COUNCIL BLUFFS—Wednesday morning a plugged sewer line at the Conagra Brands facility in Council Bluffs caused wastewater to overflow, eventually reaching Mosquito Creek.

An estimated 100 gallons of domestic sewage ran into a storm drain, then entered Mosquito Creek near the intersection of Harry Langdon Boulevard and Iowa Highway 92. The creek flows about two miles to the Missouri River.

Once the overflow was discovered, Conagra staff immediately stopped the flow. The DNR recommends keeping children and pets out of the affected part of the creek for the next 24 to 48 hours.

DNR will monitor clean-up efforts and consider appropriate enforcement action.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Healthy Cass County is asking area businesses and organizations to help share important information on mental health by hosting a mental health program (or several). “For many people it may be easier to attend a lunch and learn at work, or more comfortable to listen to a presentation with their service organization or church group than it is to attend an event open to the public,” comments Anna Killpack, Executive Director of NAMI Southwest Iowa, a Healthy Cass County partner organization dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by mental illness.

“Businesses, churches, and other organizations are well-positioned to help bring mental health programs and resources to their members at times and in locations that work for them,”
says Killpack. Gina Moulas, Healthy Cass County partner and Community Engagement and Partnership Coordinator in Suicide Prevention for Veterans Affairs of Nebraska and Western
Iowa Health Care System, agrees. “We want to reach folks. Let us come to you,” emphasizes Moulas. “Evening? Weekend? Early? Late? Please ask. We’ll work with you.”

These mental health programming partners demonstrate that the trainings are accessible, but are they relevant to people in Cass County? Atlantic’s Fire Chief Tom Cappel certainly thinks
so. Cappel attended a Make It OK presentation last fall and recently commented, “Mental health is a serious issue for our community and our response to those in need can have a significant
impact on the outcome of a situation. It’s important to be willing to discuss mental health, work on reducing the stigma it has, and make sure that we are prepared to assist those in crisis. I’d
like to see trainings like these continue and want people to know how beneficial they are, even if you aren’t an emergency responder.”

Below is a list of free programs and trainings that can be scheduled for a business, club, church, or other group in Cass County on request. While May is Mental Health Awareness Month,
Healthy Cass County reminds businesses and organizations that the following programs are available all year. 
Free Mental Health Programs Available on Request:

• Question. Persuade. Refer. Suicide prevention training for adults by ISU Extension. Length: 1-1.5 hrs. Contact: Cass County ISU Extension at 712-243-1132.
• Make It OK: Stigma is one of the greatest barriers to people getting mental health treatment. This is a mental health stigma reduction training. Length: 45 min – 1.5 hours. Contact: Cass County Wellness Coordinator Brigham Hoegh bhoegh@iastate.edu or 712-249-5870 www.MakeItOK.org/Iowa
• Law Enforcement and First Responder Training for De-escalation When Interacting with Veterans in Crisis: Nationally-recognized training developed by the VA police geared towards first responders working with veterans, but provides tools for responders to use when working with anyone experiencing a mental health crisis. Length: 2 hrs (Note: this
  training can be shortened) Contact: Gina Moulas, Community Engagement and Partnership Coordinator for Suicide Prevention, VA Nebraska Western Iowa Health Care System,
  gina.moulas@va.gov, 402-810-0074.
• CALM (Counseling on Access to Lethal Means) Is a suicide prevention training for adults related to reducing access to firearms. Length: 1 – 1.5 hrs Contact: Gina Moulas, Community
  Engagement and Partnership Coordinator for Suicide Prevention, VA Nebraska Western Iowa Health Care System, gina.moulas@va.gov, 402-810-0074
• Understanding PTSD This training is for people age 12+, and can be helpful for families of people with PTSD. Length: 1 hr Contact: Gina Moulas, Community Engagement and
  Partnership Coordinator for Suicide Prevention, VA Nebraska Western Iowa Health Care System, gina.moulas@va.gov, 402-810-0074
• Community Classroom: Depression and Anxiety Education on mental health for adults, and specifically seniors, including signs, symptoms, ways that the brain works with treatment
  options, and different types of anxiety and general information on depression in the aging population. Length: 30 min – 1 hr Contact: Jessica Duncan 712-318-3080.
• What is NAMI Southwest Iowa? An introduction to the Southwest Iowa chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, including brochures and resources about making your
  workplace stigma free. Length: 45 min. Contact: Marie at marie@namisouthwestiowa.com or 515-669-2039 https://namisouthwestiowa.com/our-programs
• Faith-based Book Kits that Address Mental Health Topics These book club kits are getting excellent reviews! Available for checkout to individuals or organizations across Cass
  County. Contact: Atlantic Public Library Director Michelle Andersen 712-243-5466 ext. 3

o Rhythms of Renewal: trading stress and anxiety for a life of peace and purpose by Rebekah Lyons (12 books, 1 5-session DVD, 6 DVD study guides)
o Holy Vulnerability: spiritual practices for the broken, ashamed, anxious, and afraid by Kellye Fabian (12 books).

Healthy Cass County is sharing a series of press releases for Mental Health Awareness Month. The previous update highlighted mental health events scheduled in Cass County in May 2022.
For that information and more mental health resources, visit https://www.extension.iastate.edu/cass/ or call the Cass County

Police in Red Oak, Wednesday morning, arrested a man wanted on a Montgomery County Felony Forgery warrant. Authorities report 44-year-old Justin James Smith, of Villisca, was taken into custody at around 10:44-a.m. at the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center. Smith was taken to the jail and held on a $5,000 bond.

The Shelby County Board of Supervisors met in a regular session at 9-a.m. Tuesday. According to the minutes of the meeting provided by Auditor Mark Maxwel, Brandon Burmeister, Shelby County Roads Superintendent, reported that recent rains have improved road maintenance conditions and exposed soft spots. The surfacing material is being placed as the spots show up or are reported. Many other projects being performed by his department were presented.

Geralyn Greer, Shelby County Recorder, presented her quarterly report. Income for the first quarter of 2022 outpaced that of 2021. Most of the income is money collected by the State of Iowa.

Tony Buman, Shelby County Zoning Commissioner, presented the Board with Zoning Commission Representatives for appointment approval by the Board of Supervisors. After a motion by Haake and a second by Parkhurst the following persons were unanimously approved to be seated on the zoning Commission. Duanne Errett, Roger Kenkel, Kirk Petersen, Keith Burchette, JoAnn Barganquast, Stacey Ferry, and Shawn Carter. This is the commission that reviews and makes recommendations to the Board of Supervisors regarding the Zoning Ordinance itself, including changes to the map.  They are the group that needs to approve the Urban Renewal updates and would be the committee that makes recommendations on the work to be started this summer in regard to wind turbines, solar, and hopefully small businesses in the country.

Buman then presented the following names for appointment to the Board of Adjustment, Jason Kopiasz, Betty Larsen, Vickie Errett, Robert Burton, and Tammy Haake. This is the board that makes decisions on zoning rules, setbacks from property lines, conditional use permits and other decisions affecting property owners in the unincorporated areas of Shelby County. Parkhurst made a motion to approve the Board appointments and Kenkel seconded the motion. The motion was approved with ayes by Kenkel and Parkhurst. Haake abstained.

Todd Valline of the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce and Industry reported that recent events sponsored by the Chamber have been well attended and that the Chamber will sponsor a golf outing on May 21st. Haake made a motion and Parkhurst seconded a motion to approve the following Resolution after a reading by the Auditor:

RESOLUTION NO. 2022-26

RESOLUTION ALLOCATING AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS WHEREAS, in March 2021, the federal government established the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) which included the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) to provide state, local and Tribal governments with the resources needed to respond to the pandemic and its economic effects; and WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of the Treasury issued an Interim Final Rule implementing the SLFRF program on May 10, 2021, which included replacing lost revenue to County governments, and WHEREAS, on January 6, 2022, the Treasury issued final rules for the SLFRF program, including authorization for counties to allocate up to $10,000,000 of their total SLFRF allocation as lost revenue to spend on government services. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Shelby County Board of Supervisors approves allocating its total SLFRF allocation in the expected amount of $ 255,000 as lost revenue to spend on government services to residents.

HEREBY RESOLVED by the Shelby County Board of Supervisors this 3rd day of May, 2022. A vote was held with Kenkel, Parkhurst and Haake all voting in favor of the Resolution. No Nays were cast.

Parkhurst made a motion to approve the following Resolution 2022-27 naming appointing a new Deputy Sheriff.

