Iowans are familiar with the emerald ash borer and the green insect’s threat to our foliage, but we’re also being asked to be on guard for another insect that’s equally as lethal to a much wider variety of trees. Rhonda Santos (SAN-toes), a spokeswoman for the U-S-D-A, says this is the ideal time of year for Iowa homeowners to examine their trees for the Asian longhorned beetle and to report any clues they find about the invasive pest.

Unlike the emerald ash borer, the Asian longhorned beetle likes to feed on a host of trees, including: ash, birch, elm, sycamore, maple, buckeye, poplar and willow. The bug has distinct markings and leaves behind a series of holes and other signs in trees that make it quick to identify.

The beetle is not native to the U.S. and has few-to-no natural predators. Santos encourages Iowans to take five minutes and give your trees a close inspection for those round holes or sawdust.

The beetle was first spotted in the U.S. in New York in 1996 and spread quickly. It’s one of a group of invasive pests and plant diseases that costs the nation some 40-billion dollars each year in losses to trees, plants, and crops. For more information or to report the insect or tree damage, visit www.asianlonghornedbeetle.com.

Advocates say the state has failed to adequately address a lack of children’s mental health care services in Iowa. Kayla Powell was in the foster care system as a child and, as an adult, has become an advocate for children.

Powell spoke at a statehouse hearing on behalf of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Iowa. She outlined the group’s objection to a plan that would merge the state board created to oversee a children’s mental health system with some other state board, which hasn’t been named.

Powell says youth suicide has reached crisis levels and now is not the time to dial back the state’s focus.

The Children’s Behavioral Health System State Board is one of dozens of state boards included on an initial list for elimination or merger with another board in state government. A review committee will develop its final set of recommendations by the end of the month, then lawmakers will decide whether to follow through on the plan next year.

Five G-O-P presidential candidates were at the Iowa-Iowa State game this weekend, hoping to score points with potential Iowa Caucus-goers.

The two leading candidates in the Republican Party’s presidential race attracted the most attention in Ames. Before the game, former President Donald Trump briefly spoke to hundreds waiting outside the A-G-R fraternity and he threw some autographed footballs into the crowd. As Trump made his way into the stadium, Trump was cheered and greeted with a “U-S-A!” chant, but there were a some boos and obscene gestures directed Trump’s way during the day. Trump watched the game from a private stadium suite with Gary Kirke, a Des Moines businessman who’s the co-owner of two Iowa casinos. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis strolled through the throngs of tailgaters, then during the game, DeSantis sat in the stands next to Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds.

Reynolds has said she’s neutral in the presidential race so all candidates feel welcome to campaign here, but Reynolds isn’t ruling out making an endorsement on down the road — closer to the January 15th Caucuses. North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy also campaigned in the tailgate zone before Saturday’s Iowa-Iowa State game.

Montgomery County deputies report that on Friday, September 8th just after 5:00 pm a traffic stop at highway 34 and G Avenue resulted in the arrests of 33 year old Kelli Kyle and 34 year old Austin Stites, both of Omaha.  Kyle was charged with possession of methamphetamine, 1st offense and Stites was charged with unlawful possession of prescription medication.  Both were taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $1,000 bond.

Also, on Friday just prior to 9:00 pm, deputies arrested 44 year old Brooke Scott on a warrant for violating probation.  She was held on $5,000 bond at the Montgomery County Jail.

On Sunday, Thomas Delgado, who was already in the Montgomery County Jail, was served a warrant for violating a no-contact order.  Bond was set at $300.

The Cass County Auditor’s Office updated the latest list of candidates that have filed nomination papers to run in the city/school board elections in November.

The latest to file on Friday, September 8th are Mark Harris for Anita City Council and Amanda Hansen for Griswold City Council.

The entire list of candidates who have filed includes:

Atlantic City Council

• Ward 2:  Jim Behrens
• Ward 3:  Pat McCurdy
• Ward 4:  Linda Hartkopf
• At-Large:  Elaine Otte

Atlantic Park & Recreation

• Mary Strong
• Frank Saddlemire
• Brad Rasmussen
• Lorrie Rasmussen

Anita City Council

• Cheryl Sokol
• Mark Harris

Cumberland Mayor 

• Nancy Virginia Coughlin

Griswold City Council

• Brenda Tietz
• Amanda Hansen

Lewis Mayor

• Rick Sanny

South Dakota’s Public Utilities Commission appears to be on the verge of denying a pipeline construction permit to Iowa-based Summit Carbon Solutions.

