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MARGARET VERMILLION, 91, of Carroll & formerly of Atlantic (Visitation 2/26/24)

Obituaries

February 21st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

MARGARET VERMILLION, 91, of Carroll (& formerly of Atlantic), died Wednesday, February 21, 2024, at Addington Place of Carroll. A visitation for MARGARET VERMILLION, with the family present, will be held 9:30-a.m. Monday, Feb. 26, 2024 at Roland Funeral Service in Atlantic, followed by a Prayer service at 10:30-a.m.

Burial will be in the SS Peter and Paul Catholic Cemetery.

Memorials may be directed to opportunityliving.org.

MARGARET VERMILLION is survived by:

Her daughters – Mary (Ben) Vermillion, of Iowa City, and Kathy (Greg) McCarthy, (Greg) of Sioux City.

Her sons – Jim Vermillion, of Lake City, and Joe Vermillion, of Carroll.

4 grandchildren, other relatives, friends, and her caregivers.

Condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.

Heartbeat Today 2-21-2024

Ag/Outdoor, Heartbeat Today, Podcasts

February 21st, 2024 by Jim Field

Jim Field visits with Atlantic FFA student leaders Colton Rudy, Lola Kommes, Lily Johnson and Charli Goff about National FFA Week.

Play

Cass County Extension Report 2-21-2024

Ag/Outdoor, Podcasts

February 21st, 2024 by Jim Field

w/Kate Olson.

Play

Atlantic City Council to hold a Budget Work Session Thursday afternoon

News

February 21st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic, will hold a Budget Work Session 3-p.m. Thursday (Feb. 22), in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall. During their session, the Council is expected to receive a presentation by Produce in the Park President, Bailey Smith, and Produce in the Park Board Member Ciara Hoegh, on Produce in the Park. They’re also expected to receive a presentation from Christina Bateman, on Economic Development for 2024 and 2025.

The Council will discuss Economic Development Goals for 2024 and 2025 before acting on an order to enter into an Exempt Session (under Iowa Code), for Collective Bargaining strategy purposes. At 10-a.m. Thursday, City officials are expected to exchange Collective Bargaining proposals with the City’s Public Works’ Union of Operating Engineers Local 234.

Afterward, in open session, the Atlantic City Council will discuss the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST), including recommendations for a Local Option Sales Tax Allocation Formula. The discussion will also cover: LOST Streets Funds – West 22nd Street Project Update; LOST Progress Funds – City Coalition Update; and other Discussion regarding LOST Funds.

USDA to survey farmers’ planting intentions for 2024

Ag/Outdoor

February 21st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(DES MOINES, Iowa) – As the 2024 crop production season begins, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will contact producers nationwide to determine their plans for the upcoming growing season. “Each year, the agriculture industry anticipates USDA’s Prospective Plantings report, which provides initial survey-based estimates of U.S. farmers’ planting intentions for the year,” said Greg Thessen, Director of the NASS Upper Midwest Regional Field Office. “The March Agricultural Survey provides the data that underpin projections, making it one of the most important surveys we conduct each year.”

NASS will mail the survey to approximately 2,300 Iowa producers on Feb. 19 asking producers to provide information about the types of crops they intend to plant in 2024, how many acres they intend to plant, and the amounts of grain and oilseed they store on their farms. Producers can respond online at agcounts.usda.gov or by mail. Those who do not respond by Feb. 27 may be emailed a reminder or contacted for an interview.

In accordance with federal law, NASS keeps responses confidential and publishes data in aggregate form only, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified.

The data will be published in the Prospective Plantings and quarterly Grain Stocks reports on Mar. 28, 2024. These and all NASS reports are available online at www.nass.usda.gov/Publications. For more information, call the NASS Upper Midwest Regional Office at 800-772-0825.

IWCC Board approves men’s & women’s swimming and diving to the Athletic Dept. this Fall

Sports

February 21st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (KETV) — The Iowa Western Community College Board of Trustees has approved the addition the Fall, of men’s and women’s swimming and diving to the Reivers’ (Ree’verz) athletic department. The program will operate out of the Lewis Central Community School District’s pool at Titan Hill Intermediate School.

There is no cost for Iowa Western Reivers to use the facilities for practice during the day. The pool will be available for Lewis Central High School swimmers after school. A national search for a coaching staff will begin immediately. The program is expected to begin by the end of March.

