Members of the Atlantic Rotary Club hosted their annual High School Senior Recognition Luncheon, on April 21st.  The event was attended by the Atlantic High School Seniors in vocal music, band, drama/debate and the top 10 academic students. Rotarians and the students were entertained by a piccolo solo, vocal duet and a contest winning speech. The top 10 academic students were introduced to the group.

Dolly Bergmann, Rotarian introduced the 2021 Atlantic Rotary Club Scholarship recipients. Individuals receiving $1,000 scholarships attending a Community College, Vocational or Technical College were Taylor McCreedy and Dazia Sorensen. The four-year University or College Scholarships were awarded to Molly McFadden and Craig Alan Becker. Each will receive $1,000. The Rex Moorman Memorial Scholarship of $1,000 was awarded to Shayla Luke.

Pictures from left to right are Shayla Luke, Dazia Sorensen, Molly McFadden and Rotarian Dolly Bergmann. Taylor McCreedy and Craig Alan Becker were unable to attend the luncheon. (Photo courtesy Dolly Bergmann)

The 8:10-a.m. newscast, with Ric Hanson.

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The Iowa Department of Public health Wednesday, reported 172 new COVID-19 positive tests, and one additional death. The death was reported in Pottawattamie County, and brings the pandemic total in the County, to 166. It brings the statewide death toll during the pandemic, to 5,960. The health department reports 395,910 total positive tests since the start of the pandemic.

Iowa reports 2.4-million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered and 1.11-million total vaccine series completed. The state’s 14-day positivity rate is 4.0%. The seven-day rate is 4.2%. Both are unchanged since Monday.

Hospitalizations across the state have declined slightly, from 195 Tuesday to 192 on Wednesday. Iowa reports also: there are 47 patients in ICU; 36 people with symptoms of COVID were admitted to a hospital, and, 20 patients are on ventilators.

In RMCC Region 4 (hospitals in western/southwest Iowa), there are 12 COVID patients hospitalized; five remain in an ICU; three people were admitted, and two people remain on a ventilator.

There remains also, one long-term care facility outbreak. The Urbandale Care Center has 19 positive cases and 17 recoveries. The state reports 2,321 care facility deaths since the pandemic began, that’s unchanged from Monday.

In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases by County; The # of new cases since yesterday {+} if any; and the total number of deaths in each county to date:

Cass, 1,458 cases; {+0}; 54 deaths
Adair, 980; {+1}; 32
Adams, 349 {+0}; 4
Audubon, 520 {+1}; 9
Guthrie, 1,288 {+3}; 29
Harrison County, 1,921; {+0}; 73
Madison County, 1,737; {+1; 19
Mills County, 1,781; {+0}; 21
Montgomery, 1,102;{+0}; 37
Pottawattamie County, 12,116; {+6}; 165
Shelby County, 1,363 {+1}; 37
Union County, 1,354; {+0}; 32

The 7:07-a.m. broadcast News, with News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Radio Iowa) – Authorities investigating a fatal weekend plane crash in eastern Iowa have released the name of the man killed. Johnson County sheriff’s officials have identified the victim as 73-year-old Dale Bieber, of Coralville. They say Bieber was the only occupant of the single-engine aircraft that went down in a farm field near the Green Castle Airport northwest of Iowa City Sunday afternoon. Authorities say Bieber died at the scene.

Officials don’t yet know why the plane crashed. The cause is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board.

A Public Hearing is set for this evening at the Courthouse in Greenfield, as part of a special Adair County Board of Supervisors meeting, and with regard to the first reading of Solar Energy Systems Ordinance #38. The hearing begins at 7-p.m.  Officials say the Courtroom at the Adair County Courthouse will be available for the Board meeting and the public will be allowed to attend in person. Public in-person attendance will be limited to 21 people, however, to allow for social distancing.  Any person or organization desiring to be heard will be afforded an opportunity to be heard, for a duration of 3 minutes. You will need to sign up to speak prior to the commencement of the meeting.

Written comments can also be submitted to the Auditor’s Office for the Board’s review. The Courthouse will be open beginning at 6:30 p.m. to allow time for individuals to sign up to speak. If you would like to speak and want to attend via conference call, please contact the Auditor’s office at (641) 743-2546 or email auditor@adaircountiowa.org to sign up.

