Democrat Sara Ramsey, from Corning, was at the Cass County Fair, Monday, talking with voters about her bid for Iowa Senate District 11, which encompasses Adams, Pottawattamie and Union Counties, as well as most of Cass County. Republican Senator Tom Shipley, of Nodaway, has served as the District 11 since he was elected in 2014. He’s running for re-election in November. Ramsey’s bio says she’s running “As an alternative for those who are unsatisfied with the Iowa Republican Party’s performance.” She currently works as a psychiatric technician in Douglas County, Nebraska. She said she decided to enter the race for District 11 because she disagrees with Shipley on the several issues and some of the actions he’s backed in the Senate.

Sara Ramsey, candidate for IA Senate D-11

She says in her visits with district constituents, she’s heard their concerns on issues ranging from poverty to mental health care and healthcare in general. Being a psychiatric technician, Ramsey says mental health care has been affected by decisions made in the Iowa legislature, especially with regard to the closing of two out of four mental health institutions in Iowa. “When they closed down [the] Clarinda and Mt. Pleasant [mental health institutes] for financial reasons, they also took away 80 jobs…then they gave tax cuts to Apple to create 500 something temporary jobs and maybe 50 long-term jobs in a suburb of Des Moines. Policies like that are impacting [rural Iowa], areas that need services desperately, like mental health beds.”

Ramsey says if they were brought back, those services would bring in licensed professionals to staff the institutes and hospitals, creating good paying jobs. Other issues she supports include raising the minimum wage, ensuring consumer protections, protecting reproductive rights, supporting LGBTQ issues, and enforcing environmental protection. She says the rural area needs to make its voice heard by electing leaders who listen to their concerns and act upon them, and she believes she can be that voice in Iowa Senate District 11.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Monday (today) said as the result of an ongoing investigation, on or about July 20^th, deputies arrested on Sheriff’s Office warrants: 32-year old Stephen Kenneth Sheeder, of Anita, on a felony charge of Sexual Abuse 3^rd Degree. Later, nine more counts of felony Sex Abuse 3^rd Degree were added to Sheeder’s charges as well as three charges of Lascivious Acts with a child, also a felony offense. And, Dana Walker was charged with Child Endangerment, an aggravated misdemeanor. Sheeder was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $100,000 bond; Walker was taken to the Cass County Jail where she remains held on $25,000 bond. On July 24th, Deputies in Cass County arrested 48-year old Sean Patrick Ryan, of Anita, on a Cass County Sheriff’s Office warrant for felony Sexual Abuse in the 2^nd Degree, and a felony charge of Lascivious Acts with a Child. Ryan was taken to the Cass County Jail and released later that day on $25,000 bond.

On July 24th also, Robert John Rasmussen was arrested on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear, and a Sheriff’s Office warrant for Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Registry 2^nd Offense (a Class D Felony). Rasmussen was also arrested on a new charge of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Rasmussen was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $15,000 bond.

Last Friday, Cass County Deputies arrested 38-year old Jared Eldon Finnell, of Cumberland, after he turned himself in at the Cass County Jail on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Finnell was released the following day on his own recognizance.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Another trial date has been set for an eastern Iowa woman accused of letting seven children live surrounded by garbage, rotten food and feces. Dubuque County records say 35-year-old Tiesha Martin has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of child endangerment. Her trial originally was scheduled to begin March 19 but was delayed until April 23, then June 11, June 25 and now Sept. 5.

The records say police and a social worker checking on the children at Martin’s residence Jan. 2 found the squalid conditions and say the children were sharing just one bedroom and bed. Thirty-four-year-old Jermaine Watson is the father of Martin’s youngest child, and he pleaded guilty to child endangerment and two drug counts. He’s been given two years of probation.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will be holding a judicial conference in Des Moines next month. Organizers say U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch and U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions will be among the speakers at the Iowa Events Center, Aug. 15-17. Also speaking will be Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Rep. Robert Goodlatte, R-Va. They are chairmen of the Senate and House judiciary committees, respectively.

The conference is open only to judges, attorneys, law school students and court employees.

