United Group Insurance

Red Oak woman arrested on warrant Tuesday

News

August 1st, 2017 by Jim Field

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of 31-year-old Sara Sue Batten of Red Oak on a valid Montgomery County warrant for Failure to Appear and Resisting a Court Order. Batten was arrested at 11:19am in the 800 block of East Washington Avenue. She was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $100 cash bond.

Drake athletic director Hatfield-Clubb out after 11 years

Sports

August 1st, 2017 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Drake athletic director Sandy Hatfield-Clubb is leaving the Bulldogs after 11 years. The school announced Tuesday that Hatfield-Clubb’s last day will be Friday. It says Hatfield-Clubb has accepted a senior partner position with the Pictor Group, an intercollegiate athletics consulting firm. Associate director Megan Franklin will serve as Drake’s interim athletic director while the school searches for a new director.

Hatfield-Clubb is perhaps best known for expanding the Drake Relays track meet and hiring current women’s basketball coach Jennie Baranczyk, who led the Bulldogs back to the Top 25 a year ago. Hatfield-Clubb’s last two men’s basketball coaching hires, Mark Phelps and Ray Giacoletti, failed to turn the program into Missouri Valley Conference contenders.

Tyson settles lawsuit with Iowa workers for $5.8M

Ag/Outdoor, News

August 1st, 2017 by Ric Hanson

STORM LAKE, Iowa (AP) – Tyson Foods has settled a 10-year-old class-action lawsuit and will disburse nearly $6 million to more than 3,900 current and former employees at a northwest Iowa pork plant. The Sioux City Journal reports that Storm Lake employees sued the Arkansas-based company in 2007 to collect back pay for the time they spent putting on and taking off protective work clothes and equipment before and after their work shifts.

A Sioux City federal jury ruled in favor of the workers in 2011, a decision the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld in 2014. Tyson appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. The court rejected the company’s appeal in March 2016 to limit workers’ ability to challenge pay and workplace issues.

Tyson spokesman Gary Mickelson says each worker will receive about $1,700.

Suspect in multiple Walnut burglaries taken into custody

News

August 1st, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Authorities say an investigation by the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office into multiple burglaries occurring in the City of Walnut has resulted in an arrest.  38-year old Jason W. Anderson, of Walnut, was arrested on the following charges: Ongoing Criminal Conduct; 9 counts of Burglary in the 3rd degree;   Attempted Burglary; 3 counts of Theft in the 4th degree; 2 counts of 5th degree Theft; and 2 counts of Criminal Mischief.

Anderson is alleged to have committed burglaries at the following locations: Peace United Church of Christ; First Presbyterian Church; St. Patrick’s Catholic Church; Calvary Baptist Church; The Village Blacksmith Mall; Rusty Farm Girls Primitives; Mabel’s Old-Fashioned Rose, and Forget-Me-Nots (2 counts)

After receiving tips from the community, searches were conducted in the City of Walnut, City of Avoca and the City of Harlan.  The tips led to the recovery of property taken during the burglaries. The Pott. County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the incidents to determine if any further charges will be filed. The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office was assisted in their investigation, by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and Harlan Police Department.

Jason W. Anderson

Elite Octane announces job openings

Ag/Outdoor, News

August 1st, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Officials with the Elite Octane, LLC ethanol plant in Atlantic, have just launched a website featuring information about the construction project, and information on available jobs. Go to www.eliteoctane.net and look for the “Join our team” careers tab for the Job Board.

The company has each position listed that they intend to hire, a job description, and a note on what the position will pay. You can also see an aerial view of the ethanol plant as it’s under construction.

From the Elite Octane home page

Portsmouth man arrested Monday afternoon for 2nd offense Public Intox.

News

August 1st, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Sheriff’s Deputies in Shelby County, Monday afternoon, arrested 26 year old Zachary David Snethen, of Portsmouth, after deputies were called to a residence in Portsmouth. Snethen was charged with Public Intoxication/2nd offense – a Serious Misdemeanor. He was brought to the Shelby County Jail without incident where he awaits an initial appearance before a magistrate.

