BOONE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say two people were injured in a central Iowa house fire that one of them reported by running to an emergency center. Firefighters were sent around 4:30 a.m. Monday to the home in Boone and soon had the flames under control. A fire official told station KCCI that a man ran from the burning house to the dispatch center less than a block away to report the fire. The man and a woman who lived in the home were taken to a hospital.

Names and other details haven’t been released. The fire cause is being investigated.

Audubon Police Chief Matt Starmer has issued a report detailing four arrests. On March 30th, 66-year old Gary Paul Kennedy, and 39-year old Kilie Ray Kennedy, both of Omaha, Nebraska,  were arrested on an active Audubon Police Department warrant for Theft – 3rd degree.  The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the arrest. On March 29th, 20-year old Jacob Hoyt Way, of Guthrie Center, was arrested on multiple active warrants, and released to Cass County authorities. And on March 12th, 35-year old Eddie Ray Mack Jr., of Audubon, was arrested on an active warrant for Failure to Pay Child Support.

Voters in the Atlantic Community School District will head to the polls tomorrow (Tuesday), to decide the fate of a $9.5-million bond referendum for school improvements and safety upgrades. Absentee voting at the Cass County Auditor’s Office will be held up until 11-a.m. Tuesday, April 2nd. The polls will be open from Noon until 8:00 p.m., Tuesday. As of 10-a.m. today (Monday), 453 Absentee ballots had been cast at the Auditor’s Office, and many more were expected to be cast between now and 11-a.m. on Tuesday. The Polling places for Wards two and three and all remaining school district residents will vote at the Atlantic Public Library. Wards one, four and five will vote at the Heritage House.

If approved, the bond issue would provide for improvements to the Trojan Bowl, plus the district’s baseball and softball complex and tennis courts. Also proposed is a renovation of a roadway for smoother access to the elementary building, and connection to the high school. The bond issue requires 60% supermajority in order to pass.

The Resolution on the ballot asks: “Shall the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Community School District, in the Counties of Cass, Audubon and Pottawattamie, State of Iowa, be authorized to contract indebtedness ans issue general obligation bonds in an amount not exceeding $9,500,000 for the purpose of furnishing, equipping, constructing, improving, repairing, and renovating school buildings and improving the sites thereof at the school district’s existing school buildings located in Atlantic, Iowa, including without limitation: (a) renovating, equipping and improving the football field/track/stadium, team building, concession and related buildings/site improvements, (b) renovating, equipping and improving  the softball/baseball fields and related buildings/site improvements, (c) constructing, relocating, equipping and improving tennis courts and related buildings/site improvements, and (d) improving and realigning a roadway for smoother access to the elementary school and connection to the middle school?”

If approved during the Special Election, the indebtedness of the district will be in excess of 1.25-percent of the assessed valuation of taxable property in the School District.

Patrons of the Riverside Community School District will head to the polls Tuesday, April 2nd to cast their ballots on a renewed 10-year PPEL (Physical Plant and Equipment Levy), and a Board Vacancy in District 5. School officials have said if approved, the PPEL tax rate will be $1.34/$1,000 taxable property valuation, and will be used for critical updates such as replacing the HVAC units at the Elementary and Intermediate Schools. The units are currently 50-years old and well past their 30-year lifespan. The project will cost about $3.9-millions altogether.  The district also wants to update its bus fleet and technology.

The polls will be open from 10-a.m. to 8-p.m., April 2nd.

Impact Hill in Oakland, Iowa will host their monthly game night on Friday April 12th from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. In addition to the regular board and card games, the Pottawattamie County Sherriff’s Office will be running a Bicycle Rodeo. Deputies will lead children through bicycle safety activities including providing children with properly fitting bicycle helmets.

The Pottawattamie County Cattlemen will also be on hand during the event, grilling hot dogs and hamburgers from 6:00-7:30 p.m. Proceeds from this free will offering supper will help pay for this and other family based events for the community. Everyone is welcome. Visit www.impacthill.org to learn more.

GUTHRIE CENTER, Iowa – Representatives of nonprofits, local government, schools and other organizations are encouraged to register for Grant Writing 101, which will be presented from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16 at the Guthrie County Extension office, 212 State Street, Guthrie Center. Grant Writing 101 will provide hands-on training in seeking and writing successful grant applications. To register, call ISU Extension and Outreach – Guthrie County at 641-747-2276. There is a $10 registration fee which covers the training, materials, and a light meal that will be served at the start of the program. The program is being sponsored by Guthrie County Extension and Guthrie Center Development Group.

Participants are encouraged to bring a laptop, iPad or tablet device to the workshop, if they have one available. Grant Writing 101 will be presented by Abbie Gaffey, Community and Economic Development Specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach. Gaffey has more than 25 years of experience writing and reviewing grant applications and working with various federal, state, local and private foundation grant programs. She will assist workshop participants in exploring various public and private funding sources, and provide instruction and tips on planning projects and writing successful grant applications.

For more information about the workshops, contact Gaffey at agaffey@iastate.edu or 712-539-1169.

A domestic situation in Page County, Friday, resulted a drug arrest. The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports deputies responding to the domestic incident at a residence in the 2100 block of A Avenue were notified enroute, that the man involved in the incident, 38-year old Bennett James Blane, was leaving the residence. Blane was driving a pickup pulling a flatbed trailer with furniture, when he was stopped less than 100 yards to the north of the residence on A Avenue.

