(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors,today (Wednesday), received an update from County Auditor Mandy Berg, with regard to County Employee Health, Dental and Vision Insurance rates. As for health insurance, Berg says it’s recommended they stay on the same plan, based on the rates.

She says there is an option for a PPO plan, but it comes with a 14% increase, and doesn’t carry a lot of benefits. The Dental plan saw a 2.99% increase, while the rate for Vision coverage is unchanged, and remains a 50-50 cost share, County/Employee. The Board voted to approve a 5.6% increase in the rates to allow 5% for their Insurance reserve fund.

Berg also presented documents for Board Chair Steve Shelley to sign, with regard to an Opiod Litigation settlement agreement the State is part of. Berg said Adair County Attorney Melissa Larson has reviewed the documents and recommended the Board Chair to sign them.

All 99 counties have to sign-on to the agreement in order for the State to get all of its allotted funds. Cass County will act on authorizing participation during Thursday’s Board of Supervisors meeting. Following discussion, the Adair County Board authorized Board Chair Shelley to sign the documents.

Berg says there are certain items and/or services the County’s share of the funds can be used for, especially Emergency Medical Services and related matters. The Board also authorized an agreement with Cott Systems for the digitization of certain county records, but it did come with a slight increase from what the Board was told during their meeting last week.

And, they discussed the use of American Rescue Plan funds (1st half payment) for COVID relief, including improvements to parks and recreation sites and for the County Fair. They voted to approve Board Member Matt Wedemeyer’s suggestion on how those funds are dispersed.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Police Department reports seven arrests occurred between Dec. 13th and 27th:

• On Monday (12/27), Officers arrested 27-year-old Caleb Affuso, of Denver, CO., for Theft in the 5th Degree. Affuso was cited into court, and released.
• On the 22nd, 52-year-old Edward Davenport, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Woodbury County warrant for OWI.
• On Dec. 21st, Atlantic Police arrested 31-year-old Levi Stice, of Atlantic, for Assault causing serious injury. He was later released on bond.
• On the 20th, 40-year-old Jasper Daniel, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Cass County warrant for Violation of Probation.
• Atlantic Police arrested 28-year-old Samantha Schmidt, of Atlantic, on Dec. 19th, for Assault while displaying a dangerous weapon, and disorderly conduct.
• On the 15th, 37-year-old Fernando Villa-Diaz, of Atlantic, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault and Interference with Official Acts.
• And, on Dec. 13th, Atlantic Police arrested 18-year-old Myson Kovac, of Atlantic, for Burglary in the 3rd Degree/Motor Vehicle, and Theft in the 5th Degree. Kovac remained in the Cass County Jail as of Dec. 27th (the latest report).

(Shelby, Iowa) – Carstens 1880 Farmstead, Inc. will hold its annual meeting on Tuesday, January 11, 2022, at the Shelby Community Hall in Shelby, at 7:30 pm.  Out-going Carstens Board President Mel Hursey says “While we know that the last thing anyone wants to think about is another election, we encourage everyone to come out and vote!”  Members of Carstens Farm will be voting for two director positions. The following board members’ terms are ending as of the date of the meeting:  Harvey Ferris of Missouri Valley, Mel Hursey of Shelby, Bill Johnson of Avoca and Meryle Osborn of Crescent.  Incumbents Harvey Ferris and Bill Johnson are running again.

Gerald McCool of Minden and Terry Torneten of Harlan are candidates seeking the open spots on the board.  Continuing board members are Ben Ausdemore of Minden, Charlie Leaders of Minden, Dale Schroder of Avoca, Rick Newland of Portsmouth, Stan Kern and Doug Martin all of Shelby and David Dittmer of Minden.

Results of the election will be announced following the meeting. Hursey said  “We are throwing around ideas for projects for 2022. We want to continue our focus on more building upkeep and repair.” Reports will be given on the 2021 Carstens Farm Days.  Hursey adds, “I hope to see many members as well as the general public who care about the farm at the meeting.”

Carstens 1880 Farmstead, Inc. members as well as members of the public are welcome and encouraged to attend.  Those attending will have the opportunity to renew their memberships or to purchase new memberships.  Memberships are important for sustaining the farm’s operations. Carstens 1880 Farmstead, Inc., a non-profit group of local volunteers, oversees this working farmstead museum exhibit located south of Shelby, Iowa.  The farmstead hosts several thousand people annually during Carstens Farm Days which is held the first weekend after Labor Day.  For more information visit www.carstensfarm.com

(Radio Iowa) – You might be seeing more of those radar speed signs when the construction season ramps up again in the spring. The D-O-T’s Dave Lorenzen, says the signs already in use in some construction zones show how fast you are going. “They are effective — in fact, we are hearing more from people driving in work zones that that is probably one the most effective tools to bring their attention to the fact that they are going too fast, they are going past the posted limit,” Lorenzen says. He says people usually slow down when their speed is displayed. “I’ve heard them referred to in some law enforcement circles as shaming boards, because all of a sudden you look down and it’s like ‘Oh my gosh I am going that fast’,” he says.

Lorenzen says they are looking to use more of them. “We are in the process of securing additional units — and you will see those more readily deployed on mobile maintenance and construction sites that we are involved in,” Lorenzen says. He says it makes sense to use more of them. “We do know they are effective, they are not overly expensive,” according to Lorenzen.

