(Radio Iowa) – Biden Administration officials say the nation’s four major meatpackers are engaging in profiteering during the pandemic and generating record or near-record profits this year. U-S Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says it’s time to hold meatpackers responsible for unfair practices. “Farmers are losing money on cattle, on hogs and poultry that they are selling at a time when consumers are seeing higher prices at the grocery store,” he says.

Vilsack and other members of the administration’s competitiveness council meet Friday to discuss ways to address consolidation in the industry. “I remember talking to a producer the other day in Council Bluffs and he said: ‘I don’t get this, Mr. Secretary. I just sold my cattle and I lost $150 a head, but the processor made $1800 a head,” Vilsack says. “How can that be?”

Legislation introduced in congress would require more disclosure of the prices meatpackers are paying private contractors. That may give independent livestock producers a better sense of what meatpackers are willing to pay for cattle, hogs and poultry. According to the National Meat Institute, consumers are paying higher prices for beef, pork, chicken and eggs because of a persistent and widespread shortage of workers in meatpacking plants.

(Radio Iowa/KCRG) – Governor Kim Reynolds is directing 100 million dollars in federal pandemic relief money be spent on housing projects.  “A transformative investment that promises to build approximately 36,450 new housing units,” she says.

K-C-R-G T-V broadcast the governor’s comments last (Wednesday) night. Sixty-five million from this allotment will go toward tax credit programs for housing developers. Twenty million will be awarded as grants for projects in Iowa cities with fewer than 30-thousand residents that convert downtown buildings into housing units. The rest will be used to finance home repairs, to help minority home buyers make down payments and to expand the number of homes inmates at the state prison in Newton are building.

These funds are in addition to the 230 million dollars for housing the Iowa legislature approved spending over the next five years. Reynolds says the combined 330-million dollars is a down payment on Iowa’s future prosperity. K-C-R-G T-V covered the governor’s speech at the HousingIowa Conference in Cedar Rapids yesterday (Wednesday).  “We’ve seen a growing mismatch between where the job opportunities are thriving and where people can find affordable places to live,” the governor says.

According to the Iowa Finance Authority, 40 percent of the housing units in Iowa were built before 1950. The agency’s latest report concludes the most common housing problem in Iowa is a lack of affordable housing.

(Updated w/audio) (Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic School Board met Wednesday evening during a regular session, during which they learned from Superintendent Steve Barber, that the enrollment numbers are up.

Barber said he’s confident to say certified enrollment is up 25+, and the net open enrollment will probably be 20 students. Perhaps the most interesting tidbit of information, was the number of students who are entirely new to the district, or who have returned since the pandemic began.

The district’s official, certified enrollment – the numbers submitted to the State -won’t be available until October 1st. In other news, the Atlantic School Board, Wednesday evening, gave its initial blessing to renaming the Trojan High School Track Invitational, as the Bruce Henderson Invitational. Mark Worth, Missy Goergen and Matt Mullenix spoke about a committee of people who approached Superintendent Steve Barber about a month ago, wanting to recognize Bruce Henderson, who Atlantic Athletic Director Andy Mitchell said has “meant a lot to our school district.” Mark Worth said he’s known Bruce Henderson for 40 years. He choked-up when he spoke about the Coach.

Missy Goergen ran Cross County and Track under Coach Henderson.

She said he has a proven record of success and is a “numbers genius,” meaning he knew exactly how fast a person on the team needed to run, and where to place runners in order to win the meet.

Matt Mullenix said Henderson laid the foundation for the girl’s track program in 1974, and is very well known in the sport of track and field, both here and abroad.

Andy Mitchell said the group believes Henderson is worthy of having an Invitational Meet named in his honor. The Board agreed, and that it would be effective with the 2022 track season. The home event will be known as the “Bruce Henderson Invitational Relay.” The first event will held on the new track, with Bruce’s former athletes over his extended career, in attendance. The name change will not be official until the Board’s meeting next month. At that time, Superintendent Barber will recommend approval.

On a separate note, Superintendent Steve Barber mentioned that the District’s “Joy Crew” is holding a tailgate prior to this Friday night’s varsity football game, to pay special recognition to First Responders, Firefighters and Law Enforcement. The event takes place between 5:30- and 5:45-p.m. Barber said they’re also extending the invitation to Shenandoah First Responders, since they are the Trojan’s opponents that night.

They’ll be treated to a pork sandwich and other goodies. At half-time of the game, those who helped battle the fire will be recognized, along with their colleagues, especially in light of the 20th Anniversary of the Sept. 11th attacks. It’s also a time for Atlantic’s 1970 Undefeated Football Team to be recognized.

(Radio Iowa) – The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors have given permission for a local group to investigate claims the old county home known as the Prairie Hills facility just outside of Sioux City is haunted. Dave Lafleur of the group Para 9-1-1 made the request. “I’ve seen stuff and heard stuff that would make the skin crawl on the back of your neck that you wouldn’t believe,” Lafleur told the supervisors. “But I’ve also been able to go into places and put stuff to bed and prove that it is environmental stuff that’s causing issues or things like that.”

Lafleur says there have been people who have worked at Prairie Hills who have heard or seen things they couldn’t explain. “I just want to go in there and give answers to the people who have worked in that building for years and centuries and be able to tell them ‘Yeah what you were seeing is actually really true going on. Or, nothing is there, we can’t find anything,” according to Lafleur.

Prairie Hills in Woodbury County

He hopes to talk to current and former county employees about their experiences, and says they will report back on the investigation. “Anything that we find — as far as evidence, whether it be video or audio evidence, or pictures, whatever that may be — all that stuff will be revealed to the board if you all wanted to see it or hear it before anything else was done with it,” he says.

