(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Chamber Ambassadors visited with Scott Bennett, owner of NISHNANET, on Thursday, December 15th, 2022, to learn about new technology and services they will be providing.

NISHNANET came to serve the rural Atlantic and Audubon counties in 2018. Since then, NISHNANET has expanded to serve over 300 customers providing them with low cost, high-speed internet, phone service, tech support, and more. NISHNANET takes pride in customer service and recognizing a problem before the customer experiences the issue, which sets them apart from other larger companies. NISHNANET recently invested in a new hardware & software platform that allows their team to view and track “how the internet feels to the customer” regarding latency. Scott explained that latency is how long it takes for the customer to ask for something and for the internet to give it back them. This in turn determines how the customer experiences their internet services.

Ambassador’s Pictured Left to Right: Steve Tjepkes, Jennifer McEntaffer, Bailey Smith, Steve Andersen, Scott Bennett, Kelsey Beschorner, Dolly Bergmann, Bill Saluk, Anne Quist, Julie Waters, Dr. Keith Leonard, Jim Kickland, Elaine Otte, Jeremy Butler, Tiffany Johnson, Grace Garrett, and Kathie Hockenberry

On top of the new software, NISHNANET will be launching a technology in Atlantic that is as fast as fiber but can be done wirelessly. The benefit of this technology is having the speed of fiber optics without the price of installation, which allows this small local company to provide low-cost internet to the customer. Starting Thursday December 15th, NISHNANET will be accepting reservations for residential customers inside Atlantic city limits. These internet plans will start at $75 a month, 50 mbps by 10 mbps, unlimited.

For more information about NISHNANET and the services they provide, visit their website https://nishnanet.com/ or call 712-243-2497.

(Rural Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce has presented a second, Angel of Christmas Award this week. As we’ve previously mentioned, the award, sponsored by Cass Health, was first presented Wednesday morning at Cass Health, to Tom McLaren, for his inspirational posts on social media, and his prayers for people around the world, who request them. This (Friday) afternoon, Chamber representatives, CCHS CEO Brett Altman, and others gathered outside the house of Steve and Sue Andersen, about one-half mile north of the KJAN studios, to surprise the Steve with the Angel of Christmas Award. The Andersen’s were nominated Jon Jordan, Wellness & Lifestyle Director at WesleyLife Heritage House.

In nominating the couple, Jordan spoke of their civic and community spirit.

He said Steve is a vital member of the business community through his drinking water supply company, Crystal Clear, as well as his bicycle repair business, the Bike Farm. Jordan mentioned the Andersen’s have had more than their share of tragedy over the past couple of years. Steve’s dad died in late January, 2021. Less than 11 months later, the couples’ 20-year old son Avery died in an accident while on a delivery of water from the family’s business. And, on November 16^th of this year, a shed on the Andersen farm burned to the ground, destroying one of their delivery trucks and other property.

Through it all, Steve Andersen remained active in his church, volunteered on the Family Crisis Support Network Board of Directors and announces all of the home football games for the Atlantic Trojans. Sue Andersen was the driving force behind, and is President of, the Avery Andersen Foundation (www.averyandersenfoundation.org). Jordan said for those reasons and more, the award is well deserved.

Steve Andersen with his Angel of Christmas Award, presented by CCHS CEO Brett Altman, and the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce.

Steve Andersen was modest in accepting the award. He joked “I wish I could think of something profound to say.”

The anniversary of Avery’s death is coming up on December 23^rd, just days before Christmas. Steve said he and Sue will get through it together, because they have each other, and the experiences of others who grieve, to comfort them.

He said it’s hard to say what he and Sue did to deserve the award, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t grateful for the nomination, and for being selected. Steve said Tom McLaren was also deserving of the award, because of his prayers, not only for the Andersen’s, but for families around the world.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources issued an Emergency Order today (Friday) against the company that was the scene of a large explosion and fire in Marengo on December 8th.  More than one dozen employees were injured in the explosion at the C-6-Zero plant that was making oil and other products out of old shingles.

The D-N-R order says the plant is a “clear threat to public health and the environment” in its current condition and there’s a possibility of “another catastrophic event” due to chemicals still inside the building.

