(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department says a resident of the community reported Wednesday, that someone has stolen his 2017 Dodge RAM 2500 pickup truck. The vehicle was last seen at around 9-p.m. Tuesday. The loss was estimated at just under $10,000.
(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports a man was arrested early this (Thursday) morning, on an Assault charge. 35-year-old Malachi Jesus Hilkey was arrested at around 3:40-a.m. in the 1200 block of 130th Street, in Montgomery County. Hilkey was charged with Assault on persons in certain occupations – without injury (a Serious Misdemeanor).
He was taken into custody with the assistance of Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Deputies and transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where his bond was set at $1,000.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic School District Superintendent Dr. Beth Johnson, Wednesday, told members of the Atlantic School Board, that the district’s Robotics Team was notified they have been awarded three grants totaling $14,000, as part of the start-up process of funding a robotics course as part of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) program.
Board member Kristy Pellett mentioned the district has had a robotics program in the past, and asked if there was a way to incorporate the new program into a TAG (Talented And Gifted) funding and TAG programs.
A Robotics Club will be funded through grants for the first year, but that does not cover the costs of club member’s lodging, food and transportation to competitive events. The Board discussed having district patrons and businesses help defray team costs in the future. During the action portion of the Board’s meeting, Wednesday, they approved Stacey Schmidt and Andy Mitchell as Robotics Club Sponsors.
In other business, Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB) Executive Director D.T. Magee presented Atlantic School Board President Laura McClean, with an award of appreciation for her service on the State board. McLean has served on the Board since 2003. Her District 7 representation expires at the end of the month. About three months ago, McLean was hired by the City of Atlantic for the City Clerk’s position.
Magee said they are excited for her new job duties, but “It came at a loss for us.”
He presented her with an award of recognition, Wednesday evening.
The Audubon Wheelers boys basketball team’s season got off to a fast and solid start. Last week, the Wheelers opened the season with a back-to-back and then followed that up with a third game on Friday. After dropping their season opener against Coon Rapids-Bayard last Monday, the Wheelers rebounded on Tuesday with a 56-48 win over Underwood. Although they dropped Friday’s game to a solid Treynor team, the Wheelers rebounded earlier this week with a 59-50 win over Missouri Valley. Head coach Darran Miller said that the rapid start to the season has given him an easy path to seeing what his team needs to work on.
Although there are things to work on, Miller has seen positives in Audubon’s start to the season.
Leading the charge for the Wheelers are a pair of juniors. Brody Shcultes is off to a great start and currently leads the team, averaging 10.7 points per game and hitting 48% of his field goals. He also had an 18-point outing against Underwood last week where he hit 7-of-12 from the field and shot 50% from beyond the arc. Brody Weber is also having a solid averaging 7.7 points per game and put up 13 points last week against Underwood. Miller has been happy with the work they did to put themselves in a position to succeed.
In addition to Schultes and Weber, Miller feels like his team has solid depth. Mason Steckler led the charge with 12 points in the team’s loss to the Crusaders while Aaron Olsen and Carson Wessel have also contributed.
Audubon will continue the 2024-25 campaign on Friday when they host the 3-1 IKM-Manning Wolves. Miller says the Wheelers will need to be ready to go against a talented Wolves team.
Tip-off in Audubon is scheduled for 7:30 pm.
(Atlantic, Iowa) [corrects spelling of Johnson’s first name]– Atlantic resident Eric Johnson spoke before the Atlantic School Board Wednesday night during the Public Comment portion of their agenda, with regard to reports of bed bugs in the district’s buildings.
Johnson said on November 22nd, 2024, bed bugs were discovered on one or more students at the Atlantic High School. Those students, he said, have younger siblings at the Schuler Elementary School.
Eric Johnson said he spoke with Atlantic School District Superintendent Dr. Beth Johnsen on December 5. “She alleged that the whole school board was aware of this issue,” he said.
Eric Johnson speaks during the Atlantic School Board meeting, Dec. 11, 2024
Eric Johnson said the Dept. of Public Health believes the District is handling the issue properly, and that they will not be stepping-in until it becomes a bigger issue or an infestation at the schools.
He said he agrees the affected students’ rights to a public education cannot be deprived, but there are other policies in-place to protect the health and safety of staff and students. He went on to say that “Inaction on the ground we [the district] don’t have a policy on that [bed bugs], “Is completely unacceptable,” and parents who pull their children out of school until the situation is resolved may be held legally accountable, and “the infestation will be allowed to continue.”
Johnson said he thinks the entire Trojan community is at risk. The Atlantic School Board typically does not respond to statement made during the public comment period, but those statements are entered into the record.
Read Johnson’s full statement here: letter from Eric Johnson presented to Board Meeting Dec 11 2024
The Griswold Tigers Boys Basketball are looking to excel and improve under new head coach Ryan Lockwood. After finishing with a 5-16 record a year ago, the Tigers are off to a better start this year. Griswold kicked off the season last week by taking two out of their first three games. Although they dropped Tuesday’s game to East Mills, they sit at 2-2 and 1-1 in the conference heading into Friday’s matchup. The Tiger’s schedule is riddled with conference opponents as three of their first five games come against conference foes. Lockwood says that starting against conference opponents like this is a great early test.
Under Lockwood Griswold’s philosophy will focus on teamwork, community, and playing a hard up-tempo style of basketball.
