CHESTER, Iowa (AP) — Sheriff’s officials say a man was killed when a crane boom collapsed onto him, pinning him to the ground, in northeast Iowa. The Howard County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that the boom fell on 57-year-old Timothy Brandau at his business in Chester on Wednesday afternoon. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

An official cause of death was not provided and sheriff’s officials haven’t said what caused the boom to fall.

The Adair County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday, signed a letter to the Iowa Department of Transportation, in opposition to the possible closure of some or all of the DOT’s District 4 Construction Office in Atlantic, and the consolidation of the office into Council Bluffs. Adair County Supervisor John Twombly is the chairman of the MATURA Board, the region’s primary agency for services striving to eliminate the causes and conditions of poverty.  MATURA is the designated Community Action Agency for the counties of Madison, Adair, Taylor, Union, Ringgold, and Adams.

Twombly says MATURA works with the Southern Iowa Council of Governments (SICOG), out of Creston. He says they got word of the potential move of the office to Council Bluffs, a plan he says the DOT has apparently been working on for some time. He says they’re especially concerned the lab for testing products used in the road construction will be moved to Council Bluffs. The Board thinks that’s a long drive to submit samples for testing, and they like the office where it is, because of its central location to the counties who use lab services.

Twombly says the letter in opposition was sent to a lot of DOT officials. Other organizations, including SICOG have followed suit. He says they’ve never seen an official word about the move, but they received a tip from an inside source. It’s his understanding the DOT will be going to the legislature for total move funding by 2019 or 2020. He says also the current District 4 Director is apparently housed in a Council Bluffs rental office and the person in charge lives in Nebraska. The office in Atlantic he says, is vacant. Twombly says it appears the DOT is “Trying to back door everybody.”

A DOT official in Council Bluffs was unavailable for comment this week.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa law approved this spring in the Republican-controlled Legislature would allow the conservative and politically powerful Iowa Farm Bureau to offer health plans that skirt requirements of the Affordable Care Act. But several months after a ceremonial bill signing, few details are available about how the plans will work for people with rising health insurance costs. It represents another attempt by GOP-controlled states to chip away at some of the federal rules imposed under the 2010 law championed by former President Barack Obama.

National health care experts have reacted skeptically, arguing it could be a moneymaker for the Farm Bureau but won’t help people most in need. An official for insurer Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield, which is helping run the plans, denies that they’ll provide skimpy coverage.

The Mills County Attorney’s Office reports that a Mills County jury, Wednesday, deliberated for less than an hour before finding a Nebraska man guilty on three counts of Sexual Abuse in the 2nd degree – all are Class B felonies. 27-year old Laron Dpree Hampton, of Omaha, was formally charged on June 26th, 2017 with the offenses. Sentencing in his case is currently scheduled for 8:30-a.m., August 27, 2018.  A felony charge of Sexual Abuse in the 2nd degree carries with it 25-years of imprisonment.

Mills County Attorney Naeda Elliott says given the nature of the offenses, Iowa Code [Section 902.12] states Hampton must serve at least 70% before he will be eligible for parole. Hampton must also register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

The Adair County Board of Supervisors discussed several matters during their meeting, Wednesday morning. Among them, was paving the road to the Greenfield Municipal Airport. Adair County Auditor Mindy Schaefer said the gravel road is owned by the county, and there had been talk about paving it, but that’s very expensive. She said they also talked about putting down dust control, and possibly including paving of the road under an Urban Renewal Plan associated with the new wind farm in Adair County. Schaefer said John Schildberg mentioned that there had been interest by a couple of groups who wanted to hold a motorcycle rally or car show at the airport, but once they find out it’s a gravel road, they lose interest.

In other business, Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater recommended, and the Board approved, the hiring of Willie Tipling as a new Sheriff’s Deputy.Tipling will start August 1^st. Schaefer stressed he is an additional employee, not a replacement. They also passed a resolution for a Special Prosecutor Appointment. That person would only be used in the event County Attorney Clint Hight has a conflict of interest in handling a case, or is otherwise not available to handle a case or situation due to his case load. And, the Board discussed the possibility the District 4 DOT office in Atlantic may be moving to Council Bluffs in the future. Schaefer said the Board is opposed to the relocation because it will increase travel expenses for the County, when they need services provided by the Atlantic Office.

Another topic of discussion, was health and safety concerns with regard to two new wind farm projects set to be constructed in Adair County. Mid American Energy is constructing the Arbor Hill wind farm project which includes 125 wind turbines, and the Orient wind farm project, which includes 150 turbines with the option to add up to 100 more. Both are part of the company’s previously announced Wind XI project. MidAmerican officials say the 275 turbines, manufactured by Vestas Wind Systems, will add 550 megawatts of wind generation capacity for MidAmerican Energy customers – enough wind energy to power more than 230,000 average Iowa homes.

