(Stuart, Iowa) – Stuart Police Chief David Reha, Saturday evening, posted a report on social media, with regard to an ongoing investigation that has resulted in multiple arrests, the recovery of incendiary devices, drugs and a “hit list” with the names of several law enforcement officials. A Stuart man, 52-year-old Bobby Glen Agan, was arrested and booked into the Adair County Jail. He faces several felony and misdemeanor charges including Stalking (Dangerous Weapon), Possession of a Controlled Substance (x2, Second Offense), Possession of Prescription Medications, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of an Offensive Weapon, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

Chief Reha says officers with the Stuart Police Department successfully executed a search warrant in the 500 block of South Harrison Street Friday night, August 16th, and continuing into the early hours of Saturday, August 17th. Their action was the culmination of a month-long investigation by Stuart Police, aimed at addressing a series of incidents involving projectiles directed at a local residence.

DES MOINES, Iowa [NWS/Des Moines] — New data shows 122 tornadoes struck Iowa so far in 2024, setting a new state record. The change comes from new damage surveys released by the National Weather Service this week. The surveys confirmed two tornadoes formed in Winneshiek County back on Aug. 5, pushing the state’s annual total above the previous record. Until now, 2004 held the top spot for most tornadoes in a year with 120.

There have been just five years with 100-plus tornadoes in Iowa since records began in 1950. The state averages around 50 tornadoes annually. More than two-thirds of Iowa’s 122 twisters have occurred on just four days in the last five months. The state’s first outbreak of 2024 happened on April 16, when 17 tornadoes formed, the strongest being an EF2 that traveled across southeast Iowa.

The following week, another powerful system hit the state on April 26, producing 29 tornadoes. An EF3 destroyed much of the small town of Minden, and an EF2 caused significant damage in Pleasant Hill. In May, Iowa was dealt two more outbreaks in the same week.

May 21 brought 13 more tornadoes, including the EF4 that devastated Greenfield and killed five people. Three days later, an early-morning derecho produced 23 more tornadoes — most of them in eastern Iowa.

All tolled, a tornado touched down somewhere in Iowa on 16 different days so far this year. While peak tornado “season” has passed, Iowa still often sees tornadoes during the fall months. Multiple November outbreaks have occurred in the last couple of decades. In 2021, 63 tornadoes struck the state during a rare December derecho.

This year’s tornado count could easily still rise above 122.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic is set to meeting 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 21st, in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall. Among the Action items on their tentative agenda, is:

1. An Order to Close Selected Streets on Friday, September 27, 2024, Between 2:15 P.M. and 3:30 P.M. for the Atlantic Homecoming Parade.
2. An Order to Approve Fireworks Event Permit for Alan Zelmer at 805 West 10th Street for the Tractor Pull on August 24, 2024.
3. An Order to Approve Engineering Agreement with Snyder & Associates for the 2025 West 22nd Street Improvements
   Project.
4. A Resolution (# 49-24) “Extension of Maximum Vacation Hours for Police Department Employees Unable to Utilize Their Vacation Time.”
5. An Order to Approve Pay Application #1 for $30,975.83 the 2024 Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation – UV CIIPP Lining Project.
6. A Public Hearing on a Proposed Ordinance Vacating the 66’ Wide Street Right-of-Way of West Fourth Street in the City of Atlantic, Iowa Described as Follows: Beginning at the West Right-of-Way Line of Laurel Street Extended, Thence West to the East Property Line of the Iowa Interstate Railroad. Said Parcel Containing Approximately 0.7 Acres. Said Described Real Estate is Subject to a Stormwater Sewer Easement Reserved unto and Held by the City of Atlantic, Iowa.
7. And, the First Reading of Ordinance No. 1045 “Vacating the 66’ Wide Street Right-of-Way of West Fourth Street in the City of Atlantic (as described above).

(Red Oak and Atlantic, Iowa) – The Boards of Supervisors in Cass and Montgomery County will hold their regular (separate) meetings, Tuesday morning (August. 20th). In Red Oak, the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors meeting gets underway at 8:30-a.m. The only item of New business on their agenda, is discussion with regard to a Fiscal Year 2024-25 Family Connections Contract, with action as necessary. Their next regular meeting, is on August 27th at 8:30-a.m.

