The Chair of the Cass County Democratic Party says campaign signs for candidates running for public office are being stolen or vandalized in Atlantic. Sherry Toelle (Tell’ee) says while some people feel that political signs being stolen and/or vandalized “Is merely a prank, ” it is far more than that.  She says “It is trespassing, destruction and/or theft of personal property, and a violation of people’s right to free speech.”

Toelle says she has had numerous reports of Democratic yard signs being stolen and/or vandalized from all parts of Atlantic. She says “What the vandals do not realize is that this only helps our Democratic candidates’ purses as these signs must be purchased from the campaigns, adding to their coffers. So, for every sign destroyed, the vandal is actually causing more money to go to the campaigns.”

And, for the record, Cass County Republicans say their signs are also being taken or vandalized, in Atlantic.

According to Iowa law, a person could be charged with criminal mischief for vandalizing a sign or fifth-degree theft for stealing a campaign sign.

Two people suffered only minor injuries during a two-vehicle collision and fire early this (Monday) morning near a bridge on interstate 80 in Cass County.

Semi’s collided on I-80 eastbound, at the East Nishnabotna River Bridge, Monday morning. (Ric Hanson photo)

According to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and emergency crews responded to a report of a two-semi collision on I-80 eastbound just past the 60-mile marker (Highway 71) on-ramp to Interstate 80, at around 1:30-a.m.  Officials say a 2006 Sterling truck driven by 57-year old Roland A. Delezene, of Omaha, NE, was eastbound on I-80 when it struck the rear of a 2006 Freightliner, driven by Ali Rana Younis, of, Brampton, Ontario, Canada. The impact of the collision forced both semis nearly two-thirds of the way across the bridge before they came to rest in the outside lane.Younis and an unidentified passenger in the cab of his truck, were transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital by Medivac Ambulance. Delezene was uninjured.

Approximately 300 gallons of fuel was spilled at the location of the accident and were later cleaned up by a private company. A small fire on the engine of Delezene’s vehicle had extinguished itself upon emergency crews’ arrival. Damage to Delezene’s truck is estimated at $50,000, while the damage to Younis’ truck is estimated at $5,000. The Sheriff’s Department says Delezene was cited for Following too Close. Atlantic Fire and Rescue remained on the scene for a little more than two and a-half hours.

The National Weather Service in Des Moines, says there will be an increased Fire Danger risk across the northwestern two-thirds of Iowa Monday afternoon. Locally, counties included in the Elevated Fire Danger advisory are: Crawford, Carroll, Audubon, Guthrie, Dallas, Cass, Adair, Madison, Adams, Union, Taylor and Ringgold.

Much warmer temperatures are expected by mid-afternoon, Monday. Along with warm readings, dry relative humidity of 20-to 25%, and winds at 20-to 25-mph with higher gusts, may push fire conditions to near critical levels for several hours, Monday afternoon. With harvesting occurring in many areas, caution is advised, due to the increased potential for fires to spread rapidly.

Monitor later forecasts and statements for possible Fire Weather Watches or Warnings.

Atlantic broke two old record low temperatures and tied another, this weekend.The 24-hour Low for Friday, Oct. 5th was 22-degrees, breaking the old record of 25 set in 1966. The 24-hour Low for Saturday, Oct. 6th, was 15-degrees, which beat the record of 19 set in 1952. Sunday’s low of 16-degrees tied the record for October 7th, which was first set in 1952.

KJAN is the official National Weather Service reporting site for Atlantic. The 24-hour cycle of record keeping starts and ends at 7-a.m. each day. It includes the high and low temps, rain and or snowfall amounts.

Officials with the Nishna Valley Family YMCA in Atlantic say the “Walk to School” Program, sponsored by Healthy Cass County, will continue this week (Mon., Oct. 8th through Friday, Oct. 12th). As many as 15 kids walked daily from several of the sites in Atlantic last week. It’s hoped more students will participate as the program builds momentum.

Children will continue to walk with volunteers, beginning from four different starting points: The Cass County Community Center; Pellet Park (18th & Chestnut); Sycamore Village; and, 14th St. and Redwood Drive. The groups and volunteers will gather at those locations beginning at 7:15-a.m., and proceed to the Washington, Schuler and Middle Schools, at 7:30-a.m. Other students are welcome to join as the groups make their way to school. An added incentive this week: kids will get to walk with athletes from the Atlantic High School’s Cross County and Football teams. The kids will also receive charms or other prizes each day of the week, and if they walk every day, will receive a certificate of recognition for their accomplishment.

