Former classmates of Avery Andersen, who tragically passed away today in an automobile accident, are organizing a prayer vigil tonight. Anyone who wishes to attend may join at 7:00 p.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Atlantic. The prayer vigil to support the family and remember Avery is open to all.

The Atlantic vs St. Albert girls basketball game that was to take place this evening at the high school has been postponed out of respect to the family as well. There are many connections from the program to the family, including head coach Dan Vargason who has held an annual Independence Day firework gathering at the Andersen’s home for several years.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – A frost covered road is being blamed for a rollover accident that claimed the life of a rural Atlantic man this (Thursday) morning. The Iowa State Patrol reports a 2006 Ford Econoline van driven by 20-year-old Avery Carl Andersen, of Atlantic, was traveling north on Olive Street, about one-quarter of a mile south of Dunbar Road, when the vehicle lost traction and began to fishtail. The van swerved off the road to the left and entered a ditch, where it rolled over and ended up on its top. Avery died at the scene.The accident happened at around 8:55-a.m. North Olive Street was closed for slightly over three hours during the accident investigation and clean-up.

The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Cass County Medical Examiner, and Atlantic Fire and Rescue.

Photo courtesy of Lori Glissman

(Radio Iowa) – It’s hoped a new blood test may help to identify people who are at risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease well before symptoms emerge. Researcher Godfrey Coker, with the Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute, says the blood test searches for a brain amyloid, a protein that’s a risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s, which afflicts 66-thousand Iowans.  “This new research shows blood tests can identify specific brain amyloid proteins and help identify people at risk of developing Alzheimer’s symptoms,” Coker says. “This could greatly speed enrollment in clinical trials like the AHEAD Study and lead to important treatments.”

The AHEAD Study and is seeking volunteers from Iowa and across the U-S and Canada. Coker says it’s the first time such a test will be used in a clinical trial aiming to prevent the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.  “The study is enrolling people between the ages of 55 and 80 to test whether removing amyloid plaques in the brain can delay or prevent Alzheimer’s symptoms,” Coker says. “We anticipate that the simplicity of a blood test will increase participation in clinical trials, especially among communities of color, which are historically underrepresented in Alzheimer’s trials.”

Iowans who want to participate in the study would need to be willing to travel. There are no test sites in the state, but there are locations in several neighboring states, including: Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago, Madison and Rochester. Learn more: aheadstudy.org or call 1-800-AHEAD-70.

(Kent, Iowa) – One person was transported by private vehicle to the Greater Regional Medical Center in Creston, following a rollover accident at around 7:20-a.m. Thursday (today). The accident happened on Highway 34 eastbound, north of Kent (near mile marker 82). The Sheriff’s Office says 19-year-old Destiny Ashby, of Murray, was driving a 2008 GMC Envoy on Highway 34 when the SUV went out of control due to frost on the roadway. The vehicle went into the east ditch and rolled once before coming to rest on its wheels.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Rescue personnel from the Atlantic Fire Department and Cass EMS were dispatched to a rollover accident at around 8:55-a.m. today. The accident happened just north of 54051 N. Olive Street (The Pymosa School/Head Start). One person was said to be unresponsive in the vehicle.

Photo courtesy of Lori Glissman

(UPDATE 9:22-a.m.) The road was very icy, w/a coating of frost. Rescue crews are still on the scene. Both lanes of traffic were blocked by emergency equipment and personnel. Avoid the area for now.

More area and some State news, from Ric Hanson.

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(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports a woman was arrested early this (Thursday) morning on an assault charge. Authorities say 55-year-old Patricia Jean Young, of Creston, was arrested at her residence at around 3-a.m., for Domestic Abuse Assault causing bodily injury/1st offense. She was transported to the Union County Jail, and later transferred to the jail in Clarke County. Young was being held without bond until seen by a magistrate.

Area News from Ric Hanson.

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(Radio Iowa) – The Department of Education’s recent report on the state of education showed the number of full-time teachers in public schools in 2020-21 was up by 455 from the previous year to 37-thousand-567. Department analyst, Jay Pennington, says special programs are part of the reason for the increase. “With the teacher leader and compensation system that provides an additional over 250 million dollars annually — along with the teacher leader supplement — which also provides an additional 250 million. Both of those initiatives have pumped money into the profession,” Pennington says.

He says the programs have helped experienced teachers mentor the new teachers coming. “And it also really helped the bottom line in terms of raising the average teacher salary in Iowa to be more competitive, to he in the upper half when we look at rankings,” he says. The average regular teacher salary was up 661 dollars to 58-thousand-771 in 2019-20. School districts this year appear to be having some of the same issues in hiring teachers as other businesses. “We have heard anecdotally from districts that there are lots of vacancies — hard to fill positions — more so in the 2021-2022 school year than in other years,” he says.

Pennington says they don’t know yet if the number verify the anecdotal reports. “We look at the data for the 2021-2022 school year. Given the increases of the overall number of educators that we have seen — consistently seen over the last decade — it will be interesting to see if we see a subsequent decline at some point,” according to Pennington. The report showed there was a 13-point-one percent increase in the number of full-time public school teachers from the 2000-01 school year to the 2020-21 school year.

(Radio Iowa) – A week ago the U-S Senate unanimously voted to award the Congressional Gold Medal to a top secret World War II unit — national recognition that was inspired by the work of an Iowa student. Caleb Sinnwell , a ninth grader in the Nashua-Plainfield School District, won a 2021 National History Day award for creating a website about the Ghost Army.

“It used a wide array of deceptive tactics and over 20 military operations, which we all successful, by the way,” he says. The mere existence of the Ghost Army was classified for more than 40 years. The unit of 11-hundred men used inflatable tanks, sound effects and other tricks — convincing the Germans far larger groups of U.S. soldiers were in position or planning to attack. Sinnwell says his interest in the group was sparked by family.

“My great-great grandpa was in World War I. My great grandpa was in World War II and my current grandpa right now, he was in Vietnam,” Sinnwell says. “…We always talk about Vietnam and it’s very interesting. I find the military a very interesting topic.” The teenager is a veteran of the National History Day competition. Sinnwell’s first entry was in 2020. It was about the Iowans involved in a humanitarian mission after two typhoons devastated an agricultural area in Japan.

“I love pigs. I really wanted to do a topic about pigs,” Sinnwell says, “so when I heard about the 1960 Iowa Hog Lift, I thought it was a great fit right away.” Sinnwell’s project mentioned the Iowa soldier who had the hog lift idea as well as the eventual flight of 36 Iowa pigs to an area northwest of Tokyo. Sinnwell is entering the 2022 National History Day competition, but he’s not ready to reveal the topic.

“That’s actually classified at the moment,” Sinnwell says. Sinnwell is hoping his next entry does as well as his last, since some National History Day activities were cancelled this past year. “I’m excited for this year now,” he says, “that I can hopefully get my trip to Washington, D.C.” Sinnwell’s long term goals are to join his family’s farming operation, work as a utility lineman and be a volunteer fire fighter, too.