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Use of new playground equipment at Harl Holt park on-hold; Vandalism reported at other parks in Atlantic

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 31st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Use of new playground equipment at Harl Holt Park at the corner of 16th and Olive Street in Atlantic, is on hold for now, thanks to Mother Nature. Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department Coordinator Jeff Christensen says they’re still waiting to install the playground safety/fall material.

He said he hopes to be able to have the park open by June 8th, but we’ll just have to see. Plans to install new playground equipment at Harl Holt Park, Christensen says, began about three-years ago, with former Parks and Rec Director Bryant Rasmussen.

He said the prices of playground equipment “are kind of insane, on what they cost, for what we get. That’s the reason we can’t just keep putting in brand new playgrounds everywhere, we just kind of have to save up money to get it done.” On the topic of playgrounds and other park amenities in Atlantic, Jeff Christensen said there have been many incidents of vandalism.

He said at Mollett Park, graffiti was scratched into a slide, and screws were run through the slide. The water for the raised garden beds is being turned-on and not turned-off. “It only takes one person to ruin it for everybody,” Christens says.

Parks and Rec staff are keeping busy mowing and weed-eating, in an effort to keep the parks looking great.

Heartbeat Today 5-31-2024

Heartbeat Today, Podcasts

May 31st, 2024 by Jim Field

Jim Field visits with Lora Kanning about the Trails event on Saturday, June 1, 2024 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at the Schildberg Recreation Area.  The event is sponsored by the Cass County Conservation Board, Nishna Valley Trails and the Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department.

A map of trail sites in Cass County can be found here:  https://www.atlanticiowa.com/experience/cass-county-trails-map-2/

Play

Greenfield tornado relief and recovery update

News

May 31st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Greenfield, Iowa) – Officials with the Adair/Guthrie County Emergency Management Agency has issued an update with regard to the relief and recovery process, following the May 21st tornado that caused a substantial damage and four deaths. The EMA reports:

  • There is a burning ban in the City of Greenfield until further notice.
  • A curfew remains in-place from 10-p.m. until 7-a.m. daily, until further notice.
  • Physical donations of supplies & clothing are not being accepted. Monetary donations, however are very much welcome, and can be dropped off at all branches of Union State Bank and First National Bank. You can also make an online donation through the Greater Greenfield Community Foundation’s website at https://www.greenfieldiafoundation.org/ and add a note indicating your donation is for Tornado Recovery.
  • A Multi-Agency Resource Center (MARC) will open Sunday and Monday to provide recovery resources for people affected by the tornado in Greenfield and surrounding communities. Trained English and Spanish-speaking caseworkers will be available at the MARC to help people create personal recovery plans, navigate paperwork, and locate assistance for their specific disaster-caused needs, such as mental health support, housing and unemployment assistance, animal supplies, assistance for groceries, rent, medicine and other items or services. The MARC, which will be located at the Nodaway Valley Elementary School is open:
    o Sunday, June 2 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
    o Monday, June 3 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
    Please use the building’s southeast entrance.
  • There is a paid contractor license fee of $100. All paid contractors must complete an application, pay the fee, submit certificates of insurance, and complete a background check at city hall prior to approaching residents. More info: https://www.adaircounty.iowa.gov/tornado/resources/
  • The Adair County website is updated with the most current information, including the free meal schedule through Monday. Local restaurants are also open and ready for your business!

High School Boys Tennis State Tournament results from Thursday, May 30th

Sports

May 31st, 2024 by admin

Class 1A Quarterfinals

  • Wahlert Catholic 5, Sergeant Bluff-Luton 2
  • Waverly-Shell Rock 5, North Polk 4
  • Xavier 5, Decorah 1
  • Pella 5, Boone 0

Class 1A Semifinals

  • Wahlert Catholic 5, Waverly-Shell Rock 0
  • Xavier 5, Pella 3

Class 2A Quarterfinals

  • Iowa City West 5, Mason City 1
  • Pleasant Valley 5, WDM Valley 0
  • Waukee Northwest 5, Cedar Falls 0
  • Linn-Mar 5, Cedar Rapids Washington 1

Class 2A Semifinals

  • Waukee Northwest 5, Iowa City West 0
  • Pleasant Valley 5, Linn-Mar 2

High School Boys State Soccer Tournament matches for Saturday, June 1, 2024

Sports

May 31st, 2024 by admin

Class 1A Semi-Finals

  • Van Meter vs West Liberty
  • North Fayette Valley vs Regina Catholic

Class 2A Semi-Finals 

  • Gilbert vs Bishop Heelan
  • Perry vs Assumption

Class 3A Semi-finals

  • Des Moines Hoover vs Norwalk
  • Cedar Rapids Washington vs Dallas Center-Grimes

