(Radio Iowa) – A jury in Davenport will soon start deliberations on the case against the man accused of murdering 20-year-old Mollie Tibbetts nearly three years ago as she was jogging in her hometown. It comes a day after Cristhian Bahena Rivera testified that he did not kill Tibbetts and claimed two masked men forced him to participate in the crime. Prosecutor Scott Brown delivered closing arguments this (Thursday) morning.

Brown spoke to the jury for an hour. Shortly after 11 o’clock, Bahena’s defense attorney started his closing arguments. Chad Frese asked the jury not to seek vengeance for Tibbetts, but to apply logic to what they heard in court and make a judgement based on the facts presented. Frese suggested Bahena had been spoon fed a confession and investigators had not followed leads on other suspects.

(check back for updates throughout the day)

Atlantic, IA – The Cass Health Foundation recently awarded the Louie and Elsie Hansen Scholarships. The recipients are McKenzie Waters, Jennifer Steffens, and Genevieve Martinez.

The Louie and Elsie Hansen Scholarship was established through the generosity and careful planning of these two life-long Cass County residents. The Hansen’s believed in higher education, so much so that over 70% of their estate was bequeathed for that purpose, including a gift to the Cass Health Foundation.

Under the supervision and guidance of the Cass Health Foundation, scholarship opportunities are provided yearly. As per the Hansens’ wishes, scholarship candidates must have graduated from a Cass County high school and be enrolled in and accepted to an accredited nursing or medical doctor school pursing a degree as LPN, RN, BSN or MD.

Exira-EHK High School Administrative Assistant Jan Greving, today (Thursday), released to the media the name of 2020-21 Exira Middle/High School Honor Roll students. The 2nd Quarter/4th Semester lists follows, below:

2^nd Semester HS Honor Roll High Honor Roll (3.50 and above)

Honor Roll (3.0-3.49)

2^nd Semester JH Honor Roll

4^th Quarter HS Honor Roll High Honor Roll (3.50 and above)

Honor Roll (3.0-3.49)

4^th Quarter JH Honor Roll

After being canceled last-year due to concerns over COVID-19, the 41^st Annual TivoliFest will take place Friday and Saturday, May 28^th and 29^th, in the western Iowa Danish communities of Elk Horn and Kimballton. Lisa Steen-Riggs, event organizer, says the event is being dubbed “TivoliFest Lite.”

Some of Sunday’s events were moved to Saturday, but there were still be a tractor drive Sunday morning there are still many things to see and do. Things get started Friday afternoon, when the Iowa Beer Tent arrives in Elk Horn, and culminates with a big fireworks show Saturday night. Steen-Riggs said people come in from all over the country to explore their Danish heritage.

TivoliFest features bands and other forms of musical entertainment, to name a few.

The Museum of Danish America will have free admission from 10-a.m., until 4-p.m., both days, there’s a Viking Encampment with demonstrations, a working blacksmith shop and wood working area, as well as axe throwing. For more information on the events in Elk Horn and Kimballton, go to: https://www.danishwindmill.com/event/tivoli-fest-2021/ or follow Tivoli Fest Elk Horn Iowa, on Facebook.

(Radio Iowa) – A pedestrian walking on Interstate 80 near Des Moines was killed by a car early this (Thursday) morning. The state patrol says the unidentified woman was walking in the traffic lane near mile marker 142 in Altoona when she was struck and killed around 4:15 A-M. No charges are filed against the motorist.

It’s the second time this month a woman has been hit and killed as she walked along a Des Moines metro area interstate. Thirty-eight-year-old Stephanie Waddell of Oskaloosa died on May 9th when she was hit along I-35 in West Des Moines. This week, 19-year-old Frank Davidson of Earlham was arrested on multiple charges in Waddell’s death.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The building that has housed the Coca-Cola Center and Museum in Atlantic since 2011, and was owned by Margaret Slepsky, was closed in 2020 in-part, due to concerns over COVID. The virus, and Margaret’s passing in June 2020 took a toll on the ability of museum volunteers maintain the collection, which was available to view through free-will donations. In addition, the family has other plans for the building.

As a result of the closing, items in the museum at 207 Chestnut Street will be sold-off Friday and Saturday, as part of the City-wide garage sale. Museum volunteer Christi Garrett says many Coke collectors have loaned items to the museum, and those have been returned, but other items that were donated, will be available for sale.

Items small and large will be available for you purchase during the garage sale.

Museum volunteer Charlene Johnson said there will also be a table with non-Coke related items, with low prices.

All of the display cases and shelving, anything museum relates, will be available for purchase. The sale takes place Friday, from 1-p.m. to 6-p.m., and Saturday, from 8-a.m. to 1-p.m. There are four rooms and hallways to view and purchase. And, the Atlantic Kiwanis will honor Margaret Slepsky, by having their food trailer set-up, with light snacks and hot food available. All proceeds will be directed toward scholarships. The idea for the Atlantic Coca-Cola Center and Museum started as a way to promote Atlantic, enlarging on an already existing annual festival: Coca Cola Days, which brings Coca Cola collectors from all over on the fourth weekend of September.

Maps for the rest of the City-wide garage sale are available at all three Atlantic Casey’s, Olsen’s BP, Fareway, Hy-Vee and the Chamber.

(Radio Iowa) – Fire departments from eight northwest Iowa communities battled a fire last (Wednesday) night that destroyed a factory near Orange City. The Kiezer Aluminum Wheel Company makes high performance aluminum wheels used primarily for race cars. The fire started at about 9:30 p.m. and firefighters were at the scene for more than four hours. Orange City Fire Chief Denny Vander Wel says he isn’t certain as to what may have caused the fire, but he estimates damage to be in excess of four million dollars with the building and manufacturing contents all destroyed.