(Clarinda, Iowa) – A fire last week in Clarinda claimed the life of a 65-year-old man. Authorities on Monday identified the victim of Thursday evening’s fire as Steven Gail McCurdy. The blaze occurred late Thursday evening at 709 E. Lincoln Street, in Clarinda.

According to Clarinda Fire Chief Roger Williams, the cause of the fire was accidental, or at least undetermined, due to considerable damage to the residence. The residence was a total loss.

Clarinda police officers arriving at the scene before firefighters, tried to gain entry into the home to rescue McCurdy, but were forced to retreat due to heavy smoke and heat. Firefighters made entry into the house and extricated McCurdy from his home, but were unsuccessful in their efforts to revive him.

Clarinda Fire was assisted during the incident by firefighters from New Market, Clarinda Police, Clarinda EMS and MidAmerican Energy.

(Radio Iowa) – A nationwide study finds the number of drownings rose significantly in recent years, and with temperatures in Iowa expected to hit the 90s this week for the first time this year, anyone in — or on — the water needs to take precautions to stay safe. Kelly Hilsabeck, the trauma injury prevention coordinator at Gundersen Health System, says Iowa parents should make it a priority to get their kids in for swimming lessons. Hilsabeck says, “Enroll your kids as soon as they seem physically, emotionally, developmentally ready to start learning those basic swimming skills and water survival skills.”

The C-D-C study found about four-thousand deaths nationwide in 2019 from drowning, but the numbers rose by about 500 each year in 2020 and 2021. Due to the pandemic, Hilsabeck says many people may have simply not taken swimming lessons during those years, and she notes, those lessons aren’t just for kids. “You’re never too old to learn,” Hilsabeck says. “The new study that came out actually found that about 54% of U.S. adults have never had a swimming lesson, so it’s really important to know there’s not an age limit on swimming lessons.”

Whether swimming in a backyard pool or a municipal pool, drowning is always a risk, but the risk may be even greater on lakes and rivers due to hidden drop-offs, currents and murky water. Hilsabeck says drowning is typically a silent tragedy. “It’s been portrayed as a very loud and noticeable event in movies and TV shows,” Hilsabeck says, “and often it’s just really not that way. The swimmer possibly could have already been distressed and just isn’t going to be making a lot of noise and it can just happen so quickly in 20 to 60 seconds.” Anyone on a pleasure boat, kayak, canoe or innertube should also strive to be safe by wearing a life jacket — and she says to make sure it’s one that fits.

Gundersen Health System has clinics in Calmar, Decorah, Fayette, Lansing, Postville and Waukon, and a hospital in West Union.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Congressman Randy Feenstra says confirmed cases of bird flu among poultry and dairy cattle in northwest Iowa are a crisis — and another reason congress needs to pass the Farm Bill this year. “There’s a lot of dollars in for avian influenza and African swine fever. These are massive things,” Feenstra says, “and if African swine fever would ever hit Iowa, it would be catastrophic to start euthanizing our hogs.”

Feenstra, who represents Iowa’s fourth congressional district, says 25 million birds in Iowa have been impacted by avian influenza. African Swine Fever, which is fatal to hogs, has not been detected in the United States.

(Radio Iowa) – Four instructors from Cornell College in Mount Vernon who’ve been teaching in China were attacked and stabbed at a public park in northeast China. The president of Cornell College says it was a serious incident, but offered few details about the attack, which happened in daylight hours on Sunday. The B-B-C reports all four victims are being treated in a Chinese hospital.

In a statement on social media, Governor Kim Reynolds called the attack horrifying and she asked Iowans to pray for their recovery and safe return. Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Davenport says she’s been in contact with one of the victim’s families and is working to ensure all four victims get quality care and are safely evacuated from China.

The four Cornell instructors were part of a “long-standing” partnership with a state owned public university in northeast China. A member of the local faculty was in the park with the group from Cornell when the attack happened. Cornell students are not involved in the exchange program.

(Muscatine, Iowa) – A motorcycle crash Monday afternoon in eastern Iowa left one person dead and another injured. According to the Iowa State Patrol, the crash happened on Highway 38 near Brookview Road north of Muscatine, at around 3:30-p.m.

