The City Council in Walnut is set to receive a report Thursday evening from Alexis Fleener, with regard to the Walnut Housing Agreement. Fleener is with SWIPCO (the Southwest Iowa Planning Council, based in Atlantic).

The Iowa Department of Economic Development recently announced a federally funded Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) was awarded to Walnut, amounting to nearly $240,000, for the rehabilitation of six, owner-occupied homes in Walnut. The grant money, for low-income homeowners, can be used for new windows, siding, interior or whatever is needed to make the home safe and livable according to building standards. The city is putting in a match of a little over $10,000 to go towards those six homes.

The CDBG is funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In other business, the Walnut City Council will receive an update on, and review, the City’s Infrastructure Needs Study and Strategic Plan, an update on the Welcome Center, and discuss planter maintenance along with City mowing.

The Walnut City Council meeting takes place at City Hall, beginning 5-p.m., Thursday.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A lawyer for the ousted Iowa Department of Human Services director says he’ll file a legal claim alleging he was the victim of whistleblower retaliation. Attorney Tom Duff confirmed Wednesday that he’s representing Jerry Foxhoven, who was asked to step down by Gov. Kim Reynolds last month. Duff said that Foxhoven plans to announce Thursday that he’s filing a wrongful termination claim with the State Appeals Board, the first step toward pursuing a lawsuit against state government.

Duff says that Foxhoven objected to a request to continue to have his agency fund most of the salary of the governor’s deputy chief of staff, Paige Thorson. Duff says that Foxhoven believed the arrangement made sense when he approved it in 2018. But he said that, by June, Foxhoven believed Thorson was no longer furthering the agency’s interests. Duff says that Foxhoven wanted a legal opinion before moving forward with the arrangement.

A spokesman for Reynolds has said that Foxhoven never raised any such concerns and that he was let go because she wanted to move in a new direction.

MONDAMIN, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in Harrison County have recovered the body of a farmer who died after his tractor flipped over atop him when it ran off a riverbank edge into the Missouri River. The tractor was spotted by people searching for the man Tuesday evening a little more than 2 miles northwest of Mondamin. The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office identified the man as 82-year-old Malvern Wallis, who lived in Mondamin. He had been working along the riverbank since 8 a.m., getting the land ready for cattle. It’s unclear when the accident occurred.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports 27-year old Mauricio Anaya, of Bellevue, NE, was arrested at the Pott. County Courthouse, Tuesday morning. Anaya was wanted on a Pott. County warrant for violation of probation. He was booked into the Pott. County Jail. And, 28-year old Dylan Dijon Carter, of Council Bluffs, presented with a warrant at the Pottawattamie County Jail for violation of probation. He was being held on $6,000 bond associated with two Theft charges. 27-year old Alyssa Mae Jaraz, of Red Oak, was transported from Montgomery County to the Pott. County Jail, where she was wanted on a warrant for Domestic Abuse Assault. She was being held without bond.

There was also four prisoners being held at other correctional facilities, who were transported to the Pott. County Jail to address various warrants. They include:

• 44-year old Kerri C. Swanson, for Violation of Probation
• 54-year old Steven Elliot Allis, for Credit Card Fraud (Under $1,500)
• 26-year old Dakota Shawn McDonald, for Violation of Probation.
• 51-year old Johnny Joe Tangeman, for Violation of Probation & Violation of a No Contact Order.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Due to the rain and lightning this morning, the Schildberg Recreation Area Playground build has been pushed-back a few hours today (Wednesday). Parks and Rec Director Bryant Rasmussen said you’re welcome to come out for lunch and then work a few hours this afternoon to help assemble the playground equipment, after the storms are expected to have passed.

WAVERLY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a person who fell under a pickup truck was run over and killed in northeast Iowa. First responders were called to the scene north of Waverly about 8:40 p.m. Tuesday. They were told the pickup driver had driven it forward before learning that the person had fallen beneath it. The Iowa State Patrol hasn’t released the names of those involved.
The investigation is continuing.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A judge intends to announce his verdict Thursday in the slaying of two people in Sioux City. Woodbury County District Court records say the verdict will be handed down to 19-year-old Tran Walker, whose non-jury trial ended in May. He’s accused of killing 17-year-old Paiten Sullivan and 18-year-old Felipe Negron Jr. Police say Walker was in a car with the other two on Jan. 28 last year when he stabbed Sullivan and then Negron when he tried to intervene.

A friend of Walker testified that the defendant said he had wanted to talk to the girl about their breakup and that he needed closure. Sullivan’s stepmother, Stevie Sullivan, testified that Walker and Sullivan broke up because he didn’t want her to finish school.

The Creston Police Department reports 24-year old Tyler White, of Creston, was arrested at around 1:30 this (Wednesday) morning. White was taken into custody at the Union County Law Enforcement Center (LEC) on a charge of Theft in the 2nd Degree. His bond was set at $5,000. Two people were arrested on separate charges Tuesday, in Creston: 28-year old Dillon Savage, of Lorimor, was arrested on a Dept. of Corrections warrant for Violation of Parole. Savage was being held without bond in the Union County Jail; and, 19-year old Joel Blazek, of Creston, was arrested at the Union County LEC on a Union County warrant for Theft in the 5th Degree. He was later released on $300 bond.