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Atlantic’s Mayor swears-in the City’s latest Police Officer

News

May 1st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Mayor Grace Garrett, this (Wednesday) evening, administered the Oath of Office to the City’s newest Police Officer. Adam Roberts, who was hired in April 2024, and is a graduate of the Clarinda High School. Roberts will complete his field training at the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy at the end of August. His family was present in the Council’s Chambers to witness the event. Officer Roberts has served as an assistant coach for the Atlantic Archery team for the last several years. He and his wife Megan moved to town in 2010. The couple has four children.

Mayor Garrett congrats Officer Roberts following the Oath of Office.

The Council then proceeded to act on an Order to close 6th Street, between Poplar and Chestnut, every Thursday from 3-until 7-p.m., effective June 1st through Oct. 10th, for Produce In the Park. Additionally, during that same period, from 4-until 6:30-p.m. Chestnut Street will not be closed for other events. It also allows a Produce In the Park banner to cross Chestnut Street, from late May though mid-October.

The Council approved a Collective Bargaining Agreement with the International Union of Operating Engineers, representing the City’s Public Works Department (Street Dept. & Wastewater Dept.). The agreement was previously ratified by Union membership, and is in effect from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council held the second reading of an Ordinance amending the City’s Code of Ordinances, with regard to RAGBRAI ®, to help the local RAGRAI Committee deal with the public health and safety issues that can be created by an influx into the City of a large number of people. RAGBRAI arrives in Atlantic on July 22nd. Riders will depart the following day. The Council approved an update to the City’s Comprehensive Plan, as unanimously passed by the Personnel & Finance Committee, and is recommended for updates every five-years.

They’ll also passed an Order to refer a request for vacating a “Phantom” right-of-way (ROW), to the Planning and Zoning Commission. Mayor Grace Garrett:

The request is for an area that begins at the corner of W. 4th and Laurel Streets, terminating westward, at a phantom railroad ROW. The Atlantic City Council reviewed and acted to approve the Contract and Bonds for the Sunnyside Park Splashpad project. The contracts & bonds had not been made available to local project manager Snyder & Associates Engineers, in time for the Council to review the documents. Snyder’s Dave Sturm:

The Council previously passed a resolution awarding the project to the Hensley Group, LLC, out of Muscatine, in the amount of $552,084. They also passed a resolution approving updates to the City’s accounting, record-keeping, human resources management, bank reconciliation, financial reports software, and the FY 2024 Budget Amendment to pay for the update. Councilperson Elaine Otte said the Personnel and Finance Committee took a look the current gWorks Program.

A resolution passed approving the “PRN (Pro Re Nata, or “as the situation demands”) Status Police Officer Opening, Job Description, and Compensation,” as explained by Councilpersons Sarsfield and Otte. Councilman Sean Sarsfield:

Councilwoman Otte added:

In her report to the Council, Mayor Garrett reminded residential and commercial property owners not to blow their grass clippings into the street. The clippings make it dangerous for bicyclists and motorcyclists, and is prohibited in the Code of Ordinances. Several locations on 5th and Mulberry Streets (to name a few) had grass clippings on the street, Wednesday evening.

Judge: Iowa woman stole from and abused her disabled clients

News

May 1st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Iowa Capital Dispatch) – A worker at a Davenport home for people with disabilities cannot collect jobless benefits after being fired for abusing and stealing from the home’s residents, a judge has ruled.

State records indicate 56-year-old Tavita Smith-Williams, of Bettendorf, was employed by REM Iowa Community Services of Davenport as a full-time direct support professional from 2020 until she was fired on March 11, 2024. As part of her job, Smith-Williams worked three 13-hour shifts per week in a small, residential group home in Davenport, assisting three adult women with disabilities.

At a recent state hearing, REM managers alleged that in February 2024, one of the three resident clients complained that Smith-Williams had been hostile and had yelled at her; had called her a lesbian for occasionally sleeping in the room of another resident; had been unable at times to assist her with medications; was taking baths in the home; and was walking around the home in her bra and underwear.

