A crowd of more than 115-people packed a section of the Cass County Community Center in Atlantic Monday evening, during the Bike and Trails Expo. Those in attendance learned about bike trail development in the area, along with the potential for economic development and wellness benefits.

Mark Wyatt with the IA Bicycle Coalition speaks in Atlantic

The evening began with guest speaker Mark Wyatt, from Iowa City, Executive Director of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition. Wyatt said bicycling has a huge economic impact on the state, as determined by a study conducted with the assistance of the University of Northern Iowa.

The study found bicycling has a $364.6-million dollar impact on spending in Iowa, which Wyatt said is three-times the impact of the wine industry, four-times the impact of snowmobiling. The numbers he said are “conservative,” and didn’t account for out of state travelers, and it even rivaled golf, as a leisure time activity. The study also collected health information from bicyclists, and by comparing the health of those bicyclists to insurance data, it showed a $73-million dollar health care cost savings. Wyatt said there’s still more work to do though, in the area of bicycle safety.

Ed Kail with the Nishna Valley Trails group, said to encourage bicycle safety, especially among young people, the Atlantic Police Department under the direction of Chief Steve Green, is offering rewards young people who wear a helmet. Kail said during the month of June, Officers with the A-PD who catch a young person wearing a bike helmet will stop them, and offer reward ticket for ice cream. The reward is partially funded by the Trevor Frederickson Foundation. In addition, the Police Department is conducting a “Safe Riding” reward program, because the Chief has been disappointed at the number of kids who are not wearing a helmet. When an officer catches a young person riding safely, that persons name will be taken down and handed in to Chief Green, who will draw two names at the end of the summer. Those two persons will win a new bike, purchased with funds from the Police Youth Fund.

In other developments, NVT President Dave Chase announced progress is being made on the efforts to link-up the Schildberg Quarry Recreation Area in Atlantic with the Atlantic Baseball Complex just east of the KJAN Studios on North Olive Street. Chase said despite some “bumps” last year in getting permission from a local land owner to connect the trail, they have since agreed to allow that to proceed. The trails group Chase said, has re-instituted a study to establish a pedestrian bridge across Troublesome Creek. Sndyer and Associates Engineer Dave Sturm reminded the audience that the City of Atlantic and Nishna Valley Trails combined forces, and were the recipients of a enhancement grant from the Iowa Dept. of Transportation, for the preliminary and final design phases of the pedestrian bridge across Troublesome Creek. He says those plans are now back on track. Sturm says they should receive authorization later on this Summer to proceed with the design, which includes the hydrology of the creek, and the expected level of traffic on the bridge. That study should be completed in the Fall, and from there Sturm says, “It’s hurry up and wait for more grants” until it can be built.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa farmers are making good progress on getting the corn crop in the ground. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says farmers took advantage of dry weather early last week and now have planted 50 percent of the crop. That’s up from just nine percent the previous week. The five-year average is 32 percent. The USDA says in Monday’s weekly report that five percent of the corn has emerged, which is 10 days ahead of normal. Farmers have planted three percent of the soybean crop. The week ended with rain and cooler weather from Friday afternoon to Sunday, which put planting on hold. The statewide average rainfall for last week was .83 inch. The rain helped soil moisture, with topsoil at 92 percent adequate or surplus.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

The Griswold School Board will hold a special session at 5-p.m. Tuesday, in the Central Office Middle School/High School Building. Superintendent Dana Kunze says the Board will review with Piper-Jaffrey, the results of the bond sale. The board will then act on directing the sale of bonds to the low bidder, and discuss the parking lot project along with providing direction to the project engineer.

Authorities in Adams County said Monday, a Lenox man was arrested Friday on a sex abuse charge. 33-year old Peter Davidson was taken into custody on a charge of 3rd Degree Sexual Abuse, following an investigation conducted by the Sheriff’s Department and the Department of Human Services. No other details concerning the allegations were released. Davidson was subsequently released on $10,000 cash bond. The case remains under investigation.

