OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The economy appears to be gaining strength in rural parts of 10 Plains and Western states. The overall economic index for the region improved to 55.6 in May from April’s 53.2, suggesting growth in the months ahead.

The survey of bankers in the region uses indexes that range from 0 to 100, with 50 representing growth neutral. A score above 50 suggests growth in that factor in the months ahead. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey. He says the results show the economy is improving in these rural areas that depend heavily on agriculture and energy production.

Bankers from Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming were surveyed.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Recent heavy rainfall has washed away or at least lessened drought conditions in swaths of Nebraska and Iowa. A report released Thursday by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln says drenching rains led to significant improvements for areas of the two states considered to be in drought. Brian Fuchs, a climatologist at the center, says overall drought reduced last week by nearly 12 percent in Iowa and about 17 percent in Nebraska.

The report says western Iowa saw the greatest improvement in the state. Nebraska saw a substantial reduction in the east-central region, with a pocket now considered drought-free. Fuchs says the improvements seen within the past week are noteworthy, as changes in drought status typically occur slowly.

Two Atlantic men were arrested Wednesday, on Cass County warrants for Failure to Appear at their respective Child Support/Contempt hearings. Atlantic Police report 51-year old Larry Will and 54-year old Trent Schroeder were booked into the Cass County Jail.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The president of the Iowa Board of Regents says the University of Iowa is viewed as less welcoming than the two other state universities. The Iowa City Press-Citizen says President Bruce Rastetter told the University of Iowa Staff Council on Wednesday that the university “typically has come in third as a choice for college of Iowans.”

He says state officials consistently hear from parents that they don’t feel as welcomed on the Iowa City campus as they do at Iowa State University in Ames and the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls.

Rastetter also told the council that UI doesn’t recruit as aggressively as the other universities for in-state students and that ISU and UNI do more follow-up after campus visits.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The University of Iowa plans to provide bystander intervention training at fraternities and sororities to help combat sexual assaults. Tom Rocklin is vice president for student life and he told the Iowa City Press-Citizen  that the entire UI Greek community has agreed to take the annual training, which begins in fall. That’s about 3,000 students.

Rocklin says the training isn’t about stopping a rape in progress, but it is aimed at “getting someone out of a situation that has a lot of risk to it.” The university is developing a similar program for bar workers.

Officials with the American Public Works Association or APWA have presented the Harlan City Administrator with an award for being one of the 2014 Top Ten Public Works Leaders of the Year. The presentation for Terry Cox was held on Tuesday at the Therkildsen Activity Center in Harlan. During the presentation, several guest speakers stood in front of the audience of around 40 people including Harlan Mayor Gene Gettys, Iowa APWA President Tracy Warner and the National APWA President-elect Larry Stephens.

Stephens said in his speech, Cox is one of a select group to win the award. “The Top Ten Award started in 1960 and as you (Gettys) eluded to over the years that’s about 55 years, there have been about 550 recipients of this award and that’s over the last half century. That’s not a lot of people. And in an association that’s nearly 29,000 members and represents the entire public works profession, you are one of a small number of individuals to receive this award.”

The Top Ten Award recognizes those individuals who personify excellence in serving the public interest in the field of public works. Stephens called it the highest award a member of the APWA can receive. Cox was presented a plaque with a medal inside. Cox took to the podium and thanked his staff at city hall, past and current city council members and mayors and all the city officials. Cox has been working with the city of Harlan for 37 years and will receive the same award in front of his peers in Toronto, Canada at a convention in September.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

Motorcycle enthusiasts will be packing the square in downtown Harlan for the first of this year’s Roar into Harlan celebrations this (Thursday) evening. The annual Roar into Harlan Bike Night on the Square events starts tonight featuring Goozman’s Westside. Motorcycles will fill up the parking around the square along with entertainment, food and drinks and motorcycle games.

Each month until September, a different business from the square will be highlighted. The other Roar into Harlan events are scheduled on the third Thursday of the month, June 19th, July 17th, August 21st and September 18th. You can find more information the Roar into Harlan Facebook page by searching “Roar into Harlan Bike Night.”

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

The Atlantic FFA Chapter is excited to tell you about a great way to help our FFA Chapter receive free money. It’s called The Red Brand Home Grown Program. Now through December 31st, up to $1.00 for every roll of qualifying Red Brand fence orders will be donated directly to the Atlantic FFA Chapter.

This year the Atlantic FFA has 2 sponsoring retailers, Cappel’s Ace Hardware and Orscheln Farm & Home both from Atlantic.

Last year, individual FFA chapters throughout the country received hundreds of dollars directly through Home Grown. Some even received thousands!
The Atlantic FFA Chapter could really use this kind of support. If you, or anyone you know, needs fence, we’d appreciate you buying Red Brand. Just make sure you purchase it at Cappel’s Ace Hardware or Orscheln Farm & Home – so the Home Grown dollars go to our chapter. You can get all the details about Home Grown at redbrand.com/homegrown. Or, ask a local FFA member and they can tell you all about it.

The Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund made its annual book donation to both Washington Elementary and Schuler Elementary.

Shown: Grant Petty, Melanie Petty and Janice Dickerson – school librarian.

Each year the fund donates approximately $1000.00 to help the schools fulfill their wish list for new released books that the kids will enjoy. Reading was always a big part of Trevor’s life so we hope that by keeping the libraries full of current books others will also become avid readers.