SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – Officials estimate that it could cost $2.1 million to repair the exterior of the Woodbury County courthouse. County supervisor Mark Monson told the Sioux City Journal that the exterior condition of the nearly century-old building is so dire that entire bricks can be pulled from the foundation in places.

Woodbury County building services department director Kenny Schmitz says the worst spots are higher up, typically from about the third to sixth floors on the eight-story building. He says the north side is the most weathered part of the building.

County supervisors say they want the building renovated for its 100th anniversary celebration in 2018, and that it might be necessary to borrow substantial funds in a capital improvement plan to pay for the repairs.

The Iowa Concern Hotline is seeing a boost in calls from farmers and those who depend on agriculture-related businesses. Hotline director Margaret Van Ginkel says that sector of the economy was thriving just a couple of years ago, but three straight years of low commodity prices are pushing things in a different direction now. “We’re hearing some concerns from those smaller machinery businesses that are looking down the road to see how much that farmer might have to spend on machinery this year,” Van Ginkel says. “They could be having a tough year, too.”

Large equipment manufacturers are also feeling the pinch. Quad Cities-based Deere and Company has idled more than three-thousand workers since 2014. Van Ginkel says the Iowa Concern Hotline is not just for farmers, as counselors have been offering advice to anyone who asks for more than 30 years. Phone calls are free and confidential.  “Call and just talk with someone,” she says. “Sometimes, you just need get a few things off your chest and just get rid of some of that stress. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. You can just call. You can be anonymous. You don’t have to give us your name.”

Van Ginkel says the economy is usually one of the main topics of discussion. She says they often hear from families who wonder how they’ll make their budget stretch if food prices and other costs continue to rise. The hotline was set up by the Iowa State University Extension to offer advice to farmers back in the mid-1980s. The hotline is open round-the-clock at 800-447-1985.

(Radio Iowa w/thanks to Pat Blank of Iowa Public Radio)

The Cass County Board of Supervisors will meet 8:30-a.m. Friday at the courthouse, in Atlantic. During their end-of-month session, the Board will act on passage of a Resolution calling for a portion of County matching funds (amounting to $25,0000), to be used to strengthen the chances The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Rec Department will receive an Enhance Iowa Community Attraction and Tourism (or, CAT) grant for improvements to the Schildberg Recreation Area.

In other business, the Board of Supervisors will hear a report from Zoning Administrator Rich Hansen with regard to a request for a Zoning Change pertaining to the Elite Octane Ethanol Plant. In a related note, the Board will act also on approving Professional Services Agreement with Snyder and Associates Engineers, with regard to the Ethanol Plant Gray Water Transmission line installation and Paving Project for Glacier, Buck Creek and Echo Roads.

And, the Supervisors will hear an annual report from County Weed Commissioner Larry Randall, along with regularly scheduled reports from the County Engineer, Attorney and Mental Health/General Relief Coordinator.

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

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The Creston Police Department reports a man was arrested on drug- and alcohol-related warrants, Tuesday night. 52-year old Robbie Dohrn, of Creston, was arrested on two Union County Warrants for Failure to Appear as Sentenced on  original charges of Possession of Methamphetamine/1st Offense, and Failure to Appear as Sentenced on an original charge of OWI/2nd Offense. Dohrn was being held in the Union County Jail to serve the balance of his time on both sentences.

26-year old Brooke Carter, of Creston, was arrested Tuesday afternoon at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on three warrants out of Polk County, for Probation Violations. Carter was being held in the Ringgold County jail without bond, while awaiting transfer to Polk County.

And, 18-year old Kendrick Davis, of Creston, was arrested Tuesday at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on a Union County Warrant for Operating While Under the Influence/1st Offense. Davis was being held in the Union County Jail while awaiting a bond hearing.

Creston Police said also, a resident of the 1100 block of N. Birch Street reported Tuesday morning, that a laser light had been stolen from his yard. The loss was estimated at $50.

