The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce reports T-shirts for Coca-Cola Days 2019 are now available. Shirts for the event set for September 27th and 28th in downtown Atlantic cost $16 and are available from the Chamber at 102 Chestnut Street (The Rock Island Depot), from 8-a.m. to 5-p.m., Monday through Friday. T-shirts can be shipped for an additional fee.

Coca-Cola Days in Atlantic is the second largest collectors’ show in the United States and includes a tailgate barbeque open to the public, a Show Swap & Sell, “Coca-Cola Makes Life Bearable” raffle and many more activities for all ages. This year’s feature theme is, “Coca-Cola Makes Life Bearable”.

For more information on Coca-Cola Days or a full list of activities, please visit www.cocacoladays.com, call the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce at 712-243-3017 or email chamber@atlanticiowa.com. 2019 Coca-Cola Days brochures are also available at the Chamber or local merchants.

2019 Coca-Cola Days Committee Members Pictured:
Front Row: Dolly Bergmann and Ellen Rutherford
Back Row: Kathie Hockenberry, Jolene Sisler and Ashley Hayes

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say an Omaha man defrauded Medicare and Medicaid in a scheme involving recipients in Nebraska, Iowa and other states. A U.S. District Court complaint filed earlier this month says Nereus Sutko committed health care fraud that began in November 2010 and continued into this month. Sutko’s attorney, Adam Sipple, said Monday that Sutko will plead not guilty. Sipple declined to comment further about the allegations.

The documents say Sutko sometimes visited homeless shelters and threw pizza parties at nursing homes, promising gifts as a way to obtain Social Security and health information for his scheme. The documents say Sutko would order health care items that would never be delivered to the recipients.

Sutko is alleged to have filed 1,666 Medicare claims through the company he managed, Better Lives, getting more than $674,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Norris says he can’t yet specify how much money Sutko is alleged to have fraudulently profited through his scheme.

STORM LAKE, Iowa (AP) — Five siblings gathered in Storm Lake this weekend to watch their youngest brother graduate from high school, decades after their parents emigrated from war-torn Sudan to the United States. The Sioux City Journal reports Cham Deng received his diploma Sunday from Storm Lake High School with a 3.4 grade point average, which ranks the first generation Sudanese-American 28th in his class of 190 students.

Deng also played basketball for the Tornadoes, averaging 17 points and nine rebounds per game during his senior season. He intends to further his basketball career next season at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge. Deng plans to major in accounting. Storm Lake Superintendent Stacey Cole says that Deng is community-minded and has been a positive inspiration at the school.

The Iowa Department of Corrections is reporting yet another work release escapee, the third in three days. Authorities say 31-year old Micah Lee Bates Jr., who was convicted of Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon and other crimes in Scott County, failed to report back to the Davenport Work Release Center as required Sunday night.  Bates is a black male, 6-feet one-inch tall, weighing about 186 pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on March 13, 2019.

Persons with information on Bates’ whereabouts should contact their local police.

Micah Lee Bates, Jr.

The Glenwood Police Department is asking for your help in locating a woman who has been missing since Saturday. 34-year old Robyn Salmons is described as being 5-feet 3-inches tall. She has brown hair and brown eyes. (A picture of her can be seen below) It’s not known what she was wearing at the time of her disappearance. Anyone with information on her whereabouts should call the Glenwood P-D at 712-527-4844.

Robyn Salmons

The Cass County Local Food Policy Council voted this week to provide $1,300 in funding to Cass County farmers’ markets, to encourage residents to visit local farmers markets and eat locally-grown produce.  Most of the money will provide coupons which can be redeemed throughout the 2019 season for produce sold at farmers’ markets in the county, including Produce in the Park and the Atlantic and Anita farmers’ markets. These coupons will be widely distributed with the goal of making fresh and healthful local produce affordable for more county residents. The coupons will be distributed at Head Start and county food pantries, in addition to other channels.

A portion of the funding will also be used to purchase local produce to provide free taste tests for children visiting Produce in the Park. This effort will help children explore a variety of fresh produce items they can try at no cost to their parents. The final piece of the funding will be used by guest chefs at Produce in the Park to purchase locally grown ingredients. Then, when market visitors try a sample from the guest chef, they’re also getting a chance to try local-grown foods they can purchase right at the market.

