Cass County Naturalist Lora Kanning reports there is a change of venue for Saturday’s “Soiree with the Swans,” in Atlantic, due to the extremely cold weather. Instead of being held at the Schildberg Quarry Recreational Area, Kanning’s 10-minute presentations regarding the Trumpeter Swans will be held at the Atlantic Public Library, from 11:30 a.m-to 1:00 p.m. ,with a light lunch available.

Hot chocolate, cookies, Sandwiches, and other snacks will be provided free of charge with donations being accepted (for swan care).The event is being sponsored by the Cass County Conservation Board, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and the Atlantic Public Library.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say even colder weather has been detected on its way to much of Iowa and the Midwest.  In an urgent winter weather message, the National Weather Service warned Friday morning that more life-threatening cold will hit the region Saturday night or Sunday morning. The service says temperatures could plummet to minus 30 and wind child readings could reach minus 60 and remain dangerously low through Tuesday morning. The service says “this will be the coldest air seen across the area since February 1996.”

Most of Iowa is in a deep freeze Friday morning. The weather service reported overnight lows of minus 20 in Waterloo, for example. In Des Moines the low temperature of minus 6 overnight has risen 3 above zero.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach along with Iowa Department of Natural Resources, will host an informational meeting concerning the presence of emerald ash borer (EAB), an exotic, destructive insect of ash trees. EAB now has been positively identified in five Iowa locations, most recently in Creston.

Mark Shour, Iowa State University Extension & Outreach Entomologist, says “These meetings are designed to provide helpful, usable information to prepare for one of the most destructive insects to hit the urban forest in decades.”

The meeting will be held from 6-to 7:30-pm January 9th, at the Supertel Inn & Conference Center (800 Laurel Street), in Creston. It is designed for those in the green industry, homeowners and others interested in the topic. There is no charge to attend, and pre-registration is not required. For more information call ISU Extension and Outreach – Union County at 641-782-8426.

The Shelby County Supervisors have elected board member Steve Kenkel as the new chairman for the 2014 meetings. In a regular meeting Thursday, the board voted to move Kenkel into the chairman position and Charlie Parkhurst to Vice-Chairman.

In other business, the board awarded Commercial Construction Inc. for the North Linden Road Bridge. The bid for the project was $510,832.09. The final motion before adjourning the meeting was to purchase a new tandem axle truck for the Shelby County Engineer’s Office. The Supervisors received three bids for the semi-tractor capable of converting into a dump truck for snow removal purposes.

The bids ranged from $151,898 from Omaha Truck Center, $110,250 from Cornhusker International and the lowest bid from Wise-Mack Inc. $109,921. The Supervisors approved the bid from Wise-Mack for the 2014 Mack tandem axle truck.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

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Officials with the Atlantic FFA Chapter reported Thursday, that the organization sold a little more than $22,300 worth of fruit, meat, cheese, picked herring and other products during their annual fundraiser, which ran from late October through early November. All the proceeds go toward supporting the local FFA Chapter by helping members attend the National and State Conventions, and in the purchase for FFA Jackets for any member that wants one.

40 FFA members sold an average of $558 in products, with the top fruit salesperson being Haley Carlson. She earned $2,018. Calley Klindt sold $1,405…Adam Freund, $1,081…Kristin Johnk $1,014, and Tyler Christensen sold $962 worth of products. Atlantic FFA President Wyatt Saeughling said in a press release that he was “Glad to see we accomplished our goal of more than $20,000.” He said he hopes the underclassmen continue to sell more fruit, so “The Chapter will be able to provide funding for upcoming FFA activities.”

Atlantic FFA Advisor Eric Miller said the Chapter members exceeded his goal and gives the group a “Great start” for next year. If you did not have an FFA member contact you and you would like to be added to list for next year, contact an Atlantic FFA member or FFA Advisor Eric Miller, at the Atlantic High School.

You can follow the group on Twitter, at www.twitter.com/AtlanticFFA.

Police in Council Bluffs say a man wielding an axe with a trailer ball hitch attached to it, allegedly robbed an electronic-cigarette store Thursday night. The Omaha World-Herald reports officers responded to the incident at 1416 West Broadway, at around 5:50 p.m.  The suspect left the “402 Vape” store with  an undetermined amount of cash. He then fled eastbound on foot.

Police described the man as wearing a black sweatshirt with the word “Nebraska” on it

Police in Council Bluffs say one person was hospitalized following a collision late Wednesday night between two semis on Interstate 80 in Council Bluffs.The Daily NonPareil reports 27-year old Rodion Korniyenko, of Oroville, CA, was transported by Council Bluffs Rescue to Alegent Health Creighton University Medical Center, suffering from with non-life-threatening head injuries.

Officials said 31-year old Emsad Music, of Urbandale, was westbound on Interstate 80 near the five-mile marker at about 11:15 p.m. when for unknown reasons he lost control of his 2009 Peterbilt semi truck. The semi went onto the shoulder, started to slide and entered the median, where Music swerved to avoid hitting a guardrail. The semi ended up in the eastbound lane, with its trailer swinging in front of an eastbound 2008 International semi driven by Korniyenko.

Following the collision, Korniyenko’s semi left the roadway and traveled down a steep embankment before coming to rest near a supermarket on Valley View Drive. The accident knocked the cab of the semi off the base, with the cab coming to a stop upside down, and Korniyenko trapped inside.

Music was uninjured in the crash. Authorities cited him for failure to maintain control of a vehicle.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — A Burlington firefighter remains hospitalized after being injured while battling an apartment blaze. The Hawk Eye says two firefighters were injured on New Year’s Day, and one remained at Great River Medical Center yesterday in West Burlington. The firefighter’s name and condition have not been released. Firetrucks were dispatched a little before 3:15 a.m. Wednesday to help residents in the six-unit, two-story building. Four occupants were taken to the hospital for treatment and then released.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police say a man evicted from his former Des Moines apartment faces charges after he allegedly broke back in and took a nap. Police say they kicked down an apartment door Wednesday night and found 60-year-old David Stephenson sleeping in a bedroom. The Register reports no one else was in the apartment at the time.

NORTH LIBERTY, Iowa (AP) — Police tell the Iowa Press-Citizen a North Liberty man driving on New Year’s Eve was pulled over with a blood alcohol content that was more than five times the legal limit. The North Liberty Police Department says it received multiple reports Tuesday night about 40-year-old Chad Harvey.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Larryn Brooks led Indiana with 20 points and nine assists as the Hoosiers opened Big Ten conference play with an 86-84 victory over Number 22 Iowa yesterday. The Hawkeyes outscored Indiana 8-3 in the final seconds to climb within two, but Brooks made 7 of 8 free throws in the final minute.