(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office today (Tuesday), provided an update for our earlier reports on a crane accident that took place last week. Officials say at around 3-p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8th, emergency responders were called to the area about one-quarter of a mile east of the intersection of Pella Road and 765th Street, on Pella Road, for a bridge collapsing under the load of a crane.

At the scene, a 2020 Tadano GX100 crane being operated by Rod Rogers, of Sergeant Bluff, was traveling West on Pella Road and began crossing County Bridge #123. As the 114,000 pound crane was crossing this bridge without a permit, the bridge suffered a partial structural collapse under the weight. The crane tipped to the North as the bridge collapsed, causing the crane to fall downward and to it’s side. Rogers suffered minor injuries. Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken said the crane is owned by Mammoet Crane Company, which was working with MidAmerican Energy to remove aged-out wind turbine blades. The Iowa DOT and Iowa DNR are both investigating different aspects of this accident. Pella Road remains closed between 765th St. and 780th St. until the bridge can be rebuilt.

Photos courtesy the Cass County Sheriff’s Office.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports also, a woman from Adair County was injured during a collision that occurred in Cass County on Sept. 3^rd. The crash happened at around 10:37-a.m., at the intersection of 780^th and 260^th Streets. Officials say a 2022 Chevy Equinox SUV driven by Lisa Henkenius, of Bridgewater, was traveling south on 780^th, and approaching 260^th, when her vehicle was struck on a driver’s side by a 2020 Dodge RAM pickup. Authorities say the driver of the pickup, Patrick Fisher, of Pearland, TX, had leftt a field entrance to travel westbound when its front passenger corner struck the SUV, causing the Equinox to leave the roadway and enter the West ditch.

Cumberland Rescue transported Henkenius to the hospital for medical attention. Her vehicle sustained approximately $10,000 worth of damage. Damage to the pickup was estimated to be $5,000. Fisher was cited for Failure to Yield.

(Radio Iowa) – With food costs and inflation remaining sky high, donations to one of the state’s largest food pantries are falling as restaurants and corporate clients cut back — at the same time food demand is peaking. Michelle Book, C-E-O of the Des Moines-based Food Bank of Iowa, says they set yet another record in July. “We served 136,000 individuals and 50,000 households across our 55-county region and that is a record breaker,” Book says. “Food Bank of Iowa is just now recognizing our 40th year of service and this is the biggest month that Food Bank of Iowa has experienced in 40 years.”

That follows two other record-setting months this year, including in June when the food bank reached 135,300 people. Book says there’s a dire need for meat and other protein products. “Our protein inventory includes canned meat, eggs and peanut butter and we’re working to get more meat in the door by working with local processors and producers,” Book says, “spending our budget, our tight meat budget on meat that is raised here in Iowa.” Book says there are pockets of poverty all over the state, while it may be the worst in the Iowa’s southeast corner.

“It’s amazing to me where there is a county that has good employment opportunities, good factory opportunities, the poverty rate seems to be lower, more people are working,” she says, “but there are many counties where there’s not good employment opportunity and that seems to be where we see the greatest need.”

The latest surveys show roughly 300,000 Iowans are food insecure. To make a monetary donation, visit foodbankiowa.org.

DES MOINES, IOWA – Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds today (Tuesday) awarded $26.6 million in grant funding to 23 projects intended to help businesses jumpstart new child care opportunities and make it easier for Iowans to find child care options through their employer. The Child Care Business Incentive Grant is awarding 19 projects with $25.9 million to address infrastructure projects, while four projects will receive $603,433 to support agreements between businesses and local centers that create new child care slots. In total, today’s funding from Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will involve 67 employers and is expected to create nearly 1,786 child care slots.

In this area the Guthrie Center Area Development Corporation in Guthrie Center received an Infrastructure award amounting to $1.5-million for the “Charging into the Future” program. Officials say “With enough licensed child care spaces for just 16% of children in Guthrie Center, several organizations and employers in Guthrie Center have begun the process of helping our existing child care facility, Little Charger Early Learning Center, construct a new child care center to add 37 new slots to the community. The Guthrie Center Area Development Corporation is assisting with the project by facilitating dialogues with local business owners and residents to raise the $1.74M needed for the construction of the new center. One of Guthrie Center’s largest employers, the Guthrie Center Community School District, as well as the City of Guthrie Center, have led the efforts in providing funding and purchasing additional land to help secure child care for their employees.” 

And, New Hope Village Inc. in Carroll (25 new slots) is receiving a $17,500 Infrastructure award for the New Hope Child Care Project. New Hope, a residential and employment provider for people with Intellectual and developmental disabilities in western Iowa intends to utilize its existing assets and business experience to create a child care center for New Hope employees and, eventually, the Carroll community. The goals of the project, the “Growing Hope” childcare center, are to (1) provide accessible and affordable childcare to current New Hope employees and (2) provide an employment incentive for potential new employees to join the New Hope workforce. The project intends to serve at least 15-25 families primarily working evening shift hours 2-10 pm with emphasis on learning activities and serving children with special needs in the first year of operation.

