The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports an early morning arrest of a Villisca woman.  At 3:46am this (Saturday) morning Deputies arrested 21-year-old Holly Ann Nutting of Villisca for Violation of a No Contact Order following an incident in the 100 block of West 2nd Street in Villisca.  Nutting was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 bond.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — ConAgra Foods’ chief executive says employees will learn next week about upcoming changes, including likely jobs cuts and a shuffling of operations that could boost the company’s presence in Chicago and lower it in Omaha. CEO Sean Connolly said Friday that Omaha will continue to play a sizable role for the company. The company has around 3,000 employees at the headquarters campus in Omaha, in Lincoln and across the Missouri River in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

The Omaha World-Herald reports that Connolly is in Omaha for a shareholders meeting. On Tuesday, ConAgra reported a fiscal first-quarter loss of $1.2 billion, or $2.85 a share. Connolly told the World-Herald that day that the company had to be willing to embrace change in order to cut expenses and improve performance.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the nation has reached a new record for the number of hogs and pigs on farms. The national inventory on Sept. 1 was 68.4 million animals, up 4 percent from a year ago and the most since the USDA began keeping national quarterly records 27 years ago.

The industry has been rebuilding herds after a virus killed an estimated 9 million baby pigs last year. Higher inventories should help drive down prices for pork at the grocery store, after they reached record highs last year.

Iowa is the nation’s leading pork producer. The report released Friday says the state has 21.2 million hogs and pigs, up 2 percent from year ago and the second-highest inventory ever. The record was 21.3 million hogs last December.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two separate arrests on Thursday, September 24th.

At 6:48pm Deputies arrested 35-year-old Kale Garrett Hardman on a Warrant for Harassment 1st Degree and Violation No Contact Order.  The arrest was made on 410th Street in Emerson.  Hardman was booked in on $2,300.00 bond.

Also on Thursday Mills County Deputies arrested 49-year-old Michael Scott Holtz of Malvern for Driving Under Suspension.  He was arrested on Highway 275 at 4:00pm and held on $300.00 bond.

(DES MOINES) – Gov. Terry E. Branstad today signed a proclamation to allow the transportation of overweight loads of soybeans, corn, hay, straw, silage and stover. The proclamation takes effect today, September 25, 2015, and expires after 60 days.

“I am pleased today to sign this proclamation to allow Iowa farmers to move their crop yields in an effective and efficient manner,” said Branstad. “Iowa’s farmers are a critical component of Iowa’s economy and this proclamation will ensure they’re able to transport their crop ahead of deteriorating weather conditions.”

“Governor Branstad and I continue to look for ways in which government can assist Iowans and today’s harvest weight proclamation is another way we’re able to ensure producers can get their yield out of the fields and to market,” said Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds.

This proclamation is intended to allow vehicles transporting soybeans, corn, hay, straw, silage and stover to be overweight, not exceeding 90,000 pounds gross weight, without a permit, but only for the duration of this proclamation. This action is intended to allow loads transported on all highways within Iowa, excluding the interstate system, and those which do not exceed a maximum of 90,000 pounds gross weight, do not exceed the maximum axle weight limit determined under the non-primary highway maximum gross weight table in Iowa Code §321.463(5) (b), by more than twelve and one-half percent (12.5%), do not exceed the legal maximum axle weight limit of 20,000 pounds, and comply with posted limits on roads and bridges.

The Iowa Department of Transportation is directed to monitor the operation of this proclamation to assure the public’s safety and facilitate the movement of the trucks involved.

w/ Chris Parks

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The 2015 edition of Coca-Cola Days, presented by Atlantic Bottling Company, is being held this weekend in Downtown Atlantic September 25th and 26th.  This year, Coca-Cola Days is celebrating 100 years of the Contour Bottle with “Bottles on Parade”. Bottles will be on display outside the following local businesses: Atlantic Coca-Cola Center & Museum, Cappels Ace Hardware, China Buffet, Designer Portraits, Renew Ag Supply and Subway.

