The Glenwood Police Department reports the arrest on Monday of 42-year old Jason Schultz, of Glenwood. Schultz was taken into custody for Serious Assault, the bond for which was set at $1,000.

The future of the Elite Octane Ethanol plant proposed for Atlantic has apparently come down to fractions of a cent. In August 2014, Elite Octane said 6.5-cents per kilowatt hour (Kwh) was acceptable to meet their project energy load. That all changed two weeks ago. Steve Tjepkes, Atlantic Municipal Utilities General Manager told KJAN News the local utility’s Board met in a special, closed session Monday afternoon to discuss the company’s latest demands.

He said two weeks ago, officials with the ethanol plant told AMU they wanted an industrial electrical rate of 5.6-cents per kwH. They said if they were unable to get that rate, AMU should transfer its service territory to Mid-American Energy, which likely can charge 5.5-cents per kwh.

Tjepkes says the AMU Board is unable to provide the requested rate, and voted against transferring the service territory to Mid-American because of a contractual obligation AMU has with its regional power provider. He says they have a power supply contract with Missouri River Energy that requires AMU to purchase any load growth from MRE. If AMU signs that over to Mid-American, that would be a breach of contract that would result in costly litigation.

In addition, the transfer of service territory has to be approved by the Iowa Utilities Board, which MRE would likely contest. Tjepkes said if AMU were to lower its rate for the ethanol plant, they would have to raise rates for their other customers, and it’s forbidden by the State of Iowa. He said AMU has done all it can to accommodate the needs of the ethanol plant, at great expense, and it’s frustrating the project may have come to an end.

On a related note, the Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Tuesday) tabled until their meeting on February 8^th, action a Resolution pertaining to an $8.5-million incentives package for the proposed Elite Octane Ethanol Plant, due to issues the plant has with an electrical supply and other matters. Board Chair Gaylord Schelling said he would contact Snyder and Associates Engineers and have them hold up on further work on preliminary design and other services until the future of the plant is known. Their fee for the preliminary design and engineering phase costs the County $9,750, with additional costs to be determined.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The Creston Police Department has made an arrest in connection with the theft or attempted theft last Friday, of property from at least a dozen vehicles. 18-year old Johnathan Palmer, of Creston, was arrested at his residence Monday and was being held in the Union County Jail on a $2000 bond. Palmer faced 13 counts of Burglary in the 3rd Degree.

Authorities said the vehicles were all unlocked, and most were parked along the street. Coins, cash and other personal property was reported missing following the reported incidents.

Members of the Atlantic Fire Department held their annual recognition banquet last Saturday night. During the event, Iowa Firefighters Past President Cliff Renslow presented certificates to Gene Schmeling for 25 years of service, Dustin McLaren for 20 years, and Russell Peck for 30 years. The Department also recognized Trent Cappel and Bob Reynolds for 15 years of service.

Alex Smith was awarded the Rookie of the Year award. Tom Cappel was awarded Firefighter of the Year, the highest award given by the department to a firefighter.

In a statement, Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees said, ‘’ The firefighters recognized [Saturday night] are all very integral parts of the department and have demonstrated their commitment their entire careers. Without members like them, the AFD could not function.”

Tom Cappel – Firefighter of the Year

From left to right (Gene Schmeling, Dustin McLaren, Russell Peck and IA Firefighters past President Cliff Renslow (Pics courtesy Mark McNees)

Alex Smith – Rookie of the Year

The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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Sioux City Fire Chief Tom Everett says he’s concerned about the impact on smaller departments in the wake of charges against the former state fire training manager for allegedly issuing improper certifications to thousands of firefighters. He says it could be a big problem for smaller rural departments, many who depend on volunteers. “Unfortunately I think it does give the fire service in Iowa a black eye,” Everett says. “I do think there are a lot of departments that depend on those certifications and depend on the training that they receive through the bureau. And unfortunately they are going to have to wait through how to fix what’s happened.”

He says Sioux City provides its own training, testing, and evaluation to all firefighters. He says they do have some firefighters who get certified through the state, but says the number of hours they train on the required subjects far exceeds the state standards for certification. He says each member of the Sioux City Department has hundreds of hours of local training. Everett says they train 31-thousand-455 hours, which gives each firefighter 289 hours of individual training each year.

Former State Fire Services Training Bureau certification manager John McPhee was arrested Tuesday on charges of misconduct in office and tampering with records. The Iowa Department of Public Safety revealed that the state bureau issued nearly 23-hundred improper certifications to one-thousand-706 firefighters and emergency personnel between 2012 and 2016.

(Radio Iowa)

Members of the Exira-Elk Horn Kimballton School Board will gather during a Special Meeting this evening at the Elk Horn Building Conference Room. The meeting begins at 5:30-p.m. and includes discussion and/or consideration of Financing Proposals that have been opened and reviewed by Superintendent Trevor Miller and other administrative officials, along with the Placement Agent.

The Board will also discuss and likely take action on, approving a Resolution Directing the Sale of $1-million, 5-thousand dollars in School Infrastructure Sales/Services and Use of Tax Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2017.

Their final discussion and action item is with regard to approving a Bond Counsel Engagement Agreement with Ahlers and Cooney, P.C.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:30 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Republican lawmakers have proposed legislation that would add about $40 million to Iowa’s K-12 education spending, an amount that Democrats say is inadequate. The GOP plan proposes increasing the amount spent per student in Iowa by about 1.1 percent for the budget year that goes into effect in July. The state uses roughly $3 billion from its general fund on K-12 education.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State University has agreed to rescind the 2015 firing of its student counseling director, who alleged he was let go after warning about potentially dangerous shortages in mental health services. An agreement signed by President Steven Leath settles allegations of retaliation, defamation and age discrimination that Terry Mason had made. The deal avoids a lawsuit by changing Mason’s dismissal to a retirement, which makes him eligible for health benefits and a payout for sick leave.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Republican lawmakers are expected to approve legislation to patch a shortfall in the state’s $7.2 billion budget. The GOP-controlled House is scheduled Monday evening to vote on a bill that would cut about $117 million. The reductions require Iowa departments to cut about $88 million from the budget that began last July. An additional $25 million would be taken from various funds and about $4 million would be saved from unused tax credits.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State University says a graduate student, a postdoctoral researcher and a visiting scholar have been blocked from entering the country due to President Donald Trump’s restrictions on travel. ISU President Steven Leath says the university has been in touch with all three and hopes that “they will be able to continue their work and studies with Iowa State in the near future.”

DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) -” An invasive weed that can grow up to 7 feet tall has been found in nearly half of Iowa’s counties, and experts say farmers need to act quickly if the plant is found in their fields.

Bob Hartzler is a professor of weed science at Iowa State University. He tells the Telegraph Herald that the species known as Palmer amaranth shouldn’t be ignored and has the potential to drive farmers out of business. The weed prominently appeared in the region’s cotton fields in the 2000s. It was categorized as a “super weed” because of its ability to quickly grow and its resistance to many herbicides.

In 2013, the weed was spotted in five Iowa counties. As of October, it had been seen in nearly half of Iowa’s 99 counties.