(Radio Iowa) – Motorcycles make up just four-percent of all registered vehicles in Iowa, but the Iowa D-O-T says motorcycle fatalities last year accounted for 16-percent of the state’s total traffic deaths. Kelly Hilsabeck, the trauma injury prevention coordinator at Gundersen Health System, says the warmer weather brings out droves of motorcycles, and she implores motorists to “look twice.”

For drivers who find themselves following a motorcycle in traffic, Hilsabeck urges you to back off and give them plenty of room.

According to D-O-T data from the past five years, 74-percent of the motorcyclists killed in Iowa were not wearing helmets. The national average is 38-percent. Iowa is one of three states in the country with no helmet laws.

Other things motorcyclists can do to protect themselves include: keeping your headlight on all the time to increase visibility, wearing some form of eye protection, and wearing bright-colored clothing.

The D-O-T says 62 motorcyclists were killed on Iowa’s roads last year, with 17 motorcycle deaths reported statewide so far this year.

(Radio Iowa) – Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson of Marion says the real verdict for former President Donald Trump will come in November and she’ll join Trump’s fight for redemption on the campaign trail. “I believe the Democrats’ strategy here is going to backfire. Iowans are going to support the former president and reelect him and I will do everything in my power to make sure that happens,” Hinson says. “…It means I’m going to be out there telling the story of the failures of President Biden.” Like many other Republican officials, Hinson says the trial in New York was designed to keep Trump off the campaign trail.

“The only thing I believe President Trump was guilty of here is being named Donald Trump,” Hinson says. “These charges would not have been prosecuted against anyone else and Iowans see right through that.” Hinson, who’s running for a third term in the U-S House, she’ll be on the campaign trail every single day between now and November 5th urging Iowans to kick Biden out and put Trump back in the White House.

Congressman Zach Nunn, a Republican from Bondurant, is joining what’s called the Bidenomics Bus Tour today (Friday) for an event to compare gasoline prices during the Trump and Biden presidencies.

Tomorrow (Saturday), U-S Senator Joni Ernst is hosting a fundraiser at the Iowa State Fairgrounds featuring many of the state’s G-O-P officials, including Governor Kim Reynolds.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair/Guthrie County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) reports today (Friday):

● A one-stop shop for resources will be open Sunday and Monday at Nodaway Valley Elementary School. The Multi-Agency Resource Center will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday. Please share!
● City water is safe to drink. The city is monitoring water closely.
However, please be mindful of your water usage as we work to get the water treatment process back to normal and continue to restore the water supply.
Follow these steps for housing demolition:
● Contact your insurance company to get permission to have your home demolished.
● Contact Greenfield Municipal Utilities at 844-580-0810, Option 2.
● Use a city-approved licensed contractor to have your home demolished.
● If your home’s foundation is being removed, call City Hall to have sewers inspected.
● If you need assistance contact City Hall at 844-580-0810, Option 1.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors this (Friday) morning, passed Resolutions with regard to an amended FY 2023-24 Budget/appropriations, and Declaring Emergency Medical Services (EMS) as an essential service. Their actions followed separate public hearings on both matters. Auditor Kathy Somers explained the reason for the Budget Amendment.

(She was referring to Trent Wolken, Cass County Engineer) On the topic of Declaring EMS an essential service, Atlantic Firefighter Bob Reynolds spoke in favor of the matter, and asked the Board for their support in putting it on the November General Election ballot. Supervisor Steve Green…

Board Chair Steve Baier reiterated the method voters will get to chose in November on paying for the service, if they approve it.

In other business, the Cass County Supervisors acknowledged the following appointments in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) Wage Rate Schedules: Sawyer Ocheltree to a Sheriff’s Deputy/K9 position at $35.10/hour, and Cameron Ward to a Sheriff’s Deputy position at $34.08/hour. They also approved a FY 2025 Employee Group Agreement with the Secondary Roads Department.

Cass County Board of Supervisors mtg, 5-31-24

In his report to the Board, Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken said some of the County’s equipment was sent to Adair County to help with removal of tornado debris in Greenfield.