If it is too cold, or rain threatens during the morning of the walk, it will be cancelled by 6:30-a.m. Parents and volunteers can call the YMCA at 243-3934, or listen for any weather-related announcements, on KJAN.

The Harlan Police Department, on Friday, released a list of arrests and incidents from over the past week. On Oct. 4th, 38-year old Vicki Harris, of Harlan, was arrested on a charge of Interference with Official Acts, after she allegedly became unruly and uncooperative, following a traffic stop.  On Oct. 3rd, 23-year old Kyle Tearney, of Tennant, was arrested on Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Prohibited Acts, charges. Tearney was also cited for having a defective muffler. The charges were the result of a traffic stop.

On Oct. 1st, 27-year old David Coenen, of Harlan, was arrested on Possession of Stolen Property in the 2nd degree, Possession of Stolen Property in the 5th degree, and Ongoing Criminal Conduct, charges. His arrest followed the execution of a search warrant at a home in the 600 block of Broadway Street, in Harlan. That same day, 14-year old Elias Shaeffer, of Harlan, was cited for Possession of Tobacco, after officers called to the Harlan High School found the substance allegedly in the teens’ possession. Schaeffer was cited for the offense and released.

And on Sept. 29th, officers with the Harlan Police Department investigated several instances of unknown persons disturbing Halloween decorations and yard ornaments. No arrests have been made. Officials ask citizens to report any suspicious activity to the Police Department, and when you call, provide as much information as possible, such as a suspect description, and any vehicle they may have been using.

w/ Chris Parks

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The lineup of activities is set for Harvest Fest in Atlantic on Saturday, October 13th and there will be plenty of activities for the entire family to enjoy.

Crafters will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. as well as the quilt show sponsored in part by Atlantic Locker, Rex Pharmacy and Something for you.

Free downtown tractor rides will start at the Depot and ride to City Park and back from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Music can be enjoyed with an acoustic performance of Dirt Road Acoustic Rehab, a country and blues sounding local band, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. presented by McDermott and Son Roofing and Tanner’s Fashions.  The band will also be performing in full on Friday night during the Rib Fest activities.

Apple pies must be entered by 2 p.m. Saturday at the Depot for the Gade Insurance & Farmer’s Kitchen Contest and the Children’s Pumpkin Painting with McCurdy Pumpkins will be at 3 p.m.

Atlantic Chamber Director Megan Roberts said “The pumpkins typically go fast, so we encourage everyone to show up early. While families are there waiting, they can enjoy tractor rides, lunch, crafters or the entertainment. There is something for the whole family at this fall festival.”

The U-S Department of Agriculture says Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsackwill be near Lewis Monday, to announce the allocation of additional conservation acres for 20 states, including Iowa, under programs to preserve grasslands and wetlands and accelerate protection of critical species and habitat around the country.

U-S Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack

Vilsack will speak near the Zimmerman Farm located  three-quarters of a mile east of the intersection of 525th Street and Idelwood Road, at 3-p.m., Monday.

The allocation includes new acres in Iowa to preserve Pheasant habitat, restore Iowa’s Pheasant population, and ultimately generate economic benefits across Iowa through increased outdoor recreation and hunting.  The Secretary will also highlight the importance of passing comprehensive, multi-year food, farm and jobs legislation, which officials say will provide America’s rural communities with the certainty that millions of acres of conservation lands will be there in the future to sustain and create jobs in the small businesses that reinforce the nation’s tourism and recreation industry.

Additional details are currently pending.

Authorities say two southwest men were assaulted and robbed in their home this (Friday) morning when intruders burst through the door and at least one of the crooks was armed with some sort of gun. Council Bluffs Police Sergeant Chad Meyers says the incident happened about 7:15 A-M in a house on the city’s west side, near Interstate 29. “Three individuals who were masked up forced their way into 3607 Fifth Avenue,” Sergeant Meyers says. “We’re unsure of what their motives were at this time. There were three individuals in the house at the time.”

The two unidentified men are both in their 40s and are brothers. Their elderly mother was also in the house. She was not hurt. One of the assailants fired his weapon at both men, hitting one of them.”There’s some blunt force trauma,” Meyers says. “It looks like a gun that was used may’ve been a pellet gun.”

The incident is being classified as a home invasion-robbery. The injured man was taken to the hospital. Police say the masked invaders took a wallet and fled. No arrests have been made.

(Radio Iowa)