Class 4A Semi-Finals

  • Johnston vs Iowa City West
  • Pleasant Valley vs Dowling Catholic

High School Girls State Soccer Tournament results from Thursday May 30th

Sports

May 31st, 2024 by admin

Class 1A Semi-Finals

  • Nevada 1 Dike-New Hartford 0
  • Denver 1, Treynor 0

Class 2A Semi-Finals 

  • North Polk 2, Pella 0
  • Dallas Center-Grimes 1, North Scott 0

Class 3A Semi-Finals

  • Valley 3, Waukee Northwest 2
  • Bettendorf 2, Ankeny 1

Creston Police: No injuries following a collision Thursday morning

News

May 31st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department say no injuries were reported following a collision Thursday morning at the intersection of Prairie and Sumner Streets. The accident happened at around 9:45-a.m.  Authorities say 84-year-old Marilyn Larimore, of Creston, was driving a 2014 Buick SUV northbound on Sumner and had attempted to turn left onto Prairie Street. She turned too sharply, and struck a 2012 VW Jetta that was stopped at the stop sign, facing east on Prairie Street, and driven by 31-year-old Corina Buchanan, of Creston.

Larimore told Police she didn’t see the VW sitting at the stop sign. Police say damage from the collision amounted to $11,000 altogether. No citations were issued, but the report said Marilyn Larimore over-steered, and failed to keep in the proper lane.

High School Softball results from Thursday May 30th

Sports

May 31st, 2024 by admin

Hawkeye Ten Conference 

  • Atlantic 9, Audubon 7
  • Creston 11, Glenwood 1
  • Shenandoah 12, Red Oak 0

Corner Conference 

  • Fremont-Mills 14, Sidney 4

Pride of Iowa Conference 

  • Mount Ayr 7, Southwest Valley 3
  • Martensdale St. Marys 13, Central Decatur 0
  • Wayne 14, East Union 0
  • Southwest Warren 10, Lenox 0

West Central Conference

  • AC/GC 3, Earlham 0
  • Earlham 12, AC/GC 1
  • Madrid 10, Des Moines Christian 7
  • Des Moines Christian 14, Madrid 7

Raccoon River Conference 

  • ADM 6, Ballard 1
  • Carlisle 12, Carroll 0
  • Boone 12, Gilbert 6
  • North Polk 4, Bondurant-Farrar 0

Non-Conference Games

  • Atlantic 9, Audubon 7
  • CAM 11, Stanton 5
  • Griswold 14, Boyer Valley 0
  • Greene County 16, Glidden-Ralston 12
  • Urbandale 2, Winterset 1

Trial for man accused of fatally shooting Algona police officer will be moved out of Kossuth County

News

May 31st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

The man accused of murdering an Algona police officer will now have his trial in a different county than where the crime was committed. Kyle Ricke, 43, was arrested after an hours-long manhunt that spanned two states on Sept. 13, 2023. He is accused of shooting and killing Algona police Officer Kevin Cram, 33, who was attempting to serve an arrest warrant for Ricke.

Ricke’s first-degree murder trial was originally scheduled for June 25 in Kossuth County, but in April, he made a motion to move the trial to another county, arguing that he wouldn’t get a fair trial with an impartial jury in Kossuth County.

Recently filed court documents show the trial has now been moved to Dickinson County, which is along the Iowa-Minnesota border west of Kossuth County. Attorneys for Ricke also previously motioned for a competency evaluation to determine Ricke’s fitness to stand trial, but the motion was withdrawn a short while later.

Disaster recovery website created to help Iowans after severe storms

News

May 31st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (KCAU) — The Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management has launched a disaster recovery website to help Iowans after severe storms. The website was created in response to the recent severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding that hit Iowa in April and May and, according to a release, aims to help Iowans easily access resources and information after these sorts of situations.

“During times of crisis, it’s important for communities to come together, support one another, and have access to much-needed resources,” said the Director of the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management John Benson. “The launch of this disaster recovery website is another step to providing assistance and resources to those affected by the recent severe weather in Iowa.”

The website will provide information such as assistance for those affected by severe weather with information on state and federal programs that are available to residents, businesses, and farms. It will also include answers to questions regarding insurance, how you should clean up after a storm, and any mental health resources.

The website will also offer resources for those who wish to volunteer or donate after a severe storm.