Officials with the Museum of Danish America in Elk Horn, say a t-shirt design contest is being held by the Museum, for an upcoming exhibit. Nicky Christensen, Museum Development/Social Media Associate, says they are accepting entries until noon on  Tuesday, March 15th. The contest is open to high school students from the Atlantic, Audubon, Exira‐Elk Horn‐Kimballton, and Harlan districts. The winning graphic design will appear on the front of a shirt that will be made available for purchase through online sales and in the museum’s Design Store.

Museum of Danish America

The design is to center around the theme of the new exhibit Sport for Sports’ Sake: Athletes and Ethnicity in Danish America which will open on Saturday, April 23rd. The exhibit will explore four aspects of sport: fitness, competition, camaraderie, and profession.

The original design should be made up of no more than three colors and contain no text or logos. The file must be emailed to media@danishmuseum.org with the student’s information. Students may submit a maximum of two designs. All entrants will receive a certificate for one free family admission to the Museum of Danish America. Admission also entitles the group to same‐day entry to the Genealogy Center, Bedstemor’s House (open Memorial Day‐Labor Day), and Jens Dixen cabin.

The winning entry will be announced on or before April 1st, 2016. One grand prize winner will receive a t‐shirt with their design, a gift certificate to the Museum of Danish America Design Store in the amount of $100, and a one‐year membership at the Contributing Level (A $100 value which includes access to the online collections database).

Official rules and entry information can be found at http://bit.ly/1TVd85Q .

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held this (Thursday) morning in Atlantic for a new electronic sign that replaces an older sign that stopped working last Spring, and was un-repairable. The new sign — located on the corner of Highway 6 and Chestnut Street – features an LED display that scrolls messages with regard to community events, as well as the current time and temp.

Atlantic Chamber Ambassadors gathered on a cloudy, breezy, 31-degree morning, to hear about how the sign will be used, and from the man who everyone acknowledged spear-headed efforts to get the sign brought up-to-date, Gerald Brink, owner of Brink Flowers and Gifts. Brink said “For 50 or 60-years, it’s been a cornerstone of the community.” He said he “Couldn’t stand to sit back and watch the thing be taken down. So, the Image Builders [Committee] decided ‘hey, lets take on this project.” Brink said “It was probably one of the easiest projects they’ve ever taken on to raise money [for]. Everybody thought that this sign was very important to Atlantic.”

He said also “I think it will be an important part of our community to the future.” The previous sign, which was 12-years old, was replaced with the more modern, longer-lasting display, thanks to more than $30,000 in contributions raised through the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce’ Image Builders Committee.

Chamber Programs Director Kate Christensen said due to DOT regulations, messages on the new marquee cannot be used for business advertising. It can only used to promote community events. There will be no charge to community organizations and non-profit groups to scroll their events on the sign.

Those organizations can e-mail the Chamber to obtain a form for submission about the event they wish to promote. It will be placed into rotation as soon as possible. Kate says also, anyone with suggestions about message color combinations or anything else related to the sign, is welcome to call her with those ideas.

Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County say deputies responding at around 9:45-a.m. Tuesday to a report of a gunshot wound at 95 2nd Street, in Elliott, found 92-year old Richard Jennings dead, from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by Red Oak Rescue, Elliott 1st Responders, and the Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency.

Shelby County Fire stations and other facilities or businesses with Fire Danger placards, are being told to set their signs in the “HIGH” section. Emergency Management officials say the forecast indicates warming weather with wind for the next several days. Because the ground is soft, fire trucks may have a hard time reaching field sites where controlled burns are planned. Authorities therefore are asking anyone who plans to conduct controlled burns to contact their local fire chief, first.

Be sure and call 755-2124 also, with the location of your burn, so dispatchers can gather logistical data. A burn plan can be downloaded from www.shelbycountyema.com.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports deputies Monday, arrested 56-year old Deborah Frances Lambrecht, of Atlantic, on charges of Possession of Contraband in Correctional Facility (a Class-D Felony), OWI 1st Offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Lambrecht was later released from custody on $5,000 bond.

The Sheriff’s Office says on Wednesday, deputies arrested 38-year old Jamin Ryan Walters, of Council Bluffs, on a Pottawattamie County warrant. Walters was taken to the Cass County Jail and later released on $1,000 bond.

That same day, 24-year old Thea Marie Sherman, of Atlantic, was arrested for Interference with Official Acts. Sherman was taken to the Cass County Jail where she remains held while serving a two-day sentence.

Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers said in a press release today (Thursday), that they “Are very fortunate that there was no loss of life or serious injury given the time of day” an extensive property damage accident occurred, Wednesday, at the Easters True Value Store, in Clarinda.