Zachary Snethen

Burger boat sinks in Mississippi river

News

August 1st, 2017 by Ric Hanson

CLINTON, Iowa (AP) – A popular boat-based food vendor has sunk after hitting a submerged barrier in the Mississippi River in eastern Iowa. Sonya Carey-Otte is co-owner of MiMi’s Burger Boat. She tells the Quad-City Times that the boat was traveling about 5 mph toward the Fulton Marina Sunday when it collided with a barrier that ripped a hole in the front of the ship. Carey-Otte says following a three-hour wait everyone on the boat was rescued by authorities.

The boat remains partially submerged in the river. A U.S. Coast Guard spokesman says the owners are responsible for removing the boat from the water. Carey-Otte reached out to Chad Pregracke of Living Lands & Waters. Pregracke says it will likely take a couple days to lift the heavy steel boat from the water.

Sen. Grassley “embarrassed” at failings of GOP on health care

News

August 1st, 2017 by Ric Hanson

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he got an earful during his town hall meetings over the weekend from plenty of Iowans who are upset about the nation’s health care situation. Grassley, a Republican, says he’s upset, too, because his party controls both chambers of Congress and the White House, but can’t seem to find a solution to this important issue. Grassley says, “It’s going to be difficult for me to answer because all weekend in Iowa I got, ‘Well, what’s next?’ and I had to tell people I’m embarrassed that we didn’t get the job done in the first place and I’m embarrassed that I can’t tell you what we’re going to do next.”

Republicans have been pushing to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, but those efforts have all fallen short. Grassley says he’s disappointed on a couple of levels. “Disappointed from a standpoint of the collective responsibility of Republicans,” Grassley says. “After seven years, having all sorts of excuses until now, when we have the House, Senate and the presidency, and not being able to deliver.”

Grassley says he’s perturbed that the repeal-and-replace process is even necessary and he faults Democrats for that. “Disappointed from the standpoint of the failure of Obamacare because of the broken promises, like, if you like your doctor, you can keep it, if you like your insurance, you can keep it, your premiums are going to go down,” Grassley says. “Everything has been the opposite of what they had promised back in 2010.”

Grassley says Republicans are “supposed to pick up the pieces” and they’ve been given a “mandate” by the nation’s voters to do so, yet they’re failing to deliver.

(Radio Iowa)

Backyard & Beyond 8-1-2017

Backyard and Beyond, Podcasts

August 1st, 2017 by Jim Field

LaVon Eblen visits with Denise O’Brien about the 20th anniversary of the Women, Food & Agriculture Network.

Play

AUGUST 2017

Birthday Club

August 1st, 2017 by admin

August 1st:

  • Barbara Curtis of Atlantic (Winner)
  • Larry Jessen of Exira
  • Jody Parks of Glenwood
  • Judy Rasmussen of Papillion, NE
  • Trevor Gipple of Griswold

August 2nd:

  • Toby Thomas of Atlantic (Winner)
  • Judy McClure of Atlantic
  • Astin Jensen of Lewis
  • Mayne Jorgensen of Exira
  • June Lindeman

August 3rd:

  • Rachel Jensen of Brayton (Winner)
  • Clarissa Terpstra of Exira
  • Tracey Marshall of Atlantic
  • Riley Smith of Griswold

August 4th:

  • Kelsi Jo Templeman of Wiota (Winner)
  • Linda Petersen of Exira
  • Mike Krull of Atlantic

August 5th:

  • Karen Kitelinger of Elk Horn (Winner)
  • Martin Nelson of Elk Horn
  • John King of Casey

August 6th:

  • Wendell Weideman of Atlantic (Winner)
  • Jordan Westphalen of Atlantic
  • Dwain Thompson of Exira
  • Roger Steffens of Atlantic

August 7th:

