(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City of Atlantic’s four person Board of Adjustment met Thursday evening in the Council’s Chambers at City hall, to determine if an application by the New Life Church meets the seven criteria for a Conditional Use Permit. After one-hour and 40-minutes of discussion, questions and answers, the Board unconditionally approved the request to operate a church at 28 W. 5th Street and a business office at 410 Poplar Street, in what is by Ordinance, a C-3 “Central Business District.”

More than two dozen people were present for the public hearing and discussion, but before the Board opened the hearing to consider a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for the New Life Church, they called for nominations for Board Chair and Vice-Chair. Current Chair Melissa Ihnen was re-elected to the post, and Alexis Fleener was voted to be Vice-Chair. Afterward, the Board Chair reviewed the Board of Adjustment’s Role as a Quasi-Judicial Body, and the Legal Framework for Decision Making.

There were seven criteria that were examined prior to the decision to grant the permit. And, while some sticking points with regard to potential issues with parking and traffic flow, the Board ultimately concluded those issues were not insurmountable enough to warrant denying a permit. Board Chair Melissa Ihnen and Alexsis Fleener…

It was noted that a Conditional Use Permit does not mean the Board has a say on the sale of the property. That is between the owners and buyers. The Church had previously entered into a purchase agreement with Atlas Atlantic Cinema property owners Jacob and his wife Rylea Anderson, with whom they had been renting the building prior to the decision to purchase.

Jacob Anderson

Pastor Ben Winford

Board of Adjustment

Ben Winford, Senior Pastor of the New Life Church, said they have looked at other sites, but the ones they have explored so far, are either too costly at the onset, or don’t fit their needs.

He said they ended up at their building at 6th and Pine Streets, but that has had some structural issues, which is why they inquired about renting the Atlantic Theater. Jacob Anderson said after meeting with Pastor Winford, it was agreed to rent the space, and he had high praise for what’s transpired since.

He said they know or no complaints about the building or use of it, for the purposes of a church. The Board and audience heard next from the property owners of 28 W. 5th an 410 Poplar Streets. Roger Steffens spoke as an abutting property owner. He owns a business across the Street from the theater and to the west. Steffens recounted fond memories he had of the theater, which he said was a church back in the 1940’s, and that he was baptized there. Steffens alleged some groups conspired to block the sale of the building to the church.

There were only two people who signed-up to speak during the hearing. Angie Johnson owns a grooming business on 4th Street. She said she’s glad the church is growing, but she said her clients, some of which come from out of town, often ask what there is to do downtown after 5-p.m. The theater was one option, when it is open.

She cited also, the historical value of the building that houses the theater, and was in favor of keeping the building as a theater. Barb Jorgensen, owner of the Little Cobbler, also spoke about the historical significance of the theater, and efforts to save it.

Rylea Anderson said renting their building to the church, helped when attendance at the theater was low. She said attendance has been declining for quite some time, and the scene is the same in a lot of small towns, and there’s not much of an expectation theater attendance will rise again.

(Radio Iowa) – Many Iowans make grand plans for New Year’s Eve, but the Iowa Department of Natural Resources is urging those who love the outdoors to commit to an event on New Year’s Day. Sherry Arntzen, chief of the Iowa D-N-R’s Parks, Forests and Preserves Bureau, says this will be the 10th year for the state’s First Day Hike Challenge. “First Day Hikes are a great way to get out and start the new year out in nature,” Arntzen says. “Our parks are open all year, I don’t know how many people take advantage of that. It’s just a great way to get out there and not only to enjoy the sights and the sounds that you can see in the wintertime, but creating those memories with your family and friends.”

While the immediate forecast is for very cold weather to move in, the picture could be much different by the time January 1st arrives. Arntzen says the events will go on, no matter what the forecast. “It varies, obviously,” Arntzen says. “The winter may play into people’s decisions but we’ve had people who have braved some of the coldest weather that we’ve had, and we’ve had years where it’s been mild and just absolutely an enjoyable way to spend the morning or an afternoon.”

When the First Day Hike Challenge started, hikers were led on guided hikes through the parks by park rangers and caretakers. During COVID, hikers were instead encouraged to check in using their Park Passports.  “For this year, we’re offering both,” Arntzen says. “Your hikes that you can do on your own at your own leisure and check in and be eligible to win a two-night stay at Pine Lake State Park cabins, or we do have 17 of our parks that are continuing to offer a designated time with a guided hike.”

