(Creston, Iowa) – Police in Creston arrested a man for Failure to Appear in court. 21-year-old Andrew George Mills, of Creston, was arrested at around 10:30-p.m. Wednesday, at his home. He was transported to the Union County Jail and held on a $2,000 cash or surety bond.

(Radio Iowa) – The cost of the items used to prepare a typical Thanksgiving dinner for ten people is up again this year in the annual survey by the American Farm Bureau. A-F-B economist, Roger Cryan, says they pick 12 items for the survey. “The average in the U-S cost 64-dollars, five cents — which was up about 20 percent from last year. And that was last year was up 14 percent from the year before, so that’s a 36 percent increase in two years,” Cryan says. Cryan says the increased cost will be a burden for many, but farmers have done a good job of providing. “I think it’s worth pointing out that even with these increases, this market basket still works out to about six and a half dollars per person for what is essentially a Thanksgiving feast,” he says.

Cryan says general price inflation is part of the reason for the increase. “Inflation has been running at a rate of about seven to nine percent this fall, year over year. That’s about a third of the increase in the food basket and inflation is a serious issue that’s that we’ve been attempting to address general price inflation. It robs consumers and farmers of their buying power,” according to Cryan. He says increased production costs, supply chain issues, and other factors also contributed to the increase. The cost of the 16-pound turkey was up 21 percent from last year to around 29 dollars. Cryan says that’s an average, and you may be able to find some cheaper birds as we get closer to the holiday.

“Since we’ve done the survey, the number of stores that are featuring turkeys in their circulars at discounted prices,” Cryan says. “Those discounts will probably grow. Even though it’s been it’s been a tighter market. And even though there’s been some challenges in the turkey supply chain production is only down about two percent this year at this point compared to last year.” Cryan says the amount farmers make has not increased despite the retail price increase for the products. “The U-S-D-A has put out numbers on a regular basis that show pretty consistently for the last several years that farmers receive about eight percent of the retail price of food purchased for consumption at home,” he says.

Among some of the other items in the survey: the 14-ounce bag of cube stuffing mix is up 69 percent from last year, and frozen pie crusts and whipping cream are up 26 percent. A pound of frozen peas is up 23 percent, dinner rolls are up 22 percent. The can of pumpkin pie mix is up 18 percent, and the gallon of whole milk is up 16 percent. The 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries went against the trend — as it was down about 14 percent.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Food Pantry will be CLOSED on Thanksgiving Day, November 24. Officials say the drive-through distribution that week will be on WEDNESDAY, NOV. 23, 12:30 PM. Please note also, that Atlantic Food Pantry is now at 704 W. 7th Street, and not their old location on W. 4th Street.

Additional details on the Atlantic Food Pantry:

• Food Referrals are not needed.
• There is a pick-up limit of 3 households per vehicle.
• Pantry phone: (712) 243-5019 (9-11 AM Mon. and Thurs. only)
• Address: 704 W. 7th St., Atlantic, IA 50022
• Distribution Hours: Thurs., 12:30 – 3 pm (or until all food sacks are distributed).

Distribution Directions: Drive-through pantry. For safety reasons, there will be no access to the Pantry from 7th Street (Highway 6) during Thursday afternoon food distributions. Pantry Client vehicles will approach the Pantry from the East on 6th Street, turning South on Palm Street, then West on the access road directly in front of the Pantry to receive food. Cars will then exit north on the alley next to the Pantry. Traffic markers will guide the cars before and during food distribution.)

Donations: mail checks to “Atlantic Food Pantry” (P.O. Box 285, Atlantic, IA 50022)

(Radio Iowa) – Four children are dead after a house fire in Mason City on Wednesday morning. The Mason City Fire Department says they were called shortly after 5:00 AM to 509 North Washington for the report of a fully involved house fire. Two people, 55-year-old John Mcluer and 11-year-old Ravan Mcluer, were able to escape the house before firefighters arrived. They were taken to the hospital to be treated for burn-related injuries with their conditions not being known at this time. An immediate search of the structure by firefighters found four victims who were later transported to the hospital where they were pronounced dead.

The victims are three-year-old Phenix Mcluer, six-year-old Drako Mcluer, 10-year-old Odin Mcluer, and 12-year-old John Mcluer. Their cause of death is under investigation by the medical examiner’s office. Two firefighters also suffered minor injuries from battling the fire. The fire is currently under investigation by Mason City Fire and Police Department personnel as well as the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Joni Ernst has moved up one rung on the Senate G-O-P leadership ladder, to the number four position.  “I am very excited to be moving forward now with this new team,” Ernst said. Ernst’s colleagues have elected her chair of the Republican Policy Committee, after what have been described as tense meetings of Senate Republicans this week. Ernst is promising to foster collaboration.

“We heard a lot about that over the past several days,” Ernst said, “so we want to make sure that all of our voices are heard and their ideas are presented fairly.” Senate Republicans reelected Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell as their minority leader. However, after disappointing G-O-P results last week, McConnell faced opposition for the first time since 2007. Ernst will be developing the G-O-P’s message for 2024.

“As we move, of course, into the next election cycle, I know the American people will hear our message,” Ernst said, “and it will resonate with them.” Ernst remains the top-ranking woman among G-O-P leadership. She’s been vice chair of the Senate Republican Conference for the past four years.