The IOWA Utilities Board hearing on Summit’s request to build its carbon pipeline through Iowa started in August. A similar hearing before South Dakota regulators is scheduled to start Monday. However, the Sioux Falls Argus Leader is reporting a motion filed by staff for South Dakota’s Public Utilities Commission states Summit’s proposed route in South Dakota does not follow ordinances in four South Dakota counties. Those counties require buffer zones between the pipelines and city limits as well as around homes. The document filed in South Dakota says that mans the company’s permit application violates South Dakota law.

Summit could resubmit its construction permit application in South Dakota if it gets waivers from counties or changes the pipeline route in South Dakota. Summit Carbon Solutions has proposed a two-thousand mile pipeline through Iowa and four other states to ship liquid carbon from Midwest ethanol plants to underground storage in North Dakota.

Extra security will be on hand Saturdayin Ames as former President Donald Trump and other G-O-P presidential contenders join the crowd on hand for the Iowa-Iowa State football game. I-S-U police chief, Michael Newton, says the candidates make a big day even bigger.

He says security teams will try to minimize the disruption for football fans coming and going to Jack Trice Stadium. But he says people should expect to spend some extra time in the gameday traffic.

He says his department made mutual aid requests to other state, local and federal agencies to be sure enough law enforcement officers will be on hand. Republican candidates Vivek Ramaswamy, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson also have plans to be in Ames on gameday. Newton made his comments on the Iowa Public Radio show “River to River.”

Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputies were called Friday night at 7:35 pm to a two-vehicle property damage accident at 112 West 4th Street in Villisca.  During the investigation, it was determined that a blue Chevrolet Impala owned and operated by 17 year old Jazmin L. Weston of Villisca had backed from the driveway at that address onto 4th Street. Weston did not see a Buick Regal driven by 39 year old Rebecca Peterson of Villisca.  Weston’s Impala was struck in the rear, causing approximately $2,200 in damage to the Chevrolet and $1,000 to the Buick.  No one was injured in the collision and there were no citations issued.

Red Oak Police report 26 year old Robert Michael Daugherty of Red Oak was arrested just after 2:00 am Saturday in the 900 block of Highland Avenue and charged with Harassment 1st Degree.  Daugherty wastaken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $2,000 bond.

The Atlantic Chamber Ambassador’s were hosted by Roland Funeral Service on Thursday, September 7th. Roland Funeral Service is celebrating 104 years of business and

Ambassadors Left to Right: Lana Westphalen, Jim Kickland, Sarah Wood, Alisha Wagner, Mike Conley, Pat Magill Claussen, Elaine Otte, Dr. Keith Leonard, Bob Boots, Heidi Roland-Hinman, Jen McEntaffer, Sue Liston, Dolly Bergmann, Larry Hinman, John Bricker, Julie Waters, Jeff Christensen, Tori Gibson, Jeremy Butler, Kennedy Freund, Kelsey Beschorner, Anne Quist, Chris Cullen.

debuting a few improvements.

Heidi Roland-Hinman, co-owner, shared with the Ambassadors the rich history of Roland Funeral Service in Atlantic. In 1919 Burdett Roland became employed as the Funeral Director and Embalmer for Peacock & Baxter Furniture and Undertaking Company that was located at 315 Chestnut Street in Downtown Atlantic. In 1922, when Burdette bought into the business, the business name changed to Roland-Peacock and Baxter. The business remained on main street until 1926 when Burdette purchased property at Fifth and Elm streets and moved a house to make room for what is now the Roland Funeral Home. Since that move, the Rolands Family and staff have continued the tradition of serving Cass County and the surrounding communities with a personal and meaningful approach to creating a loved one’s final tribute.

Many aspects of the Roland Funeral Service building have stayed the same, but recently the family has added a few physical improvements to the property including a new sign out front and surfacing the North parking lot.

Roland Funeral Service is located at 204 E 5th Street in Atlantic.

For more information about the business, call 712-243-5492 or visit their website at www.rolandfuneralservice.com