Pottawattamie County Emergency Management reports a burning ban will be in place for Pottawattamie County starting Wednesday, March 19, 2014 at 8:00 a.m. The ban prohibits open burning in Pottawattamie County, including all the cities within the county.

The current dry conditions throughout the region have caused an increase in fire responses throughout eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa. As dry conditions persist, dead and drying vegetation is the perfect fuel to spread fires rapidly. EMA Director Doug Reed says Pott. County “Has seen the devastating effects of fire in extreme conditions and we want to do everything we can to help mitigate an incident like that from occurring.”

During these dry conditions, citizens are reminded to not throw out cigarettes from moving vehicles and to discontinue burning yard waste, piled tree debris or other items during the ban. Small recreational camp fires are permitted only if they are conducted in a fire place of brick, metal or heavy one-inch wire mesh. Any camp fire not in an outdoor fire place is prohibited.

Violation of a burn ban can subject a person to citation or arrest for reckless use of fire or disobeying a burn ban. For more information on burn bans and the law you can find further information on our facebook page or you may call 712-328-5777.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A state senator from Des Moines has asked Gov. Terry Branstad to turn over public documents related to settlements reached with employees who were laid off then paid to sign agreements to keep it quiet. Sen. Janet Petersen, a Des Moines Democrat, and chairwoman of the Iowa Senate Oversight Committee, says she wants copies of any such agreements since January 2011. She also wants to know who requested the agreements and who authorized the payments.

On Sunday the Des Moines Register reported that more than $280,000 was paid to six former state employees. Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds says she and Branstad were unaware of the agreements and a comprehensive review is under way. Branstad spokesman Jimmy Centers says results of the review and any action taken will be made public.

Montgomery County Emergency Management Director Brian Hamman has announced a Burn Ban will be in effect for that county beginning at 8-a.m. Tuesday and lasting until further notice. Fremont County has already instituted a ban on open, outdoor burning. Hamman says several other counties in southwest Iowa are in the process of issuing a Burn Ban.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Lawmakers in the Iowa Senate have approved a measure aimed at establishing more anti-bullying efforts in schools across the state. The Democratic-majority Senate narrowly cleared the bill Tuesday in a straight party-line vote, 26-19. The legislation now goes to the Republican-controlled House, where lawmakers are wrangling with a similar measure.

The bill is meant to help schools better address bullying. But Sen. David Johnson, a Republican from Ocheyedan, says the proposal falls short in its effort to ensure student safety. Sen. Robert Hogg, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids who sponsored the bill, argues Republicans are neglecting to consider the well-being of children by refusing their support of the measure.

Cracking down on bullying has been a priority for Gov. Terry Branstad this session.

Police in Atlantic report the arrest on Monday of a local man on an OWI charge. 26-year old Sophin Phylon, of Atlantic, was charged with OWI/1st offense and brought to the Cass County Jail, where he was being held pending an appearance in front of the magistrate.

The Shelby County Supervisors have approved the purchase of a new motor grader for the Shelby County Engineer’s Office. In a meeting held this (Tuesday) morning, Shelby County Engineer Dan Ahart presented two bids, one from Zeigler and the other from John Deere.

Zeigler was the low bid for a new 2013 Caterpillar at $201,810 which included a trade in from the county of a 2005 Caterpillar motor grader. Ahart also put together a resolution to place stop signs on Hickory Road and Ironwood Road south of Westphalia. The reasoning behind the resolution was a safety concern, as Supervisor Roger Schmitz said he drives by the two “T” intersections on 1400^th Street almost daily and is very dangerous.

In fact, the county had a couple of accidents on the intersections in 2013. The resolution was approved. The stop signs will now be at all three sections of the “Ts” and signs will be posted of an upcoming stop ahead. The stop signs will be installed later this week. In other business, Shelby County Auditor Marsha Carter said the courthouse had received some customer complaints in regards to the courthouse steps being closed during inclement weather. The board has a policy where as the steps to the courthouse are blocked off during ice and snow as a safety precaution.

No change in the policy was made. The Shelby County Supervisors heard also from Chris Nelson of Gronewold and Company, on the Fiscal Year 2013 Audit, which was subsequently approved.

(Joel McCall/ KNOD)

Fremont County is the first of what is likely to become many counties in southwest Iowa to request and receive approval for the instituting of a ban on outdoor burning from the State. The State Fire Marshal’s Office received the request today (Tuesday) from Fremont County Emergency Manager Mike Crecelius. Crecelius represents each of the fire departments within the County, in their request to implement a Burn Ban effective immediately, and lasting until further notice.

The Ban states that conditions in Fremont County are such that open burning constitutes a danger to life or property, and requires that no person engage in open burning except until such time the fire district chiefs feel the danger is reduced or no longer exists.

Violating the Burn Ban is a simple misdemeanor, which requires a court appearance.

The Boards of Supervisors in Cass and Adair Counties will hold their regular, weekly meetings Wednesday morning in Atlantic and Greenfield, respectively. The Cass County Supervisor’s meeting begins at 8:30-a.m.  During their session, the Board will act on the “Assignment of county held tax sale certificate of purchase 2012-105 (that is, to abate the interest, penalty and costs to pay the taxes)” for a property in the Cumberland Second Addition. The Board will also act on approving a Resolution to abate the tax for a mobile home, where it is “Impractical to collect” the tax. The Board will also hear a report from Amanda Baker, with regard to FY 2015 Wellmark Health Insurance Renewal.

In Greenfield, the Adair County Board will hear reports and/or presentations beginning at 9-a.m., with regard to: Radon Control; a Safe Room; A Fence issue; Renewal for Health Insurance and a Door-to-Door Sales Ordinance. They Board will also act on a Resolution appointing the paying agent and related administrative matters pertaining to the paying for $5.83-million in General Obligation Capital Loan Notes Series 2014.

Republican Congressman Steve King says it appears Russian President Vladimir Putin has revived the Cold War.  “Putin has reconstructed the iron curtain and he’s in the process of reconstructing the old Soviet Union,” King says. “The first strong move was Georgia. We were weak then. We were offering Georgia NATO membership. Some of our European allies in NATO rejected that idea and shortly after that Putin moved into Georgia.” The Russians invaded Georgia in 2008. King says once the referendum was scheduled in Crimea earlier this month, the outcome was already determined.

“Who would go to the polls and vote to the contrary?” King asks. “They’d have to fear the retribution.” King says now is not the time to cut the U.S. military’s budget or reduce troop levels. “We’re back in the ‘Cold War’ and we need to start setting ourselves up in the Cold War posture militarily, diplomatically, economically. One of them would be to freeze those military cuts,” King says. “We just cannot be advertising to the world that we’re determined to be weak.”

In February the U.S. Defense Department proposed cutting the Army to its smallest size in 74 years, cancelling orders for a class of attack jets and reducing personnel costs to adjust to budget limits imposed by congress. Russia’s president has recognized Crimea as a “sovereign and independent country.” President Obama has imposed sanctions against several Russia and Ukrainian officials. The European Union has announced travel bans and the accounts 21 Russians have in European banks have been frozen.

(Radio Iowa)

The Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department’s Board of Directors heard from Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring Monday evening, with regard to an engineer’s report on the condition of the Kiddie Korral Shelter at Sunnyside Park. Herring says the wooden shelter, which was built in the 1940’s is in dire need of repairs or, replacement, according to the engineer. Herring says it’ll take more than a coat of paint over the old, moldy wood, some of which has holes in it, to make the shelter ADA compliant and safe. The structure, he says, has major problems with its foundation. The stucco plaster corners are separating from the concrete slab, which has a major crack that’s a significant “trip hazard,” and runs at least half the distance of the shelter.

The crack cannot be fixed or caulked, according to Herring, and is a potential liability. And while the rafters and beams are solid, the roof decking is rotten and the shingles are at the end of their life expectancy. The engineer says the foundation has settled and at the two center posts on the southern side of the building are two-inches lower than the rest of the building. Removing and replacing the concrete slab would entail removal of the two-inch wall around the perimeter. He says to repair and replace the wall and foundation “Would not be cost effective.” The other issue Herring says, has to do with the building not being accessible to handicapped persons.

Herring presented a number of possible replacement structures that range in cost from $22,000 to $40,000. Those costs do not include the costs for the cement slab, labor, and other costs. The new structures, regardless of the materials they use, would be ADA compliant. Herring said the Kiddie Korral can be replaced with monies that are, and will be available, but it won’t be anytime soon.

Herring said he’s open to receiving donations for the shelter’s replacement, and if the donation is significant enough, the rights to name to building after an individual or group. And, as for the Camblin Shelter at Sunnyside, Herring said it is structurally sound, but could use a “facelift.” He mentioned also, that they are looking into refurbishing the other shelters in the park, as well.