The resident also alleged Smith-Williams had been cooking and eating the residents’ food without their permission and was occasionally on her phone and swerving through traffic while driving the residents on errands. In addition, Smith-Williams had allegedly used a resident’s food-stamp benefits to purchase items for herself and was having her personal mail delivered to the home while instructing the residents to watch for the deliveries.

The two other residents of the home allegedly corroborated the complainant’s version of events, saying Smith-Williams was hostile, verbally abusive and had used the residents’ money to purchase a phone charger for her own use. They also alleged there was some sort of transfer of funds between one resident and Smith-Williams in connection with a gasoline purchase, and said Smith-Williams was keeping a basket of her own clothes inside a closet at the home.

When interviewed by REM management, Smith-Wiliams allegedly denied many, but not all, of the allegations, saying she was having her mail delivered to the home because she was in the process of moving. She denied being hostile, but reportedly confirmed using a resident’s money to purchase a phone charger. She allegedly confirmed she had used a resident’s money to purchase food for herself, but asserted she had repaid the resident for the expense.

REM fired Smith-Williams, citing dependent-adult abuse laws that pertain to financial exploitation and verbal abuse.

Smith-Williams subsequently collected $4,074 in unemployment benefits. REM appealed the decision to pay benefits, which led to a hearing before Administrative Law Judge James Timberland. The judge recently ruled that Smith-Williams was ineligible for jobless benefits and ordered her to repay what she had already collected. Court records indicate no criminal charges have been filed in the case.

In 2015, prior to working for REM, Smith-Williams was convicted of theft for stealing $579 worth of merchandise from a JC Penney store.

Healthcare companies merge, launch rebranding with new name

News

May 1st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa/Wisconsin Radio Network) – A healthcare company that’s familiar in northeast Iowa is changing its name. Gundersen Health Systems has merged with Bellin Health. Both are based in Wisconsin. The company will now be known as Emplify Health, although C-E-O Scott Rathgaber says it will take time to make the change.

“You’ll initially start to see when it comes out as Emplify Health by Gunderson and Emplify Health by Bellin,” he says, “to make sure people know that we are honoring those legacies, that we are becoming from those foundations and not tearing them down.” The new name is a new word. Emplify is drawn from both “empathy,” defined as feeling aware of another’s emotions, and the word “amplify,” which means to increase. Rathgaber says the new name will be worked in gradually.

“People will see the same doctors, same locations and get the exact same experience and high quality of care,” he says. Bellin and Gundersen Health Systems merged in December of 2022.

Emplify Health operates clinics and hospitals in Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan. In Iowa, the system has clinics in Calmar, Decorah, Fayette, Lansing, Postville and Waukon, and a hospital in West Union.

Governor signs two cancer-related bills into law

News

May 1st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Reynolds has signed two insurance-related bills into law this (Thursday) morning. One requires that insurance plans cover diagnostic tests like M-R-Is that are used to detect breast cancer. Forty-nine-year-old Kimberly Pearson of Oskaloosa, a breast cancer survivor, is a nurse who became a navigator for breast cancer patients at Pella’s hospital after she completed her own treatment four years ago.

“I have so many patients who are high risk and we know that and they need better imaging and they can’t afford it because of the limited allowances by insurance,” she says, “so I have just felt very passionate that we need to pursue legislation that requires payment of that.” Pearson says mammograms alone are not adequate for some patients.

“If you have dense breast tissue, a mammogram may not see a mass in your breast until it’s quite large. It’s kind of like a cloudy picture. Breast MRI is much more sensitive, much easier to see through that dense tissue so you can find tumors when they’re much smaller and early and less life threatening,” she says, “and easier to treat.” The other bill the governor signed today (Wednesday) will require health insurance plans to cover what’s called biomarker testing.

Maria Steele, on left, holds her grandson as her granddaughter, sitting on Governor Kim Reynolds’ lap, joins cheers after bill is signed into law. (RI photo)

Biomarker testing checks genes and other indicators, like protein levels in blood, that can be a sign of cancer and other diseases. Maria Steele, a 66-year-old retired nurse practitioner from Des Moines, was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer four years ago. “It had spread to my brain and my bones. I had to had to have radiation treatments both to my brain and my bones, but I’m also on targeted therapy which I know what therapy to be on, actually my oncologist knows what therapy I need to be on because of the biomarker testing,” Steele says, “so this is a huge day that this bill was signed.”

