w/ Chris Parks

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Three individuals were arrested in Red Oak Friday evening after Red Oak Police executed a search warrant.  At 4:25pm Friday Red Oak Police officers executed the search warrant at 502 East Coolbaugh Street Apartment #3 resulting in the arrest of 20-year-0ld Cole Ryan Kier of Red Oak.  Kier was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  Kier was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $1,000 cash bond.  Also arrested were 23-year-old Aaron Gar Nelson of Red Oak and 25-year-old Dnae Christine Mcconahay of Malvern both for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Nelson and Mcconahay were released on citation.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — State officials say two more probable cases of bird flu have been found at farms in Iowa. The state agriculture department announced Friday that the avian influenza has been detected at a Wright County farm where about 400,000 chickens are being raised and at a Sac County turkey farm with about 42,000 birds.

Initial testing was positive for the bird flu and samples have been sent to a federal lab in Ames for confirmation. If confirmed, the birds will be euthanized. The two cases Friday followed the Thursday announcement that a turkey farm with 17,000 birds in Hamilton County had tested positive for the disease.

The agriculture department says the virus has infected poultry at farms with more than 26 million birds.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa leaders are criticizing a proposal from the Obama administration that would reduce the amount of ethanol blended in U.S. gasoline. Iowa leads the nation in producing ethanol, a fuel additive made mostly from corn. Under the proposal released Friday by the Environmental Protection Agency, the amount of ethanol blended in to gasoline will increase, but not by as much as originally required by law.

Still, the agency didn’t decrease the standards as much as it had proposed in 2013. Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad — who has lobbied aggressively for maintaining a strong standard — says in a statement that he was disappointed, but noted that the EPA made slight increases from a previous proposal. Sen. Joni Ernst says in a statement that “we can and must do better.”

A long-time Atlantic business owned by a local couple for more than 44-years, is being sold. Rich and Nedra Perry, owners of Geis-Perry Jewelry, announced today (Friday), they are selling their business and will be entering into retirement.

Nedra and Rich Perry reflect on their many years in Atlantic as Jewelers.

Rich Perry said they learned last December a couple from Iowa was interested in buying the store, and plans have been finalized making the sale to Kent and Patrice Hanson.

The Perry’s anticipate Christmas Eve will be the last day they will run the business. The Hanson’s bought the building and the business, but not the inventory, so Rich says they will hold a retirement sale beginning in November. Until then, everything will be run the same as it has been for the past 44-years.  He says the Hanson’s are family oriented. In fact, their daughter, Kendra Henningsen, lives here, which was a prime reason they wanted to move here. The Hanson’s have over 25-years experience in the business, and will be closing their own stores to relocate to Atlantic.

The first ad announcing the Perry’s had purchased the business back in the ’70’s.

The store will close at the end of December and re-open under new ownership but retain the same name, at least for now, in mid-January. Rich Perry says “It’s a win-win for everyone, in particular for the community.” Nedra Perry says it’s a bitter-sweet time in their lives, but something they’ve been looking forward to. She says it will be very hard to leave their customers and staff, because “They are family.”

Rich Perry says he looks forward to the change with a “Great, great deal of anticipation and an equal amount of apprehension,” because Nedra, he says “Will have to put up with twice as much husband with half as much income and vice-versa, since we work together.” The couple plans to stay in Atlantic, but winter elsewhere, where it’s warmer.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The University of Iowa Health Care has begun offering a virtual clinic that lets people use their computers, tablets or smartphones to check with health care providers. The Iowa City Press-Citizen says UIeCare.com is designed to gain help on minor illnesses and injuries that might be urgent but not life-threatening. The fee is $50 per visit, and users must have Internet connections and web cameras on their computers or mobile devices.

After each visit to the virtual clinic, patients will be sent detailed email summaries of what was discussed. A provider will check back five days later. Dr. Patrick Brophy with University of Iowa Health Care says a Nebraska company offers similar virtual clinics in western Iowa, but UIeCare would be the first such Iowa-based service.

Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad today (Friday) announced that he is extending the State of Disaster Emergency in response to the avian flu outbreak until July 1st, 2015. The governor’s original disaster declaration was set to expire Sunday, May 31, 2015.

As of Thursday, May 28th, Iowa had 68 cases of the disease in the state. The disease is affecting birds in 18 counties. The counties affected at this time are: Buena Vista, Sac, Osceola, Sioux, O’Brien, Kossuth, Clay, Pocahontas, Cherokee, Madison, Wright, Palo Alto, Lyon, Plymouth, Calhoun, Adair, Webster and Hamilton.

