Atlantic, IA — Officials with Cass Health say the hospital is excited to welcome three new rheumatologists to Atlantic Medical Center, RHC. Dr. Thomas Schmidt, Dr. Gino Chesini, and Dr. Stephen Slade will provide rheumatology care to patients beginning this fall. The three new providers will replace Dr. Kimberly Hendricks, who announced earlier this year that she is moving to Ohio to be closer to her family.

Dr. Thomas Schmidt

Dr. Gino Chesini

Dr. Stephen Slade

Tammy Bireline, Chief Clinic Administrator, says “We loved having her on staff, and while we will miss Dr. Hendricks, we certainly understand her decision and wish her the best. Over the last two years, we’ve seen the difference it makes for our patients to have rheumatology care closer to home. It was a priority for us to continue offering that access to care, and we’re excited to work with these new physicians.”

Dr. Schmidt, an Atlantic native, will begin seeing patients in September, with Drs. Chesini and Slade following shortly after. All three treat patients with osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, scleroderma, psoriatic arthritis, and vasculitis among other systemic rheumatology conditions.

All new rheumatology patients will need a referral from their primary care provider; existing patients of Dr. Hendricks will not need a referral.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – The State Fire Marshal’s Office has issued a ban on open burning in Adair County, effective today (Wednesday), at 3-p.m., and until further notice. The Order is the result of a request from Adair/Guthrie County Emergency Management Director Robert Kempf, who was acting on behalf of the fire chiefs in each of the fire departments in Adair County. The Burn Ban states “No person shall engage in open burning in Adair County… except as specifically permitted by Iowa Code,” and until the EMA Director notifies the State Fire Marshal that conditions are such that they no longer constitute a danger to life or property. 

Violation of the Burn Ban is a simple misdemeanor.

IOWA CODE SECTION 100.40 Marshal may prohibit open burning on request.

1. The state fire marshal, during periods of extremely dry conditions or under other conditions when the state fire marshal finds open burning constitutes a danger to life or property, may prohibit open burning in an area of the state at the request of the chief of a local fire department, a city council or a board of supervisors and when an investigation supports the need for the prohibition. The state fire marshal shall implement the prohibition by issuing a proclamation to persons in the affected area. The chief of a local fire department, the city council or the board of supervisors that requested the prohibition may rescind the proclamation after notifying the state fire marshal of the intent to do so, when the chief, city council or board of supervisors finds that the conditions responsible for the issuance of the proclamation no longer exist.
2. Violation of a prohibition issued under this section is a simple misdemeanor.
3. A proclamation issued by the state fire marshal pursuant to this section shall not prohibit a supervised, controlled burn for which a permit has been issued by the fire chief of the fire district where the burn will take place, the use of outdoor fireplaces, barbecue grills, properly supervised landfills, or the burning of trash in incinerators or trash burners made of metal, concrete, masonry, or heavy one-inch wire mesh, with no openings greater than one square inch.

(Radio Iowa) – Last week’s statewide bicycle ride RAGBRAI was a chance for some small Iowa towns to raise money for community projects. The group Moms and Grandmas for Fonda used their stop along the route to fund raise for a new town basketball court. The northwest Iowa non-profit brought home around 600-dollars in pickle sandwich sales. Organizer Judy Hess says every little bit will help them reach their 30-thousand-dollar fundraising goal. “Being able to bring in that amount of money in such a short time, it’s great,” Hess says, “and getting to meet so many neat people. It was a fun day.”

Hess says she’s thrilled with how her community pulled together to make Fonda entertaining for the thousands of cyclists. Her non-profit will continue to host events like cow bingo and chili cook-offs to raise more money for the court. Elsewhere, Nemaha raised nearly enough money to finish construction on its historical museum. As one of the stops on Monday’s route, the northwest town nearly sold out of the 400 pounds of marinated turkey tenders prepared for the event. Organizer Jim Hamm says that effort earned them more than $8,000 toward furnishing the museum. He says he was proud of what the town was able to accomplish. “It felt good, it’s a good addition, but it’s going to definitely make a big difference to have that added on to what we have,” Hamm says. “This should come close to getting us done, I think.”

Tired as he was after the long day of selling tasty turkey to cyclists, Hamm says he’d do it again in a heartbeat. He hopes Nemaha gets another opportunity down the line to be on the route. Until then, he’s looking forward to the museum’s grand opening in the next year or two.

(reporting by Kendall Crawford, Iowa Public Radio)

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors today (Wednesday), approved a request from Sheriff Jeff Vandewater, to begin the hiring process to fill a Jailer vacancy position. Deputy Sheriff Mike Algreen appeared before the Board of the Sheriff’s behalf.

