United Group Insurance

Local Rainfall Totals Reported at 7:00 am on Wednesday, September 25, 2024

Ag/Outdoor, Weather

September 25th, 2024 by Jim Field

  • KJAN, Atlantic  .12″
  • 7 miles NNE of Atlantic  .09″
  • Massena  .18″
  • Elk Horn  .11″
  • Villisca  .25″
  • Clarinda  .1″

53 Iowa employees of Yelloh (formerly known as Schwans) will lose their jobs as the company ceases operations in November

News

September 25th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Marshall, MN) – Officials with Yelloh, this week, announced the company will cease all operations in November 2024, closing out a storied 72-year history as a Minnesota pioneer in the food home-delivery market. Founded as Schwan’s in Marshall, Minnesota, in 1952, the company expanded to serve people nationwide, delivering frozen meals, food, treats and ice cream to homes. The company has about 1,100 employees and according to Iowa WARN, 53 employees in Iowa are being laid off.

Yelloh CEO Bernardo Santana said in a news release, “It’s with heavy hearts that we made the difficult decision to cease operations of Yelloh. We are thankful to our many loyal customers and hard-working employees for everything they have done to support us. I am deeply grateful for our employees’ tireless and bold efforts, and our customers’ dedication. It has been our utmost pleasure and honor to serve our customers their favorite meals and frozen treats.”

The company cited multiple insurmountable business challenges for the decision, including economic and market forces, as well as changing consumer lifestyles. Yelloh will wind down operations over the next two months, taking care of employees with notice and pay in accordance with the WARN Act. The last day products may be purchased via Yelloh trucks will be Friday, November 8.

9/24/24 Volleyball Scoreboard

Sports

September 25th, 2024 by Christian Adams

Conference Matchups

Corner Conference

Essex-0  @ Griswold-3  (25-11, 25-5, 25-11)

Fremont Mills- 3 @ East Mills-1  (26-24, 26-24, 15-25, 25-14)

  Rolling Valley

#13 Coon-Rapids Bayard-3  @ Glidden Ralston-2  (25-22, 25-20, 18-25, 21-25, 15-7)

CAM- 3 @ West Harrison-0  (25-20, 25-13, 25-13)

  West Central

Des Moines Christian-3  @ Van Meter-1  (25-17, 21-25, 25-15, 25-19)

West Central Valley-3  @ Ogden-0  (25-23, 25-17, 25-23)

Western Iowa

AHSTW-1  @ Logan-Magnolia-3  (25-20, 25-18, 21-25, 27-25)

Audubon-0  @ Missouri Valley- 3 (28-26, 25-23, 25-18)

Treynor-3  @ Underwood-2  (25-21, 15-25, 28-26, 25-16, 15-11)

IKM-Manning-0  @ Tri-Center-3  (25-18, 25-18, 25-23)

Triangulars

Southwest Valley

Nodaway Valley-0  vs Southwest Valley-2

Central Decatur-0  vs Southwest Valley-2

Central Decatur-2  vs Nodaway Valley-0

Martensdale-St. Mary’s 

Lenox-2  vs Martensdale-St. Mary’s-0

Mount Ayr-0  vs Lenox-2

Kuemper Catholic

Shenandoah-2  vs #7 Kuemper Catholic-3

Atlantic-0  vs #7 Kuemper Catholic-3

Atlantic-0  vs Shenandoah-3

Non-Conference

East Sac County- 0 @ ACGC-3  (25-17, 25-20, 25-23)

 

Results from the Tri-Center XC Invitational

Sports

September 25th, 2024 by Christian Adams

Boys Team Results

  1. Woodbine – 34 pts
  2. Tri-Center – 76 pts
  3. IKM-Manning – 90 pts
  4. Shenandoah – 108 pts
  5. Missouri Valley – 137 pts
  6. Harlan – 149 pts
  7. Boyer Valley – 167 pts
  8. Exira/EHK – 214 pts
  9. Treynor – 267 pts
  10. Underwood – 271 pts
  11. East Mills – 272

