Stuart Police are looking for two suspects who fled on foot in the area of the 500 block of W. Front St. A police K9 is being used in the search. Please stay inside and report any suspicious people. One suspect may be in a white shirt, blue jeans and tennis shoes.

WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley today (Monday), asked the head of Tyson Foods, Inc., to work with community leaders to restore jobs at the now-defunct Tyson meat processing plant in Cherokee. “I’m aware of the desire of city and county officials to see the facility occupied and operating, so that it can continue to serve the economic and employment needs of the area,” Grassley wrote to Donnie Smith, chief executive officer of Tyson Foods, Inc.

“It is my hope that Tyson Foods would work with the owner of the facility and local leaders in Cherokee to ensure that the facility can be occupied and productive again. It seems there would be mutual interest in seeing the facility occupied to restore economic vitality and livelihoods in their community.”

Grassley noted that when Tyson closed its Cherokee plant in 2014, it eliminated 450 jobs. This was a blow to the local economy, as Tyson was one of the largest employers. According to media reports, the company is locked in a lease with the property owner, and community leaders are frustrated with their inability to seek other employers to lease the facility while the building sits vacant.

“I appreciate your consideration and I look forward to hearing from you,” Grassley wrote.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Corn and soybean crops in Iowa and Nebraska continue to make good progress and plant development remains ahead of the five-year average for this point in the growing season. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s weekly crop update says corn in Iowa and Nebraska is rated at nearly 80 percent good to excellent while soybeans are around 78 percent good to excellent.

Storms last week brought rain to both states missing south-central and southeast Iowa and leaving western and southwestern Nebraska without much new moisture. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey says some Iowa farmers have reported isolated crop damage from high wind.

Nebraska farmers reported high wind knocked some corn plants over and snapped off some stalks in a number of eastern counties.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — University of Iowa students will have the opportunity to include their preferred names and gender pronouns on their school record this fall. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that the university became one of the first institutions in the country to allow students to identify as transgender on their admissions application three years ago.

Assistant professor Jodi Lindley said in a video released last week that the change allows students to tell university officials, faculty and staff what name and pronouns they’d like to be used in communication and interactions.

The video includes students, faculty and staff members saying which gender pronouns they preferred for themselves. The majority use either he/him/his or she/her/hers, but others who don’t fit squarely into a male-female binary prefer they/their/theirs or ze/zem/zir.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests took place over the weekend. On Saturday, 23-year old Joseph Andrew Riesberg, of Elliott, was arrested for OWI 2nd Offense and Driving While Barred. Riesberg was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on $2,000 bond.

On Sunday, Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 43-year old Todd Edward Kimpson, of Corning, on a charge of Violation of a No Contact Order. Kimpson was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released the today (Monday), on $300 bond.

The Atlantic Police Department says numerous arrests to place over the past week. On Saturday, 21-year old Bryce Baker, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication. Friday, 28-year old Robert Mayfield, of Okmulgee, OK., was arrested in Atlantic on a Jasper County warrant for Lottery Ticket Fraud. On July 7th, 27-year old Damion Selders, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Burglary in the 3rd degree. Selders was arrested the day before as well, of Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

On July 4th, three people were arrested on Cass County warrants. 46-year old Dwane Bolton and 19-year old Lucas Stone, both of Atlantic, were arrested for Failure to Appear. And, 38-year old Rose Peters, of Emerson, was arrested on a warrant for Possession of a Controlled Substance.

On July 1st, 50-year old Thomas Jackson, of Council Bluffs, was arrested in Atlantic after he turned himself-in on a warrant for Parole Violation. All of the subjects mentioned were booked into the Cass County Jail. Jackson later posted bond, and was released.

The Atlantic Police Department has released information on four recent accidents, two of which took place Sunday. In an update to our earlier reports, officials say Devin Register, of Atlantic, was cited for Failure to Obey a Traffic Control Device, following an accident that happened just before 5-p.m., Sunday. Register was traveling eastbound on Highway 6 in a Buick, when he failed to yield at the stop light and collided with a southbound Chevy Suburban driven by Cynthia Koch, of Atlantic. Register complained of pain and was transported by Medivac Ambulance to the Cass County Memorial Hospital. Neither Koch nor a child in her vehicle were hurt. Damage from the crash amounted to $12,100.

A few minutes later, an accident happened at 7th and Elm Streets, when Aubrey Ewing, of Atlantic, failed to stop at the controlled intersection. Her vehicle struck a vehicle driven by Denise Lauritsen, of Exira, as she was traveling east on 7th Street. Ewing was cited for Failure to Obey a Traffic Control Device. Damage from the collision amounted to $2,700.

Last Tuesday evening, vehicles driven by Mandy Parks and Robyn Sullivan, both of Atlantic, collided at 7th and Olive Streets, when Parks failed to obey the stop light as she was traveling west on 7th. Her vehicle struck Sullivan’s vehicle, which was southbound on Olive. Minor injuries were reported by both parties, but no one was transported to the hospital. Damage from the collision amounted to $18,000.

And, on July 5th, a vehicle driven by Debra Williams, of Atlantic, was backing out of a private drive, when it hit a parked car registered to Blain Nolte, of Atlantic. The accident, which happened in the 200 block of Ridge Road, caused $4,000 damage. No citations were issued.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Residents of the Lake Manawa area are working to maintain a planter that dates back to the 1900s. The flower ring once stood in front of Lake Manawa Amusement Park and Resort’s skating rink.

The Daily Nonpareil reports that Walt Osborn, who has lived near the flower ring for almost 30 years, has been taking care of the planter. The flower ring is located in the center of an intersection and was damaged a couple of years ago when it was hit by a bus and more recently, when it was struck by a car.

Osborn installed a flagpole, the American flag and a sprinkler system. Residents Cindy and Larry Lea joined Osborn’s wife, Jane, to add more than $300 worth of flowers to the ring this year.

A six-year-old boy was reported missing just after 5 p.m. Visitors to the beach found the child 25 yards from shore and performed CPR, but the boy died at a hospital. The Marion County Sheriff’s office reports the boy, Alexi Oquendo of Newton, had been wearing a life jacket, but took it off before entering the water.

At 6:30 p.m., a capsized kayak was found near the Cordova Cabins on Lake Red Rock. About an hour-and-a-half later, a body was pulled from the water. The victim was identified as 50-year-old Daniel Tutor of Des Moines. He was not wearing a life jacket.

The Hitchcock House National Landmark Board of Directors will be hosting a program to celebrate the 160^th year of the Underground Railroad Network to Freedom site, on July 17th. A short program highlighting local conductors stories read by local personalities will begin at 2:00 PM, in the barn.

A short discussion of the house restoration, in the 1980’s, by original committee members, will be followed by cake and refreshments and conversation. Bring a chair and join in the free event, Sunday, July 17, beginning at 2:00- PM.

The Hitchcock House is located at 63788 567th Lane, a short drive west of Lewis. For more information go to www.hitchcockhouse.org.