The emergency order requires the immediate stabilization of hazardous conditions and the removal of all solid waste on-site, as well as the full remediation of the area. A spokesperson for the D-N-R says they are not commenting on the order as this is an ongoing investigation.

(Radio Iowa) – The manager of an eastern Iowa food bank says her big wish would be to provide more beef and chicken to those who need food assistance through a local pantry.

“I would love to have a plethora of meat available,” says Kim Guardado, the food reservoir director for Hawkeye Area Community Action Program in Hiawatha. “We always say for donations we’d like to have peanut butter and canned fish, canned chicken and all of those things, but honestly I’d really love to have tubs of ground beef and ground chicken and whole chickens and parts of chickens that we can provide. That is something that’s often limited at pantries because there just isn’t enough meat available.”

Food bank managers say donations from meat processors have declined, due to inflation and supply chain issues, plus USDA meat shipments have decreased since mid-2020. In the first year of the pandemic, the USDA spent $4 billion buying meat and other food from hundreds of private companies as schools and restaurants closed — and shipping it to food banks. That was six times the normal budget for the agency’s food box program.

A year ago, the USDA launched a $400 million initiative to help food banks and schools buy locally-produced food. Guardardo says she’s trying to buy more fresh food for her Hiawatha-based food bank.

“We’re really focusing on having more healthy options available,” Guardardo says. “Locally grown items as well, but I would love to be able to have potatoes, tomatoes, green peppers, onions and carrots available every day.”

But she says produce is expensive and her food bank’s budget is pinched. Its budget for buying food has skyrocket — just as it serves about 40 percent more people than it did last year. Guardardo made her comments during taping of “Iowa Press” which airs tonight on Iowa PBS.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office, today (Friday), issued a report on arrests dating back to July, 2022. Beginning with the most recent incident:

