A reminder from the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce: Christmas in Atlantic begins this evening (11/19). Grab your family and friends and celebrate the start of the Holiday Season. The Grand Lighting, Snowflake Drop, Santa and his reindeer and carriage rides start tonight in Historic Downtown Atlantic at 5:30 pm! Be sure to come early to shop and to enjoy the recipe walk.

New this year, the Chamber will be having a Snowflake Drop that will be held during Grand Lighting. The Chamber has partnered with local businesses to provide a “snow shower” full of spectacular savings to be redeemed on Small Business Saturday. Snowflakes with incentives will be dropped from the sky for community members to ‘scoop’ up. The Snowflake Drop is sponsored by McDermott & Son Roofing and Brown’s Shoe Fit Co.

In addition to the Snow Flake Drop, Santa’s Reindeer will be at City Park from 5:30-7:30 pm. There will be free horse-drawn carriage rides from 5:30-7:30 pm. Following Grand Lighting, Santa will be taking visitors in his cabin, along with hot cocoa and popcorn from 6:15-7:30 pm. Santa’s Reindeer are sponsored by Atlantic Animal Health Center, Geis Perry Jewelry, Hy-Vee, Marne & Elk Horn Telephone
Company, McCurdy Investments, Megan Roberts State Farm, Nishna Valley Credit Union and Renew Ag Supply. Carriage Rides are being sponsored by Alan & Brenda Zellmer, First Whitney Bank & Trust and Wells Fargo Bank. Santa’s Cabin is sponsored by the Atlantic Rotary Club.

Warm up and enjoy flavors of the season in downtown retail stores with the Recipe Walk. Participating businesses will offer sweet and savory treats and recipe cards for holiday favorites as you shop. Pick up a list of participating businesses at the Chamber starting Wednesday, November 18th anytime from 10 am-5pm.

Grand Lighting is only the beginning of the Chamber Sponsored holiday events, followed by the Lighted Parade and Fireworks on December 5th, starting at 6 pm. Please submit lighted parade entries to the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce by calling 712.243.3017 or emailing chamber@atlanticiowa.com. Pre-registration is not required, but is encouraged. The Lighted Parade and Fireworks are sponsored by
A.M. Cohron & Son and Meyer & Gross Real Estate.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports one person was arrested on drug charges Wednesday afternoon. 19-year old Keegan Wayne Williams, of Corning, was allegedly found to be in possession of individual baggies of marijuana at 10th and Washington Streets, in Corning. Williams was arrested for Possession with the Intent to deliver on real property, interference with officials acts, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports a Red Oak man was arrested early this (Thursday) morning, for Driving While Barred. 36-year old Joshua Duane Mohn was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $2,000 cash bond.

LYTTON, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say one of the three men hurt in an explosion at a protein processing plant in Iowa has injuries that are life-threatening. The Sac County Sheriff’s Office says 34-year-old Earl Lee Moore of Milford Center, Ohio was in a large storage tank for repair work when the explosion occurred Tuesday night at the Proliant facility in Lytton. Authorities say he has life-threatening injuries.

A second man, 32-year-old Manuel Ruiz, of Columbus, Ohio suffered injuries that authorities described as severe. Both men, employees of an equipment company in Ohio, were transferred to a hospital in Omaha.

Fifty-two-year-old Dana Boom of Lake View, Iowa was also hurt. The Proliant employee was taken to local hospital for treatment and later released. Authorities say they’re still investigating the cause of the explosion.

FARRAGUT, Iowa (AP) — A southwest Iowa school district has been dissolved after officials say it has run with a negative balance and sub-minimal educational standards. The Des Moines Register reports that the Iowa Board of Education voted to close the Farragut School District Wednesday. State officials say the district had a five-year period of deficit spending that was approaching $1 million.

The Green Hills Area Education Agency will take over day-to-day operations so students can finish the school year. The Iowa Department of Education will redraw boundaries, and the students will have options on which nearby schools to attend. The department will also divide the district’s assets.

This is the third time the state has closed a school district, which is seen as a last resort when programming or financial issues are too difficult to solve.

Des Moines, Iowa – Iowa Congressman David Young began his Iowa Youth Leadership summit today by speaking to the over 125 high school students gathered at the State Capitol Building in Des Moines.

Students from throughout Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District participated in the daylong event that included breakout sessions focusing on leadership development facilitated by the University of Northern Iowa’s (UNI) Classic Upward Bound Program.

