(Creston, Iowa) – Officials with the Creston Police Department report two recent arrests and an incident of burglary. Authorities say 42-year-old Nicholas Allen Foltz, of Mount Ayr, was arrested Monday evening on a charge of Driving While Revoked. Foltz was taken to the Union County Jail and later was released on a $1,000 cash or surety bond. And, at around 12:14-a.m. today (Tuesday), Creston Police arrested 20-year-old Jordyn Marie Gonzales, of Creston, for OWI/1st Offense, and on five-counts of Contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Gonzales was taken to the Union County Jail and later released on a $2,500 cash or surety bond.

Authorities report also, Officers were dispatched at around 12:50-a.m. today (Tuesday), to the Medicap Pharmacy in Creston, for an alarm going off. Upon arrival the building it was determined the business had been burglarized. The loss was estimated at $1,400.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A traffic stop early this (Tuesday) morning in Red Oak, resulted in a high-speed pursuit and an eventual arrest of the driver. According to Red Oak Police, 39-year-old Michael Scott Stafford, of Red Oak, was charged with Felony Eluding. His bond was set at $5,000. Authorities say a little after 12-a.m. Tuesday, Officers with the Red Oak Police Department attempted to stop a vehicle for a traffic infraction. Upon turning on their emergency lights and sirens, the driver of the suspect vehicle failed to yield and took-off on Broadway Street northbound, eluding officers.

The vehicle continued north on Highway 48, with speeds of up to 105-miles per hour. The vehicle then turned west onto 130th Street, and south onto F Avenue before driving through a private residential driveway and onto their property. The vehicle rammed through two cattle gates before becoming stuck in the mud in the cattle lot with one of the gates was wedged under the vehicle.

Stafford refused to cooperate with law enforcement commands to exit the vehicle. After a short time, he removed himself from the vehicle and was taken into custody. Red Oak Police were assisted during the incident by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and K9 Unit, the Iowa State Patrol, Deputies from the Pottawattamie and Mills County Sheriff’s Offices, Red Oak Fire Department and the K9 “Bane.”

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The City Council in Atlantic will meet at 5:30-p.m. Wednesday (June 5th), in their chambers at City Hall. During their session, the Council will discuss with officials from Vision Atlantic, a proposal to utilize Tax Increment Financing (TIF) for the Camblin Hills Development and Child Development project. During their meeting on May 15th, the Council adopted a resolution to sell City-owned property purchased from the Comes Family Trust in 2022, to Vision Atlantic for the sum of One-dollar, in exchange for what City Administrator John Lund says is “A tremendous amount of capital investment into the area”: More than $4.1-million in infrastructure; $48.8-million in housing, and a $10.7-million child development center on the land. Part of the proposal includes a TIF rebate not to exceed $10.5-million over a period of 15-years. Lund says “This would be the largest project, and the largest multi-entity partnership ever seen in Atlantic’s history. The scale of capital investment is enormous.”

Following discussion on the TIF proposal, the Atlantic City Council will review, discuss and act on an Order to Approve a Low-to-moderate Income (LMI) Reduction Waiver Request to the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA), on behalf of Vision Atlantic and the aforementioned development project. John Lund says Iowa Finance and IEDA Director Debi Durham has encouraged the City to apply for a waiver to grant the project “maximum flexibility to succeed,” however a local government must apply for the waiver as part of its Urban Renewal Project amendment and development agreement.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will act on an Order to Approve a Professional Services Agreement with Snyder & Associates (at a cost of $25,000), for a Downtown Treescape Improvement Master Plan, which includes options, public engagement and Budget estimates. John Lund says Calendar Year 2025 is the year the City kicks-off the next round of a Street Improvement Program, with an inflation-adjusted total of over $3.23-million scheduled for the period, and which includes over $1-million in approved funding from the City’s State Transportation Improvement (TIP) program, to largely address West 22nd Street. The largest project on the schedule is an asphalt overlay in the downtown area, at a cost of more than $1.86-million. The project covers 2nd-through 6th Streets, from Poplar to Walnut, and Chestnut Street from the Depot south, to 7th Street. Lund says the project, while likely disruptive, will provide an opportunity for the City to address the problem of overgrown tree roots structures, which are lifting sidewalks and breaking through their grate coverings. He says it doesn’t mean the trees will go away, but the problem must be addressed.

The Council is expected to set June 19th at 5:30-p.m., as the date and time for a Public Hearing on an Amended FY2024 Budget (See below). The hearing takes place in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall. And, the Council is expected to act on setting July 3rd, 4th and 5th from Noon-until 11-p.m. each day, as the dates and times for the use of fireworks inside the City Limits.