• Victoria Griffen, age 26 of Shelby, Iowa, was cited into court on a Driving While Barred on December 6, 2022. She was released on her own recognizance.
• William Brubaker, age 26 of Audubon, was arrested on December 5, 2022 for Violation of Sex Offender Registry- 2nd or Subsequent and Child Endangerment charges. He posted bond and was released on December 7th. Brubaker was arrested again on December 8, 2022 for a Violation of Sex Offender Registry-2nd or Subsequent. He posted bond and was released on December 10th.
• Timothy Asmus, age 22 of Audubon, was arrested on November 30, 2022, on an outstanding Driving While Barred warrant and a new charge for Driving While Barred. He posted bond and was released the next day.
• Mindy McKern, age 44 of Council Bluffs, was arrested on October 16, 2022 on an outstanding Burglary 3rd warrant. She posted bond and was released the following day.
• Alexis Free, age 27 of Fort Collins, Colorado, was arrested on October 9, 2022 by the Audubon Police Department on unrelated charges. She was charged by the Audubon County Sheriff’s Office for Introducing Intoxicants or Drugs into Institution. She appeared before the magistrate and was held on her charges.
• Cody Klocke, age 19 of Carroll, was arrested on October 8, 2022 for Operating while Under the Influence-1st and Possession or Carrying Dangerous Weapon while Under the Influence. He was released on his own recognizance later the same day.
• Tamara Humphrey, age 49 of Atlantic, was arrested on a Driving While Barred charge on October 6, 2022. She was released on her own recognizance later that day.
• Laura White, age 36 of Kimballton, was cited into court on September 26, 2022 for an assault charge. She was released on her own recognizance.
• Jacquelyn Delano, age 61 of Audubon, was arrested on September 23, 2022 on Controlled Substance Violation- methamphetamine, Controlled Substance Violation- marijuana and two counts of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. She was held by the magistrate on the charges.
• Mark Smith, age 44 of Exira, was cited into court for two counts Sex Abuse 3rd and two counts Sex Abuse 2nd on September 22, 2022. He posted bond and was released on September 27, 2022.
• Jason Schiltz, age 34 of Denison, was arrested on September 20, 2022 for Driving While Barred and Theft 2nd. He was released on his own recognizance the following day.
• Adam Karstens, age 41 of Brayton, was arrested on September 15, 2022, for Dominion/Control of Firearm/Offensive Weapon by Felon, Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon, Domestic Abuse Assault-Display or Use of Weapon 1st, Possession of Controlled Substance- Methamphetamine- 1st, Possession of Controlled Substance- Marijuana 1st and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was held on the charges until he posted bond on September 21st.
• Jerrold White, age 67 of Exira, was arrested on September 14, 2022, for Operating While Intoxicated- 1st. He was released on his own recognizance later that day.
• Timothy Asmus, age 22 of Audubon, was arrested on September 13, 2022, for Driving While Barred. He was released on his own recognizance later that morning.
• Michelle Penn, age 52 of Audubon, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault-1st and Child Endangerment on August 20, 2022. She was released on her own recognizance on August 22nd.
• Kevin Anderson, age 42 of Hamlin, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault-1st on August 15, 2022. He was released the following morning on his own recognizance.
• Cole Jacob Benton, age 32 of Hamlin, was arrested on two counts of Burglary 3rd, Theft 2nd, Theft 4th, Possession of Controlled Substance- Marijuana 3rd or subsequent and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia on August 10, 2022. He posted bond on August 12th and was released.
• Steven Deist, age 48 of Audubon, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault-1st on August 6, 2022. He posted bond and was released later that day.
• Rodney Nichols, age 56 of Gray, was arrested for Trafficking in Stolen Weapons-1st on August 3, 2022. He was released on his own recognizance the following day.
• Gerald Young Jr. was arrested again on August 3, 2022 for Dominion/Control of a Firearm/Offensive weapon by Felon charge. He was released on his own recognizance the following day.
• Gerald Young Jr., age 52 of Gray, was arrested for Operating While Intoxicated-3rd and Driving While Suspended on August 1, 2022. He was released on his own recognizance later that day.
• Michael Vanbaale, age 59 of Des Moines, was arrested for Driving while Suspended on July 24, 2022. He was released on his own recognizance later the same day.
• Colton Haskins, age 18 of Terril, Iowa, was arrested for Operating While Intoxicated -1st, Possession of Controlled Substance- Marijuana 1st and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia on July 23, 2022. He was released on his own recognizance the following day.
• Colton Haskins, age 18 of Terril, Iowa, was arrested for Operating While Intoxicated -1st, Possession of Controlled Substance- Marijuana 1st and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia on July 23, 2022. He was released on his own recognizance the following day.
• Willie George, age 18 of Lansing, Kansas, was arrested for Possession of Marijuana 1st and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia on July 23, 2022. He was released on his own recognizance the following morning.
• Johnnie Baugher, age 33 of Audubon, was arrested on a Domestic Abuse Assault charge on July 23, 2022. He was released on his own recognizance the following morning.
• Kevin Knutsen, age 58 of Audubon, was cited into court on July 21, 2022 on two counts of Burglary 3rd. He was released on his own recognizance.
• Zachariah Colton, age 19 of Atlantic, was arrested on July 4, 2022 for Operating While Intoxicated-1st. He was released on his own recognizance later that day.

Note: Criminal Charges are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.

(Radio Iowa) – Roland Story wrestler Kade Blume will not participate in any more extracurricular activities this school year in the wake of the 17 year old’s charge of assaulting another student during a hazing incident. The Roland story School District and the Blume family reached an agreement that the two time defending state champion would not participate in extracurricular activities for the remainder of the year, following his charge of felony assault that stems back from New Year’s Day.

The announcement came down following the news that Blume would not wrestle at Saturday’s Jim Kinyon Invitational in Story City after Knoxville is wrestling team had pulled out of the event and they will now wrestle in Iowa City.

Blume has reached an agreement with prosecutors to enter a plea to the original charge and the case will be completed in juvenile court.

Washington, D.C. — A Des Moines (Iowa) man seen at the front of a group of rioters inside the I-S Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, was sentenced today (Friday) to five-years in prison, with three-years of supervised release. Doug Jensen is also required to pay $2,000 in restitution. Jensen told the court he can’t change the past, except he wants to put politics aside and to simply go back to being a family man.

Judge Thomas Kelly, who handed down the sentence, said the man’s actions were not heroic or patriotic, but at the same time, he was “not a monster.” Prosecutors had suggested 64 months in prison, while Jensen’s defense attorney proposed 27 months in jail.

Jensen was found guilty of all counts against him by a Washington, D.C., jury in September.

