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3 arrested on outside warrants in Adair County

News

April 12th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports three people, including two from Cass County, were arrested on outside agency warrants last week. At around 12:10-a.m. on April 5th, 34-year old Lyndsey Marie Cottrell and 41-year old James Bernard Block, both of Cumberland, were arrested on warrants out of Madison County. Both were transferred directly to the custody of Madison County deputies. And, on April 4th, at around 8:45-p.m., 41-year old Nicholas Arthur Hardisty, of Orient, was arrested on an outstanding warrant out of Union County. He was directly transferred to the authority of their deputies.

On April 5th, 44-year old Cory Robert Haag, of Fontanelle, was arrested at the Adair County Sheriff’s Office in Greenfield, on an Adair County Felony warrant for: A controlled substance violation; Child Endangerment/bodily injury by exposure to Meth, and Possession of Marijuana/2nd offense. Haag was released later that same afternoon on a $5,000 cash or surety bond.

And, on April 10th at around 12:01-a.m., 20-year old Alexander Steven Smith, of Creston, was arrested for Possession of marijuana/1st offense, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was cited at the scene, and released.

Corning man arrested on drug charges; Man arrested after car seen stopped in the middle of the road

News

April 12th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Monday, reported two arrests from the past few days. At around 12:43-a.m., Sunday, Adams County Deputies saw a vehicle parked in the middle of the road on Locust Avenue. They conducted a welfare check on the vehicle’s occupant, and subsequently arrested 49-year-old Christopher Boswell, of Corning, for OWI/1st offense. And, at around 10:15-a.m. Friday, Adams County Deputies and workers with the Dept. of Human Services conducted an investigation at 400 12th Street, in Corning.

Upon further investigation, 37-year-old Jarrod Brown, of Corning, was arrested on charges that include Possession of a Controlled Substance and Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia.

Both men were transported to the Adams County Jail.

Rules change would allow hammocks at state camping sites

Ag/Outdoor, News

April 12th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Natural Resources Commission is amending its rules to allow hammocks to be used in state parks and camping areas. State Parks Bureau Chief, Todd Coffelt, says some people use hammocks for sleeping instead of a tent or camper. “You still have to rent a site — but if there are trees mature enough that can be used for banding your hammock to it — then we want to provide that. It’s just that there’s care in doing that, getting it tied up there so that the tree isn’t harmed,” Coffelt says.

The proposed rules lay out how the hammocks are held up with straps and bands. You can hammer nails or screws into trees to hold up your hammock. He says the use of hammocks depends on where you are. “Not every park has the right height of tree to hold up a person like me, that I would be comfortable sleeping in,” he says. “But it is different for everybody.” Coffelt says they also want to avoid having too many hammocks in one tree. “If you can find two trees that are the right distance apart — you’re going to put a hammock up. Then you are going to start what I call the ladder effect where you have a hammock above a hammock, above a hammock. And we have to address that, because part of what we do is protecting the resource,” according to Coffelt.

He says they are going to allow only two hammocks, or camping units together. “You can’t stack them six high. Nature just isn’t built for everything we want it to do sometimes. We want to work with people and accommodate that as much as we can,” Coffelt says.

Any interested person may submit comments concerning this proposed rulemaking. The D-N-R is taking comments on the proposed rule change. You should send comments no later than 4:30 p-m on June 2nd. Comments should be directed to: Sherry.Arntzen@dnr.iowa.gov. There will be a conference call public hearing at 10 a-m June 2nd.

OSHA inspection found faults in Anamosa prison’s communication system

News

April 12th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Safety inspectors discovered the radio system employees inside the Anamosa State Penitentiary used to communicate was malfunctioning more than a year before the inmate attacks that killed two Anamosa employees. K-C-R-G T-V was first to obtain the report Iowa’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued last August. It was based on an inspection in February of last year. Iowa OSHA investigators warned the prison’s communication system would not show the location of an emergency if an employee radioed that he or she was being attacked. OSHA said the system had other deficiencies, including dropped calls within the prison.

