The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports Deputies received a 9-1-1 call at around 5:30-p.m. Thursday, with regard to a vehicle in the ditch on 240th at Clover Avenue, near Kent. When Deputies arrived on the scene along with EMS, they found the doors on the 2011 Chevy pickup were locked and the male driver, 48-year old Kennth Thomas Dingman, of Creston, was inside the vehicle and unresponsive.

After Deputies broke the rear window of the pickup, EMS crews pulled Dingman out of the truck and began CPR. He was transported to the Greater Regional Hospital in Creston, where he died. Authorities say Dingman had apparently suffered from a medical condition that lead to his death.

Separately, the Union County Sheriff’s Office said Friday (Today), 20-year old Autumn Lynn Vandry, of Omaha, was arrested in Mills County on Thursday evening. Vandry was arrested on a Union County warrant for Burglary in the 1^st degree, and Willful Injury causing serious injury. She was transported from the Mills County Jail and is being held for Union County in the Adams County Jail, on $35,000 bond.

(Atlantic FFA Reporter submittal) – On Wednesday, February 12th, 2020, 21 members of the Atlantic FFA chapter competed in the Sub District Career Development Events with four advancing to District FFA Convention.

Extempt Speaker Carli Henderson

FFA member Carli Henderson competed in the Extemporaneous Speaking category placing 1st earning a Gold and advancing to Districts.  Craig Alan Becker competed in Ag Sales earning a Gold placing 2nd and advancing to Districts. Andrew Engler competed in the Ag Broadcasting CDE placing 3rd earning a Gold and advancing to Districts.  Gunner Kirchhoff competed in the Ag Welding contest placing 1st earning a gold and advancing to Districts.

Ag Broadcasting Andrew Engler

Ag Sales Craig Becker

Ag Welding Gunner Kirchhoff

Taylor McCreedy competed in the Public Speaking CDE placing 4th earning a Silver and will be the alternate to Districts. The Conduct of Meetings team of Aspen Niklasen, Malena Woodward, Wyatt Redinbaugh Sofia Mendez, Dan Freund, Dylan Comes, and Jackson McLaren placed 4th earning a Silver and will be the alternate to Districts.  The Chapter Program team of Cooper Jipsen, Bryan York and Logan Eilts placed 4th earning a Silver and will be the alternate to Districts.  Tate DenBeste competed in Job interview earning Silver placing 5th.

In the Farm Business Management Test Atlantic FFA had 3 members compete, Drey Newell, Hannah Carlson and Caroline Pellett. Newell placed 1st, Carlson was 2nd and Pellett was 3rd. In the FFA Freshman Greenhand Quiz, Atlantic FFA had 4 members participate. Dylan Comes placed 6th, Sofia Mendez placed 7th, Jackson McLaren placed 8th and Dan Freund placed 22nd.

FFA advisor Eric Miller commented, “I was proud of all the hard work members put into preparing for their event.”

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of 19-year-old Dyllan Cattano of Omaha, NE on a Douglas County, NE Warrant for Possession of a Controlled Substance. The arrest took place at about 3:00pm on Friday. Cattano is being held without bond, awaiting extradition back to Nebraska.

A traffic stop Thursday in Taylor County resulted in an arrest. The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office reports 50-year old Randy Overholtzer, of Lenox, was arrested following the traffic stop in Lenox, and search of the vehicle after the K9 Ciba alerted to the presence of a controlled Substance. Overholtzer was charged with driving while barred and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was being held at the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office on $2,300 bond pending an initial appearance before the Magistrate.

“Abraham Lincoln” will be in Atlantic this weekend, at the American Legion Memorial Building. “Honest Abe’s” visit is sponsored by the Atlantic Rock Island Society Enterprise (ARISE), and begins at 2-p.m., this Sunday, Feb. 16th. Lee Williams portrays Lincoln. It’s something he’s done for more than 25-years. He says his journey into the life of the 16th President, began as “a fluke.”

His dark hair has turned gray these days, but the look is still remarkable. His presentations to students and other groups began in Cumberland. Williams becomes Abraham Lincoln not only in appearance but also in portraying Lincoln’s character, displaying his humility, determination, humor and compassion. It wasn’t long before Williams’ portrayal spread by word of mouth, and made him one of the best Lincoln re-enactors around.

He said in his travels around the world portraying Lincoln, he’s seen people react differently to the presentation.

