The Memorial Day weekend is recognized as the start of the summer vacation season and Iowa State Patrol Trooper Vince Kurtz is pleading with motorists to put their phones away and focus on the road. “It goes without saying that distracted driving is a serious problem on our roads,” Kurtz says.

Distracted driving is blamed in large part for the more than 400 traffic fatalities in Iowa last year – up from 320 the previous year. A new state law takes effect on July 1 making text and app use a primary offense, meaning police can pull over and ticket a driver who is spotted sending a text or email or recording video with their phone. The fine for a texting-while-driving ticket will be $30. Iowa law enforcement officers, through the holiday weekend, will be watching for motorists who aren’t buckled-up. Kurtz says seat belts are proven to save lives.

“National statistics now show that 80 percent of passengers ejected from their vehicles in a crash are killed,” Kurtz said. Around half of all fatal crashes involve drivers who are speeding, according to Kurtz. “Excessive speed reduces reaction time and increases your stopping distance,” Kurtz said.

AAA (Triple-A) Iowa has predicted this will be the busiest Memorial Day weekend for travel in the state in more than a decade.

(Radio Iowa)

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports two men were arrested recently on separate drug charges. A little after 2-a.m. today (Friday), 32-year old Joshua David Mott, of Henderson, was arrested for OWI/2nd offense, Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Mott was driving a 2002 Ford pickup in the vicinity of Bunge and Wabash Avenues south of Council Bluffs, when he was pulled over for “Swerving all over the roadway.” Upon further investigation, a deputy determined Mott showed clues of impairment. He was also allegedly in possession of 2.6-grams of marijuana, and a pot pipe.

And, at around 8:40-p.m. Thursday in Walnut, a Pott. County Deputy arrested 44-year old Richard Jessie Duran, of Council Bluffs, after a routine check of his license plate showed a possible warrant for Duran, who is the vehicles’ registered owner. When the Deputy approached Duran’s car near the Walnut Kum-and-Go Store, the man was looking down at his center console. That’s where the Deputy observed a white crystal substance. Further investigation resulted in Duran taken into custody for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

The Sheriff’s Office said also, 24-year old Caen Alexander Krahn, of Council Bluffs, was arrested Thursday afternoon on a warrant for Parole Violation. He was booked into the Pott. County Jail.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors met this (Friday) morning and took action on three of the five matters on their agenda. The Board took under advisement plans for a hearing on the vacating of a portion of roadway in the 7300 block of 660^th Street (Between Yankton and Youngstown Road) until County Engineer Charles Bechtold could speak with a couple of property owners in that area, and, they agreed to wait until their meeting May 31^st before taking action on a fireworks sales/discharge ordinance so that County Attorney Dave Wiederstein can gather more information.

The Board passed a Resolution authorizing a request for bids with regard to the Glacier, Buck Creek and Echo Roads paving project. Snyder and Associates Engineer Dave Sturm explained the process is moving forward now that the DOT has finally provided comments with regard to the plans and specifications for the project.

A request for bids is being sent out today (Friday), with the bids to be received no later than 3-p.m. June 15^th. Action will be taken on the bids at 8:30-a.m. on June 21^st. The Resolution also sets the Public Hearing on the project for June 21^st. The Board also approved a Federal Aid Agreement for a bridge replacement project on North Olive Street (County Road N-16). County Engineer Charles Bechtold said the bridge (#433) is located about a mile south of Interstate 80.

The bridge is being torn down and replaced to be wider, stronger and to better, accommodate ethanol plant traffic. The project will cost $600,000.  In their final order of business, the Cass County Supervisors approved plans for two bridge replacement projects, #25 – which is located on Tucson Road, south of Cumberland, and #342 – located north of Lewis on Lansing Road. Requests for bids will be sent out, with the return dates August 15^th and Sept. 19^th for the respective projects.

Bechtold said the Feds will pay 80 percent of the cost of both projects, with 20 percent coming from the Farm-to-Market road funds, so the County is not paying for anything “out of pocket.”

Two people were arrested on separate charges Thursday afternoon, in Creston. According to the Creston Police Department, 20-year old Adrian Scott Routh, of Creston, was arrested for Trespassing. He was later released on a promise to appear in court. And, 22-year old Bryan Adam Garcia, of Lenox, was arrested Thursday for Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree. He was later released on $1,000 bond.