(Jefferson County, Iowa) – A collision at around 7:35-a.m. today (Thursday) in southeast Iowa, resulted in the death of a teenager. The Iowa State Patrol reports 17-year-old Ava Ford, of Packwood, died, when the 2003 Toyota Camry she was driving, for reasons unknown, crossed the center line of Packwood Road south of Packwood, and collided head-on with a 1999 Dodge RAM pickup. Ford died at the scene. The driver of the pickup, 40-year-old Clinton Weaver, of Lancaster, MO., was injured and flown to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Both drivers were wearing their seat belts.

Multiple agencies assisted at the crash site. Ford was a member of the Pekin Community School District class of 2025.

The Pekin Community School District posted the following statement on its Facebook page:

It is with profound sadness that we inform you of the death of Ava Ford, a valued member of our senior class. Ava died early this morning in a car accident.

We know this news will be deeply upsetting, and we want to assure you that our thoughts and condolences are with Ava’s family and friends during this difficult time.

Ava was a passionate, kind and thoughtful student who will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

Our school counselor will be available in the high school office throughout the rest of the week and next, ready to provide support to any student or community member who may need to talk. We have a grief crisis team available through the AEA that are on standby if needed. We encourage you to urge your child to reach out if they need help.

(Radio Iowa) – Some members of the audience booed or jeered Congresswoman Ashley Hinson during her town hall meeting in Elkader Wednesday when she talked about the administration’s Big Beautiful Bill. Hinson, a Republican from Marion who represents the second district, says it’s part of her job to hold the town halls. “I am continuing with my commitment to be transparent and accessible. That’s something I ran on as a former journalist. I think that’s really important, is being able to get out there,” she says. Hinson spoke on her weekly conference call with reporters and says she was glad to address the concerns of those at the town hall.

“I was able to correct the record and the misinformation that is out there about the bill that we passed last year or last week. President Trump’s one big, beautiful bill,” Hinson says. Hinson was asked why some of her colleagues are not hold as many public events, and she disputed that idea. She says it’s important to continue meeting with constituents. “Being able to go out there and talk about the agenda that Americans voted for and show people how we’re actually executing on that and doing exactly what we said, I think is really important,” Hinson says. “So I would encourage all of my colleagues to get out there and hold public town meetings because I think it does number one, send a message that we are accessible and transparent. And number two, that we are going to tell it like it is and dispel any myths and rumors out there about what we’re working on.”

Hinson says Republicans and the current administration have been more open than the Biden Administration on what their plans are and how they are carrying them out.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office today (Thursday), released a report on arrests that took place from May 23rd through the 28th:

On May 23rd, 2025, Cass County Sheriff’s Office Deputies arrested: Justine Danielle Jones, 31, of Harlan, on a warrant for failure to appear for arraignment on possession of controlled substances charges. Jones was transported to the Cass County Jail where she was booked and held; Scott Allen Jensen, 54, of Adair, was arrested on charges of OWI-1st offense, and speeding. Jensen was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and later released on his own recognizance.
On May 24th, 2025: Xavier Anaya, 19, of Atlantic, was arrested in Cass County on the charge of ineligible to carry a weapon. Anaya was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and later released on his own recognizance.
On May 25th, 2025: Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested Matthew Allen Strong, 30, of Exira, on charges of possession of controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Strong was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and later released on his own recognizance.
On May 27th: Natalie Olson-Everett, 48, of Lewis, was arrested on charges of child endangerment, child endangerment with bodily injury, interference with official acts, and false report to public entity. Olson-Everett was transported to the Cass County Jail where she was booked and held.
And authorities say additional charges were levied Wednesday, May 28th, against Brian Joseph Iwersen, 61, of Atlantic, in connection with his May 21st, 2025, arrest. Iwersen was charged with felon in control of firearm, trafficking stolen weapons, and theft 4th degree. Iwersen is currently being held at the Cass County Jail where he has a $35,000 cash or surety bound;
Additional charged were also levied against Gene Christopher Reed, 51, of Atlantic, in connection with his May 21st, 2025, arrest. Reed was charged with theft 4th degree. Reed is currently being held at the Cass County Jail where he has a $35,000 cash or surety bound.