Body found near an eastern Iowa lake is identified; Suspect arrested

News

February 21st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The body found near Amana Lily Lake over the weekend has now been identified as that of a Marion woman. Investigators say Melody Hoffman, 20, was found Sunday morning near the picnic area of the lake. A man from Hiawatha, McKinley Louisma, 23, is in the Linn County jail on charges of first-degree kidnapping and conspiracy to commit forcible felony.

Court filings detail what investigators say happened after Louisma picked Hoffman up at 11:00 p.m. Saturday. Investigators used data from Hoffman’s iPhone and Apple watch to piece together the story. They determined Hoffman was at Morgan Creek Park in Linn County when her Apple Watch recorded her heartbeat intensify before “it either stopped or the device deactivated.”

Louisma told investigators he and another unidentified person bound Hoffman’s wrists with duct tape, put her in the trunk of the car, and drove to several locations until they reached Lily Lake in Amana. Louisma admitted Hoffman begged to be let go, was beaten, and had numerous stab wounds. The Iowa State Medical Examiner’s Office says the preliminary cause of death was strangulation.

Court documents show Louisma was part of two previous investigations involving accusations of violence. One was in Manchester involving sexual assault. The other was in Cedar Rapids claiming Louisma attacked a man, causing serious injury. Louisma was out on bond when investigators say he kidnapped Hoffman.

According to the family, a Memorial Account has been established for donations at Collins Community Credit Union under “Memorial for Melody.” Family members are also accepting donations via Venmo using the account @memorial-for-Melody. Family members say the donations will be used to help pay for funeral services.

Iowa Democratic Party updates requested voter presidential preference card numbers

News

February 21st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa [KCCI] — The Iowa Democratic Party says more than 19,000 voters requested presidential preference cards by their Feb. 19 deadline — and they’re still working through the final numbers. The cards are a response to changes on the national primary calendar in the wake of slowly reported results in Iowa in 2020. It’s the first time the Iowa Democratic Party is casting their presidential preference ballot through mail.

The party began sending out the preference cards on Jan. 12, and the last batch of cards will be mailed out on Monday. They should arrive within 24 hours, according to the IDP. Iowa Democrats have until March 5 to return their cards. Cards that are postmarked by March 5 will also be accepted. The party said it encourages cards to be returned through the mail rather than be dropped off at the Iowa Democratic Party headquarters or local county party offices.

The Iowa Democratic Party said they will begin the tabulation of preference cards around March 1. Results will be released on March 5, 2024, commonly known as “Super Tuesday.” The exact time of the release will be shared closer to the date.

Iowa Democrats held their caucus on Jan. 15, but did not vote on their pick for a presidential nominee.

Exira-EHK School Board news

News

February 21st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Elk Horn, Iowa) – The Exira-Elk Horn Kimballton School Board met Monday evening. According to the meeting minutes provided by Business Manager, Board Secretary/Treasurer Mallory Meyer, during their session, the Board approved action items on their agenda that included:

  • A Contract Amendment with INVISION Architecture, LLC.
  • 2023-24 Athletics Sharing Agreement with the Audubon Community School District
  • 2024-25 School Business Official (SBO) & HR/Business Office Specialist Sharing Agreements with the Audubon CSD.
  • A 2024-25 Clinical Experience Placement Agreement with Morningside University.
  • The Board accepted a RFP (Request for Proposal) for Auditing Services for FY24-28.
  • And, they passed an FY 2025 Budget Adjustment (Guarantee) Resolution

In other business, the Exira-EHK School Board passed the first reading of a policy adoption for policies related to Artificial Intelligence, and Responsible Technology Use & Social Networking. They held and approved after the first and final reading, a policy review with regard to Policy pertaining to Parent and Family Engagement District-Wide.

The Exira-EHK Board also approved the hiring of Associates: Nichole (Nicki) Brown, Margaret Haley, and Angela Immel.

Iowa wins at Michigan State

Sports

February 21st, 2024 by Ric Hanson

This time Iowa was able to close out a road win. The Hawkeyes built a 12-point halftime advantage and held off Michigan State 78-71, Tuesday. It was their second straight win as they move to 8-8 in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes shot 51 percent and committed only six turnovers.

That’s Iowa coach Fran McCaffery. With the victory the Hawkeyes move back into the top half of the Big Ten standings with four games to play.

Payton Sandfort led the Hawkeyes with 22 points. Ben Krikke had 18 points and added 14 rebounds as Iowa led by as may as 16 points in the second half.

Iowa visits 12th ranked Illinois on Saturday.