Officials with the Cass County Health System Foundation report they “Happily accepted two unique donations.” CCHSF says Arnie Jirsa, a metal artist from Marne, donated two metal sculptures to be displayed within treatment areas at CCHS.

Top photo: L to R: Dawn Marnin, CCHS Foundation Director; Tammy Bireline, Chief Clinics Administrator; Teresa Hardy, Clinical Lead Cardiac Rehab; Arnie Jirsa; Amanda Bireline, Chief Nursing Officer; Brett Altman, CEO/ Bottom photo: : L to R: Dawn Marnin, CCHS Foundation Director; Tammy Bireline, Chief Clinics Administrator; Traci Brockman, Specialty Clinic Nurse Manager; Amanda Bireline, Chief Nursing Officer; Arnie Jirsa; Brett Altman, CEO. (CCHS photo submissions)

“I have had such great experiences here and I wanted to do something to give back.” The first sculpture is a heart that is displayed in Cardiac Rehab, and the second is a collage of ribbons displayed in the oncology area of the Specialty Clinic. “We are so grateful to receive such beautiful pieces from a local artist,” stated Dawn Marnin, CCHS Foundation Director, “these pieces will be enjoyed by our patients for years to come.”

One person died and another was injured during a crash in Adair County this (Thursday) morning. The Iowa State Patrol reports 47-year old Darrell Wain Smith, of Winterset, died in the crash that happened on Highway 92 east of Greenfield, at around 6:37-a.m.  Authorities say a 2008 Chevy Silverado pickup driven by Smith was westbound on Highway 92 near Pinewood Avenue, when for reasons unknown, his vehicle crossed into the eastbound lane and was struck head on by a 2003 International truck registered to Five Star Trucking, LLC. The driver of the truck, 44-year old Jeremy Criswell Houck, of Corning, was injured in the crash.

After the vehicles collided, the pickup spun around into the westbound lane and came to rest facing eastbound. The International truck came to rest in the south ditch. Darrell Smith died from his injuries at the scene. Houck was seriously injured and transported by LifeFlight to Methodist Hospital in Des Moines. Both men were wearing their seat belts.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports 33-year old William Dean Meredith, of Glenwood, was arrested Wednesday afternoon, on a warrant for Probation Violation. His bond was set at $1,000. And, 36-year old Robert Paul Leckington, of Council Bluffs, was arrested late Wednesday night, for Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. His bond was set at $2,300.

(Radio Iowa) — Contractors have closed 14 breaches on federal levees in southwest Iowa, breaches that were created by last year’s widespread flooding. They have one more to fix on a levee from Thurman to the Missouri border, before the spring flooding season starts. That 15th breach is expected to be closed by March 1st, according to Trish Lambert, with the U-S Army Corps of Engineers Systems Restoration Team out of Omaha. “The level of repairs are basically at an interim level,” Lambert says, “however, we’re confident that we’ve done our best to get them to a point where they can withstand high water events.”

Lambert says contractors are bringing the areas where breaches were closed up to the heights from before flooding hit last year. Contractors have armored the closed breach areas with clay on top, but she says they’re missing a top layer of grass that would protect and stabilize the levees. “Clay has the potential, if the water does sit against it,” she says. “It’s not as resilient as if it were to have that established grass.”

Without that grass protection, the clay could wash away if there’s rain, snow or high water. Lambert says contractors will work to add grass, seeding and do other final fixes after March 1st.

(Reporting by Katie Peikes, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa) — Thursdays have become the last day of the legislature’s work week in Des Moines and today (Thursday) is the deadline for many bills to get voted out of a House or Senate Committee. Some bills have already been tabled. That includes legislation that would have banned health care providers from offering treatment to try to change a child’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Nate Monson with a group called “Iowa Safe Schools” says the bill didn’t go far enough. “What we really want when we’re talking about banning conversion therapy is not just for licensed mental health professionals, but also calling it what it is,” Monson says. “It’s child abuse.”

The bill would have exempted religious groups, parents and grandparents, but some religious organizations say the bill still discriminates against particular viewpoints about sexual orientation. Today’s so-called “funnel” deadline does NOT apply to bills that deal with taxes or spending.

(Reporting by Iowa Public Radio’s Katarina Sostaric)

MARSHALLTOWN– The Iowa Department of Corrections reports 26-year old Andrew Brasean Buchanan, a black male convicted of Robbery 2nd Degree in Polk County, failed to report back to the Marshalltown Residential Facility as required Wednesday night. Buchanan is 5-feet 9-inches tall and weighs 156 pounds. Buchanan was admitted to the work release facility on February 17, 2020.  Anyone with information on his whereabouts should contact local police.

Andrew Buchanan (IA DOC photo)