The town of Neola is hosting a regional open house for the Department of Veterans Affairs this weekend. Will Ackerman, spokesman for the V-A’s Western Iowa Health Care System, says the events today (Friday) and tomorrow (Saturday) simply aim to offer veterans information. “Learn about the V.A. benefits, what services we have available,” Ackerman says. “If they bring in their form DD-214, their discharge and separation document, we’ll have staff that can help them fill out an application for enrollment, if they haven’t already.” Ackerman says the open house is targeted toward anyone who’s served our country in uniform.

“This is kind of a one-stop shop for veterans and their families to come in and check out what’s going on with the V.A. and be able to complete an enrollment application,” Ackerman says. The open house is hoping to reach Iowa veterans who live in the following counties: Audubon, Adams, Cass, Crawford, Fremont, Harrison, Ida, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie and Shelby, but all veterans are welcome.

“We take these open houses out to rural communities to take the information out to them,” Ackerman says. “We’ve done this for the last three years and every year, we probably reach about 500 or 600 veterans and their families through these events.” The open house will be held at the Neola Community Center from 11 AM to 7 PM today and from 9 AM to 1 PM on Saturday.

(Radio Iowa)

AREA COUNTIES: MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE-

402 AM CDT FRI MAR 22 2013

…WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA/VALLEY HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING.

* TIMING…LIGHT SNOW SHOULD SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA SATURDAY AFTERNOON BEFORE BECOMING MODERATE AND PERHAPS BRIEFLY HEAVY BY SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING. THE SNOW SHOULD DECREASE TO FLURRIES BY SUNDAY EVENING.

* MAIN IMPACT…ROADS COULD INITIALLY BECOME SLICK LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON WITH UNPLOWED ROADS…SIDEWALKS AND DRIVEWAYS BECOMING SNOW COVERED OR SNOW-PACKED SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW…SLEET…OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.

AREA COUNTIES INCLUDED IN THE WATCH: ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD

336 AM CDT FRI MAR 22 2013

…WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING.

* TIMING...SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SATURDAY AFTERNOON OVER SOUTHWEST IOWA AND SPREAD OVER THE AREA SATURDAY EVENING. SNOW WILL BE HEAVIEST SATURDAY EVENING THROUGH NOON SUNDAY.

* STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS…SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 7 INCHES ARE EXPECTED IN THE WATCH AREA WITH LOCALLY HIGHER TOTALS POSSIBLE ALONG THE IOWA AND MISSOURI BORDER.

* WINDS/VISIBILITY...WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 10 TO 20 MPH ON SUNDAY WITH GUSTS TO 25 MPH. THIS MAY RESULT IN SOME MINOR BLOWING SNOW ACROSS THE REGION.

* IMPACTS...SNOW COVERED ROADS WILL LEAD TO HAZARDOUS TRAVEL SATURDAY EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON. SOME COMPACTION OF SNOW EARLY MAY LEAD TO ICY PATCHES AND SLICK TRAVEL AS WELL.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS FOR UPDATES.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

The Trustee in the bankruptcy case of a Portsmouth grain company reports that on Wednesday, March 20th, the U.S. Department of Agriculture mailed checks to producers who held warehouse receipts for stored grain at G & R Feed and Grain Co., Incorporated. Deborah L. Petersen says the Iowa Department of Agriculture continues to process claims for producers who sold grain to G & R for cash, or who sold grain on an unsigned contract and were not paid. The first batch of claims has been processed, and the second batch is in progress. Once the paperwork has been returned by the claimants and processed, checks will be issued within 2 – 3 weeks thereafter.

Petersen reports as well, that the bankruptcy case is progressing. She says the deadline for filing claims in the Bankruptcy is May 20th, 2013. If you have a claim for a deferred price contract, or other amount due you, you should take action to timely file a claim with the Bankruptcy Court.

Petersen is accepting proposals for auction of the facility and all equipment. Once an auctioneer is chosen, the Court’s approval will be sought and an auction scheduled. Letters have been sent out to collect all accounts due G & R.  Petersen says as Trustee, she is still seeking recovery of the proceeds for the grain delivered in December.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office reports an Audubon man, 20-year old Aaron James Eddy, has been charged with Operating a motor vehicle While Intoxicated (OWI) and Failure to Maintain Control, following an investigation into an accident which occurred on Feb. 7th near 200th Street and Lark Avenue. Eddy appeared before the magistrate this (Thursday) morning, and was released. His preliminary hearing was set for April 8th.

And, 21-year old Jesse Lee Brubaker, of Exira, was charged with Supplying Alcohol to a Minor. The charge stems from an investigation into an incident which occurred on Feb. 6th at the Brubaker residence at 204 S. Fairview Street, in Exira. Brubaker also appeared before the magistrate this (Thursday) morning, and was released from custody, with his preliminary hearing set for April 8th.

In an update to our story posted online Wednesday night and broadcast this (Thursday) morning, the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office reports a Council Bluffs man was arrested in Oakland following a high-speed chase that spanned three counties and several local communities. The incident which led to the arrest of 25-year old Zachary A. White began in Audubon, when officers attempted to stop a black BMW at around 10-p.m..

Audubon County Sheriff Todd Johnson said the car took off, and was pursued by Audubon Police, Audubon County Sheriff’s Deputies and Exira Police. Those agencies broke off the pursuit when they lost sight of the vehicle. The chase resumed in Cass County, through Atlantic on Highway 6 at around 10:15-p.m.. The pursuit soon made its way out of Cass County into Pottawattamie County. Pott. County Sheriff’s Dept. spokesman, Lt. Pat McGinn said Deputy Shea picked up the chase near the County line. At that time, the BMW was traveling in excess of 120-miles per hour.

McGinn says the deputy stationed himself at 430^th Street and Highway 6 was prepared to laydown stop sticks. As the car approached, the deputy deployed the stop sticks. The car’s left front tire rand over and was punctured by the device. The suspect stopped his disabled vehicle in Oakland at Doctor Van Zee Road and Highway 59/6.

He was taken into custody at around 10:35-p.m. and charged with felony eluding, Operating While Intoxicated and numerous other charges. Additional charges are likely in Audubon County, as well. White was being held in the Pottawattamie County Jail on  $5,000 bond.

The Atlantic Police Department says no injuries were reported following an accident Wednesday afternoon in the parking lot of the Atlantic Shopping Plaza. Officials say a vehicle driven by Lori Burgduff, of Shenandoah, was traveling south in the parking lot near the Pizza Ranch restaurant, when a legally parked car driven by Stephen Bartel, of Castana, backed out of the parking stall,  and was hit by Burgduff’s vehicle. The damage amounted to $2,800. No citations were issued.