FRUITLAND, Iowa (AP) – A service club intends to build a memorial for veterans in the Muscatine County community of Fruitland. The Fruitland Community Lions Club wants to place it near Fruitland Community Center instead of at a cemetery. A club committee decided the location near the center would allow more people to see it and would deter vandals. The Muscatine Journal reported that the memorial will have black granite walls, seating, a flag and lighting. The memorial space will be available to all honorably discharged men and women, living or dead, of any military branch, regardless of whether the veterans were originally from Muscatine County.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday, received reports from County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon, and Interim County Engineer Charlie Marker. Kennon spoke about ISICS (pronounced “eye’six”), the Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System. The system is a 700/800 Mhz (mega-hertz) standards-based P-25 Phase 2 compliant trunked radio system for first responders throughout Iowa. The ISICS platform allows users to seamlessly roam and communicate throughout Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol is currently using the 700 mhz band, while Pottawattamie County has been using the 800 mhz band for several years.

According to Kennon, two radios on the ISICS 700 mhz frequency, were installed at the Communications Center. He said there will be a law enforcement talk group and a fire talk group which will allow those emergency personnel who were issued the radios. The system as it is now, will allow the County to see what coverage the radios will provide, and where the strength and weaknesses are)

The next step will be to determine how to address those weaknesses. Kennon said Montgomery County has three new communications towers erected and the equipment ready to be installed, but they aren’t expected to come on-line until sometime in March. Kennon said Cass County is in the process of buying additional dual-band radios (VHF/700 mhz). He said if the State Patrol has something going on, such as a pursuit, Cass County can switch on the 700 mhz system and work with them. Right now though, the County has mainly starting dipping its toes into the system, which allows the dispatchers to monitor State Patrol communications traffic.

Kennon says the State Patrol is “Quickly moving towards just going to the 700 side of broadcasting.” He said also, Shelby County is also on the “fast track” with their 700 band operations. Supervisor Steve Baier said he’s anxious to see how the new towers and communications system works out in Montgomery County, and how good the coverage is. The ISICS equipment is not cheap, but Kennon has applied for grants and other forms of cost sharing means to help pay for it.

In his report to the Board, Interim Cass County Engineer Charles Marker made a recommendation for a Motor Grader operator’s wage increase. That person has successfully completed their six-month probationary period of employment. He said also they are also working on some EWP [Emergency Watershed Protection] projects, the funds for which have been approved by the Iowa DNR. He said they have 220-days [or, by July 4, 2020], to complete the projects which are designed to protect culverts and dams by use of rip-rap and rocks.)

In other business, the Board approved a Class-C Beer Permit for the Griswold Dollar General Store, but tabled action on appointing a Brighton Township Clerk until the have a candidate for the position.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office say five people were arrested on separate charges over the past five days. On Dec. 26th, 20-year old Cortez Dajuan Washington-Moore, of Raytown, MO. was arrested following a traffic stop on I-29. He was charged with Theft in the 1st Degree, Possession of Burglary Tools, Reckless Driving, Felony Eluding and Fugitive from Justice. Bond was set at $20,000. That same day, 58-year old Darrell Alan Klahn, of Omaha, NE., was arrested on Highway 34, for Driving While Revoked and Operating Non-Registered Vehicle. (Bond: $1,000).

On Dec. 27th, 41-year old William Jackson Busby, of Bellevue, NE. was arrested  during a traffic stop on Highway 34, for Possession of Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. (Bond: $1,300). On the 28th, 32-year old Richard Douglas Henry, also of Bellevue, was arrested for OWI/2nd offense, Possession of Controlled Substance, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (Bond: $3,300).  And, Monday morning, 21-year old Malik Kyle J, of Omaha, NE, was arrested during a traffic stop on Highway 34. He was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. (Bond: $300).

Authorities said also, two people were transported to area hospitals following a collision Dec. 24th at W. 7th Street and 2nd Avenue, in Malvern. A 2001 Mazda driven by 81-year old Susan Rosario, of Malvern, was traveling east on W. 7th Street, while a 2005 Pontiac driven by 31-year old Angela Blain, of Council Bluffs, was traveling south on 2nd Avenue. Officials say Blain failed to yield the right of way, causing her car to be struck on the passenger side, by the Mazda. Rosario was transported by Malvern Rescue to Mercy Hospital. Blain was transported to Bergan-Mercy, also by Malvern Rescue.

Sheriff’s officials in Union County say one-person suffered what were described as “suspected minor/incapacitating” injuries, Monday, during a collision between two pickup trucks. The crash happened at around 8:50-a.m. at the intersection of State Highway 25 and 130th Street, west of Green Valley Lake State Park. Authorities say a 2002 GMC pickup driven by 17-year old Kaden Bolton, of Creston, was stopped at the stop sign and proceeded into the intersection. He didn’t see an approaching southbound 2000 Chevy pickup driven by 28-year old Dillon Harry, of Orient, and pulled out in front of him.

Harry tried to avoid the collision, but his pickup hit the other pickup. Both vehicle ended-up in the southwest ditch. Dillon Harry was transported EMS to the hospital in Creston. Officials say both drivers were wearing their seat belts. Damage from the collision amounted to $13,000. There were no citations issued.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – One of two men accused of killing a man in Cedar Rapids wants their trial moved out of Linn County. Thirty-four-year-old Drew Wagner cited pretrial publicity in his request filed Sunday. Wagner and 32-year-old Drew Blahnik have pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and other crimes in the slaying of 31-year-old Christopher Bagley. He went missing from his home in Walker in December 2018. Investigators have said Blahnik has confessed to stabbing Bagley in retaliation for his robbery of a large-scale marijuana trafficker. The court records don’t show that Blahnik also has requested that the trial be moved.