(Radio Iowa) – A two-year moratorium on wind farms in a northwest Iowa county has failed on a tie vote. Dickinson County Supervisor Levi Markwardt proposed the moratorium on new construction.  “I’m not trying to change things that have already been approved,” he said. Another supervisor on the Dickinson County Board joined Markwardt in voting for the moratorium. It failed on a two-to-two vote after the fifth member of the board cited a business conflict and abstained. Supervisor Kim Wermersen of Okoboji voted against the moratorium.

“I support the right of landowners to choose to place them on their property for income,” he said. The other no vote came from Supervisor William Leupold, of Spirit Lake. “Zoning laws, regulations and our wind energy ordinances are in place to determine where those turbines are placed,” he said.

Markwardt, the supervisor who proposed the moratorium, defeated an incumbent last November to win a seat on the board and he says the placement of wind turbines in Dickinson County was a major issue in the race.

(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Officer reports two people were injured in separate, recent accidents. One of the accidents – a collision involving an SUV and a pickup truck – happened at around 9-a.m. Wednesday (May 28th) at Wagon Road and 252nd Street. Authorities say a 2012 Chevy SUV driven by 39-year-old Jacob Crawford, of Greenfield, was traveling north on Wagon Road. Crawford told a sheriff’s deputy he was tired, and fell asleep at the wheel. His vehicle crossed over the center line of the road, and when he woke up, over-corrected. The SUV came into contact with a 2025 Chevy pickup driven by 61-year-old Keith Fulton, of Panora, as he was traveling south on Wagon Road.

Fulton told authorities he saw the oncoming SUV and took evasive action by veering into the other lane, to avoid a head-on crash. The SUV also veered into the other lane, causing both vehicles to come into contact. Crawford suffered possible/unknown injuries, but was not transported to the hospital. Damage from the accident amounted to $40,000 altogether (both were totaled). Jacob Crawford was cited for Driving on the Wrong-side of the roadway.

The other accident happened at around 1-p.m. on May 16th. The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office says a 2005 Ford passenger car driven by 71-year-old Rebecca Ann Tannahill, of Bagley, was traveling south on Quail Avenue and failed to stop at the intersection with 160th. The car entered the intersection and went out of control on the gravel roadway. The vehicle entered the north ditch and rolled-over into the ditch and back on to the road before coming to rest on Quail Avenue. Tannahill complained of pain and possible injury. She was transported by Panora EMS to the Guthrie County Hospital.

Damage to her vehicle was estimated at $3,500. No citations were issued. The report said Tannahill was driving too fast for conditions when she ran the stop sign.

(Panora, Iowa) – Iowa business owners and community leaders are teaming-up with Midwest Partnership, to offer the first-ever Business Owner Summer Summit (BOSS 2025), a two-day event organizers say is focused on one of the most pressing challenges facing small businesses today: Employee retention. Set for June 5th & 6th (2025) at The Port on Lake Panorama, BOSS 2025 brings together business owners, HR professionals, and community-minded entrepreneurs for two days of expert-led sessions, peer panels, and lakeside networking – all designed to equip small and mid-size businesses with the tools needed to build strong teams, and keep top talent.

Keynote speakers include: ISU Athletic Director Jamie Pollard; Blue Compass CEO & author of Retain, Drew Harden; Sinikka Waugh, founder of Your Next Clear Step, and Lance Farrell, founder of Farrell’s eXtreme Bodyshaping. The event is open to business owners, HR professionals, and organizational leaders from across Iowa. Early registration is encouraged, as space is limited. Registration and full-schedule details are available at https://bossiowa.com.

(Iowa Capital Dispatch) – Officials with JBS announced plans today (Thursday), to build a $135 million sausage-production facility that will create more than 700 jobs in Perry. Cameron Bruett, head of corporate affairs for the company, said the facility will be “state of the art” and that “there’s gonna be nothing like it” in America.  “This would probably be the first facility of its kind built in the last 40 years. And so that’s exciting for us to be a new entrant, a new competitor, in a growing space in agriculture,” Bruett said in a call with Iowa Capital Dispatch.

The announcement comes nearly a year after the shuttering of a Tyson Foods pork processing facility in Perry that employed nearly 1,300 people.  Bruett, who was in Perry Wednesday along with other members of JBS senior staff, said the reception to the project has been overwhelmingly positive. The new facility will have 500 direct positions. While it doesn’t fill the 1,300-slot hole left in Perry by Tyson’s departure, Bruett said he believes there will be “ample opportunity” for former Tyson employees in town to find work at the new facility.

