The Cass County Board of Supervisors will meet one-hour earlier than usual, Wednesday morning. 

During their 8-a.m. session at the Courthouse in Atlantic, the Board is scheduled to act on: A request from the Cass County Historical Museum for additional funding; A request from the Veterans Affairs Commission to set the V-A Administrator’s wages for Fiscal Year 2014; Approving miscellaneous employment change requests for end of probationary employment and wage adjustments for F.Y. 2014; End of Fiscal Year expense appropriations following a review and amendment; and, if ready, discuss and approve entry into a 28-E agreement for Mental Health Regionalization. 

The Board is also expected to receive a report from the Family Crisis Support Network, and other, departmental reports from the Engineer, County Attorney and General Relief/Mental Health Coordinator.

An Exira man arrested in April in connection with a knifing incident outside of a business in the community, plead guilty Monday to charges associated with the crime. 21-year old Jesse Lee Brubaker was facing two Class C felony charges of Willful Injury, associated with an assault that resulted in two persons being cut with a knife. Online court records indicate Brubaker instead reached a plea agreement that reduced the Willful Injury charges to a Class D felony, and included a charge of OWI/1^st Offense.

Brubaker was sentenced to a total of 10-years in prison, the term for which will be served at the Iowa Medical & Classification Center, in Oakdale. He’s also required to pay a fine of $750 plus related court costs. Brubaker was given credit for time already served associated with the OWI charge for an offense that took place in January.   

Had he been found guilty of two Class C felony charges of Willful Injury, Brubaker could have been sentenced to 10-years in prison on each count, and would have been subject to fines of up to $10,000 for each count. The two Class D-felonies are punishable by a maximum of 5-years in prison on each count, and fines of up to $7,500 for each offense.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Months after customers blasted the company for skyrocketing rates, Iowa’s dominant health insurer says it will limit premium increases in 2014 to less than six percent for individual and small business policyholders. 

Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield announced Tuesday it won’t raise premiums to cover increases for medical or administrative costs in 2014. Instead, it will only raise rates to offset new fees and taxes required of insurance carriers under the Affordable Care Act. The decision impacts 330,000 individuals who purchase health insurance from Wellmark, or who get insurance through small businesses with less than 50 employees. 

It comes after an increase of more than 12 percent went into effect for Wellmark customers April 1. The hike prompted customers to express frustration online and at a public hearing.

The Atlantic Police Department reports the arrest on Monday of 62-year old Thomas Harrelson, of Atlantic. Harrelson was taken into custody for allegedly possessing a controlled substance believed to be heroin. Harrelson was booked into the Cass County Jail.

And, 33-year old Abigail Lennon, of Atlantic, was arrested Monday on a Cass County warrant charging her with Failure to Appear. Lennon was also booked into the jail and held pending a court appearance.

w/ Ric Hanson

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The Harlan Police Department is warning all businesses in the city about counterfeit bills being passed in the area. The PD confirmed the Shelby County State Bank received two counterfeit $20 bills on Monday. The bills had the same serial number. Authorities are urging businesses to check larger bills as they are concerned there may be more in the area.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson….

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Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County report the arrest early this (Tuesday) morning of an Arizona man on alcohol and drug charges. 37-year old Charles L. Harding III, of Yuma, AZ,  was arrested at around 2-a.m. on a charge of OWI/1st offense, and Possession of Controlled Substance/Marijuana. Harding was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on a $1,000 cash bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Governor Terry Branstad says the rules governing school start dates in Iowa are “too lax.” Branstad told reporters yesterday that the existing policy hurts summer tourism in the state.

ANKENY, Iowa (AP) — Police in central Iowa say a 13-year-old boy led officers on a weekend car chase through a residential area. Ankeny police say the boy drove the car with a flat tire early Sunday morning over curbs and around 50 miles per hour in a residential area. The chase ended after the boy crashed the car into a tree. He was taken to a hospital for a minor injury to his face.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — A long-closed dog racing track in Waterloo would become the headquarters for a trucking company under plans released by the business. Waterloo-based Warren Transport president Dick Donnelly says the company hopes to close on the purchase of the former Waterloo Greyhound Park by August. The company then would build its headquarters at the 64-acre site near the intersections of U.S. highways 20 and 63.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A 50-year-old Dubuque man has pleaded guilty to selling heroin to someone who died from the drug. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said yesterday that Alvin Briggs, Junior was convicted after admitting Thursday that he sold $100 worth of heroin in July 2012 to an individual identified in court filings only as S.R., who died as a result of the drug.