More than 50 state parks and forests are doing the Park Passport check-ins this time, from December 30th through January 1st. In addition to the guided hikes, several parks will host get-togethers, providing hot chocolate and snacks.

On the web at www.iowadnr.gov/firstdayhikes

(Creston, Iowa) – A collision in Creston this (Thursday) morning resulted in one person being transported by ambulance, to the hospital. Creston Police report 51-year-old Jody Lynn Johnson, of Creston, suffered possible (unknown) injuries, and was transported by Greater Regional Hospital medics to be checked out.

Johnson was driving a 2019 Cehvy Equinox (SUV) westbound on Townline Road/Highway 25 at around 8:05-a.m., and preparing to turn south onto Cottonwood Street, when her vehicle was struck by a 2001 Ford Escort.

Police say 15-year-old Owen Jacob Weis, of Creston, was driving the car north on Cottonwood and approaching the controlled intersection, when the car started sliding on the snow/slush covered road, and collided with the SUV.

Officers said while the road conditions may have played a role in the collision, the teen was also driving too fast for conditions. No citations were issued. Damage to the vehicles amounted to $10,000.

(Radio Iowa) – A managed care company has agreed to pay a 44-point-four million dollar settlement after being accused of submitting excessive prescription drug bills to the Iowa Medicaid program. The Missouri-based insurance company Centene does not admit wrongdoing. A news release from the Iowa Attorney General’s office indicates there were irregularities in the way a pharmacy benefits management company that’s a Centene subsidiary was billing for medications provided to Iowa Medicaid patients. Centene operates under the name Iowa Total Care in Iowa. It’s one of three private companies that oversee care and billing for 800-thousand Iowans who are enrolled in the government’s Medicaid program.

Senator Pam Jochum, a Democrat from Dubuque, says the huge settlement is a sign Centene defrauded the state and a stark reminder the privatization of Iowa Medicaid isn’t working.

Attorney General Tom Miller’s office has announced a series of legal settlements for Iowa and other states in the last month, regarding allegations about the marketing of opioids. “There’s going to be considerable money coming into Iowa and all the states to deal with opioids and that’s really important,” Miller says. In late November, Miller announced opioid makers Teva  and Allergan would pay the State of Iowa a 46-point-six MILLION dollar settlement.

Miller and his top deputy were the lead negotiators for all states in that case — and the national settlement from these two companies is six-point-six BILLION. Miller, a Democrat who has served as Iowa’s attorney general for 40 years, lost his bid for an 11th term. Republican Brenna Bird’s term as attorney general begins in January.

(Carroll, Iowa) – A collision early this (Thursday) morning, north of Carroll claimed the life of a woman from Auburn, Iowa. According to the Iowa State Patrol, 26-year-old Lorraine Haley Wuebker died, when the 2007 Chevy Equinox SUV she was driving, crossed the center line of Highway 71, she was heading southbound. The vehicle struck a northbound 2022 International semi head-on. The semi was driven by 64-year-old Edward Peterson, of Sioux Falls, SD. The accident happened at around 5:51-a.m.

Following the impact, the SUV came to rest  in the west ditch. The semi came to rest in the east ditch. Wuebker died at the scene. She was wearing a seat belt. Peterson was not injured.The Patrol says weather and road conditions may have been a contributing factor to the crash, which remains under investigation.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s unemployment rate increased two tenths of a percent to three-point-one percent in November. Iowa Workforce Development Director, Beth Townsend says the drop was due to more lost jobs than new people entering the workforce. “Unfortunately, more people were unemployed — but the difference this month with people moving from employed to unemployed — but that we did not see a drop in the labor force. So that means those folks are still continuing to look for work and remained in the labor force, which is good for employers who have been looking for help,” Townsend says.

Townsend says several sectors saw job losses. “Trade and transportation utilities lost about 11-hundred jobs, we saw, professional and business services lost one thousand jobs, finance and insurance, lost 800 jobs, education, health care and social assistance lost 700,” she says. “And we saw a slight decline in manufacturing of 300 jobs, which is the first decline we’ve seen in manufacturing over the last year.” Townsend says there were the gains in leisure and hospitality jobs — one of the areas hardest hit in the pandemic — and construction added one-thousand jobs. Townsend says the increase in unemployment is not good news — but the overall outlook for those who are looking for a job remains very positive.

IWD director Beth Townsend.

