The 831st Engineer Vertical Construction Company (EVCC) recently received deployment orders for Operation Spartan Shield in U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), a region which encompasses 27 countries including Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, among others.

The 831st EVCC will deploy from Middletown, Iowa, with approximately 150 Soldiers mobilizing in fall 2023. Their primary mission will be to conduct critical infrastructure improvement missions as well as various construction projects throughout CENTCOM.

Most recently, the 831st EVCC mobilized to Cedar Rapids in 2020 to assist county and state emergency management departments in the Derecho storm clean up. The unit was last activated into federal service in 2005 in support of the global war on terrorism.

A send-off ceremony for the 831st EVCC will be announced at a later date.

Left to Right: Bailey Smith, Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce; Kenner Baxter, Cass County Tourism and Wendy Richter, Cass County Board of Supervisors

The Cass County Tourism Committee hosted a morning reception on Monday, June 19, 2023, to celebrate the retirement of long-time president, Kenner Baxter. Baxter has served as a volunteer for Cass County Tourism for over 20 years. During her time of service, Baxter has helped enhance and promote Cass County at a regional and state level. The County Supervisors and Tourism Committee express their sincere gratitude for her advocacy for Cass County and wish her well in this next chapter.

At this time, the Tourism Committee is looking for an individual that is passionate about local and regional tourism to step into a role working alongside community leaders and local organizations to promote tourism in Cass County. If you are interested in learning more, contact Bailey Smith at 712-243-3017 or email bailey@atlanticiowa.com.

The Atlantic City Council is set to meet on Wendesday, June 21st at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers at City Hall.

Among the items on their agenda is consideration of a request to close 6th Street between Chestnut and Poplar on September 9th from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for the Nishna Valley YMCA’s Community Appreciation Event.

The council is set to hear from CADCO’s Jennifer McEntaffer on industrial development progress and Atlantic Chamber’s Bailey Smith on commercial development progress.

A second reading of two separate ordinances will take place with regard to discontinuing the Cable Television Commission and Community Promotion Commission.

They are also set to discuss a revenue purpose statement for natural gas service franchise fee and discuss entering into a non-exclusive twenty-fiver year franchise with Interstate Power and Light Company to supply natural gas to the city.

The Adair County Board of Supervisors are set to meet for their regular session on Wednesday, June 21st at 9:00 a.m. at the Adair County Courthouse Boardroom.

On their agenda is Sheriff Jeff Vandewater discussing Sheriff Vehicle Funds. Gwen Johnston with County Veterans’ Affairs will discuss a VA Commissioner Appointment. County Engineer Nick Kauffman will discuss a secondary roads benefit policy and sign a contract and performance bond for W14 Jefferson Bridge Project. He’ll also deliver his regular maintenance report.

The Glenwood Police Department reports the arrest of an Omaha man on Monday. Officers arrested 48-year-old Robert Mukka of Omaha for Felony Eluding, Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd Offense, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Reckless Driving. He was also issued several traffic citations. Mukka was taken to the Mills County Jail and held on $11,600 cash or surety bond.

The Creston Police Department reports two arrests on Monday, June 19th.

At 8:28 a.m. 36-year-old Jeffrey Michael Donald Drake of Creston was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center on a Union County Warrant for Violation of a No Contact/Protection Order. Drake was taken to the Union County Jail and held on no bond until seen by a Magistrate.

At 10:34 a.m. 22-year-old Blaine Tristan McIntosh of Orient was arrested the Creston Union County LEC and charged with Enticing a Minor under 16-Sexual Purpose and Lascivious Acts with a Child- Solicit Child for Sexual Activity. McIntosh was taken to the Union County Jail and held on no bond until seen by the Magistrate.

The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics is hosting a clinical trial for a vaccine that promises to protect senior citizens against the respiratory disease known as R-S-V. Dr. Patricia Winokur, executive dean of the U-I Carver College of Medicine, says many of the trial’s participants are grandparents.

The Centers for Disease Control is expected to meet this week to make recommendations on the usage of the G-S-K and Pfizer vaccines. Both were approved by the Food and Drug Administration for adults 60 and older last month. Winokur says the vaccine might be best for seniors who have underlying conditions.

During the past few winters, the U-S has experienced an unusually high amount of respiratory virus activity driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. The vaccine could be available as soon as this fall.

The five-year framework for federal farm and food assistance programs expires September 30th, but development of the 2023 Farm Bill was delayed by this spring’s debt deal negotiations. Iowa Congressman Zach Nunn, a Republican Bondurant, is a member of the House Ag Committee.

He says the committee has an aggressive timeline to advance the Farm Bill in early September, so a House vote could follow.

Five years ago, lawmakers temporarily extended programs covered in the 2018 Farm Bill for a couple of months until negotiations were completed in December. For the 2023 Farm Bill, Nunn says he’s indicated to the House Ag Committee chair that rural development, federal crop insurance and conserving natural resources are priorities for Iowans.

Some lawmakers from both parties say they’ll press to exclude high income farming operations from federal crop insurance. And some House Republicans have indicated they’ll press for stricter work requirements for food stamps, or SNAP, than were included in the debt deal.

Nunn says he’s collaborating with like-minded House Republicans as well as House Democrats who represent rural districts in Illinois and North Carolina on Farm Bill priorities. Nunn represents Iowa’s third congressional district, which includes Ottumwa on the southeast corner and half of Shenandoah on the southwest, as well as Atlantic, Guthrie Center and the Des Moines metro.

Thirty-five daysfrom now Carroll will be the overnight host for thousands of participants in the 50th annual RAGBRAI — the Registers Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa. Lynda Dukes Franey (FRAN-ee) is on Carroll’s host committee and she says it’s crunch time.

Carroll has formed 15 different groups or committees to plan for hosting.

Musical performances will start at 4 p.m. in Carroll, with a Midwest band called “The Pork Tornadoes” as the headliners that evening. Dukes Franey says there will be kid-themed activities throughout the day, too.

The RAGBRAI committee in Carroll is seeking more volunteers to offer up their homes for RAGBRAI riders or their yards for participants who pitch their tents. Dukes Franey says some Carroll residents have started putting up decorations to welcome the RAGBRAI riders.

RAGBRAI will start in Sioux City on July 23rd. Storm Lake is the first overnight stop, then it’s on to stops in Carroll, Ames, Des Moines, Tama-Toledo and Coralville before the final trek to Davenport.

The mosquitoes are biting and state health officials have already confirmed Iowa’s first human case of West Nile virus this year, which is several weeks early. The first day of summer is Wednesday and epidemiologist Elizabeth Schiffman says West Nile cases don’t typically start showing up until mid-summer.

The state’s first case was reported Friday in an older adult, between 61-and-80 years, from northwest Iowa’s Plymouth County. A total of nine Iowans were diagnosed with West Nile virus last year, with no deaths. The peak months for West Nile in Iowa are usually August and September. Schiffman says it’s difficult to predict if we’ll see a lot of cases because of mosquitoes’ short life cycle and their sensitivity to weather conditions.

The experts say Iowans who spend time outdoors should wear insect repellant, and dump out any standing water where mosquitoes might breed. Those infected with West Nile may show no symptoms, or they may have a fever, headache, disorientation and muscle weakness. Learn more at: https://hhs.iowa.gov/cade/disease-information/west-nile-virus