The Southwest Iowa Art Tour will take place in a modified form for their annual event this Saturday, Sept. 19th. As with everything this year, COVID-19 has brought a new set of challenges to the Seventh Annual Southwest Iowa Art Tour, but organizers and artists will be exercising proper precautions to safely continue it at a limited number of locations as a one-day event on Saturday, September 19th from 10 AM to 6 PM.

Gathering Places will be exercising additional precautions including outdoor venues, social distancing measures and extra sanitizing to ensure the health and safety of our artists and participants. Masks will be recommended at all Gathering Places, and required at some locations. Please be respectful of individual Gathering Place guidelines, and of course please stay home if you are not feeling well. Participants and attendees are encouraged to chart their own course and visit some of the great businesses and eateries along the way, while discovering phenomenal art and artists in southwest Iowa.

The Southwest Iowa Art Tour is now in its seventh year connecting southwest Iowa communities through art. The first year included nine participating communities and thirty artists. The success of the Southwest Iowa Art Tour grew to its peak last year for the sixth annual event to twelve communities, sixteen Gathering Places, and more than ninety local artists. This year, with COVID-19 concerns the event has scaled back to 7 communities, 9 Gathering Places and 50 artists.

The self-guided tour allows participants to begin and end where they would like, come and go from location to location at their leisure, and explore diverse art forms – including fiber art, sculpture, pottery, painting, metal works, jewelry, glassware and much more from over ninety artists.

The nine unique stops will be located in the following Southwest Iowa towns: Avoca (Avoca Main Street, corner of Crocker & Elm), Council Bluffs (PACE Hoff Family Center for the Arts & Culture, 1001 South 6th Street), Glenwood (Mary Sneed’s Fine Art & Custom Framing, 507 S. Locust), Harlan (Historic Courthouse Square, 7th & Durant), Macedonia (Painted Camel Gallery, 320 Main Street), Malvern (Art Church, 201 E. 4th Street; Colorado Studio, 202 E. 5th Street; Fine Arts on 5th, 104 E. 5th Street) and Red Oak (Historic Fountain Square, 4th Street & Coolbaugh).

The Southwest Iowa Art Tour is coordinated by Golden Hills RC&D of Oakland and the collaborative efforts of local participating artists. Funding for coordination of this event is provided by the local businesses and organizations that stand behind the Art Tour each year. To find out which businesses are sponsors of the Art Tour, a full listing of sponsors may be found at www.swiarttour.com, or in the 2020 Southwest Iowa Art Tour brochures. Pick one up at the Golden Hills office in Oakland or at one of the Gathering Places so you can plan out your route!

For more information be sure to check the “Southwest Iowa Art” Tour Facebook page, or visit their website  www.swiarttour.com.

Atlantic, IA — Officials with the Cass County Health System, Monday (Today), announced that Kimberly Hendricks, DO (Doctor of Osetopathic Medicine) will join the CCHS medical staff in January 2021. Dr. Hendricks is a board-certified rheumatologist with more than a decade of experience.

Dr. Kim Hendricks, DO

Dr. Hendricks graduated from Morehead State University and attended medical school at the University of Pikeville in Kentucky. She completed her Internal Medicine Residency at UPMC Horizon in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and her Rheumatology Fellowship at Midwestern University in Downers Grove, Illinois.

Since 2013, Dr. Hendricks has been practicing in Ohio, and she will move to Atlantic with her husband, Mark. She says “I’m looking forward to working and becoming a part of such a friendly community.”

Rheumatologists specialize in the care of musculoskeletal disease and rheumatic diseases, which affect the joints, muscles, and bones. Dr. Hendricks will provide care to patients with a number of diseases (including gout, ankylosing spondylitis, lupus, Raynaud’s Disease, osteoarthritis, scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis), as well as many other autoimmune diseases and inflammatory conditions.

CCHS recruited Dr. Hendricks in collaboration with Greater Regional Health in Creston. She will be employed by CCHS, and see patients two days a week at the Atlantic Medical Center, and two days a week at Greater Regional Health. Those interested in seeing Dr. Hendricks can call 712-243-2850 to be placed on her patient list; CCHS staff will then call those patients later this year to schedule their appointments.

WOODBURY COUNTY, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Safety said today (Monday) an investigation into last year’s death of a Woodbury County man has netted no solid results, and the cause remains undetermined.

Officials say on the morning of Thursday October 24, 2019, EMT’s from the Sergeant Bluff Fire and Rescue responded to 6533 Morningside Ave. for a report of a man down. EMT’s located a male subject later identified as 66-year old David Davenport, unconscious inside a residence at the property. Authorities noted that there are two residences located at that location, one being Davenport’s primary residence, where he lived alone, the other a secondary residence, which he rented to tenants.  His tenants found him inside the rental property and notified 911.

