The Des Moines Botanical Garden and Polk County Master Gardeners Enabling Garden are two of many highlights on the 2015 Cass County Master Gardener bus tour. The trip is scheduled for June 18th, departing from the Cass County Fairgrounds in Atlantic at 8-AM and returning around 6-PM. Other stops include nurseries, gardens and greenhouses in the Greater Des Moines Area. Lunch, catered by Hickory Park, will be served at the Polk County Extension Office.

The trip is sponsored by the Cass County Master Gardeners but is open to everyone. Registrations are due by June 10th, so register soon so you can be sure to save your spot on the bus! The cost is $55. 00 which includes transportation, entrance fees and a meal and snack. Registration forms are available at the Cass County Extension office, and can also be found on the Cass County Extension website at www.exension.iastate.edu/cass.

A full itinerary is on each registration form. Be sure to bring plant labels and boxes to mark the goodies you pick up along the way!

(Press Release)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Demolition has begun on two Iowa City cottages that date to the 1850s, months after officials declined to designate them historic landmarks. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports crews started work Wednesday to demolish the cottages and replace them with a mixed-use development. A third cottage was demolished last December. Developer Mike Hodge didn’t return phone calls seeking comment.

MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — A 34-foot-tall stainless steel artwork will soon stand in Marshalltown. The Times-Republican reports that workers on Wednesday delivered the shiny pieces of steel to a site on North 13th Street. It will be set up in the next few days in a green space, making it the first public art project organized by the Marshalltown Public Art Committee.

CLEAR LAKE, Iowa (AP) — A 49-year-old man has pleaded guilty to neglecting a dependent person in northern Iowa. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports that Brian McDaid of Clear Lake filed a written plea in Cerro Gordo County District Court on Tuesday. A hearing is scheduled for Monday.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A trial has been scheduled for a 19-year-old Des Moines woman who’s accused of cashing counterfeit payroll checks in northern Iowa. The Mason City Globe Gazette reports that Keyera Coleman has pleaded not guilty to felony charges of theft and forgery. Her trial is set to begin on June 23rd.

An Amber Alert issued late Thursday afternoon was cancelled, effective 3:30-p.m. today (Thursday). Both teens have been located. The teens were found in Cherokee County. They were uninjured and safe when located by deputies.

The Alert had been issued for 12-year old Bayli Rian Jordan, of Everly, and 16-year old Jamie Patrick Panko, from Royal, IA. They were last seen Wednesday afternoon.

AMBER ALERT CANCELLED EFFECTIVE 3:33-P.M. BOTH SUBJECTS HAVE BEEN LOCATED.

An Amber Alert has been issued for two missing Iowa juveniles. The girl, 12-year old Bayli Rian Jordan, of Everly, was reported to be with 16-year old Jamie Patrick Panko, from Royal, IA. They were last seen Wednesday afternoon.

Bayli Rian Jordan

The pair are believed to be in a blue, 1998 Dodge Neon with Iowa license plate number CEC 862.

Authorities believe the vehicle has damage to the front left side of the vehicle—not related to this incident, and a front spoiler with duct tape.

Authorities do not believe that either children were abducted, but because of their age and the concern for their safety, criteria was met to issue an Amber Alert. Authorities are not looking for any other individuals, other than the two missing children, at this time.

It is not clear which direction of travel they may have taken since they went missing. Clay County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report of two students that did not show up to class at Clay Central Everly Community Schools.

Bayli Jordan is Caucasian, five-feet five-inches tall, weighs 130-pounds, has blonde hair and blue eyes. She has a scar on her chin, a pierced nose on the left side, 2 piercings in her left ear, 3 piercings the right ear, scabs on her arms, a birthmark on inside left leg and a possible wrapped right wrist.

Panko is 5-feet 10-inch tall Caucasian male, weighing 148 pounds. He has black hair and blue eyes. He was last scene wearing a tee shirt, purple or black jeans, worn out, black Nike tennis shoes, and has right arm cutting scars.

16-year old Jamie Patrick Panko

If you have seen these young people or the vehicle, call 9-1-1 or the Clay County Sheriff’s Office at 712-262-2151.

Firefighters in Atlantic responded to a residential fire at 605 E. 6th Street today (Thursday). The call about smoke coming from the roof came in at around 12:11-p.m. Atlantic Fire Chief Mark McNees told KJAN News when they arrived there was a lot of smoke coming out of the eaves and the roof vents of the two-story home.

