A recent report by U-S News and World Report places the Atlantic High School tops in the Hawkeye 10 Conference and it placed high among the best in Iowa. Superintendent Steve Barber spoke of the honor during Wednesday’s School Board meeting, in Atlantic.  Barber said the magazine uses criteria that focuses on how our students perform on State-level tests, how well the school prepares students for college, and other factors. Barber said he was happy and excited to report the Atlantic High School was ranked 26th Best in the State of Iowa, and is nationally recognized. He congratulated the staff and students for their efforts.

The High School earned a bronze medal as part of the recognition.  (For more information: https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/iowa/districts/atlantic-comm-school-district/atlantic-high-school-7506)

A hospital in Eastern Iowa is the first in the state to add a staff member to address human trafficking. Teresa Davidson, already a nurse practitioner at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, is now working part-time as Mercy’s anti-human trafficking coordinator. She says only a handful of hospitals in the COUNTRY have such a position, but Davidson expects it will soon become a more common practice. “I do know that the federal government has recently accepted applications for grants to do this in more hospitals, because they recognize the extreme need,” Davidson says.

Calling it a “modern-day form of slavery,” Davidson says human trafficking is a growing problem and hospitals need to do more to identify and help victims. “The initial goal will be to create a specific human trafficking protocol for our hospital which addresses and screens people for this crime happening to them,” Davidson says. “Then, we will create a response team to then be able to assist people.” Davidson has worked closely with officials at a Wichita, Kansas hospital which was the first in the nation to develop a human trafficking program. “Prior to hiring an anti-human trafficking coordinator and creating the protocol and response team, the emergency room in the hospital had identified zero victims of human trafficking. Within the first month of this protocol going into place, they identified a victim immediately and in the first year had 82 identified,” Davidson said.

While her initial goal is to create specific protocols for Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, Davidson plans to eventually offer human trafficking education to other hospitals and clinics across the state.

(Radio Iowa)

Sheriff’s deputies in Montgomery County arrested a man from Clarinda early this (Thursday) morning. 58-year old Larry Michael Smith was taken into custody at around 2:10-a.m. in the 2700 block of O Avenue. He was arrested on a valid Adams County warrant for Contempt of Court. Smith was turned over to Adams County authorities and booked into the Adams County Jail, where his cash-only bond was set at $750.

The funeral for former Governor Robert Ray is Friday, but Iowans who wish to pay their respects in person are being encouraged to go to the Iowa capitol today (Thursday) as Ray lies in state there this evening. “There’s a balance between the public observance of an individual who is legendary in his legacy of impact and also allowing a family the private time to grieve their husband, father and grandfather.”

That’s Scott Raecker, director of the Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University Ray’s casket will be borne into the capitol late this (Thursday) afternoon by members of the Iowa National Guard, the Iowa Highway Patrol and the Des Moines Police Department. He will lie in state and the public may file by Ray’s casket starting at 5:30 p.m. Raecker offers this, on behalf of the late governor’s family.

“Just a very sincere thank you to all of the Iowans, those across the country and, in fact, the world who have shown just such a demonstrable outpouring of love and support for their family at this time,” Raecker said, “and they’re very appreciative of that.”

David Oman served as Ray’s chief of staff. He says Iowans who were 18-year-old voters during Ray’s last campaign are now 58, so there are generations of Iowans who were not familiar with Ray’s accomplishments as governor. “Some Iowans have learned for the first time all of the things that he did and other Iowans have been reminded or relearned his record, which has triggered an outpouring of support and appreciation on social media,” Oman said.

Governor Ray died Sunday. He was 89. Former Iowa Governors Tom Vilsack and Chet Culver will join Governor Kim Reynolds in the statehouse rotunda tonight (Thursday) as the Ray family assembles for the public ceremony honoring the man who served 14 years as governor.

Former Governor Terry Branstad is flying back to Iowa from China, where he is serving as U.S. Ambassador, to attend events honoring Ray. Iowa National Guard Adjutant General Timothy Orr has flown back early from meetings in Washington, D.C. to be Mrs. Ray’s official escort in events over the next two days.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:35 a.m. CDT

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Police in eastern Iowa are looking for members of a mob of up to 40 people that swarmed into a Cedar Rapids convenience store, stealing items and destroying property in just seconds. The Des Moines Register reports that the incident happened around 10:30 July 3. Police say surveillance video of the Casey’s General Store shows a large group of young people entering the store, grabbing items and rushing back out of the store’s doors _ knocking over displays on the way out.

WASHINGTON, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in southeastern Iowa say they are investigating a person’s death described as suspicious. The Iowa Department of Public Safety says in a news release that police in Washington, Iowa, were called to an apartment complex just before 8 a.m. Wednesday for a report of a person found dead. Police have not released the name of the person found dead, and no additional details about the death have been released.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Court records say a mistrial was declared before testimony began in a Davenport murder trial. The Quad-City Times reports that a judge Tuesday granted a motion from the lawyer for Tremayne Thomas. Thomas is accused in the May 30, 2017, death of 35-year-old Brandon Brooks. The request for a mistrial cited a comment made during jury selection, but the online court records don’t detail what was said by whom.

Vice President Mike Pence says Iowa farmers “will start winning again” as President Trump pursues new global trade policies. Pence spoke Wednesday afternoon in Cedar Rapids. “When it comes to agriculture, I just want to assure all of my friends here in Iowa and all across the region that under President Trump’s leadership, we’re always going to stand with American farmers,” Pence said.

Pence sought to tamp down worries about an extended trade war with China and other key partners like Canada and Mexico. “I’m pleased to report to you we are making significant progress on reforming the North American Free Trade Agreement and we’re going to make it into a deal that works for American farmers and American manufacturers in the long term,” Pence said, to applause.