Davenport was transported a hospital in Sioux City, where he died the next day. On October 27, 2019, the Sergeant Bluff Fire and Rescue, along with the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office, responded Davenport’s primary residence for a reported fire.  No was injured.  The fire was investigated by the Sgt. Bluff Fire and Rescue, Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa State Fire Marshal’s Office.

It was during the fire investigation that law enforcement first became aware of Davenport’s recent death. Investigators spoke with medical staff at the hospital, who advised the man had suffered severe head trauma and died as a result of the trauma.  Medical staff did not report any explanation for the head trauma. Based on a recent fire at Mr. Davenport’s residence and time frame of his death, law enforcement requested that an autopsy be conducted on Dave Davenport by the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner (IOSME).

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation was also requested to assist with the suspicious death investigation. The ME’s forensic autopsy report listed the cause of death at a homicide. As the investigation continued, into both the fire and death, the Iowa State Fire Marshal’s Office reported that there was no evidence that the fire at Davenport’s primary residence was intentionally set, and ruled the fire as accidental.

In August 2020, investigators met with members of the State Medical Examiner’s Office, after reviewing all the case facts and findings from the investigation, revised his manner of death, ruling it as undetermined.

Anyone with information related to the investigation should contact the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office at 712-224-7680.

The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports seven arrests over the past week. Friday morning, 38-year old Eleazar James Hoffman, of Des Moines, was arrested by Greenfield Police on an Adair County warrant for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense. He was released later that same morning on a $300 cash/surety bond. At around 5-a.m. on Sept. 8th, 22-year old Danielle Lynette Schultz, of Forest Lake, MN., and 22-year old Austin Anthony Devaney, of Vadnais Heights, MN, were both arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance, following an investigation into a three-car accident near the 79 mile marker of I-80 eastbound. The investigation resulted in the discovery of marijuana in some suitcases. Devaney admitted they had purchased marijuana together in Colorado. The weight of the edibles and plant material amounted to roughly 52 ounces. The pair were released later that same day on a $5,000 bond, each.

Also arrested on Sept. 8th, was 51-year old Brian James Keith, of Walnut. He was arrested by the Iowa State Patrol for OWI/1st offense following a traffic complaint about a vehicle unable to maintain lanes on I-80 eastbound. The vehicle, and Keith, were eventually located at the northwest entrance to the Sunny Hill Cemetery, on the south side of Adair. Keith was hunched forward, asleep, with the vehicle running in drive, and his foot on the brake.

On Sept. 6th, 33-year old Mark Aaron Hoepker, of Orient, was arrested by an Adair County Deputy in the 2800 block of Bridgewater Road. He was charged with OWI/3rd offense, and Driving While License Denied or Revoked for OWI.  He was released the following day on a $5,000 cash/surety bond, with 10% acceptable.

Also arrested Sept. 6th, was 20-year old Summer Ann Barr, of Greenfield. She was arrested by Greenfield Police for Domestic Abuse Assault, after allegedly tearing the shirt off of her boyfriend – 23-year old Dakota Storm House, of Greenfield, causing him pain, injury and visible marks to his back and left shoulder. She told police the man had gotten into her face prior to the incident escalating into an assault.  House was also arrested on the same charge, for injuries Barr suffered during the incident to her shoulder and back.

Both subjects were released the following day on a $1,000 cash/surety bond, each.

CRESTON, Iowa – Sept. 14, 2020 – The Iowa DOT’s Creston Construction Office reports joint replacement work on the east- and westbound Interstate 80 bridges in Dallas County, over Sugar Creek, the South Raccoon River, and the North Raccoon River east of the junction with U.S. 169, will require nighttime lane closures with 13-foot lane-width restrictions. The restrictions will run from Sept. 21st, until November 2020, weather permitting. Traffic patterns will be normal during daytime hours.

The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts. The latest traveler information is available anytime through the 511 system. Visit 511ia.org; call 511 (within Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide).

Atlantic, IA — Cass County Health System has been awarded a Top Workplaces 2020 honor by The Des Moines Register. The list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage, LLC. The anonymous survey uniquely measures 15 drivers of engaged cultures that are critical to the success of any organization: including alignment, execution, and connection, just to name a few.

“In times of great change, it is more important than ever to maintain a connection among employees,” said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. “When you give your employees a voice, you come together to navigate challenges and shape your path forward based on real-time insights into what works best for your organization. The Top Workplaces program can be that positive outcome your company can rally around in the coming months to celebrate leadership and the importance of maintaining an employee-focused culture, even during challenging times.”

CCHS CEO Brett Altman said, “We’ve been very blessed to be ranked by our employees as a Top Workplace for the sixth year in a row. This award speaks to their dedication to creating a positive culture focused on providing superior experiences to our patients, families, communities, and our colleagues.”