(Radio Iowa) – Northeast Iowa officials say a young farmer has died. A Farley man died in a farming accident on Saturday night. The Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office says it happened shortly before 9:30 north of Farley, at a residence there. Workers were unhooking a silage wagon when it started rolling backward. Twenty-five-year-old Austin Gaul got caught under the wheels and was run over.

(Radio Iowa) – A northwest Iowa woman has been offered a plea agreement in a case involving the deaths of over a thousand pigs at two hog confinements in Sac County in June. Thirty-four-year-old Elana Laber, of Early, was responsible for the care of the pigs. The company that owned the animals estimates it lost 150-thousand dollars due to the deaths of the pigs. Court records indicate Laber will plead guilty to one count of first-degree criminal mischief and one count of livestock neglect.

She faces up to 10 years in prison for the felony charge of criminal mischief charge. The sentence for animal neglect could be as long as a year. Her plea hearing is scheduled for next Monday, September 26.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police in Red Oak this (Tuesday) afternoon, reported two arrests. At around 2:55-a.m., Red Oak Police arrested 45-year-old Anthony Dean Morris, of Red Oak, for Driving While Suspended. His bond was set at $300. And, at around 11:15-a.m., 39-year-old Blair Alder Redd, of Lampasas, TX, was arrested in Red Oak for Public Intoxication, Criminal Mischief in the 3rd Degree, and Burglary in the 3rd Degree. Redd was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

Atlantic, IA—Cass Health’s Senior Life Solutions team is hosting a free community walk in support of Suicide Awareness Month on Saturday, September 24, 2022 beginning at 7:00 pm at the Rotary Shelter at the Schildberg Recreation Area. The event is being co-hosted by Healthy Cass County and Cass County Iowa State University Extension. It was postponed from last Saturday, due to the weather.

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), there are, on average, 130 suicide deaths per day, and throughout 2020, there were an estimated 1.2 million suicide attempts. Each September, many across the country work together to help bring awareness to suicide and encourage education to help in the prevention of more lives lost.

“Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month is a chance to take time to stop and assess yourself and those around you to ensure those you need help have access to it and aren’t living at risk. By raising awareness and educating people about the signs that can indicate someone is having suicidal thoughts or are possibly in danger of attempting suicide, we can help to prevent suicide from happening,” said Karmen Roland, RN, Program Director of Senior Life Solutions.

The event will kick-off at 7:00 pm with local speakers who will share their story on how suicide has touched their lives. The walk portion of the evening will begin around 7:30 pm. Participants will walk the trail loop at the Schildberg Recreation Area. Information about mental health services and community resources as well as light refreshments will be available at the Rotary Shelter.

If you or someone you know is in an emergency, call 911 immediately. If you are in crisis or are experiencing difficult or suicidal thoughts, call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.

For more information about the walk, check out the Facebook event or call 712-250-8100.

ATLANTIC, Iowa – Sept. 20, 2022 – The Iowa Department of Transportation’s District 4 Maintenance Office, in Atlantic, reports a Canadian National (CN) Railway project to rebuild the at-grade crossing on Pottawattamie County Road G-37/Old Mormon Bridge Road just east of I-29/I-680 system interchange, will require closing the roadway to motorists from 6 a.m. Monday, Sept. 26 until Saturday morning Oct. 1, weather permitting.

This closure will impact Crescent commuters using the interstate system. Motorists will follow a marked detour route using Pottawattamie County Road G-37, Interstate 29, North 16th Street, West Broadway/Kanesville Boulevard, and North Broadway/Old Lincoln Highway (see map).

 The DOT will also be closing several ramps at the I-29/I-680 system interchange:

I-29 Exit 61A from northbound I-29 to eastbound Pottawattamie County Road G-37 (southeast quadrant straight ramp)
I-29 Exit 61A from southbound I-29 South to eastbound Pottawattamie County Road G-37 (southwest quadrant loop ramp)
I-680 Exit 3 from eastbound I-680 to eastbound Pottawattamie County Road G-37. All eastbound traffic will be directed onto the southeast loop ramp to northbound I-29.