(Radio Iowa) – Most kids look forward to summer vacation, but three months away from school and friends can cause some children to feel isolated and spiral into depression, anxiety and even substance use. Avery Desy, adolescent unit coordinator at Rosecrance Behavioral Health in Sioux City, says the lack of structure and routine during the summer break can be difficult for some pre-teens and teens. “Kids are often looking for things to do and not finding many things to do,” Desy says, “and with someone who’s already struggling with being triggered by boredom, looking for that social acceptance, needing the structure, and expectations from their home and from school, it can actually worsen those symptoms for kids.”

A recent survey finds more than 20-percent of adolescents suffer from anxiety symptoms, while 17-percent report symptoms of depression. Desy says providing structure in their daily lives can be a big benefit. “We want to make sure that we’re establishing good routines with kids, and parents are a great place to start with that,” Desy says. “What are the home expectations? Meeting kids’ friends, helping them with activities that they can do, encouraging involvement in sports and hobbies, and volunteering — all of those can be great options for kids.” She suggests parents make time for daily conversations with their kids, even if that means staying awake late until a child returns home.

“General conversation with your adolescent or your teen is important, just to build a connection with them, build trust with them,” Desy says. “If they are struggling with mental health or poor peer influences or anything like that, they have someone to go to, and it’s not uncomfortable at the end of the day to come back to someone and say, ‘You know, I’m struggling with this,’ or ‘I’m feeling bored throughout the day,’ or ‘My summer’s not going the way I wanted it to.'” Studies find about nine in every ten American teenagers have a cell phone, and research is starting to link excessive cell phone use to a rise in young peoples’ depression and suicide rates.

Desy says parents can help find things for their teens to do with their free time so they’re not staring at social media for hours on end. “It’s important for parents to have those ongoing conversations about the dangers of social media, or encourage their teen to put the phone down, do some family activities, and be involved in things where they’re not glued to their phones,” Desy says. “There’s a lot of peer influence that comes from social media. There’s a lot of standards that come from social media that already have a large impact on mental health for kids.” Parents should watch for any behavior changes, mood swings, altered sleep or eating patterns, or signs of self-harm. Desy says it’s essential for parents and caregivers to be proactive in developing a plan to support and guide their adolescents.

“Have fun with your kids. Enjoy the time with your kids. Kids are going to think their parents are boring,” Desy says, laughing, “but I think it’s important just to stay in touch with your kids throughout the summer, invite their friends over, get to know what they like to do, and who they’re hanging out with. Just that communication and staying close with them is probably the most important.”

Rosecrance facilities in Iowa serve more than 7,000 teens and adults every year at outpatient treatment clinics in Sioux City, Cherokee, Davenport, Estherville, Le Mars, Spencer and Sheldon.

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GREENFIELD, Iowa [KCCI] — A local church in Greenfield is helping people find precious mementos, some of which were blown 100 miles away by the May 21 tornado. Greenfield United Methodist Church has a lost and found room where people can go to look for lost items and return things they may have found in the aftermath of the storm. It’s open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Scattered across several tables, you can find everything from baseball gloves and records to wedding photos, action figures and baby photos.

If you have found an item from the Greenfield tornado or want to look for lost items, click here to get in contact with the church.

(Radio Iowa) – This is Primary Election Day in Iowa as voters choose the nominees who’ll represent the two major parties in the General Election. Secretary of State Paul Pate — the top election official in Iowa — isn’t making a prediction on turnout. “We always like to see a very robust turnout, but that is driven by the candidates and the campaigns,” Pate says. “You’ll see across the state those areas that have primaries that have generated a lot of interest you’re going to have a higher turnout.”

Pate says participation in the primaries isn’t likely a predictor of General Election turnout. “It’s not the same thing as this fall when we do have a clear contrast between the parties,” Pate says. Two years ago, more than 356-thousand Iowans voted in the 2022 primaries. It was the second-highest voter turnout since 1994. There is no statewide race this year, though. Pate says all the election equipment being used today (Tuesday) was tested in advance — and ballot tabulators are not connected to the internet.

“We have pre- and post-election audits,” Pate says. “We have paper ballots, bipartisan teams of poll workers and partnerships with election security partners that are all critical components to what we’re doing.”

Polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. You have to be a registered Republican or a registered Democrat to vote in that party’s primary. Iowans may register to vote or switch parties at their local polling site by showing a photo I-D. Absentee ballots have to be received by county auditors by 8 p.m. today (Tuesday) or they will not be counted. You may check online to see if a ballot that was mailed has been received. The website address is voter-ready-dot-iowa-dot-gov (voterready.iowa.gov).