OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A long-awaited national cemetery for U.S. military veterans and their families south of Omaha will be dedicated this week before accepting its first burials this fall. The Omaha National Cemetery will be dedicated Friday at an off-site ceremony in Sarpy County, NE. Once complete, the entire 236-acre cemetery will serve the burial needs of more than 112,000 veterans in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. 

Cemetery director Cindy Van Bibber says the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is expected to complete an initial segment of the property to be used for in-ground casket and cremation burials as early as September.

National cemeteries provide burial spaces for honorably discharged veterans, their spouses and eligible dependents at no charge.

Officials with the Department of Corrections, Sunday, said the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison was placed on restricted movement Saturday, after several altercations took place. The incidents involved multiple offenders, with no serious injuries reported.  None of the staff were injured, either. The visiting room at the facility was closed for the rest of the weekend.  No further information is available at this time, as the incident remains under investigation.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater reports two people were arrested on separate assault charges last week. On July 24th, 27-year old Ashley Dawn Salazar, of Adair, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault for allegedly striking a person and putting them in a choke hold. Salazar was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $2,000 cash bond or surety. On July 28th, 41-year old Elmer Lee Harwell, of Bedford, was arrested by Stuart Police for Domestic Abuse Assault/3rd offense. He was being held without bond in the Adair County Jail.

Sheriff Vandewater reports also, 29-year old Matthew Lee Richards, of Fontanelle, and 26-year old Nathalie Urioste, of Omaha, were arrested on separate, OWI/1st offense charges, July 24th. Richards was cited for the offense and released, while Urioste was later released on bond.

48-year old Floyd Richard Coombes, of Thayne, WY., was arrested Saturday evening near Stuart, for a Prescription Drug Violation. Coombes was being held in the Adair County Jail on $1,000 bond.

35-year old Jennifer Marie Woollums, of Osceola, and formerly of Greenfield, was arrested July 25th in Adair County, on an Adair County warrant associated with Child Support payments. Woollums was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $2,000 cash only bond.

Also on July 25th, 20-year old Antione Luckett, Jr., of Ottumwa, was arrested by the Iowa State Patrol on Interstate 80 in Adair County. Luckett, Jr. was arrested for Driving Under Suspension, Providing False Identification Information, and he was cited for Speeding. Luckett pled guilty to the Adair County charges, was sentenced to time served, and held on separate warrants issued by the Ottumwa Police Department. He was later released to the custody of Ottumwa Police.

Police in Red Oak, Sunday morning, arrested a man on assault and child endangerment charges. 22-year old Logan Samuel Cashatt, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 9:35-a.m. for Domestic Assault, Simple Assault, Obstruction of Emergency Communications, and child endangerment. His bond was set at $2,600.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – The human remains found last week at a Council Bluffs construction site may offer more clues about the Mormon pioneers who crossed the region in the 1800s. Sister Terry Latey is a research librarian with an Omaha chapter of the Church of Latter Day Saints. She says the area where human remains were found was likely part of the Mormon Trail that hundreds of pioneers followed west to Salt Lake City.

The Daily Nonpareil reports the bones discovered Thursday and Friday will be examined at the University of Iowa. The bones are believed to be more than 100 years old. Council Bluffs Police Capt. Todd Weddum says the department isn’t investigating because the age of the bones means they couldn’t be linked to any missing persons cases.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An agency overseeing a grant program that addresses abandoned and neglected buildings in rural Iowa has no immediate plans to change how it administers the program following a state audit that questioned some of its accountability reporting. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the Derelict Building Grant Program is managed effectively and has rules in place to ensure its success.

A report from the state auditor’s office released in July recommends that DNR work with the Iowa Legislature to add language that establishes measurable goals for some conservation programs, including the grant program. A DNR spokeswoman says such rules exist for the grant program. The grant program distributes $400,000 annually to small cities and communities in Iowa. A round of applications will be accepted beginning Monday.

A blown tire resulted in a semi rolling-over on Interstate 29 Saturday afternoon, about two-miles north of the I-680 split, in Harrison County. The Iowa State Patrol reports 38-year old Steffen Edwards, of Kansas City, Missouri, was traveling northbound at around 2:50-p.m., when he saw a puff of smoke, and the 2008 Freightliner semi he was driving began to pull suddenly to the left.

The semi, registered to Digital Sound Systems, Inc., of Lenexa, KS, went out of control, entered the median and crossed the southbound lanes and rolled into the west ditch. The accident happened at around 2:50-p.m. Authorities say Edwards was transported by Midwest Medical to Creighton Hospital in Omaha, for treatment.

Police in Red Oak say a woman from Clarinda was arrested Saturday night. 40-year old Tammy Marie Milleson was taken into custody following a traffic stop. Milleson was arrested at around 10:15-p.m. on a warrant out of Page County for Failure to Appear on a Driving While Suspended charge. She was transported to the Page County Jail, where her cash bond was set at $435.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will hold a 2016 land leasing and valuation workshop on Tuesday, Aug. 2nd.  The workshop is a key source of information to landowners and tenants on land value and rental rate trends.  There will also be discussion of different ways to determine a cash rent, how to establish a flexible cash rent, and considerations to have a successful land rental rate negotiation.

Lower cash prices for crops has tightened margins on producers and put downward pressure on land values and rents.  The workshop will also discuss the cost of crop production for 2017, so that tenants can plan accordingly and landowners are aware of the costs tenants face outside of just paying the rent.

Officials say if there will be any change to a land lease agreement for 2017, notice that the 2016 lease will terminate must be given in writing before Sept 1st.  ISU Extension is offering this unbiased workshop to help both landowners and tenants make informed and mutually advantageous land leasing agreements.

The cost is $20 per person with pre-registration, and includes the updated land leasing handbook.  Shelby County Extension will be holding this workshop starting at 9:30 am Tuesday (August 2nd) at the Shelby County Extension Office located at 906 Sixth Street in Harlan.  Call (712) 755-3104 to pre-register, or for questions. United Bank of Iowa will sponsor a light lunch following the session.