The Cass County Board of Supervisors met Wednesday morning, in Atlantic. Auditor Dale Sunderman reports County Conservation Director Micah Lee presented a 4th quarter FY19 report of activity at county recreational sites (including maintenance activities at Cold Springs, the West Nodaway Area, T-Bone Trail, Pellett Memorial Woods and Outdoor Classroom) and Cass County Naturalist Lora Kanning’s environmental education activities. Micah said Kanning presented 131 programs to 2,511 persons.

Lee and two Conservation Board members reported also a proposed project to asphalt the roadway at Cold Springs Park south of Lewis.  The project is estimated cost about $109,000. Lee and the Conservation Board members requested assistance from the County to help fund the project. They suggested the project be paid for with 50% conservation funds and 50% from a ‘general fund’. Their request was taken under advisement.

Cass County Veteran Affairs Executive Director Mitch Holmes also gave report of 4th quarter and annual FY19 activity.  Holmes said during the quarter, 151 veterans were assisted with Federal VA benefits and/or local general assistance. County Attorney Vanessa Strazdas reviewed current legal activity. Mental Health/General Relief Coordinator Deb Schuler also presented report on activity for the month of June.

Sunderman said also, that an employee who was performing some GIS (Geographic Information Services) along with other duties, has moved, and the new employee will not be performing those GIS services.  Therefore, the County is planning to contract for those additional GIS services.  Representatives from Schneider Geospatial (already under contract for other GIS services) and Midland GIS Services presented proposals, which were taken under advisement.  Sunderman said the Board plans to act on the proposals during their next meeting on August 6th.

The Creston Police Department reports a traffic stop Wednesday morning lead to a pursuit that lasted 50-minutes before it finally ended in Madison County. Authorities say 40-year old Michael Ross Waddingham, of Orient, faces charges that include Felony Eluding, Driving While Barred, Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd offense Marijuana, Possession w/intent to Sell – Methamphetamine over 5g and a Parole Violation Warrant. He was being held without bond in the Union County Jail.

The incident leading to his arrest began at around 9:04-a.m., Wednesday, when a Creston Police Officer on routine patrol, saw an individual in the driver’s seat of a white Ford pickup known to have a barred drivers license. The officer approached the individual and identified him as Michael Waddingham. During a check of Waddingham’s driver license status, it was learned he had a warrant for his arrest out of Adair County for Parole Violation.

Moments later, Waddingham proceeded to lead officers on a pursuit that ended southwest of Winterset, at the intersection of 235th Street and Francesca Avenue, after spike strips were successfully deployed, rendering the pickup undriveable. Agencies involved in the pursuit were the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Adair County Sheriff’s Office, Creston Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, Madison County Sheriff’s Office and the Union County Sheriff’s Office.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m. From KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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(Radio Iowa) — Corn continues to mature across Iowa and while it may be beneficial to farmers, those fields of green can be a danger for drivers traveling on rural roads. Floyd County Deputy Sheriff Travis Bartz says tall corn can tower into a motorist’s line of sight, reducing visibility at uncontrolled intersections. “Whether you can see gravel dust or not, or if the roads are wet, you’re not going to see gravel dust, assume that there is another vehicle, an ATV or somebody walking at an intersection,” Bartz says. “By the time you get into that intersection, it’s too late.”

While that gravel dust can help drivers identify other traffic, it can also create a complication. “If you cannot see the road in front of you clearly, you don’t know — because of the gravel dust — if somebody is pulling out, if somebody is running across the road, wildlife or anything like that,” Bartz says. “Let the dust settle before you continue. Increase the distance between you and whatever is causing the dust.”

According to Bartz, the majority of accidents he’s responded to are with drivers who are unfamiliar with the terrain. Floyd County alone is a home to over 400 intersections — with 300 of them uncontrolled — increasing the risk for a collision. Bartz says frost boils in the gravel, caused by the freeze/thaw cycle, are making this driving season even more challenging. “Driving your vehicle down the road, if you get in one of those ruts, it is going to jerk your car to the left or the right without you being able to control it,” he says. “If you are driving too fast, it’s going to cause you to go into the ditch, you’re going to bottom out your car, or it’s going to be harder to stop.”