The OSHA report also indicated some prison staff assigned to respond to emergencies within the prison were not always available because of other duties. Iowa OSHA labeled these violations serious and levied a 20-thousand dollar fine against the Iowa Department of Corrections. The agency is appealing the fine and a spokesman declined to comment on the report. “We’ll address any issues the investigations may reveal and we’ll do what’s necessary to protect our people. Nothing is more important than that,” Reynolds says. “Changes may require additional investment, something that I am fully committed to doing, and this includes making sure that the department and its facilities are adequately staffed.”

Last week, House Republicans proposed a 20 MILLION dollar increase in the prison system’s budget. Last month, Majority Leader Jack Whitver announced SENATE Republicans were proposing a four MILLION dollar increase and he discussed the budget decision on Friday, before OSHA’s August report was publicly released. “We rolled out that number the day after the incident happened, so that process of figuring out how much we need, if there are safety concerns, has not been vetted,” Whitver said. “The House rolled their number out maybe two weeks later to where they had done a little bit more work. Obviously, it’s going to come somewhere in between there, after talking with both the governor and the director of corrections.”

Whitver made his comments during an appearance on “Iowa Press” on Iowa P-B-S.

Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s report, 4/12/21

News

April 12th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County, today (Monday), reported three arrests. At around 2:10-a.m. Sunday, 50-year-old Vincent Duane Wilson was pulled over for speeding 44 mph in a 25 mph zone, northbound through Crescent. Upon further investigation, Wilson was arrested for OWI/2nd offense. At around 1:10-a.m., Sunday, 26-year-old Brady Paul Johnson was arrested in Council Bluffs, after a deputy went to check on a motorist in need of assistance at 205th and Railroad Highway. Johnson was subsequently arrested for OWI/2nd offense.

And, at around 2:15-p.m. Saturday, 39-year-old Damien Joseph Keairns appeared at the Pott. County Sheriff’s Office to turn himself-in on a warrant. Once the extraditable warrant out of Woodbury County was confirmed, Keairns was booked into the Pottawattamie County Jail and held on the Woodbury County warrant.

New phone scam involves paying the Amazon bill

News

April 12th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A new phone scam is surfacing in central Iowa where the caller claims to a be from Amazon-dot-com. The caller starts by saying you’ve made a purchase, of say, 500-hundred to 15-hundred bucks. The supposed Amazon rep then threatens to turn you over to the fraud division of the Federal Trade Commission if you don’t pay up. Don’t pay up! It’s a scam! Amazon will email you personally, with your name, if there is a problem with your account. Don’t wire or mail money to someone you don’t know. Don’t deposit a check from someone you don’t know and wire the money back, no matter how good a tale they tell. If anyone calls you about that, or wanting any personal info, just hang up and contact the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint.

If you think you’ve been scammed, call your local police department and let them know.

Iowa COVID-19 update for 4/12/21: No additional deaths reported: 165 new cases

News

April 12th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

The Iowa Department of Public Health’s Coronavirus dashboard today (10-a.m., Monday, 4/12/21) showed there no additional COVID-19 related deaths reported since 10-a.m. Sunday, leaving the statewide pandemic death toll in Iowa at 5,857. Long-Term Care facility deaths account for 2,295 of the total number of deaths across the state.

There were 165 additional positive test results for COVID-19 returned from the labs, for a total of 385,904. There remain three Long-Term Care facility outbreaks, with 28 positive cases among residents and staff within those facilities.

Health officials say COVID-related hospitalizations are 220 (compared to 212 previously), and there are 55 COVID patients in an ICU. The IDPH says 30 people were admitted to a hospital across the state, compared to 39 the day before, and 21 patients remain on a ventilator.

RMCC Region 4 hospitals (those in western/southwest Iowa) show: There are 30 hospitalized with COVID; 13 COVID patients are in an ICU; two people were admitted with symptoms of COVID (6 less than previously reported), and there remain two COVID patients on a ventilator.

The 14-day and seven-day positivity rates were each 4.9%, a slight uptick from Sunday’s rate.

