Atlantic, IA – The Parents as Teachers (PAT) program through Cass County Public Health is celebrating Parents as Teachers Day in Cass County on Friday, November 8th.  PAT is a free program for families with children ages 0-5, which provides home visits to help young children grow up healthy, safe, and ready to learn. The PAT educators help connect community partners with parents to prepare children for kindergarten and beyond.

Nancy Gibson, PAT Coordinator, says “Parents as Teachers has been providing services to Cass County residents since 1998, and we are a credentialed, evidence-based program. It is an honor and privilege to serve our youngest residents and be a part of their education system.”  PAT currently has two different educators who provide monthly home visits to families with young children. During these visits, they work on getting a complete health history, doing developmental screenings to catch any delays as early as possible, check on immunizations, and much more. Children in the program also have access to free vision, hearing, and dental checks. The PAT program is partially funded by a grant from Boost 4 Families.

PAT currently has limited openings, parents who are interested in the program can contact Nancy at 712-243-7475. Referrals are also welcome—anyone who knows of a family that could benefit from participating is encouraged to call.

A man from Shelby County was arrested at around 11:30-p.m. Monday, in Page County. Authorities say 26-year old Tyler Jacob Broadway, of Elk Horn (IA) was arrested following a traffic stop in Highway 71 near Upland Avenue. Broadway was taken into custody on a Page County Warrant for Probation Violation. He was transported to the Page County Jail, where he was being held on a $5,000 bond, pending future court proceedings.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Board of Medicine is expected to decide whether to continue investigating a teenage patient’s allegations that a Council Bluffs doctor sexually abused her during medical examinations. The doctor has taken the unusual step of seeking a court order to stop the investigation, which has been in the initial stages for months. Court records identify him only as “John Doe.”

He contends that the allegations are false and were fabricated by a troubled teenager after he denied her request for certain drugs. The board is scheduled to hold a closed hearing Thursday to consider the case, if a court doesn’t intervene. An assistant attorney general representing the board has called the allegations extremely serious, and said that they should be swiftly investigated. The teen alleged the abuse occurred during pelvic and breast examinations.

In May, the medical board ordered the doctor to undergo a confidential evaluation as part of the investigation. He’s been fighting that order, arguing there is no basis for the case to move forward.

(Radio Iowa) — The discussion continues on Alliant Energy’s program to install new meters for gas and electric service that send out radio signals that can be read by the company. I-U-B spokesman, Don Tormey, says the reaction from customers in the hearings and discussion of the program have been mixed. “Some people want them, some people don’t want them, some people want them to pulse less — there are many issues discussed in the docket,” Tormey says.

The I-U-B ruled against charging customers a fee if they wanted to opt out of what’s called the advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) program. Alliant submitted an opt-out plan for customers and that was the subject of an I-U-B order issued Friday. “The board reviewed those and has asked Alliant to make further revisions based on the board’s review,” according to Tormey.  The latest order by the board requires Alliant to offer a meter set in the “opt-out” mode as a reduced transmission option. A meter set in opt-out mode will only pulse the day of the month when the meter is read.

When a new customer moves into a residence that was already on the opt-out list, Alliant must offer the existing opt-out option to the new customer before changing the meter. Alliant was also ordered to clarify it’s language for gas meters. “Alliant is required to make the revisions to the individual opt-out tariffs and file those with the I-U-B within ten days of last Friday,” Tormey says.  The I-U-B rejected the community fee or opt-out tariffs for both electric and natural gas services and issued some requirements for Alliant to move forward. “The order also requires Alliant to meet with representatives of the Office of Consumer Advocate and the cities of Fairfield and Vedic City within 30 days, and then file a new community opt-out tariff within 21 days of that meeting. So, it’s very specific of what it has asked Alliant to do,” Tormey says.

Tormey says anyone with any questions on the I-U-B’s action can find the information on the I-U-B website. Or you can contact the Iowa Utilities Board Customer Service staff at 877-565-4450 or customer@iub.iowa.gov.

(Radio Iowa) — Over the past seven months, a team of officers from the Des Moines Police Department conducted investigations that led to over 20 FEDERAL indictments and the seizure of 71 guns. The indictments were for gun- and drug-related crimes. In a written statement, the Des Moines police chief praised federal prosecutors for taking a “hardline stance” and filing FEDERAL charges against violent criminals caught with guns. The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa says the aggressive effort will continue as authorities focus on filing FEDERAL charges for violent crimes in which a gun is used.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he’s hearing encouraging news about progress on the U-S Mexico Canada Agreement. The trade deal must first go before the U-S House before it would go to the Senate, and Grassley says he’s seen recent reports in the media quoting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying a vote will come very soon. “She expects it to be done yet this year,” Grassley says. “Those are the strongest points I’ve heard from her. I’ve heard nothing but positive comments from her about USMCA since I discussed it with her three months ago in her office.”

