Patrons of two area school districts will head to the polls Tuesday, to decide the fate of separate bond referendums. In Cass County, voters in the Griswold School District will determine whether or not a $9.9-million General Obligation bond issue will pass or fail. If approved, it will mean the district’s facilities will be combined to one campus in Griswold.

The district’s facilities in Elliott and Lewis would be closed and bonds issued to build a new, 33-thousand square foot elementary building onto the south side of the Griswold Middle School/High School campus. It would allow for two classrooms per grade level, an area for Special Education and Preschool, as well as a multipurpose area which would serve as an auditorium, gym and cafeteria. The administrative offices would be moved into the new building and the old offices turned into classrooms. The polls are open from Noon until 8-p.m. at the Lewis Library, along with the Elliott and Griswold Community Buildings.

In Montgomery County, the polling place for patrons of the Red Oak School District, is at the Gold Building on the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. The hours to cast ballots are the same as those in the Griswold District. Absentee voting is available at the Montgomery County Auditor’s Office until 11-a.m., Tuesday. Voters will decide on a $19.9-million dollar General Obligation bond issue designed to reduce the number of school campuses from four, to three.  A 60-percent super majority of votes need to be cast in favor of the referendum, in order for it to pass.

If the bond is approved, the District’s pre-K and kindergarten students will be at Washington Elementary School, the 1st through 6th graders at the Inman Primary School, and 7th through 12th grade students at the Red Oak High School. All three buildings would be renovated accordingly. The move is designed to save the District about $400,000 per year. The total project cost is estimated at $29.16-million, with the State penny sales tax making up the difference between the $19.9 and 29.16-million.

The district tax levy, if the bond passes, would become $15.60 per $1,000 of taxable property value. The current levy is $14.28 and the levy approved for fiscal year 2017-2018 is $14.49, according to the district.

Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater, Monday, released a report on recent activity. Vandewater said 27-year old Joseph Dean White, of Exira, was arrested June 20th an an Adair County warrant for Violation of Probation. He was brought to the Adair County Jail and released the following day on $1,000 bond.

And, an Adair County Deputy arrested 27-year old Adam James Magill, of Casey, on June 23rd. Magill was arrested in Casey on Guthrie County charges that include Driving While License Denied or Revoked for OWI, Interference with Official Acts, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Magill was turned over to Guthrie County authorities to faces charges in that County.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The son of a Nigerian farm laborer who rose out of poverty to earn graduate degrees in agricultural economics and spent his career improving the availability of seed, fertilizer and financing for African farmers is this year’s World Food Prize winner.

Akinwumi Adesina, president of African Development Bank, says the future of global food security relies on making farming in Africa a profitable business to help move farmers out of poverty. An official announcement for the $250,000 World Food Prize was expected in a ceremony Monday at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington. Adesina will receive the prize Oct. 19 at the Iowa Capitol.

The prize was created by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Norman Borlaug in 1986 to recognize scientists and others who have improved food quality and availability.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports a woman from Anita was arrested this (Monday) morning, on an Atlantic Police Department warrant for Violation of a No Contact Order. 55-year old Katherine Anne Lange was brought to the Cass County Jail and later released on a $300 bond.

(In an update to our online report Sunday evening, and our newscasts this morning), The Cass County Sheriff’s office confirms no injuries were reported following a rollover accident north of Atlantic, Sunday evening. Authorities say 18-year old Victoria Irene Krogh, of rural Atlantic, was driving a 2003 Buick Century westbound on Boston Road at around 5:25-p.m., when the car went out of control on the gravel surface. The vehicle rolled onto its top into the south ditch and came to rest on a fence. The accident happened about three-quarters of a mile east of 590th Street. Krogh was trapped in the vehicle until she could be freed by Marne Fire and Rescue. No citations were issued. Damage from the accident amounted to $5,050.

Atlantic Police Chief Dave Erickson reports three recent arrests. Last Friday, Officers arrested 48-year old Mark Winston, of Atlantic, on a Cass County warrant for Driving While License Under Suspension, and 23-year old Zachary Vance, of Omaha, turned himself-in to the Cass County Jail on Cass County warrants for Failure to Serve Jail Time on OWI/2nd offense and Violation of Probation, charges.

On June 21st, 19-year old Austin Malloy, of Walnut, was arrested in Atlantic for Driving While License Denied or Revoked. All three men were booked into the Cass County Jail.