Adair County Supervisor Matt Wedemyer told KJAN News a man spoke before the Board, and brought along about 40 people with to listen. Wedemyer said MidAmerican is able to erect the wind farms because the County doesn’t have any zoning ordinances in the rural areas that would specify how tall, how many and other details about the wind turbines. He said the company is already moving dirt in preparation for turbine placement. He said also, there has never been an issue with any of previous three wind turbine placements in the County. 200-thousand acres have been leased for wind easements, he said, and they are financially beneficial for the land owner and the County. He said the County’s road use budget was at $3-million, but thanks to TIF revenue, the turbines help make that budget $15-million per year.

Wedemeyer could only speculate about what the concerns are people might have. He said he understands that some landowners and others may have concerns, but at this point, there’s nothing that can be done with the contracts between private landowners.

The monthly Healthy Cass County meeting was held Monday, July 9 at Cass County Public Health. Officials say the group discussed progress on the Cass County Community Health Needs Assessment and Health Improvement Plan. Walking maps for each community in Cass County have been distributed to each town or can be downloaded from the Cass County Public Health webpage. If you would like additional maps, please contact Public Health at (712) 243-7552 for copies. Healthy Cass County also reviewed and updated the Urgent Need Community Resource Guide. The guide is available online at the Public Health, Healthy Cass County and Cass County Extension websites for easy access to the latest version. For more information on local health and wellness events or resources, follow the Healthy Cass County Facebook page.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — A construction error is delaying completion of a new exit ramp for northbound Interstate 35 motorists at Ames. Iowa Transportation Department engineer Scott Dockstader told station KCCI that support beam piers for the new westbound exit onto U.S. Highway 30 were built too high. Workers have to jackhammer off the tops and pour new concrete to the correct height.

Dockstader says the human error likely won’t disqualify contractor Minnowa Construction from future Iowa projects. He says “all projects are complex, so we have issues with all contractors across the state.”
Co-owner Keith Bruening acknowledges the company mistake and says Minnowa is trying to determine how the human error happened.

Minnowa must forfeit $5,500 for each day the project is delayed. There is no additional cost to Iowa taxpayers.

Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Safety say an arrest has been made in connection with the death of an eastern Iowa man. At around 10-p.m. Wednesday, 64-year old Clarence Dean Pedersen, of Washington, Iowa, was taken into custody on a felony warrant for Murder in the First Degree. Earlier that same day, Washington Police Department responded to a 911 call reference a suspicious death in an apartment complex located at 601 West Adams.  Upon arrival, authorities located 70-year old Ed Jones within the apartment, deceased, with an apparent stab wound to the upper torso.

Authorities also located a large fixed blade lying on Jones’ lap with apparent blood on the knife.  Pedersen, Jones’ roommate, was interviewed as part of the investigation.  Pedersen confirmed owning a knife similar in appearance to the knife found in the crime scene.  Additionally, authorities located a handwritten note among Pedersen’s belongings, which stated, “Kill Ed”.  Jones is currently housed in the Washington County Jail and is scheduled for an initial appearance later today (Thursday).  First Degree Murder carries a mandatory life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

This investigation is cooperative effort by the Washington Police Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Washington County Attorney’s Office.

Officials with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports a suspect (or suspects) was arrested recently in connection with a case of illegal dumping. Authorities had asked for the public’s help in determining who was responsible for garbage, including a mattress, that was dumped along side the road near the junction of Hamburg Road and 655th Street. The identity of the suspected culprit(s) was not immediately released.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports 19-year old Shane Elam Rouse, II, of Oakland, was arrested on drug-related charge at around 2:35-a.m. today (Thursday).  Authorities say he was driving a 1999 Chevy pickup in the area of North 16th Street and Avenue L, in Council Bluffs, and was pulled over for driving off the roadway and nearly hitting a light pole. Rouse showed numerous clues of being under the influence of some type of narcotic and was detained for an OWI investigation. He was found to be in possession of a marijuana smoking pipe at the time he was detained, and was subsequently placed under arrest for possession of drug paraphernalia. An OWI 1st charge is pending until drug test results come back from the DCI Crime Lab.

A call to the Pottawattamie County Communications Center at around 11:30-p.m., Wednesday,resulted in the arrest of two people.  The caller stated a man and woman were arguing in the parking lot of the Wings America Truck Stop near Avoca. A deputy took into custody 25-year old Brandon Bradley Pospisal, and 22-year old Bridgett Destiny Bowman, both of Avoca. The pair were charged with Public Intoxication and booked into the Pott. County Jail.

A traffic stop Wednesday evening in Pottawattamie County resulted in the arrest of 26-year old Amanda Marie Jones, of Council Bluffs. Jones was wanted on a Council Bluffs Police felony warrant for Assault Causing serious injury.

And, a Council Bluffs man currently serving time in the Pottawattamie County Jail, was presented with a warrant, Wednesday afternoon. 36-year old Deward Lynn White, II, was served with a warrant for Violation of Parole. He was then returned to the custody of jail staff.