Officials with the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce say volunteers are needed to help make the annual event a big success, once again. Positions they need to fill include:

• Pop Stands in the Park: after 1 pm
• Pedal Pull: 1 pm – 3 pm
• Selling Raffle Tickets: anytime throughout the day

In addition emcee’s are needed to introduce daytime entertainment during the event. The Chamber will provide you with a script. If you and/or your significant other would like to volunteer as an emcee or emcee’s, call the Chamber at 243-3017. For the other positions, please email chamber@atlanticiowa.com to volunteer.

AtlanticFest is sponsored by First Whitney Bank and Trust.

The Atlantic Police Department reports 35-year old Casey Stahl, of Atlantic, was arrested on a shoplifting charge (or, 3rd degree Theft), Wednesday. Stahl, who is alleged to have taken items valued at more than $659 from the Atlantic Wal-Mart Store, was being held in the Cass County Jail pending an initial court appearance.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey is encouraging Iowans to take advantage of fresh fruits and vegetables available at the more than 220 farmers markets in Iowa as part of National Farmers Market Week, which runs from Aug. 2nd through the 8th.

Northey says “Farmers markets are a great place to find healthy and delicious Iowa grown fruits, vegetables, meats and other products. National Farmers Market Week, and every week, is a great time to visit your local farmers market to support the vendors who are there and enjoy some of the great food grown in this state.”

As part of National Farmers Market Week, Northey highlighted the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Programs. These programs provide eligible low-income seniors as well as women and children in Iowa with checks that can be redeemed for fresh, locally grown produce at authorized farmers markets and farm stands from June 1st through October 31st, 2015.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship administers the programs in partnership with the Iowa Department of Public Health and Iowa Department on Aging. For more information contact Paul Ovrom, Program Administrator, at 515-242-6239 (or at Paul.Ovrom@iowaagriculture.gov).

Farmers Market App

Northey also encouraged Iowans to take advantage of the free Iowa Farmers Market app for smartphones that can help Iowans locate the farmers markets in their area. The app allows users to find the farmers market closest to them by using GPS location services or to search for specific farmers markets by city or zip code. Once they have located a market, the user can view the hours of the market, browse a list of vendors and see a phone number and email address of the market manager. App users can also leave reviews of the market and vendors and upload their photos to share with others.

The app is free to download and is available through Apple’s App store and Google Play by searching “Iowa Farmers Markets.” The app was developed for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship using funds from the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.

Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers reports his officers arrested a local man late Wednesday evening on a felony assault charge associated with a domestic relationship. 35-year old Eric Brandon Wise, of Clarinda, was taken into custody without incident at around 8:45-p.m.

Wise was being held without bail in the Page County Jail pending an initial appearance before a Magistrate. He was arrested after a warrant was issued for his arrest subsequent to an investigation of a domestic altercation that occurred on Sunday, July 26th between Wise and an adult female who resides with Wise. The female alleges that she was choked by Wise during the altercation.

Authorities believe the man who held up a credit union in Mason City this week is the suspect known as the “A-K 47 Bandit,” who’s wanted in multiple bank heists in several states. Mason City Police Lieutenant Rich Jensen says the man walked into the Iowa Heartland Credit Union on Tuesday at 10 A-M, armed with a semi-automatic rifle. He demanded money, forced the bank employees into the vault, then fled in a Toyota Camry.

Previous AK-47 Bandit robberies (from AK47bandit.com)

“In previous robberies, the suspect used a dark-colored Nissan Maxima with chrome door handles,” Jensen says. “The suspect left behind an improvised explosive device that was rendered safe by the FBI and the local fire marshal.” Though he was wearing a ski mask, Jensen says it’s believed he’s the same suspect responsible for robberies in at least four other states.

AK Bandit Camry

“This suspect shot and wounded a Chino, California, police officer after robbing a bank in 2012 and has since been linked to four bank robberies and one attempted bank robbery in multiple states, using the same rifle,” Jensen says. Lieutenant Andy Bjelland, with the Chino (California) Police Department, says the Chino robbery happened after the suspect phoned in a bomb threat at another facility as a distraction before robbing the bank.

Upon arrival at the bank, an officer interrupted what appeared to be a carjacking by the suspect. He fired at the officer and left the officer seriously wounded. The officer has had several major surgeries since the incident but is now back on duty. Bjelland says ten days later, the suspect unsuccessfully attempted to rob a bank in Sacramento, California, and then three days later, he robbed a Vacaville, California bank.

Since then, he robbed a North Bend, Washington, bank in July 2012, a Rexburg, Idaho, bank in November 2012 and the First Nebraska Bank branch in Nebraska City, Nebraska, in August of last year. While the suspect fled the Mason City bank in a dark-colored 2007-to-2009 Toyota Camry, he had previously used a chrome-packaged 2009-to-2011 Nissan Maxima.

Bjelland calls it “a significant change.” If you have any information about the robbery, call the Mason City Police Department at (641) 421-3636.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa – Iowa is already among the nation’s leaders in wind energy, but a new report points to changes that the state could make to turn what can still sometimes be a stormy process for new operations into much more of a breeze. The study is from the Center for Rural Affairs.

Energy and Climate Program Associate Lu Nelson with the Center for Rural Affairs says instead of a dual approach of needing both local and state zoning approval, Iowa should consider going with a single source of oversight. “That would take applications, that can approve permits and that would set a firm timeline for the process, but then find a place where local communities can come in and weigh in on the project.”

Iowa already gets about 27 percent of its energy from wind power and the latest industry estimates say that could surpass 40 percent by 2020. Nelson says it’s important Iowa try to streamline the process in the short-term with the federal plan to cut carbon pollution from existing power plants due out this summer, possibly as early as next week.

“As wind is continuing to get cheaper and as we know that there will be some desire to invest even more in wind energy with the EPA Clean Power Plan,” he says. “It’s good to begin planning this sort of thing now and looking at how we can improve before we’re having to backtrack and make up for not preparing.” Nelson says another suggestion in the report to improve the process is with the creation of a state map that lays out which areas would be best for wind energy, taking into account wildlife, the environment and the ability to link into transmission.

(Iowa News Service)

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Police in Creston are investigating an incident of vehicle vandalism. Officials say a resident in the 500 block of W. Montgomery Street, in Creston, reported Wed. morning that someone had thrown a large stone through the passenger side window of his vehicle, which was parked near his home. The incident happened sometime between 4:40-p.m. Tuesday and 8:30-a.m., Wednesday.

The vehicle’s window was broken during the incident, and dashboard trim was damaged. The victim reports a pack of cigarettes was stolen from the vehicle. The loss was estimated at $300 altogether (including damage to the vehicle).

The 7:07-a.m. report w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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A 25-year old woman was arrested Wednesday night in Red Oak, on an alcohol-related charge. Red Oak Police say Mildred Helenora Douglas, of Red Oak, was taken into custody in the 700 block of E. Coolbaugh Street just before 11-p.m. Douglas was charged with Public Intoxication. She was being held this (Thursday) morning in the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center on $300 bond.