A Republican has thrown his hat into the ring in a Cass County Primary race. Bernard Pettinger will run against Democrat Russell Joyce for the District 5 seat on the Cass County Board of Supervisors.

Cass County Deputy Auditor Sheri Karns said Wednesday afternoon, that Pettinger had filed his nomination papers for the June 2nd Primary Election.

The Walnut City Council will hold a Public Hearing 5-p.m. Thursday, on the FY 2020-21 Budget. Following the hearing and related discussion, the Council will act on a Resolution to Adopt the Budget as presented. Other (continued) discussion will be held, with regard to the Walnut Community and Fitness Center, including the possible purchase of a scissor lift, and the consideration of reduced rates for Class Reunions.

The Walnut City Council will also discuss and act on matters pertaining to a Housing Rehabilitation Grant through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). Other discussion concerns: Summer Mowing (Opening of bids and possible approval of a Service Agreement & Mowing Contract); and the Walnut Antique Show (including permission to park one trailer on Wed. during the show, and permission to use City Streets for the 2021 show).

And, the Council will hear from Shelly Thompson, with regard to a possible Brick Street Market.

Firefighters from Wiota, Anita and Cumberland were called to the scene of a grass fire just before Noon, today (Wednesday). The incident began as a controlled burn that got out of control, near 720th and Memphis Road. It was called-in at around 11:48-a.m.

All photos by Cass County Emergency Mgmt. Coordinator Mike Kennon.

The National Weather Service has warned about very dry and breezy conditions setting the stage for a grassland fire danger. Be extremely cautious if you are planning a controlled burn, and notify your local fire department.

After more than a decade of displaying an extensive collection of tractors, trucks, farm machinery and more, the owners of the Farmall Land USA Museum, near Avoca, are retiring. Jerry and Joyce Mez own and operate the museum. They plan to close the doors near the end of the harvest season, in late September. The museum, which started out as an Avoca implement dealership that was purchase by Jerry’s father Max, in 1943, has more than 225 pieces in the collection, including various ag-related toys and advertising.

Picture via KNOD

The museum will open for the season on April 4th. Its last day of operation is September 27th. Farmall Land USA…located on Highway 59, north of Avoca near Interstate 80… is open Tuesday-Saturday 9 am to 5 pm and Sunday from noon to 5.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has announced the appointment of several southwest and western Iowa residents to various State Boards and Commissions. They include:

• Alexis Fleener, of Atlantic, to the Iowa Great Places Advisory Board.
• Dale Behrends, of Panora, and Lori Goetzinger of Carroll, to the Iowa Grain Indemnity Board.
• Daryl Olsen, of Audubon, to the Racing and Gaming Commission.
• Janet DeMott, of Bedford, to the Real Estate Commission.
• Quentin Stanerson, of Audubon, to the State Judicial Nominating Commission.
• S. James Smith, of Earlham, to the Accountancy Examining Board.
• Ryan Crawford, of Stuart, to the Board of Massage Therapy.
• Tami Kloewer, of Harlan, to the Board of Cosmetology.
• Jillian Travis, of Sidney, to the Board of Dentistry.
• Marty Rieken, of Oakland, and Mollie Pawlosky, of Earlham, to the Board of Mortuary Science.
• Lane Plugge, of Council Bluffs, to the Board of Social Work.
• Ann Werner, of Diagonal, to the Board of Veterinary Medicine.
• And Geneva Jacobsen, of Avoca, to the Commission for the Blind.

Each of the appointments are subject to Senate confirmation.

WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — Officials say a prisoner serving a life sentence for murder died Wednesday morning at a southeast Iowa hospital. 71-year old Everett Lyon was pronounced dead due to natural causes at 3:58 a.m. at Great River Medical Center in West Burlington. He’d been sent there for a suspected heart attack.

Lyon was convicted of first-degree murder in Marshall County. Prison records say Lyon had been serving his time at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison. His incarceration began on April 10, 1979.

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — A third defendant has been convicted in the kidnapping and beating death of a man at a Burlington apartment complex. Des Moines County court records say a jury found Stanley Baldwin guilty Tuesday of willful injury. The two other defendants were convicted in August. The records say Majestic Malone and Markell Price forced Edward Breuer inside an apartment on March 17 last year after Baldwin accused Breuer of breaking into it.

The documents say Malone and Price carried Breuer back outside several minutes later and laid him in the dirt before Price poured a can of soda over Breuer’s head.

IA Governor Kim Reynolds & Lt. Governor Adam Gregg will hold “Invest in Iowa” Town Hall meetings next week, in Harlan & Council Bluffs. The Harlan meeting takes place Friday, March 6th, beginning at Noon, in the C.G. Therkildsen Activity Center (706 Victoria St.).  The Council Bluffs Town Hall takes place later that day. It will be held at the Hoff Family Arts and Culture Center (1001 S. 6th St., in Council Bluffs), beginning at 2:30-p.m.

The Washington G.E.M. 4H Club (in Cass County, IA) is turning 100 years old this year (2020)!  Spokesperson Melanie Petty says the current club, which consists of 23 members, has been busy planning ways to celebrate the milestone.  More information will be made available in the coming months.  Petty says “Right now the club would like to get the word out to all past members with the help of the public.  If you are a past member [of the Washington G.E.M Club] or know of a past member, please contact LaNette Freund at 712-254-2572 or Melanie Petty at 712-249-3696.”

Washington G.E.M. will have a table set up at the 4H Endowment Pancake Supper that takes place tomorrow (Thursday, March 5th) from 5-7:30pm at the Cass County Community Building, to gather member information.

(9-a.m. News, 3/4/20)

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County report a man and a woman from Oakland were arrested late Tuesday night, following a reported physical disturbance at a residence in the 400 block of S. Chautauqua Avenue. An investigation resulted in 36-year old Richard Jack Franks and 44-year old Kathleen Marie Gerhardt being taken into custody at around 11:25-p.m., for Interference with Official Acts. Gerhardt was additionally charged with making False Reports to 9-1-1. Her bond was set at $600. Franks was being held on a $300 bond.

At around 11:36-p.m. Tuesday, Pott. County deputies were dispatched to the area near Weston Avenue and Railroad Highway, for a report of a vehicle in the ditch. 46-year old Gretchen Renee Cunningham was subsequently arrested for OWI/1st offense, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of a Controlled Substance/1st offense – Marijuana, as a parent or guardian. A 17-year old male was arrested on similar charges.

Tuesday morning, 19-year old Stefanie Jenell Carona was arrested following a traffic stop in the area of Mahogany Road and the Old Lincoln Highway. Carona was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Monday night, a Cass County man was arrested in Pott. County, for Driving While Barred. 30-year old Cam Christopher Jahnke, whose last known address was in Griswold, was taken into custody following a traffic stop in Oakland.

Monday evening, 39-year old Danny Joe Davidson, Jr. was arrested for Violation of Probation, following a traffic stop in Council Bluffs. And, 26-year old Mariah Lee Beckwith, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Pottawattamie County Courthouse, Monday, on a Pott. County felony warrant for an Iowa Lottery violation, and Theft in the 4th Degree. Her bond on those charges was set at $6,000.