Boys Individual Results

1 Wagner, Gunner – Woodbine (16:45.74)
2 Gorham, Dane – Boyer Valley  (17:34.08)
3 Weers, Haven Tri-Center  (17:45.86)
4 Summerfield, Aiden – Woodbine (17:48.67)
5 Rangel, Aiden – MO Valley  (17:52.61)
6 Rasmussen, Austin – Ehk-Exira (17:55.25)
7 Davis, Brodie – Logan-Magnolia (18:01.06)
8 Estrada, Evan – Woodbine (18:05.94 7)
9 Wingert, Owen – Woodbine (18:07.50)
10 Morris, Camden – Ikm-Manning (18:12.00)

33 Jensen, Jeyden – Treynor  (20:05.23)

36 Thomas, Jason – Underwood  (20:12.29)

55 Schultes, Brody – Audubon (21:54.33)
57 Reinhart, Tim – Ehk-Exira (22:12.97)
58 Baggett, Ben – Ehk-Exira (22:17.50)

Girls Team Results

  1. Harlan – 36 pts
  2. Treynor – 88 pts
  3. Logan-Magnolia – 98
  4. Tri-Center – 108 pts
  5. Boyer Valley – 115
  6. IKM-Manning – 119
  7. Shenandoah – 143
  8. Exira/EK – 184 pts

Girls Individual Results

1 Sonderman, Lindsey  – Harlan  (18:49.06)
2 Johnsen, Allysen – Logan-Magnolia  (20:30.87)
3 Rau, Ashlyn – Harlan (20:36.56)
4 Cue, Hailey – Boyer Valley (21:04.04)
5 Lapel, Adyson – Woodbine  (21:07.43)
6 Kerkmann, Madalyn – Treynor (21:14.73)
7 Schechinger, Brylee – Harlan  (21:19.58 6
8 Sporrer, Madison – Logan-Magnolia (21:23.20)
9 Boden, Addison – Tri-Center (21:24.89)

10 Cogdill, Reagan – Woodbine  (21:31.64)

11 Steinmetz, Grace – Heartland Christ (21:42.69)
12 Schneckloth, Quincey – Tri-Center (21:47.15 9)
13 Falkena, Mariah – Boyer Valley (21:55.73)
14 Garrison, Raegan – Ikm-Manning (22:01.15)

19 Wilson, Michelle –  Exira/EHK  (22:15.33)
20 Egbert, Hailey –  Shenandoah (22:17.33 16)

Iowa native’s ‘Barons’ book skewers corporate greed in American food industry

News

September 25th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A seventh generation Iowan who’s an agricultural and anti-trust research fellow at Yale University is back in Iowa this week talking about his book that’s focused on monopolies and tycoons in the food industry. Austin Frerick zeroes in on seven corporate giants which he says are “cartoonishly criminal,” raking in billions of dollars disguised as farm fresh, hometown neighbors, while manipulating lax laws for their own tremendous financial benefit. “That Whole Foods consumer wants to think they’re getting a different product than the Dollar General consumer, but it’s really kind of the same product,” Frerick says. “You might see what looks like a competitive marketplace on the peanut butter shelf. It’s actually just one company that has like a 78% market share because they have the different brand points for different incomes, and usually the market share is higher because they do the store brand, too.”

In his book, “Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America’s Food Industry,” Frerick blames a “lack of courage” by our public servants to stand up the these monoliths, with their armies of lawyers. He says he can back up every claim. “That’s why I have almost 1,000 citations,” Frerick says. “You’re going to write book like this, you’ve got to cross your t’s and dot your i’s. My book’s only 200 pages, but I have like 70 pages of footnotes, because I want people to see every little thing. Even though these things might sound outlandish or crazy, I have a piece of evidence for everything I lay out in my book.”