The Police report said a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by 73-year old Kathryn Sump, of Clarinda, was pulling-in to park at an angle in front of the store  just before 4-p.m. Wednesday, when, according to Sump, her foot became stuck on the accelerator pedal. Her SUV hit a curb and jumped onto the sidewalk before hitting the front of the building, and a bench in front of the building.

The vehicle then deflected off the building and hit a 2012 Jeep Liberty, before bouncing off it and striking a Dodge Avenger. The SUV pushed the car into a 2006 Dodge Durango before finally coming to rest. The store’s closed circuit camera caught the incident on tape. No injuries were reported. Damage from the crash amounted to $50,000.  Sump was cited for Failure to Maintain Control. Chief Brothers said Sump told authorities afterward, she “Was no longer safe to drive and did not want to drive anymore.”

Advocates say it’s time for legislators to investigate the recent increase in Iowa court orders to terminate parental rights. “What’s going on here? Are all of a sudden the parents in Iowa becoming evil?” That’s Nancy Augustine. She became an advocate for change after her son and daughter-in-law were investigated by state government social workers in 2012.

“They went through the whole court system — the juvenile court, which I refer to as a kangaroo court system because everything about it is the opposite of ‘innocent until proven guilty,’ etc.,” Augustine said. “They got their children back after going through all the hoops and whistles…but, but I could not let this drop.” Toya Johnson of Iowa Citizens for Justice says Iowa ranks 36th in population, but sixth in the number of children who are removed from their parents’ home after an allegation of abuse.

“We have a serious problem that needs to be addressed not only with the Department of Human Services, but it also needs to be addressed in the way our judicial policies and procedures are going,” Jackson says. Jackson and Augustine testified yesterday (Wednesday) before the Iowa House Government Oversight Committee. The panel’s chairman said state officials will be given a chance to respond to the allegations at a future committee meeting.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Senate has passed legislation that would expand state oversight of Iowa’s Medicaid program under private management, but the measure’s future is unclear. The Democratic-controlled Senate voted 32-18 Wednesday for the measure, which would expand the state’s authority to review how three private companies handle the $4.2 billion program when they take over on April 1st.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Investigators are disputing a claim by University of Iowa public safety director David Visin that they harassed his hospitalized stepson with questions about whether Visin was involved in a hit-and-run. The Associated Press reported Monday that David Visin is accused of interfering with the investigation into the June 25th accident involving stepson Sean Crane. Visin says that officers “badgered” Crane in his hospital room with questions about Visin and Crane told them “the truth, that I knew nothing.”

AMES, Iowa (AP) — A U.S. Labor Department initiative has found that a handful of Ames restaurants violated federal labor standards and owed thousands of dollars to workers. Department officials announced Wednesday that Ames employers owed nearly $100,000 to 158 restaurant and hotel workers after investigators looked into hospitality industries in Midwest college towns.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — City Council members have declined to allocate public funds to support a 30-foot sculpture on pedestrian mall in Iowa City. KCRG-TV reports a majority of the council on Tuesday night voted against a plan to give $50,000 to the Iowa City Downtown District for the project.

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, approved a Resolution in support of the Schildberg Recreation Area Committee and Atlantic Parks and Rec Department Board, to secure a Vision Iowa CAT (Community Attraction and Tourism) Grant for Phase 1 of the Schildberg Recreation Area improvements. The project will cost $635,000, but Atlantic Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring said they anticipate reducing that amount by as much as $13,000 by working with local vendors and local contractors.

Schildberg Rec Area Master Plan (click on image to enlarge)

The application to Vision Iowa, which must be submitted by April 15th, will request $360,000. It requires a 50-percent match, meaning $180,000 would have to be raised through other sources. The City Council, in its action Wednesday, approved $100,000. The rest, according to Herring, will possibly come from a REAP (Resource Enhancement and Protection) grant, and local sources, which would help fund some portion of the proposed, phased-in improvements to the Schildberg Rec Area.

Campground area site plan (click to enlarge image)

He says within the next 2-3 years, they could fund the playground, an ADA compliant fishing pier, the west side shelter house, and parking lot, not only through REAP, but through the Local Option Sales Tax, the Hotel-Motel Tax and the regular budgeting process, as well as local donations. In addition, the Schildberg Rec Area Committee will talk with the Board of Supervisors for a possible contribution. The CAT grant, according to Herring, allows for up to 25-percent of what the request is as in-kind, or about $40,000. He says they’ve already met that requirement “Three-times over,” because of all the time, labor, and other efforts put into improvements.

The goal of the CAT grant application, he says, is to make Atlantic, a “Destination Point [Place], a place where people can spend time and money while they are enjoying the outdoors and our community. The City should know sometime late this Summer or early Fall at the latest, whether it’s request for grant funds will be met in whole, or in-part.