The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce Image Builders have awarded the Casey’s General Store on Poplar Streetwith a “Community Improvement Award,” for exterior and interior updates and renovation to the former Kum & Go station at 7^th and Poplar Streets. Manager Stacie Hansen accepted the award from committee members Gene Fischer, Bill Saluk and Rich Perry. Hansen said new pumps will be added later in 2013. 

The Image Builders focus on bettering the community image of the greater Atlantic Area in part through projects such as improvement awards and holiday lighting. To nominate a business or residence for an improvement award, call the Atlantic Area Chamber at 712.243.3017.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa lawmakers have adjourned the 2013 session after reaching deals to cut property taxes, revise education policy and provide health care for low-income residents. The Senate concluded just before midnight Wednesday and the House finished voting Thursday morning. The legislation now moves to Gov. Terry Branstad.
 
Property taxes and education changes have been top priorities for Branstad. The property tax plan will cut commercial property taxes, as well as provide some income tax breaks. Under the education deal, schools will get an increase in basic funding and additional dollars will be provided to districts that boost minimum teacher pay and offer leadership perks. 
 
Lawmakers also agreed to a compromise health care plan that will seek federal funding to provide health care coverage to an estimated 150,000 low-income residents.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A compromise plan to cut commercial property taxes in the state has won approval from the state legislature.   The plan was approved in the state House Thursday in an 84-13 vote. It won approval in the state Senate Wednesday. It now moves to Gov. Terry Branstad, who has long sought these tax cuts. 
 
The property tax plan will gradually reduce taxable assessments of commercial properties by 10 percent and provide property tax credits geared for smaller businesses.  The deal also limits the amount that residential property assessments can grow. It includes small income tax credits and increases the state earned income tax credit for low-income workers.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Legislature has approved a deal to accept federal funding to provide health care coverage to low-income residents.  The deal was included in the $1.7 billion state Health and Human Services budget, which includes funding for the departments of Public Health and Human Services. House lawmakers approved the budget in an 80 to 17 vote Thursday morning. It was approved in the Senate Wednesday night.
 
The health agreement would cover an estimated 150,000 Iowans. Those with incomes up to 100 percent of the poverty line would go on a state-run health plan. People with incomes from 101 to 138 percent of poverty would get private health plans on the new health care exchanges. Those premiums would be paid for with the federal dollars. Any deal would need federal approval.

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After an unusually cold start to spring, warmer weather is drawing Iowans outdoors once again. The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) encourages Iowans to take advantage of the many opportunities to become more active outdoors, and also reminds Iowans to protect themselves against tick bites. Ticks can carry the organisms that cause Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Ehrlichiosis.

“The best way to prevent tick bites is to avoid wooded and grassy areas where ticks are usually found,” said IDPH Public Health Veterinarian and Deputy State Epidemiologist, Dr. Ann Garvey. If you do spend time in these areas:

• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long, light-colored pants tucked into socks or boots.
• Stay on trails when walking or hiking, and avoid high grass.
• Use insect repellants that contain DEET.  Read and follow the label directions for application.  DEET is not recommended for use on children under 2 months of age.  For more information on DEET, visit www.idph.state.ia.us/idph_universalhelp/main.aspx?system=IdphEpiManual&context=DEET_factsheet.
• Check yourself, your children and your pets for ticks. Ticks tend to prefer the back of the knee, armpit, scalp, groin, and back of the neck. 

If you discover a tick on your body, remove it right away. Folk remedies, such as burning the tick with a match or covering it with petroleum jelly or nail polish, are not effective. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend the following instructions for removing a tick:

• Carefully grasp the tick by using tweezers to grip the tick by its mouthparts which are close to the skin. Do not squeeze the tick’s body.
• Pull steadily directly away from your skin. Because removing the tick’s body is your main goal, don’t worry if its mouthparts break off in the process.
• Clean the wound and disinfect the site of the bite.

The most common tick-borne disease is Lyme disease; 163 cases of Lyme disease were reported to IDPH in 2012. Not everyone who gets Lyme disease will have the same symptoms, but the best and earliest sign of infection is a rash that may appear within a few days to a month, usually at the site of the tick bite. The rash will first look like a small, red bump, then expand until it begins to look like a bull’s eye, with a red center and a red ring surrounding a clear area. It is important to contact your healthcare provider immediately if you develop this type of rash.

For more information on Lyme disease, visit www.idph.state.ia.us/idph_universalhelp/main.aspx?

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Sheriff’s deputies responding to a report of a stranded motorist in Fremont County early this (Thursday) morning, ended-up arresting two people on drug charges. According to the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, 21-year-old Sierra Adkins, of Clarinda, was arrested at around 2:50-a.m. about five-miles east of Riverton, for drug-related public intoxication. 

Upon further investigation, deputies located in the vehicle, about three grams of methamphetamine, baggies, a scale and numerous other items of drug paraphernalia. They also arrested 39-year-old Heath McClarnon, of Clarinda, for possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver/methamphetamine, carrying a loaded firearm, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

McClarnon was being held in the Fremont County Jail on $50,000 bond, while Adkins’ bond was set at $300. She was being held in the Montgomery County Jail.

Representatives of the Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund have announced the Fund is now classified by the IRS as a public charity, making contributions to the Fund deductible. Melanie Petty, Fund Representative, says they “Incorporated as an Iowa non-profit in 2011, and have been working toward IRS 501(c)(3) designation since that time.” Petty says “It was a lot of paperwork,” but they were fortunate to work with a local attorney whose attention to detail made the process go smoothly.
 
The goal of the Fund is to give back to the community Trevor loved by supporting the projects and organizations that best represent his interests.

Picture: Melanie Petty, Jared Fulk, Noah Welter, and Laena Frederickson. Not present for picture: Liz Guttenfelder.

Recently, the Fund awarded three $750 scholarships to Atlantic High School seniors Liz Guttenfelder, Jared Fulk, and Noah Welter during Class Night. While typically two annual scholarships are awarded at the high school level, a third was added this year as representatives said they simply couldn’t narrow down the applicants any further.
 
In addition to the scholarships, each recipient’s charity of choice will be gifted $200 on their behalf in hopes of encouraging the students to continue to support the things that are meaningful to them. This year’s charities are: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals chosen by Guttenfelder, Remembering Our Fallen chosen by Fulk, and The Michael Rolfe Pancreatic Cancer Foundation chosen by Welter.

The Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund hosts the annual T-Fred Memorial Golf Tournament and Silent Auction as their only fundraiser. This year’s event is scheduled for Saturday, August 10, at Nishna Hills Golf Club inAtlantic.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Senate adjourned the 2013 legislative session late last night, but the House is set to return today for more votes. Lawmakers seemed to be moving to conclusion yesterday after reaching deals to cut property taxes, revise education policy and provide health care for low-income residents.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Senate has approved a deal to accept federal funding to provide health care coverage to low-income residents. The deal was included in the $1.7 billion state Health and Human Services budget, which includes funding for the departments of Public Health and Human Services. Senate lawmakers voted 26-24 in favor of the budget last night. The health agreement would cover an estimated 150,000 Iowans.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Senate has approved a compromise plan to cut commercial property taxes in the state. The plan was approved in a 43-6 vote yesterday. The deal limits the amount that residential property assessments can grow. It also includes small income tax credits and raises the state earned income tax credit for low-income workers.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — As the state Legislature was nearing approval of significant changes to Iowa’s public school system, the Iowa Department of Education director accepted a job as superintendent of a Colorado school district. Eagle County School District in Colorado announced yesterday that Iowa Education Department Director Jason Glass accepted the job. He starts July 1st.