(Radio Iowa) – State Auditor Rob Sand has released a report that found nearly 77-thousand dollars was misspent by the former director of the Tama County Conservation Department. Stephen Mayne was hired for the job in March of 2021. Sand says on August 1st of last year, the agency’s maintenance staff found a bunch of Menards receipts for an account that wasn’t typically used by the county.

Staff in the state auditor’s office reviewed financial transactions for the 29 months Mayne held the position of director at Tama County Conservation.

The conservation department was involved in a number of projects in Tama County at the time and county officials told the auditor’s office Mayne was also remodeling his home and at least one other property. Sand says not all expenses and receipts were properly documented and couldn’t be located — so auditors were unable to determine if other purchases were improper.

The report has been forwarded to the Tama County Attorney, the Iowa Attorney General and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

Greenfield, IA – The Greater Greenfield Community Foundation, in partnership with Nodaway Valley Community School District, is thrilled to announce an exciting collaboration with Adventureland Resort to bring a fun and unforgettable experience to the residents of Greenfield.
In the aftermath of the devastating EF4 tornado that struck on May 21, the Greenfield community has shown incredible strength and solidarity as they work to rebuild. Now, Adventureland Resort is offering a unique and generous way to lift spirits. Adventureland has graciously provided free tickets for EVERY student and EVERY resident of Greenfield to attend their 3rd Annual Phantom Fall Fest—the largest Halloween event in Iowa.

“In times of tragedy, most Iowan’s look for a way to help. This is a small way for us to give back,” Adventureland General Manager Mike Lusky said. “We want to provide this escape to those in Greenfield as a way to get away for a day and enjoy the rides and haunted houses that our Phantom Fall Fest event has to offer.”

The Phantom Fall Fest offers a full day of excitement with four scare zones, four haunted houses, night rides, spooky food, and drink options, making it the perfect Halloween event. The festival runs on select dates through Sunday, October 27.

“The Greater Greenfield Community Foundation and Nodaway Valley Community School District are incredibly grateful to Adventureland for their generosity in lifting spirits and bringing some much-needed joy to our community during Greenfield’s ongoing recovery,” said Jennifer Garside, Executive Director of the Greater Greenfield Community Foundation. “Our community has shown remarkable resilience and unity as we work through the challenges of recovery. While we’ve made great strides, there’s still a long road ahead, and Adventureland’s thoughtfulness couldn’t have come at a better time.”

Tickets will be distributed starting Thursday, October 3rd. Any Greenfield residents in need of additional tickets can pick them up at the Greenfield City Library during regular business hours.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County reported two people from Red Oak were arrested this (Wednesday) morning on bench warrants out of Greene County. 38-year-old Jesse Ray Nelson and 37-year-old Jennifer Lynn Holz each face charges that include five counts of Burglary 3rd Degree, one count of Theft 4th Degree, and four counts of Theft 5th Degree. Their bonds were set at $27,000.

(Radio Iowa) – A top official with the U-S E-P-A says the agency is still reviewing a petition by an environmental group asking for federal authorities to take over enforcement of clean water laws from the Iowa D-N-R. The Sierra Club of Iowa petitioned the E-P-A in July, claiming the state is failing to stop harmful levels of nutrients from reaching waterways. Bruno Pigott, who leads the E-P-A Office of Water, says if the agency agrees enforcement in Iowa is falling short, state authorities would have a chance to change course before federal regulators step in.

Pigott highlighted projects the E-P-A is helping fund in Iowa to improve water quality, including a 348-million dollar upgrade to the Cedar Rapids wastewater system.

He discussed the petition on the Iowa Public Radio program “River to River.”

(Radio Iowa) – About one in every eight Iowa women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetimes, and October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Dawna Currigan, spokeswoman for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, says having the correct information is vital and the organization’s Breast Care Helpline is an excellent resource.

The helpline is 1-877 GO KOMEN. The month ahead will bring a variety of programs and activities to educate Iowans about breast cancer, including Fit for the Cure events in Cedar Falls, West Des Moines, Davenport and Cedar Rapids.