The vice president told the crowd he had talked with Trump as he flew from Kansas City to Cedar Rapids yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon. Pence then mentioned President Trump’s tweets on the topic of trade. “He said: ‘Soybeans fell 50 percent from 2012. Farmers have done poorly for 15 years. Other countries’ trade barriers and tariffs have been destroying our business,’ but then he made a promise: ‘We will open things up better than ever better. We’re going to have a level playing field,’ he  said. And our farmers will start winning again all across the world and I promise you, it’s going to happen.”

Pence spoke at Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon, then headlined a private fundraiser for Congressman Rod Blum. Democrats criticized Blum and Republican Governor Kim Reynolds, who met Pence at the Cedar Rapids airport, for failing to press Pence to end the trade disputes now.

Abby Finkenauer, the Democrat who’s challenging Blum, said the trade war “is devastating to Iowa families” and Blum should have hosted a meeting so Iowa farmers could take voice their concerns to Pence. Governor Reynolds issued a news release last (Wednesday) night, saying she brought tariffs when she spoke to Pence and told him: “these tariffs will have real consequences in Iowa.”

Reynolds also announced last (Wednesday) night that she’ll have a roundtable discussion early this (Thursday) morning with farmers in Ayrshire to discuss the impact of tariffs on China. Fred Hubbell, the governor’s Democratic challenger, visited farms in Correctionville, Newton, Deep River and Riverside this week. Hubbell says “a huge chunk” of Iowa’s economy will be damaged by the trade war.

(Radio Iowa)

Cass County Secondary Roads crews were busy Wednesday evening repairing a section of Highland Road (G-30), near the Cass-Pottawattamie County line, after a pavement blow-up occurred. The road was re-opened to traffic by 10-p.m., Wednesday

Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon sent KJAN News  pictures of the damage and the repair work (Click on the images to enlarge)

G-30/Highland Road 7-11-18 (Courtesy Mike Kennon, Cass County EMA)

Members of the Atlantic School District’s Board of Education, Wednesday evening, approved three resignations and numerous Contracts and/or Letters of Assignment. The Board approved the resignations of Joe Brummer, Head Freshman Football Coach, and two late additions: Kathy Wiebenga, Washington Paraeducator, and DeeAnn Schreiner, Food Service Director.

Atlantic School Board mtg., 7/11/18 (Ric Hanson photo)

Superintendent Steve Barber said of Schreiner, “I have a lot of respect [for her], she’s decided to take on a different job at this particular time. We’ve been in close communication here the last few days to see if we could come up with some situation…but when it all came down to it, she decided she needs to move on to this new position.”

The Board also approved the Superintendent’s recommended hiring of staff for certain positions, but not before Board Member Kristy Pellett expressed concerns about the late season hiring process. Pellett said she understands they “Can’t control the hiring of a couple of teachers and a head coach so late in the year (normally they would have all the positions filled by May or June for the upcoming school year), but in the past, some of these positions we’ve looked at as ‘interim-type’ positions…as [a tool] to not get ourselves locked-in this late in the year, and we still have an industrial tech person (to hire).” She said she’s heard comments like (with regard to the Science position), “They sure would have liked to have applied [for] it, but they were already under contract in their district. And, I think when we get as late as we are, we lose out on good candidates.”

The Board, by a vote of 3-to 1 (with Pellet the “No” vote and Josh McLaren absent), to approve hiring or transfers of the following: Richard Smith, High School Night Custodian; Nathan Renz’ transfer to HS Day Custodian; Tracy Daughtery, Allison Berryhill, Rhonda Hawkins and Jenny Madsen, all as TLC mentors. And, the previously mentioned additions of Cole Renken, High School P.E. Teacher; Caroline Madsen, 5th Grade Teacher; Dan Vargason, Head Girls Basketball Coach; Brad Rasmussen, High School Assistant Cross Country Coach, and Jeremy Blake, JV Volleyball Coach.

The Midwestern summertime tradition of corn detasseling is in full swing. Seed corn companies hire thousands of mostly teenagers for about 20 days to remove — by hand — the very top of the corn plant to produce hybrid varieties. DuPont Pioneer is one of Iowa’s largest companies. Production manager Colby Entriken oversees three facilities in northeast Iowa and says they’ve added more safety experts.

We also bring in a field nurse that helps if we get into a situation where we need a little bit more expertise we have that field nurse as a resource,” Entriken says, “and each if the three sites also has an EMT on staff.” Those E-M-Ts handle such things as sprained ankles or heat stress. There’s also a centrally-located decontamination trailer that can be used if workers are inadvertently sprayed by a crop duster. Entriken oversees hundreds of acres in northeast Iowa and says they have procedures in place to keep track of all detasslers.

“They have to know which row each of their workers are in and that way we can track their progress throughout the field,” he says. “Also, as we get in the higher heat index days, we kick the crews out of the fields. When it hits 105 with the heat index, we shut them down right at 2 o’clock.” Entriken says the minimum age to detassel in Iowa is 14. Those as young as 12 can do the work in Illinois and Nebraska. He says he has many crew leaders who started in their teens and are now in their 50s and 60s.

(Radio Iowa via Pat Blank, Iowa Public Radio)

WASHINGTON, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in southeastern Iowa say they are  investigating a person’s death described as suspicious. The Iowa Department of Public Safety says in a news release that police in Washington, Iowa, were called to an apartment complex just before 8 a.m. Wednesday for a report of a person found dead.

Soon afterward, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation was called to help with the investigation. Police have not released the name of the person found dead, and no additional details about the death have been released.