(Clarinda, Iowa) – The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports 45-year-old Tracey Lynn Ballinger, of Clarinda, was arrested Wednesday at her residence,on a Page County Warrant for Contempt of Court. The warrant stems from a sentencing charge of Driving while License is barred.

Ballinger

Ballinger was transported to the Page County Jail where she is being held on $2000.00 cash only bond pending further court proceedings.

(Clarinda, Iowa) – Deputies with the Page County Sheriff’s Office, Tuesday, arrested a woman on a warrant for Failure to Appear. Sheriff Lyle Palmer says 49-year-old Brandee Lee Greve, of Clarinda, was arrested in connection with an original charge of having a prohibited, vicious animal. Greve was arrested at the Page County Courthouse and transported to the Page County Jail, where she was booked in and later posted a $300 bond.

Brandee Lee Greve

Greve was then released, pending future court proceedings.

(Radio Iowa) – A six-story building in Shenandoah’s downtown district may wind up being renovated after being vacant for more than two decades. Margaret Brady started a realty company in 2019 to renovate and resell flooded properties in the area and is taking on the project and its estimated half a million dollar cost. “If you’ve ever even driven by that building you know it probably has some stuff in there that needs to come out, so the first thing we’re going to do is demo floors one and two. It’s like the storefront and then offices about that and it still has the old mill equipment in there, so that’s going to have to come out,” she says, “so there’s quite a bit of work to do inside.”

The Johnson Brothers building – a livestock feed mill — was built in the early 1940s. The business closed in 1998. Shenandoah officials initially began discussing demolition more than a decade ago, but city officials are now supporting Brady’s plan to turn the building into retail and office space as well as a storehouse and workshop for doors, windows and other materials rescued from other properties. Brady says tuck pointing on the brick building’s exterior is scheduled to start in October. “So hopefully in just a few months they’ll start making the outside look better,” Brady says.

Shenandoah officials and Brady are working on a tax increment financing package of up to a quarter of a million dollars to support renovations.  “It’s not something that I deal with very often, so it’s a little outside my realm,” she says, “so it’s been really a good process and I’m excited to get that project going.” Brady says if all goes well, the renovations will be done in the fall of 2023. She’s hoping the project spurs other redevelopment. “Any time you see positive growth, whether it’s a house or a building, everybody thinks they can do a little better on theirs, too,” Brady says.

Members of the Johnson family have donated 165-thousand dollars toward restoration of the building that was home to the family business for more than 50 years.

(Atlantic, Iowa) –  The Cass County Tourism planning committee is working to revitalize their group and develop a cohesive county-wide strategy for tourism promotion. The group is particularly interested in increasing representation from areas of the county outside of Atlantic. Anyone interested in promoting Cass County as a destination worth a visit is invited to attend the Cass County Tourism committee’s next meeting on Monday, July 18, from 9:00-10:00 AM at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce (102 Chestnut St. Atlantic, IA 50022).

According to spokesperson Brigham Hoegh, for more than a decade, Kenner Baxter of Marne has led Cass County Tourism as a volunteer. For the past number of years, the Cass County Board of Supervisors have provided $5,000 in funding to Cass County Tourism annually. The funding has been used primarily for county event marketing including brochures, print ads, and radio ads about events such as the county fair, mud races, Whaletown, and Cass County Parks and Conservation events. Minimal funding has also been used to reimburse Baxter for the costs of attending regional and state tourism events, where she has represented Cass County. 

Participants in Cass County Tourism’s meetings over the past few years have included representatives from the Hitchcock House, A.R.I.S.E., Cass County Conservation, Produce in the Park, the Cass Atlantic Development Corporation, SHIFT ATL, the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Mayor of Atlantic, in addition to others. As of Spring 2022, Baxter has shared she plans to step away from Cass County Tourism. However, before she departs, she’s working to ensure there is a plan for tourism promotion in the county to continue and grow. At the July 18 meeting, the group will be discussing potential long-term strategies for coordinating Cass County tourism promotion after Baxter’s departure.

Those interested in attending the meeting are encouraged to RSVP to Kenner Baxter at kennermc@metc.net.