  • James Mortensen of Kimballton (Winner)
  • Chuck Sorenson of Exira
  • Linda Marek of Anita
  • Phyllis Kay of Atlantic
  • Michael Brousseau of Griswold

August 8th:

  • Elena Kelly of Omaha (Winner)
  • John Baker of Colorado

August 9th:

  • Gloria Sutton of Audubon (Winner)
  • Ann Martin of Exira
  • Jon Johnson

August 10th:

  • Treva Pitka of Atlantic (Winner)
  • Larry Johnson of Exira
  • Kent Euken of Witoa
  • Lois Nelson of Atlantic
  • Zoey Nielsen of Exira
  • Jason Beemer of Atlantic

August 11th:

  • Angene Lyman of Atlantic (Winner)

August 12th:

  • Dale Langenfeld, Sr. of Exira (Winner)

August 13th:

  • Herb Wahlert of Exira (Winner)

August 14th:

  • Linda Riesberg of Exira
  • Denise Lowary of Atlantic

August 15th:

  • John Ehrman of Casey (Winner)

August 16th:

  • Mallory Pope of Harlan (Winner)
  • Darcie Jorgensen of Exira
  • Roger Steele
  • Hannah Housh of Atlantic

August 17th:

  • Savannah Hays of Exira (Winner)
  • Margo Wolfe of Atlantic
  • Janice Peterson of Atlantic

August 18th:

  • Pat Saltmarsh of Atlantic (Winner)
    Barb Larsen of Exira
  • Colby Madsen of Kimballton
  • John Oliphant of Atlantic
  • Bobbie Davis of Atlantic
  • Joan Bates of Griswold

August 19th:

  • Issac Hart of Atlantic
  • Rose Tanner of Atlantic
  • Ivan Lynch of Griswold

August 20th:

  • no birthdays submitted

August 21st:

  • Juliann Daniels of Atlantic (Winner)
  • Ardella Petersen of Exira
  • Jeff Lowary of Atlantic

August 22nd:

  • Margie Herbert of Atlantic (Winner)
  • Todd Nielsen of Exira
  • Sherri Brink of Atlantic
  • Eugene Topolelewski of Atlantic
  • Dick Wright of Atlantic

August 23rd:

  • Jovie Trailer of Brayton (Winner)
  • Lila Huff of Anita
  • Karen Oathoudt of Atlantic
  • Lauri Nichols of Atlantic
  • Seth Hansen of Atlantic

August 24th:

  • Barbara Jean Duvall of Audubon (Winner)
  • Sandy Kneisel of Griswold
  • Sharon Foster of Griswold
  • Tyler Mosier
  • Charlie Wheeler of Exira
  • Mark Jespersen of Atlantic
  • Doug Jensen of Audubon

August 25th:

  • Ryan Schueman of Avoca (Winner)
  • Brenda Swope of Atlantic
  • Terry Mathisen of Atlantic
  • Megan Potter of Griswold
  • Karen McFadden of Urbandale
  • Andi Crane of Exira
  • Trinity Zynda of Atlantic
  • Tina Hansen of Atlantic

August 26th:

  • Julie Mortensen of Kimballton (Winner)
  • Janice Kinnison of Atlantic

August 27th:

  • Chance Lauritsen of Exira (Winner)
  • Stephanie Graham of Atlantic

August 28th:

  • Isabella Davis of Atlantic (Winner)
  • Madonna Nisson of Atlantic
  • Branson Westphalen of Atlantic
  • Barbara Lamp of Atlantic
  • Irene Rydl of Anita
  • Melanie Cox of Lewis

August 29th:

  • Codi Olsen of Audubon (Winner)
  • Casey Westphalen of Atlantic
  • Marilyn Munch of Exira
  • Melanie Larsen of Audubon

August 30th:

  • Donnie Schlater of Exira (Winner)
  • Charlene Johnson of Atlantic
  • Fern Lindvall of Atlantic

August 31st:

  • Kim Muerer of Atlantic (Winner)
  • Aiden Petersen of Atlantic