Steele’s insurance company originally declined to pay for the biomarker testing, but because of her own experience as a nurse practitioner, she knew how to navigate the system. She says the new law requires insurance companies to cover the test if a doctor orders it. “You won’t have to go through all the paperwork that I had to go through to get my biomarker test covered,” Steele says. “…This is huge for payment for what is standard of care in oncology.” Steele, who as a nurse practitioner ordered biomarker tests for patients diagnosed with liver cancer, says the tests have revolutionized cancer treatment.

“Ten years ago if I had been diagnosed I would have gotten the same treatment that every lung cancer patient would have had but now because the biomarker’s this GPS, so you’re going to get the right treatment and typically fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy, but more importantly, on a personal level, your quality of life is so much better,” Steele says. “I was told that statistically, I had a year to live — four years ago, so I have been able to spend time with my beautiful family.”

Steele’s granddaughter, Penelope, sat on Governor Kim Reynolds lap as the governor signed the bill into law.

$1 billion state income tax cut signed into law

News

May 1st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Governor Kim Reynolds has approved the plan that will shrink Iowa’s individual income tax to a single rate of three-point-nine percent next year. Lawmakers say it will amount to a billion dollar cut in state income taxes. “When I took office, Iowa’s personal income tax rate was the sixth highest in the nation at 8.98%. I think we had nine brackets and the list could go on and on. It was certainly clear that we needed to make a change,” Reynolds said. “And that’s exactly what we’ve done.”

Reynolds signed an income tax cut in 2018 that was billed as the largest in state history. This is the fifth time she’s approved legislation that reduces income taxes. A group of Republican lawmakers and a few lobbyists joined the governor for a bill signing ceremony in her statehouse office. “All of the tax cuts that we’ve enacted through the legislature and signing into law since 2018 will save Iowans nearly $24 billion over a decade, running through Fiscal Year 2030. Should I say that one more time?” Reynolds asked, laughing as the crowd applauded.

Two years ago, the governor signed a bill that eliminated the state income tax on retirement income and whittled down the corporate income tax rate. Last year, a plan to contain property tax growth become law. “Simply put, we’ve comprehensively transformed our tax code and dramatically increased our competitiveness within a few short years,” Reynolds said.

Democrats who have opposed the tax cuts say Republicans are prioritizing cuts for wealthy Iowans and corporations, while cutting tax revenue to the point the state will be unable to support schools and other priorities.

Grow Another Row Produce Sites are Open for the 2024 Season

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 1st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Wellness Coordinator Grace McAfee reports Grow Another Row produce donations sites are open in Cass County for the 2024 season. Growers with rhubarb, asparagus, radishes, greens, herbs and other early-season produce are now invited to share their harvests.

Grow Another Row is a Healthy Cass County campaign started in 2020 by a group of local growers to encourage residents to grow and share more fresh produce. Anyone is welcome to donate or take produce. Many individuals drop off extra produce and pick up something they need during the same trip. There is no requirement to sign up to either donate or take produce. Donations of any size are appreciated. No donation is too big or too small for this program. Donations and pick-ups are encouraged to take place from dawn to dusk. As the program continues to grow… so do the stands! There are now ten produce stands located in Cass County this year!

Participants are reminded not to wash produce before donating if they can’t dry it and to take only what they need. Be sure to wash the produce before eating it. Produce bagged or packaged in family-sized containers is requested if possible. Contact Kate Olson at the Cass County Extension Office by calling (712) 243-1132 or email keolson@iastate.edu if you need produce bags or containers to package donations.

If produce is shared to the stands, you’re welcome to email Grace McAfee (mcage@casshealth.org) or share a photo on the Facebook Page (@CassCountyLocalFood). This will let the public know fresh produce is available for pick up! Please include the time, date dropped off and stand location to help us get the word out.

A Grow Another Row stand

For more information on Grow Another Row visit https://www.extension.iastate.edu/cass/family-food.

