The City of Atlantic’s Personnel and Finance Committee has selected a person to succeed current City Clerk Deb Wheatley Field when she retires early next year. The Committee interviewed three candidates last Thursday evening. The candidates included Ali Tupper, Barb Barrick, and current Deputy City Clerk Deidre Derby.

City Administrator John Lund says after interviewing the three candidates, their selection was contacted. The offer was made to Barb Barrick, and she accepted.

Barrick currently works as a Community Development Specialist at SWIPCO, in Atlantic. She’s previously served as the City Clerk/Finance Director for the City of Fort Dodge, and Financial Manager for the City of Marengo. Barrick is a graduate of Upper Iowa University, with a double major in Business Administration and Public Administration.

The City Council must still approve the Personnel and Finance Committee’s recommendation. Assuming they do, she would replace Deb Wheatley Field after her last day on February 24th.

Wheatley Field announced in Sept. she would be retiring as the City Clerk in Atlantic, after more than 35-years on the job.

A collision between a semi and a pickup truck Saturday morning in Pottawattamie County, resulted in the driver of the pickup suffering minor injuries. The Pott. County Sheriff’s Office says the accident happened near Avoca at around 10:15-a.m., as a semi driven by Dick Meyers was pulling out of a farm drive to turn north onto 430th Street. The semi struck the rear of a northbound a 2012 Dodge Ram pickup, driven by James Ptacek

Ptacek was transported to Myrtue Medical Center, in Harlan. Deputies cited Meyers for failure to yield while entering the roadway.

In an update to our report Sunday morning, the Page County Sheriff’s Office says a Blanchard man has died as the result of injuries he suffered during a fishing accident Saturday afternoon. 69-year old Joseph Bruce Hines had gone to a bridge just west of Blanchard on 320th Street to fish Tarkio Creek, when he slipped on the edge of the bank and suffered life-threatening injuries before he fell into the water. The accident happened at around 3-p.m., Saturday. Witnesses to the accident did not have a phone at the scene and went back to a residence in Blanchard to call for assistance.

Page County Deputies, Coin Fire and Rescue, Clarinda Rescue, and Shenandoah Rescue responded to the scene. Hines was transported to Shenandoah Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Officials with the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce have partnered with the Cass County Health System, to sponsor the Annual Angel(s) of Christmas. The Angel of Christmas is a tradition in Atlantic recognizing and thanking area residents who symbolize the true meaning of the season. Angels exemplify the true holiday spirit all year long – putting others first, spreading generosity and sharing the holiday spirit with everyone they meet.

In 2016, Sherri Lebeck was named the Angel of Christmas, demonstrating the true meaning of the season by spending her time giving extra care to people who are ill in their homes, doing personal shopping for those who are unable to themselves, bringing food to those who need it and visiting and comforting widow and widowers.

Nominate the Christmas Angel you know to the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce by November 29th at noon. This year’s angel will be announced at the Holiday Concert, sponsored by Bonnesen’s Five & Ten Store, on December 4th at 3pm. Nominate by submitting a nomination form to the Atlantic Area Chamber of  Commerce. Nomination forms are available at the Atlantic Area Chamber of  Commerce or online at christmasinatlantic.com.

Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman reminds persons wanting to cast an Absentee ballot in advance of tomorrow’s General Election, may do so at the Office of the Cass County Auditor, until 5-p.m. today (Monday).  The polls will be open Tuesday from 7-a.m. until 9-p.m. for persons wishing to vote on Election Day.

If you have any questions about voter registration, where to vote on Tuesday, or anything else related to the election, contact your local County Auditor’s Office. In Cass County, the phone number is 712-243-4570.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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In an update to our earlier reports, the Iowa State Patrol says a young man from Taylor County died Sunday morning during a crash on Interstate 80 east of Marne, in Cass County. 19-year old Devon Wheeler, of Gravity, died at the scene of the crash that happened at around 7:15-a.m., about a half-mile east of the Marne exit. The driver of the car, 19-year old Benjamin Hill, of Bedford, was flown from the scene by Midwest MedAir to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. Both men were ejected from the vehicle. Neither man was wearing a seat belt.

Officials say Hill was driving a 2007 Ford Focus eastbound on I-80 when the car drifted onto the north shoulder. Hill overcorrected, causing the car to cross both lanes of I-80 and enter a ditch before rolling over and coming to rest in a harvested corn field.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Atlantic, and Marne Fire and Rescue assisted at the scene.

(8-a.m. News)

The Iowa State Patrol has released additional information about a crash that happened Saturday afternoon on Interstate 80, west of Adair. Officials say a 2004 Buick LeSabre driven by 68-year old Linda Weston, of Audubon, was traveling west on I-80 at around 1:30-p.m., when for reasons unknown, the car drifted to right. Weston over-corrected, sending the vehicle across the westbound lane and into the median, where it rolled multiple times before coming to rest upside down and bursting into flames. The fire was quickly extinguished.

Weston, and her passenger, 96-year old Clarence Pfundheller, of Audubon, who were wearing their seatbelts, were injured. Weston was transported by Anita Rescue to the Cass County Hospital and then by Midwest Medair helicopter to Methodist Hospital in Des Moines. Pfundheller was flown from the scene by LifeNet helicopter to Methodist.

Deputies with the Adair and Cass County Sheriff’s Offices, and crews from Anita and Adair Fire and Rescue Departments assisted at the scene.

The Creston Police Department reports three people were arrested over the weekend. Saturday evening, 34-year old Krystal Smith, of Creston, was arrested on a Union County warrant for Failure to Appear, on an original Possession of Drug Paraphernalia charge. Smith was being held in the Ringgold County Jail on a $300 bond. Early Saturday morning, Creston Police arrested 21-year old Mason Wagaman, of Creston, for Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree, and 21-year old Godofredo Rodriguez (Address unknown), for Public Intoxication. Both men were later released on bond from the Union County Jail .

And, last Thursday morning, a Creston resident reported to police that his debit card was used without permission, to make numerous transactions at various retailers. The card was used between Nov. 2nd and 3rd. The loss was estimated at $1,250.

The area’s top news at 7:05-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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