An Atlantic Police Officer was recognized during the City Council meeting in Atlantic, Wednesday evening. Mayor Dave Jones called 30-year old Sgt. Dustin Pieken to the center floor to present him with a plaque for 10-years of service to the community. Jones said “Sgt. Pieken joined the Atlantic Police Department as an Officer May 29th, 2007. A sergeant was promoted to Lieutenant in May, 2016. Pieken was [then] promoted to Sergeant. This marks his 10th anniversary of working for the City, and I [The Mayor] would like to recognize him at this time, for his service to the Community.”

Mayor Dave Jones reads from an inscription on a plaque he presented to Sgt. Dustin Pieken.

Jones added from the inscription on the plaque “Family born, not from bloodline but bonded in line by a blue one. With the deepest appreciation the people of Atlantic and the Atlantic Police Department want to thank Sgt. Dustin Pieken for his 10-years of selflessness. service and protecting our community.” He said also Pieken had done a great job, and he appreciates his help.

The Iowa State Patrol Wednesday evening released the names of those involved in a car versus motorcycle accident Wednesday afternoon on Highway 71 just off the Interstate 80 eastbound off ramp. Officials say the operator of the motorcycle, 65-year old Thomas Joseph Radniecki, of Oklee, MN., who was wearing a helmet, was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic, before being flown by LifeNet helicopter to the University of Nebraska Medical Center, in Omaha.

The accident happened at around 2:40-p.m., when Radniecki’s 2012 Honda was struck by a 2017 Chrysler that was driven by 54-year old Suzanne McRae, of Strathroy, Ontario, Canada. Radniecki had just exited I-80 eastbound the mile marker 60 (The Highway 71 off ramp), and failed to yield at the stop sign. The southbound car made contact with the left front side of the cycle.

McRae and her passenger, who were wearing their seat belts, were not hurt. Atlantic Fire and Rescue, Medivac and the Cass County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.

STORM LAKE, Iowa (AP) — Police say a 6-year-old boy has drowned in a northwestern Iowa lake. The Sioux City Journal reports that that Luis Fernando Silva Moreno, of Sioux City, drowned Monday in Storm Lake.

Storm Lake Police said Wednesday in a news release that the boy was pronounced dead after a dive team found his body underwater just off a lake beach shortly before 1 p.m. Monday. Police and rescue crews were called to the lake around 11:45 a.m. that day after the boy’s mother reported him missing. She told officials he had last been seen near the water.

Divers found the boy’s body within six minutes of being deployed. The Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office will be performing an autopsy.

SLOAN, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have identified a man who died Monday in an early-morning house fire in western Iowa. The Iowa State Fire Marshal’s Office tells the Sioux City Journal that 39-year-old Matthew Goodvin died in the Monday fire. He was pronounced dead after authorities say he did not make it out of a house, which was located between Hornick and Sloan.

Emergency crews were called to the house around 6:30 a.m. Monday. Departments from Hornick, Salix, Sloan and Whiting responded to the blaze, as did the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office and Iowa State Fire Marshal’s Office.

The State Fire Marshal is continuing to investigate the cause of the fire.

Authorities say a man from Minnesota was injured during a collision between a car and his motorcycle, Wednesday afternoon. The accident happened near the eastbound Interstate 80 off ramp and Highway 71, at around 2:40-p.m.

Authorities say the motorcyclist stopped at the end of the ramp at the stop sign, before proceeding to cross the Highway. He saw a car approaching and stopped, but the driver of the car was unable to avoid the collision. The motorcyclist was transported by Medivac to the Cass County Memorial Hospital and flown a short time later to an undisclosed hospital. The driver of the car and his passengers were not hurt. They were all from Ontario, Canada. No names were immediately released.

Atlantic Fire and Rescue assisted at the accident scene.

One of the biggest boosters of the state’s new fireworks law says lawmakers may move to address some of the legal wrangling over where fireworks may be sold. Senator Jake Chapman, a Republican from Adel, is concerned about some city ordinances restricting fireworks sales.

“The issue of cities using some zoning to put these in heavy industrial, that was never the intention of the bill,” Chapman says. “In fact, within the guidelines incorporated into the bill…it says that they shall be limited to mercantile occupancy, which we intended to be commercial zoning, so we’re going to have to look at that.” For nearly eight decades, Iowa law had forbidden the sale and ignition of fireworks in Iowa.

Chapman was the senate manager of the bill that legalized fireworks displays this summer. Chapman says he’s getting lots of “thanks” from folks who’ve waited for years to see private fireworks displays made legal. “The bill did what we had anticipated,” Chapman says, “and I think if folks were out last night and the last couple of nights, they could hear that Iowans were celebrating in full force with the celebration of the Fourth with fireworks.” Chapman says local control is allowed “on the use” of fireworks.

“There’s folks who absolutely don’t want it at all,” Chapman says. “But then you have others that say: ‘Hey, how can be enforce the law with people who are shooting them off after hours?’ And of course, with any law, you’re going to have people and that will be up to local jurisdictions to enforce it.”

The penalty is 250-dollars for people caught shooting off fireworks after hours or in cities that have local ordinances banning fireworks displays. Fireworks may be SOLD in Iowa through this Saturday, July 8th, and fireworks ignition may legally continue through Saturday in many jurisdictions. Chapman followed a personal, long-standing tradition and got a permit to host a fireworks display in rural Dallas County last (Tuesday) night that lasted about 20 minutes.

(Radio Iowa)

Homeowners, renters and business owners in southwest Iowa and southeast Nebraska who had damage during severe weather almost a month ago may qualify for federal aid. The U-S Small Business Administration has declared a disaster for the storms, tornadoes and high winds June 12th through the 16th. S-B-A spokesman Rick Jenkins says they’re long-term, low-interest loans.

“It’s one of the quirks of the SBA’s program,” Jenkins says. “Not only do we help businesses rebuild and recover with loans of up to $2-million to repair or replace damages they incurred as a result of a disaster, but also we help homeowners and renters.” The disaster declaration makes S-B-A assistance available in Fremont and Mills counties in Iowa and in Cass, Lancaster, Otoe, Sarpy and Saunders counties in Nebraska.

“A homeowner could borrow up to $200,000 to repair or replace their primary residence,” Jenkins says, “and homowners and renters can borrow up to $40,000 to replace personal property that was lost in the disaster.” The interest rates are very low, according to Jenkins, one-point-nine percent for homeowners and renters, and three-point-two percent for businesses, with terms up to 30 years. An S-B-A Disaster Loan Outreach Center is opening tomorrow (Thursday) in Plattsmouth, Nebraska, but Iowans with damage don’t necessarily have to make the drive.

“There’s three ways to apply for a loan: You can come into the center, sit down and talk to our customer service reps, you can call the toll-free 800-number and our customer service representatives will help you through the application process while you’re on the phone, or you can do it online yourself.”

For help, call the S-B-A at (800) 659-2955 or visit https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

(Radio Iowa)

A man from Nebraska died during a rollover accident Monday morning, in Audubon County. The Iowa State Patrol says 40-year old Eric Rutledge, of Omaha, was traveling south on Highway 71 near Littlefield Drive at around 4:50-a.m., when for reasons unknown, his 2006 Lexus IS250 crossed the northbound lane and entered the east ditch before rolling numerous times and coming to rest in a nearby gravel lot.

Rutledge was pronounced dead at the scene. The accident remains under investigation.