Frerick singles out a former Iowa governor, U-S Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, for giving U-S-D-A contracts to meat processing “baron” J-B-S, a multinational corporation Frerick says was convicted of criminal behavior. Frerick names a lot of names, and was asked by Radio Iowa if he was ever concerned about his personal welfare in writing a book so critical of massive corporations and powerful individuals. “To be honest with you, I wasn’t, and I think that’s the beauty of America, that I can write a book like this and not worry about my safety,” Frerick says. “That’s the beauty of democracy, but on the flip side, part of this book is me grappling with what happened to Iowa in my lifetime, which should be the Tuscany of North America. How does it now have a water crisis, obesity crisis and a cancer crisis?”

Frerick grew up in Cedar Rapids and says he’s saddened by how his home state has been polluted, but he notes, you can complain or do something about it, and the book is his way of doing something about it. He’s very concerned about Iowa’s future, as he says we may be witnessing the last days for corn-based ethanol, an industry worth five-billion dollars a year to the state’s economy. “Ethanol is going to phase out. Cars are moving to hybrids and electric vehicles. What are we going to do with that corn land that will no longer be needed for ethanol? That’s what I want to focus on, is how do we bring back the middle class farmer? How do we stabilize these systems?” Frerick says. “Everyone is just seeing the current system is not working in America, the food doesn’t taste good, and you’re being gouged for it. We’re paying more for junk, essentially.”

What’s a consumer to do? While he advocates buying local, Frerick says personal consumption won’t change these structures, but congressional legislation can. He’s appearing tonight (Wednesday) at 7 PM at the Des Moines Public Library’s central library, as well as at the Harkin Institute at Drake University, and the Des Moines Lyceum (ly-SEE-um) Movement on Thursday night.

Union says inmates assaulted prison workers at state penitentiary

News

September 25th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The union representing state corrections officers says two prison workers were assaulted by an inmate Monday at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison. AFSCME Council 61 president Todd Copley issued a statement that says correctional officers across the state are being asked to work under dangerous, understaffed, and under-resourced conditions, and says they’re not seeing the leadership needed from the Governor’s office to address these issues.

The Iowa Department of Corrections issued a statement saying it is aware of the AFSCME statement in regards to an assault at the Iowa State Penitentiary. The statement says the Department doesn’t comment on open investigations and goes on to say “The safety of our correctional officers and inmates is of top importance. We are committed to implementing best practices in security, training, and compliance to create an environment where all individuals can feel safe.”

Girls Cross Country Results from the Creston Invitational

Sports

September 25th, 2024 by Christian Adams

Team Results

  1. Earlham – 39 pts
  2. Martensdale-St. Marys – 44 pts
  3. Creston – 87 pts
  4. Central Decatur – 101 pts
  5. Clarinda – 112 pts
  6. Wayne – 134 pts
  7. Chariton – 203 pts

Individual Results

  1. Karson Oberender – Martensdale st Marys ( 20:15.7)
  2.  Maclaine German – Martensdale St. Marys (20:22.8)
  3.  Hannah Frank – Earlham (21:04.0)
  4.  Mackenzie Harger  – Earlham (21:10.9)
  5.  Cora Smith – Creston (21:21.6)
  6.  Taylor Rodgers – Earlham (21:26.1)
  7.  Riley King – Clarinda (21:33.0)
  8.  Addyson Schreck – Central Decatur (22:01.6)
  9.  Penelope Wearmouth – Martensdale St. Marys (22:07.8)
  10.  Taylor Leahy – Central Decatur (22:11.5 )

Earlham

11. Amanda Smith – 22:19.7

15. Cece Stanley – 22:44.1

16. Kinsley Canoyer – 22:48.1

22. Shea Rodgers – 24:03.6

Creston

12. Reese Strunk – 22:23.1

13. Payton Davis – 22:34.8

26. Karter Clayton – 25:01.0

31. Maylee Riley – 25:15.4

32. Karlie Kruse – 25:38.4

34. Abby Freeman – 26:46.2

Clarinda

21. Alexa Barnes – 24:02.2

27. Tatum Comer – 25:07.8

28. Lily Weinreich – 25:09.0

29. Kambry Gordon – 25:10.7

33. Richlyn Muff – 26:22.6

36. Izzy Randall – 27:16.2

Skyscan Forecast for Atlantic & the KJAN listening area: Wed., Sept. 25, 2024

Weather

September 25th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Today: Sunny, with a high near 78. Winds North at around 5 mph.
Tonight: Clear, with a low around 50.
Tomorrow: Sunny, with a high near 80. E/SE wind 5-10 mph.
Tom. Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 51.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 80.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 53.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.

