A mock collision took place this (Thursday) afternoon on the grounds of the Atlantic High School. The exercise was conducted as part of the “Every 15 Minutes” program, which takes place today and tomorrow. The national recognized program serves to educate, demonstrate and personalize the consequences of driving distracted and/or under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It’s the third time the program is being presented to Atlantic High School Juniors and Seniors, with the last time being in 2017.

According to statistics, every 15 minutes, someone in the U-S dies as the result of an alcohol-related collision. This year, nearly 12,000 alcohol and distraction-related deaths are likely to take place. Those dangerous driving habits often begin in the teen years, according to officials. Today’s (Thursday’s) program began with “The living dead,” and students being removed from the classrooms every 15 minutes. They were given a t-shirt, their faces painted white, and cell phones collected. The students were then returned to the classroom with instructions not to talk or otherwise communicate with other students.

At around 2:30-p.m., all Juniors and Seniors proceeded to the designated site of a mock collision on the school grounds, to observe the scene and the role of EMS personnel, fire and law enforcement. A medical helicopter, the County Coroner and local funeral home personnel were also involved. In the scenario, an alcohol-impaired teen driver portrayed by 17-year old Corri Pelzer, was driving a vehicle that crossed the center line and struck another vehicle, driven by another teen.

In a simulated ejection, 16-year old Bailey Riesgaard was pronounced “dead” at the scene. Life flight transported Nathan Behrends, the driver of the second vehicle, to CCMH, where he too, “died” from his simulated injuries. Sarah Schorle and Cyle Renaud had additional roles as injured passengers in the Pelzer vehicle, and were transported to the hospital for simulated treatment.

Failing the field sobriety test, Pelzer was “arrested,” and transported to the Cass County Courthouse, where she was processed to await her “Sentence.” At around 4-p.m., the “victims” and remainder of the “living dead,” were transported to the Cass County Courthouse to observe a mock trial and sentencing of the DUI offender. During the “trial,” the “victims’” families gave statements and attorneys represented their “clients” in front of Judge Michael Hooper. Pelzer was sentenced to two, 25-year terms in prison, to be served concurrently, for two counts of Motor Vehicle Homicide.

At around 5-p.m., the “Living Dead” were returned to the High School for an overnight retreat, with the parent retreat at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church from 7-until 9-p.m. Highlighting the students’ retreat is the personal testimonies of an Audubon woman whose son died after an evening of celebrating a friends’ wedding, and the video of a man who is serving a 50-year sentence at the Clarinda Correctional Facility for causing the deaths of four motorcyclists in August, 2010.

On Friday, there will be a Memorial Service/School Assembly, beginning at 8:30-a.m. Refreshments for students, parents and guests will follow, along with a question and comment period.

(Radio Iowa) — Producers from other parts of Iowa are coming to the aid of those in flood-stricken areas. Three semis from a group of Story County cattlemen delivered approximately 30 round bales of alfalfa and 72 square bales of cornstalks to a farm near Malvern this (Thursday) morning. Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig was on a tour of the area and says the donations to farmers impacted by the Missouri River flooding is an example of “Iowans helping Iowans.”

“We knew and heard that there was a need down here in Mills County and beyond for some feed. We know that that need is great and so we just wanted to highlight the fact that this all happens because cattlemen want to help cattlemen, and Iowans helping Iowans and that is a great story.” Naig hopes the donations will continue.

“This is not something that will be solved tomorrow,” Naig says, “this is a need that will continue on for months. And so, we just ask people to be mindful of that and keep that in mind, and continue to look for ways to assist those who have been impacted.” Naig says state officials will demand answers from the U-S Army Corps of Engineers on why southwest Iowa is experiencing the second major flooding event along the Missouri River within a decade. Naig also warns that producers should be prepared for the long haul.

“We’re just at the end of March here. We still have some snowmelt up north. Our flooding is not entirely done this year,” Naig says. “Whether it’s here or other parts of the state — folks need to be vigilant on what is happening and take precautions if they need to.”

Plans called for Naig to tour flooded areas in and around Hamburg this afternoon. U-S-D-A Undersecretary Bill Northey and Iowa Senator Charles Grassley are expected to meet with officials in Hamburg and Glenwood Friday morning, then conduct a town hall meeting at the Mills County Fairgrounds in Malvern Friday afternoon at 1:30 p-m.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports four arrests occurred Wednesday: 25-year old Joshua Blake Anderson, of Glenwood, was arrested on a warrant for Probation Violation; 46-year old Timothy John Strakevicius, of Glenwood was arrested for Theft in the 2nd degree; 24-year old Rajaah Ramonn Jones, of Omaha, was arrested Wednesday for Criminal Mischief in the 2nd degree, and 30-year old Michael Patrick Corcoran, of Plattsmouth, NE., was arrested for Criminal Mischief in the 1st degree, as well as Trespassing in the 1st.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa House has overwhelmingly approved a resolution that seeks to amend the state constitution and restore voting rights to felons who complete their sentences, but it’s only the first step in a long process.

The House on Thursday voted 95-2 to approve the resolution and send it to the Senate. If approved by the Senate and passed again by the Legislature in 2021 or 2022, it would go to voters.

