Today: Sunny, with a high near 75. North wind 3 to 8 mph.
Tonight: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 54. North wind around 6 mph becoming light and variable.
Friday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 7am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 75. Southeast wind 8 to 11 mph. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Southeast wind around 9 mph becoming north northeast after midnight. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 77.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 80.
(Fort Dodge, Iowa) – Police in Fort Dodge report a warrant has been issued for the arrest of a a central Iowa man in connection with the fatal shooting Tuesday night, of a 15-year-old male. Authorities say the warrant charges 18-year-old Jamarrion James Davis (AKA J.J.), of Ankeny, with Murder in the 1st Degree, a Class-A Felony. Davis is a 5-feet 8-inches tall black male, who weighs approximately 115-pounds. Anyone with knowledge of his whereabouts should contact your local law enforcement immediately. Davis is considered armed and dangerous. A $500 Webster County Crimestoppers reward is being offered for information leading to his arrest and conviction.
The shooting occurred at around 9:44-p.m., Tuesday, in the area of S. 15th Street and Fourth Avenue South, in Ft. Dodge. The unidentified teen victim was pronounced dead at the scene. His name was being withheld until all family members are notified.
The incident remains under investigation by the Ft. Dodge Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division, along with the Iowa DCI and Webster County Attorney’s Office.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – A residential fire in Atlantic Wednesday evening is believed to have been caused by an electrical issue between the basement and first floor of the home. Atlantic Fire Chief Tom Cappel explains what they encountered after crews were dispatch to 213 W. 14th Street, at around 7:02-p.m.
There were no injuries, as no one was at home, but a family dog succumbed to smoke inhalation. Crews were ventilating and rehabbing the scene until about 8:30-p.m.
The Exira-EHK softball team won 4-2 against the Audubon Wheelers in Kimballton tonight. The Wheelers scored first with an RBI single from Kylee Harl in the top of the 1st. The Spartans responded quickly in the bottom of the 2nd with a Shay Burmeister RBI double. The game was even till the bottom of the 4th where the Spartans scored two runs thanks to two sac flies. Exira-EHK led 3-1 then and held on to the lead for the rest of the game.
One major contributor to the Spartans win was Riley Miller’s performance in the circle and the batter’s box. She pitched 7 innings, had 2 earned runs, 5 hits, and 9 k’s. Miller also garnered two RBI’s while batting.
Coach Schwery also commented that Miller’s performance wasn’t the only positive from this evening’s game.
Looking ahead to Friday’s game, Coach Schwery understands what the Spartans need to do to win.
The Wheelers season ends with the loss and their final record stands at (16-9). Exira-EHK’s record goes up to (21-3) and they will face Woodbine, Friday July 7th.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – Firefighters with the Atlantic Fire Department are on the scene of a house fire at 213 W. 14th Street. The call about a fire in the attic of the home was received at around 7-p.m.
No other details are currently available.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic City Council, during their meeting Wednesday evening, reviewed and briefly discussed and then acted to approve a contract for the City’s website development. Code Enforcement Officer Kris Erickson presented the council with a fact sheet on three companies (A, B & C), who were not named so as to maintain a fair perspective on each companies services, and cost. After review, the Council voted to issue a contract with “Company B,” which, among other things, has support services in Iowa, as opposed to on either U-S Coast.
In other business the Council, following public hearings, passed an Ordinance to repeal an Ordinance, and grant Interstate Power and Light Company a non-exclusive, 25-year franchise to erect, construct, reconstruct, maintain and operate a plant and systems for the distribution of natural gas in the City of Atlantic, and “sell, distribute, and supply natural gas [to the city and it’s occupants],” and requiring the company to pay a franchise fee to the City. They Council also passed a resolution adopting a Revenue Purpose Statement (RPS), for the use of expenditures from the revenues gained through a natural gas service fee.
The move means a source to will be available to fund pay increases for the Police Department to make the City more competitive in the retention and hiring of new Officers. A five-percent natural gas franchise fee is expected to result in an increase of $4-dollar per month on the average gas bill. Conversely, it will eliminate the current local sales tax already charged to Alliant Energy gas customers.
The Atlantic City Council passed, after three readings, an Ordinance amending the City’s Zoning Code, because elected officials, it was noted, are concerned that low-value properties are being acquired and converted for rental apartments, with no consideration for the safety of the tenants or the well-being of the surrounding neighborhood. The change say first-story properties on Chestnut Street, north of 7th, will be limited to commercial uses, unless a conditional use permit is allowed. Second story residential units would continue to be maintained as a permitted use.