View a list of today’s awardees here. The Child Care Business Incentive Grant was established this year to enable businesses and employer consortiums to build on-site child care centers or partner with local child care providers to increase new child care slots for employees. This grant program advances one of the top recommendations of the Child Care Task Force – to incentivize business engagement in child care.

Today’s awards continue the state’s commitment to funding meaningful child care projects across the state. To build on these successes, IWD and HHS are announcing a second round of funding for the Child Care Business Incentive slots grant. This new opportunity seeks to provide additional flexibility in the ways employers can partner with local child care providers to meet the needs of their employees. Grants will support projects that increase licensed or operational child care slots, add slots to meet new time/day requirements of employees, or fill currently licensed (but unfilled) slots for the benefit of employees. 

• Applications are now being accepted at IowaGrants.gov. Applications are due by 11:59 a.m. on October 17, 2022. 
• Click here for Notice of Funding and Application Information: Link 

Including today’s announcement, the state of Iowa has awarded 191 projects with approximately $75.6 million in grant funding to help create over 10,700 new child care slots.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Meyer & Gross Real Estate & Roland Funeral Home, is hosting a Drive-In Movie experience, on Saturday, October 1st. Kelsey Beschorner, Programs Director at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce says “Drive-In Movie Night has become an annual tradition that I look forward to every year. We are excited to bring a football themed movie to the big screen this fall. “The Drive-In is a fun, nostalgic experience for community members and those in the surrounding area to enjoy. This also gives us the opportunity to show off our town and encourage people to shop and eat before coming to the movie.”

The Drive-In Movie will be at the Atlantic High School parking lot beginning around 8:30 PM with a showing of “Remember the Titans”. Cars may begin parking at 7 PM. The screen is 60 feet long with a high definition projector. Speakers will be available next to the screen for people to utilize. A transmitter will be provided for those enjoying the movie from their car. Attendees will turn their radio to a certain station and the transmitter will play the audio through their car speakers. 

Entry is $20 per vehicle and tickets can be purchased at www.atlanticiowa.com or day-of at the gate. People are welcome to bring lawn chairs and blankets to sit on. Concessions will be available for purchase by Atlas Atlantic Cinema.

For more information, visit www.atlanticiowa.com, call the Chamber at 712.243.3017 or email chamber@atlanticiowa.com. The Drive-In is sponsored by Meyer & Gross Real Estate, Roland Funeral Home, and the Atlantic Community Promotions Commission.

(Cass Co.) The Cass County Board of Supervisors, during their meeting Tuesday morning tabled action on two matters related to the County Auditor’s Office. First, they declined to accept the resignation of County Auditor Sara Harris. They then moved to tabled making an appointment to fill the vacant position. In April, the supervisor’s appointed Harris to fill the vacancy up to the November 8 general election. On August 31, Harris submitted her resignation.

There was talk of possibly bringing back long-time Auditor Dale Sundermen on an interim basis, but Board Chairman Steve Bair said given the current situation, it would be best not to fill the position in the interim, at this time. Supervisor Steve Green said he spoke with Kathy Somers about stepping-in part-time to handle paperwork if needed, but there are legal details that would need to be worked out before that can be given full consideration. Somers was nominated during the County Republican Convention, as their choice for Auditor. Her name will appear on the November 8^th ballot.

The Cass County Supervisors, Tuesday, approved the second half payment of ARPA funds in the amount of $25,000 each, for the Wiota, Massena, Marne, Lewis, Griswold, Cumberland, and Atlantic Fire Departments. Funds had earlier been approved for the Anita Fire Department.

(Anita, Iowa) – The CAM School Board, Monday evening, acted on approving a resignation and several contracts. Superintendent Paul Croghan told KJAN, the Board approved the resignation of CAM Head Baseball Coach, Dan Daugherty.

Croghan said contracts were approved for several paraeducators.

A few of the other contracts include Derrick Nicely as Boys Wrestling Coach, Matt Lundquist as Assistant Girls Wrestling Coach, and Alan Beaty as Junior High Girls Wrestling Coach, 10 volunteer wrestling coaches were also approved, and a volunteer Cheer Coach. Croghan said they wanted to get all those coaches and volunteers in-place before the start of the Wrestling season, especially girls wrestling.

He said also the CAM School Board approved a request for movement on the pay scale for two employees.

And, they approved a technology purchase, but tabled action on adding cameras, at this time.

ESSR (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) Funds were used to pay for the new technology. The Board also approved two out-of-state field trips, and the Homecoming Highway Relay.

In other business, the CAM School Board approved an Education Service Contract with Southwestern Community College (SWCC). Mr. Croghan reminds residents it’s harvest time, so be safe while harvesting and bringing in the crop. Watch out slow-moving vehicles, and be extra cautious when dealing with clogged combine or bin augers.