Officials say a 2022 Kawasaki motorcycle was traveling southbound on Highway 38 when it struck a 2016 Nissan Pathfinder that was attempting to turn westbound onto Brookview Road. The Kawasaki was then struck by a 2011 Jeep Liberty that was traveling northbound on Highway 38.

The motorcycle came to rest in the east ditch off the highway. The operator of the cycle was taken to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, where they were pronounced dead. The driver of the Nissan was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of their injuries. No names were immediately released.

The crash remains under investigation.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Seven Veterans on a cross country bicycle trek made their way through Atlantic, Monday, to show how outdoor therapy is beneficial to mental health, and to help veterans transition from their wartime experiences through long distance outdoor expeditions. Warrior Expeditions is a non-profit organization that recognizes the therapeutic value of long-distance outdoor journeys and offers veterans long-distances hikes, bike rides, and canoeing expeditions.

For multiple years, the biking experience has been a cross-country ride that follows the Great American Rail-Trail route across the United States. While the Great American Rail-Trail is yet to be completed, the planned route includes Cass County.

Seven veterans are participating in this year’s biking expedition, and on June 10 Callie Leaver and Allen Megginson biked from Coon Rapids to Atlantic. They rode the T-Bone Trail to its Dunbar Road Trailhead a few miles north of Atlantic where the trail currently ends. From there, they jumped on gravel roads to finish their ride to Sunnyside Park, their camping location for the night. Callie and Allen started their journey in Washington D.C. on May 8, and are biking approximately 50 miles a day. They expect to complete the 3850-mile cross-country journey in about 12-15 weeks.

Veterans Callie Leaver (L) and Allen Megginson (R) pause for a photo just north of Atlantic. (Photo courtesy Ciara Hoegh)

Warrior Expeditions outfits veterans with all the gear they will need for their expeditions, and Callie and Allen are carrying all the gear they will need for the ride with them on their bikes. When asked what they would share with area residents, Callie was sure to note that Iowa has the most beautiful bike trails and that Iowa drivers have been very friendly when sharing the road. She appreciates that truckers have slowed down for them.

For more information on Warrior Expeditions, and to follow Callie and Allen’s ride across the U.S., visit Warrior Expeditions on Facebook at www.facebook.com/warriorhike.

The Great American Rail Trail is an initiative of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, a nonprofit organization founded in 1986 whose mission is to build a nation connected by trails. For more information on the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and the Great American Rail Trail, visit www.railstotrails.org.

Nishna Valley Trails is a tax-exempt local nonprofit that promotes the development of recreational trails and cycling. People who support these causes are welcome to join the group by contacting President Dave Chase at 712-249-3059.

A map of Cass County trails, including information on trail type, ADA accessibility, and restrooms, can be found at https://www.atlanticiowa.com/experience/cass-county-trails-map-2/. Printed copies of the Cass County Trails Map can be picked up at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce (102 Chestnut St., Atlantic, IA 5002

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic School Board’s regular monthly meeting takes place Wednesday in the High School Media Center. Their session begins at 5:30-p.m. and will be available for viewing on YouTube. Action items on their agenda include a request to advertise/hired a shared position with the City of Atlantic for a School Resource Officer (SRO), 24-25 Substitute wages and Supplemental Contracts.

Consent agenda items include approval of the following resignations:

• Cecily McCuen, Special Education
• Alexandra Statia, Kitchen
• Kerry Jepsen, Para (to take HS Secretary position)
• and Alyssa Boltz, Soccer coach.

Contract Recommendations and/or Letters of Assignment for the 2024-2025 School Year, include:

• 2024 Fall Sports Coaching Recommendations, Sponsor and Advisor positions
• New position: Jr. High Assistant Volleyball Coach (#2)
• Anna Pauley, 9th grade Volleyball
• and Lisa Sonntag, JV Volleyball.

View the full agenda here: PUBLIC AGENDA 06122024

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports five recent arrests. Today (Monday), Deputies arrested 18-year-old Jasmine Ameliana-Cadena, of Glenwood, on two warrants: Violation of a No Contact Order; and Violation of Probation. She was taken into custody at the Pottawattamie County Jail and held on a $1,300 bond.