In Atlantic, the Cass County Board of Supervisors meeting begins a 9-a.m., Tuesday. There are several matters on their agenda, including:

1. Presentation of the annual audit by Darren Welsh, with Gronewold, Bell, Kyhnn & Co. P.C.
2. Approve the auditing firm contract for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024
3. Monthly report by Jotham Arber, Executive Director of Cass/Guthrie County Environmental Health
4. Discussion/action on the commercial lease with Fourth Judicial District, Department of Correctional Services for the premises located at 601 Walnut Street, Suite 1, Atlantic, IA.
5. Approve Resolution 2024-25 Allocating ARPA Funds for the Anita Food Pantry Parking Lot Improvements in the amount of $15,000.
6. Approve Resolution 2024-26 Allocating ARPA Funds to the City of Griswold Land of Oz Housing development Lift Station in the amount of $35,000.
7. Monthly report by Mitch Holmes, Cass County Veteran Affairs Executive Director for the quarter ending June 30, 2024.
8. Quarterly report by Micah Lee, Cass County Conservation Executive Director for the quarter ending June 30, 2024.
9. Report from Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken.

The meeting will take place in-person, and is accessible on Zoom or over the phone. Details below:

Location Cass County Courthouse, Board Room, 5 W 7th St, Atlantic, IA 50022
Join Electronically https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2899195216?pwd=R0hSa2FOOTh0NUdra1ZSdVhVW
HpMUT09
Meeting ID: 289 919 5216
Passcode: 012064
Call In 312-626-6799, press *9 to indicate you wish to speak.

The Board’s next regular meeting is September 3rd at 9-a.m.

The Montgomery County Supervisors meeting will also be held in-person and available electronically or over the phone:

Via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85039693411

Call-in:

Meeting ID: 850 3969 3411

Dial by your location +1 312 626 6799 If you are calling in, Press *9 to raise your hand if you wish to speak.31

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Officials with the FBI say a teenager from Arizona who was reported missing earlier this month after flying to Des Moines to meet with someone she met online, was found safe in Ankeny, and a 20-year male was arrested in connection with the incident. 17-year-old Liliana Munguia was located in Ankeny Friday afternoon. The FBI arrested 20-year-old Malachi Reed, charges are pending.

As previously reported, the 17-year-old was seen on home security video leaving her father’s home in Bapchule, Arizona, at 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 5th. Later that evening, she purchased a plane ticket and flew from Mesa, Arizona, to Des Moines to meet an individual she had met online.

17-year-old Liliana Munguia

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Area Chamber Ambassadors were on-hand, Thursday, to celebrate the opening of a new business, The Moviehouse & Event Center, located in a renovated space above Brymons Interiors in downtown Atlantic. The event included a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Jennifer Miller, owner of Brymons Interiors & Moviehouse & Event center, purchased 412 Chestnut building 6 years ago from the Mason’s. The Mason’s continued to rent the top levels of the building to host meetings, but the elevator fell out of operation, and the group found other arrangements for the meetings. When the movie theater left Downtown Atlantic, Jennifer recognized the need and went to the drawing board. In March of this year, Jennifer and her daughter Cambrie began cleaning, painting, remodeling and installing equipment.

The Moviehouse & Event Center shows movies that are “current release” or “classic” movie every Saturday night. Jennifer shared that as fall and winter approach they may increase the amount of showings and possibly add a matinee. Jennifer looks forward to community feedback and requests to help guide their selections.

Pictured from Left to Right: Jeremy Butler, Chris Parks, Jennifer McEntaffer, Dr. Keith Leonard, Krysta Hanson, Kennedy Freund, Sue Liston, Ruth Sears, Colt Doherty, Jennifer Miller, Elaine Otte, Anne Quist, Dolly Bergmann, Gabby Wahlert, Lana Westphalen, Emily Symonds, Connie Wahls, Julie Waters, Alden Harriman, Kathie Hockenberry, DeeDee Kalny, Bailey Smith

The Moviehouse & Event Center is located at 412 1/2 Chestnut Street in Atlantic. For more information and movie scheduled visit their Facebook page @The Moviehouse & Events Center.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 16, 2024 – Perdue Foods LLC, a Perry, Ga. establishment, is recalling approximately 167,171 pounds of frozen, ready-to-eat chicken breast nugget and tender products that may be contaminated with foreign material, specifically metal, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.