“It also indicates that we’re not immune from what’s going on nationally, you know, inflation, supply chain issue, those kinds of things are going to have and continue to have some impact here in Iowa,” Townsend says. Townsend says Iowa’s labor force participation rate is five-and-a-half points above the national rate — but is an area they want to improve. “We still are below where we were pre-pandemic by about two points. And so what we want to do is get those folks who dropped out of the labor force during the pandemic back to work back into the workforce, help them find those jobs or the training that they need to get the jobs that they want. That’s kind of what we’re focused on,” she says.

While there’s a lot of talk about people who retired during the pandemic — that’s not the most important group that needs attention. “I think what we really need to focus on is getting the younger folks who dropped out of the workforce back into the workforce,” Townsend says “So young men…18 to 24. How can we get them from wherever they are, interested in working again.”

The total number of working Iowans decreased by 34-hundred in November — but remains more than 48-thousand more than one year ago.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Quinn Matthew Sorensen, age 23, of Missouri Valley, was sentenced on Tuesday, December 13, 2022, to 168 months in prison following his plea of guilty to Transportation of a Minor and Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. Sorenson will be required to register as a sex offender. He was ordered to 12 years of supervised release following his release from prison.

In March 2022, a school resource officer at Millard West High School was provided information from other students that a female freshman student was dating Sorenson. Sorensen was corresponding with several teenage girls at the high school through text messages and Snapchat. Sorenson picked up one female student in Omaha, Nebraska and transported her to his apartment in Missouri Valley. Sorenson encouraged high school freshmen to date him and engage in sexual acts. Sorenson also provided students alcohol and marijuana.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case and the Missouri Valley Police Department assisted in the execution of a search warrant.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Hector Javier Torres Tapia, age 32, a Mexican citizen, formerly of Council Bluffs, was sentenced on Tuesday, December 13, 2022, to 18 months in prison following his plea of guilty to illegally reentering the country.

On May 21, 2022, Torres Tapia came to the attention of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), following on a traffic stop by the Council Bluffs Police Department. ICE Officers arrested Torres Tapia three days later. In 2015, Torres Tapia was convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine in the Nebraska District Court for Douglas County.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Council Bluffs Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated the case.

DES MOINES, IA – A federal grand jury in Des Moines returned an indictment on December 14, 2022, charging Adair Chief of Police Bradley Wendt with unlawfully obtaining and possessing machine guns. According to unsealed court documents, Wendt, age 46, exploited his position as the Adair Chief of Police to acquire 10 machine guns purportedly for the official duties and responsibilities of the Adair Police Department, but later resold several of those machine guns at a significant profit. Wendt also acquired 13 machine guns for his Denison-based gun store, BW Outfitters, through false statements to the ATF that the machine guns were being demonstrated for future potential purchase by the Adair Police Department.

Wendt also exploited his position as the Chief of Police to obtain 10 machine guns for Williams Contracting LLC, a federal firearms licensee operated by his friend, Robert Williams, age 46, of Manning. Williams solicited false documentation from Wendt indicating the Adair Police Department wanted a demonstration of each of the machine guns for future potential purchase by the Adair Police Department.

Between July 2018 and August 2022, Wendt sought to demonstrate or purchase approximately 90 machine guns for the Adair Police Department, which serves a town of less than 800 people. Wendt and Williams hosted public machine gun shoots, where they charged patrons money to shoot machine guns registered to their gun stores and the Adair Police Department. Wendt and Williams intended to stockpile machine guns to later sell at a personal profit.

FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said “Brad Wendt is charged with exploiting his position as chief of police to unlawfully obtain and sell guns for his own personal profit. The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable those who violate their oath of office to enrich themselves.”
“This case demonstrates the importance of ATF’s vigilance in regulating federal firearms licensees and bringing to justice those who willfully circumvent federal law in favor of personal profit and abuse public trust. Today’s indictment is the result of seamless collaboration by ATF and our law enforcement partners,” said Fred Winston, Special Agent in Charge, ATF – Kansas City Field Division.

Both defendants are charged with conspiracy to make false statements and defraud the ATF. Wendt is charged with 18 counts of making a false statement to the ATF and one count of illegal possession of a machine gun. Williams is charged with three counts of making a false statement and aiding and abetting a false statement to the ATF. The indictment may be viewed here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdia/press-release/file/1558036/download.

If convicted, Wendt faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years. Williams faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.

The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The investigation remains ongoing.
U.S. Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mikaela Shotwell and Ryan Leemkuil are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.