In the KJAN listening area, here are the current number positive cases by County; The # of new cases since yesterday {+} – if any; and the total number of deaths in each county to date:

  • Cass, 1,416 cases; {+0}; 54 deaths
  • Adair, 960; {+1}; 32
  • Adams, 337 {+1}; 4
  • Audubon, 511 {+0}; 9
  • Guthrie, 1,246 {+0}; 28
  • Harrison County, 1,878; {+3}; 73
  • Madison County, 1,655; {+0; 19
  • Mills County, 1,738; {+2}; 20
  • Montgomery, 1,076 {+2}; 37
  • Pottawattamie County, 11,674; {+10}; 160
  • Shelby County, 1,321 {+0}; 37
  • Union County,  1,320; {+0}; 32

Atlantic Kiwanis’ helmets for kids program

News

April 12th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

A Kiwanis project that started 25-years ago in Atlantic, continues with their mission of keeping kids safe while on a bicycle. Kiwanis member Steve Green said it all started with a Bell Helmets advertisement in a magazine.

After he got the go ahead to incorporate a bike safety program, Green called then Atlantic Police Chief Roger Muri, he wanted to get involved and sent his – at that time – Officer Steve Green to work with the program. It wasn’t long afterward that Barb and Dave Chase with Nishna Valley Trails got involved, to share their experiences and expertise in riding bikes.

Bell Helmets used local newspaper articles about the program to start other programs across the nation. To date, there are 5,000 similar programs established across the country for kids’ bicycle safety.

During the third year of the program, if a child’s helmet was damaged while being used, it would be replaced. In one such instance, a girl’s helmet broke into three pieces, but she didn’t suffer any injuries to her head. Atlantic’s program was also a part of Bell’s test program of a new helmet design.

The Kiwanis are giving helmets to third-graders in Atlantic and the CAM School District. The Griswold Optimists buy helmets for third-graders in Griswold, as well. Home school kids are also invited to attend the bicycle safety program. This year school has a “No Visitor” policy, so the program is not available. Last year the Bicycle Safety Program was put on hold due to COVID, but kids were still given helmets. They were placed inside their lockers for them to take home free of charge.

The discounted helmets still cost the organization $32,000 over the course of the 25-years the program has been in existence. Green says he knows of at least a half-dozen kids who were saved from more serious injuries, through the use of a bike helmet. In addition to bicycle helmets, the Kiwanis donate teddy bears to emergency rooms to help settle down a child who may be upset due to their injuries. He says about 150 bears are given away each year at the hospital.

If you would like to become involved with the Kiwanis and helping youth in the area, call Steve Green at 243-1247.

Iowans of Asian descent rally, speak out against anti-Asian violence

News

April 12th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Iowans who are members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community spoke out against increased violence against Asians across the country during a weekend rally in Des Moines. Speakers told stories of hate and discrimination to help raise awareness of Asian experiences in Iowa. Bonnie Manyvong said she’s proud of her younger brother for helping to organize the event.  “Someone had to speak out,” Manyvong says. “I mean, our culture is pretty much brought up where we were raised to be silent and quiet. Not to talk, not to speak, walk away from a situation even if it bothers you.”

A report found there were more than 37-hundred Asian hate incidents nationwide in the past year. Matthew Manyvong says he decided to put the rally together on impulse after six women of Asian descent were killed in Atlanta two months ago.  “It can happen anywhere,” Manyvong says. “Why wait for something to happen here when we can prevent it from happening?”

From 2019 to 2020, anti-Asian hate crimes increased more than 140-percent. Manyvong says that’s why there are more events like these to come. He says this was the first event of many to unify the Asian community in Iowa.

(By Kassidy Arena, Iowa Public Radio)

Cass County Supervisors to act on approving several matters, Tuesday morning

News

April 12th, 2021 by Ric Hanson

The Cass County Board of Supervisors will hold their regular weekly meeting beginning 9-a.m. Tuesday (April 13). On their agenda is discuss and possible action (D/A) on:

  • Approving a Resolution for the Secondary Roads Dept. Construction Program.
  • Approval of new hires by the County Engineer.
  • Approval of a Resolution with regard to the 2021 Weed Control Program.
  • Establishing a Cass County temporary county redistricting commission (districts based on 2020 Census data).
  • Appointing members to the Cass Co. Zoning Board of Adjustment and/or Zoning Commission, for the remainder of open terms.
  • And, appointing a member (A licensed physician) to the Cass County Board of Health (for the remainder of a term ending 12/31/2023).

The meeting takes place in the Supervisor’s Board Room at the Courthouse in Atlantic. Persons interested may view/and or participate via Zoom, at the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/138870131?pwd=dnRLK2ZjcWQ2SWpMQm0wK1c0b2pwUT09