A 14-year old male from Afton was injured during a single-vehicle accident Monday morning, in Union County. The Sheriff’s Department reports Kody Scott Exline was drivig a 2001 Toyota Tundra pickup westbound on 150th Street, at around 8:10-a.m., when the vehicle went out of control. Authorities say the pickup crossed the road, came back across and rolled into the north ditch. Exline complained of pain and possible injury. He was transported by private vehicle to the Greater Regional Medical Center, in Creston.

The Sheriff’s Office says the pickup sustained $6,000 damage, and was declared a total loss.

DES MOINES, IOWA – SEPTEMBER 16, 2020 — Trained American Red Cross disaster workers are working 24-7 to help people whose lives have been uprooted by wildfires, hurricanes and a derecho. Volunteers are providing food, shelter, supplies and comfort to people in need across as many as 10 states as tens of thousands of people have been impacted by recent disasters. With the current disasters and complexities of COVID-19, more help is needed. The Red Cross is asking people who are able to make a significant impact by becoming a Red Cross volunteer today. Review the most urgently needed volunteer positions at redcross.org/volunteertoday.

Jill Orton, Region Executive for the Nebraska-Iowa Region of the Red Cross, says “It has been an incredibly busy time for the Red Cross with thousands of disaster workers responding to help people whose lives were turned upside down by wildfires, hurricanes and other disasters.” Orton says also, “They need your help now. Please consider becoming a Red Cross volunteer, donating to help people affected by disasters, or giving blood today.”

There are as many as 90 large fires raging throughout the West, which have burned more than 5 million acres in the past few weeks. Thousands of homes and businesses have been affected and thousands more are still threatened. Besides volunteering, those wishing to help people affected by disasters like wildfires, storms and countless other crises can make a gift to Red Cross Disaster Relief. Financial gifts enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disasters big and small. Visit redcross.org, call 800-RED-CROSS or text the word DISASTER to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Additionally, disasters such as wildfires and hurricanes cause blood drives to be canceled. The Red Cross encourages eligible individuals to give blood or platelets to help ensure a sufficient blood supply. Learn more here.

Atlantic FFA Advisor Eric Miller says “In the spirit of tradition, the Iowa State Fairgrounds was excited to host the 2020 Fair Special Edition: Iowa 4-H and FFA Livestock Show, presented by Alliant Energy.” Miller said also, “Held with the same prestige and competition found at the Iowa State Fair, the 2020 Special Edition showcased the superior showmanship, hard work, and determination of Iowa’s FFA youth.” The purpose of the event, he said, is to support the mission statement of the Iowa State Fair by providing an opportunity for FFA youth to showcase their hard work and livestock projects.

Brett Dreager won a Blue Ribbon for Purebread Spotted pig

Colton Becker w/Grand Champion Draft Horse “Fire”

Colton Becker, winner of the Cart Class, w/horse “Fire”

Rio Johnson w/her Phoenix Rooster {All photos courtesy Eric Miller)

Cody McCreedy w/his Reserve Champion FFA Breeding Goose

Rio Johnson wins purple

Taylor McCreedy w/a winning goat.

This year 5 members of the Atlantic FFA members participated in a variety of shows. To begin the first weekend of the fair, Colton Becker won the Grand Champion Draft Horse with his horse Fire. Colton also won the Cart class with Fire. Becker said “ it was different not having the large crowd, but it was really enjoyable and having a chance to try something new this year.” During the second weekend the Atlantic FFA had 3 members show swine and poultry. Sophomore Brett Dreager showed a purebred Spotted pig and stood 7th in his class winning a Blue Ribbon.

In the Poultry show Atlantic FFA member Cody McCreedy won Reserve Champion FFA Breeding Goose with his Chinese goose. Junior Rio Johnson had an outstanding day winning 5 Purple and 5 Blue Ribbons. Rio placed 1st in class & went on to be named Champion AOSB with her Phoenix Rooster. In Crele Old English Game Bantams, both Pullet & Cockerel received purples. The Pullet was named Reserve Champion Game Bantam. Rio finished the show by winning Reserve Champion English bird as well.

