Mills County Emergency Management Coordinator Larry Hurst recently put in a request on behalf of area fire departments to the State Fire Marshall to institute a temporary burn ban in the County. A ban on open burning will go into effect at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, October 1st and continue until conditions are deemed by fire departments to have improved.

CRESTON, Iowa – Sept. 30, 2021 – A project to set beams for the new Ashworth Road bridge over Interstate 80 in West Des Moines requires closure of eastbound I-80 between Grand Prairie Parkway (exit 118) and Jordan Creek Parkway (exit 121) overnight for two nights beginning on Monday night, Oct. 4, weather permitting, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Creston construction office.

Eastbound I-80 will be closed:

• Monday, Oct. 4 at 10 p.m. until Tuesday, Oct. 5 at 5 a.m.
• Tuesday, Oct. 5 at 10 p.m. until Wednesday, Oct. 6 at 5 a.m.

During this closure, traffic will be will follow a marked detour route using Grand Prairie Parkway, University Avenue, and Jordan Creek Parkway.

The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey the posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles, and wear seat belts.

The latest traveler information is available anytime through our 511 system. Visit 511ia.org; call 511 (within Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide); stay connected with 511 on Facebook or Twitter (find links at https://iowadot.gov/511/511-social-media-sites); or download the free app to your mobile device.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of a Red Oak man Tuesday evening. At 7:37 p.m. Officers arrested 49-year-old Floyd Raymond Henry II in the 100 block of West Prospect Street. on a valid Warrant for Failure to Appear for Initial Appearance on the original charge of Driving While License Denied or Revoked for OWI. He was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $2,000 cash only bond.

The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a Drive-In Movie experience this Saturday, October 2nd.

“Drive-In Movie Night has become an annual tradition that I look forward to every year. We are excited to bring a Halloween themed movie to the big screen this fall,” Kelsey Beschorner, Programs Director at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce said.

“The Drive-In is a fun, nostalgic experience for community members and those in the surrounding area to enjoy. This also gives us the opportunity to show off our town and encourage people to shop and eat before coming to the movie,” mentioned Beschorner.

The Drive-In Movie will be at the Cass County Fair Grounds in the grandstand area beginning around 8:30 PM with a showing of “Hocus Pocus”. Cars may begin parking at 7 PM. The screen is 60 feet long with a high definition projector. Speakers will be available next to the screen for people to utilize. A transmitter will be provided for those enjoying the movie from their car. Attendees will turn their radio to a certain station and the transmitter will play the audio through their car speakers.

Entry is $20 per car vehicle and tickets can be purchased at www.atlanticiowa.com or day-of at the gate. People are welcome to bring lawn chairs and blankets to sit on. Inside parking for the Drive-In is limited, so pack a chair or blanket as precaution. Concessions will be available for purchase by Atlas Atlantic Cinema in the Chuckwagon on the fairgrounds.

For more information, visit www.atlanticiowa.com, call the Chamber at 712.243.3017 or email chamber@atlanticiowa.com.

The Council Bluffs Police Department reports one of their K-9 officers was injured during a search on Monday morning. At 10:10 a.m. Offficers and K-9 Rudy were searching an abandoned building for intruders at 500 West Broadway in Council Bluffs. While searching ahead of his handler on an upper floor, K-9 Rudy went through a door leading to a sloped section of roof during the check.  He slipped and fell approximately 3 stories.

Rudy suffered a broken femur and tibia. Due to the severity of his injuries he was transported by his handler, Officer Colby McCord and Sgt. Ron Albers to Iowa State University Veterinary Hospital for surgery.

UPDATE: Rudy underwent successful surgery and is expected to make a full recovery in about 8 weeks.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday released information on arrests dating back to September 23rd.

On September 23rd Deputies arrested 23-year-old Dillon Fanklin Hastings of Clarinda on a Warrant for Harassment 1st Degree. He was held on $20,000 bond.

On September 24th three arrests took place. At 3:24 a.m. 30-year-old Seth David Travis of Omaha, NE was arrested in Fremont County on a Warrant for Theft 5th Degree. Bond was set at $500. At 2:25 p.m. 23-year-old Ruben Rodriguez Sigala Jr. of Omaha, NE was arrested on a Warrant for Probation Violation. His bond was set at $1,000. At 10:27 p.m. 25-year-old Joshua Nicholas Jones of Glenwood was arrested for Driving Under Suspension on Hilman Road. His bond was set at $300.

On September 27th two arrests took place. At 11:58 a.m. 48-year-old Dana Brocke Burkholder of Omaha, NE was arrested on a Warrant for Contempt. Burkholder was held on no bond. 36-year-old Jake Elliot Campbell of Bellevue, NE was arrested on a Warrant for Ongoing Criminal Conduct, Theft 1st Degree, Conspiracy to Commit Non-Forcible Felony, and Criminal Mischief 2nd Degree. Bond was set at $45,000.

