Young Professionals of Atlantic and the Chamber Board of Directors partnered up recently to help with Spring Planting in downtown Atlantic. YPA President Kevin Wiser said  “We appreciate the board of directors coming out to help us plant the bed we adopt.”

Pictured: LaVon Elben, Lora Kanning, Dawn Marnin, Hannah Beaman

The Young Professionals have made the commitment to adopt a bed to help with downtown beautification. Wieser said “The group is big and we will rotate to keep the bed weed free.”

Pictured: Jenny Williams, Hans Krengel.

Pictured: Kevin Wieser, Hans Krengel, Stephanie Krengel, Hannah Beaman, Lora Kanning, Ouida, Wymer, Jessica Nichols, Tara Jennerjohn

Senator Chuck Grassley will hold six town meetings in Iowa during the week of May 26 as part of his annual 99-county tour. Grassley has held a meeting in each of Iowa’s 99 counties at least once every year since he was first elected to the U.S. Senate.

On May 28th, 29th and 30th, Grassley will be in Greenfield, Atlantic, Mount Ayr, Chariton, Pella, and Bloomfield. On Wednesday, May 28th, Grassley will hold Town Hall meetings:

• In Greenfield from 9:45-to 10:45-a.m., in the courtroom at the Adair County Courthouse.
• In Atlantic, from Noon-to 1 p.m. at Iowa Western Community College
• And in Mount Ayr, from 5-to 6-pm, in the Assembly Room at the Ringgold County Courthouse.

The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) board today (Friday), awarded direct financial assistance and tax benefits to nine companies for job creation and expansion projects. The awards will assist in the creation/retention of 484 jobs and will result in nearly $105 million in new capital investment for the state. The board also took action to support three innovation projects.

The board approved assistance for planned or proposed projects located in Burlington, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Milford, Sioux City, Story City, Swisher, Tipton and West Des Moines. In Council Bluffs, the Echo Group, Incorporated, a holding company that operates 18 electrical product sales subsidiary locations in Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota and South Dakota, is proposing a $11 million capital investment project to relocate the company’s wholesale division to a 13-acre site in Council Bluffs.

The project would include warehouse space, a large equipment/product storage area and a training center and administrative support services building in a campus setting. The IEDA board awarded the company tax benefits to create and retain 117 jobs. Currently the company employes about 400 people in four states.

The Carroll Police Department is currently searching for a male who is on the loose this morning after allegedly stabbing a female on North Main Street. With the suspect on the loose and near areas with the Carroll Community Schools the school district has been locked down for the safety of the students and employees. Parents were notified in a message from Superintendent Rob Cordes. The superintendent says all buildings are locked down after the stabbing that was two blocks from Adams Elementary School. He also say all students, teachers and administrators are safe.

Carroll Police Chief Jeff Cayler says his department, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department and a member of the State Fire Marshal’s Office are out looking for the man. “We would like to encourage the public to kind of keep their eyes peeled,” Cayler says. Chief Cayler asks that residents lock their doors. “I don’t know that the subject is going to be dangerous at this point, but we want to close all of his avenues of escape,” Cayler says. He says the man is a black male, approximately five-seven 150 pounds, 27 years old. Cayler asks anyone who sees the man to call 9-1-1 immediately.

The stabbing was reported at 7:20 this morning.

(Radio Iowa)

The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports a man wanted on a warrant for Possession of a Controlled Substance, turned himself-in this (Friday) morning.

Raymond Wiley

40-year old Raymond Dean Wiley, of Clarinda, was arrested at around 10-a.m. and posted $2,000 bond on the PCS charge, but since he was also wanted on a Federal warrant for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Wiley was booked into the Page County Jail and held for Federal agents.

MANSON, Iowa (AP) – The City of Manson is having a big problem drilling a new well, and the reason could date back millions of years. The Fort Dodge Messenger reports Manson is trying for a fourth time to drill a well after three failed attempts.

The difficulty apparently is due to a meteor that struck an estimated 74 million years ago, creating what’s known as the Manson impact crater. There is no evidence of the meteor on the surface, but remnants remain under ground, complicating well drilling.

After an inability to tap a new steady supply of water, the city hired Aquetech Innovation, a Fort Dodge company that uses satellite imagery to find water. Mayor Dave George says it should be clear by Wednesday if current drilling has succeeded.