***UPDATE***

The clogging quartet of Nelley Pelzer, James Brown, Kylie Templeton and Drayce Moore of Atlantic placed fifth in the senior division, winning $750.

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A group of Atlantic  youngsters will compete in the Sunday finals of the Bill Riley Talent Search at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines.  The quartet, “Happy” includes Nelley Pelzer, Kylie Templeton, Drayce Moore and James Brown.  They perform a clogging routine.  The group is the first from Atlantic to make it into the finals of the show since John Jorgensen made it to the finals of the Bill Riley Talent Contest in 1973.  The finals will air at 8:00 pm Sunday on Iowa Public Television.

Photo provided

A Des Moines Register N-B-C News Iowa Poll shows former President Donald Trump has the support of 42 percent of likely Iowa Republican Caucus-goers.

The poll was conducted last week, from Sunday through Thursday. Pollster Ann Selzer says the fourth indictment filed against Trump helped him, as the polling shows an uptick in Trump’s support after the Georgia indictment was announced.  Trump’s closest competitor is Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who had 19 percent in the Iowa Poll.  No other candidate had double digit support.

South Carolina Senator Tim Scott was in third in this latest Iowa Poll.  Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and former Vice President Mike Pence tied for fourth.  Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has not campaigned in Iowa, but Christie registered in fifth place.  Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy was in sixth place with four percent support.

Sixty-five percent of likely Iowa Republican Caucus-goers surveyed said it’s most important to pick a candidate who shares their views on issues, while 29 percent said the most important thing is for Republicans to pick a candidate who can beat President Biden.

This could be the hottest week Iowans have endured in years, as near-record to record heat is likely. Forecasters say highs through Thursday will range from 95 to 105 degrees, with heat indices as high as 115. If the forecast holds, National Weather Service meteorologist Andrew Ansorge (an-SORE-ghee) says it will be the first time in a decade that August has had four or more consecutive days this hot in Des Moines.

Triple-digit temperatures are common in August, but he says highs are typically in the 80s by this late in the month. Southern California was just hit with its first tropical storm in more than 80 years, though it was a hurricane in the Pacific Ocean for a while. Ansorge says that’s one of the reasons temperatures will be near or above 100 degrees in Iowa most of this week, as the low pressure system is pushing record high heat from the Southwest to the Midwest.

All of Iowa is under an excessive heat warning through at least Wednesday night, and relief may not come until Friday. The National Weather Service says this may be Iowa’s hottest string of consecutive days since 2013. The service predicts above-normal temperatures until September.

Montgomery County Memorial Hospital & Clinics (MCMH) is pleased to announce its decision to bring all Emergency Department providers under its direct employment. In a significant move, the hospital has on boarded six new providers, comprising of medical doctors and advanced practice providers. This move assembles an eight-member team of experienced emergency medicine providers. These providers are seamlessly integrated into the MCMH Medical staff, embodying a dedication to providing top-tier care to our patients.

Under the leadership of Dr. Angela Kerchner, Medical Director of Inpatient & Emergency Medicine, the newly formed team comprises both familiar faces and new faces, all of who bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the ED. The team is comprised of Angela Kerchner, MD; Scott Hoffman, DO; Steve Lapke, MD; Chris Lindgren, MD; Tu Anh Luong, MD; David Owens, MS, ARNP (Lead Hospitalist & Emergency Medicine); Leah Rowell, PA-C, and Tom Schmadeke, PA-C (Primary Care & Emergency Medicine).

CEO Ron Kloewer expressed his enthusiasm for the latest development stating, “We are thrilled about the addition of MCMH employed providers in our Emergency Department. Dr. Kerchner has done a wonderful job assembling a team of dedicated physicians and advanced practice providers. This marks an important step in our continued commitment to our patients and community.”
This strategic shift from previously contracted ED providers to an MCMH employed team represents MCMH’s dedication to ensuring continuity, stability, and a high level of medical care. Perhaps most notably the transition will create an enhanced relationships and strong communication between the ED providers, the hospitalist team, primary care providers, and our patients.

“The inclusion of both familiar faces and new talent signifies our unwavering commitment to building long-term relationships with our staff, patients, and community members,” Dr. Angela Kerchner explained. “This approach will allow us to have a much closer connection between the providers in the Emergency Department, our inpatient providers and primary care providers creating a seamless continuum of care across all stages of our patients’ medical journeys.”

With the addition of these dedicated providers, MCMH remains steadfast in its commitment to being a trusted resource within the community. The hospital’s pursuit of excellence in patient care and outcomes continues to be a driving force in its operations.

On Saturday, 8-19-23 at 10:24 pm, 19 year old Jordyn Marie Gonzales of 1303 Clayton Road was arrested in the 1300 block of North Cherry.  Gonzales was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, 1st Offense (Other scheduled I,II,III,IV and V CS).  Gonzales was taken to the Union County Jail where she was later released on $1,000 cash or surety bond.

On Sunday, 8-20-2023 at 3:39 am, 42 year old  Faustino Reyes of Texas was arrested at Supertel.  Reyes was charged with Assault causing bodily injury.  Reyes was taken to the Union County Jail where he is being held on $1,000 cash or surety bond.

