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DON HANSEN, JR., 73, of Walnut (Svcs. 5/30/24)

Obituaries

May 29th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

DON HANSEN, JR., 73, of Walnut, died Sunday, May 26, 2024, at Bergan-Mercy Medical Center. Funeral services for DON HANSEN, JR., will be held on Thursday (May 30) at 10:30-a.m., at Trinity Lutheran Church in Avoca. Pauley-Jones Funeral Home in Avoca has the arrangements.

The family will greet friends at Trinity Lutheran Church on Wednesday, May 29th, from 5-until 7-p.m.

Burial is in the Layton Township Cemetery in Walnut.

DON HANSEN, JR., is survived by:

His wife – Loleta (Kixmiller) Hansen, of Walnut.

His daughter – Michelle (Darren) Tooley, of Sergeant Bluff, IA.

His sons – Brent (Leslie) Hansen, of Council Bluffs; and Darrin Hansen (& Heather Bauerkemper), of Avoca.

His brothers – Daryl Hansen and Rick Hansen.

His sister – Lori Hansen.

5 grandchildren; 1 great-granddaughter; and his in-laws.

Red Oak man arrested on Assault charges involving law enforcement

News

May 29th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Red Oak Police Department reports a man was arrested Tuesday night on Assault charges at the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center (106 W. Coolbaugh St.). 32-year-old Justin L. Marsden, of Red Oak, was taken into custody at around 10:30-p.m.. He was charged with three counts of Assault on persons in certain occupations, following an assault on multiple law enforcement personnel in Red Oak. Marsden was being held in the Montgomery County Jail without bond.

Red Oak Police and the Iowa State Patrol assisted in handling the incident.

Sinkhole in Council Bluffs forces apartment building evacuation

News

May 29th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

A hidden sinkhole has force residents of an apartment building in Council  Bluffs to evacuate the premises. Some action has been taken by the city, but very little is known about the sinkhole just yet. City officials said one building at the Parkwild apartment complex has been posted, meaning there’s a notice to take action, and so far eight apartments have been fully evacuated and all utilities in the building have been shut down, but it’s something no resident ever expected to hear.

The city of Council Bluffs said they were first notified about a potential issue late Friday. On Tuesday morning crews found the sinkhole and immediately tagged the building. Officials said it’s unclear just how large the hole is, but from what they could see initially, it could be close to the size of two cars. The city said the sinkhole appears to run along the exterior of the building and underneath a portion of the ground level.

Residents weren’t testing their luck; however, some even used windows to evacuate. The city of Council Bluffs said that after their initial search of the property on Tuesday, no other buildings at the Parkwild apartment complex are currently in danger.

Vigil held in Greenfield one-week after a deadly tornado swept through town

News

May 29th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

People gathered on the lawn in front of the Adair County Courthouse Tuesday night for a vigil one week after a deadly EF-4 tornado swept through Greenfield.

The event was organized by Greenfield Chamber Main Street and the Greater Greenfield Community Foundation. Community and faith leaders came together to lead the crowd in prayer. It was an opportunity for people to escape the chaos of cleanup and destruction seen around town.

A minute of silence was held to represent the minute that it took for the tornado to go through the city. In those 60 seconds, four people were killed, more than 35 people were injured, and many homes were destroyed. Pastor Steven Broers of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fontanelle read the names of the three men and a woman who were killed in Greenfield and a woman who was killed in Adams County out loud, during a prayer.

People held glow sticks to symbolize the light they continue to shine in the darkness and the strength they have. The Greater Greenfield Community Foundation said it has raised $380,000 from its tornado relief fund so far. The organization thanked everyone who donated time, money and resources in the days following the storm.

Iowa Speedway prepares for next month’s NASCAR Cup Series race

Sports

May 29th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Speedway is gearing to host its first NASCAR Cup Series race next month. The Iowa Corn 350 on Sunday, June 16th will cap three days of racing and the Xfinity Series race on the 15th is also sold out.

That’s Iowa Speedway President Eric Peterson. Among the current projects are construction of temporary suites in turn one.

Three NASCAR drivers conduced tire tests on Tuesday. That includes Christopher Bell, who just two days earlier won the rain shortened Coca Cola 600 in Charlotte.