LIME SPRINGS, Iowa (AP) — Some northern Iowa residents have banded together to fight what they call pollution of their water and air after several failed attempts to thwart the rise of hog confinements. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that the Northeast Iowans for Clean Air and Water has organized an agreement with Howard County residents to form a covenant not allowing manure to be placed on their land. Manure becomes more toxic with a large number of hog confinements.

The covenant is comprised of about 43 families, with 63 separate properties between four townships. The properties together span more than 5,500 acres. The Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine says swine manure can generate toxic chemicals, including ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and methane.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — An October trial in Sioux City has been scheduled for a man accused of ramming police cars on a chase that began in northeast Nebraska and ended in western Iowa. Woodbury County court records say 43-year-old Larry Johnson II pleaded not guilty Friday to assault on an officer. His trial is set to begin Oct. 2. The Nebraska State Patrol says the incident occurred July 6 when a Nebraska trooper tried to stop a pickup truck being pursued by South Sioux City police. Officials say the truck rammed the trooper’s car, which had maneuvered in front of it, from behind before crossing into Iowa.

The trooper and a Dakota County sheriff’s cruiser following the truck onto Interstate 29 before it went out of control and became stuck in a median. Officials say the truck then rammed both the trooper’s car and the sheriff’s vehicle before Johnson was arrested.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The director of the Iowa Board of Medicine has abruptly retired following a personnel investigation in which he says he was treated unfairly by state administrators. Mark Bowden announced his retirement on Monday morning, following the board’s decision to reinstate him to his position on Friday. He had been on paid leave during an investigation into unspecified allegations.

Bowden says state lawyers and staff at the Department of Public Health and Department of Administrative Services treated him in a “grossly unfair way” during the inquiry. He says the treatment “broke the trust and confidence I need” to stay at the agency, which he had led for 10 years.

The board is responsible for licensing physicians and acupuncturists and investigating claims of misconduct.

A rural Atlantic woman is vying to become the Democratic representative for Iowa House District 21, which covers Adams, Union, Cass, and West Pottawattamie Counties, and is currently held by incumbent Republican Tom Moore, of Griswold.

Denise O’Brien

Denise O’Brien, who has farmed in the County for over 42-years, says she’s running for the Iowa House because she wants the voice of rural Iowans to be heard. She said she decided to run in the November General Election when she learned her opponent was going to go unchallenged. She said she had no intention of getting into politics again (She ran for Secretary of Agriculture in 2006), but she felt women, rural Iowa, and Democrats were under-represented in the House of Representatives and Governorship. O’Brien said also she would the same thing if she were an incumbent, because “It’s how democracy works.”

She says she’s always sought to find answers for how rural communities and farmers can survive and thrive. O’Brien says losing a small farm base to large farms has been a big detriment, but there’s still opportunities for small farm operations. Working on economic development issues in conjunction with technology can help people live in rural areas and participate in the rural economy yet be worldwide in their influence. And, while the population in Iowa tends to trend toward the urban areas, O’Brien says some people who’ve left rural Iowa are becoming disenchanted with the urban life for various reasons, and look to return home. She’s said it’s very good for people to leave and experience the big city life, and then to come back once they’ve had their fill of the rush and headaches associated with traffic, crime and crowds.

O’Brien left Iowa as a teenager, but came back, found love and decided to stay. The wider-world experiences she had allowed her to bring back fresh ideas to help the community. She says the next big challenge Iowa faces, is agri-business/agriculture, including issues caused by climate change. Some people she says some accept the premise of climate change, while other deny it, but her experience tells her things have changed, and Iowa needs to be better prepared for it.

And, as other candidates for office have said, Iowans are concerned about healthcare, education and the farm economy. O’Brien says she’ll work to address those issues in the Iowa House, if elected in November.

IA House District 21

The Atlantic City Council will hold a regularly schedule meeting this Wednesday at City Hall, beginning at 5:30-p.m. Among the items on their agenda, is a presentation by Alexis Fleener, Lead Planner with SWIPCO, pertaining to property owner interest in participating in a downtown facade program. The Council has already committed $100,000 toward a revolving loan program, overseen by CADCO, to support small business development and growth. The facade program is being explored by means of a CDBG (Community Development Block Grant), which is under the auspices of the U-S Dept. of Housing and Urban Development.

