(By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Business Writer) – The Coca-Cola Co. said it saw gradual improvement in the third quarter, as it turned its focus to emerging leaner from the global pandemic. Atlanta-based Coke said its revenue fell 9% to $8.7 billion. That was well ahead of Wall Street’s forecast of $8.4 billion, according to analysts polled by FactSet. It was also better than the 28% drop in revenue the company saw in the second quarter.

FILE- In this Aug. 8, 2018, file photo bottles of Coca-Cola sit on a shelf in a market in Pittsburgh. The Coca-Cola Co. said on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020, it saw gradual improvement in the third quarter, as it turned its focus to emerging leaner from the global pandemic. Atlanta-based Coke said its revenue fell 9% to $8.7 billion. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

Coke Chairman and CEO James Quincey said the company has accelerated a planned reorganization that will put more emphasis on fast-growing brands. Coke is retiring several underperforming products by the end of this year, including Tab diet soda.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:05-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Interstate 80 is blocked this at the 63 mile marker westbound in Cass County, due to an accident involving a semi and a car. The incident took place in the construction zone. The driver of the semi reportedly hit his head on the steering wheel and requested to be checked out. The other vehicle was in the median. Cass EMS, Anita Rescue and Wiota Fire were dispatched to the scene at 6:49-a.m.

No other details were immediately available.

A traffic stop at around 8-p.m. Wednesday in Red Oak, resulted in the arrest of a Red Oak man on an OWI charge. According to Red Oak Police, 21-year-old Nathan Andrew Fournier faces a charge of OWI/1st offense after being pulled over at 3rd and Elm Streets, in Red Oak. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 4:30 a.m. CDT

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A split Iowa Supreme Court is upholding a new Republican-backed law that will bar county elections commissioners from mailing absentee ballots this week to thousands of people who omitted information on their applications. The 4-3 ruling means voters who want to cast ballots by mail for the Nov. 3 election must complete their absentee ballot applications before Saturday’s deadline in order to qualify. Auditors will not be allowed to use the state’s voter registration system to fill in any blanks on submitted applications. Dissenting justices contend that the ruling will “likely cause thousands of voters to not receive their ballot in time to use it.”

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says her administration will try to convince federal auditors to allow its plan to spend $21 million in coronavirus relief funds on a long-planned information technology system. Reynolds says the state believes spending federal virus aid to purchase and implement a new accounting and human resources system for the executive branch is “an allowable expense.” State Auditor Rob Sand has said the use of federal funds for the Workday project is inappropriate. He warns that Iowa will be on the hook to repay $21 million to the federal government if it’s not diverted to an allowable use.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The number of Iowa residents dying from the coronavirus is quickly rising again after weeks of increasing hospitalizations and outbreaks at nursing homes. The Iowa Department of Public Health reported 31 new deaths from the virus Wednesday, the most confirmed in a 24-hour period since the beginning of the pandemic. That does not mean that 31 people died in one day. Instead, it means that the state received 31 new reports of confirmed COVID—19 deaths through medical examiners and death certificates. Many of the deaths happened a few or several days ago.

While some cities, including Audubon, have cancelled Halloween this year over fears of spreading the Coronavirus, Atlantic still plans to hold trick-or-treating on Oct. 31st, from 4:30-until 6-p.m.  Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones said during Wednesday’s City Council meeting, things will be a little different this year, however, than in years past.

(Updated) Trick-or-Treating in the downtown business district is from 2-until 4-p.m., Oct. 31st.  In other business, the Atlantic City Council passed by a vote of five-to two, the second reading of an Ordinance amending the City’s Code of Ordinances, with regard to the expansion of a two-way stop at 22nd and Olive to a four-way, and from a two-way stop at 32nd and Chestnut, to a three-way stop. The proposed changes is to encourage traffic to slow down before entering the city. Councilpersons Casady and Somers voted against the measure.

Atlantic residents Dale Gross and Dale Retallic spoke out against the plan, which the Mayor contends will prevent accidents from happening at those intersections. Gross said there’s no evidence or records he could find, of 22nd and Olive being a hot spot for accidents. He says the 35 mile per hour speed limit is enough to prevent any crashes.