Bell was in victory lane in 2019 the last time the track hosted the Xfinity Series and says a recent repaving in both sets of turns has changed the track.

Bell says the repaving may make it more difficult to pass.

Brad Keselowski (keh-suh-lau-skee) has won three times at Iowa Speedway, including the first NASCAR Nationwide Series race back in 2009.

Keselowski says he was happy when Iowa was granted a Cup race.

Former NASCAR Cup champion Kyle Larson raced at Iowa in 2013 and says the repaving has altered the track.

Larson has won two of the last three Knoxville Nationals titles and is the defending champ. A weather delay in Indianapolis foiled Larson’s plays to drive in the both in the Indy 500 and Coca Cola 600 this past weekend. A pit row penalty at Indy knocked him out of contention and he finished 18th.

Preview of GOP Primary in Iowa’s 4th congressional district

News

May 29th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – One of the races in next week’s Primary Election is in Iowa’s fourth congressional district, where Kevin Virgil is challenging Republican Randy Feenstra of Hull, who’s seeking a third term in the U-S House. Virgil is a former Army captain, a former C-I-A officer and an entrepreneur who launched a software company that has won U-S military contracts. He grew up near Sutherland, on an O’Brien County farm.

“When it became obvious that nobody was going to run against Feenstra this time, that just accelerated my decision to come back home,” Virgil says. Virgil supports 12-year term limits for members of congress, a 50 percent reduction in the federal workforce and a hard closure of the U-S-Mexico border.

“We need to make sure that our companies are only hiring people who are authorized to work here in America…which means extremely stiff penalties and I would also propose comprehensive immigration reform,” Virgil says. “Maybe some sort of short term Visa for working class, non-Americans who want to work in a meatpacking plant or in a low skilled job because they can earn more here than they can back home, but it needs to be regulated. It needs to be controlled.”

Virgil, who criticizes Feenstra for supporting construction of a carbon pipeline, says eminent domain should not be used for the project.  “It’s not just unconstitutional to seize land from a private citizen for another person or another company’s private gain, it’s unAmerican,” Virgil says, “and I think it’s an extremely important issue.” Feenstra’s campaign manager says Feenstra delivers conservative results and Iowans will reject Steve King’s effort to send a New Yorker to congress to represent Iowa’s 4th Congressional District.

Former Congressman Steve King, who lost to Feenstra in a G-O-P Primary four years ago, encouraged Virgil to run and has endorsed him.

‘Yield of Dreams’ beer being produced, to debut at Iowa State Fair

News

May 29th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Brewers from across the state are producing a limited edition “Yield of Dreams” beer to draw attention to Iowa’s craft beer industry and its economic impact on the state. Iowa Brewers Guild executive director Noreen Otto says the beer-making process started yesterday (Tuesday) at Field Day Brewing in North Liberty. “It will now sit in the tanks and go through all the beautiful magic that will make it a lager,” Otto says. “We’ll be releasing the beer at the Iowa State Fair in August.” Iowa grown corn is the key ingredient.

“An Iowa corn lager is going to be really crisp and fresh, great for summer drinking,” Otto says, “which is why we love it.” The beer is part of the “Brewed in Iowa” program and it will first be sold at the Iowa State Fair’s craft beer tent. “Yield of Dreams’ is a collaboration with Iowa Corn, with ‘Choose Iowa,’ with the promotional fund under Iowa Tourism and then after the fair it will be available at our members’ taprooms around the state,” Otto says.

The Iowa Brewers Guild is the trade association for more than 100 brewers who are making beer, cider and mead in Iowa. This summer, the Guild plans to release a study of the industry’s impact on tourism and the state’s economy.

Skyscan Forecast for Atlantic & the Nishna Valley: Wednesday, May 29, 2024

Weather

May 29th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

Today: Sunny, with a high near 75. Calm wind becoming east southeast 5 to 7 mph in the morning.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 53. East southeast wind 7 to 9 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.
Tomorrow: A slight chance of showers between 1pm and 4pm, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 77. Breezy, with a south southeast wind 11 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Tom. Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. Southeast wind 7 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Friday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Saturday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 79.

