Atlantic, IA – Cass Health officials have announced the hospital/facilities were recognized as a 2024 Top 100 Critical Access Hospital by The Chartis Center for Rural Health. Chartis’ annual Top 100 award program recognizes outstanding performance among the nation’s rural hospitals based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX®.

Michael Topchik, National Leader, The Chartis Center for Rural Health, says “During an era of profound uncertainty for rural healthcare, the Top 100 rural hospitals continue to provide a unique lens through which we can identify innovation and inspiration for how to deliver high quality care to increasingly vulnerable populations. We’re delighted to be able to recognize all this year’s Top 100 but especially the more than 40 first-time recipients. It’s wonderful to see so many new facilities join the ranks of our Top 100 alumni.”

Now in its 14th year, the INDEX is the industry’s most comprehensive and objective assessment of rural hospital performance. Featuring a methodology utilizing publicly available data, the INDEX is leveraged nationwide by rural hospitals, health systems with rural affiliates, hospital associations, and state offices of rural health to measure and monitor performance across a variety of areas impacting hospital operations and finance.

(West Des Moines, Iowa) – The new year brought renewed activity to the Iowa housing market. Despite cold temperatures and feet of snow, metrics tracked by the Iowa Association of REALTORS® saw slight increases. Shaner Magalhães, IAR president, says in their report, “January brought wild shifts in weather but more subtle changes in the real estate market for Iowa. We believe these small increases will add up over time creating a more stable and prosperous market as we move further into 2024.”

Home sales in Iowa increased 1% in January, with 1,685 homes sold compared to the 1,669 sold in January 2023. Pending sales, however, saw that opposite movement, thanks in part to an increase in volatile weather. Pending sales fell 14.7% with 2,004 pending sales recorded in January, compared to the 2,349 pending sales of one year ago. Inventory saw a minuscule increase with 2,360 new listings added in January, a 0.1% increase from the 2,357 that were added. Days on the market also saw an increase of 8.3% from 48 days in January 2023 to 52 last month. The median sales price jumped 8.5% in January to 215,500 from the $191,993 median price of last year.

The townhouse and condo market saw fewer strides than the single-family housing market, but made improvements none-the-less. Closed sales increased 6.7% in January with 224 properties sold compared to the 210 properties sold at the same time last year. Pending sales saw a downward swing, with a decrease of 15.5% with 289 properties pending versus the 342 pending in January 2023. New listings also declined in January. The 428 new listings represented a 8.2% decline from the 466 new listings recorded last year. Days on the market increased to 78 days in January from 63 days. Median sales price declined 0.8% to $243,000 from $245,000.

Statewide Housing Analyst Les Sulgrove says “As we enter a new year, we’ve seen shifts in the right direction. We’re optimistic that buyers and sellers utilizing REALTORS® will find a more palatable market as they explore their options this year.”

View Reports on Single-Family homes

View Reports on Townhouse-Condo homes

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The information used to create the IAR December and Year-End Housing Trends Report was current as of February 20.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports four recent arrests:

Early Saturday morning (Feb. 24), 40-year-old Matthew Wayne Echternach, of Essex, was arrested for Violation of a No Contact Order. He was being held without bond in the Mills County Jail.

Friday afternoon, 30-year-old Alejandro Munoz, of Omaha, was arrested at the Lancaster County, NE., jail, on a Mills County warrant for Violation of Probation. Bond was set at $25,000.

Thursday afternoon, 47-year-old Veronica Lynn George, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Violation of Probation. Her bond was set at $5,000.

And, a little after 2-a.m. on Feb. 21st, Mills County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested Daniel J. McDermott, of Omaha, for OWI/1st offense. He was taken into custody following a traffic stop on I-29. Bond was set at $1,000.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A traffic stop Monday evening in Red Oak, resulted in an arrest. According to Red Oak Police, 33-year-old Bailie Anne Preston, of Red Oak, was arrested in the 1700 block of 200th Street, for Driving While Suspended – a Simple Misdemeanor. Preston was transported to the Montgomery County Jail and held on bond amounting to $491.25.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Business and Professional Women (BPW) organization has four scholarships available for 2024. The Iowa Business and Professional Women’s Foundation also has four $1,000 scholarships available at www.bpw-iowa.org.  If you know anyone who could benefit from these scholarships, please have them contact Laurine Price, at 712-249-6688 or lprice_79@msn.com or local high school scholarship websites for an application.

All applications are due by or postmarked by: April 1, 2024

1. The $750.00 Collen Scholarship is available to any female student a resident of Cass, Shelby, or Audubon Counties in Iowa. The student must be pursuing a degree in Computer Science, Management Information Systems, Computer Systems Management, Chemistry or Engineering. The student may attend college full-time or part-time.

2. The $1000.00 BPW Scholarship is available to a Cass County resident non-traditional (has been out of high school 5+ yrs.) female or male who: (1) Is a United States citizen; (2) Has been out of the work force and is seeking to get back into the work force and needs additional education; (3) Completed high school five or more years ago and wants to start or resume their college education; (4) Demonstrates financial need, scholastic ability, leadership skills and career goals.

3. The $1000.00 Bev Mendenhall Nursing Scholarship honoring the memory of a long-time active Atlantic member. The scholarship is available to a female or male resident of Cass County, Iowa who is a non-traditional student (has been out of high school 5+ yrs.) who: (1) Is a United States citizen; (2) Has been out of the work force and is seeking to get back into the work force and needs additional education; (3) Completed high school five or more years ago and wants to start or resume their college education; (4) Demonstrates financial need, scholastic ability, leadership skills and career goals.