Also, on Sunday at 8:38 pm, 36 year old Brandon Hurshel Whitfield of 813 North Sycamore was arrested at his residence.  Whitfield was charged on 2 Union County Warrants.  1st warrant is Violation of Probation original charge Domestic Abuse Assault a serious misdemeanor.  2nd warrant is Violation of Probation original charge Eluding an aggravated misdemeanor.  Whitfield is being held on no bond.

The Alzheimer’s Association is inviting Harlan area residents to join the fight to end Alzheimer’s by participating in the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Saturday, Sept. 16 at Pioneer Park in Harlan.

The Alzheimer’s Association and its volunteers and walk participants are fighting for a different future. For families facing the disease today, for more time, for treatments. Alzheimer’s research is closer than ever to stopping Alzheimer’s, but to get there, the Alzheimer’s Association needs Northern Iowa to join them for the world’s largest fundraiser to fight the disease.

There is no fee to register for Walk, however, all participants are encouraged to raise critical funds that allow the Alzheimer’s Association to provide 24/7 care and support and advance research toward methods of prevention, treatment and, ultimately, a cure.

On Walk day, participants honor those affected by Alzheimer’s with Promise Garden flowers which signify our solidarity in the fight against the disease. The colors of the Promise Garden flowers – purple, yellow, blue and orange – represent the different reasons why people walk to end this disease.

“We’re closer than ever to stopping Alzheimer’s,” said Walk Manager, Jessica Duncan. “We hope that everyone in the community can join us by starting a team to help the Alzheimer’s Association raise awareness and funds for families facing the disease today, take more steps toward treatments and finally ending this disease.”

More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease – a leading cause of death in the United States. Additionally, more than 11 million family members and friends provide care to people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

In Iowa alone, there are more than 66,000 people living with the disease and 98,000 caregivers.

To register and receive the latest updates on this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s, visit alz.org/walk.

AMES, Iowa – All Iowa Department of Transportation business locations will be closed Monday, September 4, in honor of Labor Day.

Iowa DOT driver’s license service centers
All Iowa DOT driver’s license service centers will be closed Monday, September 4. The service centers will resume operations Tuesday, September 5, at 8 a.m.

Many people, including commercial driver’s license holders, may be able to complete driver’s license business online at www.iowadot.gov.

If you need to come to see us, the quickest way to get your driver’s license business done is to schedule an appointment https://iowadot.gov/mvd/driverslicense/service-selector. Walk-in customers will be served as time allows.

Special note to motor carriers
The Iowa DOT recommends that commercial vehicle operators plan ahead if they will need services from the Iowa DOT immediately following the Labor Day weekend. Commercial vehicle operators who need oversize/overweight permits for travel in Iowa Tuesday, September 5, should obtain them prior to 4:30 p.m. Friday, September 1.

No movements of oversize/overweight loads will be permitted in Iowa from noon Friday, September 1 until 30 minutes prior to sunrise on Tuesday, September 5.

Because the permit center typically experiences a heavy workload on the day following the holiday, customers are urged to submit applications for oversize/overweight permits, especially those more than 156,000 pounds, several days before needing the permit.

Iowa Congressman Randy Feenstra says there are a lot issues left to resolve and the chair of the House Ag Committee says they will not pass the 2023 Farm Bill by the September 30th deadline.

Feenstra is a Republican from Hull representing the Fourth District. He says the U-S Senate is also working to get its version of the bill completed.

Feenstra says he does have some concerns about what will be in the final bill.

Feenstra made his comments after visiting with members of the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce.

As many Iowa schools start classes this week, the state’s teacher shortage may be lessening, according to a source at the University of Iowa’s College of Education. Professor Mark McDermott, the U-I’s Associate Dean for Teacher Education, says he’ll frequently hear from K-12 principals and administrators who are scrambling to fill positions, even days before classes begin, but the demand is lessening.

Iowa has more than half-a-million students enrolled in some 13-hundred schools in more than 320 districts. Administrators routinely contact McDermott as fall approaches, checking to see if any recent graduates are available to fill teaching jobs.

The role of the U-I’s College of Education, McDermott says, is to work in partnership with the state’s K-12 schools, helping to support them.

Looking ahead, McDermott says he’s optimistic about the current crop of candidates who are just starting their journey toward becoming exceptional teachers.

While science teachers and those with special education training are often in high demand, he says the needs this year are individual to each district and there are few defined trends.

Republican presidential candidate Asa Hutchinson says former President Donald Trump’s absence from Wednesday’s debate will give the candidates who ARE there a chance to have a serious policy discussion.

Trump is skipping the debate and the New York Times reports he’ll be interviewed by former Fox News host Tucker Carlson instead. Hutchinson, a former Arkansas governor, spent five days campaigning at the Iowa State Fair and he spoke at the Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox this weekend as the heat index topped 100 degrees.

Hutchinson says Trump so far has been the default position for most Republicans.

Hutchinson announced Sunday morning he’d qualified for this week’s debate in Milwaukee, after over 40-thousand donors contributed to his campaign. He had already registered with at least one percent support in a few polls, the other criteria for debate participation. Ten candidates have said they met the benchmarks for the debate, but the Republican National Committee has not confirmed the debate lineup.