Four arrests were reported on September 28th. At 2:07 a.m. 25-year-old Jerad Michael Brooke of Papillion, NE was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Failure to Yield to an Emergency Vehicle. He was arrested on 221st Street/Highway 34 off-ramp. Bond was set at $1,600.  At 10:16 a.m. 53-year-old Stephen Curtis Courtney of Council Bluffs was arrested on a Warrant for 1st Degree Theft. He was held on $10,000 bond. At 1:31 p.m. 40-year-old Dexter Anthony Davis of Omaha, NE was arrested on a Pottawattamie County Warrant for Theft 4th Degree. That arrest took place at 278th Street and Dobney Avenue. At 8:20 p.m. 33-year-old James Thomas Hume of Sidney was arrested on a Warrant for Violation of Probation near the Tabor city limits. He was held on $5,000 bond.

The Adair County Board of Supervisors met on Wednesday morning in the boardroom at the Adair County Courthouse.

In their first order of business the Board heard from County Attorney Melissa Larson on a request to hire an additional office position to assist with an increasing case workload. After some discussion on wage and hiring process the board approved Larson to start the process of advertising for a Legal Assistant and Paralegal with intentions to bring on one person.

The board approved township clerk wages and approved an amendment to the Stuart Urban Renewal Plan and 28E agreement with the Iowa DNR and Adair County.

The board also discussed the need for County employees to take care of necessary health check-ups to earn health insurance wellness discounts. They agreed to put reminder information with pay stubs for employees in hopes to reach their needed threshold.

The board also approved some name changes on the liquor license for the Wallace Center.

The board then had some discussion on the need to bring up some wages for positions in near future to remain competitive with surrounding counties. After doing some comparative research they found that they are a decent chunk behind some other counties, including Cass County, and want to be proactive in looking at increases as much as is possible within the budget.

County Auditor Mandy Berg also reported on Fiscal Year 2021 Cash Annual Financial Report and County Engineer Nick Kauffman gave his report of maintenance and activities.

The Cass County Conference Board is set to meet on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at the Cass County Courthouse Courtroom.

During the meeting the board is set to reaffirm the appointment of Mary Anstey to a six year term beginning on January 1, 2022. She has already been voted in to the term but some continuing education needed to be completed and the appointment can now be made official.

In new business the Conference Board will make decisions on health insurance coverage of former employees.

The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports a deer vs car collision occurred on Tuesday evening. The accident occurred on Wagon Road south of Panora at 8:22 p.m.

A 2017 Chevy Impala driven by 37-year-old Casey Duane Herron of Stuart was southbound on Wagon and collided with a deer in the passenger front corner of the vehicle.

No injuries were reported and the car sustained an estimated $3,000 damage. Herron was able to drive the car from the scene.

DES MOINES – The Iowa Finance Authority Board of Directors recently awarded a total of more than $13.2 million in federal housing tax credits to support the construction of 699 rental homes for Iowans. The eighteen rental housing projects are located in Boone, Cedar Rapids, Clinton, Council Bluffs, DeWitt, Grinnell, Johnston, Marion, Marshalltown, Shenandoah and West Des Moines.

“Housing is a leading driver of upward economic mobility for families and economic growth for our communities,” said Iowa Finance Authority Executive Director Debi Durham. “The tax credit awards announced today will provide hundreds of Iowa families and seniors with homes in which they can thrive.”

“Today’s announcement will bring two new housing projects and nearly 90 affordable rental homes to our community,” said Grinnell Mayor Dan Agnew. “Like many communities, Grinnell faces a housing shortage for our workforce and this investment means that dozens of families will now be able to access new housing options right here within our community.”

The Internal Revenue Service makes an annual per capita allocation of federal tax credits to each state for the Federal Housing Tax Credit program. The Iowa Finance Authority is charged with allocating those credits to affordable housing developers. The developers who receive tax credits sell them to investors to generate equity for the housing developments.

The Iowa Finance Authority received 34 applications requesting nearly $25 million in housing tax credits in the 2021 tax credit round. IFA had a total of approximately $13.25 million available to allocate, including an allocation of more than $4 million targeted to the 12 counties impacted by the August 2020 derecho, made available through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.

The actual awards exceed $132 million because the credits are committed annually for a 10-year period.

Locally the project in Council Bluffs is for 58 new construction affordable units for Seniors 55+ at Graceview Courtyard Phase II on College Road. The credit for that project is $840,000. In Shenandoah the project is Shenandoah Senior Villas for 38 new construction affordable units for Seniors 55+ at 1401 W. Sheridan Avenue. The tax credit for that project is $747,768.