Tuesday’s High in Atlantic was 76. We received .12″ of rain. The Low was 44. Last year on this date, the high in Atlantic was 78 and the Low was 52. The Record High in Atlantic on Sept. 25th was 90 in 1897, and the Record Low was 25 in 1893. Sunrise: 7:10-a.m.; Sunset: 7:13-p.m.

Capitol rioter from Iowa mistakenly released from prison

News

September 25th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Washington, D-C) – The federal Bureau of Prisons mistakenly released an Iowa man from custody before he finished serving his 30-month sentence for storming the Senate chamber during a mob’s attack on the U.S. Capitol, Justice Department prosecutors said in a court filing this week. WHO-TV in Des Moines reports Leo Christopher Kelly of Cedar Rapids was freed last Thursday after an appeals court agreed to throw out one of his convictions stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, riot.

But prosecutors believe Kelly’s release was a mistake because he only served 11 months of his 30-month sentence. In a court filing Monday, they asked U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth for a hearing to address Kelly’s release. The Bureau of Prisons told The Associated Press that Kelly was “inadvertently released” last week after a “misinterpretation of a court order.” The bureau’s statement doesn’t elaborate on the reason for the error, but it says that Kelly, 39, reported to a probation officer “as instructed” and remains free while awaiting a resentencing hearing.

Prosecutors also are asking the judge to schedule a hearing for resentencing now that Kelly’s only felony conviction has been tossed by the federal appeals court for the District of Columbia circuit. In May 2023, a jury convicted Kelly of all seven counts in his indictment. One of his convictions was for a charge that he obstructed an official proceeding, the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress for certifying President Joe Biden ‘s electoral victory over Donald Trump.

In June, however, the U.S. Supreme Court limited the government’s use of that obstruction charge. The justices ruled 6-3 that the charge of obstructing an official proceeding must include proof that defendants tried to tamper with or destroy documents. After the ruling, prosecutors and defense attorney Nicholas Smith joined in asking the appeals court to vacate Kelly’s obstruction conviction. His remaining convictions were for misdemeanor offenses. Judge Lamberth sentenced Kelly in August 2023 and refused to release him pending the outcome of his appeal. Lamberth indicated last month that he was unlikely to reduce Kelly’s sentence.

A Bureau of Prisons database doesn’t specify where Kelly was serving his sentence when he was released last week.

A day before the Jan. 6 riot, Kelly drove to Washington, D.C., to attend then-President Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House. He marched to the Capitol, joined other rioters in entering the building and made his way to the Senate floor. Kelly approached the dais where then-Vice President Mike Pence had just presided over the Senate. He took videos of documents on desks — including a ballot sheet, handwritten notes and a script — before police cleared the rioters out of the chamber.

Approximately 1,500 people have been charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes. More than 600 of them have been convicted and sentenced to a term of imprisonment ranging from a few days to 22 years.

Gov. Reynolds & Atty. General Bird rank low in a recent Iowa poll

News

September 25th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Des Moines, Iowa) A new poll shows Gov. Kim Reynolds’ job approval rating is the lowest it has been since she first took office in May of 2017. The latest Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll reveals half of Iowans disapprove of the job she’s doing as governor.

Iowans have been polled 18 times since Reynolds has been in office as the state’s governor. This September, 45% of Iowans polled say they approve of her job performance, while 50% disapprove. The same poll shows Republican Attorney General Brenna Bird with a job approval rating of 39%.

State Auditor Rob Sand, a Democrat, is polling a job approval rating of 53%. That’s the highest approval rating among Iowa’s statewide elected officials.