Subscribe to our newsletter delivered via email multiple times per month during the growing season, featuring growing tips, volunteer opportunities, and current information on where to drop off and pick up available fresh produce. Email mcage@casshealth.org to be added to our mailing list for the 2024 growing season! For information on Cass County food pantries, farmers markets and other locally-driven food initiatives, follow the Cass County Local Food Policy Council on Facebook @CassCountyLocalFood.

Healthy Cass County is a community-focused volunteer network formed to promote the health and well-being of Cass County residents. Follow Healthy Cass County on Facebook @HealthyCassCounty (https://www.facebook.com/HealthyCassCounty/).

Grow Another Row 2024 Stand Locations (May-October, dawn to dusk)

  • Anita Food Pantry, 208 Chestnut St. Anita
  • Atlantic Library, 507 Popular St. Atlantic
  • Atlantic Midtown Apartments, 1209 E 8th St. Atlantic
  • Atlantic Mollett Park, 1020 E. 3rd St. Atlantic
  • Cumberland Methodist Church, 500 Main St. Cumberland
  • Griswold Methodist Church, 100 Cass St. Griswold
  • Lewis Library, 412 W. Main St. Lewis
  • Marne Masonic Lodge, 418 2nd St. Marne
  • Massena – SWI Egg, 74851 Richland Rd. Massena
  • Wiota, 108 Pioneer St. Wiota.

Luke Gutschewski Earns Second NCAA Regional Bid

Sports

May 1st, 2024 by admin

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State sophomore Luke Gutschewski is headed to the NCAA Austin Regional as an individual selection. The NCAA Austin Regional is hosted by Texas and will take place May 13-15 at The University of Texas Golf Club in Austin, Texas.

This is the 10th time in program history that an individual has been selected for the NCAA Regionals, while Gutschewski becomes the first player in program history to earn two individual bids to the NCAA Regionals.

This season, Gutschewski led the team in scoring average at 70.76, birdies (132) and eagles (6), while also earning five top-10 finishes. Gutschewski’s best finish came at the Zach Johnson Invitational where he earned medalist honors with a 198 (65-67-66) total, a 54-hole school record.

Gutschewski also earned runner-up honors at the Wyoming Cowboy Classic and was third at the Iowa Fall Classic and the Tiger Collegiate Invitational. Gutschewski is currently ranked No. 137 in the country.

Last year, Gutschewski qualified for the NCAA Norman Regional. He finished in a tie for 23rd with a 213 over the three rounds. He shot a 71 in the final round.

On the Cyclones’ all-time career stroke average list, Gutschewski currently sits in the top spot with a 71.56 average. At a 70.76 scoring average this season, Gutschewski is also on pace for the lowest single-season stroke average in Iowa State history, a record he set last season with a 70.78 stroke average on the year.

Gutschewski will look to qualify for his first career NCAA Men’s Golf Championship appearance. To qualify for the championship, Gutschewski will need to be the low individual not among the five teams advancing.

The 2024 NCAA Men’s Golf Championship will take place on May 24-29 at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California.

Iowa State NCAA Regional Individual Qualifiers

1990 – Jim Webb
2004 – Jeremy Lyons
2008 – Chris Baker
2010 – Ben Herrera
2013 – Scott Fernandez
2016 – Nick Voke
2021 – Tripp Kinney, Lachlan Barker
2023 – Luke Gutschewski
2024 – Luke Gutschewski

Big Ten Single and Double Plays Announced for 2024-25

Sports

May 1st, 2024 by Asa Lucas

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Big Ten Conference announced Wednesday the single and double play opponents for each of the 18 teams for the 2024-25 season.

Among the 20-game conference slate, the Hawkeyes will play 14 opponents once (seven at home, seven on the road) and three opponents both at home and on the road.

Iowa’s three home and away opponents are Nebraska, Northwestern and Wisconsin.

The Hawkeyes will play home games against Indiana, Minnesota, Michigan State, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue and Washington.  The team will go on the road for games against Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio State, Rutgers, UCLA and USC.

Iowa finished 10-10 in Big Ten play during the 2023-24 season, finishing in a tie for sixth place in the league standings.

Dates, times and television information will be announced in early fall.

