The Adair County Board of Supervisors Wednesday (this) morning, passed a Resolution setting the dates of a consultation and a public hearing on a proposed amendment for the Northwest Wind Farm Urban Renewal Plan. Adair County Auditor Mandy Berg says amendment covers a number of legal issues.

The Public Hearing will be held Nov. 25^th. Berg says there are 341 new turbines set to put built in that area of the County. She said also Adair County Recorder Janelle Schneider spoke with the Board about a Bulk Images Agreement.

The Supervisors gave their blessing to proceed with the agreement. Schneider had mentioned to the Board the County was one of the last in the State to sign-off on the agreement.

And, the Adair County Supervisors heard from Sheriff Jeff Vandewater, with regard to the County’s Emergency Communications radios. Berg says a communications project the County began a while back involved getting new radios for all the different entities in the County, and but the State wants to know who will assume ownership of those radios, should one of the entities back out of their maintenance and use contract.

She said the Board agreed the radios should become property of the County in that situation.

Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports one of his Deputies and two Reserve Deputies were recently awarded with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office Life Saving Award. The award was presented in conjunction with National First Responders Day, and for their actions during a critical incident that occurred in September of 2020. On the 19th of September, at around 9:25-p.m., deputies were called to the area of 200th Street and Interstate 29 near Percival, for a report of a single-vehicle accident.

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Upon their arrival, deputies were initially unable to locate the driver of the vehicle near the scene. A short time later, Deputy Ashton Luke and Reserve Deputies Anthony Carr along with Devin Juel, were able to hear noises coming from a nearby cornfield and located the driver concealed in the field. The individual had suffered from several self-inflicted stab wounds, lacerations, and was in the process of self-strangulation.

The deputies quickly rendered aid, taking life-saving measures for almost 30 minutes until emergency medical crews arrived. The subject was flown by medical helicopter to an Omaha hospital with life-threatening injuries. Their quick actions and use of training and medical equipment, directly lead to the subject surviving the incident.

Deputy Ashton Luke has been a Fremont County Deputy since July of 2018. Deputy Luke is assigned as a School Resource Officer with the Sidney and Fremont-Mills School Districts. Reserve Deputy Anthony Carr has been a Reserve Fremont County Deputy since October of 2016. Carr currently serves as the Fremont County Reserve Deputy Association President. Reserve Deputy Devin Juel has been a Reserve Fremont County Deputy since July of 2020, and currently also volunteers with the Tabor Fire and Rescue Departments. Juel was on just his 2nd shift with the department at the time of the call.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor Wednesday (today) announced a Disaster Recovery National Dislocated Worker Grant for up to $3 million, awarded to Iowa Workforce Development, in response to the severe storms of August 2020.  Severe storms brought hurricane-force winds across central Iowa on Aug. 10, 2020. The storm system, identified as a derecho, inflicted significant damage on businesses, homes, crops, and livestock. An initial award of $1 million will create disaster-relief jobs to address debris cleanup and the delivery of humanitarian assistance to those affected by the storms.

The project will focus efforts in the 16 Iowa counties of Benton, Boone, Cedar, Clinton, Dallas, Jasper, Johnson, Jones, Linn, Marshall, Muscatine, Polk, Poweshiek, Scott, Story, and Tama. Work may expand to seven additional counties included in the associated disaster declaration issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Aug. 17, 2020.

Supported by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, National Dislocated Worker Grants temporarily expand the service capacity of dislocated worker training and employment programs at the state and local levels by providing funding assistance in response to large, unexpected economic events that cause significant job losses. The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office, Wednesday (today), said two men were arrested on Tuesday. 32-year-old Zachary Clay Younts, of Randolph, was arrested on a warrant for Contempt of Court. His bond was set at $5,000. And, 29-year-old Bernabe Hernandez-Espinoza, of Des Moines, was arrested on a warrant for Failure to Appear on the charge of Operating While Intoxicated. His bond was set at $1,000.

Authorities report also, one person was injured during a collision Tuesday afternoon on 189th Street. A 2010 Chevy driven by 65-year old Dennis Tremel, of Woodbine, was traveling north on 189th at around 12:20-p.m., while a 2019 pickup driven by 29-year-old Larry Seefus, of Omaha, was traveling south. An uninvolved semi was in the driveway of Vander Haags. When Tremel attempted to turn into the driveway, he turned in front of the pickup, causing the collision.

