Officials in Polk County announced Friday it will be requiring masks for all staff and visitors in county buildings starting Aug. 9. The requirement comes after Polk County saw a 65% increase of COVID-19 cases over the last week, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health.

KCCI reports county officials said in a statement, “Vaccination remains the safest and most effective way to prevent illness, However, until our community reaches at least 75% vaccination rate and drops back into the moderate transmission rate category, masks will remain an effective tool in reducing our collective risk of hospitalizations and deaths, particularly in our unvaccinated population of children.”

The county has also extended vaccination incentives including two free tickets to those who get vaccinated during the clinics held Aug. 9 through Aug. 12 from noon to 7 p.m. at the Polk County Health Department. They will also receive a meal voucher for on-site food trucks.

Another COVID-19 vaccine lottery will also be held with a grand prize of $50,000. An additional ten winners will receive $1,000s and a $5,000 scholarship will be awarded.

A man on a bicycle failed to stop at a controlled intersection Saturday night in Des Moines, and was struck by a car. The Iowa State Patrol says 36-year-old Andrew William Neebel, of Urbandale, was traveling north on 82nd Street at around 10:11-p.m., when he crossed the intersection with HIckman Road, against the red stop light.

The bicycle was struck by a 2011 Toyota Prius that was eastbound on Hickman, and driven by 34-year-old Wine Chay, of Des Moines. Neebel was transported by Clive EMS to Methodist Hospital in Des Moines. A report on his condition was not available. The accident remains under investigation.

A motorcycle accident Saturday night in Fremont County, claimed the life of a man from Missouri. The Iowa State Patrol reports 58-year-old Harley Stinson, from St. Louis, died when the 2017 Harley Davidson he was riding, for some reason left the traveled portion of westbound Highway 2 at around 8:30-p.m., and entered the gravel shoulder.

The cycle then entered a ditch before hitting a bridge guard rail and continuing down into the ditch. Stinson was ejected during the crash. The accident remains under investigation.

Council Bluffs – Jesse James Baker, convicted of Habitual Offender (Person) in Pottawattamie County, failed to return to the Council Bluffs Residential Correctional Facility as required, Friday.

Baker is a 34-year-old white male, height 5’07”, and weighs 174 pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on June 22, 2021.

Jesse James Baker

Persons with information on Baker’s whereabouts should contact local police.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Chamber Ambassadors were hosted by Valley Boutique on Friday August 6th, 2021 for a ribbon cutting ceremony. Kristin Spriggs-Gile opened a boutique in 2018 in a recently vacant space in her dance company located in Shenandoah. In late 2020, Kristin’s sister, Ricci Spriggs, approached Kristin with the idea of expanding to Atlantic under her dance studio, Dance Atlantic. Kristin took the opportunity, soon remodeling the space and bringing in inventory.

Ambassador’s Pictured Left to Right: Anne Quist, Kathie Hockenberry, Kelsey Beschorner, Grace Garrett, Krysta Hanson, Dolly Bergmann, Ricci Spriggs, Bill Saluk, Ruth Sears, Kristin Spriggs, Kennedy Freund, Laura Heitshusen, Kylie Stanbrough, Dr. Keith Leonard, Bailey Smith.

Valley Boutique opened their doors in Atlantic in May 2021, and offer women’s clothing from sizes small to 2xl. Kristin and her store managers, Laura Heitshusen and Kylie Stanbrough, are passionate about small business in rural communities and are determined to support those small businesses around them in both towns.

Valley Boutique is located at 314 Chestnut St. in Atlantic. For the newest arrivals and information like and follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ValleyBoutiqueCo

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest on Friday of 29-year-old Nathan Allen Aldrich of Council Bluffs for Public Intoxication and Interference with Official Acts. Aldrich was arrested at the intersection of 5th and Coolbaugh Streets in Red Oak at 11:58 p.m. He was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 bond.

A motorcycle accident Friday afternoon in Monona County has claimed the life of an Illinois man. The Iowa State Patrol reports 66-year-old Steven Egan, of Joliet, IL, died enroute to St. Lukes Hospital in Sioux City after the 2010 Harley Davidson he was riding failed to negotiate a curve on I-29 northbound at mile marker 125, two-miles south of the Sloan exit. The accident happened at around 4:34-p.m.

Authorities say the after the cycle missed the curve, it entered the median. Egan was ejected from the machine.

(Creston, Iowa) – Customers of SIRWA (Southwest Iowa Rural Water Association) were placed under a drinking water advisory, Friday. SIRWA recommended their customers boil the water before using for drinking, or to use an alternative source, following a problem in the distribution system, which lost pressure, Friday. The system has been repaired, repressurized, and bacteria samples will be collected. The advisory is a precaution until bacterial sample results are available. You will be notified when  the results are available and the advisory is lifted. The system is working with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to resolve the situation.

Until the test results come back clear, IT IS RECOMMENDED NOT TO DRINK THE WATER WITHOUT BOILING IT FIRST. Bring all water to a boil, let it boil for one minute, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water. The water may be used for bathing and other similar purposes. If the water is colored, use an alternative source such as bottled water.
For more information, please contact Matt Schultz with SIRWA at 641–782–5744. General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1(800) 426–4791.

When water service is restored, there may be air in your water piping and the water may be discolored. It is recommended to run the first water from a faucet that does not have an aerator screen, such as a bathtub or hose bib. Open the faucet slowly to allow the air to escape. Once the water is flowing, allow the faucet to run until it is clear. The water may be cloudy at first due to air in the water or particles that dislodged as the pipes filled with water. This should clear fairly quickly. If water is cloudy or colored throughout the house and it does not clear after allowing the water to run for several minutes, use an alternative source such as bottled water and contact the person listed above.