The Board also passed a Resolution to join other counties in Iowa, in support of a Safe Streets and Roads Federal Grant. Adair County Engineer Nick Kauffman…

Passage of the Resolution makes the County eligible to share with the rest of the County, up to 1-billion dollars in Federal Grants through a Transportation Bill that’s good for a period of five-years. Kauffman said it’s hoped that by Iowa counties grouping together, they would have a better chance of getting more of the funds that are available. If approved, he would like to use the funds for a shoulder widening project on certain county roads.

The Supervisors approved a proposal from Cott Systems to digitize County Record Codes/plat information. Kauffman said their price quote is different than what Cott originally proposed.

Cott Systems, he said $495 for the binder, and $11 per sheet, for the capsulations, for a total of $825.

The Board agreed to pay for the process, as long as the cost falls between the original $600 and the revised $825, with any overage in costs coming from the County’s share of the ARPA allotment. In his report on Secondary Roads Department maintenance and activities, Nick Kauffman said there is a box culvert project is nearing completion, while another road is closed for a separate project.

CRESTON, Iowa – Aug. 3, 2022 – The Iowa Department of Transportation’s Creston Construction Office reports bridge deck repair work on the Iowa 25 bridge over Interstate 80 in Adair County near Menlo will require closing north- and southbound Iowa 25 between I-80 and Guthrie County Road F-65 starting at 7 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9, until Thursday, Oct. 20, weather permitting.

During this project, traffic will be detoured around the work zone using I-80, Adair/Guthrie County Road N-77/Antique Country Drive, Guthrie County Road F-65, and Iowa 25 (see map).

The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Secondary Roads Department reports York Avenue in southeastern Adair County, will be closed to through traffic between 330th street and 340th street, starting Monday, August 8, 2022 and continuing through Friday, August 12, 2022. Residents will have access to their properties. If you have any questions or concerns please call the Adair County Engineer’s Office at 641-743-6111. (click on the map to enlarge)

(Radio Iowa) – Three state agencies are developing guidelines and real-time resources for city and county officials who may have to restrict water usage during a drought emergency. Tim Hall of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the first-ever state “drought plan” would leave decisions about limiting water usage to local officials.  “We’re trying to set up a framework that will help local communities, local water utilities, emergency management folks be prepared to deal with a drought when it comes by answering those questions: ‘What should be do and when should be do it?’ and we can provide the data and the information that helps them make those decisions,” Hall says.

The latest information from the U.S. Drought Mitigation Center shows there are “extreme” drought conditions in four northwest Iowa counties, but water shortages haven’t dropped to the level of what’s called an “exceptional” drought. “We have seen droughts on a fairly regular schedule. We saw, of course, a significant drought in 2012,” Hall says. “We saw some very dry years in 2020 and 2021. This year is looking pretty dry as well.”

In July, state officials hosted meetings in Sioux City, Cedar Rapids and Creston to hear from water utilities, local communities, county emergency managers and industries that use water. A final virtual meeting is being held this (Wednesday) morning with about 70 representatives of those groups. “We’re almost to the end of the stakeholder piece,” Hall says. “We have a science and data team that’s looking at information that’s available and how we might establish some trigger mechanisms for the state, so we are right in the middle of developing of the heavy duty stuff of the plan right now.”

Hall is the hydrology resources coordinator for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. On Thursday, Hall will be issuing a statewide summary of water resources. He says water levels in some areas of northwest Iowa are alarmingly low. “As the temperatures start to climb and we don’t see any precipitation, it could get a little bit rough in some places,” he says.

The situation, though, isn’t currently as dire as the last major drought of 2012, according to Hall.  “But on a local basis, there are some areas of northwest Iowa that are struggling to see what their water situation is going to be in three weeks, four weeks, six weeks if we don’t get much rain,” Hall says.

According to the state climatologist, unseasonably dry conditions persisted across Iowa last week and the drought intensified in the state’s northwest corner.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Police in Council Bluffs have issued a “traffic alert,” with regard to a temporary road closure. Authorities say Madison Avenue will be closed today from 7:30 am  through most of the day, for the removal of a tree that fell Tuesday morning on two vehicles, resulting in injuries. Police say Madison Avenue will have hard closures from Timbercrest Dr to E. Graham Ave.

Council Bluffs PD Shield

Please avoid the area and use alternative routes, today.

(Creston, Iowa) – A woman from Creston was arrested Tuesday afternoon, for Public Intoxication and Domestic Abuse Assault. Creston Police report 37-year-old Samantha L. Hays was taken into custody at The Lobby bar in Creston, at around 2:30-p.m. She was transported to the Adams County Jail and held without bond until seen by a judge.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Tuesday, co-led the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship’s hearing on the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) lending of COVID-19 relief loan programs, where she highlighted the ways these programs were exploited by bad actors, and the economic impact that record federal spending levels has had on inflation and Iowa small businesses.

IA Senator Joni Ernst speaks during a SBA hearing, Tuesday (8/2/22)

Ernst pressed the SBA on the amount of fraudulent loans awarded, efforts to recover these funds, and how she can work with the agency to ensure this does not happen again in the future

Ernst went on to say: