(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday, received a request from West Central Community Action Executive Director Wendy Mueller, for continued funding in the next fiscal year, and an extension of an agreement for funding/services with the County, effective July 2022. Mueller requested $4,000 from the County, which is the same as last year. She said the funds would be used to continue the organization’s outreach efforts and more. Mueller said over the past year, West Central Community Action has provided numerous services to the citizens of Cass County, including:

WCCA she said has provided more than $1.2-million worth of services to the residents of Cass County, including Head Start.

They also work with Child Care Resource and Referral.

Administrative costs come in at less than 5% and delivery costs at 20% or less. Superintendent Steve Green had high praise for the organization.

In other business, Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken reported the Adair/Cass road opened last Friday (Nov. 19th), and bridge #208 on Indian Creek Road has one more pour next week. The Board approved the Cass County Five Year Construction Program (2022-2026), with regard to:

• L-280-73-15 Bridge Replacement of Bridge #280 on 700th St., over Jim Branch of Turkey Creek, from Jackson Rd., South 0.8 miles, on the West Line S26-T76-R35.

They also approved a contract with Cunningham-Reis from Van Meter, for a bridge replacement project on 700th Street, south of G-25, for a total of $69,500.  The Board discussed, but took no action on an updated employee cell phone policy, with regard to the use of personal phones and the reimbursement rate/eligible personnel.

Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope, Tuesday (today), said an arrest has been made in connection with the theft of a motor vehicle. An investigation into the incident began on May 22nd, 2021, when deputies took a report of a 1977 Ford F250 stolen from a previously flooded residence in Hamburg. Six months later (on Nov. 22nd), Fremont County Deputies arrested 51-year-old William Charles Maddox, of Hamburg, on an active Fremont County warrant for Theft 2nd Degree, a Class D Felony, in connection with the stolen vehicle.

Maddox was being held in the Fremont County Jail on $5,000 bond.

William C. Maddox

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office today (Tuesday) reports four prisoners were transported from other agencies to the Pott. County Jail over the past 24-hours:

• 40-year-old Max Amillion Schlund, of LaVista, NE, was taken into custody Monday at the Harrison County (Missouri) Jail on a valid State of Iowa felony warrant and a hold for another agency. He faces charges that include Theft in the 2nd and 3rd Degrees, with bond set at $7,000 altogether.
• 20-year-old Kyaw Shar Wah was taken into custody Monday at the Pott. County Courthouse, on a State of Iowa warrant for Forgery -ID Theft (loss less than $1,000).
• 26-year-old Trevon Roy Barber, of Council Bluffs, was transported from the Douglas County, NE Jail to the jail in Council Bluffs, on a State of Iowa warrant for Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree, and Driving While Barred/Habitual Offender. Bond was set at $3,000.
• and, 37-year-old Cory Ross Smith was transported from the Montgomery County Jail to the Pott. County Jail, to address two Pottawattamie County warrants for Driving While Barred/Habitual Offender.

More area News from Ric Hanson.

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Officials with the Creston Police Department report 19-year-old Isaiah James Lovell, of Creston, was arrested just before 1-a.m. today (Tuesday), on drug and other charges. Lovell was taken into custody in the 100 block of Manor Drive, and charged with: Interference with Official Acts; Possession of Methamphetamine/1st offense; Possession of Cocaine/1st offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. His bond at the Union County Jail was set at $2,600.

And, at around 4:30-p.m. Monday, Creston Police arrested 37-year-old William Rondal House, of Creston, on a Union County warrant for Failure to Appear on an original charge of Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense. He was being held without bond until making an appearance before the Magistrate.

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A traffic stop this (Tuesday) morning in Red Oak, resulted in the arrest of a man from Pottawattamie County. Red Oak Police conducted a traffic stop at around 5:40-a.m. near the intersection of Highways 34 and 48. Upon further investigation, it was determined the driver of the vehicle, 42-year-old Shawn Lee Elliff, of Council Bluffs, had a suspended license through the State of Iowa, with nine withdrawals in effect. He was also cited for failure to show Valid Insurance.

Elliff was transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where his bond was set at $491.25.

(Radio Iowa) – The chief medical officer for the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics is warning everyone to not be complacent about getting a flu shot. Doctor Theresa Brennan says the U-I-H-C diagnosed more than 150 cases of the flu last week. “I can tell you that this is early — in general we wouldn’t start to see these numbers until into December,” Brennan says. “So it is early. And when we see early spread, we worry that it’s going to be higher spread.” The symptoms of the flu can be similar to COVID-19, but Brennan doesn’t think people coming in to get test for COVID is the reason they’ve discovered more flu cases.

“Most of the people that we’re seeing that are positive (for flu) — the vast majority are very symptomatic. And so, those people likely would have gotten tested in another (flu) season. So, I don’t think it is test bias,” according to Brennan. She says you shouldn’t base your decision on getting a flu shot this year based on what happened last year. Brennan says she worries that people won’t get a flu shot this year because the flu season last year didn’t see many cases, and they think it’s not necessary. Brennan says higher flu rates added to the state’s high number of COVID hospitalizations will further strain the health care system. Brennan says everyone should also know there are big differences between the COVID and flu vaccines.

“Influenza vaccine has been around for a long, long time. Lots of people have gotten it. One of the concerns with the COVID vaccine is unknown side affects and overall safety. We know what the overall safety of the influenza vaccine is — and so people shouldn’t confuse any concerns they’ve had with the COVID vaccine with a tried and true influenza vaccine that we’ve had for years and years,” she says. Brennan says it takes two to three weeks for the flu vaccine to become fully effective. She has this recommendation for those attending family gatherings for Thanksgiving.

“Do everything you can to keep it safe. I know everyone wants to see their family and friends — it has been a long, long time,” Brennan says. “But we also want to be sure people are around next year to do the same.” She says to follow the same advice they’ve given for years with the flu — wash your hands, stay away from others if you have symptoms, and get vaccinated.

A man from Red Oak was arrested Monday night for Violation of a No Contact Order. 31-year-old Dylan Thomas Griffeth was taken into custody in the 700 block of N. 1st Street in Red Oak, at around 7:53-p.m.  His bond was set at $300.

(Cumberland, Iowa) – Rescue crews and law enforcement were dispatched at around 4:50-a.m., to a single-vehicle accident near Cumberland, this (Tuesday) morning. According to dispatch information, a vehicle struck a deer, causing the airbags to deploy in the vehicle, which was on the traveled portion of the road in the opposite lane of travel.

Cumberland-Massena Rescue, Wiota Rescue, Cass EMS were responding to the scene near 680th and Lansing. A Cass County Deputy reported a 32-year-old female in the vehicle was reportedly having some chest pain, but no other injuries were immediately noted. Rescue crews were deployed to check out both occupants. Additional information is not currently available.