Many Republicans are critical of the Democrat-led House for focusing so much time on trying to impeach President Trump, but Grassley says this word from Pelosi on U-S-M-C-A is cause for optimism. “This is the first that we’ve heard a period of time for it to be brought up,” Grassley says. “If it’s brought up even late this year in the House of Representatives, if it passes the House of Representatives, we can get it up right away in the United States Senate.” Grassley says Pelosi told him she didn’t want to bring the trade agreement up in the House until she was sure it had the votes to pass, and he remains confident of its chances in the Senate.”There is a limit on debate ahead of time so we know at a certain time after this debate starts, we have an up or down vote, we don’t have any amendments, we have just one vote,” Grassley says. “I think it’ll be approved, easy, in the United States Senate.”

According to data released last month from a group called Americans for Free Trade, Iowa farmers and businesses have faced 343-million dollars in retaliatory tariffs since the trade war began in February of 2018.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office has released a report on recent arrests. Sheriff Jeff Vandewater says Police in Adair arrested 31-year old Cameshia S. Murray, of Electra, TX., on Oct. 28th. Murray was taken into custody for Interference with Official Acts, and Providing False Information to Law Enforcement. The Sheriff’s report says Murray was staying at a hotel in Adair, and had been involved in an incident prior to her arrest. The woman told police she had been punched in the face, and provided a false ID of the alleged assailant to the officer. During a pursuit which involved Cass County Deputies, a man who was arrested said he was looking for his wife, Cameshia. His vehicle was identified by the hotel owners as staying there, and a “stop-and-hold” broadcast was put out. The subject involved in the pursuit, had a different name than the one Murray provided. Murray was released that same day on her Own recognizance.

On Oct. 29th, Adair County Deputies arrested 37-year old John Robert Lemon, of Winterset, on an Adair County Probation Violation warrant. Lemon was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $10,000 cash or surety bond. And, on Oct. 30th, the Iowa State Patrol arrested 62-year old Jacqueline Marie Baudler, of Stuart, for Driving While License Denied or Revoked/for OWI Test Failure. She was released about two-hours later on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

Produce in the Park is surveying Cass County and surrounding communities. Produce in the Park is a weekly farmers market held Thursday evenings in the Atlantic City Park from June through October. The Produce in the Park Board wants to make sure they are meeting the needs of the community. Whether you’ve been to Produce in the Park or not, your feedback is appreciated.

Everyone who completes the survey and provides contact information will be entered to win one of two $25 Gift Cards to Harvest Market. Harvest Market is held the Monday before Thanksgiving, November 25 from 3-7 PM at the Cass County Community Center. Find local produce, baked goods, and more to enjoy at your Thanksgiving celebrations, in addition to holiday gifts and décor by local crafters and artisans.

The Produce in the Park survey can be found online through www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com or at www.facebook.com/ProduceInThePark. Printed copies of the survey can be found at locations including the Atlantic Public Library at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce. The survey is open until November 24th (day before Harvest Market). Winners will be announced the day of the market.

A full list of Harvest Market vendors, and information on pre-orders will be posted online at the Produce in the Park website www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com. You can also follow the Produce in the Park Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ProduceInThePark) for current event information. Vendor spaces are still available for Harvest Market, and local farmers, bakers, artisans or crafters are invited to sign up. Vendors interested in participating can find details and a registration form online at www.atlanticiowa.com or www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com, or at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce.

Harvest Market is sponsored by the City of Atlantic Community Promotions Commission and Aunt B’s. The event is endorsed by the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce.

NEW HAMPTON, Iowa (AP) — A 19-year-old man charged with first-degree murder in northeast Iowa has been found guilty of a lesser crime. Winneshiek County court records say Dalton Adam, of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, was convicted Monday of voluntary manslaughter. His sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 26. The trial had been moved to Chickasaw County.

He and his friend Jacob Seelinger had been charged after the July 2018 attack on 46-year-old David Hansen. Adam said during his testimony that Hansen punched him after punching Seelinger. Prosecutors say Hansen confronted the pair as they damaged property outside his Decorah home. Hansen was the boyfriend of Seelinger’s mother.

Adam testified that he punched back and knocked down Hansen, who cracked his head on concrete. Adam acknowledged that he and Seelinger kicked and punched Hansen as he lay helpless. Seelinger’s been convicted of second-degree murder and has been sentenced to up to 50 years in prison.

With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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