A semi trailer hauling cattle overturned in northwest Iowa and an insect may be to blame. The accident happened on Highway 75 north of Hinton around 11:30 Monday morning. The truck driver told police that a bee had flown into his cab and he was attempting to swat it when he lost control of his rig. The semi veered off the highway and overturned.

The truck driver, 56-year-old Steven Johnson of Osage, was not injured. The trailer was hauling 40 head of cattle, six of which either died in the accident or were put down due to injuries. Johnson was cited for failure to maintain control.

(Radio Iowa)

The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday evening, is expected to act on passing a Resolution amending two sections of the City’s Personnel policies. City Administrator John Lund has said the City’s Personnel and Finance Committee met and reviewed proposed changes to the policies, with regard to a repeal of wage step increases, and health insurance.

Lund says a draft of the policies repeals the step increases, because the numbers for those increases have proven confusing for those not directly involved with the City’s payroll, which in-turn, makes transparency on City employee compensation unnecessarily difficult. By repealing the step increase process, Lund says wages listed on salary resolutions will be the numbers paid at the first of the year, including annual adjustments. The only element missing, would be longevity pay, which only applies to exempt, hourly employees.

With regard to the City’s health insurance policy, identical changes to those adopted by both the Police and Public Works Unions will be applied to union benefits and wage adjustments to non-union staff. The amendment sets new deductible amounts, and increases employee premium contributions. Employee contributions for premiums would increase 2% for family plans (to a total of 15%) beginning in July 2017. Single employees will pay 5% of the cost of their plan beginning July 1st, 2016. In July 2017, those contributions will be increased to 8%. Currently, singles pay nothing for their health insurance…which Lund says is “Increasingly rare among Iowa’s municipal employers.”

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will act on the appointment of Hans Krengel to the Library Board, and at the start of their meeting, recognize all the 2016 Atlantic High School spring athletic programs for having great seasons, and the coaches for being positive influences on today’s youth.

The Atlantic City Council meeting gets underway at 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, in their chambers, at City Hall.

Officials with the Iowa Association of Business and Industry today (Wednesday), presented an Atlantic business with a 2016 Iowa Job Honors award. Representatives from Owner Revolution received the award at the ABI’s annual “Taking Care of Business” conference, in Sioux City. The Iowa Job Honor Awards, is an initiative aimed at recognizing Iowans who have overcome barriers to employment, and the employers who hire them.

Several hundred Iowa business leaders assembled at the conference to witness the ceremony, during which biographical videos recounted honoree efforts to win life-changing jobs. The ReWall Company of Des Moines was also honored for their commitment to hire disadvantaged candidates, including people with developmental disabilities, past criminal convictions, and histories of addictions.

Lead sponsor of the Iowa Job Honor Awards, is the ManPower Group. Central Iowa Works Co-sponsored the celebration, along with Iowa ABI. Launched in 2014, the awards are expanding nationally, under the banner of America’s Job Honor Awards.

Honoree videos can be viewed at www.jobhonor.org.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office says a Glenwood woman was arrested on Burglary charges, Sunday. 24-year old Sheryl Castillo faces burglary and attempted burglary, charges. Her bond was set at $3,000.

The Iowa West Foundation Board of Directors recently approved more than $5 million in grants and initiatives funding to 19 nonprofit organizations and government entities in southwest Iowa and eastern Nebraska.

Locally:

• The Audubon Community Cinema received $6,000 for The Rose Movie Theater Renovation
• The Pottawattamie County Mental Health and Substance Abuse Network received General Operating Support in the amount of $15,000.

Among the recipients was the City of Council Bluffs, which received a $100,000 grant for the city’s newly unveiled “UN” image campaign, with a tagline of “Unlike anywhere else. On purpose.” The city also received $85,000 toward the Council Bluffs Fire Department Bell Tower project, which will place one of the city’s oldest artifacts, a centennial fire bell from 1876, on prominent display for the public to enjoy.

The City, in partnerships with the Council Bluffs Community School District ALSO received $150,000 for phase three of the BLink Wi-Fi initiative, which will expand the city’s free Wi-Fi footprint in Council Bluffs further east of N. 16^th Street to the existing downtown Wi-Fi zone along 100 Block of West Broadway.

Per its focus on healthy families, the Foundation awarded a $70,000 grant to Connections Area Agency on Aging to ensure homebound senior citizens in Pottawattamie County could continue or begin to receive “Meals on Wheels.” The program had been experiencing a funding shortfall causing food-insecure individuals to be placed on a waiting list. The Iowa West Foundation grant will ensure a total of 36,348 hot and frozen, nutritionally-balanced meals are delivered to 228 individuals, leaving no one on a waiting list.

The Iowa West Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in the Midwest. It has distributed more than $300 million to nonprofits and governmental agencies through southwest Iowa and eastern Nebraska since the inception of its grant program. Funding for the grants comes from investment earnings and the Iowa West Racing Association, which receives contractual fees from casino operators, Ameristar and Harrah’s.

The Harlan Police Department today (Tuesday) issued its weekly arrest and incident report. Officials said on June 9th, 32-year old Rodney Koehrsen, of Harlan, was arrested after officers were called to investigate a burglary in the 900 block of Baldwin Street.  As a result of a traffic stop, Koehrsen was arrested and charged with burglary in the 1st degree, felon in possession of a firearm, and driving while suspended.

As a result of the ensuing investigation Koehrsen was also charged with delivery of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, unlawful possession of prescription drugs, and prohibited acts penalties.

On June 12th, Harlan Police arrested 19-year old Justin Dickinson, of Harlan, after officers observed him riding a motorized scooter.  Dickinson was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving while revoked.

On Monday, 51-year old Randall Hess, of Harlan, was taken into custody when officers were called to the 2100 block of Lincoln Avenue for an altercation.  As a result of the investigation Hess was arrested and taken to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with assault for allegedly threatening a woman from Harlan.

And, on June 9th, 30-year old Missy Jo Rothman, of Harlan, was arrested for Public Intoxication.

In an update to our earlier report, Sheriff’s officials in Union County say a pickup truck reported stolen Monday from outside a residence in Creston, was found damaged following an accident that took place a few hours after the truck was discovered missing. An investigation determined the 2000 Ford F-150 driven by an unknown person, was northbound on Umbrella Avenue when it went out of control prior to entering a curve. The vehicle entered the west ditch and rolled onto its side, sustaining $3,000 damage. The incident remains under investigation.