The frozen, ready-to-eat chicken breast nugget and tender items were produced on March 23, 2024. The following products are subject to recall [view labels]:

• 22-oz. (1.38-lbs.) vacuum-sealed plastic packages containing “PERDUE Simply  Smart ORGANICS Breaded CHICKEN BREAST NUGGETS” with Best If Used By date of “03 23 25” represented on the back of the package.
• 29-oz. (1.81-lbs.) vacuum-sealed plastic packages containing “PERDUE CHICKEN BREAST TENDERS with Best If Used By date of “03 23 25” represented on the back of the package.
• 22-oz. (1.38-lbs.) vacuum-sealed packages containing “BUTCHERBOX Organic Chicken Breast Nuggets” with Best If Used By date of “03 23 25” represented on the back of the package.

The products subject to recall bear establishment number “P-33944” on the back of the package. These items were shipped to retail locations nationwide and sold online directly to consumers.

The problem was discovered after the firm received consumer complaints about metal wire embedded in the product and notified FSIS of the issue.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.

FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

Consumers with questions about the recall can contact Perdue Consumer Care at 1-866-866-3703.

DES MOINES, Iowa – A businessman, formerly of Adel, was sentenced yesterday to 18 months in federal prison for filing a false income tax return.

According to public court documents, Mark Francis Davidson, 66, is the majority shareholder of a company called Collegiate Concepts, Inc., which rents dorm minifridges to colleges and college students across the United States. Beginning in 2015 and continuing until 2021, Davidson diverted over $3.8 million from the corporation to himself and failed to report this income to the Internal Revenue Service. Davidson concealed these payments from the corporation’s accountant and tax preparer by providing falsified check ledgers that falsely identified checks from the corporation to Davidson as seemingly legitimate business expenses.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Davison will be on supervised release for one year. There is no parole in the federal system. Davidson was also ordered to pay $1,449,620 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service and a fine of $20,000.

“A prison sentence should send a message to anyone who consistently underreports their income each year that it’s just a matter of time before they land on the radar of IRS Criminal Investigation (CI), and the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock of CI’s St. Louis Field Office. “We strive to ensure the integrity and fairness of the nation’s tax code, so all taxpayers pay their fair share.”

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation.

(Oskaloosa, Iowa) – Officials with the Iowa Army National Guard in Johnston, say an amazing story of military training put into a real-life scenario that saved a person suffering a massive heart attack. On December 18, 2023, Nathan Kessler was surveying a field in Peru, IA when he collapsed, suffering a massive heart attack. No less than five other people were in the area, but Staff Sergeant Nicolas M Darland immediately sprang into action, a critical moment in the survival of Mr. Kessler.

For this heroic deed, SSG Darland is being awarded the Iowa Medal of Merit, with his family and Mr. Kessler present. The Iowa Medal of Merit is the second highest state award next to the Iowa Medal of Valor. The Presentation will be Sunday, August 18th , at 1 PM at the Oskaloosa Armory (2260 Hwy 63) on the north side of Oskaloosa.

SSG Darland attributes his twelve-year career and military training to his effective response. SSG Darland is a true selfless servant, he holds the lessons and training he has learned as a member of the Iowa National Guard and applies them in his civilian and military career. His action in a real-world situation, resulted in the saving of not only a life but of one who is a close friend, employee, father, and husband. His actions truly distinguish himself and exemplify selfless service to the highest degree.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs man was sentenced on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, to 136 months in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine.

According to public court documents, Michael Martin Meehan, 53, distributed methamphetamine to a confidential informant on two occasions in January 2023, totaling more than 150 grams.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Meehan will be required to serve seven years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Council Bluffs Police Department, and Carter Lake Police Department.