The latest report from the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department shows three people were arrested on drug charges, Thursday, after Deputies executed a search warrant at 707 Atlantic Street, in Walnut. Authorities say 38-year-old Amy Joy Carman and 30-year-old Jessie Suzanne Petersen, were each charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance/ Methamphetamine – 1^st Offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. And, 34-year-old Phillip Michael Houston was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance 3^rd Offense and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

A man from Neola was arrested Thursday, following a call about a person who was armed. Deputies responded to the 400 block of 1st Street, where they arrested 27-year-old Darrell Jerome Boyer for Carrying a Weapon (a loaded Gun) within City Limits. Boyer was also charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Unauthorized Possession of Offensive Weapon. Boyer was being held in the Pott. County Jail on a total of $7,300 bond.

Pott. County Sheriff’s Officials said also, 35-year-old Daniel Joseph Shreeves was arrested early Friday morning, after Deputies were dispatched to I-880 for a reported impaired driver. Deputies located the vehicle in the center median at the five mile marker of I-880. Shreeves was charged with Operating While Intoxicated 1^st Offense.

Firefighters from Griswold were called out early Saturday morning, to the scene of a machine shed fire. The fire page went out at around 5:46 a.m., following a report of smoke and flames coming from a structure at 13001 490th Street.

Additional details are currently not available.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning backyard poultry farmers that their chickens may be linked to a growing salmonella outbreak. The notice of investigation, posted Thursday, said 163 people are confirmed to have been sickened across 43 states. While none have died, a third of those sickened were children under 5 years of age, the agency said.

The CDC warns that there are likely many more cases as few people are tested for salmonella, a bacterial infection that in most people resolves on its own in a week or less after causing diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. People younger than 5 or older than 65 are likelier to experience more severe illness and are at increased risk of hospitalization, the CDC says. Safety tips shared by the public health agency include having hand sanitizer near your coop and frequently washing hands after touching poultry.

“Don’t kiss or snuggle backyard poultry, and don’t eat or drink around them,” the CDC writes. “This can spread Salmonella germs to your mouth and make you sick.” The agency said children are more likely to get sick from salmonella, and advised supervising them around flocks, and preventing children under 5 years of age from touching the birds. The news follows what was a bad year for salmonella safety in America’s backyard poultry farms, according to the CDC. There were 17 multi-state salmonella outbreaks linked to backyard flock contact in all 50 states in 2020, the agency said.

“The number of illnesses reported [in 2020] was higher than the number reported during any of the past years’ outbreaks linked to backyard flocks,” the CDC wrote. Salmonella outbreaks linked to backyard poultry flocks were reported every year from 2020 back to 2017

(Radio Iowa) – This week’s announcement from Governor Kim Reynolds eliminating mask mandates in schools and most businesses is making some Iowans anxious. Plus, the C-D-C says fully vaccinated people no longer need to socially distance or wear masks indoors, with some exceptions. Douglas Gentile, a psychology professor at Iowa State University, says many of us will need to ease slowly into resuming pre-pandemic activities.

“If you go out and you find ‘Oh my God, I’m freaking out,’ then leave,” Gentile says. “There’s nothing wrong with that, and try again another day, but don’t assume you’re never going to be okay going out to dinner again.” Gentile says it’s normal if activities don’t initially feel the same way they did before the pandemic, and if fully vaccinated people want to continue wearing masks, that’s also fine. Gentile says despite the drastic change in public health guidance, Iowans need to take the return to “normal” at their own pace.

“Don’t believe that your feelings should be the same as anyone else’s,” Gentile says. “We all handle stress differently. We’ve all come through this situation differently. We’ve all had very different experiences of it.” COVID-19 has affected the mental health of many Iowans, and some parents are noticing changes in their children. Janette Lems, of Johnston, says the trouble for her kids began when they started school last fall and she sought out in-person play therapy.

“I called eight different places. I was told that they had no openings until May and this was in January,” Lems says. “I had no idea that there were so many troubled children that were, at the age of five or six, having to seek out mental health.” According to the CDC, mental health-related emergency room visits increased 24 percent for young children and 31 percent for teens from March to October of last year compared to 2019.

