DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s governor has signed a proclamation to ease transport rules for those hauling motor and heating fuels as a deep freeze across the Midwest sends demand for those fuels soaring. Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the proclamation Monday. It temporarily suspends Iowa regulations that limit the hours allowed to haul propane, diesel, natural gas and other fuels used for residential, commercial and agricultural heating.

The proclamation also temporarily suspends some provisions limiting the movement of oversize and overweight loads of fuel. Reynolds’ office says the high demand for the fuels has created challenges to accessing them. The proclamation is in effect through March 17.

PERRY, Iowa (AP) — Law enforcement officials in central Iowa say they’ve arrested a Minnesota man after finding 2 pounds of cocaine in his car during a traffic stop. Television station KCCI reports that the stop happened Thursday on Interstate 80 in Dallas County. The sheriff’s office says 32-year-old Eddie Ponce, of Maplewood, Minnesota, was stopped on suspicion of speeding.

Court records show a drug-sniffing police dog later alerted to drugs inside the car, and officers say they found the cocaine, marijuana and $4,000 in cash inside the vehicle. Ponce now faces several drug-related charged and is being held in the Dallas County Jail on a $50,000 bond. His preliminary hearing is set for Feb. 22.

The Griswold School Board Monday night revisited their mask mandated, and opted to continue with their self-imposed mask mandate, in light of the Governor’s Proclamation Feb 5^th that lifted many of the mask mandate requirements. Superintendent Dave Henrichs told KJAN News the original mandate did not apply to schools. Districts were able to implement a mandate on their own, at the local level, if desired.

The District also addressed the issue of masks at athletic events, and the Board Monday night elected to continue that, for now.

Henrichs said also, the Board discussed remote learning.

And, they approved the resignation of Andy Everett as High School Wrestling Coach, and approved the hiring of Tammy Weirich as Middle School/High School Paraeducator.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office reports Deputies responded Sunday afternoon to an incident of Burglary/assault. Upon further investigation, 37-year old Rebecca Tullis, of Corning, was arrested on charges that include Burglary in the 2nd Degree, and Criminal Mischief. Tullis was transported to the Adams County Jail.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports three recent accidents, and four arrests. Late Sunday morning, a single-vehicle accident took place on Marne Road. Officials say a 2006 Buick Lucerne driven by 19-year old Tyler Julich, of Walnut, was eastbound on Marne Road when the vehicle lost control on the icy roadway and rolled into the ditch. No injuries were reported. Damage to the vehicle is estimated at $3,500.

Saturday afternoon, Cass County Deputies responded to a report of a two-vehicle accident at 4th and Walnut Streets, in Anita. Officials say a 2003 Chevy Impala driven by 26-year old Shelby Nicole Rodenburg, of Anita, failed to yield at the westbound stop sign on 4th Street. The car was struck by a southbound 2008 Dodge Caravan, driven by 32-year old Coulton Matthew Honeck, of Anita. No injuries were reported. Damage to the Chevy is estimated at $1,500; damage to the Dodge is estimated at $3,000. Rodenburg was cited for Failure to Provide Proof of Financial Liability.

(Corrected per Cass County Sheriff’s Office) And, on February 6, 2021, at around 4:50 a.m., a single-vehicle accident occurred on White Pole Road. Authorities say a 2008 Dodge Avenger, driven by 20-year old Kadin Schoenfeld, of Atlantic, was southbound on White Pole Road (Highway 6) when he lost control of the vehicle. The car rolled once and landed on its tires in the east ditch. Schoenfeld and a front-seat passenger were transported by Cass County EMS to the Cass County Memorial Hospital, for treatment. Damage to the vehicle is estimated at $6,000.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests took place, Saturday. 30-year old Joseph Allen Stulgies, of Griswold, was arrested on a charge of OWI 1st Offense. Stulgies was taken to the Cass County Jail and released on his own recognizance later that day. And, 59-year old David William Berry, of Elliott, was arrested for OWI 2nd Offense. Berry was taken to the Cass County Jail and was released the following day on his own recognizance.

On Feb. 7th, 18-year old Jesse Gale Kinser, of Griswold, was arrested by Cass County Deputies, on a charge of simple Assault. Kinser was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on $300 bond. And, the day before, 21-year old Kadin Michael Schoenfeld, of Atlantic, was arrested for Domestic Abuse Assault. Schoenfeld was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released the following day on his own recognizance.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A second day of Arctic temperatures across Middle America have prompted rolling power outages in Nebraska and a call for energy conservation in Iowa. Residents in Nebraska experiences some of the coldest weather they’ve seen early Tuesday, putting a strain on the power grid that saw the state’s power utilities implementing rolling outages. Omaha Public Power District, which serves multiple counties around Omaha, reported around 30,000 customers without power in areas mostly south of Dodge Street, which bisects the city.

The Lincoln Electric System reported nearly 15,000 customers without power for a time Tuesday morning. In Iowa where overnight lows dipped to around 30 below zero in some places, MidAmerican Energy issued a plea for residents to dial back power use. A power outage was reported Tuesday morning in Villisca, Iowa, also.

The Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency reports the City of Villisca is without power, and there is no ETA on when power will be restored. A warming center was being opened at the Villisca Community Building.

The Audubon School Board, Monday night, started the process of Collective Bargaining with the Audubon Education Association representing the district’s teachers. Both sides presented their opening proposals. The second meeting takes place 6-p.m. Monday, Feb. 22nd. The Board set March 15th at 7-p.m., as the date and time for a public hearing on the school calendar. And, they approved the resignation at the end of the current school year, of Social Studies Teacher Aaron Miller. Superintendent Eric Trager said also, the Board also received an updated on their facilities project.

During their meeting last month, the Board agreed to go “Back to the drawing board” where the District’s building project is concerned, because bids came back 53% higher than the original estimate. Trager told KJAN last month there were only six bidders for four prime contracts, which indicates there was not a lot of interest in the project and that’s likely because of the timelines that the projects were under.

He said a lot of contractors felt the district had too large a scope of work for the amount of time they would be given to complete the projects. The result is a delay in getting the work started,with some construction needing to take place during the school year.