Members of the Atlantic Police Department’s Reserves Unit were honored Wednesday evening, during the Atlantic City Council meeting. Police Chief Dave Erickson gave a brief history of the Reserve Unit, which has been in operation since 1972.

Atlantic Police Chief Dave Erickson (Left), and members of the Police Reserves.

Erickson said “For many year the Atlantic Police Reserves have maintained a very active membership with the Iowa State Law Officers Association (ISRLOA), a statewide organization comprised of hundreds of Iowa Reserve Police Officers and Reserve Deputy Sheriffs. The Organization recently presented the Atlantic Unit with the Donald H. Mackaman Outstanding Unit Award for the second year in a row. It was also the seventh time the City’s Reserve Unit has won the award. The award, named for its founder, is given to units that go above and beyond the call of duty.

The Reserve Officers currently include Bob McHugh, Jeff Hackwell, Jake Karns, Cole Lowary, Ryan Barnholdt, Jarrad Cavin and Pastel Force.

Erickson said “The Atlantic Police Reserve has proven time and time again to be an asset to the Atlantic Police Department and most importantly, a safety asset to the citizens of Atlantic, Cass County and the State of Iowa.” The Chief said in 2017, the seven-to nine-member unit donated more than 1,648 hours of general service to the community and department. That breaks down to 1,107 hours of patrol, 244 1/2 hours of school security, 106 hours of documented training, nearly 136 hours of documented public service and 55 hours of firearms training, not including monthly meetings or Iowa Law Enforcement Academy certification training.

Those hours are predominantly volunteer, and are not individually compensated. That includes various community service projects, such as camp outs, Halloween programs, canned food drives and movie matinees. Christmas programs, the Family Night Out and other such endeavors throughout the years have also been handled by the Reserves.

Chief Erickson congratulated the Reserves for their time and dedication, and encouraged anyone wanting to join those officers, or who has questions about the Atlantic Police Department, the Police Reserves or the ISRLOA, to contact him, Sgt. Spencer Walton, or Officer Caleb Smith at the Atlantic P-D.

The Iowa House has given final approval to the legislature’s policy responses to the opioid epidemic. In an effort to curb “doctor shopping,” physicians will be required to register prescriptions with the state’s drug monitoring program within 24 hours. Senator Tom Greene, a pharmacist from Burlington, says 26 other states already have that requirement. “And these states have shown large reductions in opioid prescriptions,” Greene says.

In addition, handwritten prescriptions will become a thing of the past. Representative John Forbes, a pharmacist in Urbandale, says having prescriptions submitted electronically will “definitely have a big impact.” “What happens with paper prescriptions is sometimes they get altered,” Forbes says. “…Most common alteration on a prescription is they try to either change the quantity that the physician wrote or they try to change the strength of the drug.”

Today, only 10 to 15 percent of opioid prescriptions in Iowa are done electronically. Representative Dave Heaton of Mount Pleasant says he’s hoping the “continuing education” requirements in the bill for doctors will encourage restraint. “There’s no need to hand a person a jug of pills that’ll provide opioid treatment for 30 days after a person has maybe had some surgery or some other medical treatment,” Heaton says. “…Remember, after five or six days (of opioid use), the tendency to become an addict begins to grow.”

Heaton expressed disappointment that the bill did not include limits on the number of opioid pills doctors may prescribe and he suggested that may be on legislators’ to-do list next year. Representative Chuck Isenhart of Dubuque says he’ll keep lobbying to legalize needle exchange programs. “Hep C is a growing problem in great part due to the increasing use of injectable drugs, both opioids and methamphetamines by Iowans,” Isenhart says, “especially in those under 30.”

Preliminary data indicates more than 200 deaths last year in Iowa were connected to opioid abuse. The bill won unanimous approval in the Senate yesterday (Tuesday) and the House today (Wednesday). The governor is expected to sign the bill into law.