(reporting by Natalie Krebs, Iowa Public Radio)

Police in Glenwood report four arrests took place, Thursday. Authorities say:

• 25-year-old Kameron Myers, of Glenwood, was arrested for Child Endangerment and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Meyrs’ total cash or surety bond was set at $2,300.
• 32-year-old Tera McAtee, of Glenwood, was arrested for Child Endangerment, Possession of a controlled substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Her bond was set at $3,300.
• 54-year-old Christina Jennings, of Glenwood, was arrested for Child Endangerment, Possession of a controlled substance, Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia, Unlawful possession of prescription drug and Gathering where controlled substance are used, Her bond was set at $9,300.
• And, 20-year-old Dezirae Kuhl, of Glenwood, was arrested on a Mills Co Warrant for Domestic Abuse Assault. She was being held without bond until seen by a magistrate judge.

Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department Director Bryant Rasmussen, on Friday, said that “With the current weather pattern, heating up of the pool is taking longer. With regards to this the pool will open up on the June 7^th as opposed to the 1^st to allow for more time to increase the temperature of the water.”

WASHINGTON – This week, Rep. Cindy Axne (IA-03) was named Vice-Chair of the Financial Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development and Insurance. In a statement to the media, Axne said “During my first two years in Congress, it has been my privilege to work with my Committee colleagues to support improving the safety and affordability of housing, and it is my honor to be named as Vice Chair of the Housing, Community Development and Insurance Subcommittee.

“This past year has shown how absolutely critical housing is to the health and prosperity of American families, and I look forward to working with our Chairs and with members on both sides of the aisle to continue crafting and advancing policies that will help improve access to affordable housing, promote equity, and ensure that rural and urban communities alike have the resources to invest in the success of their residents.”

Her office says Rep. Axne has used her position on the subcommittee to support improved housing access and increased investments in affordable housing, and to advocate for the tens of thousands of Iowans that work in the insurance industry. Earlier this year, two Rep. Axne bills aimed at supporting Iowa’s homeowners and renters were included in the American Rescue Plan, a COVID-19 relief package that included over $30 billion in housing support. The House also recently passed legislation authored by Rep. Axne to preserve affordable housing options in rural areas. 

Rep. Axne is also a member of the Financial Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Investor Protection, Entrepreneurship and Capital Markets

The Atlantic Chamber Ambassadors were hosted by NISHNANET on Thursday, May 20^th, 2021. The Ambassadors learned more about NISHNANET’s goals and expansion with their new 514 Chestnut store.

NISHNANET came to serve the rural Atlantic and Audubon counties in 2018. Since then, NISHNANET has expanded to serve over 300 customers providing them with low cost, high-speed internet, fiber optics, phone service, tech support, and more.

With the opening of their new Customer Service hub at 514 Chestnut Street, NISHNANET will be able to better support their existing customers and non-customers alike by providing internet technology support and high-quality technology retail. Scott Bennett, owner, shared that with this store, the company can answer questions in a detailed way and offer unique support in which when a customer purchases an item, the employee will configure the device and when the customer returns home, the device will work providing one on one customer support.

With NISHNANET’s new walk-in space, the question is raised, “What will be done with their original location at 2 East 6^th Street?” Scott explained that with Cass/Atlantic Development’s help, they plan to turn their previous space into a “shared workspace.” A shared workspace allows those that work remotely to have access to a desk, telephone line, fast internet, printer, etc. The spaces can be rented with the purchase of a membership. More details will be released as the space comes together in July.

To keep up with NISHNANET, visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/nishnanet and be sure to check out the new space located at 514 Chestnut Street.

NISHNANET can also be reached at 712-243-2497.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests. On May 14th, 34-year-old Reciever Berdon, of Atlantic, was arrested on a charge of OWI 1^st offense.  Berdon was transported to Cass County Jail and was later released on his ow recognizance.

And, on May 17th, Cass County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 37-year-old Ryan Joel Castle, of Griswold, on two Cass County warrants for probation violations.   Castle was transported from the Pottawattamie County Jail to the Cass County Jail where he is being held on $40,000 bond.

“All criminal charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in the court of law.”