(Walnut, Iowa) -The victim of a collision Wednesday afternoon near Walnut that involved a train and a semi-tractor trailer hauling grain, was identified this (Thursday) morning, as 54-year-old Ronaldo Huntoon, of Council Bluffs. The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office the accident happened at around 2:40-p.m., Wednesday, south of Walnut, on 510th Street, between Rosewood and Pinoak Roads.

The train dragged the semi approximately 100-150 yards, according to law enforcement. Authorities say when first responders arrived on the scene, the truck was on fire — “fully involved.” The train was traveling east and the grain truck was traveling south when the accident occurred.

No one on the Iowa Interstate Railroad train was injured.

(Ames, Iowa) – Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, this week, said swimming is not recommended at beaches at 10 separate Iowa State Parks due to high levels of E.Coli (fecal) bacteria. Sources of E. coli can include untreated human sewage, failing septic tanks, livestock agriculture, pets, wildlife, and illegal connections from home sewer systems to surface water. When E. Coli exceeds the permissible level in recreational water, it results in the closing of beaches, ponds, lakes, and swimming and fishing areas.

The bacteria standard for Iowa’s recreational waters consists of two components:

• A geometric mean standard based on 5 samples in a 30-day period (126 colony-forming units of E. coli bacteria per 100 mL of water).
• A one-time maximum standard based on a single sample (235 colony forming units of E. coli bacteria per 100 mL of water).
  

  Swimming is not recommend for Beaches/Parks w/yellow dots; Blue dots indicate insufficient data; Red indicates closed; Green is OK for swimming.

In our area, the last, single sample taken from Prairie Rose Beach in Shelby County (July 6), was well above the one-time standard, coming in at 310/mL, and a mean of 122.67. Lake Manawa State Beach in Pottawattamie County was tested (July 6) at 110/ml in the last five-sample, with a Geometric mean of 130.7. And, the Lake of Three fires near Bedford in Taylor County, is temporarily closed to swimming, but the Lake of Three Fires State Park is still open. The DNR said last week a swimmer from Missouri may have contracted a rare brain-eating amoeba from the water.

The most commonly reported symptoms of E.Coli are stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and low-grade fever. More information about beach monitoring, including an interactive map, can be found at the Iowa DNR website here.

Des Moines, Iowa – A man from south-central Iowa was sentenced Wednesday to prison for assaulting law enforcement officers with a firearm. According to the U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa, a judge sentenced 31-year-old Nathan Mason Nosley, of Montezuma, to 92 months (7.6-years) in prison.  Nosley’s sentencing followed his earlier guilty plea to the offense.

The assault occurred on November 20, 2020, when officers attempted to arrest Nosley for unrelated child pornography crimes. As the officers tried to take Nosley into custody, he pulled a loaded handgun from his waistband and fought with officers as they tried to get control of the firearm. During the struggle, Nosley bit an officer’s hand, causing the officer to bleed. The officers ultimately were able to secure the gun and take Nosley into custody. Nosley’s gun contained a loaded magazine and a live round in the chamber. A search of Nosley’s person revealed additional ammunition in his pocket.

Nosley was later convicted at trial of the child pornography offenses and was sentenced to 140 years in prison in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa. The 92-month sentence for assaulting the officers was imposed consecutively to Nosley’s sentence in the child pornography case.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This matter was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Iowa State Patrol, and the Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

(Harlan, Iowa) – The 2022 Shelby County Fair is underway, in Harlan. There are lots of activities and exhibitions to view, along with the livestock. Here is the schedule for today and tomorrow (July 14-15)…