During the investigation, a free air sniff was conducted by Page County Sheriff’s Office K-9 “Lucas.” The K-9 indicated to the presence of a controlled substance in the vehicle. A subsequent search of the vehicle produced Methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Bennett Blane was arrested and charged with Possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) with intent to deliver 5 grams to 100 kilograms, a class B Felony, Possession of a controlled substance (marijuana)/1st offense, and possession of drug paraphernalia. The Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Shenandoah Police in handling the incident.

He was transported to the Page County Jail and booked in on a $25,000 cash-only bond. Blane made his initial court appearance on Saturday, when a Page County Magistrate changed the bond to $25,000 cash or surety. Blane posted bond and was released pending further court proceedings.

(Radio Iowa) — One of Governor Kim Reynolds’ top priorities faces an important legislative deadline this week. A bill that would let women who are at least 18 get some forms of birth control from a pharmacist without first going to a doctor has to clear a COMMITTEE in the Iowa House by this Friday or it’s ineligible for further debate. House Speaker Linda Upmeyer, a Republican from Clear Lake who is a nurse, says she and her fellow Republicans in the House haven’t decided how to proceed. “The (House Republican) Caucus is kind of all over the map on this topic,” Upmeyer says. “For myself, I really want to look at that bill closely. As a health care provider, it’s genuinely a medication and many medications are quite safe, but we don’t just sort of set them on the shelf and let people buy them.”

Upmeyer says she’s concerned women will skip periodic wellness visits to their doctor if they don’t need a doctor’s prescription for birth control. “I sure don’t want this to be an excuse or a reason that women use, ‘I can pick up my birth control pills at the pharmacy. I don’t need to go in for a wellness check,’ so now we’re not screening for breast cancer, cervical cancer, even domestic violence,” Upmeyer says. “All those things are part of that visit when you go in for wellness.”

Upmeyer says there are health-related reasons a doctor prescribes different kinds of pills to different patients.  “I also understand that women are busy. I appreciate that,” Upmeyer says, “but there are walking clinics around many communities.” Last week, the Iowa SENATE voted to let adult women buy birth control at the pharmacy counter, after answering a series of health-screening questions. The bill passed on a 42-to-six vote.

Cass County Public Health is celebrating National Public Health Week April 1-7, 2019. Public health impacts every aspect of our lives, and National Public Health Week (NPHW) shines a spotlight on how far we have come, as well as acknowledging how much more we need to do to make healthy living easier where people live, learn, work, and play.

The national theme is Creating the Healthiest Nation: For science. For action. For health. As part of this goal, Public Health works to build safe, healthy communities; provide quality healthcare for all; encourage healthy behaviors and choices; create healthy environments; increase economic mobility; and give everyone access to safe, healthy food. Beth Olsen, Director of Cass County Public Health, says “As residents in Cass County, if we each take one small step towards a healthier life every day, together we can make a difference in our national goal.”

In Cass County, Public Health has resources to help residents of all ages and stages of life. To learn more about Cass County Public Health, or to ask questions about their programs, call 712-243-7546 or stop in their office located at 1408 East 10th Street, Atlantic, Iowa.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports a chase from Nebraska into Iowa Sunday night resulted in the arrest of a Council Bluffs man. 27-year old Dylan Dijon Carter was taken into custody following a pursuit and foot chase. Carter faces charges that include Eluding while exceeding the speed limit by 25 mph or more, and Violation of Probation. His bond was set at $2,000. Authorities say a Pott. County Deputy ​assisted Omaha Police after a vehicle that OPD was chasing in Nebraska came over to Iowa and entered the trailer park on Richard Downing Dr. off of S. 24th. ​

The Deputy positioned his vehicle outside of the trailer park in case the vehicle took off again. ​The vehicle left the trailer park with no head lights on and headed out to S. 24th St. When the Pott. County Deputy activated his emergency lights and siren, the vehicle took off. ​​The vehicle was pursued until it crossed back over to Nebraska on the Veterans Memorial Bridge. ​The deputy then terminated his pursuit and​ turned around in Omaha at 13th St.,​ before returning to Pott. County. When ​Omaha Police Pursued the vehicle back across Veterans Memorial Bridge, the deputy intercepted it at S. 35th St., where the vehicle went north bound. When the vehicle stopped, the driver (Carter) bailed out, and was eventually apprehended. He was transported to the Pott. Co. Jail on the Eluding charge Probation Violation warrant.

Sheriff’s officials said also, 31-year old Brandyn Michael Muncey, of Omaha, was arrested Friday evening for being a Fugitive From Justice. Muncey was arrested after a Pott. County Deputy was called to check on a suspicious vehicle on the Morman Bridge Road. Due to recent flooding, the area is shut-off from traffic, with only emergency vehicles and local homeowners allowed in the area. In the vicinity of the I-680 ramp off 130th Street, the Deputy came across a Dodge Durango stuck in the ditch. Muncey was subsequently arrested on the warrant out of Douglas County, Nebraska. A female was cited for traffic offenses.

Friday afternoon, a deputy called to a residence in Carson for a warrant check, arrested 29-year old Jerid James Black. Black was taken into custody inside the residence on warrants for Failure to Appear on a citation, and on a hold for another agency. And, Sunday morning, 31-year old Jared Evan Rea was picked-up from Madison County, Nebraska, and brought to the Pott. County Jail, on a warrant for Operating a Motor Vehicle w/out the owner’s consent. He was turned over to corrections staff.