Iowa’s 2024-25 Big Ten Opponents

Home & Away

Nebraska, Northwestern, Wisconsin

Home Only

Indiana, Minnesota, Michigan State, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, Washington

Away Only

Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio State, Rutgers, UCLA, USC

April 2024 arrests in Shelby County

News

May 1st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Harlan, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Shelby County, today (Wednesday), released a list of arrests that took place during the month of April. Beginning with the most recent:

4/27/2024: William Joseph Daeges, Age 61, Harlan, IA. Daeges was transported to the Shelby County Jail on an active warrant in Shelby County.

4/25/2024: Gerard August Rueschenberg, Age 69, Harlan, IA. Rueschenberg was arrested on an active Shelby County warrant.

4/25/2024: Amber Lea Nelson, Age 39, Dow City, IA. Nelson was transported to the Shelby County Jail was arrested on an active Shelby County warrant.

4/23/2024: James Victor Ayers, Age 49, Macedonia, IA. Ayers was arrested following a traffic stop on M16.Ayers was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with OWI – 2nd Offense, Driving Under Suspension, and Open Container.

4/22/2024: Victoria Anne Griffin, Age 27, Shelby, IA. Griffin was arrested after a call for service. Griffin was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Disorderly Conduct, and Criminal Mischief-2nd degree.

4/19/2024: Christina Jo Bluhm, Age 35, Glenwood, IA. Bluhm was arrested and transported to the Shelby County Jail on an active Shelby County warrant; Dylan Michael Jager, Age 29, Elk Horn, IA. Jager was arrested and transported to the Shelby County Jail on an active Shelby County warrant.

4/18/2024: Daija Suzanne Buttry, Age 20, Harlan IA. Buttry was arrested after a call for service. Buttry was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Domestic Abuse Assault- 1st Offense; Bryan Joseph Schuemann, Age 37, Harlan, IA. Schuemann was arrested after a call for service. Schuemann was transported to the Shelby County Jail and Charged with Domestic Abuse Assault- 1st Offense.

4/17/2024 – four arrests: Tegan Ryan Steinkuehler, Age 18, Harlan, IA. Steinkuehler was arrested following a traffic stop on Ridgeway Dr. Steinkuehler was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Driving while License Denied/Revoked; Gerard August Rueschenberg, Age 69, Harlan, IA. Rueschenberg was arrested following a traffic stop on Market St. Rueschenberg was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Driving while License Denied/Revoked, and Failure to Provide Proof of Financial Liability; Holly Lynn Gross, Age 59, Earling, IA. Gross was arrested following a call for service. Gross was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Theft 5th degree, and Criminal Mischief 5th degree; Kari Jean Elizabeth Nordby, Age 46, Harlan, IA. Nordby was arrested following a call for service. Nordby was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Domestic Abuse Assault- 1st Offense.

4/16/2024: Jessica Marie Mark, Age 39, Harlan, IA. Mark was arrested following a call for service. Mark was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance- 1st Offense.

4/14/2024: Janaska Christian Bowles, Age 25, West Des Moines, IA. Bowles was arrested following a traffic stop on Pine St. Bowles was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with OWI – 2nd Offense, and No Valid Driver’s License.

4/13/2024: Marshall Orin Arms, Age 34, Shelby, IA. Arms was arrested and transported to Shelby County Jail on an active Shelby County warrant.

4/08/2024: Keith Allen Wise II, Age 32, Council Bluffs, IA. Wise was arrested and transported to Shelby County Jail on a Shelby County warrant Domestic Abuse Assault-1st, and Contempt- Violation of Probation.

4/02/2024: Melody Lynn Miller, Age 44, Omaha, NE. Miller was arrested and transported to the Shelby County Jail on an Active warrant in Shelby County.

Note: Criminal charges are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Elderly Treynor woman narrowly escapes injury during the April 26th tornadoes

News

May 1st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

People in southwest Iowa spent the day cleaning up tornado debris before more storms moved through. In Crescent, a tornado blew off the walls of homes. And in Treynor, a tornado wiped out homes along Highway 92. An 85-year-old woman was nearly killed in the storm. Her daughter says her mom couldn’t make it to the basement in time.

Remarkably, the 85-year-old woman was not injured. The National Weather Service in Omaha says an EF-3 blew through the county on Friday. Winds reached speeds of up to 145 mph.