Seefus was transported by Silver City Rescue to Jenny Edmundson Hospital, for treatment of undisclosed/unknown injuries.

(Radio Iowa) – A 22-year-old West Des Moines man has been sentenced to decades in prison on child pornography charges. Michael Jonathan Phelps was arrested in mid-February after detectives say they found hundreds of disturbing photos and videos on his digital devices. Police immediately asked a judge to issue an order to prevent Phelps from having contact with anyone under the age of 18.

Phelps has pleaded guilty to 16 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor for distributing, transmitting and possessing child pornography. The Des Moines Register reports a judge has sentenced Phelps to 44 years in state prison.

(Radio Iowa) – Republican Senator Chuck Grassley is lambasting newly-proposed environmental legislation by four Democratic senators which he says would “absolutely destroy Iowa’s economy.” Grassley describes the Zero-Emission Vehicles Act as a “far left scheme” which would strip away consumer choice and do irreparable harm to our state’s agriculture-based economy. “This proposal mandates that only electric vehicles can be sold by 2035 and it would also mandate half of all new cars be electric in just five years,” Grassley says. “Can you imagine?”

Grassley says he favors efforts to make America more energy efficient and energy independent, with an emphasis on corn- and soy-based biofuels, but he doubts the wisdom of forcing electric vehicles on the nation’s motorists. “Since the majority of the electricity is still produced by fossil fuels,” Grassley says, “it raises the question about how environmentally good this is.” Grassley says a recently released study by the University of Tennessee details the damage an electric car mandate would do to the nation’s ag economy, including the 48-thousand jobs in Iowa that rely on ethanol and biodiesel. “Corn prices could be slashed by half,” Grassley says. “Soybean prices could drop by 44%, while 244,000 jobs would be lost, and finally, the U.S. farm economy would be decreased by up to $27-billion.”

Grassley says it’s the type of legislation we can expect if Democrat Joe Biden is elected president and the Senate swings away from a Republican majority.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – Oct. 28, 2020 – Construction crews will be conducting emergency repairs on eastbound I-80 express lanes in Council Bluffs this week. Motorists should plan accordingly as multiple areas will be temporarily closed during repairs. Tonight (Wednesday, Oct. 28), southbound I-29/eastbound I-80, motorists traveling in the immediate area will be required to exit at the South Expressway beginning at 7 p.m. until 6 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 29th. Eastbound I-80 express lane drivers will be required to use the local lanes and exit at the South Expressway beginning at 10 p.m. until 6 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 29. Please follow detours to U.S. 275/Iowa 92 to get to the interstate.

On Thursday, Oct. 29, I-29 southbound/I-80 eastbound local traffic will continue to exit at South Expressway until 2 p.m., weather permitting. I-29 southbound/I-80 eastbound on ramps at 24th Street and South Expressway will also remain closed. Plan ahead and follow detours to U.S. 275/Iowa 92 to get to the interstate.

On Thursday, October 29, southbound I-29/eastbound I-80 local drivers will be required to exit at South Expressway beginning at 7 p.m. until 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, weather permitting. Eastbound I-80 Express will be reduced to one lane beginning at 7 p.m. until 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30th. Please follow the detour to U.S. 275/Iowa 92 to get to the interstate.

The latest traveler information is available anytime through the State’s 511 system.

Another benefit meal is planned for the McLaren family, whose son Steele was critically injured during an accident Sunday afternoon. Ryan Askeland, with Dusty’s Place in Griswold, has announced Griswold athletes and parents will host a free-will donation meal Thursday, from 5:30-until 7-p.m., in the parking lot of the Cass County Courthouse, in Atlantic. The menu includes pulled pork, chips and coleslaw, and will be set-up in a drive-thru style. All proceeds benefit Steele in his efforts to recover from a traumatic head injury.

The Food is being donated by Dusty’s Place and C & J Ag. On Tuesday, it was announced Udderly Delicious in Atlantic will be grilling hamburgers and serving chips this Saturday, from 11-am to 1-pm, with your free-will donation benefiting the McLaren family. All donations will be matched dollar-for-dollar thanks to another family that has stepped forward to help out.