(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors will hold their regular, weekly meeting 9-a.m. Tuesday, March 21, 2023, in their Boardroom at the Cass County Courthouse. The meeting will be conducted in-person, and live via Zoom.  Their agenda follows:

The order of agenda items may change based on when personnel are available and when time allows.
1. Call to order
2. Approve Agenda
3. Approve minutes from the March 14, 2023 meeting.
4. Public Comments
5. Report from Jothan Arber, Cass/Guthrie County Environmental Health
6. Presentation by Kate Olson, with Cass County Extension, on a request for ARPA funds to temporarily expand the role of the Cass County Wellness Coordinator to address local public health priorities and assist in long-term pandemic recovery efforts.
7. Approve Resolution 2023-04 vacating county road right-of-way for Willow Lane
8. Discuss/approve investment policy revision
9. Discuss/action on compensation board’s recommendation
10. Report from Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken
11. Appointments:
• Brighton Township Clerk
• Victoria Township Trustee
12. Supervisor Committee Reports
13. Filed Reports
14. Approve claims
15. Adjournment
16. Next Meeting: Tuesday, March 28, 2023

(Creston, Iowa) – Police in Creston report four arrests took place over the past few days. At around 11:10-p.m. Friday, 35-year-old Gabriel Rivera-Pagen, of rural Creston, was arrested at the Creston Union County LEC (Law Enforcement Center). Rivera-Pagen was charged with OWI 1st. He was transported to the Union County Jail where he later released after seeing the magistrate on his own recognize.

At around 12:45-a.m. Saturday, Creston Police arrested 30-year-old Noble John Murren, of Creston. Murren was charged with Public Intox 1st Offense, Assault, and Disorderly Conduct. He was transported to the Union County Jail and was later released on $900 cash or surety bond. Saturday afternoon, 63-year-old Jack Dee Farlow, of Creston, and charged with Animal at Large. Farlow was cited and released from scene.

Saturday night, 39-year-old Frank Martinez, of Texas, was arrested at the Quality Inn. Martinez was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault 1st Offense. He was transported to the Union County Jail where he later was released on his own recognize after seeing the magistrate.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Spring is here, and you can get your planting skills refreshed or learn all about gardening, by attending the Cass County Master Gardeners’ 2023 Spring Garden Seminar, scheduled for Saturday, April 1.  The 2023 seminar features a theme of “Gardening for Life” and aims to provide information and inspiration to gardeners of all skill levels. The morning session will be held at the Cass County Community Center in Atlantic, with a new optional luncheon and afternoon bus tour for those interested in making a full day of the event.

The event beings with registration and a light continental breakfast at 8:30 AM. The first session beings at 9 AM, and will feature Aaron Steil, Consumer Horticulture Specialist for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, discussing Late Season Plant Care.  Steil will return for the final morning session to lead a Gardening FAQ session, taking questions from the audience as well as discussing some of the frequently asked questions he gets on his Iowa Public Radio “Hort Friday” radio show and in his role as an Extension specialist.

In between the two general sessions, attendees will enjoy 60 minutes of “lightning learning sessions” where they will have the opportunity to rotate between short presentations on topics including food donation gardening, pollinator gardens, the benefits of gardening for health, and small space gardening.

Spring Garden Seminar 2023- “Gardening for Life” will be held at the Cass County Community Center on the fairgrounds in Atlantic. Registration and a light continental breakfast begin at 8:30AM on Saturday, April 1.  The program begins at 9AM and will conclude by 12:30PM. Attendees are encouraged to spend the afternoon lunching and exploring in the Atlantic area; suggestions and coupons will be provided to all who register! NEW this year is an option for attendees to sign up for an afternoon session featuring a box lunch and a bus tour to two local garden destinations: the Cass Health Healing Garden and Rolling Acres Organic Farm.

Cost for the morning seminar sessions, including continental breakfast, materials and refreshments is $25. The afternoon session featuring lunch, transportation and garden stops can be added on for an additional $20 fee. Attendees are encouraged to register early as space is limited. Early registration deadline is March 25. After this date, a limited number of walk-in spaces will be available for the morning session at $30/attendee. Walk-in registration will not be allowed for the afternoon bus tour. A full schedule and registration form are available for pickup at the Cass County Extension office, or online at www.extension.iastate.edu/cass.

