OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new monthly survey of bankers suggests the economy is slowing down in rural areas of 10 states in the Plains and the West. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says falling crop prices have farmers spending less, and crop prices are expected to continue declining this fall. The overall economic index for the region fell into negative territory to 48.3 in August from July’s 51.8. The survey indexes range from 0 to 100. Any score below 50 suggests decline in the months ahead.

Goss said bankers are not very optimistic about the next few months. The survey’s confidence index dropped to 39.9 in August, from 42.9. Bankers from rural areas of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming were surveyed.

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors announced Thursday that Ouida Wymer has been hired as its new Executive Director, effective Monday, August 25th. Wymer has been working as the Chamber’s Program Director since March and had previously worked as the Executive Director of Adams Community Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Corning  before coming to Atlantic.

Board President Amy Jordahl, in a press release, states that her attitude and teamwork are outstanding and her commitment and passion to the Chamber is evident to all that know or have worked with her. Most recently she played a key role in working with committee members, volunteers and the public to make AtlanticFest a big success.

The interview process concluded Monday with board members interviewing three applicants.

Jordahl said the committee spent a lot of time discussing the applicants and it wasn’t an easy choice.  She believes Wymer will be a great fit as the organization moves forward.

The Atlantic Police Department investigated a two vehicle accident at the intersection of 7th Street and Olive Street Wednesday. Jared Smith of Atlantic was travelling west and was stopped behind a vehicle at the red light at the intersection. Diana Peterson also of Atlantic was travelling west and struck the Smith vehicle while he was stopped.  No injuries were reported and Peterson was cited for failure to stop in assured clear distance.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new name will be going on some hospitals in Nebraska and southwest Iowa. Alegent Creighton Health and the other Catholic Health Initiatives facilities are getting a new name, CHI Health. That name is being added as a prefix to the names of hospitals and clinics already well-known in the area. For example, Creighton University Medical Center will be called CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center and Mercy Hospital in Corning, Iowa, will be called CHI Health Mercy Corning.

Primary and specialty clinics will continue under the names of CHI Health Alegent Creighton Clinic and The Physician Network. CHI Health has nearly 15,900 employees, 15 acute-care hospitals, a medical school, two inpatient psychiatric facilities, a rehabilitation center, a burn center and two networks of multispecialty clinics with nearly 200 locations.

The Harlan Police Department reports a student at the Harlan Community School District has been charged with carrying weapons on school property, a class D felony. Authorities say at approximately 11:30am Wednesday, officers received an anonymous tip that a student had possibly brought a .357 caliber hand gun into the Harlan Community High School on Tuesday. The Harlan PD notified all appropriate local agencies, including the high school principal and administrative office. With the help of school officials, officers spoke to the 15 year old male who the allegation was made against.

He was found without any type of weapon in his possession and denied the accusations. In speaking with other students that may have been witnesses, two were located and gave statements that they did see a hand gun in the possession of the accused student. A third student stated he received verbal confirmation from the student that he did have a hand gun in his possession on the previous day. The parents of the accused student were notified, came to the school and advised the situation.

After collaboration between the school, local law enforcement and the county attorney’s office, it was determined there was enough evidence to file a charge against the 15 year old male and charged him with the carrying weapons felony. The student was transported by Harlan PD to the juvenile detention center in Council Bluffs. The investigation continues.

The Harlan Police Department says through the investigation process, there was never information that any threats were ever made towards any students or staff members.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

The Audubon Police Department reports the arrest of two Audubon residents on separate charges this week.

Arrested on second degree theft charges was Adam Graves who appeared before the magistrate and was released on a promise to appear.

Tracie Frolich was arrested on a warrant for two counts of forgery and one count of third degree burglary. Frolich appeared before the magistrate and was released on a promise to appear.

Several local and state law enforcement agencies will be conducting a heightened traffic enforcement campaign between August 25th and September 7th. The National Drunk Driving Campaign, ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ officials will be beefing up their commitment to saving lives throughout the states roadways. The program is part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations effort to save lives by focusing on drunk or drugged drivers. Statistics from the Iowa Department of Transportation there were four fatalities during the three day Labor Day holiday last year, one of which was alcohol related. Information from the last five years the months of August and September are the most deadliest months of the year on roadways. Last year in Iowa 317 citizens died in motor vehicle crashes and 75 of those were attributed to drivers that were impaired by alcohol or other drugs.

The Red Oak Police Department arrested a Red Oak man Wednesday. Scott Foster was placed under arrest on a Red Oak warrant for failure to appear and taken to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and is being held on three-hundred dollar bond.

MARYVILLE, Mo. (AP) — A Nebraska man is charged in Missouri after a police chase that wound through parts of three states before ending in northwest Missouri. Nodaway County, MO., Prosecuting Attorney Robert Rice on Tuesday charged 37-year-old Neal Alan Ulfers, of Lincoln, Nebraska, with tampering and resisting arrest, both felonies.

Ulfers was arrested Monday after the chase ended in Maryville. He is accused of stealing a pickup truck from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and eluding officers in southwest Iowa before entering northwest Missouri. Investigators say the chase reached speeds up to 80 mph, and Ulfers sometimes drove the wrong direction on highways, two-lane blacktops and gravel roads.

The Maryville Daily Forum reports Ulfers was finally forced off the road by a state trooper.

A survey of Midwestern agricultural lenders conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank finds plenty of wary farmers across Iowa and the region. Nathan Kauffman, with the Omaha branch office of the Fed’s seven-state 10th District, says not too many farmers and livestock producers are worried about this year, but 2015 is another matter. “Thinking about 2014, the crop insurance price for corn, for example, was set at $4.62 which is quite a bit higher than where cash prices are right now,” Kauffman says. “Going into early next year, February will be another important month, just thinking about what the crop insurance price might be set going into next year.”

Kauffman says most rural bankers reported solid credit conditions, but also say farmers are being very cautious about making equipment purchases or other capital outlays. “The important thing to note for now is that it looks like credit quality is still strong,” Kauffman says. “Repayment rates, though they’ve softened a bit, are still relatively strong, although that does present some concerns going forward.”

Analysts say this cautious approach by farmers will cause an economic ripple effect that will be felt by businesses throughout Iowa and across the region.

(Radio Iowa)