(Ric Hanson/photo)

He said heavy smoke was coming from the first floor of the home. When they gained entry, there was heavy smoke and flames coming from the kitchen area, where the fire apparently started. The flames and smoke extended into the second floor and into the attic. Crews cut holes in the roof to attack the fire from above and ventilate the structure. The chief said most of the smoke and flames went up the chimney area and into the second floor. McNees said there was heavy smoke and water damage to the home.

No one was inside when crews arrived, but there were three dogs and a cat that were rescued from the structure.

Misty Amdor holds one of the dogs rescued from the fire.

The Chief said firefighters “hauled several [animals] out.” It’s not clear if any animals were lost in the fire. It’s also not clear exactly what caused the blaze. Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon said Misty Amdor and her family reside in the home.

Atlantic Fire was recalled to the scene at around 4:20-p.m., when they received a report of a rekindle in the roof area.

A man from Pottawattamie County was arrested Tuesday on drug charges, in Cass County. The Sheriff’s Office says 47-year old Robert Lee Olwell, of Avoca,  faces felony charges that include two Controlled Substance Violations, and a Drug Tax Stamp Violation. He was also charged with Prohibited Acts, an aggravated misdemeanor. Olwell was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $35,000 bond.

The Adair & Guthrie County Emergency Management Agencies have assemble a list of Website and printable information about the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). EMA Coordinator Robert Kempf says “This information provides general information, facts, biosecurity guidelines and other information the general public and caretakers of backyard flock may find useful.

These are printable resources from the USDA:
HPAI General Resources and Information
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/downloads/animal_diseases/ai/HPAIgeneralresourcesinfo.pdf
Emergency Response Procedures – Depopulation and Disposal
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/downloads/animal_diseases/ai/ER-DepopDisposal.pdf
Emergency Response Procedures – Cleaning and Disinfection
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/downloads/animal_diseases/ai/ER-CleaningDisinfection.pdf
Emergency Response Procedures – Appraisal and Indemnity
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/downloads/animal_diseases/ai/ER-Appraisal-Indemnity.pdf
USDA Avian Influenza Response: Mass Depopulation and Carcass Disposal
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/downloads/animal_diseases/ai/QA-MassDepopCarcassDisposal.pdf
HPAI Biosecurity Checklist
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/downloads/animal_diseases/ai/HPAIchecklist.pdf

The Center for Food Security & Public Health at Iowa State University has provided this printable sheet of Fast Facts.
http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/FastFacts/pdfs/avian_influenza_F.pdf

This is a link to the USDA APHIS Website that contains guidance about bio-security for backyard flocks.
http://healthybirds.aphis.usda.gov/

This is a link to a printable Avian Influenza informational brochure.
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/2011/ProtectYourBirdFromAI_Eng.pdf

This is a link to the Iowa Department of Agriculture Web Page that contains a list of probable and confirmed Avian Influenza cases in the State of Iowa. The green dates behind the county name are the printable press releases announcing the cases.
http://www.iowaagriculture.gov/AvianInfluenza.asp

The leaders of several Iowa farm groups say they’re worried the E-P-A’s final draft of rules to curb pollution in small waterways and wetlands will subject farm ditches and farm ponds to federal oversight. Iowa Farm Bureau president Craig Hill says this final rule failed to address many of the concerns farmers raised after the E-P-A released a first draft of new Clean Water Act regulations last spring. “The penalties are so severe if you are found to be in breach of the Clean Water Act,” Hill says. “Those penalties can range up to $37,500 per instance. Jail is one of the penalty provisions.” Hill says it appears farmers will have to get federal permits for “normal farming practices.”

“The permitting process is very cumbersome, awkward and expensive,” Hill says. “And, according to what we read in this new rule, farmers will be required to get permits for things they’ve never been required to get permits for before.” E-P-A officials say the new rule covers about three percent more waterways in the United States that have a “direct and significant” connection to lakes and rivers that are already covered by the Clean Water Act. Hill says farmers still aren’t sure whether they’ll have to get permits for the ponds on their property.

“Every pond has an overflow. Well, the overflow is not exempt,” Hill says. “So when they say ponds are exempt it has no meaning because the water that comes out of a pond is, by definition, a water of the U.S.” The new rule failed to answer key questions farmers raised last spring, according to Hill, like what is a lawful grass waterway.