An investigation into text messages allegedly sent by a Council Bluffs school teacher to a student, has resulted in the teacher’s arrest. According to the Omaha World-Herald, 40-year old Adam Jones, a science teacher at Council Bluffs/Thomas Jefferson High School, was taken into custody Friday, on a misdemeanor charge of distributing a controlled substance. Authorities say Jones allegedly provided Xanax…a drug used to treat anxiety and panic disorders…to an 18-year old female student. The drug was allegedly given to the girl when she visited Jones at his residence.

Authorities were investigating text messages allegedly sent by Jones to the girl, when they became aware of Xanax transaction. Police and school officials began their investigation last April 23rd, after receiving reports of an improper relationship between Jones, and the unnamed student. According to the paper, both individuals told authorities their physical relationship advanced no further than hugging.

Jones was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of his case in the court system. His preliminary hearing is expected to be held in about two-to-three weeks. The maximum penalty for distributing a controlled substance, is two years in prison with possible probation time.

Two people were injured during an accident this (Monday) morning, in Shelby County. According to the Sheriff’s Office, 61-year old Kathy Block, of Harlan, and 39-year old Renee Parrott, of Kirkman, were injured, when their vehicles collided on Highway 59, at the intersection with 1600th Street. Officials say both women were transported by ambulance to the hospital in Harlan. Parrott, who was trapped in her vehicle and had to be extricated by rescue crews, was later transferred to Creighton University Hospital in Omaha, for additional treatment. Sources told KJAN News Parrott, who is a member of the Kirkman Volunteer Fire Department, suffered from broken ribs and other injuries.

According to the accident report, a 2012 Buick Enclave driven by Block, was northbound on Highway 59 when Parrott, who was traveling west on 1600th Street, failed to yield. Her 2005 Dodge Caravan collided with the SUV at the intersection. The vehicles then came to rest in the west ditch. Both were considered to be a total loss. Officials say Parrott was cited for Failure to Yield Upon Entering a Through Highway. The Harlan Fire Department and Westphalia Fire Department assisted the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office at the scene.

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Montgomery County Emergency Management Coordinator Brian Hamman has launched a new Facebook page for residents, the media and others to follow. Hamman says the page is a work in progress and something he’s wanted to do for a while but hasn’t had the chance to complete. 

The MCEMA Facebook page will include information and pictures as events happen in Montgomery County, as well as any information that would help out surrounding counties and southwest Iowa. 

Here’s the link to the page:

http://www.facebook.com/MontgomeryEMA

The Iowa Board of Nursing Home Administrators has ordered a disciplinary hearing to held in October in association with charges filed against a former nursing home administrator in Tabor. Mitchell Worcester, of Tabor, who served as the administrator of the Tabor Manor Care facility from October 2007 through July 2011, was charged with Professional Incompetence, Negligence, and Violation of Regulations, rules or laws pertaining to nursing home administrators. A disciplinary contested case hearing is scheduled to take place October 11^th, in Des Moines.

The Board says under Worcester’s administration, the facility lacked adequate policies and procedures to guide staff in the performance of their duties, in several areas including: Completion of Incident Reports; Ensuring proper physician and family notifications regarding residents; Investigating allegations or suspicions of resident abuse, and handling those incidents.

The Board says under Worcester’s administration, Tabor Manor staff did not respond appropriately to multiple resident-on-resident sexual encounters, including five separate incidents whereby a resident admitted in December 2007 was suspected or directly accused of sexually accosting other residents, from June 2008 through October 2008. One of the alleged victims was not promptly treated and assessed for rape, despite evidence supporting the incident. The resident suspected of rape was released from the facility in October 2008, without documentation of cause or family notification.

To view additional information on the case visit: http://www.idph.state.ia.us/IdphPLActions/Archive.aspx  On the drop-down menu, select Nursing Home Administrators Board, and click on the link to a pdf file on the IBNHA’s Notice of Hearing and Statement of Charges pertaining to Worcester.