Bartz says the best thing for drivers to do is go back to the basics. “Every accident has a large degree of human error,” he says. “Stay attentive. Make sure you’re looking both left and right and forward and check your mirrors for vehicles coming up behind you and stay off your cell phone.” He adds, property owners can trim back weeds and grass along the road to improve visibility.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Police say an officer fired at another vehicle after it struck the officer’s unmarked car during a traffic stop in Sioux City. Station KTIV reports the officer positioned the car to block the vehicle from fleeing Wednesday night. But the vehicle then hit the officer’s car, prompting the officer to fire. Police say the other vehicle left the scene but was soon found and the driver taken into custody. Two passengers in the vehicle were questioned as well. No injuries have been reported. The names of those involved haven’t been released.

(Radio Iowa) — MidAmerican Energy Company is launching what it calls a first-of-its kind network of electric vehicle fast-charging stations in more than a dozen cities throughout the state. MidAmerican spokesperson, Tina Hoffman, says the plan is to have the chargers available ever 50 miles. “One of the barriers to electric vehicle adoption is something they call range anxiety,” according to Hoffman. “If people feel like they don’t know where the next charger will be or how far they can get before they need to recharge to reach their destination — there’s a fear in investing in that vehicle.”

MidAmerican wants to install D-C fast-charging sites in Altoona, Avoca, Carroll, Clarinda, Davenport, Dexter, Early, Emmetsburg, Iowa City, Fort Dodge, Little Sioux, Oskaloosa, Sheldon, Sioux City and Waterloo, which are all within the company’s service territory. She says they are looking for partners to host the chargers so people can use them to charge their electric cars. Hoffman says this type of charger can get people on their way after a short stop. “Those can generally charge an electric vehicle in about 20 to 45 minutes. So, a stop at the gas station, or you can run into the store, and you car will be charged by the time you get out,” Hoffman says.

She says they will leave it up to the partners who provide the chargers to determine the cost of a charge. Hoffman says the company is also providing grants to help people buy electric cars. “MidAmerican Energy customers who buy or lease a new electric vehicle can get a 500 dollar rebate incentive for doing that,” Hoffman says. She says the company is also providing 15-hundred dollar rebates for those who install a “Level 2” charging station, which generally charge electric vehicles in four to eight hours. The company plans to begin building the charging network by the end of the year. Hoffman says encouraging the use of electric vehicles goes along with their plan to eventually provide 100 percent of the electricity to their customers from renewable sources. Hoffman says the company now provides on average through the year more than 50 percent of its electricity from renewable sources.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new report says a July survey of business supply managers suggests economic growth will slow over the next three to six months in nine Midwest and Plains states.
The report issued Thursday says the Mid-America Business Conditions index dropped to 52.0 in July from 55.4 in June. It’s the lowest figure in more than three years. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he blamed the slowdown on weak farm income, produced in part by tariffs and flooding.

The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth. A score below that suggests decline. The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

District Court records in Page County indicate a Red Oak man accused of murder in Shenandoah, has pleaded not guilty to kidnapping in another case. 34-year-old Toby Lee McCunn was arraigned Monday on a charge of first-degree kidnapping that was filed in early July. Documents show McCunn’s attorney filed a plea of not guilty in the case. A pre-trial hearing on the matter takes place Sept. 23rd, with trial set for October 8th.

McCunn still faces a charge of first-degree murder in connection with the April 22nd shooting death of 33-year-old Joshua Lyle Jordan. His trial in that case is scheduled for 9:30-a.m. August 5th. McCunn was being held in the Page County Jail.

BRITT, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say two people were injured by an explosion at a business in northern Iowa. The blast occurred around 9:10 a.m. Wednesday at Miller & Sons Golf Cars just south of Britt. The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office says the explosion was accidental and didn’t cause a fire. The cause is being investigated. The names of the injured and the extent of their injuries haven’t been released.

The Mills County Attorney’s Office reports a 37-year old woman who may be armed and dangerous, is being sought in connection with a shooting that took place Wednesday night, in Glenwood. Authorities say that 8:30-p.m., police officers with the Glenwood Police Department responded to the area around 307 North Vine Street in Glenwood.

Upon arrival, officers located a 34-year old male who had suffered from multiple gunshot wounds. The man was safely evacuated from the scene and transported to a medical facility. The suspect is Brandy Clark (pictured below). KETV in Omaha reports investigators initially believed Clark had barricaded herself inside a home after the shooting. They blocked off the neighborhood and evacuated people from several nearby homes. The Iowa State Patrol said a tactical unit eventually made entry into the home and only found a dog inside.

Brandy Clark

If you have any information on the location of Brandy Clark, contact the Glenwood Police Department immediately by dialing 911, or 712-527-4844.