KEOKUK, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say coal spilled from rail cars that derailed near Victory Park along the Mississippi River in Keokuk. A jumbled mess of more than a dozen coal cars and disconnected wheelsets blocked vehicular traffic near the tracks after the derailment. The accident occurred around 2 a.m. Monday under the Main Street/U.S. Highway 136 bridge between Keokuk and Hamilton, Illinois. No injuries have been reported. The cause is being investigated.

BNSF Railway spokesman Andy Williams says four of the 13 loaded coal cars that derailed rolled onto their sides, spilling their loads, but the coal didn’t reach the river. Williams says repair crews expect to have the line back open by 9 p.m. Monday.

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. – March 11, 2019 – Dollar General’s newest store at 55298 Tucson Road in Griswold is now open. Company officials say, “In its new location, Dollar General will offer area residents a convenient new place to shop for everyday essentials at low prices.” Dollar General will celebrate the store’s official grand opening on Saturday, March 16 at 8 a.m. with free prizes and special deals.  Additionally, the first 50 adult shoppers at the store will receive a $10 Dollar General gift card and the first 200 shoppers will receive a Dollar General tote bag with complimentary product samples, among other giveaways.

Traditional Dollar General stores employ approximately six to 10 people, depending on the need.

(Radio Iowa) — A woman from northwest Iowa has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison for selling meth out of her home. Thirty-three-year-old Jamie Williams of Sanborn lived within a thousand feet of the Harley Melvin Sanborn Middle School. Prosecutors say she sold about six pounds of meth out of her home over a three year period. Authorities found 120 grams of pure meth in her purse when the home was searched in January of last year.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa safety regulator is blaming a company for not adequately training a worker who was killed in a Marshalltown construction accident. The Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administration is proposing to fine Bridge City Construction, of Ottumwa, nearly $3,900. The Marshalltown Times-Republican reports that 37-year-old Bridge City employee Chris Ehrenhard, died in a December accident at the Marshalltown Co. construction project.

The agency says the way Ehrenhard was operating an aerial lift pinned him against a beam and controls of the aerial lift, causing fatal injuries. The agency says Bridge City did not provide effective training to employees regarding hazards that were associated with the job site, such as ground conditions and overhead hazards. Bridge City Construction owner Jason Blunt has declined to comment about the proposed fine. It’s unclear whether he will fight the penalty.

Police in Glenwood report three arrests. Taken into custody today (Monday), was 31-year old Scott Jacobsen, of Council Bluffs, for Possession of a Controlled Substance (PCS) and Driving Under Suspension. Cash or surety bond was set at $1,300. And, 37-year old Christopher Nord, of Glenwood. Nord was arrested on a Fremont County warrant. His cash-only bond was set at $1,000.

On Saturday, 21-year old Marcus Baumstarck, of Rapid City, SD, was arrested in Glenwood, for PCS, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of Open Container. He has since posted at $1,630 cash or surety bond and was released.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Records show prosecutors were informed about allegations that a day care operator in a Des Moines suburb was caring for too many children but didn’t take action, raising concerns after a child was found unresponsive at the residence and later died. The Des Moines Register reports that 47-year-old Trina Mazza is charged with operating a home child care facility in Johnston without a license. Mazza’s attorney says she’s fully cooperating with the investigation into the child’s February death.

The Iowa Department of Human Services sent Mazza and the Polk County Attorney’s Office notices that she was caring for too many children following complaints filed in 2011 and 2017.
County Attorney John Sarcone says his office didn’t take action because the department didn’t specifically seek a criminal charge or include details of abuse in the notice.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports one arrest and one, injury accident occurred last week. On Friday, 42-year old Timothy Allen Hansen, of Ottumwa, was arrested at the Union County Courthouse, on a Union County warrant for Violation of Pretrial Release. Hansen was being held in the Union County Jail on a $100,000 bond. And, a rollover accident Thursday evening resulted in the driver of a 2003 Chevy pickup ending up in the hospital to be checked-out.