Previous seminar attendees with a current address on record will also receive a brochure with a registration form in the mail or by email. Questions can be directed to Kate Olson at 712-243-1132, or by email at keolson@iastate.edu. Mark your calendars, get registered, and plan to join the Cass County Master Gardeners for the 2023 Spring Garden Seminar on Saturday, April 1!

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Produce in the Park’s Spring Celebration Market in Atlantic, is scheduled for Thursday, April 6 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at the Cass County Community Center (805 W. 10th Street, Atlantic, IA 50022). Over 20 vendors are scheduled to attend the holiday farmers market. Spring Celebration Market is held the Thursday before Easter, so shoppers can pick up Easter dinner and Easter basket goodies and farmers market favorites such as premium local produce, meats, jams, desserts and baked goods, candles, crafts, art, jewelry, and bath and body products. Pim’s Thai food
truck will be in the Community Center parking lot selling Thai Food for the duration of the event (4:00-7:00 PM). Spring Celebration Market is the last holiday farmers market Produce in the Park is hosting before the summer market season starts June 1.Spring Celebration Market offers both in-person shopping as well as pre-ordering.

Pre-ordering will be available from Thursday, March 30 to Tuesday April 4. Shoppers can pick up pre-orders and shop in person at Spring Celebration Market on Thursday, April 6. Spring Celebration Market vendors confirmed as of March 19 include Johnna Joy Designs, Wud Bi Ten, Sweet Sisters Vegan, Brun Ko Farm, Holiday Baking, Sue’s Country Garden, Ter-Bear Honey, Noble Provisions, Smudge – Candles, Soaps, and More, Kringleman Pastries, Spirits of the Faire, Miss NiNi’s Fine Desserts, Donna’s Jewelry, Studio Samantha, Bridgewater Farm, Midwest Candles by Brit, Frosting, Inc., Creekside Crystals and Crafts, Blessings Bakery and Gifts, Knuckle Down Crochet, Crafts, and Pet Treats, Silver Valley Craft Corner, Pim’s Thai Food Truck, and Precursor Printing.

Produce in the Park continues to accept vendor applications to Spring Celebration Market. For more information visit produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com or contact the Market Manager at produceintheparkatlanticiowa@gmail.com.

Spring Celebration Market is sponsored by the Atlantic Community Promotion Commission, Cass County Tourism, First Whitney Bank and Trust, Cass Health, Gregg Young Automotive of Atlantic, and the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce. For the latest information, follow Produce in the Park on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ ProduceInThePark) or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/produceintheparkatlanticia/) or sign up for the Produce in the Park newsletter at www.produceintheparkatlanticiowa.com.

Bridgewater Farm will be selling fresh spinach and other premium organic produce at Spring Celebration Market April 6.

(Radio Iowa) – The author of a new book contrasting first-hand accounts of China in the 1980s versus the modern era will be in Des Moines for an event tonight (Monday). Patti Isaacs first visited China in 1981 on a one-year contract to teach English at a small university, and people were still wearing uniform clothing during the last days of communism. Twenty-four years later, Isaacs returned to that same university to teach English — and to do research for her book, “The Second Long March, Memoir from a Witness to China’s Transformation.”

She says the changes were astonishing between 1981 and 2005, as high rises and a high-tech zone had sprung up. Isaacs says the book aims to dispell stereotypes and provide stories of “regular people” in China. She says national pride is growing for some, while others feel modernization robbed China of its soul.

(Altoona, Iowa) – A pedestrian was struck and killed on Interstate 80 near Altoona, Sunday night. The Iowa State Patrol reports, a 2022 Chevy pickup driven by 49-year-old Rodney Gene Fuller, of Grimes, was westbound in the center lane of I-80, when the vehicle struck 36-year-old Perry Wilton Robert Dodds, of Des Moines. The Patrol said Dodds was standing in the center lane, wearing all dark clothes. He was killed on impact.

The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Altoona Police and EMS.