Last week the Tigers did just that. Griswold grabbed a season-opening 68-39 win over Fremont-Mills on Tuesday. Body Wyman had an excellent performance with 24 points and was 3-for-3 from long range. After dropping Thursday’s game to Southwest Valley, the Tigers rebounded with a hard-fought comeback 56-47 win against Heartland Christian. This time it was Peyton Cook’s turn to lead the way. He finished the contest with 18 points while shooting 57.1% from the field. They also allowed less than 50 points in two of their first three games which has been one of Lockwood’s biggest takeaways.
Lockwood has also been impressed with his team’s determination.
Lockwood also has a trio of talented seniors leading the way for him this season. Zane Johnson currently leads the offensive drive for the Tigers averaging 12.3 points per game and had an 18-point night against Fremont-Mills. Wyman and Cook aren’t far behind with Wyman averaging 12 per game and Cook averaging 10. Lockwood has been proud of not only them but the way the seniors as a whole have led the team. He also is happy with the way they have distributed the ball as a team.
Griswold will close out the week with another conference opponent by visiting Essex. Tipoff on Friday is scheduled for 7 pm.
(Radio Iowa) – Many Iowans already have big plans for New Year’s Eve, so the Iowa Department of Natural Resources is suggesting anyone who loves the outdoors to take part in an event on New Year’s Day. Sherry Arntzen, chief of the D-N-R’s Parks, Forests and Preserves Bureau, says what are known as First Day Hikes are being held on January 1st at dozens of Iowa’s state parks. “It’s just a fantastic way for people to get out and start the year,” Arntzen says. “Everybody makes New Year’s resolutions, and if one of them is to get healthy, why not go out and enjoy getting healthy in our state parks?” The First Day Hikes tradition started in Iowa in 2012 as a way of launching the new year with a new outlook on the outdoors and getting healthy.
Arntzen says participants are surrounded by the quiet beauty of nature in winter, and they experience spectacular views, beautiful settings and the cultural treasures offered by Iowa’s state parks. “A lot of our parks, people don’t realize, are open year-round,” Arntzen says, “weather, obviously dependent for road conditions, but it’s a great way to get out and enjoy the outdoors in the off-season when people don’t typically think of going outside.” First Day Hikes are being offered in 45 of Iowa’s state parks on the first day of 2025, and there are essentially two different types of hikes. “This year, we have 19 parks that are offering hosted guided hikes. They have a meeting area, and you actually tour along with either a park person or a friends group member,” Arntzen says. “A number of them have refreshments available, hot cocoa or snacks, and it starts at a designated time.”
The other 26 hikes are self-guided and while most of them are just one or two miles, some are longer, depending on the location. Find full details here: www.iowadnr.gov/firstdayhikes
(Radio Iowa) – The U-S Department of Labor says it has reached an agreement with a Minneapolis-based construction services provider on allegations of sexual harassment by employees in Iowa.
The Labor Department says the conciliation agreement with Ryan Companies will have them pay 350-thousand dollars to resolve allegations employees faced sexual harassment, a hostile work environment or retaliatory actions after cooperating with federal investigators. The incidents happened while the company worked on federally funded projects including the construction of the new federal courthouse in Des Moines. The federal compliance office determined the harassment was severe and pervasive, and officials with Ryan Companies knew of and, in some instances, participated in the harassment.
The federal compliance office is seeking employees in Des Moines who may be due payment or job placement as a result of Ryan’s actions. They are asked to contact the office.
MASON CITY, Iowa (KTTC) – Christopher Revak, a deceased suspect in Jodi Huisentruit’s murder case, is once again the focus of the on-going investigation. Huisentruit went missing in 1995 while on her way to work at KIMT-TV in Mason City. She has not been seen or heard from since.
According to findjodi.com, a Mason City Police (MCPD) Sargent assigned to the case is expected to meet with a Wisconsin investigator to compare notes and discuss an old lead that was previously dismissed by the MCPD. Wood County Wisconsin Sheriff’s office say they believe Wisconsin Rapids native Christopher Revak could be responsible for the crime. However, Revak took his own life while in a Missouri jail one day after being charged with second-degree murder for the March 2007 death of Rene Williams.
MCPD Sgt. Terrance Prochaska said the cases of two women who went missing in Missouri may be related to Revak.
The most recent tip led investigators to Winsted, MN, where someone had thought they might have discovered human remains. The recent search only discovered animal remains.
Today: Cloudy w/a 30% chance of snow or flurries this morning. Gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 20. E/NE winds 5-10 mph. Wind chill values as low as 5. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 9. E winds 10-20. Wind chill values as low as -5.
Tomorrow: A chance of freezing rain after noon, mixing with rain after 3pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 34. E/SE winds 1-25 mph. Wind chill values as low as -5. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Tom. Night: Freezing rain before midnight, then rain. Low around 25. New ice accumulation of less than a 0.1 of an inch possible.
Saturday: A 40% chance of rain, mainly before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 40.
Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24.
Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 44.
Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31.
Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 43. Breezy.
Wednesday’s High in Atlantic was 19. Our Low this morning, 11. Last year on this date, the High in Atlantic was 39 & the Low was 16. The Record High here on Dec. 12th, was 62 in 1921 & 1968, and the Record Low was -20 in 1932. Sunrise: 7:36. Sunset: 4:50.
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