17-year old Emma Catherine Notz, of Lenox, was traveling on Highway 34 at around 6:15-p.m., and was attempting to pass a vehicle, when the pickup went out of control, and rolled into a ditch. She was not wearing her seat belt. Notz was transported to the hospital by her parents. following complaints of possible, unknown injuries. The pickup sustained about $5,000 damage. No citations were issued.

ATLANTIC—The Cass County Health System Foundation is hosting their annual gala on Saturday, March 30th at the Atlantic Golf & Country Club. The gala is a fundraiser for the CCHS Foundation’s 2019 campaign to raise funds to purchase an “OB Bundle.” “Our goal this year is to purchase new equipment to enhance our obstetrics care at CCHS,” said Dawn Marnin, CCHS Foundation Director. The “OB Bundle” includes a new infant warmer, three portable ultrasound devices, and a new surgical table.

The theme of this year’s gala is “A Night at the Masquerade.” Attendees are encouraged to wear gowns, suits, and masquerade masks. The evening includes dinner, dessert auction, 50/50 raffle, and entertainment. “Our entertainment this year is ‘The Newlywed Game’ featuring four fun couples, and we will have DJ services from Chaos Productions, too,” said Dawn.

Tickets to the event are limited and available through table sponsorships. For more information, please call Dawn Marnin at 712-243-7409 or visit casshealth.org.

How can you be sure your retirement funds will last throughout your lifetime?  This important question will be addressed in an Iowa State University Extension and Outreach workshop on April 2 and 9, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Cass County Community Center in Atlantic.  Writing Your Retirement Paycheck is designed to provide information needed by those approaching retirement within the next ten years. The workshop outlines key factors to consider prior to retirement and describes two strategies for structuring your retirement income. “For most of us,” says Sandra McKinnon, Human Sciences Specialist in family finance, “our paychecks have been determined by someone else all our lives. But in retirement, many of us are responsible to write our own paychecks. How will we know how big it should be?”

According to McKinnon, who will lead the workshop, topics covered will include: inflation, health costs, Social Security, required minimum distributions, annuities, and more. “Individuals need to make their own decisions about retirement,” says McKinnon, “but clear and non-commercial information is a necessary ingredient for decision-making.” McKinnon points out that even those who work with a trusted financial professional must ultimately make the decisions themselves. A financial professional can suggest or recommend products and strategies, but it is the consumer who decides and then lives with the results of the decisions.

For a fee of $20.00, attendees at the Writing Your Retirement Paycheck workshop will walk away with a variety of resource materials and hands-on practice in determining their own needs in preparing for retirement, to meet their personalized goals. Pre-register by March 29 at http://bit.ly/wyrp12198 or by contacting the Cass County Extension office at 712-243-1132.

The Cass County, Iowa Master Gardeners (CCMG) are offering a $1,000 scholarship to local students, with applications due April 1, 2019. This scholarship is available to students who are graduating seniors or graduates of any of the following Iowa school districts, in which currently reside members of CCMG: Atlantic, AHSTW, Clarinda, CAM, Exira-EHK, Griswold, Harlan, Red Oak or Riverside.

The goal of the Master Gardener program is to support horticulture education and community service. CCMG members provide many hours of volunteer service and gardening education within their local communities. Accordingly, this scholarship is intended to provide post-secondary funds to individuals who are studying, or intend to pursue a career in, a horticulture-related field. The scholarship winner will be selected based upon academic success, history of community service, and career goals related to horticulture. Demonstration of past interest and experience in horticulture will be very helpful.

The scholarship is for those pursuing post-secondary education during the 2019-2020 school year. The recipient will be notified of their award on or before May 20, 2019 for planning purposes. A scholarship check will be issued in January 2020, in the student’s name directly to the academic institution, upon receipt of an official grade transcript for the completed Fall 2019 semester. A previous scholarship recipient may re-apply, but an individual may only receive a total of two scholarships from this program.

The application form is available through the high school guidance departments, or on the Cass County Extension website at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass/. Applications should be submitted to the Cass County Extension Office, 805 W 10th St, Atlantic, Iowa 50022, or emailed to keolson@iastate.edu on or before the April 1 deadline for consideration. Questions can be directed to the Cass County Extension Office at 712-243-1132.