Officials with the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office report four recent arrests. Early Saturday morning, 41-year old Jason Ryan Deyo, of Council Bluffs, was arrested after he crashed his motorcycle and took off on foot. Authorities say Deyo was operating a 2003 Harley Davidson northbound on N. Broadway at S. Linden Street at around 2:17-a.m., Saturday, and was clocked at 46-mph in a 35-mph zone. When a deputy tried to pull him over, Deyo sped off, but crashed at 614 Spencer Avenue. He then tried to run, but was taken into custody after a brief foot pursuit. He allegedly displayed signs of impairment, and was charged with OWI/1st, Driving While Revoked, and Eluding.

Late Friday night, 25-year old Matthew James Maly, of Council Bluffs, was arrested outside his place of employment, on a warrant for Domestic Abuse Assault by impeding air flow. He was arrested without incident and brought to Pott. County Corrections.

Also arrested late Friday night, was 21-year old Daniel Scott Rouch, of Oakland. He faces a charge of Public Intoxication, after deputies responded to North Street and Antique City Drive in Walnut, for a report of an unconscious male. Rouch was subsequently released on a citation, at the scene of his arrest.

And, 42-year old Marcos R. Jarquin, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a warrant charging him with three counts of Probation Violation, and one count of Fraudulent Practices. Jarquin was then returned to the custody of jail staff.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office reports 24-year old Reece Joseph Blohm, of Audubon, was arrested at around 3-a.m. Sunday, following a traffic stop at 120th Street and Lark Avenue. Blohm was charged with OWI/2nd offense. He was brought to the Audubon County Jail and later released. Blohm is set to appear before the magistrate on June 29th.

(DES MOINES) – Gov. Kim Reynolds and Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg have announced #OwnItIowa, a new closing cost assistance program is available for Iowa home buyers.The campaign is hosted by the Iowa Finance Authority and the Iowa Association of REALTORS® and encourages all Iowans 18 years and older to visit IowaHouseHunt.com through August 31, 2017, for a chance to win $2,500 cash and learn about homeownership resources. A new, limited-time program offering $1,500 in closing cost assistance with conventional loans was also rolled out as part of the campaign.

The Iowa Finance Authority offers a variety of programs for eligible home buyers including $2,500 down payment assistance, $1,500 in closing cost assistance on conventional loans through the new, limited-time program and $5,000 down payment assistance for eligible service members and veterans.

Iowa Finance Authority Executive Director Dave Jamison says “The Iowa Finance Authority is pleased to unveil the #OwnItIowa campaign as a fun way for Iowans to win $2,500 this summer.” He encourages all Iowans to participate in the chance to win through August 31st.

“All indicators are pointing up for Iowa’s housing market,” according to Iowa Association of REALTORS® CEO Gavin Blair. Blair said “The number of days a home is on the market is at a near record low and competition for homes is strong. This translates to the need for home buyers to be armed with information, which is exactly why we’re teamed-up to offer the #OwnItIowa promotion.”

DES MOINES –Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today (Monday) announced that four successful watershed-based demonstration projects funded in 2014, and set to end this year, will receive a 2nd round of funding. The locally-led projects will build upon previous demonstration objectives and continue working towards accelerated implementation of practices that improve water quality. Among the projects receiving extensions, is the Walnut Creek Watershed Project (Montgomery County). More details about each of the projects can be found at https://www.cleanwateriowa.org/farm-1/.

Northey said “Extending these projects will allow us to build on the strong foundation that has been created in these watersheds and continue to learn more about the best ways to get water-quality-focused practices on the land.  These projects create a great opportunity for farmers to see practices up close and better understand how they might work on their own farm.”

The projects will receive a total of $1.88 million in additional funding through the Iowa Water Quality Initiative over the next three years. In addition to the state funds, these four projects will access approximately $4.1 million in matching funds to support water quality improvement efforts as well as other in-kind contributions.

The funds will allow the projects to focus on scaling up implementation of conservation practices identified in the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy and continue to build on existing assessment and evaluation methods.  Also, an additional $200,000 has been allocated for these projects which will be targeted towards implementation of select priority nutrient reduction conservation practices including wetlands, saturated buffers and bioreactors.

These four projects will continue to build upon existing partnerships as well as expand efforts to include new partnerships developed during the first three years.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship also has been successful in securing additional federal resources for several of these projects through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Project (RCPP).  Northey says those funds, when paired with Iowa Water Quality Initiative and partner investments, do more than what any one group or organization can accomplish alone.