Organizers of the Nov. 25th Harvest Market, in Atlantic, report the Cass County Local Food Policy Council, this week, voted to provide $200 to the Harvest Market which will be held the Monday before Thanksgiving, (November 25th), from 3:00 to 7:00 PM at the Cass County Community Center in Atlantic. The funding is for produce coupons which will be handed out to the first 50 visitors to the Harvest Market with the goal of encouraging market customers to include locally-grown produce in their holiday meals.

The funding will also be used to promote including local produce holiday meals. Harvest Market Manager Brigham Hoegh said “Many people don’t realize that fresh locally-grown produce is available around here in late November. Iowa people are pretty well aware that we have local produce available during the summer, but many don’t realize many of our local growers have tunnels which allow them to continue to harvest crops, such as leafy greens and carrots, after our temperatures drop. The goal of this grant is to encourage people to make space on their tables for these delicious locally-grown vegetables, in addition to more traditional fall crops, such as squash and sweet potatoes.”

Earlier this year the Cass County Local Food Policy Council also granted $1300 to Produce in the Park, the parent organization of Harvest Market, to encourage area residents to visit Cass County farmers’ markets and to eat locally-grown produce. Most of that funding was used for coupons redeemable for produce, and the rest was used to reimburse Guest Chefs at Produce in the Park for purchasing produce ingredients from local growers. The grant initially included funding to provide free produce snacks to kids visiting Produce in the Park, but a Farm to School grant was later awarded to the market for that specific purpose.

“This year the Cass County Local Food Policy Council specified that the coupons could only be redeemed for fruits and vegetables,” explained Hoegh. “We gave produce coupons to both children and adults, but we could easily observe the shift towards a focus on produce in children. We gave each child a $1 produce coupon just for tasting the -vegetable of the week.’ We also gave a $1 produce coupon to any kid who completed the weekly scavenger hunt at the park.” These scavenger hunts sent kids to visit the Guest Chef for that week, had them ask vendors about particular vegetables they offered for sale, and ended by asking kids what they planned to buy with their produce coupons. “After a kid tried a produce snack, did a scavenger hunt oriented around produce, and walked away with $2 in coupons for produce, they were really thinking about produce,” said Hoegh. She notes that volunteers, such as Cass County Local Food Policy Council chair Jake Theis, were very helpful in handing out the sample produce and talking with the kids.

Hoegh and Theis agree the best moments of the summer included comments from adults who couldn’t believe the children they had brought with them to the market had tried—and liked—a vegetable that was new to them. “The best moment had to be when Sue [Irvin’s] grandkid, who wouldn’t eat tomatoes told sue that he liked them. Now Sue is the produce grower who runs Sue’s Country Garden, a big vegetable vendor at Produce in the Park, and a person who does a great job of getting kids to try different vegetables. However, it was Jake who convinced her grandson to try tomatoes. We all thought that was pretty funny,” laughed Hoegh.

Hoegh and the Cass County Local Food Policy Council are now aiming to shift adults’ mindsets on including local produce in their Thanksgiving meals. The Cass County Local Food Policy Council encourages you to visit Harvest Market November 25, and reminds you that locally produced produce can become your favorite dishes at your holiday meals.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Appeals Court has ruled against a convicted killer who says he “died” during a medical emergency and thus fulfilled his life sentence. Wapello County court records say Benjamin Schreiber has been serving the life term since being convicted in 1997 of beating a man to death. Schreiber says his heart stopped five times on March 30, 2015, at a hospital where he’d been taken from the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison.

Schreiber filed for release in April 2018, saying that because he momentarily died before being resuscitated at the hospital, he should be freed. A district judge found little merit in Schreiber’s argument, saying Schreiber’s filing confirmed that he was still among the living. The appeals court affirmed that ruling Wednesday, saying: “Schreiber is either alive, in which case he must remain in prison, or he is dead, in which case this appeal is moot.”

The Creston Police Department today (Friday), said a Creston man was cited Thursday afternoon. Dan Hardin, who resides in the 600 block of W. Mills Street, was cited for allowing an animal to run at-large, resulting in a person being bitten. The animal was given to Creston Animal Control to be quarantined.

Creston Police said also, a woman residing in the 500 block of College Drive reported Thursday night, that sometime between 5-p.m. Wednesday and 11-a.m. Thursday, someone entered her vehicle that was parked in her driveway, and took $10 in cash, a pair of shoes, and some random paperwork. The loss was estimated at $100 altogether. And, a man from Sterling, IL., reported to Police at around 12:25-a.m. today (Friday), that his vehicle was stolen from a motel in Creston, sometime between 11:30-p.m. Thursday and 12:15-a.m. today (Friday).