THURSDAY, JULY 14
9:00 am……………..Judge 4-H/FFA Cats & Small Pets
9:00-9:30 am………Enter Bottle Animals – All livestock is to unload at dock and be inspected by a Veterinarian.
9:30 am……………..Judge 4-H/FFA Feeder Calves, Beef Cow/Calves, Breeding Beef, and Dairy Cattle
10:00 am-1:00 pm..Little Hands on the Farm Exhibit
10:30 am……………Pie & Muffin Baking (Check Green Book for your scheduled time.)
12:30 pm……………Bottle/Bucket Calf and Bottle/Bucket Calf Plus One Exhibitor Meeting
1:00 pm……………..Judge 4-H/FFA/Clover Kids Bottle Bucket Calf Show
2:30 pm…………….Open Class Bottle Show
3:00-5:00 pm………Little Hands on the Farm Exhibit
4:00 pm……………..Carnival
6:00 pm…………….Shelby County Fair PARADE – ‘New Beginnings, Lasting Memories’
7:00-7:30 pm………Strolling Act – Amazing Arthur
7:30-9:00 pm………Little Hands on the Farm Exhibit
8:00-8:30 pm………Strolling Act – Amazing Arthur
8:00 pm……………..Show Ring: Crowning of 2022 Shelby County Fair Queen and Hall of Fame Recognition
9:00-9:30 pm………Strolling Act – Amazing Arthur
4-H & Open Class Buildings open following judging to 10:00p.m.
Nishna Valley Model Railroad Building open from 4:00p.m. – 9:00p.m

FRIDAY, JULY 15
7:00 am………………..Exhibitor Breakfast by Agriland FS for all exhibitors
7:45 am………………..Swine Exhibitors Meeting
8:00 am………………..Judge 4-H/FFA Swine
10:00 am-1:00 pm…..Little Hands on the Farm Exhibit
12:30 pm………………Rabbit Agility Exhibitor’s Meeting
1:00 pm……………….4-H Rabbit Agility – Tent
2:45 pm……………….4-H Working Exhibitors’ Meeting
3:00 pm……………….4-H Working Exhibits – Tent
3:00-6:00 pm………..Little Hands on the Farm Exhibit
4:00-4:30 pm.……….Strolling Act – Amazing Arthur
4:00 pm……..…..…..Carnival
5:00-5:30 pm………..Strolling Act –  Amazing Arthur
6:00 pm………………Double S Extreme Bull Riding
8:00-8:30 pm.……….Strolling Act – Amazing Arthur
8:30 pm………………Concert – ‘Finding Dixie’ (Grandstand)
Dark…………………….Fireworks Show – Shooting off North of Grandstands
4-H & Open Class Buildings open 10:00a.m.- 9:00pm
Nishna Valley Model Railroad 1:00-9:00 pm

(Audubon, Iowa) – The Audubon County Fair is underway through Sunday. Here’s the schedule for today (Thursday) and tomorrow (Friday)…

THURSDAY, JULY 14
8:00- 9:00 AM 4-H/FFA Sheep & Goat check in
9:00-10:00 AM 4-H/FFA Beef check in
9:00 AM-6:00 PM Commercial Exhibit set-up
9:30AM-11:00 AM 4-H/FFA/Open Class Rabbit/Poultry check in
11:00 AM 4-H/FFA Horses must be stalled
11:30 AM Farm Bureau Meal – Hoop
Agriland Ice Cream
1:00 PM 4-H/FFA Exhibitor Meeting
6:00 PM Open Class static must be entered
6:30 PM 4-H Style Show followed by Queen Contest-Grandstand
8:00 PM Open Class exhibits must be in place
FRIDAY, JULY 15
7:30 AM Clover Kids Swine Show
4-H/FFA Swine Show
9:00 AM Judging Open Class Static & Antiques Entries
10:00 AM 4-H/FFA Horse Show
2:30 PM Livestock Judging Contest Sign up
3:00 PM Livestock Judging Contest
4:00 PM-9:00 PM Inflatable Attractions
5:00 PM Clover Kids Rabbit Show
4-H/FFA & Open Rabbit Show
5:00 PM Pork Feed – Hoop
7:30 PM Figure Eight Races

(Radio Iowa) – Separate search efforts are underway this (Thursday) morning on waterways in central and eastern Iowa for girls who went missing on Wednesday. Des Moines police say the search is back underway on the Raccoon River for an 11-year-old girl. She’s presumed drowned after rafting with friends on the river last night (Wed. night). Police say the girl got off the raft, went underwater and didn’t surface.

Another girl is believed to have met the same fate at Palisades-Kepler State Park in Linn County. Witnesses say the girl was struggling in the water mid-afternoon and vanished in the Cedar River. A helicopter and drones were being used in that search.