(Radio Iowa) -A federal board that regulates train acquisitions heard from Iowans for two hours last (Tuesday) night speaking out against Canadian Pacific’s sprawling acquisition of Kansas City Southern. Michelle Solis Russell, of Davenport, called the silence from her own city council deafening. Russell says, “Not one person stood up when you asked for city officials, and the reason is, here in our town, we don’t agree with our city leader’s decision to accept the CP money.”

Ahead of the public comment period, Canadian Pacific offered money to towns in exchange for not opposing the acquisition, including ten-million dollars promised to Davenport, three-million dollars to both Bettendorf and Muscatine, and 750-thousand dollars to Le Claire. The U.S. Surface Transportation Board extended its public comment meeting into the night as speakers lined up to oppose Canadian Pacific’s expansion all the way to Mexico. Rebecca Howe is the president of the Merrill Hotel in Muscatine, one of the many railroad towns in eastern Iowa expecting to see some of the highest increases in train traffic.

“With the railroad coming in and it’s really unclear as to exactly what they are doing,” Howe says. “That’s going to have a drastic effect on the downtown and the riverfront which is the biggest asset Muscatine has.” Towns in eastern Iowa are anticipated to see the highest traffic increases nationally. An environmental study estimated an additional 15 trains per day, on average. The board is expected to decide whether to approve the deal by early next year.

(reporting by Zachary Oren Smith, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa) – A jury in northwest Iowa’s Plymouth County only deliberated for about an hour, Tuesday, before finding an elderly Merrill man guilty of murdering his step-son. In addition, 84-year-old Thomas Knapp was also convicted of five other charges, including willful injury and domestic abuse. Prosecutor Darin Raymond played two 9-1-1 calls made by Knapp’s wife, Darlene, in May of 2020 when Knapp fought with her and shot his step-son, 51-year-old Kevin Juzek. Knapp: “I’m so scared for my son and I know he’s going to shoot me now.” Dispatcher: “Just stay on the phone with me until they get there, okay, Darlene, don’t hang up with me.” Knapp: “Okay, I can do that, yeah.” Dispatcher: “They’re a couple miles away from you right now, okay? Just stay on the phone with me.”

Raymond also played a 30-minute long police interview with Knapp after his arrest as part of his closing arguments. In the recording, Knapp admitted shooting Juzek because he was mad at him for a variety of reasons, including that Juzek apparently knocked over a birdbath in the yard.  ***NOTE LANGUAGE** Police: “What was Kevin doing before you shot him?” Knapp: “Trying to open the door.” Police: “Okay, he wasn’t in the bedroom at that time?” Knapp: “No, he was trying to open the door. I shot him through the goddamn door.”

The defense attorneys told the jury in their closing arguments that Knapp shot Juzek in a fit of a rage and should be found guilty only of voluntary manslaughter. Knapp faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison when he is sentenced October 7th.

(UPDATED) [Atlantic, Iowa] – The newly constructed Atlantic McDonald’s restaurant is set to hold what’s known as a “soft opening” for lunch, Thursday, Sept. 15^th, nearly three months after the projected opening date.

Ric Hanson/photos (9/14/22)

The old restaurant – which was 40-years old – closed on March 24^th, and was torn-down. The structure was slated to have been torn-down on February 22^nd, but Atlantic McDonald’s owner operator Blake Zogleman says matters out of their control, plus a wet March, resulted in a bit of an adjustment on the timeline.

Blake’s family has owned the store since 2013 when they purchased it from the Mueller family. It’s not the only restaurant they own, but it does offer a unique opportunity.

He says their hours of operation on Thursday this week, will be from about 11-a.m. Until 11-p.m. Beginning Friday, their regular hours will be from 5-a.m. Until 11-p.m. If you see cars in the parking lot and people going in the store today (Wednesday), it’s because they are hosting an employee and family appreciation dinner, and making sure the equipment is running smoothly and employees are familiar with the brand new equipment.

And yes, the ice cream machine does work!

At some stores, including the old Atlantic McDonald’s, there were some sporadic issues with the machine. Blake said they have a lot of experienced staff working for the new restaurant, and some new faces.

The new store features two drive-through lanes, instead of one, and two side-by-side order points, instead of one, in order to improve service. A grand opening for the Atlantic McDonald’s will take place the first week of November, with additional details to be provided on the Leonard Management McDonald’s Facebook page.

Bishop construction was hired to do the work by McDonald’s Real Estate Company, based in Elkhorn, Neb.

(Creston, Iowa) – Police in Creston report the arrest Tuesday morning, of a woman wanted on a warrant from an outside agency. 42-year-old Melissa Sara Stow, of Creston, was arrested at her residence, and transported to the Adams County Jail.  And, an auto parts store in Creston reported the theft from behind their building, of two truck airbags and two, 5-gallon buckets of hydraulic fluid. The loss was estimated at slightly more than $519.