Atlantic, IA — Officials with the Cass County Health System/CCMH report Holly Christensen, BSN, MSN, ARNP has joined the Cass County Health System Emergency Department.
“Emergency medicine has always been my true love,” said Holly. “I love being able to practice a full scope of healthcare, and I love the variety that comes with working in an emergency department.”

Holly Christensen, BSN, ARNP

Holly graduated from Graceland University in 2007, earning her Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner. Since that time she has served in Iowa as a Family Nurse Practitioner in the emergency departments at Manning Regional Health Center, Audubon County Hospital, and Myrtue Medical Center. She has also served as a Medical Examiner for Shelby County.

Holly, her husband Craig, and daughter Carly live on a farm outside of Harlan. They enjoy traveling, camping, tractor pulling, spending time around the farm and are very involved with the Shelby County Fair.

The Atlantic Police Department reports three separate arrests. On Thursday, 26-year old Daniel Jones, of Exira, was arrested for Public Intoxication and Disorderly Conduct. Last Saturday, 39-year old Kantauo Mark, of Atlantic, who was already in custody, was charged with Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree. The charge is in connection with a previous incident. And, on June 7th, 33-year old Justin Kubicki, of Tonganoxie, KS, was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Failure to Appear. Jones and Kubicki were booked into the Cass County Jail.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Two psychiatric experts testifying in a lawsuit against the Iowa Human Services Department say the use of isolation and restraints at the state school for delinquent boys can psychologically damage them. Psychologist Andrea Weisman testified in U.S. District Court in Des Moines that a Velco and leather contraption called “the wrap” used to restrain boys at the State Training School for Boys in Eldora is “akin to a torture device.”

The class-action lawsuit filed in November 2017 by two advocacy groups says the school is failing to provide adequate mental health care to the boys. The Des Moines Register reports that state administrators say the facility tries to minimize the use of restraints and isolation. The school’s superintendent, Mark Day, told the judge Thursday that he and his staff try to make the school feel more like a campus than a prison.

A man from Australia was transported by helicopter to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Thursday afternoon, after the bicycle he was riding was struck by a car in southeast Iowa’s Jefferson County. The Iowa State Patrol reports 79-year old Steven Timm was traveling westbound on Burlington Avenue, in Fairfield, and was to the right of the white line, when he entered the westbound lane of traffic. The driver of a westbound 2006 Cadillac, 27-year old Ethan Daniel Ball, of Cedar Rapids, moved towards the center line of the road in an attempt to give Timm some room, but the bike turned in front of the car. The right front of the Cadillac struck the bicycle. The accident remains under investigation.

A pursuit in eastern Iowa’s Scott County turned deadly Thursday afternoon. The Iowa State Patrol reports Davenport Police were pursuing a wanted suspect, 19-year old Angel Domingo Ochoa, of Davenport, when the 1998 Lincoln Continental he was driving ran a red light and hit a 2010 Chevy driven by 48-year old Lori Ann Letts, of Davenport. She died at the scene. Ochoa, and a passenger in his vehicle, 18-year old Gavin Neo Lee Bennett, of Davenport, were injured in the crash that happened at around 2:38-p.m. They were transported to Genesis East Hospital by Davenport Ambulance. None of the crash victims were wearing a seat belt.

Ochoa was treated for minor injuries and released to the custody of authorities. Bennett was transferred to the University of Iowa Hospital, where a report on his condition was not available. Ochoa was being held in the Scott County Jail on charges of homicide by vehicle, serious injury by vehicle, and serious injury by vehicle as well as failing to appear on a possession second charge.

The incident and crash remain under investigation.

The Iowa State Patrol says two people were injured during a Mills County construction zone accident, late Thursday morning. A 2004 International semi driven by 28-year old Rafael Perez Pinero, of Miami, FL., was traveling eastbound on Highway 34 within a construction near 350th Street at around 11:45-a.m., when the semi failed to stop for a line of vehicles that were stopped, and waiting for a Pilot Car. The semi hit the rear of a 2016 Chevy Silverado pickup driven by 56-year old Jan Peter Schaapherder, of Clarinda, causing it to enter the ditch and rollover over.

The semi then struck the rear of a 2016 Ford Edge SUV, driven by 38-year old Jeremy Tosaya, of Elkhorn, NE., causing it to be pushed out of its lane and into another vehicle, which struck a fifth vehicle. Schaapherder was transported by Malvern Rescue to the Montgomery County Memorial Hospital. Tosaya was transported by Malvern Rescue to Mercy Hospital. Both drivers were wearing their seat belts.

In an update to our previous report, Page County Sheriff Lyle Palmer says a Minnesota man faces four felony charges in connection with a two-county pursuit, Wednesday night. 39-year old Leroy Takye Bradley, of Minneapolis, was charged with felony Eluding, felony Possession of stolen property, and two felony counts of Possession of Firearms or ammunition by a Felon or prohibited person. Bradley was transported to Bergen-Mercy Hospital from the Adams County Hospital, after he crashed an SUV during the pursuit. A report on his condition was not released.

The incident began at around 9:24-p.m. Wednesday, when a Page County Deputy initiated a traffic stop on a silver Toyota Highlander at Highway 71 and Upland Avenue, about three-miles north of Clarinda. During the traffic stop, the Deputy had obtained information from the driver and had returned to the patrol vehicle for paperwork. A records check indicated the license plates on the vehicle had been stolen. During the initial investigation, the SUV took off from the traffic stop.

The pursuit went north on Highway 71. At the intersection with Highway 34, the SUV turned east.  An Adams County Deputy joined the pursuit and the pursuit continued into Adams County on Highway 34. Near Corning, the vehicle turned around and headed west on Highway 34. At the intersection with Ginko Road, the vehicle turned south and headed towards Brooks. Near the town of Brooks, the suspect vehicle failed to negotiate curves in the road and wrecked.

The Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted during the pursuit by the Adams and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Offices, Corning Fire and Rescue, and the Iowa State Patrol.

LaVon Eblen visits with Carol Preston and Shirley Bierbaum about a fund raiser for the Cass County Museum in Griswold.  Contact Cass County Museum: 712-778-5040.

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