Residents of at least 8 homes in the vicinity of 5^th and Maple Streets in Atlantic were allowed to return to their homes this (Thursday) afternoon, about 4-hours after construction crews working on a sewer line accidentally hit a 4-inch diameter, high pressure gas line.  The line was struck at around 10:10-a.m., forcing authorities to evacuate residents in the area until utility crews could repair the damage. The official all-clear notice was received from the Cass County Emergency Management Agency at around 1:45-p.m.

The smell of gas was noticed by residents around the northeast and north central parts of town for hours Thursday, and the high-pitched sound of gas whistling from the cut in the line could be heard for well over a block away. No injuries were reported.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Drought conditions have worsened in a portion of the Midwest including Iowa, the nation’s leading corn producer, as the region experienced its hottest week of the year. The extreme heat and near record low August rainfall combined to expand drought conditions from the eastern Dakotas southeastward into western Illinois.  Iowa saw its warmest week since July 2012, with highs topping 104 at Des Moines on Aug. 30.

About 98 percent of the state is in drought. Severe drought expanded to 32 percent of the state from 22 percent the week before. Conditions are mostly unchanged in Nebraska and Kansas. The weekly drought monitor, which tracks conditions from Aug. 27 through Tuesday morning, shows 61.7 percent of the contiguous United States in drought, nearly the same as the week before.

Cass County Wellness Coordinator Teddi Grindberg has announced the County has been awarded $11,554 in a USDA Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG), to assist with Farmers Markets development throughout the County. The award will extend through the end of the current market season, the coming year, and the end of the next season.

The focus of the grant is to help communities within Cass County to create and/or expand area farmers markets. The Cass County Local Food Policy Council will work in conjunction with interested communities to identify current and potential vendors, establish community-based market committees, and to promote the purchase and consumption of the local food provided in the markets.

A square block area of Atlantic was evacuated this (Thursday) morning, following a gas line rupture at 5th and Elm Streets.  Atlantic Assistant Fire Chief Tim Cappel told KJAN News a crew working on a sewer line punctured a gas line just after 10-a.m.

Gas line punctured at 5th & maple. View looking east from 5th & Elm Streets (Ric Hanson/photo)

Gas could be heard whistling from the site, as fire and police personnel worked to cordon-off the area and evacuate local residences and businesses. Cappel said they anticipated the evacuation would remain in-place for about four hours.

The public is asked to stay away from the area until the leak is fixed.

Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green says Wednesday evening’s action by the City Council pertaining to an amendment of an ordinance allowing bow hunting of deer within the City limits, means anyone interested in hunting this season, and did qualify to do so last season, should contact the Police Department to acquire a permit. Hunters who did not shoot qualifying scores last season may contact Lt. Dave Erickson at the P-D, to set-up a time to qualify.

Green says the department has the permit applications and hunting instruction packets available. Both may be picked up during normal business hours (8-a.m. to 4-p.m., Monday through Friday). In addition, land owners who would like to allow bow hunters to hunt on their land, should contact the Police Department at 712-243-3512 during business hours, to sign-up.

The Council’s action Wednesday, was an effort to entice hunters to actively assist in the reducing of an excessive number of deer that have plagued the City in recent years. Last year, over 30 hunters qualified for the right to hunt within the City limits of Atlantic, but only two deer were taken. The greatest change to the Ordinance, according to Green, is that hunters will be reimbursed for the cost of the State Deer Tag for taking their first doe within the City limits. Subsequent to taking an antlerless deer and having it verified that it was taken within the City limits, hunters will be given a permission slip allowing them to use their next “any sex” tag, to take one of the many large bucks that frequent the community.

Big changes are coming to health insurance starting October 1st, when millions of uninsured Americans have to start buying policies under the Affordable Care Act. Jon Bailey, at the Center for Rural Affairs, says rural residents in Iowa tend NOT to get preventative screenings, like cancer tests or mammograms. “The screenings and the tests are relatively inexpensive and do pay off and rural people, the data shows, get those in significantly fewer amounts than non-rural people,” Bailey says. “I think that’s because of the type of insurance they have.” Compared to urban residents, Bailey says rural Americans are responsible for nearly 22-percent more of their total health care costs, including premiums, co-pays and out-of-pocket costs.

The center’s research finds rural Iowans will see many pluses from the new federal health care law. Bailey says they focused on the provisions of the law, including tax credits and whether the costs can be subsidized. Bailey says, “Because of the insurance market in rural areas, because of lower incomes generally in rural areas, we think a good chuck of premium tax credits will go to rural people and a lot of rural people will benefit from them.” Bailey, the center’s director of rural research and analysis, authored the report which looks at the benefits of health insurance marketplaces, cost sharing and other incentives for rural residents.

“We hope it shows the process people will have to go through and if they purchase insurance on the new health insurance marketplaces, what they’ll potentially get in terms of premium assistance to help pay the health insurance costs,” Bailey says. “It shows how those premium assistance provisions work, who qualifies for those.” Bailey says many provisions of the new law apply to rural residents because of demographics, unique health care challenges and economic circumstances. The Center for Rural Affairs is based in Lyons, Nebraska.

(Radio Iowa)

The Atlantic Police Department reports two arrests on Wednesday. 52-year old Laurie Moore, of Anita, was arrested for Public Intoxication. And, 36-year old Erik Appley, of Walnut, was arrested on Cass County warrants for Theft in the 5th degree, and Driving While Barred. Moore and Appley were booked into the Cass County Jail and held, pending an appearance before the magistrate.

w/ Ric Hanson

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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa’s insurance commissioner says he needs a commitment from a national insurer before he can release pricing information on policies to be sold on the state’s new health insurance exchange.  The prices were scheduled to be released next week, but that’s been delayed until Sept. 16.

Commissioner Nick Gerhart told The Des Moines Register that he’s awaiting a decision from Coventry on whether it will carry through on its initial plans to offer policies. But Coventry’s new parent company, Aetna, has withdrawn from five other states’ exchanges.   Aetna officials didn’t respond to requests for comment.

If Coventry were to opt out, that would leave Iowans with only one carrier, CoOportunity Health. The state’s dominant health insurer, Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield, won’t participate in the exchange until 2015.

The Clarinda Police Department reports the escapee from the Clarinda Academy, 16-year old Myriah Thomas has been apprehended near Waukee, by the Iowa State Patrol. Additional information will follow as it becomes available.

M. Thomas (Clarinda P-D provided image)

Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers said the teen apparently jumped from a second-story window from a dorm at the Academy, sometime between 12:30- and 1-a.m., today. Authorities had said that at around 4:10-a.m., a black female matching Thomas’ description had stopped at the Casey’s Store in Villisca and asked for directions to the Interstate. The teen was driving a white Ford Ranger,and was by herself.