In an update to our earlier reports, a broken gas line is to blame for an explosion and fire in Atlantic late Wednesday night that has now claimed the lives of two people. Firefighters were called to 604 Olive Street (Denise’s Taxi Service) at around 10:08-p.m.  When crews arrived on the scene they knew they had victims trapped. A female victim was found upstairs. The woman was unresponsive and underwent CPR before being transported to the hospital in Atlantic and later flown to a trauma center in Omaha. A male victim was found deceased in the second floor bathroom. KETV in Omaha reports the female had died from her injuries at Nebraska Medicine. Both victims were said to be in their 60’s. No names were released as of mid-day, Thursday.

Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees said neighbors told him they heard a loud “boom” prior to noticing the flames.  Investigators with the state Fire Marshal’s Office used that information and spent the night combing through the home trying to determine the cause.

He says they discovered a natural gas pipe in the basement broke due to the weight of clothes on hangers being hung on the pipe. The ignition source of the explosion is not known, but since a kitchen stove on the first floor is directly above the pipe in the basement, it’s believed the stove may have sparked the explosion.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The head of the Iowa National Guard says that overseas requirements for the unit continue to decline. Major General Timothy Orr addressed the Iowa General Assembly Thursday. He says they currently have about 150 soldiers and airmen deployed around the world. Thousands have served in combat and combat support roles over the past 13 years in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Orr said the guard is focused on training, so that the guard is ready for military duties and emergency response in the state. He said the guard is “mission focused and warrior ready.” There are about 9,200 National Guard soldiers and airmen in Iowa.

AMES, Iowa – ISU Theatre students performed on all three of the Guthrie Theater stages as part of the final events of the Region V Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. The festival took place January 18-24 at various locations throughout the Twin Cities.

Taylor Sklenar, from Treynor.

A staged concert reading of senior in performing arts, English, and chemistry Taylor Sklenar’s original one-act play was one of three plays performed on the Guthrie Theater’s McGuire Proscenium Stage. Taylor’s play was awarded second place and will be considered for invitation to the national festival at the Kennedy Center. Taylor is from Treynor.

KCACTF is a national organization sponsored by the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. The organization celebrates and encourages excellence in college and university theatre across the country. Region V’s festival includes competitions, workshops, and exhibitions in all areas of theatre, including acting, directing, playwriting, criticism, design, dramaturgy, and technical theatre. The Region V festival brings together approximately 1500 students, faculty, and staff from colleges and universities in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas to celebrate and experience the best of college theatre.

(Press Release)

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports a Creston man, 36-year old Jason Alan Ford, was arrested Wednesday night. Ford was taken into custody at the Union County Law Enforcement Center on a Union County warrant for possession with intent to deliver and failure to affix drug tax stamp. The man was  being held in the Union County Jail on $5,000 bond.

Fourth Judicial District Court Judge Greg Steensland has set the date of a restitution hearing for an Atlantic woman who falsely claimed her 5-year old daughter had cancer and then raised money for her treatment. Authorities believe nearly $30,000 was raised through various fundraising efforts, only $16,000 of which remains in a bank account. The hearing in the case of Leatha Kaye Slauson will be held 1:30-p.m. Feb. 25th at the Cass County Courthouse.

In January, District Court Judge Kathleen Kilnoski sentenced the 30-year-old Slauson to 5 years probation. The woman was also ordered to continue mental health treatment and not contact her five children unless requested by her therapist. In November, Slauson pleaded guilty to two counts of child endangerment, one of administering harmful substances, one of theft and one of unlawful possession of a prescription drug.

At her restitution hearing, anyone who donated money to Slauson, and who wants to make a claim for the return of their donation, should present their claim and proof of donation. The court order says funds will not be returned without sufficient proof.

Also, if provable claims exceed the available funds, the claims will be paid on a pro-rata basis. Any remainder owed will be subject to an Order for Restitution. And, in order to protect the nature and deductibility of donations, any unclaimed money will be given to cancer research tax-exempt charity.

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, set March 4th as the date for a public hearing on an amendment to the City’s Urban Renewal Plan. City Administrator John Lund explained the hearing is just the first step on the City’s end in utilizing Tax Increment Financing (TIF) as an economic development tool. In the immediate future, it would impact a request from developer Don Sonntag for a TIF to support his Southern Heights View development project.

He says the amendment is part of the changes made with regard to TIF by the Iowa Legislature over the last four-years. Following the public hearing, a Resolution will be acted upon to change the Urban Renewal Plan for the southeast side of Atlantic, which will allow the City to apply TIF to that area.

In his report to the Council, Lund said he and Deb Field have been hard at work preparing the budget, which he says will have some “pleasant surprises,” and “will be exciting.” Lund reminded the public also, about removing their vehicles from City Streets within a 72-hour period following a heavy snowfall. The same applies to removing snow from public sidewalks.

Police Chief Steve Green said tickets and tow notices will be issued to persons who have left their vehicles on the street, making it difficult for the snow plow crews to do their jobs. Green said the City will always make a good faith effort to contact vehicle owners before issuing tickets or tow orders. He said the City has a Snow Emergency Ordinance in-place, but it hasn’t been used in years because it is more confusing and hard for the public to keep up with.

During the Council Committee Reports, Councilperson and Mayor Pro-Tem for the Wednesday evening meeting Kathy Somers said the Cass County Landfill Commission Tuesday night discussed but did not take action on a rate increase at the Landfill for next year, and since they may not be able to keep the big green recycling bins in the parking lot next to the Armory building much longer, the Commission is looking for public property to place the bins on. The move may be necessary since the property is owned by ARISE, and not the City of Atlantic.

Somers said also the landfill is taking care of roofing shingle recycling. The finely ground up material will be used as part of asphalt paving on the roads. Somers suggested if you are putting new shingles on your roof, take the old ones to the landfill so they can recycle them.

DES MOINES, Iowa – Residents across Iowa tomorrow will be wearing their hearts on their sleeves, so to speak, as Friday is National Wear Red Day. The goal of the annual Wear Red Day is to raise awareness that heart disease is not just something that impacts men. Interventional cardiologist Dr. Richard Aplin says it’s just as deadly for women, and while they can have the same heart attack symptoms of men, like chest pain and nausea, women can also present in a more atypical manner.

“Perhaps they have more jaw discomfort,” says Aplin. “I’ve seen that over my years of doing this and I’ve seen women maybe have more arm pain and more shortness of breath with their heart attack symptoms.” According to the American Heart Association, one-third of all women in this country die from heart disease and stroke.

If you’re suffering from any of these symptoms and they don’t subside with the ending of any physical exertion, Aplin says it’s time to call 9-1-1, so the process of diagnosis and preparing for treatment can begin, instead of the person trying to drive to the hospital themselves.

“There’s lots of problems with that, but if anybody has an (cardiac) arrest while somebody’s being driven in, then what are they going to do with that situation,” asks Aplin. “It’s never a good idea to drive to the emergency room.” Aplin adds, for women and men, heart disease and stroke are highly preventable with healthy lifestyle choices like quitting smoking, a nutritional diet and physical activity.

(Iowa News Service)

A man from Creston was arrested Wednesday night. Police report 32-year old David Richman was taken into custody at around 10:40-p.m. in the 100 block of north Elm Street, on a charge of Public Intoxication/3rd or subsequent offense. Richman was booked into the Union County Jail and held on a $5,000 bond.