More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Small rural communities looking for assistance to help renovate or deconstruct abandoned commercial and public structures can apply for funding through the Iowa Derelict Building Grant Program. Applications for the next round of funding are due at 4 p.m. central time on Feb. 26th.

Instituted by state legislation to help rural communities with populations of 5,000 or less to deconstruct or renovate abandoned commercial and public structures, the Derelict Building Grant Program emphasizes reuse and recycling of building items, helps improve street appearance and commercial development, and alleviates the environmental concern these buildings can pose.

Financial assistance includes asbestos removal, building deconstruction and renovation, and other inspections and environmental site assessments. Funding is awarded annually on a competitive basis. A committee from the Iowa DNR, Iowa Society of Solid Waste Operations, Iowa Recycling Association, Iowa Economic Development Authority and Keep Iowa Beautiful selects the projects for funding.

More information about the grant program, application forms, and resources are available at www.iowadnr.gov/Environmental-Protection/Land-Quality/Waste-Management/Derelict-Building-Program.

Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you can’t have fun at camp. Local children in grades K-2 are invited to have some fun on a no-school day this January at Mammals R’ Us Day Camp. Offered by Cass County Extension and the Cass County Conservation Board, Mammals R’ Us is a fun, half-day camp, where kids will learn what makes a mammal a mammal, play games and participate in hands-on activities and crafts to learn about mammal habits.

A snack will also be provided and campers will go on an outdoor adventure hike to find mammal tracks. Youth in grades K-2 can sign up for one of three sessions: Monday, January 18 at 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon or January 25, with sessions at 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon or 1:00 PM – 4 PM.

All winter daycamps will take place at the Cass County Community Center in Atlantic. There is no cost to attend the camps, but pre-registration and a medical form are required for all campers. Remember to dress your children to go outdoors for a fun winter hike.

Registration deadline for Mammals R’ Us Camp is January 15th. Call the Cass County Extension office at 243-1132 or email xcass@iastate.edu to register your children. No registrations will be accepted after the registration deadline. All camps are sponsored by the Cass County ISU Extension and Cass County Conservation Board.

Police in Council Bluffs arrested three men early this (Friday) morning, following an investigation into a burglary. The suspects, 19-year old Joseph Patent, 18-year old Gage Fisher, and 19-year old Tristan Eggett, all of Council Bluffs, face six counts each of Burglary in the 3rd degree, and conspiracy.

Their arrests stem from a call authorities received with regard to a Camper burglary that had just taken place in the 2900 Block of Ave L.  The caller who witnessed the burglary was able to provide a description of the suspect vehicle including a plate number and a description of the suspects. While en route, responding Officers located the unoccupied suspect vehicle in the area of the 2500 Block of Ave G.

Police were able to determine that the suspects went into a residence located at 2542 Ave G. Officers made contact with the occupants of the residence and were able to identify the suspects involved in the burglary. Through their investigation Officers were able to determine that the suspects were also involved in several vehicle burglaries that had occurred throughout the night.

Several items linking the suspects to the burglaries were recovered at the residence.
The Council Bluffs Police Departments Criminal Investigation Division is continuing to follow up with their investigation. Anyone with information or questions concerning this investigation can contact Detective Stehly at (712)328-4727.

Authorities say the quick apprehension of the suspects was directly related to an alert neighbor who was able to provide Officers with excellent suspect and suspect vehicle description. The Council Bluffs P-D encourages citizens to be good witnesses by safely collecting all available information including but not limited to Suspect descriptions, suspect vehicle information including anything that stands out on the vehicle, direction of travel and anything else they feel is important to the investigation.

The area’s top news at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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An icy road was to blame for an accident in Anita Thursday morning. According to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, a Chrysler PT Cruiser driven by 58-year old Terri Reinke, of Anita, was traveling north on Chestnut Street in Anita at around 8:30-a.m., when the car went out of control on the slippery road.

The vehicle struck a tree in the City right-of-way, in the 700 block of Chestnut Street. The force of the impact caused the driver’s side air bag to deploy. Anita Rescue and Wiota 1st Responders arrived on the scene. Reinke was not seriously hurt. Two children in her vehicle were checked for injuries by rescuers.

Damage to the vehicle was estimated at $4,000.

WINTERSET, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say a Madison County Jail inmate found unresponsive in his cell has died at a hospital. On Wednesday the inmate was taken to Madison County Memorial Hospital in Winterset. Sheriff Jason Barnes says the inmate died there later that day. The inmate has been identified as 33-year-old Joshua Barker, of Winterset. He’d been arrested Sunday on drug and other charges.

Barnes says the cause of Barker’s death is unclear, but no foul play is suspected. State authorities are investigating Barker’s death.

Sheriff’s deputies in Montgomery County arrested two people Thursday evening. 56-year old Gary Wayne Burger, of Villisca, was arrested at around 6:20-p.m. for Domestic Assault. And, 54-year old Kristi Renee Herrill, also of Villisca, was arrested on a valid warrant out of Clay County, for Probation Violation. The pair were brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on full bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Former President Bill Clinton says there will be “plenty of time” to discuss Donald Trump’s criticism of his past transgressions if the billionaire businessman becomes the Republican nominee. Clinton is making his first trip solo trip to Iowa to campaign for his wife Hillary Clinton, the front-runner for the Democratic nomination. Asked by a reporter about Trump’s recent comments about him, the former president said that he doesn’t want to do anything now except help his wife’s campaign.

GOLDFIELD, Iowa (AP) — Texas Senator Ted Cruz says the arrests of two men suspected of being terrorists calls for a retroactive review of all refugees who have come to the United States from what he calls “high-risk countries.” The Republican presidential candidate reacted Thursday to the arrest in Texas of a man from Iraq accused of providing support to extremists and a man in California accused of traveling to Syria to fight, then lying to investigators.

WEBSTER CITY, Iowa (AP) — Texas Senator Ted Cruz says fellow Senator John McCain is calling for an exploration of his right to run for president because he backs Marco Rubio for president. McCain said Wednesday that questions about Cruz’s eligibility, because he was born in Canada, should be explored. Cruz’s Republican rival Donald Trump has been raising the issue this week.

BOSTON (AP) — Boston College has hired Massachusetts native Jim Reid as defensive coordinator. Reid spent the last three years coaching linebackers at Iowa.