He said they spent most of last Friday and Saturday lending a hand at the task, which Adair County was most appreciative of. Cass County will be reimbursed by Adair County via FEMA, for the expenses associated with a service agreement for Disaster Recover with Adair County, once the paperwork is filed.
Board Chair Steve Baier said the County didn’t go into the fray, looking to be reimbursed. He said it “was the right thing to do.”

Trent Wolken updated the Board also, on Secondary Roads Department maintenance work and activities. He said that includes normal road blading with the graders. And…

And, the Cass County Supervisors approved the re-appointment of Veteran’s Affair Commission Member Christine Short, to the three-year term (through June 30, 2027).

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Chamber Ambassadors were hosted by Randy’s Computer on Thursday, May 30th, 2024. The Ambassadors gathered to celebrate the opening of their new location. Randy’s Computer was first established in Cumberland, Iowa in 2016, before they moved to their Griswold location which is currently operating as a drop and go. They made the move to Atlantic in 2021, and now in 2024 they’ve moved into their newest location at 501 Chestnut St.

Randy’s Computer is an authorized reseller of Dell, Brother, and Ubiquiti Networks products. They also feature a full-service on-site repair shop for all makes and models of computers and laptops. They are a one stop shop for anything computer with parts, models, repairs, and accessories for both business and individual needs.

Pictured Left to Right Back Row: Chris Parks, Colt Doherty, Julie Waters, Bill Saluk, Sue Liston, Jim Kickland, Elaine Otte, Jeremy Butler, Jeff Christensen, Steve Anderson, Jennifer McEntaffer and John Bricker.
Pictured Left to Right Front Row: Nina Welter, Kelsey Beschorner, Ann Quist, Lana Westphalen, Randy Roy, Michelle Roy, Alisha Wagner, Dolly Bergmann, Megan Sramek and Leanne Erickson.

Randy’s Computer is also getting very involved in the community by displaying work in the Atlantic area. They are partnering with Your Forte to showcase a variety of local artists in the community, all of which are available for sale on display. They also anticipate hosting local vendors like Brymons in their front windows, with their material also being available for sale.

Randy and his wife Michelle are very excited to be here to use their 30 years of experience to help with all your computer needs! Randy’s Computer is located at 501 Chestnut St Atlantic, Iowa 50022. For more information contact 712-590-0083 or visit their website at https://randyscomputer.com/index.php

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa U-S Senator Chuck Grassley predicts the felony conviction against Donald Trump will be overturned on appeal, after the former president was found guilty Thursday afternoon on all 34 counts of falsifying business records. While first emphasizing he’s not a lawyer, Grassley points to multiple issues with the case which he believes should be grounds for the verdict to be thrown out. For starters, Grassley says the trial should not have been held in Manhattan.

“The fact that they didn’t move the thing to a more politically unbiased courtroom,” Grassley says. “Now, by that I mean, where they would get a jury pool that would be made up of more than 90% Democrats, because that’s how that part of the city voted for or against the president.” Grassley, a Republican, says the defense team wanted several other people to testify but they weren’t allowed to do so, and he raises issue with the judge forbidding Trump from publicly discussing the case.

“The president’s gag order, because most gag orders are put on other people to protect the defendant,” Grassley says, “they’re not on the defendant.” The case surrounded what’s described as a hush money payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Grassley says Daniels should not have been given so much time on the stand to discuss her encounters with Trump.

“This business about Daniels having two days of sweeping, descriptive testimony about how he was doing things,” he says. Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen spent a total of 21 hours on the witness stand during the trial. Grassley calls Cohen a “convicted liar” and believes 99-percent of the evidence was based on his testimony, when Cohen admitted to stealing money from Trump’s organization. Ultimately, Grassley doubts the verdict will have a significant impact on the general election in a little over five months.

“The election is a choice between failed Biden policies or a return to the strong economy and secure borders under Trump,” Grassley says, “and this is something the voters are going to have to decide November 5th.” A sentencing date of July 11th is set for Trump, who could face probation or prison time — a matter of days before Republicans are again expected to nominate him for president.

Grassley’s Thursday afternoon post on X read: “Today’s decision is another example of leftist activist prosecutors weaponizing the judicial system to carry out their political vendettas. I expect the case to be overturned on appeal.”