And, the Atlantic City Council held the third and final readings of Ordinances that serve to discontinue the Cable Television and Community Promotion Commissions.
(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday evening, accepted without comment, the resignation of Parks and Recreation Director Wyatt Adderton, retroactive to June 26, 2023. Adderton had taken over the Parks Director position in February, 2023. He submitted his resignation in May, citing a hostile work environment and issues of harassment. After much consideration and discussions with the Mayor and others, he had agreed to try and work things out, but is now moved on and left the City
The City Council Wednesday, heard a presentation from Library Director Michelle Andersen, with regard to her efforts to obtain grants and other funding opportunities to enhance the services and public accessibility to the Library. Andersen said they have received a $20,000 “Libraries transform communities accessible small and rural libraries” grant to improve library services for people with disabilities. The Atlantic Public Library, she said, was one of 240 nationwide, to receive the grant.
She wrote the grant with the idea of modernizing the library’s aging elevator, in-mind. The Library’s Board of Trustees has since signed a contract with Schumacher Elevator Company, out of Denver, Iowa. Work on the elevator is expected to begin this fall. Anderson said there may be times the library needs to close, to allow that work to take place. The grant funds, she said, will be applied to the $93,000 total project cost.
Another grant the Atlantic Public Library received, was from the American Libraries Association’s “The Great Stories Club,” with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Atlantic’s Library was one of 58 selected nationwide, to participate in the club, which is a reading and discussion program for teens. Youth Services Librarian Sue Petersen will work with small groups of teens to read and discuss stories that explore questions of race, equity, identity and history. Family Crisis Network is the local partnering agency. The Atlantic Public Library, Andersen said, will receive a programming stipend of $500 and 11 copies of each of the books which will be gifted to book club participants.
And finally, the Library is participating in an American Heart Association (AHA) program, “Libraries with Heart,” in cooperation with Cass County Public Health. Andersen applied for, and was awarded three blood pressure monitors for home use. The BP cuffs and monitors will automatically measure a person’s blood pressure, and there are three sets, each with two-sizes of arms cuffs that will be available to check-out soon, from the library, and for weeks at a time. The monitor’s/cuffs have an option to run on a battery or through a wall outlet. A kit that comes with the units will have information from the AHA about how to take accurate BP readings, when to contact your doctor, and a log to record the readings.
She says the kits will hopefully be available for check-out, by the end of this month.
LuELLA DOROTHY LASSEN, 95, of Griswold (& formerly of Atlantic), died May 10, 2023 at the Griswold Care Center in Griswold. A graveside memorial service for LuELLA LASSEN will be held 11-a.m. Friday, July 14, 2023, at the Atlantic Cemetery. Roland Funeral Service in Atlantic has the arrangements.
Memorials may be sent to the First United Presbyterian Church, 616 Chestnut Street, Atlantic, Iowa 50022 or the Griswold Care Center, 106 Harrison Street, Griswold, Iowa 51535.
LuELLA LASSEN is survived by:
Her sister – Colleen Sunderman, of Atlantic.
Her daughter – Vicki R. Kyle, of Council Bluffs.
2 grandchildren; and 6 great-grandchildren
Condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralserivce.com.
KIMBALLTON – The city of Kimballton in Audubon County has issued a bottled water advisory for the community of 291 residents through August 1st. Current construction of an upgraded water treatment plant has temporarily resulted in drinking water above the health advisory level for manganese at 1.77 mg/L.
Although manganese is a common, naturally-occurring mineral found in rocks, soil, groundwater, and surface water, the United States Environmental Protection Agency has developed a health advisory level for manganese in drinking water of 0.3 mg/L which is intended to be protective of lifetime exposure for the general population.
The US EPA recommends that infants up to 6 months of age should not be given water with manganese concentrations greater than 0.3 mg/L for more than a total of 10 days per year, nor should the water be used to make formula for more than ten days per year.
Please do not give the water to adults and children of any age. Adults, children, and infants who drink water containing manganese above the health advisory level may be associated with adverse health effects. Bottled water or an alternative source should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, and food preparation until further notice.
The water may be used for bathing and other similar purposes.
Additional information about manganese can be found here: Manganese in Drinking Water Fact Sheet and Frequently Asked Questions