Eric Miller says “In the final weekend Senior Taylor McCreedy showed 4 Dairy Goats. Taylor won Grand Champion overall recorded grade and Grand Champion Junior for All other Breed. Taylor also showed the Reserve champion Senior Doe All other breed and Reserve Champion overall All other breed. In the final drive Taylor won Reserve Supreme Champion with her FFA Dairy Goat.”

Taylor McCreedy said, “This year the State Fair was different, but I am glad that we had the opportunity to compete. Thanks to everyone who helped make the shows as normal as possible.”

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The Creston Police Department reports the arrest at around 11:10-p.m. Tuesday, of 33-year old Johnny Gossett II, from Creston. Gossett was taken into custody for Domestic Assault/3rd or subsequent offense. He was being held in the Union County Jail while awaiting a Bond Hearing.

And, two people were arrested in Creston Tuesday, for Violation of a Protection Order. 34-year old Skylar Rufenacht, of Creston, and 33-year old Samantha Meek, of Mt. Ayr, were arrested at a residence in the 800 block of N. Jarvis Street, at around 3:30-p.m. Rufenacht was being held in the Union County Jail, Meek was being held in the Adams County Jail. Both were awaiting a Bond Hearing.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Radio Iowa)  A Le Mars police officer was fired from his job after posting questionable material on social media. Le Mars Police Chief Kevin Vande Vegte issued a news release Tuesday afternoon stating Officer Jeremy Singer had engaged in misconduct involving social media activity depicting comments and behavior unbecoming of a police officer. Vande Vegte says he was first made aware of the situation on Sunday, of which he immediately place the officer in question on administrative leave. Vande Vegte says a misconduct investigation was initiated. Based on the results of that misconduct investigation, Jeremy Singer was dismissed from his duties as a police officer effective Tuesday, September 15th.

Vande Vegte says the city of Le Mars took this matter seriously and the actions and comments made by Officer Singer are not representative of the values in place to ensure that there is trust between the police department and the community of Le Mars. Singer had been a police officer with the Le Mars Police Department for just about three years.

The Iowa Department of Public Health’s Coronavirus dashboard today (as of 10-a.m.), said there are 775 new (Positive) COVID-19 cases (for a total of 76,050 to-date) and one death has taken place, since 10-a.m., Tuesday (for a total of 1,234 to-date). Officials say 5,164 lab result have been processed since Tuesday. The data show: 4,620 new Negative cases (For a total of 633,911); 55,005 Iowans have recovered from the virus since the pandemic began. IDPH reported 712,919 Iowans have been tested for COVID-19.  Officials reported an 8.6% positivity rate over the last 14 days.

Of those who died, 856 had a pre-existing condition, and 653 of the deaths took place at a Long-Term Care (LTC) facility. In the KJAN listening area: Guthrie, Montgomery and Shelby Counties have one more positive case each, of COVID-19. Pottawattamie County has 33 new cases, Harrison and Madison Counties have two new cases, each, and Mills County shows four new, positive cases. No deaths have been reported across the KJAN listening area since Sept. 12th.

Across the State, hospitalizations have increased by six, to 291. The number of patients with COVID-19 who are in an ICU is up five, to 79; eight more people were admitted to a hospital with symptoms of the virus, for a total of 44, and 32 patients were on ventilators, three more than reported Tuesday. In western/southwest Iowa, hospitals report No change to the data from Tuesday into today: There are 11 hospitalized; Six in an ICU; There were no new admissions, and one person remains on  ventilator.

There are two more LTC outbreaks, at 38, with 901 patients/staff testing positive for COVID-19, and 442 have recovered.

Here are the latest positive case numbers for southwest/western Iowa (County; Positive Case #’s; number of persons who have (recovered); {deaths since the outbreak began}.