On Sunday, 63-year-old Jacob Benny Garcia, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pott. County Jail on a Mills County warrant for Insurance Fraud. His bond was set at $5,000. And, 22-year-old Tabitha Rae Brayman, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pott. County Jail on Mills County warrants for Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree, and Violation of Probation. Her bond was set at $3,000.

At around 4:45-a.m. Saturday, 43-year-old Barbara Rose Riley, of Glenwood, was arrested on I-29, for Driving While Barred. (Bond: $2,000). And, at around 3:45-p.m. Thursday, 25-year-old Caleb Michael Solari, of Corning, was arrested at the Mills/Montgomery County Line, on a warrant for Failure to Appear on a Probation Violation charge. His bond was set at $2,500.

(Radio Iowa) – A federal judge plans to issue a ruling before July 1st on whether state officials may enforce an Iowa law to deport immigrants who’ve been deported before. The judge heard legal arguments in a Des Moines courtroom earlier today (Monday). Emma Winger, deputy legal director for the American Immigration Council, spoke during an online news conference this (Monday) afternoon.

“We’re here today because the state has tried to set up its own deportation system which, frankly, makes no sense,” she said, “and it’s clearly unconstitutional.” Winger and an attorney from the U-S Department of Justice told the judge immigrants who were previously deported could be arrested even if they now have legal permission to be in the country. “Ultimately these types of laws create absolute chaos and human suffering,” Winger said, “and have no place in our legal system.”

In a written statement, Iowa Attorney General said President Biden has refused to enforce immigration laws and Iowa is doing the job for him by passing this law. Patrick Valencia, the state’s deputy solicitor general, told the judge states have police power to enforce federal laws and Iowa’s law would not affect immigrants who’ve been granted legal status to stay in the United States. Winger says while federal law gives protection to those who’ve been deported and return with the permission of the federal government, the Iowa law does not have that exception.

“Even if it were true that this law were just enforcing federal standards, the state can’t do that,” Winger said. “The responsibility for enforcing federal immigration standards belongs solely to the federal government.” One of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit is an 18 year old high school student who was brought into the U-S as a child by her mother after her father was murdered and her sister kidnapped in another country. The young woman, who was deported as a child, is living in Iowa now after being granted asylum.

The federal government is suing to block similar illegal reentry laws in Texas and Oklahoma.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa National Guard plans to close the Shenandoah armory, shifting the 132 members of Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry, and units from Sheldon and Sioux City to the guard’s new West Des Moines readiness center in 2025.

Shenandoah Mayor Roger McQueen says they were able to meet with the guard’s adjutant general, and other guard officials prior to Friday’s announcement.”They came down to personally come in and tell us about the closing mainly due to recruitment you know that has to have a number that they like to keep down there and that number had fallen and so they will relining a lot of their armories right now in the state. The move means the Iowa Guard won’t have a presence in Shenandoah for the first time in 145 years.

McQueen calls the armory’s pending closure “a sad deal.” “Nobody wants to lose anything you know in a town our size, but these have been happening all over the state, you know Corning, Algona, there’s some other smaller ones that have closed,” McQueen says. “And so yeah, it’s sad after all these years. That was one thing they wanted to make sure and stress that Shenandoah didn’t have any hard feelings or anything like that.”

Shenandoah National Guard Armory.

The mayor says there’s no ill feelings from the city toward the Iowa Guard.”You know times change and so you know we’ve appreciated everything they’ve done when they’ve been here. They’ve done a great job in the last two-three-four years of getting out in the public and so forth, but like I say things change and we wish them the best.” McQueen told guard officials the city is interested in the armory building. However, McQueen says it’s too early to discuss what the property’s acquisition would mean for the city, and what it would be used for.

Guard officials say the closure process includes an official sequence of events and timeline required by the Iowa Department of Public Defense and State Armory Board, with full divestiture by the spring of 2025. The guard indicates it will guide the city and state through key milestones that include the armory’s sale.