A state board, Friday, handed out financial assistance and tax breaks to five companies — and state officials say those companies pledge 62 new jobs will be created. Cambrex, a pharmaceutical company based in New Jersey, plans to expand its production facility in Charles City, Iowa. It’s getting 125-thousand dollars from the State of Iowa for the project. Company officials expect 29 more people will be added to the Charles City payroll once the expansion’s complete. The Iowa Economic Development Authority Board has extended tax breaks to four other companies that pledge to pay workers significantly more than the minimum wage.

A Waterloo company that’s adding new freezer space is one of the companies that has qualified for state tax breaks. Crystal Distribution Services plans to hire one more worker when the facility is done. Farmers Edge, a Canadian company, plans to build a soil testing laboratory in Grimes and hire five people to work at the lab. Highway Equipment Company plans to build new research and development facilities in Cedar Rapids and hire 14 people.

The other company getting state tax breaks is Legacy Manufacturing in Marion. It is planning a 12-million dollar expansion of its existing facility and is promising to hire 13 more people. The Iowa Economic Development Authority’s Board also provided a grant to the “StartUp Dubuque” program at Northeast Iowa Community College. A mentoring program in the Iowa City and Cedar Rapids area is getting a state grant, too. The “Startup Factory” at Iowa State University’s Research Park and a University of Iowa “hub” for entrepreneurs working on medical devices are each getting 200-thousand dollar state grants.

(Radio Iowa)

Rain has hopscotched through the state this week and Iowa Ag Secretary Bill Northey says the precipitation is coming at a make-or-break time for soybeans. This is the time when the beans are forming inside the pods on soybean plants. “(For) a lot of those beans, that rain could make the difference between 20-bushel beans and 55-bushel beans,” Northey says.

In 2016, the average soybean yield in Iowa was 60 bushels per acre. A U-S-D-A report issued Thursday, concluded seven southern Iowa counties are now in “extreme drought.” Overall, 70 percent of the state is considered to have some level of drought conditions. Northey says “most of the state” needs a soaking rain. “I’m sure roots are using every last drop of water there is out there,” Northey says. “…It’s a pretty amazing thing to think you’ve got a kernel of seed corn that was planted the end of April and now it’s got a 10 or 12 foot stalk out there…I’ve talked to folks who’ve found roots eight foot deep, going after that moisture that we had this spring.”

LaVerne Arndt farms near Sac City in northwest Iowa, one of the driest spots in the state. “That July hot spell really cooked our crops,” Arndt says. “I think we’re looking at on corn a 50-75 percent loss from last year, which I understand was a really great year.”

But Arndt says his soybeans still have the potential for good yields with timely rains. Kurt Olson farms near Grand Mound in east-central Iowa. He say his crops are doing well. “We’ve been getting moisture where other people haven’t,” Olson says. “(Compared to) anywhere else I’ve been in Iowa, we look really good.”

Olson farms in Clinton County. Much of northeast Iowa where heavy rains and flash flooding hit recently is out of the drought zone. However, portions of Clarke, Decatur, Lucas, Madison, Union, Warren and Wayne Counties are rated in “extreme drought” by the U-S-D-A’s latest report.

(Radio Iowa, w/Reporting by Ken Anderson of Brownfield Ag News)

The Atlantic Sesquicentennial Celebration will kick off on December 2, 2017 at the city’s Lighted Christmas Parade with the Mayor proclaiming 2018 as the City’s Sesquicentennial Year. Organizers say rather than one large celebration, the city will be celebrating each month in 2018.  Each month has been assigned a theme in order to assist individuals/groups/organizations/businesses in creating ideas for activities they may want to sponsor throughout the year.  The following themes are merely suggestions:

January 2018  “Atlantic Beginnings”  focus on history of Atlantic

February 2018 – “Fall in Love with Atlantic”

March 2018 – “Atlantic Builds Business and Industry”

April 2018- “Who’s Who in Atlantic”

May 2018- “Atlantic Salutes the Military”

June 2018 – “Atlantic Embraces Patriotism”

July 2018 – “Atlantic Cultivates Agriculture”

August 2018 – “Atlantic Relaxes With Fun and Games”

September 2018 – “Atlantic Endorses Education”

October 2018 – ”Atlantic Recognizes Government and Public Service”

November 2018- “Atlantic Gives Thanks”

December 2018- “Atlantic Celebrates Christmas/Holidays”

City Hall will be the point of contact for anyone wishing to add events to the Calendar of Events.  Stop in or call Barb, Ali, or Amanda. The Calendar of Events will also be made available on the atlanticiowa.com website, as well as found on the Sesquicentennial Facebook Page – Atlantic Sesquicentennial.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Public Information Board has voted to keep private a detailed log of records compiled by law enforcement about a fatal police shooting. The Hawk Eye reports that the board’s 7-1 decision on Thursday overturns an administrative law judge’s ruling that said the records from the Burlington Police Department and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation should be released.

