The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports a Lenox man was arrested Tuesday evening on a Department of Corrections warrant revoking pre-trial release. 35-year old Shane Allen DeWees was transported from the Adams County Jail and was being held in the Union County Jail on $10,000 bond.

Iowa Congressman David Young was in Atlantic this (Wednesday) morning, along with members of the Southwest Iowa Housing Trust Fund (SWIHTF), Federal Home Loan Bank (FLHB) in Des Moines and other dignitaries, to present checks totaling $532,000 to officials with the Houghton State Bank in Red Oak and MidStates Bank, to assist near 100 residents in Red Oak and others in an eight-county region, in making vital home repairs. The monies are in the form of Federal Home Loan Bank grants.

Chris Grimm, member of the FHLB Board of Directors, said he was pleased to be a part of the process of helping low-income persons in making repairs to their homes and give them pride in ownership. He said the highly effective partnership with its member financial institutions, more than $2.8-million dollars has been received in Strong Community Fund Grants that have enabled 458 families to be assisted in making home repairs. Since the 1st affordable housing program awards were made 25-years, well over 250-million dollars, of which Iowa has received $52.7-million.

Those grants to Iowa, he says, have been “Used to support more than 13,000 families and almost one-half billion dollars in total development costs that translates to jobs in the construction industry, as well as the economic impact of the increased stability of families served by the grants.” Grimm, and Congressman Young, who is on the U-S House Appropriations Subcommittee, stressed that funds for the grant program do not come from taxpayer dollars.

Congressman David Young (R-IA)

Young said the money comes from Iowans “Who recognize the value and strength of our rural communities, and the impact that just caring for one another and investing in our local communities can have.”

The first award was for $420,000 to repair 75 owner occupied homes throughout the eight-county region. It was presented to representatives with Midstates Bank and SWIHTF. The second award was to the Southwest Iowa Housing Trust Fund, the City of Red Oak, and Houghton State Bank. The $112,000 grant will be used to repair 20 homes. The repair program is a continuation of previous housing repair projects funded by Houghton State Bank, Midstates Bank and FHLB in Des Moines.

Conditions of the grant include an owner-occupied home; repairs must be for the health, safety, or energy efficiency, and the homeowner at or below the 50% county median income guidelines. The funding is a five year forgivable loan with an average of $5,000 spent per home. The SWIHTF awards are two out of eight within the state of Iowa, and accounts for 32% of the $1.64 million granted. The grants were made through FHLB Des Moines members Houghton State Bank and Midstates Bank.

The 8-a.m. Newscast w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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A man from Cicero, IL, was arrested Tuesday night on a drug charge, in Creston. Authorities say 19-year old Sergio Ibarra was taken into custody at Union and Elm Streets, at around 11:15-p.m.  Ibarra faces a Possession of Marijuana charge. He was later released from the Union County Jail on $1,000 bond.

With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The U-S-D-A’s first crop update for the 2015 growing season says nearly 75-percent of Iowa’s cropland has adequate-to-surplus soil moisture. It also finds almost one-third of the state’s fields are short-to-very short of moisture for the upcoming growing season. Iowa State University agronomist Aaron Saeugling, who covers 14 southwest Iowa counties, says many Iowa farmers are starting their field work in preparation for planting.

“We’ve been busy applying fertilizer this spring,” Saeugling says. “A little bit of tillage, very little seeding has occurred at this point in the growing season. As moisture goes, I would say this is one of the drier springs that we have experienced here as of late, although the forecast is for precipitation all week, so hopefully we can get some measureable precipitation out of that.”

Joel DeJong, a field agronomist with the Iowa State University Extension based in Le Mars in northwest Iowa, says the dry conditions during March helped many growers to check off their pre-planting chores. DeJong says a little rain could help, but soil conditions are okay. He says he’s optimistic about the chances of growers getting the needed moisture to recharge the soil once they begin seeding.

Right after planting, he says farmers will need water to re-wet that top surface so the seeds will get started and get those root systems growing down to where that water is stored.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Red Oak have arrested a man wanted on a warrant charging him with Indecent Exposure. 62-year old John M. Rush, of Red Oak, was taken into custody Monday afternoon in Council Bluffs. Rush was transported to the Pottawattamie County Jail and held until he could be picked up by Montgomery County Deputies. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail Monday evening on $10,000 cash bond.

And, Deputies in Montgomery County arrested 40-year old Troy Alan Myers, of Red Oak, Monday afternoon. Myers was wanted on a warrant for Child Endangerment. His bond was set at $2,000.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Advocates seeking expanded access to medical marijuana in Iowa held a march at the state Capitol. More than 50 supporters of a proposal to expand the use of medical marijuana participated Tuesday. They support legislation that has won committee-level approval in the state Senate and could soon come up for a floor vote.

The legislation would make medical marijuana available to people with certain chronic diseases, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy. Those approved by a doctor could purchase marijuana products produced in Iowa and sold at state-licensed dispensaries.

Last year, the Legislature approved a law allowing some residents with epilepsy to use oil with an ingredient derived from marijuana for treatment. But the law did not establish an in-state program for the production and distribution of the oil.

A bill making its way through the legislature would allow schools to keep “Epi-Pens”  on hand to use if students have an allergic reaction to something. Representative Norlin Mommsen, of DeWitt, is the bill’s floor manager in the House. “I have received multiple conversations and emails concerning the importance of this bill,” Mommsen says. “It can be best summed up by a comment made by a fellow representative: ‘We have the opportunity to pass this bill before there’s a tragedy and we have to attach a name to it.'”

Iowa schools currently have the authority to stock inhalers which can be used if a student has an asthma attack. This bill would allow Iowa schools to have the “pens” that dispense a single dose of epinephrine if a student has an allergic reaction to something like a bee sting or food. The school could get a prescription for “EpiPens” and only trained personnel would be able to administer a dose, if the bill becomes law.

Iowa is one of just four states that do not have this kind of a law and Representative Kirsten Running-Marquardt, of Cedar Rapids is among the group of Iowa legislators and school nurses that has been working on this proposal for eight years. “I can’t explain the increase in severe allergies in our children,” Running-Marquardt says, “the birthday parties where you now have to know which children have a nut, egg or milk allergies and the EpiPen carrying cases that children have now with their name on them, so you can tell whose belong to who.”

She cited a report indicating 25 percent of the episodes that are the first indication a child has a food allergy occur at school. Representative Mary Mascher, a retired teacher from Iowa City, says “EpiPens” are expensive, but some drug companies provide them free of charge to schools. “This really is a bill that could save children’s lives,” Mascher says. The bill cleared the Senate unanimously on March 17th.

It was changed slightly by the House Tuesday, to allow “agents” of a school — like a classroom volunteer or a parent watching a football game on school grounds — as well as school employees to administer an “EpiPen” dosage if they are trained to do so. That change must be approved by the Senate before the bill can go to the governor’s desk for his review.

(Radio Iowa)

COUNCIL BLUFFS – A public meeting will be held regarding the River Valley OHV (Off Highway Vehicle) Park in Council Bluffs on April 15th, from 6-7 p.m., at the Western Historic Trail Center. The center is located at 3434 Richard Downing Ave. in Council Bluffs. The meeting is being held to discuss temporary closing of the park due to hazardous
trees, plans to remove the trees and the time frame for reopening the park.

Information will be presented on the proposed forestry plan, environmental review,
proposed logging, timber sale and removal of invasive tree and plant species at the
park.

Public comments and questions will be taken following the informational portion of
the meeting. Those unable to attend can submit comments to David Downing, DNR OHV program manager at David.Downing@dnr.iowa.gov.