“The goal of Bottles on Parade is to get more community involvement and show community support,” Ouida Wymer, Executive Director of the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce said.  You can vote for your favorite bottle by stopping in to each business through today.

Starting Saturday, September 26th, the bottles will be on display at the Herring Building for you to view and vote on your favorite as well. The Iowa Chapter of Coca-Cola Collectors will also get the opportunity to vote for their favorite bottle. The winner will be announced at the Herring Building Saturday at 2:00p.m based on how many votes they received. The winner will receive bragging rights for the year.

Also on Saturday, September 26th, kids ages K-3rd grade are welcome to come down to the Herring Building, from 9a.m.-2p.m. to build a Coca-Cola bottle bank! This new activity is to encourage kids to show off their creativity while decorating a bottle bank to take home.

T-Shirts for the 2015 Coca-Cola Days Celebration are also available for purchase. The shirts are Coca-Cola red and feature the theme, “Bottling Happiness”. T-Shirts can be purchased for $16 at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce or online at www.atlanticiowa.com.

For more information on Coca-Cola Days or a full list of activities, please visit www.cocacoladays.com, call the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce at 712-243-3017 or email chamber@atlanticiowa.com.

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce Image Committee awarded Safeguard/Choice Printing with the Community Improvement Award. This award recognizes the successful efforts to improve a property in the Atlantic Area.

“Ed and Debbie Leistad are great assets to Atlantic, and they have worked hard to make their business a beautiful and essential part of the community,” Ouida Wymer, Executive Director of the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, said.

The Community Improvement Award is given to a business that takes pride in making Atlantic a welcoming and beautiful community by continuing to improve its appearance. If you would like to nominate a business or community member for a Community Improvement Award please contact the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce: 712-243-3017 or chamber@atlanticiowa.com.

Pictured: Ed Leistad, Debbie Leistad, Jane Imhoff, Tressa Hackwell, Rich Perry, Ouida Wymer, and Gerald Brink

Council Bluffs Police responded to a call for a male being held against his will at about 5:31pm on Thursday at Motel 6 at 3032 S Expressway in Council bluffs.  Robert Kermeen had sent a text message to a friend stating that he was being held
against his will.

Upon arrival Officers located Kermeen and two additional males in the room. Officers observed an empty holster lying in the room. Officers secured and later arrested 33-year-old John Menard of Omaha and 23-year-old Juan Lopez of South Sioux City, NE. A loaded handgun was found in the room and the room was secured for evidence processing.

Menard and Lopez were arrested for False Imprisonment, Going Armed with Intent, and Delivery of Methamphetamine over 5 grams. Menard was also arrested on outstanding warrants for drugs and weapons charges. Both were booked into Pottawattamie County Corrections.

A two vehicle accident on Highway 71 near Villisca on Thursday resulted in minor injuries.  The accident occurred around 4:11pm as a Black 2004 Mini Cooper owned and operated by 20-year-old Anna V. Lind of Iowa City was slowing down with traffic to allow a vehicle to turn east onto High Street in Villisca.  Lind observed a White 2011 Kenworth Semi-Tractor approaching from the rear and attempted to pull onto the west shoulder to avoid a collision.  The driver of the semi 53-year-old Christopher J. Selby of Queen Creek, AZ didn’t notice the slowing traffic and also attempted to get on the shoulder and ending up rear-ending Lind’s vehicle.

Lind had a minor cut to her foot and complained of neck pain and was taken to Clarinda Regional Hospital by Villisca Rescue.  Selby sustained a minor cut on his hand while attempting to aid Lind from her vehicle and was treated at the scene.

The Mini Cooper sustained $8,000 damage and is believed to be a total loss. The 2011 Kenworth sustained an estimated $800 damage.  Selby was cited for Following Too Closely and the investigation is complete.