Lorenzon says one thing the signs don’t do is take a picture and send you a ticket. He says their purpose is to remind you of your speed and the need to slow down in work zones.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports four arrests from over the past week:

• On Monday (12/27), 36-year-old Aron Lee Camenzind, of Kennard, NE, was arrested at Highway 34 & I-29 at around 3:12-a.m., for OWI/1st offense, Driving on the wrong side of a two-way highway, and Reckless Driving. His bond was set at $1,000.
• On Christmas Day, 69-year-old Gary Paul Kennedy, of Omaha, was arrested for Interference with Official Acts and on a warrant for Theft in the 5th Degree. Bond was set at $600.
• On Dec. 22nd, 20-year-old Deven Anthony Hatfield, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at Cass County Corrections, on a warrant for Failure to Appear. His bond was set at $3,000.
• And, on Dec. 20th, 51-year-old Bryan Allen Dennis, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at I-29 & Highway 34, for Public Intoxication. Bond was set at $300.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports also, a woman from Plattsmouth, NE., was transported to the hospital by Silver City Rescue, following a single-vehicle accident Monday afternoon. 73-year-old Dianne Stewart was in a 2021 Subaru, in the West Oak Park parking lot off 195th Street. She got out of her vehicle to walk her dog, but leaned back in through the driver’s side door, to retrieve her cell phone. Authorities say Stewart either failed to put the vehicle in park, or hit the gear shifter, causing it to move to “Neutral.”

She was hit by the vehicle as it began to roll downhill. After the car became stuck on the driveway embankment, Stewart attempted to free the vehicle from the embankment, but only “Made it worse.” The Subaru had three wheels on the ground and appeared to be in danger of rolling over. Stewart complained of a possible broken left arm. She also had a visible laceration/bruise, to the right side of her face, near her eye.

The broadcast News at 8:06-a.m., from Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (3.9MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Our 7:07-a.m. broadcast area/state News, with Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.2MB)

Subscribe: RSS

(Washington, D-C) – An Iowa man and his son charged in connection to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol are expected to plead guilty. KCCI reports Daryl Johnson of Saint Ansgar and his son, Daniel Johnson, of Minnesota, were seen on video entering the Capitol during the attack — and later bragged about it on social media. The two face numerous charges, including violent entry and disorderly conduct.

Court documents filed last week show a plea hearing has been scheduled for the afternoon of Jan. 4. Court documents also show that in January, investigators said someone tipped them off to a Snapchat video taken by Daniel Johnson showing him inside the Capitol during the attack. Then, on Jan. 18, another tip, regarding a Facebook post made by Daniel Johnson, saying “I was one of the first ones inside the capitol building.” A March 1 tip implicated both of the Johnsons and investigators said they were able to identify the two from video taken inside the Capitol.

The records say Daryl Johnson was wearing the same puffy navy blue jacket on Jan. 6 that he had in public Facebook photos and made Facebook posts about being at the Capitol. After obtaining private messages, investigators accuse Daniel Johnson of telling someone “We stormed capitol hill” and “Lol Dad and I were one of the first ones inside.” They say he sent those messages on the Jan. 6, soon after the attack.

So far, six Iowans face charges connected to the riot.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest at around 9-p.m. Tuesday, of a woman following a traffic stop. Authorities say 55-year-old Barbara Darlene Wilson, of Red Oak, was arrested for Driving While Suspended. Her bond at the Montgomery County Jail, was set at slightly more than $491.

(Radio Iowa) – Smoking has been banned in public places in Iowa since 2008, but there’s been an exception that has allowed smoking in the gaming areas of Iowa casinos. Senator Janet Petersen, a Democrat from Des Moines, notes the state’s tribal casinos and some state-licensed casinos temporarily moved to ban smoking to prevent the spread of Covid-19.  “I do think that may be one silver lining of this horrible pandemic that we’ve been living through is we’ve seen casinos across the state make the decision to eliminate smoking on their premises,” Petersen says, “and it is time for the legislature to just put that policy in place.”

In 2008, Petersen was a member of the Iowa House and chairwoman of the commerce committee that led the effort to pass the Iowa Smokefree Act. At the time, Iowa’s casino industry argued it would lose customers to casinos in the Illinois Quad Cities where smoking was allowed, but smoking is now banned in casinos in Illnois and South Dakota — and gambling regulators overseeing construction of new casinos in Nebraska have just proposed a smoking ban.

“I really see the competition argument is weakening because of the states surrounding us,” Petersen says, “as well as the tribal casinos eliminating smoking.” There’s been a no-smoking movement in casinos run by Native American tribes nationwide. Wes Ehrecke is president and C-E-O of the Iowa Gaming Association, which represents the 19 state-licensed casinos.

“Casinos probably have some of the best filtration and ventilation systems around. We have to accommodate both smokers and non-smokers in a very acceptable and quality indoor environment and we do that,” Ehrecke says. “…We’re bringing in fresh air several times every hour and that’s really helped during this Covid.” Ehrecke says it’s not a workplace safety issue — and he says adults should be allowed to make adult decisions in adult venues.

“It’s still legal in this country to (smoke)…but we want to be proactive with it and we are,” Ehrecke says. “…The employees don’t seem to have complaints that I know of because we are doing such a proactive effort with our ventilation and filtration.” Ehrecke made his comments during a recent appearance on “Iowa Press” on Iowa P-B-S.