Tuesday’s High in Atlantic was 77. Our Low this morning was 46. Last year on this date, the High in Atlantic was 85 and the Low was 63. The record High for May 29th was 104 in 1934. The record Low was 29 in 1947. Sunrise: 5:50. Sunset: 8:44.

SWIPCO receives 2024 Innovative Project Award from ICOG

News

May 28th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES – Southwest Iowa Planning Council (SWIPCO) has been awarded the 2024 Innovative Project Award from the Iowa Association of Councils of Governments (ICOG) for work with the City of Woodbine on the Harvest Hills Development. The award was accepted at the ICOG Staff Retreat in Des Moines.

SWIPCO worked with the City of Woodbine to apply for and obtain a Community Development Block Grant from disaster recovery funds following the 2019 Missouri River floods to create an affordable housing project. SWIPCO worked with the city and NuStyle Development to administer funds and help coordinate the project to construct 40 new homes and the supporting infrastructure in the Harvest Hills subdivision located on the west edge of Woodbine.

SWIPCO’s Ashley Hayes, Erin Hudson, Aaron Koontz, Mary Auten, and Barb Boggs had hands on the project. SWIPCO’s team has filled many roles along the way after helping obtain the initial grant funding. Work has included helping 2019 flood displaced and low to moderate income residents match with the new housing opportunities, assuring that federal standards and guidelines are followed, coordinating planning, and assuring proper paperwork has been filed.

The infrastructure involved with this project was significant with a new water tower and solar power grid included to meet Iowa Green Streets energy standards. The full scope of the project has been a $20,772,189 undertaking and was entirely funded through CDBG-Disaster Recovery funds and the developer’s financing.

Photo Caption: SWIPCO Staff Accepting the 2024 ICOG Innovative Project Award at the Staff Retreat in Des Moines (L-R): Barb Boggs, Mary Auten, Tammy DeBord, Aaron Koontz, Erin Hudson, ICOG Chair Nichole Moore.

SWIPCO Disaster Recovery Coordinator Ashley Hayes said, “I’m proud of our team here at SWIPCO and how quickly we all adapt to the ebbs and flows of grant work at this scale. The rapport each one of us has developed with each of the developer’s team members and with the City of Woodbine, as well as IEDA, has been very helpful throughout this project and others as well. We are excited for the city to continue to thrive with this additional housing and infrastructure and it’s great to know there are individuals and developers that are willing to invest in our rural communities. It’s exciting to know that our work as a team has been recognized in this way.”

These funds are a rare opportunity for small, rural communities to bring new residents in without the need for large matching funds. Cities involved in these types of projects work in tandem with SWIPCO to manage the grant and project, ultimately realizing a big impact that may not otherwise be possible.

Area Organizations Host June 1 Trails Event

Ag/Outdoor, News

May 28th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Cass County, Iowa)  – The Cass County Conservation Board, Nishna Valley Trails, and Atlantic Parks and Rec are holding a free National Trails Day Area trail event on Saturday, June 1. The event is 10-a.m. until Noon, at the Schildberg Recreation Area (102 Buck Creek Road, Atlantic, IA 50022) at the East Shelter (near the campground).

People of all ages are invited to come out and enjoy this free event. The Kiwanis will have their food truck on site, and hot dogs and watermelon will be available for a free will donation. The Schildberg Recreation area is connected to approximately five miles of trails, much of which is paved. Bikes, strollers, runners or walkers–all are welcome.

At 10:30-a.m., Jon Jordan will lead a bike ride out to the T-Bone Trailhead and back (approximately 15 miles). Portions of the route will be gravel, and Jon will share tips on biking safely. The event will be canceled if there is inclement weather.

The Schildberg Recreation area is just one of many trails sites in Cass County. A map of Cass County trails, including information on trail type, ADA accessibility, and restrooms, can be found at https://www.atlanticiowa.com/experience/cass-county-trails-map-2/. Printed copies of the Cass County Trails Map can be picked up at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce (102 Chestnut St., Atlantic, IA 50022).

Jon Jordan shares cycling tips with rides before the 2023 trails ride

Nishna Valley Trails is a tax-exempt local nonprofit that promotes the development of recreational trails and cycling. People who support these causes are welcome to join the group. For more information on Nishna Valley Trails or to join the organization, contact President Dave Chase at 712-249-3059.