The area’s top news at 7:07-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency says the grassland/field fire danger level will remain “HIGH” through this weekend. Continued drying conditions, make the potential for grassland and standing corn fires higher than normal. Caution should be observed when burning and, notices provided to your local Fire Chief .

The next local update will be Monday October 19th.

A man from Pottawattamie County was arrested early this (Friday) morning in Red Oak, for Aggravated Domestic Abuse Assault with Strangulation. Red Oak Police say 25-year old Mark Alan Lear, Jr., of Council Bluffs, was taken into custody in the 300 block of E. Market Street, at around 2-a.m.  The victim suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene by Red Oak police officers.  Lear was being held without bond in the Montgomery County Jail.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A third consecutive overall index drop in a monthly rural bankers survey suggests an economic slowdown is ahead in Iowa and Nebraska. Omaha-based Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says the overall index reflects “weakness stemming from lower agriculture and energy commodity prices.”

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton says she will “not be silenced” when it comes to talking about gun violence, renewing her debate-night tangle with rival Bernie Sanders. The Democratic presidential candidate says at a rally in San Antonio, Texas that she’s “been told by some to quit talking about this.” She says she’ll continue to challenge the National Rifle Association. Clinton did not mention Sanders by name. But during Tuesday’s debate, Sanders said “all the shouting in the world” won’t keep guns out of the hands of people who shouldn’t have them.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican presidential candidates Donald Trump and Ben Carson are threatening to boycott the next GOP debate over its proposed format. The two political outsiders wrote in a joint letter to CNBC on Thursday that they will not appear at the October 28th debate unless its length is capped at two hours, including commercials.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A cluster of endangered cacti in Sioux City will be protected in the development of a major road project. The Sioux City Journal reports Southbridge Drive construction will veer west in order to avoid 100 bigroot prickly pear cactus plants located about three miles southeast of Sioux Gateway Airport.

The Red Oak Police Department reports an arrest Thursday morning of a Red Oak man for Possession of Stolen Property.  At 8:30am officers arrested 33-year-old Jesse Donald Trost of Red Oak near the intersection of North 2nd Street and East Corning Street in Red Oak.  Trost was booked into the Montgomery County Jail on $300 bond.

Police in Council Bluffs reported Thursday afternoon that a man who escaped police custody Wednesday afternoon and struck a police officer with a stolen pickup, is still at large. 27-year old Adam Thomas, of Council Bluffs, reportedly stole a vehicle from his mother’s home near where the abandoned pickup used in Wednesday’s incident, was found. Police says surveillance video on his mother’s property show Thomas took his sister’s 2007 Silver Nissan Murano SUV from 23752 Idlewood Drive, near Underwood, shortly after midnight, Wednesday. The vehicle has Iowa license plate 640SSR.

Adam W. Thomas

After taking the stolen SUV report, Pottawattamie County Deputies were dispatched to 24861 265th Street, where a vehicle was reported stolen from a property about 5-miles from Thomas’ mother’s home. That vehicle was a 2013 silver Chevrolet Malibu, with Iowa license plate ARY035.  The Nissan Murano had an extremely low tire at the time of the theft, so it’s possible that Thomas is now in the 2013 Chevy Malibu, however, the Murano has not been recovered.

Police say extreme caution should be exercised if anyone should come into contact with Thomas. They’re asking for your help in locating Thomas as he continues to have any disregard for public safety in continuing his crime spree. Anyone with any information can contact Crime Stoppers or their local law enforcement.

Officials with the Johnny Carson Birthplace Society (JCBS) in Corning invite you to join them in celebrating the 90th Anniversary of Johnny Carson’s birth. The home in which Johnny Carson was born has been restored to the era of his birth, October 23,1925 by the Society, who is hosting the event.

The celebration begins on Friday, October 23rd, at the birthplace home, 500 13th Street in Corning, with an Open House from 10 am to noon, serving a birthday cake, and hosting a very special guest. Pete Petrashek, a friend and co-worker from Johnny’s early years at WOW-TV will be there to interact with birthplace visitors.

Carson and Patrashek were both magicians, as well as pioneers in the early television industry and remained friends until Carson’s death in 2005.  The celebration continues with two big events on Saturday, October 24th. Reflecting Johnny’s interest in vintage cars, the JCBS is sponsoring the First Annual Johnny Carson Birthplace Car Show at Central Park in downtown Corning with registration of cars from 9:30 am to Noon. Spectator voting will be from Noon to 1:30 pm with awards being handed out at 2:30 pm. The Birthplace home will welcome visitor with tours from Noon to 5 pm.