The latest traveler information is available anytime through the 511 system. Visit 511ia.org; call 511 (within Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide);

ATLANTIC, IA – Produce in the Park in Atlantic is all about fall fun this Thursday, September 22. Market Manager Brigham Hoege says kids will be delighted to hear that the bounce house will be back, but there will also be pumpkin painting, face painting, and bracelet making. There will be lots of fall products at the park this week, including pumpkin bars, salted caramel
cupcakes, and caramel apple crisp cups from Frosting Inc., fall candles and soaps from Smudge in scents Pumpkin Spice and Salted Caramel, pumpkin kringle from Kringleman Pastries, and fall candles from Midwest Candles by Brit in Cashmere Cedar, Orange Spice, and Pumpkin Chai.

Hoege says September is a fabulous time for fresh produce at farmers markets, and this week market shoppers will find local fruits including grapes, watermelon, and elderberries, as well as vegetables including green beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, a wide variety of peppers, onions, and eggplant. September is National Recovery Month, and as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration explains, Recovery Month is a national observance held to “promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the nation’s strong and proud recovery community, and the dedication of service providers and communities who make recovery in all its forms possible.”

Produce in the Park always hosts at least one community organization at the park every week, and this week the market is proud to celebrate Recovery Month by welcoming a number of local recovery supporting organizations. Many people are living in mental health or addiction recovery or know or love someone living in recovery. Visiting organizations at the park this week will include Zion Integrated Behavioral Health Services, National Alliance on Mental Illness Southwest Iowa (NAMI), Cass Health Senior Life Solutions, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Anonymous, Cass County Public Health, and more. These organizations will share resources as well as many of the fun fall activities mentioned above.

DETAILS: Produce in the Park September 22
Time: 4:30-6:30 PM
Location: Atlantic City Park (10 W. 7th St. Atlantic, IA 50022)

• Food Truck: Zemog’s Cocina Taco Truck
• Fresh local produce: Grapes, Watermelon, Sweet Potatoes, Peppers (bell peppers, snack peppers, hot peppers, sweet peppers), Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Green Beans, Aronia Berries, Elderberries, Onions, Eggplant, Garlic, Potatoes, Kale, and more!
• Farm Favorites: Fresh-cut flowers, local meat (beef, pork, lamb, chicken), farm-fresh eggs, honey, granola
• Desserts: Pumpkin Bars, Apple Crisps, Cupcakes, Cookies, Danish pastries, kringle, Sweet Breads (banana and banana nut bread, chocolate chip bread), and more
• Crafts: fall-scented candles, bath and body products, art prints, jewelry, and more
• Live Music: Sarah Selders!
• Activities: Bounce house, yard games, pumpkin painting, face painting, bracelet making, recovery card writing, and more!
• Recovery Month Celebration: September is Recovery Month, and we’re celebrating at Produce in the Park! We believe recovery is possible for Every Person. Every Family. Every Community. We are going to have a number of organizations at the park (including Zion Integrated Behavioral Health Services, NAMI Southwest Iowa, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Anonymous, Cass County Public Health/Parents as Teachers, and Senior Life Solutions) with helpful information and fun activities. Additional Visiting Organizations: Cass County Master Gardeners, RSVP Volunteer Network.
• Free drawing for a dozen eggs (sponsored by the Cass County Local Food Policy Council). Anyone age 18+ can enter for free. Winner will be drawn after the market ends and pick up at the market the following week.
• Payment methods accepted: All vendors accept cash. Many accept credit cards, Venmo, and Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) Senior and WIC checks. All qualifying food vendors accept SNAP/EBT (also known as food stamps). All fresh produce vendors both accept and distribute Double Up Food Bucks (coupons given for SNAP/EBT purchases of fresh produce).
• Produce in the Park September 2022 farmers markets are sponsored by the Atlantic Community Promotion Commission, Cass Health, Cass County Tourism, First Whitney Bank and Trust, the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, and Deter Motor Co.
• For updates on Produce in the Park, follow Produce in the Park on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ProduceInThePark) or Instagram
  (www.instagram.com/produceintheparkatlanticia/), or visit the Produce in the Park website to sign up for the e-newsletter at www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com. For information on vending at the park, contact Market Manager Brigham Hoegh at produceintheparkatlanticiowa@gmail.com or 712-249-5870.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Attorney and Sheriff’s Offices are looking to share a full-time employee. County Attorney Vanessa Strazdas and Sheriff Darby McLaren appeared before the Board during the Supervisor’s meeting this (Tuesday) morning, to explain the need for another employee. Strazdas said her office is now “Understaffed and overwhelmed,” due to the recent departure of an employee who wishes to be a full-time mom.