RESOLUTION NO. 2022-27

A RESOLUTION APPOINTING DEPUTY COUNTY OFFICIALS FOR THE 2022 CALENDAR YEAR BE IT RESOLVED that the following persons shall be appointed deputies for the following offices as recommended by the elected officials according to Chapter 331.903, Code of Iowa Neil Gross Sheriff, Deputy: Lee Whyte. The following vote was counted. Ayes: Kenkel, Parkhurst, Haake Nays: None

DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate has announced a record high 31 schools qualified for the Carrie Chapman Catt Award this school year. The award goes to schools that register at least 90 percent of their eligible students to vote. Nearly 3,400 high school students registered this year in conjunction with the Catt Award initiative.  Secretary Pate created the award in 2019 to encourage voter registration in Iowa high schools. 22 schools qualified in 2021, and 18 qualified in 2020. Eight schools qualified for the award for the third straight year (denoted with three asterisks***). 11 schools qualified for the award for the second time (denoted with two asterisks**).

“I’m thrilled to see so many young people stepping up and taking the first step in the voting process by getting registered,” Secretary Pate said. “Great job by the teachers and administrators at these 31 schools by engaging the students in civics. I tell young people all the time, the best way to make your voice heard is by voting, and to do that, you need to get registered.” Secretary Pate plans to visit each of the 31 schools to present them with the Carrie Chapman Catt Award trophy. Additionally, 10 Iowa schools registered more than 70 percent of eligible students, and 17 registered more than 50 percent. Inspire2Vote collaborated with Secretary Pate’s office to assist schools with their voter registration efforts.

Among the list of the 31 schools that earned the award is the following…..

• Diagonal Community School (Diagonal)
• Ar-We-Va High School (Westside)
• Fremont-Mills High School (Tabor)
• Mount Ayr High School (Mount Ayr)**

Area schools that registered at least 70% of eligible students (10) will receive a commemorative banner recognizing their achievement, include:

• West Monona High School (Onawa)
• Underwood High School (Underwood)
• Westwood High School (Sloan)

Schools that registered at least 50% of eligible students (17) will receive a personalized certificate from the Iowa Secretary of State, include:

• Treynor High School (Treynor)
• Harlan High School (Harlan)
• Atlantic High School (Atlantic)
• South Page High School (College Springs)
• Southwest Valley High School (Corning)

(Des Moines, Iowa) – A collision Tuesday night between a 2010 Mini Cooper and a Iowa DOT Maintenance vehicle, resulted in the death of a 17-year old male, and serious injuries to an 18-year-old female. The Iowa State Patrol says the DOT vehicle was traveling south on the inside shoulder of I-35, conducting maintenance activities, when the car driven by Marshall B. McManus, of Urbandale, left the road and hit the DOT vehicle in the rear.

McManus – who was wearing a seat belt – died from his injuries at a hospital in Des Moines. His passenger, Gracie M. Crow, of Norwalk, was transported to the same hospital. She was also wearing a seat belt. The DOT driver was not injured. The accident remains under investigation.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday morning, discussed a possible UTV (Utility Terrain Vehicle) Ordinance. Board Chair Matt Wedemeyer said the Board had several other county ordinances to mull over and consider, including those from Cass, Guthrie, and Carroll Counties. Supervisor Steve Shelley said he needed a lot more time to study the issue and ordinances, including how it would affect rider safety and enforcement.

Matt Wedemeyer was also hesitant to jump on the Ordinance bandwagon.

County Engineer Nick Kauffman said he’s talked to several people since Monday, including officials in Cass and Carroll Counties.

He said the County might be charged a couple of hundred dollars by its insurance carrier to hold liability insurance if such an ordinance is enacted, but the agent was not aware of any issues in those counties where it was passed. The County he said will deal with any complaints if an ordinance isn’t passed.

The City of Greenfield has an Ordinance regulating the use of ATV’s in the City limits. That means the machines can’t be on Lake Greenfield property. Supervisor John Twombly was concerned about having separate use permits to control the machines, and Supervisor Jodie Hoadley was concerned about the scope of such an ordinance.

The Board voted unanimously “Not to pursue” a UTV Ordinance at this time. In other news, the Supervisors set May 18th at 9:30-a.m. as the date and time for a public hearing on the vacating of a section of 305^th Lane.