(Radio Iowa) – A lead sponsor of a bill that would set new regulations for proposed carbon pipelines projects says there may be changes in the bill when it’s debated in the House. Republican Representative Steven Holt of Denison says the main part of the bill would require that developers get voluntary access to 90 percent of the miles along the pipeline route before state officials could grant them eminent domain authority to seize the rest.

Holt says he’s confident the House will vote on the bill before month’s end.

Bills in the SENATE that outlined new rules for carbon pipelines never made it past an earlier deadline. Representative Lindsay James, a Democrat from Dubuque, says the concern is the bill will die in the senate.

The two House lawmakers made their comments during a weekend appearance on Iowa Press on Iowa P-B-S. Last month, Governor Reynolds said she’s watching to see what happens with the House bill. While saying there could be areas where pipeline regulations could be tweaked, Reynolds told reporters she’d be having conversations with lawmakers about how new regulations could impact the ethanol industry. The pipelines are touted as a way to make ethanol carbon free and therefore expand markets the corn-based fuel.

(Anamosa, Iowa) – Officials with the Iowa Department of Corrections, Sunday, said that at approximately 11:30 PM Saturday, March 18th, security and medical staff responded to an inmate medical emergency in one of the Anamosa State Penitentiary’s living units. Upon arrival, the inmate was found unresponsive. Although staff did not observe any obvious substances when they entered the cell, the inmate appeared to be under the influence of an unknown substance. Medical staff immediately assessed the inmate and Narcan was administered. It was then determined that the inmate needed to be taken to the hospital for further care where his condition stabilized. The inmate has since returned to the institution.

Three staff members who responded to the medical emergency were also exposed to the unknown substance. As the inmate was being prepared for transfer to the hospital, these staff members became ill and were seen by the on-site medical team. Out of an abundance of caution, Narcan was administered to two of the three staff members and all three were transported via ambulance to the local hospital for observation. The three staff members have since been released from the local hospital after their condition stabilized.

Investigators with the Department of Public Safety Narcotics Enforcement Division have arrived at the Anamosa State Penitentiary and assessed the quarantined area and determined it is safe for reentry. The DOC will continue to work in conjunction with DPS to conduct a full investigation.

The incident remains under investigation.

(Corning, Iowa) – The Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Sunday, released a report on six arrests that occurred from Feb. 24th through March 18th. On Saturday (March 18), Adams County Deputies conducted a traffic stop on Highway 34 and Chestnut. Upon investigation, 36-year-old Jory John Larkin, of Clarinda, was arrested on charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance, Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia, and OWI/1st offense. Larkin was being held in the Adams County Jail on a $2,300 cash-only bond.

There were two arrests on March 3rd in Adams County: A traffic stop on a speeding vehicle just west of Nodaway resulted in the arrest of 31-year-old Devon Hale, of Villisca. He was charged with OWI/1st offense, Driving without a valid license, and Open container as a driver (21 & older). He was also cited for speeding. Hale later posted a $1,000 bond and was released.; And, 38-year-old Kirk McKay, of Lenox, was arrested March 3rd, following an incident that occurred on Feb. 18th, at 1657 Railroad Street, in Corning. McKay was charged with Felony Assault, A Felony charge of Willful Injury, and a Simple Misdemeanor charge of Disorderly Conduct/fighting in a public place. McKay was being held in the Adams County Jail on a $15,300 bond, until seen by a magistrate.

On Feb. 28th, Adams County Sheriff’s Deputies conducted a traffic stop in Corning. A passenger in the vehicle, Tara Marie Squibbs, was arrested on four separate warrants for Failure to Appear. She was booked into the Adams County Jail and held on a $1,200 cash-only bond.  On the 27th, 44-year-old Joleen Most was arrested on a warrant for Failure to Appear on a Probation Violation warrant. Her cash-only bond was set at $5,500.

And, on Feb. 24th, a traffic stop in Adams County and probable cause search, resulted in the arrest of Quinn Johnston, of Omaha, for Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia, and Poss. of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana. She was booked into the Adams County Jail and held on a $1,300 cash bond.

*Any potential criminal charges identified above are merely allegations, and any defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.