The Cass County Local Food Policy Council encourages you to visit one of the three Cass County Farmers’ Markets during the summer of 2019:

·         Produce in the Park is held in the Atlantic City Park on Thursday evenings from 4:30-6:30 PM June 6th through September 26th. For more information contact ProduceInTheParkAtlanticIowa@gmail.com or follow Produce in the Park on Facebook.

·         The Atlantic Farmers Market is held in the Orscheln’s Farm and Home parking lot on Saturdays from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM starting June 1st and on Tuesdays from 5:00-7:00 PM starting June 4th. The markets will conclude on Sept.24th and Sept. 28th.

·         The Anita Farmers Market is held in the Anita Bandshell Park on Main Street on Mondays from 4:30-6:30 PM June 3rd through August 26th. For more information on the Atlantic and Anita markets, contact Donna Brahms at (402) 677-2460.

In an update to our report last week, organizers with the Kamala Harris for President campaign said today (Monday), the Democrat Junior Senator from California will hold a Meet and Greet event in Council Bluffs, this Friday. The event will be held at Lincoln’s Pub, 157 West Broadway, with doors open at 8:50-a.m., and the program to begin at 9:15-a.m. Members of the public wanting to attend are asked to register in advance at https://www.mobilize.us/kamalaforia/event/93314/ .

On Thursday, May 23rd Harris will hold a Town Hall session at Morningside College in Sioux City, beginning at 5:45-p.m. Doors open at 5:15. To register in advance, go to: https://www.mobilize.us/kamalaforia/event/93080/.

The appearances mark Harris’ fourth trip to Iowa since announcing her candidacy for president of the United States. Harris will discuss her proposal to give the average Iowa teacher a $12,200 raise by the end of her first term, her plans to combat climate change and to address the student debt crisis, among others. This trip will be another opportunity for Iowans to hear directly from Harris about her vision for America and ask her questions about important issues.

A chase in Pottawattamie County early this (Monday) morning, resulted in the arrest on a man on Felony Burglary, Theft, Eluding charges, along with OWI/1st offense and Reckless Driving. At around 12:45-a.m., a Pott. County Deputy heard a radio broadcast about a white 2002 Ford F-250 fleeing from the Council Bluffs Police Officer, heading southbound on N. Broadway. The deputy saw the suspect vehicle at Kanesville Blvd. and 2nd Street, and engaged in pursuit. The pickup spun out at 30th and L, where the driver 38-year old Larry Wayne Rivera, of Council Bluffs, bailed out and fled on foot. He was arrested a short time later. Rivera was being held in the Pott. County Jail on a $15,000 bond.

Sunday night, 46-year old Scott W. Kreeger, of Omaha, was arrested for OWI/1st offense, following a traffic stop on Old Lincoln Highway. His bond was set at $1,000. A call about an unknown, possible injury accident on I-80 near Council Bluffs at around 4:20-a.m. Sunday, resulted in an OWI/1st offense charge for 29-year old Nathaniel Robert Didamo. Late Saturday night, a traffic stop on a car traveling across the Old Mormon Bridge in Council Bluffs, resulted in an OWI/1st offense charge for 28-year old Julie Carpenter Johnsen.

48-year old Lisa Marie Deluna was arrested late Friday night for Public Intoxication. Deluna’s vehicle almost struck a Deputy who was working traffic control near Harrah’s Casino. Deluna was later found walking in the casino’s parking lot, where she was taken into custody. A traffic stop Friday night in Oakland, resulted in the arrest of 33-year old Corey Andrew Stephens, on a charge of Driving While Barred/Habitual Offender.

The Pott. County Sheriff’s Office reports also, 44-year old Joseph Quinton Haynes turned himself-in to the S/O Friday afternoon. Haynes, who was wanted on a warrant for Violation of Probation, was transported to the Pott. County Jail and turned over to jail staff. And, 48-year old Angela Deana Dunlap was arrested at the Pott. County Courthouse Friday morning, for Violation of Probation. She was booked into the Pott. County Jail.

Atlantic Municipal Utilities General Manager Steve Tjepkes, today (Monday), identified the issue that caused a power outage to parts of Atlantic early Sunday morning.  He told KJAN News a wire came off of an insulator out by the Atlantic School District Bus Barn on east 7th Street, and started the pole on fire.

The power went out at around 3:28-a.m., and was restored to some parts of the east side by 4:55-a.m., while other parts of the city had power restored by 6:30-a.m., Sunday. Tjepkes didn’t have a tally of how many customers were affected, but the area was generally east of 7th and Olive Streets,

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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