(Radio Iowa)

A historical tour of Shelby County is planned for May 15th.  Ron Chamberlain will help lead the one-day tour that will leave from Harlan.  The tour will include stops in Portsmouth, Panama, Earling and Westphalia to visit churches in each community and to see the one-room school house in Panama.  The tour cost is 29-dollars which includes a lunch stop in Panama.  To reserve a spot, call 712-744-3209 or 712-235-2791.

The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports a southwest Iowa couple were sentenced today (Wednesday) to prison, for their role in the distribution of methamphetamine. 30-year-old Christopher Leroy Jordan, and his wife, 26-year-old Randi Marie Jordan, both of Sidney, were convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Christopher Jordan was sentenced to 14 years in prison, and 10 years of supervised release following his prison term. Randi Jordan faces four years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

In early November, 2016, the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation of the Jordans for distribution of meth. A search warrant was executed in January, 2017 at the Jordans’ house, resulting in the seizure of meth, marijuana plants and related evidence, as well as the arrests of both defendants. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement conducted the investigation, which was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

A man who was convicted of assaulting a teenage girl in Estherville in 2011 is accused of recently sexually abusing another girl in Council Bluffs. Twenty-seven-year-old Derrick Wolfert is already on the lifetime sex offender registry for the Estherville incident. Now, Council Bluffs Police say Wolfert has admitted to sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl on March 3rd. She was babysitting a friend’s children at the time. Wolfert is being held in the Pottawattamie County Jail on a $20,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa)

Susan G. Komen Greater Iowa today (Wednesday), announced nearly $330,000 in new community grants for 2018-2019. Susan G. Komen has a bold goal to reduce current breast cancer deaths by 50 percent in the U.S. by 2026 To achieve this goal locally, Komen Greater Iowa funds local projects to help meet the most critical needs of the community, including projects that provide vitally needed breast cancer screening, diagnostic and treatment services and support, such as patient navigation, education and financial assistance. Jenny Brinkmeyer, Executive Director of the Affiliate, said “To meet needs we have discovered right here in the communities we serve, this year’s grant slate will fund critical gaps in screening, treatment and education and will help minimize barriers women face in accessing the services they need to stay healthy. We are proud to be able to distribute the funds we raise throughout the year, through events like Race for the Cure, to these worthy organizations.”

Among the programs selected for funding through a competitive application and independent review process, was Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs, to provide financial assistance for breast screening and diagnostic services, support, case management and survivorship care, and, Promise Community Health Center in Sioux Center, to increase awareness of and access to breast health care, education and mammography services and conduct outreach to the Hispanic and Latino population.

Komen Greater Iowa has identified a gap in breast health care within minority populations in the state, and these grants will provide mammography screening for underserved and uninsured Hispanic women,
prevention awareness in minority communities, and enhance communication between health care providers and patients in rural areas. Seventy-five percent of net revenue from the Komen Greater Iowa Race for the Cure® events in Des Moines, Moline, Ottumwa and other events throughout the year are dedicated to funding community health programs. Remaining proceeds fund groundbreaking research to find the cur

May is Better Hearing Month and we don’t get hearing exams as regularly as we should, according to Doug Leonard, Audiologist at ASI in Atlantic. Hearing Evaluations should be as regular as eye and dental exams. It is suggested to have a baseline exam when you are 40-50 years old.

The diagnostic test is recommended for anyone who is over the age of 40 years old. It is a simple test where the patient would go in and go over some basic medical history, the Audiologist would look into their ears for any external abnormalities, and then they would go into the sound booth where they would test where their hearing is, and if needed schedule a follow up exam.

A diagnostic test could take less than an hour, cost anywhere from $25 to $50, and could potentially help save your hearing in the future.

The public is invited to join the Council Bluffs Police Department, the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department, the Iowa State Patrol and other local law enforcement agencies during their annual Police Memorial Service. The service will take place in the parking lot of the Pottawattamie County Courthouse on May 10th beginning at 6:30-p.m., with a laying of the wreath, taps and 21 gun salute. Shortly after the ceremony at the Courthouse, the scene will shift to Saint John Lutheran Church (across the street) for prayer, a lighting of candles and remembrance of Officers. All in the community are welcome to attend.