His presentation in Atlantic this Sunday will be followed by time for questions, visiting and refreshments. The presentation is free and open to the public. The Building is handicapped accessible. Everyone is welcome on Sunday, February 16 beginning at 2 pm.

OAKLAND, Iowa (AP) — In an update to our story January 25th on KJAN, the Iowa Freedom of Information Council has released more information about a settlement reached between the Riverside School District in western Iowa, and the family of a 16-year old girl who died in a 2017 school bus fire. The settlement figures, which had previously NOT been disclosed, show the  school district will pay $4.8 million to the family of Megan Klindt.

FILE – In this Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017, file photo, a burned school bus is transported by trailer near Oakland, Iowa. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File)

Megan, and the school bus driver, 74-year old Donnie Hendricks, died after the bus became stuck in a ditch, leading to a fire in the engine compartment that spread to the passenger compartment.

DES MOINES, Iowa (The Des Moines Register) — Iowa Democratic Party officials have agreed to hire two high-profile lawyers to investigate the factors leading to a meltdown in the state’s lead-off presidential caucuses and how the party responded. The party’s State Central Committee voted Thursday night to spend up to $50,000 to retain Nick Klinefeldt, a former U.S. attorney, and Bonnie Campbell, a former Iowa attorney general.

The Des Moines Register reports that officials hope the review will be completed within 45 days. The party has been reeling since the night of the caucuses Feb. 3 when problems with a mobile app and other issues prevented it from immediately releasing results.

Officials with Alliant Energey say they have received reports from customers in Wisconsin and Iowa that they are receiving calls from scammers pretending to be Alliant Energy. The callers are threatening to cut off the customers’ power in a few hours unless immediate payment is made. Alliant Energy does NOT call customers and demand immediate payment. They will not ask customers to purchase prepaid credit cards, and do not ask for payment over email.

Scammers can make it appear that the calls are coming from Alliant Energy. Some scammers may provide a different phone number that spoofs Alliant’s answering system and automated menu. Alliant Energy’s official phone number is 1-800-ALLIANT (800-255-4268). This is the only number to call.

If you receive a suspected scam call like the type mentioned, following these tips:

• STOP: Scammers are counting on you being too alarmed to check your account status. Hang up the phone.
• THINK: Chances are you do not owe the amount the scammers claim.
• CHECK: Log in on our website or call us. We can tell you how much is due and when.  Visit Alliant Energy online at: com or call us at 1-800-255-4268.

Callers who ask you to pay in a few hours or have power disconnected are not legitimate. But scammers are getting more sophisticated.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A man has been convicted of beating to death the 5-year-old son of his girlfriend in eastern Iowa. A jury found Tre Henderson guilty Thursday. The 28-year-old will be sentenced April 1 to life in prison without possibility of parole. Prosecutors say Ja’Shawn Bussell had 17 broken ribs, damage to internal organs and bruises from the top of his head to his ankles after Henderson beat him in April 2018.

Henderson and the boy’s mother, Jacqueline Rambert, were charged with child abuse for failing to seek prompt medical attention for the boy. They’re both from Chicago and were living in Davenport when Ja’Shawn died.

(Radio Iowa) — A northern Iowa farmer who’s been in the legislature nearly 12 years is proposing a new “corn state” license plate design. Senator Tim Kapucian, of Keystone, has drafted a bill that would carry out his vision. “It’ll say at the top of the plate: ‘The Corn State’ and then it’ll be a white plate with black letters,” Kapucian says, “and then behind the lettering there’ll be some type of an ear of corn.” Kapucian says when he saw how popular the state’s new “black out” specialty license plates have been, he decided to ask his fellow legislators to embrace this idea.

Kapucian expects plenty of farmers to be interested in getting one of these plates for their pick-ups. “I know I’m going to be in line to get one of these if we get it done,” Kapucian says. His neighbor has a license plate collection. It includes a mid-1950s black-and-white plate that has “THE CORN STATE” in capital letters at the bottom of the plate. “Every state has something on their license plate that makes them stand out and we used to have that…If people recognize an ear of corn, they’ll think: ‘Iowa!” he says. “You know you see the bucking bronc with the cowboy, we know that’s Wyoming.”

Kapucian’s plate plan has cleared a Senate subcommittee. His bill would have to pass through at least five other steps in the legislative process before it could be sent to the governor for review.