The vote addresses a narrow part of the case involving Burlington officer Jesse Hill, who accidentally shot 34-year-old Autumn Steele in January 2015 while responding to a fight between Steele and her husband. At issue is whether the agencies should release the police officer’s body camera footage in its entirety.

A 12-second video of the incident has been made public, prompting law enforcement agencies to argue they’ve complied with Iowa law.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office today (Friday), released information about an accident that took place one week ago. Authorities say on Friday, August 11th at approximately 6-p.m., Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report of a single-vehicle accident on 680th Street in Cass County. Officials say a 2008 Chevy Malibu owned and driven by 56-year old Susan Davenport Fineout, of Creston, was northbound on 680th when she lost control of the car on the loose gravel. The vehicle rolled over once into the east ditch before coming to rest back on its wheels. Finehout was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital by Cumberland Rescue. Damage to the car was estimated at $10,000.

The Sheriff’s Office said also, deputies arrested 22-year old Thomas Williamson Bruning, of Griswold. Bruning was taken into custody this (Friday) morning, on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear. He was being held in the Cass County Jail on $2,000 bond.

WEST LAKE OKOBOJI, Iowa (AP) – A historic resort in northwest Iowa is up for sale, marking another turn for a property that has been owned by six financial institutions since 2013. The Sioux City Journal reports that The Inn at Okoboji Resort & Conference Center at West Lake Okoboji is being sold in an online private auction in September.

Jon Hjelm is a broker for The ACRE Co. and will oversee the auction. He says the current owners are happy with recent improvements but that they feel like it’s a good time to sell. It’s unclear how much the property could sell for. The Dickinson County Assessor’s Office values the resort at more than $4.2 million for tax purposes.

The resort has more than 150 rooms, 400 feet of lakefront area and a golf course.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – An Iowa man accused of trying to sell a stolen refrigeration unit back to its owner has pleaded guilty to a felony theft charge. The Daily Nonpareil reports that 38-year-old Roger Otts of Council Bluffs pleaded guilty to the theft charge and probation violation on Thursday.

Authorities say Otts stole a refrigeration unit worth $12,000 from a trucking company and tried to sell it back to the owner for $8,000. Authorities say Otts was unaware that the owner was disguised as a buyer. Otts was arrested that day.

As a habitual offender, Otts must serve at least three years behind bars if he violates his two-year probation term. He was ordered to serve 90 days for previous parole violations.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa’s unemployment rate remained at 3.2 percent in July. The state’s Workforce Development agency reported Friday the rate remained steady amid a drop in the number of Iowa residents with jobs and an unemployment increase to 54,400 in July.

The agency noted increases in manufacturing jobs as well as in hospitality and trade and transportation. There was a drop in construction jobs. Iowa’s 3.2 percent July unemployment rate compares to a 3.7 percent rate a year ago. The national unemployment rate was 4.3 percent in July.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest at around 12:50-a.m. today (Friday), of 41-year old Dustin Hoffman Stevens, of Grand Forks, SD. Stevens was arrested for Theft in the 5th Degree, after a Deputy saw a 2006 Nissan Sentra on 430th Street, just south of Highway 92. The vehicle had its hazard lights on. A check of the license plate revealed the plate had been reported stolen from Council Bluffs.

The Sheriff’s Office reports also, 33-year old Mescha Jackson, of Prescott (IA), was arrested at around 12:45-a.m. today (Friday), for Contempt of Court. Authorities say at around 11:30-p.m. Thursday, Pott. County Dispatch advised a deputy that Taylor County had a woman in their custody on a warrant out of Pott. County, and that the woman was the breast feeding mother of an infant.

Taylor County officials had tried to get bond for the woman taken care of, but the judge ruled she needed to be transported to Pott. County. A Contempt of Court warrant does not have a bond associated with it until the defendant is seen by a magistrate. A Deputy from Taylor County and a Pott. County Deputy arranged to meet each other in Red Oak, so the woman could be further transported to the Pott. County Jail. Jackson was read the warrant and turned over to jail staff.

An observant Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s deputy arrested a man Thursday morning, after he learned the man had a warrant for domestic abuse assault. Deputy Stewart was on patrol at around 8-a.m. Thursday in the rural, southeast side of Council Bluffs, when he noticed two men standing in front of a residence in the 1200 block of N. Larchmont Drive. His report said there were no vehicles in the area, and the men appeared to be watching for someone or something.

Knowing that multiple theft reports had been received from the area, the Deputy made contact with the two men, who said they were construction workers, waiting for their boss to arrive. Deputy Stewart noticed the men were not dressed for construction work. Instead, they wore athletic clothing, and one of the men was wearing sandals.

An identity check determined the men to be 26-year old Joel Main and James Urso. When a records check was conducted, the deputy learned Main was wanted on a warrant for Domestic Abuse Assault by impeding airflow. The man was taken into custody and transported to the Pott. County Jail where he was booked-in.