November 18, 2022 (DES MOINES, IA) – Today, the Iowa Economic Development Authority Board approved two awards for companies in Clinton and Dubuque, which will assist in the creation of 33 jobs and result in more than $143 million in new capital investment for the state.

Pet food producer to expand Clinton facility 
Nestle Purina PetCare Company is a subsidiary of Nestle S.A. and is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Purina manufactures pet care products, including pet food, snacks and cat litter products. In Clinton, Purina produces various dry pet food and snacks. This project includes the construction of a 90,000-square-foot building to support an expansion at the facility. The project represents a $110 million capital investment and is expected to create 15 jobs incented at a qualifying wage of $19.57 per hour. The board awarded the company tax benefits through the High Quality Jobs (HQJ) program.

Trucking company plans new corporate headquarters in Dubuque
McCoy Group, LLC is a private family-owned company started in 1958. The McCoy Group has a diverse set of businesses ranging from 26 Freightliner heavy/medium truck dealerships, 16 John Deere Construction and Forestry dealerships and a Bulk Transportation division that operates at 40 locations across the U.S. and Mexico. The company plans to construct a new 78,000-square-foot corporate headquarters on its 11.5-acre campus in Dubuque. The board awarded the company tax benefits through the HQJ program. The more than $33 million direct capital investment is expected to create 18 jobs, of which 12 are incented at a qualifying wage of $26.56.

(Radio Iowa) The Iowa District Office of the U-S Small Business Administration is wrapping up its fiscal year with COVID-19 still casting a long shadow. Jayne Armstrong, district director of the S-B-A in Iowa, says the current year is closing out a ways behind the previous year, which saw unprecedented borrower and lender incentives to aid in the pandemic recovery. Many of those incentives have long since expired, making Fiscal ’22 more lackluster. “SBA in Iowa, we did 466 loans last year for over $243-million,” Armstrong says. “We were down a little bit from the year before, just by ten loans.”

The full amount loaned in the state, however, is down more than 20-million dollars from the previous year. Armstrong says Iowa’s hospitality industry, in particular, is continuing to face challenges with workforce shortages and supply chain troubles. “Businesses are still struggling,” Armstrong says. “We’re not through everything yet, but I think we’re on track with the number of loans that we’re seeing and the access to capital and we’re also hitting a lot of new markets.”

Of the year’s 466 loans made in Iowa, she says 252 of them — more than half — were to new business start-ups or to finance changes in ownership. Armstrong was upbeat about S-B-A successes in Iowa during the fiscal year, noting sizable increases in the percentage of loans being made to both minorities and veterans. “We remain committed as ever before to helping our small businesses get through the recovery period and getting them back on track,” Armstrong says. “It’s a process. It’s not happening overnight.”

Other successes include the Iowa district winning two national awards, one for diversity, inclusion and equity, while the other award is going to Dave Lentell, the Des Moines office’s lead lender relations specialist and public information officer. Lentell, of Waukee, is being named the S-B-A’s national M-V-P for 2022.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says a provision in a bill the senate passed last (Thursday) night authorizes the U.S. military to train Ukrainian soldiers how to remove the explosives Russia’s military has dumped in the Black Sea. “Reclaiming the Black Sea would be a major step forward for Ukraine’s sovereignty,” Ernst says, “allowing them to resume trade from their most important port.”

The Port of Odessa is on the Black Sea, a body of water that is now invested with hundreds of mines. The operation to remove those mines is included in this year’s 858 BILLION dollar defense spending bill. President Biden is expected to sign the legislation, which will provide an additional 800 MILLION dollars to Ukraine’s war effort. “Training and armed the Ukrainian military keeps U.S. service members safe, supports a U.S. partner, degrades one of our most vicious foes, “Ernst says, “and preserves American safety and prosperity.”

The bill will also get rid of the requirement that American soldiers get COVID-19 vaccinations. Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak, says eight thousand soldiers who refused to get a COVID shot have been discharged from the regulars military. The mandate for National Guard and Reserve units was to take effect at the end of the year. “With record low recruitment across all service branches, shrinking the number of service members puts our national security at risk,” Ernst says. “This was the right move for our military readiness.”

This year’s National Defense Authorization Act includes a four-point-six percent increase in the basic pay for service members — the largest military pay hike in 20 years.