Congressman Young told the students, “Have fun, meet new people and really dig in because this is a great opportunity to learn more about yourself and others and how to approach the next challenges in life. Leadership can involve risk and sometimes that means pushing a door open to try something new and setting a new course. Do not be afraid to do that. My mantra has always been to work hard and treat others with respect.

“You can accomplish a lot by seizing the opportunities before you and being a good person. And remember if someone says to you – ‘run for student president or city council or Congress’ – don’t laugh at him or her. That means they see something in you and that is a great honor.”

Trace Petersen, Emily Hohenberger, Gabriel Martinez, Congressman Young, Ethan Halterman, Ashley Freund, Sarah Fixmer

The Youth Leadership Summit was started by former Congressman Tom Latham in 2007 with a goal of empowering Iowa’s youths to interact with their government, but also to help mentor the next generation of Iowa’s leaders as they look to, and prepare for, their futures. Congressman Young has made it a priority to continue this yearly event so students are able to take advantage of this important resource.

Librarians in Cass County announced today (Wednesday), that an online tutoring service is available for persons of all ages. HelpNow, from Brainfuse, offers personalized live homework help aligned with state standards in math, reading, science and social studies. It also includes dozens of practice tests, including ACT, SAT, ASVAB, GED, HISET, TASC and many more.

An adult learning center is available as well, which offers resume’ assistance, career resources, skill-building exercises, and practice for citizenship, as well as other tests. HelpNow provides access to live tutors from 2-p.m. to 11-p.m., seven-days per week. Users can also submit papers, resumes’ and any other written work to the writing lab, 24/7. HelpNow also features flash cards to help with memorization, an online meeting space, and the option to record and save items online.

It’s available to residents of Cass County who have a library account at the Anita, Atlantic, Cumberland, Griswold, Lewis and/or Massena Public Libraries. HelpNow can be accessed by library account holders from inside any of the six libraries or anywhere you have an internet connection. Apps are also available for both Android and Apple devices. A library account number is required for access.

Contact your local library for more information.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrested on Tuesday of a man from Henderson. 21-year old Douglas Francis Meyer, Jr., faces a serious misdemeanor charge of OWI 1st Offense. Meyer was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released the following day on his own recognizance.

(Corrects name of woman in this story – Sheriff’s error)

Two people were transported to the Clarinda Regional Medical Center by Clarinda Ambulance, following a collision Tuesday evening about two-miles east of Clarinda. The Page County Sheriff’s Office says the drivers of the vehicle, 25-year old Kenton John Lyle Alexander, of New Market, and 24-year old Aeriel Elizabeth Baldwin, of Clarinda, suffered unknown injuries during the accident that took place on Highway 2 near the intersection with V Avenue, at around 6-p.m., Tuesday.

Authorities say Alexander was driving a 2005 Ford Crown Victoria eastbound on Highway 2, while Baldwin was driving a 2000 Saturn eastbound. Baldwin was stopped, attempting to make a turn north from Highway 2 onto V Avenue, when Alexander either didn’t slow or stop for the Baldwin vehicle that was waiting on westbound traffic to clear in order to make the turn.

Alexander’s car ran into the rear of Baldwin’s vehicle, causing disabling damage to both vehicles. Charges are pending completion of an investigation into the crash.

Acting United States Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel today (Wednesday), announced the return of an indictment stemming from an investigation into the misappropriation of city funds and burning of a community building in Casey, Iowa. The indictment charges Dorothy L. Dillinger, the former Casey City Clerk, with five counts of mail fraud for her role in a scheme to defraud by using the City’s credit card to purchase items for personal use.

The indictment also charges Dillinger with one count of malicious use of fire for the fire that destroyed the Casey Community Building, which housed the City Clerk’s Office. The Community Building fire was set just prior to midnight of August 19-20, 2014. Personnel from the State Auditor’s Office were scheduled to arrive at the Clerk’s Office on the morning of August 20, 2014, to conduct an audit of the City’s records following a successful petition drive by citizens of Casey seeking an audit.

The joint investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, State Fire Marshal Division of the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office, Guthrie County Attorney’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

An initial appearance and arraignment have been scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on November 30, 2015, at the United States Courthouse in Des Moines. In accordance with the Iowa Rules of Professional Conduct, the public is reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation, and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Additionally, because this matter is pending in the United States District Court, the United States Attorney’s Office does not anticipate making any further comment or statement at this time.