(Atlantic, Iowa) – In observance of his service to the City of Atlantic, Atlantic Fire Chief Tom Cappel was awarded the Iowa Medal of Merit by Iowa Republican 3rd District Congressman Zach Nunn, today (Saturday).

Congressman Nunn mentioned the Atlantic Fire Department has responded to “Dozens and dozens of emergency events this year,” with about a dozen involving extrication efforts through use of the “Jaws of Life.” On that note, the event also served as a chance for Atlantic Mayor Grace Garrett to encourage people to come out and vote “Yes to EMS.”

She said the County has purchased an ambulance, and the City is in the process of getting that approved to also purchase an ambulance.

Congressman Zach Nunn pins the Iowa Medal of Merit to Fire Chief Tom Cappel.

Afterward, Congressman Nunn pinned the Iowa Medal of Merit award to Chief Tom Cappel’s dress uniform. He also presented the Chief with a certificate and a challenge coin.

All the members of the Atlantic Volunteer Fire Department who were present for the ceremony received a challenge coin. Chief Cappel humbly spoke about his team of hard working firefighters.

Fire Chief Tom Cappel (Center), his daughter ReAnn (left) and Tim Cappel (Left of ReAnn), along with other Cappel family members and volunteer firefighters who were honored by, and received “Challenge Coins” from, Congressman Nunn.

The Cappel family has a long history of serving the City of Atlantic on the fire department.

After the ceremony, Congressman Nunn spoke about being in-touch with the Iowans he serves in Washington,  D-C.

He was asked about complaints from Iowans about being inundated with political advertising through the various forms of media, including through the mail. Some have said they received as many as four letters or postcard-type advertisements, in one day alone.

Nunn concluded his stop in Atlantic by participating in the Fireman’s Parade, before proceeding to Shenandoah for another public engagement.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A Montgomery County man was arrested Saturday afternoon (Oct. 12), in Red Oak. 50-year-old Shannon Ray Porter, of Elliott, was arrested in the 400 block of E. Joy Street at around 12:10-p.m., for Harassment in the 3rd Degree, and Disorderly Conduct. Porter was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 bond.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – A new poll from Emerson College in Boston, MA, revealed Iowans are split on a variety of political issues, including abortion, immigration, and health care. When it comes to national government or politics, Emerson’s poll reveals that Iowans think similarly to voters in Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. 69% of Iowa and Missouri respondents agreed that the United States is on the wrong track.

But when it comes to issues like health care, their responses were more split. 70% of Iowa respondents said health care in the state was either good or great… But only 25% of respondents said access to mental health care was somewhat easy or very easy to access.

And when it comes to reproductive health care, it was almost split down the middle, with 56% of respondents thinking Iowa’s six-week abortion ban was too strict. 12% said it wasn’t strict enough…And 32% said six weeks was about right.

Almost two thirds of respondents support eliminating Iowa’s state income tax, and more than half agreed with the decision to send members of the Iowa National guard to help with the US-Mexico border.

(Wayne County, Iowa) – A woman from Missouri was injured in a rollover accident early Friday morning in far southern Iowa, just north of the state line with Missouri. The Iowa State Patrol reports 22-year-old Leslie Jennings, of New Hampton, MO., was driving a 2009 Mercury eastbound on Birch Street, in northern Lineville, when she ran the stop sign with Highway 65. Her car continued eastbound and went out of control before running off the road and entering the north ditch.

The vehicle rolled-over, causing Jennings to be ejected. She was not wearing a seat belt. The car came to rest on its roof. The crash happened at around 6:55-a.m., Friday.

Jennings was flown to Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines for treatment of her injuries.

(Rural Osklaloosa, Iowa) – A collision between a  mid-size SUV and a tractor northwest of Oskaloosa, Friday night, left two people dead and two others injured. All of the crash victims are from Oskaloosa. According to the Iowa State Patrol, a 2018 Subaru Outback driven by 43-year-old Sy Yang was traveling east on Highway 163 at around 8:50-p.m., at the same time 68-year-old Gary Edward Lisk, of Oskaloosa, was driving a John Deere tractor pulling a tiller implement. The tractor and implement were traveling eastbound on the right shoulder of the road.

When Lisk started to merge to the left, number one lane, the SUV struck the left rear side of the towed tiller, causing a front compartment (cabin) intrusion into the SUV as the vehicle was in the number two right lane. Sy Yang and 45-year-old Rachel Anne Yang died at the scene. Two others in the Subaru, 22-year-old Kaylah Ntsais Yang and 18-year-old Benjamin Ntuj Txheem Yang, were injured. They were transported by ambulance to the Mahaska Health hospital in Oskaloosa. Edward Lisk was not hurt in the collision.

The crash remains under investigation.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest early this (Saturday) morning, of a man from Polk County. 27-year-old Robert Arthur Crooks Jr., of Des Moines, was arrested following a traffic stop at Highways 34 and 48, on a charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance (Marijuana) – 1st offense.

Crooks was transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where he was being on $1,000 bond. Authorities say Red Oak Police assisted Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputies at the scene.