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce offers a reminder, that you can get a kick start to your holiday shopping and join Atlantic retail businesses for a Holiday Open House this Saturday, November 9th, beginning at 9-a.m. Businesses will be offering a holiday sneak peek as well as treats, giveaways and special promotions. Participating locations include: Aunt B’s, Bonnesen’s, Brown’s Shoe Fit, Cappel’s Ace Hardware, Hanson’s Fine Jewelry, Jazzercise, The Franklin Market, The Picker’s Parlor, The Uppercut & More Boutique and Something For You.

For the third year, The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce is offering AtlantiCash at a discounted price as part of their Holiday Promotion, sponsored by First Whitney Bank & Trust. This Saturday only, discounted AtlantiCash will be available at the Chamber from 9-a.m. until Noon. AtlantiCash will come in packs of $100 for $80, a 20% discount. Community members can purchase up to three packs. Payment must be made at time of purchase in the form of cash or check only. There is a first-come, first-purchased basis with only a limited amount of AtlantiCash available.

Pick up your Christmas Brochure from area retail businesses, “like” the Chamber on Facebook, or follow on Twitter to find dates and details to celebrate Christmas in Atlantic. You can find a complete list of activities at www.christmasinatlantic.com. Capture the Christmas magic with (hash tag) #MyAtlanticIA, and post to the Atlantic Area Chamber’s Facebook page or Instagram (AtlanticIowaFan). Contact the Atlantic Area Chamber with any questions at chamber@atlanticiowa.com or call 712-243-3017.

Firefighters from Corning, with assistance from Prescott Fire and Rescue, responded at around 7:42-p.m. Thursday, to a residential fire, in Corning. Authorities said on a social media post, that crews were dispatched to 802 Adams Street. Firefighters quickly located the problem and extinguished the blaze. The cause of the fire was under investigation. No injuries were reported.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The Atlantic Police Department is raising funds for the department’s Christmas Programs benefiting Cass County residents. Atlantic Police Lieutenant Devin Hogue says one of those programs is The Family Dreams Christmas.

(He says the program is put on by the Atlantic Police Reserve Dept., and will take place Saturday, Dec. 21st. Applications to be considered for the program must be picked up from 8-a.m. To 4-p.m. Monday-through Friday, and returned by 4-p.m. Dec. 11th.)

The applications will be reviewed that evening. Each family selected will receive a full Christmas dinner, and then go shopping at downtown stores on Dec. 21st.

Another program, run by the full-time Police Officers, is “Shop with a Cop,” on Dec, 22nd. There is no sign-up or application process for that program.

(He says the P-D solicits on their own the names of children for the shopping trip.)

Last year a total of 10 families were served in the Family Dreams Christmas, and 35 children went “Shopping with a Cop.” Anyone can make cash/check donations throughout the year for those programs, by simply stopping by the Atlantic Police Department, Monday-through Friday, 8-a.m. To 4-p.m. For questions or inquiries call the Atlantic Police Department at (712) 243-3512.

Atlantic Police Lt. Devin Hogue

Lt. Hogue, by the way, was nominated for the 2019 Scrooge competition. The goal of this program is to raise money and canned food items for the Atlantic Food Pantry. Hogue is accepting donations made to his Venmo account, or made in person. You can also drop off donations at the Atlantic Police Department. Canned food items can be dropped off at the police department or the city hall office. He said also, if your child is at the Washington or Schuler Elementary Schools, they are holding a canned food drive until November 26th. All items collected will go towards Houge’s score in the Scrooge competition. There will also be a grade level competition. The winning classes in each grade level will be invited to the free merchant movie on December 8th that will be chaperoned by the APD and each student will receive a snack purchased with funds from our non profit.

All money and canned food items donated on Hogue’s behalf, will be turned in at the end of the month and will go to the Atlantic Food Pantry.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a Waterloo woman was taken to a hospital after a fire at her home. Firetrucks were dispatched to the house a little before 10 p.m. Thursday, and firefighters say flames were coming through some windows as they arrived. The woman already had escaped. She reported that a space heater had caught some bedding and other items on fire in her room on the ground floor. Her name hasn’t been released.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:05-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Atlantic Fire and the Cass County Sheriff’s Office responded Thursday evening to a vehicle fire, on eastbound Interstate 80. The blaze just east of the Highway 71 exit was reported at around 6:27-p.m. Atlantic Firefighter Gene Schmeling told KJAN the vehicle, a Toyota, was fully engulfed in flames when they arrived on the scene. The lone occupant of the vehicle, a female, was out of her SUV and was not injured. Crews remained on the scene until about 7:15-p.m.