WAVERLY, Iowa (AP) — Backers have cleared a key fundraising hurdle for a project that would provide new fairgrounds and sports fields in a northeast Iowa community. Consultant Terry Hinrichs had vowed to raise $1 million by the end of 2018 for the Champions Ridge project in Waverly. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports that he was still short of his goal on Dec. 31 but gained a pledge that put him over the top in time for Monday night’s City Council meeting. The council voted 5-2 to move forward with the project, which will be built on land the city owns.

Hinrichs hopes to break ground on the 142-acre project by spring. He’s putting together a funding package for excavation and infrastructure — another goal the council placed on the Champions Ridge board.

Two women from Atlantic were cited into court on Animal Neglect charges. According to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, two puppies, one of which was said to be a Labrador Retriever, were found in a snow-filled ditch near 750th and Hamburg Road (Southwest of Anita), on Jan. 12th. The animals were brought to the Cass County Animal Clinic for treatment. An investigation resulted in citations for 50-year old Bunny Manlove and her daughter, 28-year old Karen Hernandez, both of Atlantic. Both are scheduled to appear in court on January 31st.

A traffic stop early this (Wednesday) morning in Pottawattamie County resulted in the arrest of a Council Bluffs man. The Sheriff’s Office reports a deputy on patrol at around 3:55-a.m.  initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle for failing to obey two stop signs at the intersection of Valley View Drive and College Road. The driver of the vehicle, identified as 63-year old Terry Hilt, of Council Bluffs, was found to have a valid warrant for violation of probation. After the warrant was confirmed, Hilt was placed under arrest and transported to Pott. County Corrections, where his bond was set at $2,000.