Sheriff’s officials in Union County report 49-year old Candace Rhenee Bisbee, of Creston, was arrested at 9:50-p.m. Thursday, for domestic abuse assault. Bisbee was arrested at her home in Creston, was was being held without bond for Union County in the Adams County Jail, until seen by a Judge.

The Walnut City Council learned during a special meeting Thursday evening, that the Welcome Center may close at the end of June. City Clerk Shannon Wood told KJAN News the building is used in-part as a public restroom for the downtown area. She said the Optimists, which own the building, are granted money from the City for their budget, but since they own the building, there’s not much the City can do about it being closed. It’s not clear what would be done with the building once it closes.

The Walnut City Council also discussed the Community Center as it pertains to Family, Incorporated. Wood said Family, Inc. is looking into leasing one of the rooms of the former school building-turned Community Center. The Council came back with some estimated of what needs to be done to make the room they’re interested in, habitable for Family, Inc. Councilman Justen Tooley came up with a cost of $7,500, and a price of $6 per square foot per year as a lease.

Councilperson Linda Booth – who is Co-Chair of the RAGBRAI Committee — reported to the full Council that the Committee has eight- or nine-vendors in-place for the pass through event, which is close to the number they were hoping to attract. In other business, the Walnut City Council decided to go with the Bank of Oklahoma for their General Obligation Bond. She said Bankers Trust was getting rid of that part of business plan, leaving the Council with the option of going through UMB Bank or the Bank of Oklahoma. The Bank of Oklahoma was the cheaper option of the two.

Shannon Wood said also, the Council talked about the popular Walnut Splash Pad during their meeting. She said the City is having iron issues with the new well, which is causing them to back flush more through their system. Therefore, the hours are being reduced for the Splash Pad. Instead of from 10-a.m. To 8-p.m., the hours will be Noon-to 8-p.m., beginning June 5^th.

DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Department of Public Safety reports that on Thursday, May 23rd, the Iowa State Patrol and Division of Criminal Investigation charged 54-year old Gerry Greenland with one count of Attempted Murder. The charge follows an investigation into the action Greenland took towards Decatur County Sheriff Ben Boswell.

Gerry Greenland

A little after 3-p.m. Thursday, Decatur County Sheriff Ben Boswell, along with two deputies, was dispatched to 14163-128th Avenue in rural Grand River following a 911 call with a report of an altercation between family members. The initial responding deputy was confronted by Greenland, who was driving a John Deere 4250 tractor outfitted with a front-end bale spear. As the deputy drove up the driveway, Greenland drove the tractor towards the deputy’s vehicle. The deputy took evasive action and avoid contact with the tractor.

Greenland then drove the tractor towards the vehicle occupied by Sheriff Boswell that was stopped on the grass next to the driveway. The tractor struck Sheriff Boswell’s vehicle, forcing one of the bale spear tines through the driver’s door and pushing the Sheriff and his vehicle more than 100 feet. When the tractor and impaled vehicle came to a rest, deputies were able to get Greenland off the tractor and take him into custody without further incident. Sheriff Boswell was unharmed.

(Radio Iowa) — Triple-A predicts a three-and-a-half percent increase in travel volume this Memorial Day weekend, sparked — perhaps — by lower gas prices. Triple-A’s fuel price survey indicates the average price today (Friday) for regular unleaded gasoline is two-66 a gallon in Iowa. That’s 20 cents less than it was during the Memorial Day weekend last year. Gas prices in Iowa were about seven cents higher per gallon a month ago. Triple A projects that nearly 40 million Americans will travel 50 or more miles from home this weekend.

(KJAN/Radio Iowa) — National Weather Service forecasters say strong storms with heavy rain, hail and even a tornado are possible today in parts of Iowa. Parts of southwest Iowa’s Cass and Adams Counties got four inches of rain overnight. Several roads remain flooded. Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon. “That branch of the Nodaway River that runs from Massena down towards the central part of the county is still flooded,” Kennon says.

Crews have set up barricades on several secondary roads. “Don’t go through those barricades. They’re there for a reason,” Kennon says. “Don’t drive through standing water or running water going over a roadway. You’re just asking for trouble and I’m not a law enforcement officer, but I’ve got to believe somebody would try to cite for something if you do those silly things and end up in some trouble.”

The fine for failing to obey a “road closed” sign is 195 dollars when court costs are included — plus the cost of repairing water damage. In mid-April, a woman who ignored was injured after ignoring the “road closed” signs on Highway 34 was injured in Mills County. Her vehicle was launched 20 feet in the air when it hit several large chunks of concrete.

DES MOINES – The DNR Derelict Building Grant Program will award grants to 13 small, rural Iowa communities to help deconstruct or renovate abandoned structures, remove asbestos and limit construction and demolition materials going to the landfill.

The DNR Derelict Building Grant Program was instituted by statute to help rural communities with populations of 5,000 or less. DBGP funding is awarded annually on a competitive basis with cash matches required. Applications for the next funding round will be due on Feb. 20, 2020.

Among the projects that will receive a total of $396,864 as reimbursement grants are in:

• City of Afton — $31,403 to abate asbestos and deconstruct commercial building. City plans for a new community social center that will feature Wi-Fi for locals to use for gaming and access to the internet. And,
• City of Farragut — $12,100 to inspect and abate asbestos and complete a structural engineering analysis in an abandoned grocery store to determine the future use of the building.