Supervisors chairman, Rocky DeWitt says the county is not paying the group to do the investigation and the investigators will sign liability waivers. “I see no harm in allowing these folks to go out there and do what they do. They do not expect compensation from the county. It could helpful for some entertainment purposes,” DeWitt says.

DeWitt says he will accompany them for a one-day private investigation that’s expected to take ten hours. The Woodbury County Supervisors approved the investigation on a 3-2 vote. Para 9-1-1 has been investigating area phenomena since 2008.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Treasurer Tracey J. Marshall reminds property owners in the County, that the first half of real estate and mobile home taxes are now due. You can go online to pay your taxes at www.iowatreasurers.org.

Marshall says “We accept credit and debit cards with a convenience fee. Deadline for payments without penalty is Thursday September 30, 2021.”

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Montgomery County voters interested in voting absentee for the November 2 City/School Election may file requests for absentee ballots with the Montgomery County Auditor’s Office.

Due to recent legislation, the time period to request absentee ballots has gone from 120 days to 70 days. The new legislation also has shortened the number of days that the Auditor’s Office may have ballots available for absentee voting. Voters now have 20 days to vote absentee either by mail or in-person rather than 29 days.

Voters wishing to receive a ballot by mail for the City/School Election will need to complete an absentee ballot request form and return it to the Montgomery County Auditor’s Office, 105 E Coolbaugh Street, Red Oak, before 5 p.m. on October 18. In-person early voting in the Auditor’s Office will start on October 13, 2021.

Absentee ballot request forms can be found on the Montgomery County website at www.montgomerycountyia.gov or on the Iowa Secretary of State’s website at https://sos.iowa.gov/. They may also be requested by calling the Montgomery County Auditor’s office at 712-623-5127.

(Atlantic, IA) – Cass Health is partnering with local schools to offer influenza vaccinations to area students. Students can get their flu shots at school from Cass Health staff on the following dates:

• CAM Community School District — October 18th
• Atlantic High School — October 19th
• Atlantic Middle School — October 19th
• Griswold Community School District — October 20th

Parents and guardians should receive the required consents and information from their student’s school district. All completed consent forms are due back to schools no later than October 1st. Consents will not be accepted after October 1st and incomplete consents will not be processed and the student will not be immunized.

Any questions regarding school influenza vaccination clinics can be directed to your school or the Atlantic Medical Center Immunization Room at 712-250-8122.

The Harlan Police Department reports five arrests:

Today (Wednesday), 51-year-old David Anthony Daugherty, of Sidney, IA, was arrested following a traffic stop. Daugherty was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with driving while barred.

On Monday, 21-year-old Jacob Jon Keller, of Ida Grove, was arrested following a traffic stop. Keller was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with driving while suspended and operating while intoxicated.

Last Saturday,  26-year-old Hobie Joseph Mulstay, of Des Moines, was arrested following a traffic stop. Mulstay was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with possession of a controlled substance. And, 32-year-old Lacy Jean Christensen, of Council Bluffs, was arrested following a traffic stop. Christensen was transported to the Shelby County Jail where she was charged with windshield obstructed vision, driving while suspended, and operating while intoxicated.

And, on Sept. 1st, 51-year-old David Dean Anderson, of Council Bluffs, was arrested following a traffic stop. Anderson was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with driving while barred.

A collision Tuesday afternoon in Guthrie County resulted in possible minor/unknown injuries to a teen from Bagley. The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports 17-year-old Valerie Mae Nichols complained of pain, but was not transported from the scene to the hospital. Nichols was driving a 2006 Buick LaCrosse when she failed to notice 2005 Chevy Impala driven by 68-year-old Mickey Allen Lynde, of Panora that was ahead of her, was slowing down for a non-contact vehicle ahead, that was turning from northbound Highway 4 onto Chirma Road.

The Buick struck the Impala from behind, causing a total of $18,000 damage. The accident happened at around 2:17-p.m. Nichols admitted she was not paying attention. She was cited for Failure to Stop in a safe and sure distance.

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports Saturday afternoon, an eight-year old boy was injured during an accident on the Guthrie County Fairgrounds. Authorities say Dominik Stilwell, of Guthrie Center, was run over by a 4,000 pound trolley trailer, being pulled by a John Deere tractor. He suffered suspected crushing injuries to his right leg, and transported to Blank Children’s Hospital by Panora EMS. The accident happened at around 3:45-p.m.

Sheriff’s officials say the tractor was being operated by 39-year-old Willis Sheeder, of Guthrie Center. He was driving/pulling the trailer at approximately 4.5-to 5 miles per hour with about 5-to 8-people on-board. Stilwell was riding with two juvenile family members from Guthrie Center. Witness reports said the three juveniles had been jumping on-and-off the trolley while it was in motion, transporting passengers around the fairgrounds. An adult passenger told the kids to stop jumping on and off and said they should sit down.

At the time of the accident, Dominik Stilwell was sitting on floor of the trailer on the right side, with his feet hanging off, dragging on the ground. He was sitting directly in front of the right side tire on the trolley trailer, when one of his untied shoe strings became caught in the tire, causing him to be pulled off and run over. The driver was flagged down and stopped immediately. Bystanders then rendered aid to the child before he was transported to the hospital. An investigation determined the floor of the trailer the boy was sitting on was 15.5 inches off the ground. The untied shoestring was measured at 12-inches long.  There were no citations issued, and no other injuries reported.