If you will be attending the hearing in-person, you are asked to please wear a mask, and sign in before entering the courtroom.  The conference phone will still be used for those who cannot attend in person and can be accessed by using the following dial in information: Dial in Number: (605) 313-6157 Access Code: 526272#

Following the Hearing, the Board will hold the second and third readings of the Ordinance, and act on a Resolution to Approve Ordinance #38.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has filed charges against a Pleasant Valley man in connection with a fatal boat accident on the Mississippi River near LeClaire in August of 2020. Conservation officer, Travis Graves, says 44-year-old James Theil is charged with two felony counts of involuntary manslaughter. “One for the death of Craig Verbeke, one for the death of Anita Pinc,” Graves says.

Thiel was also charged with two aggravated misdemeanor counts of involuntary manslaughter, one count of reckless use of a watercraft, and one count of operation of an unregistered watercraft. Graves says Thiel allowed a minor to drive the boat, and the minor was driving when the accident happened, which violates Iowa law.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa chapter of the American Heart Association is hosting a live webinar this (Wednesday) afternoon to discuss the vaping epidemic in Iowa’s schools and efforts to make all schools tobacco- and vape-free. Wesley Franklin, the association’s community impact director, says they’ll offer an in-depth look at the “alarming” trends in youth tobacco use. All are welcome to attend. “We’re looking at school officials, school directors, administrators and educators, who will be our main audience,” Franklin says. “Of course, we’ll have some parents who are passionate about reducing or eliminating vaping and tobacco in schools.”

Virtually all Iowa schools are required to be tobacco-free and smoke-free, but vaping doesn’t involve tobacco or smoke — it’s a chemical vapor — so in some schools, vaping is still permitted as the rules are written. “There is still a discrepancy about how is vaping not part of it,” Franklin says, “and a lot of our school officials are not updating their tobacco policies to make sure that vaping products and all of those elements of vaping are updated within their policy.” Recent polls find about one in four Iowa high schoolers say they vape daily. The workshop is free and starts at noon.

Register here:
https://heart.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Xr6i0eVwTJqm8wz0P-mHXA

Police in Des Moines are investigating a crash that took place a little after 8:30-p.m. Tuesday, and that resulted in two fatalities. Authorities say 51-year-old Jerry Coles and 47-year-old Kristy Hyde were killed in the crash. Police said 46-year-old Stacey Coles-Behle was injured in the crash and remains hospitalized in serious condition. In a news release, Police said “Witness statements, and preliminary examination of evidence at the scene, indicates that the passenger car, a 2016 Mercedes Benz, involved was traveling northbound on E. 14th Street at what appeared to be a high rate of speed. The two motorcycles involved were southbound on E. 14th Street and turning eastbound on Washington Avenue. The Mercedes Benz struck the motorcycles within the intersection. The Mercedes Benz continued northbound until it crashed into a utility pole, shearing it off at the ground, and came to a stop. Witnesses reported that multiple persons got out of the crashed Mercedes Benz and ran from the scene.”

Police said no arrests have been made.

Police in Red Oak report two people were arrested on separate charges, Tuesday. At around 9:35-p.m., Officers responded to a possible domestic disturbance in the 1600 block of E. Summit Street. Upon further investigation, 54-year-old Barbara Darlene Wilson, of Red Oak, was taken into custody for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense. Wilson was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held without bond. Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies assisted in handling the arrest.

And, 29-year-old Dylan James Humbright, of Red Oak, was arrested on an OWI/2nd offense charge, Tuesday, after Red Oak Police investigated an accident in the 1000 block of Senate Avenue, Authorities say a 2000 Chevy garbage truck owned by Batten Sanitation and driven by 58-year-old Curtis Clark of Stanton was eastbound and making a stop, when a 2003 Chevy Silverado driven by Humbright backed into the front of the garbage truck. Police say Humbright left the scene of the accident and was immediately located at the BP gas station at 1715 Broadway. No injuries were reported.

Humbright was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $2,000 bond.