“We know what a grass waterway is in Iowa and farmers are installing those on their own accord. Every spring and fall we’re reshaping and trying to perform conservation, but we turn to NRCS — the Natural Resources Conservation Service — for an outline of what is proper and best management practice and so on,” Hill says. “Well, according to EPA, they will only consider a waterway lawful by their definition.”

The president of the Iowa Corn Growers Association says the E-P-A seems to be “restricting” farmers efforts to “voluntarily improve our environment,” rather than partnering with farmers to advance conservation measures. The chair of the Sierra Club’s Iowa chapter praised the E-P-A’s rule, arguing it is “a critical step toward protecting streams and wetlands that feed our drinking water supplies.” Experts offer conflicting opinions about the rule’s potential impact on the lawsuit the Des Moines Water Works has filed against three northwest Iowa counties.

(Radio Iowa)

The Atlantic School Board, Wednesday evening, discussed at length, the placing of a measure on the September School Board Election ballot, a Physical Plant and Equipment (PPEL) Income Surtax charge, in addition to a renewal of the PPEL Levy. The Board decided to act on a Resolution to that effect during their regular meeting in June.

The levy may be used for, among other things: the purchase and improvement of grounds; construction of schoolhouses or buildings and opening roads to schoolhouses or buildings; purchase, lease, or lease-purchase of equipment or technology. District Business Manager/Board Secretary Mary Beth Fast said the current, voted PPEL incorporates an 85-cent/per thousand dollars valuation property tax rate.

She says the Income Surtax would be an added component to the PPEL so that both would raise money for repairs and facility needs. The District has used the surtax in the past, according to Mary Beth. Iowa Law says a school board may annually certify a regular Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) in an amount up to 33 cents per thousand dollars of assessed valuation, which most of the schools in the Hawkeye 10 District have. Voters may authorize a voted Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (VPPEL) for a period not exceeding ten years and in an amount not exceeding $1.34 per thousand dollars of assessed valuation.

And, while the Atlantic Board of Education also has the option of raising the voted PPEL to a maximum of $1.34/per thousand, they weren’t in favor of stepping in that direction. They thought it would be best to leave the current 85-cent levy in-place. Fast said there is an option, where the Income Surtax is concerned. She says the Board can leave the income surtax percentage open to the maximum of 20-percent. It would be up to the Board to change that every year as they see fit, but it would also be dependent on the amount of property tax that was raised.

The Board was in favor of leaving the Surtax rate open when it comes to the Resolution they’ll act on next month. It’s a moot point though, if the voters fail to pass the measure in September. In past years when the Income Surtax was in-place, the rate was a maximum of 4-percent, which would have generated in the current year, about $280,000, if it had been in effect.  It’s dependent on two-years prior income tax because the calendar year 2014 data is not in yet, which means the money is also delayed a year.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors, today (Thursday), approved a change of zoning classification from General Agricultural to a Light Industrial District, for a 1.32-acre parcel of land in Cass Township on property owned by Todd Leighton.
Rich Hansen, Zoning Administrator, and Assistant to Cass County Engineer Charles Marker, said the Zoning Board approved the request at an earlier meeting and recommended the Supervisors also approve the change. Hansen said Leighton wants to be a 60-by-100 foot cold storage facility for materials designed for the production of specialty tools he manufactures.

In other business, the Board approved the placement of outdoor warning sirens for the City of Lewis, on County-owned property just east of the Lewis School building and west of the road. Engineer Charles Marker recommended the request be approved, with a stipulation. That being the siren not be placed in a position where it would obstruct drainage in the area. Marker reported also, A-M Cohron has agreed to  delay for about a month, the start of construction on a bridge near the Griswold Golf Course. Work wouldn’t begin until August 3rd, under a Change Order Marker must submit and Cohron officials sign-off on. The delay is designed to allow the Golf Course be in operation without diverting traffic on unpaved roads, during the busiest part of the golf season.

The Board also moved to appoint Duane Weirich, of Lewis, to fill a Cass Township Trustee vacancy term through 2016, and they approved the appointment of Bruce Henderson, from Atlantic, as a commissioner to the Southern Iowa Regional Housing Authority, representing Cass County.