Officials with U-S Representative Congressman David Young’s office said today (Thursday), A “Coffee with your Congressman” event, featuring 3rd District Republican Congressman David Young, will be held in Atlantic next Wed., March 9th, from 10-until 11:30-a.m.

The event takes place at the Sweet Joy Shoppe (315 Chestnut Street). Everyone is invited to listen and ask questions of their Representative in Congress.

David Young

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An advocacy coalition in Iowa says it will deliver thousands of petitions to U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley to protest his recent comments about the selection of a U.S. Supreme Court nominee. A coalition of organizations plan to deliver 42,000 petition signatures today (Thursday) to Grassley’s six regional offices around Iowa. They also plan to deliver excerpts from the U.S. Constitution.

Why Courts Matter Iowa, part of a national group, says the move is to protest the Iowa senator’s comments that he will not hold hearings on any Supreme Court nominee made by President Barack Obama. Grassley is chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The petitions are made up of electronic signatures from a recent online campaign.

Officials with the Museum of Danish America in Elk Horn, say a t-shirt design contest is being held by the Museum, for an upcoming exhibit. Nicky Christensen, Museum Development/Social Media Associate, says they are accepting entries until noon on  Tuesday, March 15th. The contest is open to high school students from the Atlantic, Audubon, Exira‐Elk Horn‐Kimballton, and Harlan districts. The winning graphic design will appear on the front of a shirt that will be made available for purchase through online sales and in the museum’s Design Store.

Museum of Danish America

The design is to center around the theme of the new exhibit Sport for Sports’ Sake: Athletes and Ethnicity in Danish America which will open on Saturday, April 23rd. The exhibit will explore four aspects of sport: fitness, competition, camaraderie, and profession.

The original design should be made up of no more than three colors and contain no text or logos. The file must be emailed to media@danishmuseum.org with the student’s information. Students may submit a maximum of two designs. All entrants will receive a certificate for one free family admission to the Museum of Danish America. Admission also entitles the group to same‐day entry to the Genealogy Center, Bedstemor’s House (open Memorial Day‐Labor Day), and Jens Dixen cabin.

The winning entry will be announced on or before April 1st, 2016. One grand prize winner will receive a t‐shirt with their design, a gift certificate to the Museum of Danish America Design Store in the amount of $100, and a one‐year membership at the Contributing Level (A $100 value which includes access to the online collections database).

Official rules and entry information can be found at http://bit.ly/1TVd85Q .

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held this (Thursday) morning in Atlantic for a new electronic sign that replaces an older sign that stopped working last Spring, and was un-repairable. The new sign — located on the corner of Highway 6 and Chestnut Street – features an LED display that scrolls messages with regard to community events, as well as the current time and temp.

Atlantic Chamber Ambassadors gathered on a cloudy, breezy, 31-degree morning, to hear about how the sign will be used, and from the man who everyone acknowledged spear-headed efforts to get the sign brought up-to-date, Gerald Brink, owner of Brink Flowers and Gifts. Brink said “For 50 or 60-years, it’s been a cornerstone of the community.” He said he “Couldn’t stand to sit back and watch the thing be taken down. So, the Image Builders [Committee] decided ‘hey, lets take on this project.” Brink said “It was probably one of the easiest projects they’ve ever taken on to raise money [for]. Everybody thought that this sign was very important to Atlantic.”

He said also “I think it will be an important part of our community to the future.” The previous sign, which was 12-years old, was replaced with the more modern, longer-lasting display, thanks to more than $30,000 in contributions raised through the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce’ Image Builders Committee.

Chamber Programs Director Kate Christensen said due to DOT regulations, messages on the new marquee cannot be used for business advertising. It can only used to promote community events. There will be no charge to community organizations and non-profit groups to scroll their events on the sign.

Those organizations can e-mail the Chamber to obtain a form for submission about the event they wish to promote. It will be placed into rotation as soon as possible. Kate says also, anyone with suggestions about message color combinations or anything else related to the sign, is welcome to call her with those ideas.

Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County say deputies responding at around 9:45-a.m. Tuesday to a report of a gunshot wound at 95 2nd Street, in Elliott, found 92-year old Richard Jennings dead, from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by Red Oak Rescue, Elliott 1st Responders, and the Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports deputies Monday, arrested 56-year old Deborah Frances Lambrecht, of Atlantic, on charges of Possession of Contraband in Correctional Facility (a Class-D Felony), OWI 1st Offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Lambrecht was later released from custody on $5,000 bond.

The Sheriff’s Office says on Wednesday, deputies arrested 38-year old Jamin Ryan Walters, of Council Bluffs, on a Pottawattamie County warrant. Walters was taken to the Cass County Jail and later released on $1,000 bond.

That same day, 24-year old Thea Marie Sherman, of Atlantic, was arrested for Interference with Official Acts. Sherman was taken to the Cass County Jail where she remains held while serving a two-day sentence.

Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers said in a press release today (Thursday), that they “Are very fortunate that there was no loss of life or serious injury given the time of day” an extensive property damage accident occurred, Wednesday, at the Easters True Value Store, in Clarinda.

The Police report said a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by 73-year old Kathryn Sump, of Clarinda, was pulling-in to park at an angle in front of the store  just before 4-p.m. Wednesday, when, according to Sump, her foot became stuck on the accelerator pedal. Her SUV hit a curb and jumped onto the sidewalk before hitting the front of the building, and a bench in front of the building.

The vehicle then deflected off the building and hit a 2012 Jeep Liberty, before bouncing off it and striking a Dodge Avenger. The SUV pushed the car into a 2006 Dodge Durango before finally coming to rest. The store’s closed circuit camera caught the incident on tape. No injuries were reported. Damage from the crash amounted to $50,000.  Sump was cited for Failure to Maintain Control. Chief Brothers said Sump told authorities afterward, she “Was no longer safe to drive and did not want to drive anymore.”