The proclamation of disaster emergency sets into motion and involves:

1. Activation of the disaster response and recovery aspect of the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department’s (HSEMD) Iowa Emergency Response Plan.

2. Authorizing the use and deployment of all available state resources, supplies, equipment, and materials as are deemed reasonably necessary by the Iowa Secretary of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) and Iowa HSEMD in order to do the following:

A. Tracking and monitoring instances of confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza throughout the state of Iowa and the country,

B. Establishing importation restrictions and prohibitions in respect to animals suspected of suffering from this disease,

C. Rapidly detecting any presumptive or confirmed cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza within Iowa’s borders,

D. Containing the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza within our state through depopulation, disinfections, and disposal of livestock carcasses,

E. Engaging in detection activities, contact tracking, and other investigatory work to stop the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza within our state, and

F. Elimination of the disease in those disaster counties where it has been found and lessen the risk of this disease spreading to our state as a whole.

3. Temporarily authorizes the Iowa HSEMD, the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT), the Iowa Department of Public Safety (DPS), the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), other state agencies, and local law enforcement agencies and private contractors employed by the same to remove and/or dispose of live animals and animal carcasses on publicly or privately owned land when those live animals and/or carcasses threaten public health or safety.

4. Authorizes the Iowa HSEMD, the Iowa DOT, the Iowa DPS, the Iowa DNR, IDPH, other state agencies, and local law enforcement agencies to implement stop movement and stop loading restrictions and other control zone measures as are reasonably deemed necessary, including establishing buffer zones, checkpoints, and cleaning and disinfecting operations at checkpoints and borders surrounding any quarantine areas established by the IDALS or at any other location in the state of Iowa, in order to stop the spread of this contagious disease.

5. Authorizes state agencies to assist the IDALS in disinfection, depopulation, and livestock carcass disposal efforts.

6. Temporarily waives restrictions to allow for the timely and efficient disposal of poultry carcasses.

7. Temporarily suspends the regulatory provisions pertaining to hours of service for commercial vehicle drivers hauling poultry carcasses infected with or exposed to highly pathogenic avian influenza or while hauling loads otherwise related to the response to this disaster during its duration, subject to certain conditions outlined in the disaster proclamation.

Officials say the virus strains can travel in wild birds without those birds appearing sick. People should avoid contact with sick/dead poultry or wildlife. If contact occurs, wash your hands with soap and water and change clothing before having any contact with healthy domestic poultry and birds.

All bird owners, whether commercial producers or backyard flock owners, should continue to practice good biosecurity, prevent contact between their birds and wild birds, and report sick birds or unusual bird deaths to state/federal officials, either through their state veterinarian at 515-281-5321 or through USDA’s toll-free number at 1-866-536-7593.

Ellen Holtz, the mother of fallen Omaha Police Officer Kerrie Orozco issued a statement this (Friday) morning to the media, through the Archdiocese of Omaha. The statement read:

“On behalf of the Kerrie Holtz Orozco Family, we would like to express our profound gratitude. Words can’t express the overwhelming support that we have received. Kerrie was never one to brag about all the good she was doing in the community; she just took it in stride with her normal day. We were never aware of just how many people she was helping or how many lives she touched. We are sad that she is no longer with us but are so proud of all she has accomplished and all the good that she has helped spread. The tribute that the Omaha and surrounding communities put together was so amazing. Seeing all the people lined up for the procession, even when it started raining was touching. It was astounding how many people cared about Kerrie and wanted to support her. Having the support of what seemed like the entire nation, made saying goodbye a little easier. We wish we could thank each one of her supporters. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you so much for everything that you did to support our wonderful daughter, sister, wife, and mother, Kerrie Holtz Orozco. May her legacy live forever. Kerrie On!
Ellen Holtz and family.”

Sheriff’s officials in Mills County say a Malvern man was arrested Thursday night for Going Armed with Intent, and Interference with Official Acts. 67-year old James Alfred McConkey was taken into custody at around 9:55-p.m. and brought to the Mills County Jail, where his bond was set at $5,300. And, 41-year old Travis Donald Batten, of Glenwood, was arrested Wednesday night following an investigation into a single-vehicle accident.

Batten was traveling at a high rate of speed eastbound on Ives Avenue at around 6:20-p.m. Wednesday, when he lost control of a 1998 Honda he was driving, on a curve. The vehicle entered the north ditch and spun around before coming to rest. Batten left the scene of the accident prior to a deputy arriving.

Batten was subsequently arrested on a warrant for Harassment in the 3rd degree, and cited for Failure to Maintain Control, Failure to Reduce Speed, Failure to have a valid driver’s license, having no insurance, and leaving the scene of an accident. He was being held in the Mills County Jail on $300 bond.