The proposal is a priority of Gov. Kim Reynolds, but it could face opposition in the Senate. Lawmakers also are considering a measure defining what’s required for a sentence to be deemed complete. Some lawmakers want to require total repayment of restitution. Others want to exclude those convicted of murder, rape, or child molestation.

Iowa voter registration is currently canceled upon conviction of a felony and the rights can only be restored by the governor. Only Iowa and Kentucky have such strict requirements.

Wisconsin Lottery officials have identified the retailer that sold the winning ticket in Wednesday’s $768 million Powerball drawing. Lottery Director Cindy Polzin told reporters at a news conference Thursday that a Speedway gas station in New Berlin in suburban Milwaukee sold the winning ticket. The station will receive $100,000 for selling the ticket.

Polzin says the winner hasn’t been identified. The person has 180 days to come forward. If the winner opts for a cash payout instead of annuities, the prize is worth $477 million. Annuities would be paid out over 29 years. Wisconsin Revenue Secretary Peter Barca says if the winner takes the cash option, the state would receive $38 million in tax revenue. He wasn’t sure how much tax revenue the state would collect each year if the winner takes annuities.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s governor has signed a bill backed by conservative groups that requires public universities and community colleges to implement policies protecting free speech on campus. The Des Moines Register reports that Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the legislation Wednesday mandating that the schools consider what changes they need to make to maintain the “fullest degree of intellectual freedom and free expression.”

President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week that ordered colleges to protect free speech or risk losing federal funding. Conservative students and groups nationwide complain that their free speech rights have been restricted on liberal campuses in recent years, triggering a series of proposals from state legislators.

Cass County Treasurer Tracey J. Marshall is reminding property owners, that the second-half of real estate and mobile home taxes are now due. You can pay your property taxes online at www.iowatreasurers.org, or in-person at the courthouse in Atlantic. The Treasurer’s Office accepts credit and debit cards, with a convenience fee. The deadline for payments without penalty, is Monday, April 1st.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports that at about 10:20-a.m. today (Thursday), they received word of an accident on Main Street in Anita. In their report Thursday afternoon, officials said a 1986 Chevy S-10 pickup owned and driven by 86-year old Merlin Joseph Kraus, was parked on Main Street when Kraus drove forward over a curb and struck a light pole.

Ric Hanson photo

He then put the pickup in reverse and struck a 2015 Chevy Impala owned by FNB Bank which was parked on the opposite side of Main Street. Kraus’ pickup then went forward once again, and struck a building at 764 Main Street, in Anita. One passenger in the Chevy, who hit their head on the windshield, was transported to Cass County Memorial Hospital by Anita Fire and Rescue for treatment of minor injuries. Damage to the parked vehicle is estimated at $3,000; damage to the building was estimated at $800; and damage to Kraus’ vehicle is estimated at $1,500. The incident remains under investigation.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office report six arrests took place from March 17th through the 24th. On March 17th deputies arrested 36-year old Dustin Ray Bozwell, of Emerson, on charges of OWI 3rd or Subsequent Offense (D Felony) and Driving While Revoked (Serious). Bozwell was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on $6,000 bond. On March 20th,  the Cass County Sheriff’s Office served a District Court warrant for Probation Violation on 27-year old Mark Allen Fredericksen, of Atlantic. Fredericksen was already held at the Cass County Jail on Atlantic Police Department charges and remains held on $11,000 bond.

On March 21st, deputies arrested 31-year old Melanie Margaret Mary Padilla, of Cedar Rapids, on a District Court warrant for Violation of Probation. Padilla was taken to the Cass County Jail and released upon serving time owed. On March 22nd, deputies arrested 25-year old Tyler Mathew Harrington, of Lincoln, NE, on a charge of OWI 1st Offense (Serious). Harrington was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on his own recognizance. That same day, deputies arrested 56-year old Craig Allen Lang, of Atlantic, on a charge of OWI 2nd Offense (Aggravated). Lang was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on his own recognizance.

And, on March 24th, 47-year old Kevin Eugene Funke, of Massena, was arrested on a charge of Disorderly Conduct (Simple). Funke was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on his own recognizance.

(Radio Iowa) — A group of state and federal officials will be in southwest Iowa this (Thursday) afternoon and Friday to meet with farmers and discuss flood recovery. State Representative David Sieck, a farmer from Glenwood, has lived along the Missouri River his whole life. “I was born in ’57, but my grandpa showed me a fence line marker along the railroad that said the water got to the top of that in ’52, so basically I’ve experienced a lot of flooding in my life,” he says. “Nothing to the extent that we have had in the last 10 days.”

Sieck rushed back to his farm from Des Moines after his son warned the water was going to swamp their fields.  “It was like wham, this thing started happening so fast that nobody could keep up,” Sieck says. “…My brother and I lost a little over 6000 bushels of corn…with the breaches that were occurring out on the river and the over-topping, the water just came in really, really fast.”

Sieck warns farmers in the area may have THREE lost growing seasons, but there is a sliver of good news. Some grain stored in bins on farms in the areas is being scooped out. “So that will happen quick because there’s more rain coming,” Sieck says, “especially if the bins are burst open.”  Sieck says the problems on his farm are “insignificant” compared to the devastation he’s seen elsewhere. Former Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey — now a top U-S-D-A official — and Iowa Ag Secretary will be at a Farm Service Agency office in Sidney this (Thursday) afternoon.