4. The $1000.00 Don Sonntag Nursing Scholarship, provided by the generous donation from Don Sonntag. The scholarship is available to a female or male resident of Cass County, Iowa, is a high school senior or non-traditional student who is a US citizen and is pursuing education in the Nursing profession

Iowa Business and Professional Women Foundation Scholarships

The Iowa BPW Federation was founded in 1920. The Iowa BPW Foundation was established in 1988 for charitable, educational and scientific purposes. Since that time, the Educational Scholarship Committee has awarded numerous scholarships to deserving women and men in order to help them continue their higher education.

The Iowa Business and Professional Women Foundation works to:

• Promote charitable, educational, and scientific purposes.
• Establish, maintain and distribute scholarships.
• Give financial aid to schools, colleges, and other institutions of education.
• Conduct research and surveys.
• Provide lectures and seminars.

Four $1000.00 scholarships will be awarded for 2024-2025 academic year. Applications may be found at: www.bpw-iowa.org

Requirements

Applicants must be a non-traditional student who:

• Is a resident of Iowa. Attending a school outside Iowa does not negate residency. If the applicant was a resident of Iowa prior to attending school or if her (his) parents are residents, this will constitute residency. An active non-resident member of a BPW/Iowa local organization may also apply provided she/he has been a member for five (5) years. Active means attends local & state meetings; participates in projects. * The applicant need not be a member of Business and Professional Women of Iowa (BPW/Iowa).
• Is a United States citizen.
• Wants/needs to reenter the workforce but needs additional education.
• Graduated high school five (5) or more years ago (2018 or before) and now wants to start or resume a college education. Demonstrates financial need, scholastic ability, leadership skills and career goals.

The limit of the scholarship awards is two (2) years.

(Adair, Iowa) – The Adair-Casey/Guthrie Center School District Boards of Education will meet 7-p.m. Wednesday (Feb. 28th), in the AC/GC Junior High Media Center, in Adair. On the agenda for their combined Work Session, is discussion with regard to Whole Grade Sharing. No action is expected. According to the Iowa Department of Education, “Whole grade sharing as a procedure used by school districts whereby all or a substantial portion of the pupils in any grade in two or more school districts share an educational program for all or a substantial portion of a school day under a written agreement pursuant to the Iowa Code. Whole grade sharing may either be one-way or two-way sharing.

Starting with the 2016-2017 school year, the Adair-Casey District entered into a Whole Grade Sharing Agreement with the Guthrie Center Schools, thereby starting a new chapter in the school district. Elementary students within the school district in grades Pre-school through 6 attend school at the Adair-Casey Elementary campus. Junior high (grades 7 and 8) join students from Guthrie Center and attend the AC/GC Junior High at the Adair-Casey campus. Grades 9 through 12 from both Adair-Casey and Guthrie Center attend the AC/GC High School at the high school campus in Guthrie Center.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Members of the Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education will hold a Work Session at 5:30-p.m. Wednesday (Feb. 28th), in the Central Administration Conference Room at the Achievement Center (1407 SW 7th St.). The meeting will be made available for viewing through YouTube. Among other business, the Board will act on approving the resignations of:

• James Brauer, HS English Teacher
• Tori Wood, Makyala Lucero and Kaitlyn Geib, SpEd Paraprofessionals

And, they will act to approve contract recommendations and/or Letters of Assignment for:

• Trinity Christensen, SpEd Paraprofessional
• Hannah Misner, HS Science Teacher
• Stephanie Kelley, HS Social Studies Teacher.

View the rest of their agenda here: 02282024 Public AGENDA Work Session

(Atlantic,Iowa) – The Atlantic Park and Recreation Department Park Advisory Commission is set to meet Wednesday afternoon (Feb. 28th), at the Parks and Rec Office at 1200 Sunnyside Lane. During their 3:30-p.m. Session, the Commission is expected to elect a chairman and vice chairman.

They will also discuss old programs and new ideas. And, they’re expected to hear a presentation from Vicki Nordskog, with regard to Mollett Park.

The commission held its first meeting last month. Parks Coordinator Jeff Christensen said during the last meeting on January 24^th, that he envisioned the commission as one that would take community input and come up with ideas for the park to get a variety of opinions when it comes to programs and activities.

(Radio Iowa) – A bill under consideration in the Iowa House would lower the state tax rate for Iowa’s state-licensed casinos to be at or near the tax rate for casinos in Nebraska and Missouri. Illinois casinos have variable tax rates, based on the size of the market and the games offered. Mark Joyce is a lobbyist for the company that operates the Diamond Jo casinos in Northwood and Dubuque. Joyce says lowering taxes would be a welcome move. Lobbyist Doug Struyk represents the Catfish Bend Casino in Burlington, which he says is facing competition from new casinos in Illinois. Struyk also represents Caesars Entertainment which owns the Horseshoe and Harrah’s casinos in Council Bluffs that soon will be competing with a new casino in Omaha.

Gaming revenue for all three Council Bluffs casinos began to dip when the WarHorse Casino in Lincoln opened in September of 2022 and Harrah’s opened in Columbus, Nebraska in June of last year. Struyk says that has slowed the flow of gamblers from Nebraska into Iowa. Another WarHorse Casino is expected to open in Omaha by August of this year. Representative Jane Bloomingdale is sponsoring the bill to gradually lower Iowa’s casino taxes over a three year period. She’s from Northwood. The state-licensed Diamond Jo casino is nearby.

Bloomingdale’s bill has cleared a House subcommittee, but one member of the panel said she’s concerned cutting casino taxes will lower the amount of money deposited in the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund. Money from the fund is used on a variety of projects, from lake dredging to constructing or repairing state-owned buildings.