• Cass County: 122 cases; (113); 2 deaths
• Adair County: 57 cases; (40); 1 death
• Adams County: 27 cases; (21)
• Audubon County: 46 cases; (30); 1 death
• Guthrie County: 206 cases; (155); 5 deaths
• Montgomery County: 84 cases; (78); 5 deaths
• Pottawattamie County: 1,861 cases; (1,561); 36 deaths
• Shelby County: 235 cases; (224); 1 death.
• Madison County, 188; (148); 2 deaths
• Harrison County, 164 cases; (149); 2 deaths
• Union County: 105 cases; (84); 3 deaths.
• Mills County: 153 cases; (110); 1 death.

(Radio Iowa) – Construction is underway on a new barge loading and unloading terminal on the Missouri River near Blencoe in western Iowa. When complete, the facility will accommodate 240-thousand tons of soybeans, corn, dried distillers’ grain and dry fertilizer per year. Soy Transportation Coalition executive director Mike Steenhoek says the terminal will provide a new route for Northern Plains commodities to the Gulf of Mexico. “They have a design and intention to load a modest number of barges for the export market of soybeans yet this fall in November to December,” Steenhoek says. “For farmers in the western part of the state of Iowa, it really is exciting. It provides a new marketing option.”

The farmer-owned NEW Cooperative in Fort Dodge owns the terminal. Steenhoek says the Missouri River is underused for shipping ag commodities and the NEW Co-op facility will help producers ship their product in a more cost-effective way rather than by rail. “The Missouri River could be more actively utilized from a navigation perspective, particularly for agriculture,” Steenhoek says. “Whether it’s exports for soybeans, DDGs, corn, inbound shipments for fertilizer, the inland waterway system makes a lot of sense.”

Steenhoek says having the NEW Cooperatives facility on the Missouri River could encourage the building of other terminals downriver in order to take advantage of using barge traffic to ship ag commodities.”The Missouri River will never rival the Ohio, the Mississippi, or the Illinois River in terms of volume of freight moved, but we do think it is a maritime highway that should be used more than it is,” he says. “It could be an additional marketing opportunity for farmers in that region.”

That includes not only Iowa and Nebraska, but Missouri, Kansas and South Dakota. He says initial phases of construction should be complete within two months.

(Radio Iowa) – The Des Moines School Board has directed the district’s superintendent to come up with a new plan for both in-person AND virtual classes, but during a meeting last (Tuesday) night, the board did not set a time frame for bringing students back into school buildings. The state’s largest district started the school year with most students taking classes online, without a state waiver to do so. Board member Kalyn Cody argues virtual instruction is safest at this point in the pandemic.

“I mean if we open up all 60 of our buildings, that’s 60 potential hotspots within a 20 mile radius, but that’s going to spread outward very, very quickly,” Cody said. Board member Kelli Soyer says she’s worried about the students who are struggling with virtual instruction. “It’s not working for everyone,” she said. Board member Terri Caldwell-Johnson agrees. “I feel like we’re failing a lot of our students,” Caldwell-Johnson said.

Board member Rob Barron says the district has to balance the need to protect staff with growing demands from parents who want their kids back in the classroom.”I don’t take lightly being out of compliance with the state, but even if we were to say: ‘Come hell or high water we are bringing everybody back in person,’ that doesn’t happen tomorrow,” Barron said. “We are still out of compliance probably at least a few weeks before we can turn that model around and bring kids back.”

A handful of parents spoke to the board during a period for public comment at the beginning of the meeting. Holly Kilborn-O’Neall says online classes provide the safest and most consistent connections for students and teachers. “This first week of school has gone remarkably well,” she said. Justin Minor is among 70 percent of parents who responded this summer that they wanted their kids to return to classrooms. “Let’s mask up and go to school,” he said.

There are about 33-thousand students in the Des Moines Public Schools.