Retallic reiterated his statement from the last Council meeting two weeks ago, in agreeing that if the City’s goal is to reduce speeding, increase the number of tickets, and/or install speed bumps. Councilman Pat McCurdy who voted to approve the second reading, said he’s spoken with four people who live in the area are in favor of the 4-way stop at 22nd and Olive, because of what is perceived to be increased truck traffic, especially from the new rock quarry. McCurdy also pointed out that snow plows have a tendency to knock out speed bumps. The third and final reading of the ordinance will take place in two weeks.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council, Wednesday, approved the third and final reading of an Ordinance vacating and conveying an alley between Hemlock and Sycamore Streets, south of E. 18th Street. The lot will be divided equally among the four adjacent property owners. The also passed a Resolution setting November 4th as the date for a Public Hearing on vacating a Right of Way for a stub (non-connecting) section of road, just east of 9th and Plum Streets.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The number of Iowa residents dying from the coronavirus is quickly rising again after weeks of increasing hospitalizations and outbreaks at nursing homes. The Iowa Department of Public Health reported 31 new deaths from the virus Wednesday, the most confirmed in a 24-hour period since the beginning of the pandemic. That does not mean that 31 people died in one day. Instead, it means that the state received 31 new reports of confirmed COVID—19 deaths through medical examiners and death certificates. Many of the deaths happened a few or several days ago.

The Council Bluffs Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in locating an 11 year old female runaway from Children’s Square USA (500 North 7th Street). The child was last seen around 3:00 pm Wednesday, in the area of North 7th Street and Washington Street. She was walking southbound in Council Bluffs.

Peters is an Hispanic female, with long Brown hair wearing black leggings and pink t-shirt. If this child is located please contact the Council Bluffs Police Department 712-328-4728 or call
911.

Atlantic, IA – Officials with the Cass County Health System have announced Tammy Wyman, LPN was honored with the DAISY Award on Monday, October 12, 2020. Her nominators said, “I’m sure to Tammy it was just another day on the job, but to us, her empathy and warmth meant the world. Tammy’s passion for nursing comes through in her compassion for people. I want to thank her for making an extremely painful time, a little more tolerable. We left CCHS that day with permission to grieve a child we never knew, and that was a gift Tammy unknowingly gave us in and of itself.”

Tammy Wyman, LPN w/CCHS. (Photo submitted)

Tammy has been a nurse for 39 years, with the last 24 years spent at CCHS. It is her eleventh year of working with OB/GYN physicians. “I am so grateful every day. God’s allowed me to work in this job and to make a difference in their world. I try to care for women like my own daughters, mother, and it’s so important that we don’t lose that sense of personal connection. I’m the first to admit that I’ve had times that I didn’t do well. I called and apologized and tried to make it right. I’m not perfect! But moments like this, I think ‘I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing.’ [The award] is affirmation that there are days that go badly but you can still make a difference. Those valleys in life when you feel like you’re drowning—you pour out yourself into people’s lives in order to make their days better,” said Tammy.

Tammy was initially drawn to nursing out of a desire to make a difference in people’s lives, even if there are difficult times. “Not every day is a good day as far as happy things happening; there are really hard days. I’m privileged to do this, and to be around the people that I work with. I work with so many amazing women that do great things every day. It’s an amazing work family, and there is something to be said for that. We all want to do the best we can.”

Nurses at Cass County Health System are honored twice annually with The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses.® The award is part of the DAISY Foundation’s mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care they provide patients and families every day. The DAISY Award committee at CCHS wishes to thank all nominators for their submissions. Each nurse who was nominated will be presented with a special pin and a copy of the nomination.

The DAISY Foundation is a not-for-profit organization, established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, by members of his family. Patrick died at the age of 33 in late 1999 from complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease. (DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System.) The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families.

This is one initiative of The DAISY Foundation to express gratitude to the nursing profession. Additionally, DAISY offers J. Patrick Barnes Grants for Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Projects, The DAISY Faculty Award to honor inspiring faculty members in schools and colleges of nursing, and The DAISY in Training Award for nursing students. More information is available at http://DAISYfoundation.org. An online nomination form is available at https://www.casshealth.org/daisy.