(Glenwood, Iowa) – The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports 10 arrests occurred between April 28th and May 3rd. Beginning with the most recent arrests…

• On Tuesday, May 3rd: 35-year-old Benjamin Jay Chenier, of Omaha, was arrested at around 5:45-p.m. in Malvern, on warrants for two-counts of Failure to Appear. Bond was set at $40,000; 31-year-old Timothy Christian Churchhill, of Omaha, was arrested at around 11:40-p.m., for OWI/1st offense ($1,000 bond); 39-year-old Micki Gene Weppner, of Table Rock, NE., was arrested at the Douglas County, NE. jail, on a Mills County warrant for Probation Violation (No Bond); and, 42-year-old Luther Lamar Thomas, of Atlanta, GA, was arrested during a traffic stop on Highway 34 in Mills County. Thomas was wanted on an Out-of-State/County warrant (No Bond).
• There were three arrests on May 2nd: 40-year-old Lisa Ann McComb, of Bellevue, NE., was arrested in Mills County on an Out-of-State/County warrant (No Bond); 34-year-old Bobby Brice Horn, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pott. County Jail, on a Mills County warrant for  Probation Violation ($5,000 bond); and 49-year-old David Shaun Rambo, of Council Bluffs, was arrested for OWI/1st Offense ($1,000 bond).
• Mills County Deputies arrested 21-year-old Kali Veronica Logan, of Omaha, on May 1st at the Mills County Jail. She was wanted on a Probation Violation warrant.
• On April 30th, 39-year-old Andrew Lee Edward, of Des Moines, was arrested following a traffic stop on I-29, at around 1:10-a.m. He faces charges that include Obstruction of Prosecution Defense, Driving While Barred, Eluding, Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia (Bond$6,300).
• And finally, on April 28th, Mills County Deputies arrested 43-year-old Tonya Marie Glathar, of Glenwood, on a warrant for Child Endangerment. She was taken into custody at the Millls County Sheriff’s Office and held on a $2,000 bond.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports 42-year-old Suzanne Kay Labatista was arrested Tuesday morning for Eluding. The woman was taken into custody after a Sheriff’s investigator who was called to the area of Super Saver, overheard on his radio, a male subject had just slashed some tires at the scene. And, at around 4-p.m. Tuesday, Pott. County Deputies took custody of 57-year-old Timothy Andrew Frieze, of Council Bluffs.

Frieze was picked-up from the Lincoln, NE Treatment Center and transported back to Pott. County, where he was wanted on warrants for Harassment in the 1st Degree – Forcible Felony, and Assault causing bodily injury or mental illness without intent. His bond was set at $3,000. He was also being held for another agency.

**UPDATE (Council Bluffs, Iowa) – A man and a woman from Chicago, IL, arrested Tuesday afternoon in Council Bluffs face multiple charges associated with the theft of mail from numerous states/communities, and drug charges. The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports 37-year-old John Doe and 29-year-old Savannah Shavon Shandor were arrested at around 1:40-p.m., after several agencies were involved in a mail theft case that began on Simms Avenue in Council Bluffs, and eventually turned into a vehicle pursuit.

Both suspects face charges that include: Possession of Drug Paraphernalia; Possession of Marijuana/1st offense; Possession of Burglary tools; Providing False Identification information, and Theft in the 5th Degree. Bond for John Doe was set at $3,900. Shandor faces an additional felony charge of Eluding. Her bond was set at $9,600. Authorities recovered paraphernalia that included a grinder, glass pipes, unknown medical pills, and loose marijuana, along with prybars and brass knuckles.

Mail stolen from the following areas was also recovered: Council Bluffs; the Chicago area; the Las Vegas area; Elm Creek and Hershey, NE., and Hudson, CO. In addition, authorities found: checkbooks and checks; multiple receipts; an Office Depot Starter pack; multiple note books with handwritten notes; multiple ID’s, license plates, credit cards and gift cards; 4 cell phones; a Bluetook earpiece, and a USB drive.

**Authorities initially referred to the male subject as “John Doe,” because they could not confirm his identity due to the numerous ID’s they found. Late this afternoon, Postal Inspectors did confirm his true identity, but they have not released that information. Both suspects were transferred to Omaha.