The CDBG Downtown Revitalization Fund is managed in Iowa, by the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA), and requires 25-percent Sponsor (City) funding ($250,000), as well as 25-percent Property Owner Funding ($250,000). The State would provide matching funds of $500,00, if the CDBG application is approved. Fleener reports 13 property owners have expressed interest in the program, seven have some interest, with 14 property owners currently reviewing the information to determine their level of interest.

Fleener says part of moving forward with the project is a $45,000 commitment from the City, for various studies required to develop an application for CDBG funds, if enough interest is received in the program. The $45,000 covers a Slum and Blight study, Historic District Study, and a project architect fee. City Administrator John Lund reports he has already adjusted the Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) Progress Fund budget for FY 2019 to reserve the $45,000. He’s also addressed the City’s grant match of $250,000, by proposing the City use the remaining $140,892 in the Economic Development Revolving fund in FY 2020, and then transfer $77,055 from the LOST progress fund in both FY 2019 and FY 2020 to cover the expenditures related to the project.

After the presentation by Fleener, the Council will act on an order to approve a contract with SWIPCO for the CDBG Downtown Revitalization application. In other business, the Atlantic City Council will act on approving: A Resolution approving contracts for Olive and Nishna Street Bridge repairs, and the Second Reading of an amendment to the City’s Code of Ordinances, with regard to Zoning Regulations (after changes were made in the definition of “Height,” the allowance of carport-to-garage upgrades installed prior to ordinance enactment; a change in setback regulations with regard to an accessory use of home addition is made; and for new construction, a 12-foot distance away from buildings of abutting lots, and other matters). John Lund says the effect of the changes is that “Hundreds, perhaps over a thousand residential properties would have greater flexibility to improve their properties without the costly, time-consuming headache of applying for an inappropriate variance that they may not even get.”

The Atlantic City Council will also hold the second reading of an amended Animal Control Ordinance, with regard to the number of days the City holds an animal before it is eligible for adoption. The current number of days an owner has to claim their animal, is seven. The State requires a minimum of three days, and Animal Control Officer Kris Erickson is requesting the City’s Ordinance mirror the State Code. Animals that are licensed and/or have an implanted ID chip, are generally not put up for adoption.

The Council will act on approving a request to close the corner of 3^rd and Chestnut Street to the north property line of the 1^st Whitney Bank on Sept. 11^th, from 3-until 8-p.m., for the dedication ceremony of a statue in honor of the City’s 150^th Anniversary, and, an order to close certain downtown streets August 26^th from 3:15-to 8-p.m., for the 2018 “Family Night Out” event.

Wind energy projects do -not- lower surrounding property values, according to a study being released by the Center for Rural Affairs. Center policy associate Lu Nelsen says opponents of wind power development who speak out at public meetings typically make the claim, but there’s no evidence to support it. “There’s a lot of questions about, ‘What could this do to my property values?’ and how should that affect citing requirements,” Nelsen says. “At least if we look at some of the research that’s been done on this issue, there’s no clear link between any harm to property values and wind energy systems.”

Iowa is one of the nation’s leading states for wind power generation, with more than one-third of our electricity coming from the wind. Iowa’s goal is 40-percent by 2020. Nelsen says other types of development often -do- have a negative impact on land values. “It’s less from the actual wind turbine itself, it could be from other what are called disamenities,” Nelsen says. “That could be anything from if an area isn’t restored properly from construction, it could be from something entirely unrelated to a wind farm, a confined animal feeding operation or a wastewater treatment plant.”

Nelsen says local officials and wind power developers need to be clear about what will happen with any new project, especially in regard to the land’s appearance post-construction. “Making sure you control for things like damages to roads,” Nelsen says, “to make sure there is actual restoration after construction of an area so it isn’t torn up or it doesn’t look the way it would’ve looked if there had been no construction.”

The wind industry employs some 7,000 Iowans. The study was conducted by the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and the Universities of Rhode Island and Connecticut. The Center for Rural Affairs is based in Lyons, Nebraska.