OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A monthly survey of business leaders suggested a drop in business conditions but still indicated the economy will pick up over the next few months in nine Midwest and Plains states. A report released Tuesday says the Mid-America Business Conditions Index dropped to 56.1 last month from 62.3 in June. The May figure was 55.5.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says it “points to solid growth for both manufacturing and nonmanufacturing for the second half of 2017.” The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth in that factor. A score below that suggests decline.

The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

Officials with the Harlan Police Department report several arrests dating back to July 21st. On July 31st, 24-year old Edward James Taylor, of Avoca, was arrested in the 500 block of Main Street, in Harlan.  He was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with driving while revoked and violation of financial liability coverage. And, 22-year old Matthew Allen Strong, of Harlan was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Last Saturday, 43-year old Lyle James Kline, of Harlan, was arrested following a call for a domestic situation in the 1000 block of Baldwin.  Kline was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with domestic abuse assault.

On July 27th, 55-year old Curt Grant Whiteley, of Harlan, was arrested after a call for a possible intoxicated subject in the 900 block of Farnam.  Whiteley was transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with public intoxication.

July 22nd, 22-year old Brandon Lee Anderson, of Harlan, was arrested on a Shelby County warrant.  He was transported to the jail.

Only July 21st, 42-year old Dawn M. Nellor, of Audubon, was arrested following at stop in the 600 block of Court Street, in Harlan.   She was transported to the Shelby County Jail where she was charged with public intoxication and interference with official acts.

And, on July 20th, 54-year old Brian E Tice, of Carter Lake, was cited for driving while suspended following a traffic stop in the 1200 block of Chatburn, in Harlan.

A collision between a van and a semi in Harrison County this (Tuesday) morning, resulted in the death of a Nebraska man. The Iowa State Patrol reports 37-year old Kevin Bright, of Omaha, died from injuries he suffered when the 2013 Ford van he was driving, struck the rear of a 2010 Peterbilt semi, driven by 51-year old Bradley Davis, of Red Cloud, NE.

The accident happened at around 8-a.m. in a construction zone on Highway 30 at 180th Street. Officials say Davis was eastbound and had stopped at the stop sign in the construction zone, waiting for the pilot car. For reasons unknown, the van, which was also eastbound, hit the rear of the truck. Kevin Bright, who was wearing a seat belt, was transported by Woodbine Rescue to the hospital in Missouri Valley, where he was pronounced dead.

The Red Oak Police Department reports the arrest of 31-year-old Sara Sue Batten of Red Oak on a valid Montgomery County warrant for Failure to Appear and Resisting a Court Order. Batten was arrested at 11:19am in the 800 block of East Washington Avenue. She was taken to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $100 cash bond.

STORM LAKE, Iowa (AP) – Tyson Foods has settled a 10-year-old class-action lawsuit and will disburse nearly $6 million to more than 3,900 current and former employees at a northwest Iowa pork plant. The Sioux City Journal reports that Storm Lake employees sued the Arkansas-based company in 2007 to collect back pay for the time they spent putting on and taking off protective work clothes and equipment before and after their work shifts.

A Sioux City federal jury ruled in favor of the workers in 2011, a decision the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld in 2014. Tyson appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. The court rejected the company’s appeal in March 2016 to limit workers’ ability to challenge pay and workplace issues.

Tyson spokesman Gary Mickelson says each worker will receive about $1,700.

Authorities say an investigation by the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office into multiple burglaries occurring in the City of Walnut has resulted in an arrest.  38-year old Jason W. Anderson, of Walnut, was arrested on the following charges: Ongoing Criminal Conduct; 9 counts of Burglary in the 3rd degree;   Attempted Burglary; 3 counts of Theft in the 4th degree; 2 counts of 5th degree Theft; and 2 counts of Criminal Mischief.

Anderson is alleged to have committed burglaries at the following locations: Peace United Church of Christ; First Presbyterian Church; St. Patrick’s Catholic Church; Calvary Baptist Church; The Village Blacksmith Mall; Rusty Farm Girls Primitives; Mabel’s Old-Fashioned Rose, and Forget-Me-Nots (2 counts)

After receiving tips from the community, searches were conducted in the City of Walnut, City of Avoca and the City of Harlan.  The tips led to the recovery of property taken during the burglaries. The Pott. County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the incidents to determine if any further charges will be filed. The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office was assisted in their investigation, by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and Harlan Police Department.

Jason W. Anderson

Officials with the Elite Octane, LLC ethanol plant in Atlantic, have just launched a website featuring information about the construction project, and information on available jobs. Go to www.eliteoctane.net and look for the “Join our team” careers tab for the Job Board.

The company has each position listed that they intend to hire, a job description, and a note on what the position will pay. You can also see an aerial view of the ethanol plant as it’s under construction.

From the Elite Octane home page

Sheriff’s Deputies in Shelby County, Monday afternoon, arrested 26 year old Zachary David Snethen, of Portsmouth, after deputies were called to a residence in Portsmouth. Snethen was charged with Public Intoxication/2nd offense – a Serious Misdemeanor. He was brought to the Shelby County Jail without incident where he awaits an initial appearance before a magistrate.

Zachary Snethen

CLINTON, Iowa (AP) – A popular boat-based food vendor has sunk after hitting a submerged barrier in the Mississippi River in eastern Iowa. Sonya Carey-Otte is co-owner of MiMi’s Burger Boat. She tells the Quad-City Times that the boat was traveling about 5 mph toward the Fulton Marina Sunday when it collided with a barrier that ripped a hole in the front of the ship. Carey-Otte says following a three-hour wait everyone on the boat was rescued by authorities.

The boat remains partially submerged in the river. A U.S. Coast Guard spokesman says the owners are responsible for removing the boat from the water. Carey-Otte reached out to Chad Pregracke of Living Lands & Waters. Pregracke says it will likely take a couple days to lift the heavy steel boat from the water.

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he got an earful during his town hall meetings over the weekend from plenty of Iowans who are upset about the nation’s health care situation. Grassley, a Republican, says he’s upset, too, because his party controls both chambers of Congress and the White House, but can’t seem to find a solution to this important issue. Grassley says, “It’s going to be difficult for me to answer because all weekend in Iowa I got, ‘Well, what’s next?’ and I had to tell people I’m embarrassed that we didn’t get the job done in the first place and I’m embarrassed that I can’t tell you what we’re going to do next.”

Republicans have been pushing to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, but those efforts have all fallen short. Grassley says he’s disappointed on a couple of levels. “Disappointed from a standpoint of the collective responsibility of Republicans,” Grassley says. “After seven years, having all sorts of excuses until now, when we have the House, Senate and the presidency, and not being able to deliver.”

Grassley says he’s perturbed that the repeal-and-replace process is even necessary and he faults Democrats for that. “Disappointed from the standpoint of the failure of Obamacare because of the broken promises, like, if you like your doctor, you can keep it, if you like your insurance, you can keep it, your premiums are going to go down,” Grassley says. “Everything has been the opposite of what they had promised back in 2010.”

Grassley says Republicans are “supposed to pick up the pieces” and they’ve been given a “mandate” by the nation’s voters to do so, yet they’re failing to deliver.

(Radio Iowa)