corner of Chestnut Street and 5th Street.

Carrie started her coffee shop journey in Elk Horn in 2014. After finding success there, she decided to open a second location in Harlan in 2018 with a third location following later that year in Atlantic. Carrie left her smaller downtown location at the end of 2020 and began renovating a larger storefront with the help of property owner, Jan Kinnison. Carrie praised Jan for not only being a huge help and supporter with renovations, but for all the moral support she’s offered as well.

Coffee Girl ribbon-cutting ceremony, 7-15-21 (Chamber Photo)

Carrie and her husband worked around the clock to get the new location up and running before summer’s end. The building used to be the old post office in town. During renovations, they discovered the original flooring and tile, which happens to be 140 years old. They decided to lengthen renovation a little longer to restore the floor to its former glory.

CoffeeGirl is not just about coffee, they have many other options such as smoothies, frappes, muffins, pastries, espressos, teas, energy drinks, and more. CoffeeGirl also offers four different types of paninis and two different types of wraps for lunch.

CoffeeGirl is located at 422 Chestnut Street in Atlantic. For more information about CoffeeGirl, call 712-250-1539 or visit their Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/Coffeegirl-300541443489756

The broadcast News at 8:07-a.m., with Ric Hanson.

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(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports three arrests took place this week. On Wednesday, 24-year-old Connor Nathaniel Burg, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for OWI 1st and driving under suspension.  Berg was transported to Cass County Jail and was later released on his own recognizance. Also arrested Wednesday, was 36-year-old Trevor Kyle Benge, of Stanton, who was taken into custody on a Cass County warrant for violation of probation.  Benge was transported to Cass County Jail and is currently being held on bond.

And, on Monday, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 26-year-old Edward Lee Roy Burton, Jr., of Atlantic, on a Cass County warrant for controlled substance violations.  Burton was transported to Cass County Jail where he was being held on bond.

Our broadcast news at 7:06-a.m., from Ric Hanson.

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Four young ladies from Audubon were vying for the title of Audubon County Fair Queen. When their scores were tabulated, Kennedy Rohe was crowned Queen. Kennedy is the daughter of Derrick and Jessica Rohe. Runner-Up went to Madi Steckler, the daughter of Toby and Pam Steckler. Abby Brooks and Abigail Zaiger were also in the running for Audubon County Fair Queen.

(Left to right) Madi Steckler, Runner-up, & Kennedy Rohe, 2021 Audubon County Fair Queen. (Photos via the Audubon County Fair Facebook page)

Audubon County Fair Queen candidates