(Atlantic, Iowa) – A Senior Citizen in Atlantic has asked the local media to warn the public about a scam involving fake Facebook “friends”.  The person says you may receive a message from a friend on Facebook Messenger, your phone or computer, telling you about a non-taxable grant that is available to low-income senior citizens. This so-called “friend” will tell you that he or she applied and paid a small fee and got the money delivered to their door shortly after. Your “friend” may also tell you that you need to pay some additional fees, all using Cash App, Zelle or gift cards. Please be aware you are never chatting with your real “friend”, you’re chatting with a scammer.

The senior citizen who approached the media, said they thought this was a scam to start with, but with three “friends” messaging them and encouraging the person to apply, they began to think it was real. The key to avoid this scam is to contact your real friend(s) in-person and ask if they know about these grants or programs that are being promoted.

The citizen concluded by saying, “Let my loss save you from being tempted.”

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Board of Directors met Monday evening, at City Hall. During the meeting, Parks and Rec Director Bryant Rasmussen updated the Board on the Bull Creek improvement project, which is nearly finished.

Rasmussen spoke also, about the proposed Sunnyside Splash Pad project. Three companies: Rain Deck, out of Texas, Aquatix, from Minnesota, and Crouch Recreation, which is out of Elkhorn, NE., have all provided a rough idea with regard to cost analysis, layout and functionality of a potential splash pad.

Rain Deck, he said, might be able to make a presentation via video conference. Rasmussen said he instructed all three companies to consider what types of things they can include in the making of a splashpad, so that it is inclusive for persons with disabilities.

The Parks Board asked Bryant to contact those companies to see if they would like to be a part of a Parks & Rec Work Session to explain more, about their proposals and associated costs. Officials with Crouch Recreation, he said stopped in Atlantic recently, and mentioned the current lead-time for projects is 12-to 16-weeks, and that’s not counting on the construction of a base and other factors.

Parks & Rec Chairperson Jolene Smith, it’s time to get the ball rolling on moving forward, so the public can see progress is being made.

In other business, Bryant Rasmussen said rip-rap for erosion control on Lake #3 at the Schildberg Recreation Area. They used broken-up concrete from an older trail section to shore-up the bank.

The Parks Board tabled any action on expanding the Soccer Complex until more information on costs and specifics can be addressed.

GLENWOOD, Iowa — The State run Glenwood Resource Center is in trouble once again. The facility was cited for putting a resident in jeopardy, when a patient was accidentally be deprived of oxygen for a time. KETV reports an investigation revealed that a man’s oxygen had been shut off to move him — and wasn’t turned back on. Inspectors say the man was checked on four times and no one noticed. Once the oxygen was back on, nearly 3 hours later, the man recovered. State inspectors said this is another case of the facility’s lack of staff training.

The GRC is set to close permanently in 2024. Trouble at the Center came to light in 2019 with allegations of abuse and experiments on the developmentally disabled. That led to a federal investigation, and in December 2021, the justice department condemned how the facility was run. In June, a citation report filed by the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals showed that a 30-year-old resident at the Glenwood Resource Center died of dehydration.

The report alleges that a “lack of training and communication” led to the man being given lower fluids than were ordered for him several times over a one-month period.

LITTLETON, Colo. — A family, sheriff’s office and community are mourning the loss of a 4-year-old boy killed in a “tragic accident” that involved a slack line or zip line Friday morning in Littleton, Colorado. Jefferson County, Colorado Sheriff’s Deputies say they were called to the 6000 block of South Jay Way for a tree that fell on a 4-year-old boy. Deputies said a group of kids was playing on a slack line or a zip line between two trees when one gave way and fell on top of the boy.

KCCI reports a GoFundMe identifies him as Maximillion Wood from Indianola, Iowa. The Wood family was visiting other family members in the neighborhood when the accident happened. Maximillion’s 14-year-old sister was also hurt and is expected to be okay. Karlyn Tilley, public information officer for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado, says “Although we are still investigating this death, we have no reason to believe this was anything more than a very tragic accident. It was incredibly traumatic for all of the children who witnessed the incident. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office provided victim advocates to the family, the owners of the home where the incident occurred, and to all other children who were in the yard.”

The GoFundMe said Maximillion would have started kindergarten this year and that he looked up to his siblings and his parents.