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On the web at www.komen.org

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson says President Biden should use his influence to bring an end to the union strike at ports along the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico, but Hinson is not calling on Biden to use his authority to force workers back on the job.

Hinson, a Republican from Marion, says farmers in her congressional district tell her they’re worried about the impact on ag exports. The National Retail Federation and the National Association of Manufacturers have urged Biden to seek a court order that forces striking dock workers back on the job for 90 days, while negotiations continue. Hinson stopped short of joining that call during her weekly news conference with Iowa reporters.

Biden has said he believes in collective bargaining and does not intend to invoke the 1947 law that would force the Longshoremen to return to the docks. The union that represents dockworkers is seeking a five dollar an hour pay raise in each year of the six-year contract, as well as protections from automation that would eliminate jobs.

(Radio Iowa) – The cities that were denied approval to keep their speed cameras running do have another chance to make their case. The director of the D-O-T Systems Operations Bureau, Dave Lorenzen, says they would have to file an appeal.

Lorenzen says they would have to take legal action if their appeal was denied.

A seven member panel put together by the D-O-T’s top safety engineer review accident reports and other material that led them to approve 11 of 139 requests to keep the speed cameras in place.

This is the first round of reviews under the new law passed by the legislature to regulate the cameras. Lorenzen says it will be a yearly process for those who were approved and any city wishing to put up a new speed camera.

He says there could be new speed cameras approved or current ones dropped in the next review.

Lorenzen says they cities that did not receive approval for their speed cameras could still keep them up, but they can only issue warnings and cannot collect fines from motorists. It may not be an option for cities as the revenue generated from the fines is used to fund their operation.

(Radio Iowa) – About 100 workers at the Cargill plant in Cedar Rapids are on strike. The Teamsters contract for workers at the corn milling plant in Cedar Rapids expired at midnight Monday. The union sought a three-dollar-an hour pay increase over the next three years and rejected the company’s lower offer.

Cargill is a privately owned company and Cargill’s C-E-O says the marketplace is extremely challenging right now and company officials say they’re hopeful negotiations will yield a contract agreement in the near future.

The Teamsters say wages the Cargill plant in Cedar Rapids is below pay at other local plants and workers are striking for a fair wage increase.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowans will hear some new terminology when the winds of winter start to blow. National Weather Service meteorologist Chad Hahn says the agency is abandoning a few familiar terms in favor of language that’s a little more direct.

If the air temperature is ten-below-zero, that’s quite frigid whether there’s a breeze or not, so Hahn says it makes sense to have an alternative to wind chill advisories when it’s not windy.

The term “wind chill” isn’t going away, as Hahn says it remains very useful during the winter months to describe what the air temperature feels like with a combination of cold temperatures and sustained winds.

It’s possible we’ll hear about the heat index again in a few days, as the forecast calls for parts of Iowa to see unseasonably warm high temperatures in the low 90s by the weekend.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports numerous recent arrests. On Tuesday, Oct. 1st:

• 53-year-old Crystal Alaine Conley, of Creston, was arrested at around 1:30-a.m,. for OWI/1st offense. She was later released on a $1,000 bond.
• 25-year-old Noah Alexander Young, of Creston, was arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was later released on his Own Recognizance after being seen by Magistrate.
• 22-year-old Zoe Paulette Marie Hull, of Creston, was arrested at her residence. Hull was charged with Violation of No Contact/Protective Order – Contempt, and Interference with Official Acts. Hull was taken to Union County Jail and later posted at $600 cash bond.
• 22-year-old Christopher Gage Selvy, of Creston, was Tuesday for Violation of No Contact/Protective Order – Contempt. Selvy was taken to Union County Jail and later released on a $300 bond.
• and, 45-year-old Christopher Lee Breece, of Creston, was arrested for Driving While Suspended. Breece was cited and released from the scene on a Promise to Appear.

At around 12:10-a.m. Wednesday (Oct. 2nd), Creston Police arrested 31-year-old Michael Douglas Dean Kirkpatrick, of Edmore, Michigan, for OWI/1st offense. He was released after posting a $1,000 bond.