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

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ADEL, Iowa (AP) – Dallas County supervisors have set the bond measure for a law enforcement center and jail at $22.9 million. The Des Moines Register reports the county board approved the figure Tuesday for voters to consider at the May 2 election. Voters have rejected plans to build a replacement jail three times since 2013 as county officials struggle with jail overcrowding.

A consultant found earlier this year that the county could save $22 million over 30 years if it were to build a replacement jail and stops paying neighboring counties to house inmates. The Dallas County Jail has 48 beds, but the county averages 69 prisoners daily.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Bail has been set at $5 million for an Iowa resident accused of killing a romantic rival last seen alive more than four years ago in Omaha. Forty-one-year-old Shanna Golyar, of Persia, Iowa, is charged with first-degree murder. Bail was set during a hearing Tuesday inside the Douglas County Jail. Prosecutors say she killed Cari Farver, of Macedonia, Iowa, who was 37 when she was reported missing in November 2012.

Golyar’s attorney is James Martin Davis, and he said Tuesday there’s no confession, no body, no murder weapon and “no sufficient showing of blood that there was a death that even took place.”

Prosecutors say Golyar and Farver had dated the same man and that Golyar tried to cover up the killing by posing online as Farver.

President-elect Trump has named almost all of his cabinet members but hasn’t yet announced his pick for U-S Secretary of Agriculture. Iowa Ag Secretary Bill Northey says he’s not sure why the process is taking so long or even what the president-elect is looking for in the position. “It’s important to get to it,” Northey says. “It’s one of the last handful of positions out there. I’m hopeful we’ll see something soon but I don’t have any particular insight into who that may be or when that may be.”

A few names on the alleged “short list” include former Iowa State Representative Annette Sweeney of Alden, Texas Ag Commissioner Susan Combs and former Texas A&M President Elsa Murano. Northey is a member of the Trump Ag Advisory Committee and says rural America helped elect Trump, so there is pressure for him to get the nomination right. “It’s kind of a puzzle,” Northey says. “You don’t necessarily want people from the same state and you have a certain demographic that’s already filled and you want a different demographic. So, besides getting somebody good for agriculture, there’s a lot of other considerations.”

Because of those factors, Northey says it may make this decision even more difficult. Northey says time will be short because the new ag secretary will have to quickly assemble a team to run the U-S-D-A. Northey says, “All of us are looking forward to that name because, besides the secretary, there’s a lot of other positions under that to fill and make sure that department is running come January 20th like it needs to.”

The U-S Ag Secretary post has been held the past eight years by former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack. The website Politico.com speculates the ag secretary pick may not be announced until the new year.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 1:50 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Some Iowa voters returned to the ballot box for one more election before the end of the year. Polls opened Tuesday morning for a special election to fill the District 45 seat left open by the September death of Iowa Democratic Sen. Joe Seng. The eastern Iowa district includes parts of Davenport.

BELLEVUE, Iowa (AP) — State officers have joined the investigation of what authorities say is the “suspicious” death of an eastern Iowa man. Police found the body of 59-year-old James Remakel at a home in Bellevue around 1 p.m. Sunday. An autopsy has been ordered.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A new report says sales of Iowa Lottery tickets spiked in the budget year that ended June 30 and generated the most revenue in the program’s 31-year history. Backed by surging sales of instant-scratch and Powerball tickets, the Lottery brought in $366.9 million in total revenue, a $42 million increase from the prior year. A state audit says $88 million of that money went to the state’s general fund and to help veteran’s programs, the highest amount for the Lottery since its start in 1985

MONTICELLO, Iowa (AP) — A Monticello woman says she’s gotten back the class ring she lost 30 years ago. Theresa Martin told station KCRG a man named Curtis Rose had posted a Facebook item about it, asking whether anyone knew someone who’d gone to Monticello High School with the initials TKM. Classmates saw the post and put Rose and Martin in contact. He told her he found it two years ago in Cedar Rapids.