A rendering of a sausage production facility in Perry, proposed by JBS USA. (Rendering courtesy of JBS)

Perry Mayor Dirk Cavanaugh said at the time of the Tyson plant closure he was unsure how the town of about 8,000 would recover from the closure and loss of jobs.  Following the news from JBS, Cavanaugh. said the project was a “potential game-changer” for Perry. Bruett was unable to share wage ranges for the jobs the facility, if approved, would provide. He said the starting salary for other JBS facilities in Iowa is about $22 per hour and the Perry site would be comparable. JBS also anticipates the construction of the facility will require around 250 local construction jobs, starting in 2025 when it hopes to begin building. The company expects the facility will be operational in late 2026.

The sausage-making facility would process around 500,000 sows to create 130 million pounds of sausage each year. Bruett said the facility will create an additional outlet for local pork producers who currently transport most of their sows east for processing. Additionally, JBS plans to invest in the Perry community through its Hometown Strong and Better Futures programs which fund projects in the community and help JBS team members and their family members attend community colleges.

JBS will submit a request to the City of Perry to change the zoning for the property, located on the southeast side of town, from agricultural to heavy industrial, according to Bruett. The city council will have to approve the project before it can begin construction.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Department has received a contribution from Gregg Young Chevrolet, to offset the costs of two professional makeup artists and a balloon artist for the 4th of July Freedom Festival, which will be held on the lower side of Sunnyside Park. Gregg Young representatives recently presented a ceremonial check in the amount of $2,360.

The Freedom Festival will be held at Sunnyside Park from 5-until 9-p.m., on July 4th. It will feature food trucks, a live band, pony rides, hotdog eating contest, burger battle grill off, facepainting, bingo, and more! Fireworks at the Atlantic Sports Complex ballfields (Across from KJAN) will be presented at dark shot from the bike farm, but there is NO PARKING at bike farm this year. Parking will be available at the sports complex. For the best views, park at the ballfields or gather along the walking path between KJAN and the quarry.

L-R front row: Josh Nielsen, Adam Wanie, Aaron Holtz, Matt Miller, Casey Swanson, Dave Archibald, Ali Pieken, Jose Quintero, Dan Vargason 2nd Row: Michael Gall, Tom Murphy, Brent Magee, Lynsi Lamp, Spencer Walton and Jeff Christensen. Photo courtesy Ali Pieken

Parks and Rec Commissioner Ali Pieken invites anyone who would like to enter the hotdog eating contest, play in slow pitch or enter the burger battle competition during the Freedom Festival, to e-mail her at  alipieken@gmail.com, to enter.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Advisory C omission during their monthly meeting Wednesday afternoon, heard from Trees Forever Representative Brad Riphagen, with regard to Community Visioning, specifically for the City’s Parks system. Riphagen explained Community Visioning is a program established in 1997, and provided for communities with a population of less than 10,000, in partnership with the Iowa Department of Transportation (for funding), and Iowa State University.

He said it’s up to the community to determine what their concerns are. Riphagen said there are three parts to the process. It begins with collecting information from various groups and individuals, and analyzing what’s already available.

That data is compiled into a feasibility study, that includes maps, goals, proposed projects and associated costs, and how to implement project plans. The whole process takes about a year, he said. The last time a feasibility study was conducted in Atlantic, was in 1998.

Brad Riphagen w/Trees Forever

The process, Riphagen said, “Has changed immensely since then.”

The application due date – if the City wishes to proceed – is September 1^st. The planning service is essentially free, but does require local funds to be set aside, as a commitment to begin whatever the first project is.

The Commission tabled action on moving ahead at this time, and to conduct a little more research for discussing the next steps in moving forward. They noted there’s still plenty of time before the application to conduct the survey, needs to be submitted.

In other business, the Atlantic Parks and Rec Advisory Commission discussed signage for a County monument in the City Park. Commission Chair Kevin Ferguson presented a plaque honoring sponsors: Atlantic Junior Federated. A design for mounting of the sign will be presented to the Junior Federation before the plaque will be affixed to it.