Strazdas said she has $20,000 in her budget for a part-time employee, whose primary purpose would be to handle the mounds of paperwork an attorney’s office handles. Sheriff McLaren said he has $15,000 in his budget he could use, and there is, according to Strazdas, an opportunity for possible federal funding.

The individual who is hired, would be paid $18 to $25 per hour, depending on experience. The Board took no action on the request during their meeting, Tuesday. Instead, they asked for more, detailed information on how the person would be shared, such as the hours in each department, and who their boss would be, and what the role of the Union would be.

In the mean time, they suggested advertising for the position this Friday, and having all the relevant information ready for the Board’s next meeting on September 30^th. In other business, the Board passed a Resolution with regard to the Title VI (Title 6) Program, between the Iowa Department of Transportation and Cass County Secondary Roads. It had to be approved as a condition for the County to receive any Federal financial assistance from the United States  Department of Transportation, and requires bids for projects to be by equal opportunity (that is, non-discriminatory), and comes under the auspices of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken is the County’s Title 6 Coordinator.

The Board discussed with Rich Hansen, Assistant to the County Engineer Trent Wolken, Zoning Ordinance changes previously discussed by the Cass County Zoning Commission, and actions the County might take with regard to any future inclusion of a Carbon Dioxide pipeline. And, they heard from Cass/Guthrie Environmental Health Director Jotham Arber, who spoke about Radon levels.

(Lewis, Iowa) – Cass County Conservation is hosting their 7th Biennial Lighted Halloween Campground, Saturday October 22nd at Cold Springs Park in Lewis. The event takes place from 7-until 9 PM., and designed to be non-scary, family friendly, and a FREE drive into the night! Prizes will be for the top 3 voted sites, and for some special categories. Sign up to decorate a site in the Lighted Halloween Campground! Deadline for decorating a site sign up is October 14th and the groups will have Saturday(22nd) from Noon on to decorate. Please help us make it a success!

You get a Saturday night camping for FREE if you choose to camp, but it’s not required. You also DO NOT have to have a camper (there have been some great sites done with tents and easy-ups, etc.)

Message, call, or email the Cass County Conservation Office, to get involved. Provide your name, email and Phone number! You can call the Cass County Conservation Office at 712-769-2372. Please note: The event will be cancelled if there is inclement weather. Follow the CCCB on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/events/718530709251262/

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office today (Tuesday), reports two arrests took place Monday: 39-year-old Daniel Charles Meggison, of Malvern, was arrested Monday afternoon in Council Bluffs, on a warrant for Harassment in the 1st Degree. His bond was set at $2,300; And, 37-year-old Breeanne May Fallin, of Corning, was arrested at the Woodbury County Jail, on a warrant for Failure to Appear. Her bond was set at $25,000.

(Radio Iowa) – Record-breaking heat is possible in many Iowa cities today (Tuesday) as forecasters say high temperatures may hit the mid-to-upper 90s on this next-to-last day of summer. Meteorologist Jeff Zogg, at the National Weather Service, says it’ll be a steamy one. “We’re expecting some pretty hot and humid conditions, basically one day of it,” Zogg says, “ahead of a cold front that’s going to be coming through the area with high temperatures expected in the middle 90s with heat index values at least in the middle 90s as well.”

Zogg says the heat wave will be short-lived and this will be one of “those” weeks in Iowa where most of us use both the air conditioner and the furnace. “Wednesday will be a lot cooler with high temperatures in the upper 60s to lower 70s and even cooler on Thursday with high temperatures in the middle 60s,” Zogg says. “Those cool temperatures will continue through the end of the work week. Saturday, we’ll see a warm-up with high temperatures in the lower to middle 70s.”

The first day of fall is Thursday and the arrival of cooler weather should be right on schedule. On Friday, some northern Iowa cities may not even see a high of 60. As for today’s heat, many Iowa communities could see high temps never before seen on this date. “We could see record or at least near-record high temperatures, maybe some records in a few places, just depending on how high the temperatures get,” Zogg says.

The forecast high for Des Moines calls for 96-degrees this afternoon, which would shatter the record of 92 that was set in 1931.