On Saturday evening, the JCBS teams up with the Corning Opera House (the restored 1902 theater) as regional talent performs in a “Tonight Show” styled event with Carson and McMahon impersonators on hand to keep the show moving forward. The curtain goes up at 7 pm. Tickets can be purchased on-line at www.corningoperahouse.com or at the door.

To learn more about Johnny’s hometown, a Main Street Iowa community, other attractions, recreational opportunities, unique shopping and more, visit the community website at www.adamscountyiowa.com.

The Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources said Thursday (Oct. 15th), a collision that occurred between two manure tankers owned by Schon Manure Hauling about 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 9th, led to a 9,500-gallon manure spill near Coon Rapids in Carroll County. No one was hurt. A DNR investigation Oct. 10th verified manure did not reach a water source or a tile
intake. The manure applicators cleaned up the spill, spreading manure in the crop
field and incorporated it.

Of three employees involved in the incident, only one, Brady Brehmer, was certified
as a commercial manure applicator. Chris Edwards and Jamie Hansen were not
certified, although they finished annual training in February. The business and
employees completed certification Oct. 13 by paying the required fees.

Alison Manx, DNR environmental specialist, says “Producers should make sure they are hiring certified manure applicators. Even businesses who are hiring from
another business should check to make sure the person they are hiring is certified.”

The first and easiest way to check is to ask to see their 2015 manure applicator
certificate and business certificate, and check the expiration date. Other options to check commercial certification status include:

• Look at currently certified businesses on the Iowa State University Extension
  and Outreach website at www.agronext.iastate.edu/immag/maccma.html
• Call the local Extension office
• Call Colleen Conroy at 515-725-8268 at the DNR.
• Call the regional DNR field office.

The DNR will consider appropriate enforcement action for not having current
certification as manure applicators. Manure applicators who need to renew their certificates can schedule an appointment with their local Extension office to complete video training or with their DNR field office to take a test. Certification is not complete until paperwork is filed with DNR and fees have been paid.

The Natural Resource Commission for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources has approved three Resource Enhancement and Protection Public Private Cost-share grant requests from the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation at its October meeting. The projects were awarded more than $440,000. Public private grants are used for land acquisition with 75 percent of the acquisition costs come from REAP and the remaining 25 percent coming from private contributions.

Among those Receiving a REAP Private Public Grant, was Guthrie County, for the Springbrook Wildlife Management Area, Doyle addition. The project received $112,725 for the acquisition of 48 acres of property, the Doyle Addition, in Guthrie County, adjacent to the 779 acre Springbrook State Park and 586 acre Springbrook Wildlife Management Area. Protection will expand the complex to over 1,413 total acres, providing additional permanent wildlife habitat in the area and a significant block of contiguous woodland.

The Natural Resource Commission of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources has approved Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) grants to 24 cities for use in parks and open spaces during its October meeting. The projects were awarded nearly $2.4 million. The REAP City Parks and Open Space competitive grants help cities establish natural areas, encouraging outdoor recreation and resource management. Cities were separated into three categories: population under 2,000, population 2,000 – 25,000 and population over 25,000.

For cities with a population of under 2000:

The City of Avoca received $71,078 for the Old Nishnabotna Riverbed Wetland Preservation and Trail Project, which involves construction of a 1,900 Linear Foot trail, wetland and wildlife habitat conservation and installation of interpretive aids for public education. The project has a positive relationship to and compliments, the Nishnabotna River Trail. It also satisfies local and statewide goals for outdoor recreation by providing a wellness opportunity (trail), restoring and protecting a wetland area and habitat that is threatened and providing public educational opportunities.

And, the City of Manning received $45,811 for the Manning Hospital/Parks Connector Trail Bridge. Officials say this is the final phase in the City’s portion of the Hospital-Parks Connector Trail. Previous phases paved trail from the hospital to the West Nishnabotna River on the west and from the downtown and City Park to the river on the east. The project will build the bridge and the bridge approaches between the two dead-end trails. It will literally bridge the gap between the heart of the community, the hospital and the county park.

In the cities larger than 25,000 category:

Council Bluffs’ Fairmount Park Woodland Restoration Phase Two, received $200,000. The project includes land restoration, trail development, neighborhood connection and directional signage. Invasive plant species will be removed, chipped for trail surfacing and placed on the trails. The trails developed will be 5400 feet in length. Signs will be installed to direct park users to the trails and destination points in the park.