(Radio Iowa) – The housing market in Iowa continued its holding pattern in February. The Iowa Association of Realtors reports there were 33 more homes sold in February compared to January. But compared to one year ago — home sales were down nearly 25 percent. That coincides with a 22 percent drop in the number of homes listed in February of this year compared to last February. Association president Krista Clark says interest rate hikes have caused homebuyers to give more thought to their needs instead of making a split-second buying decision. She also says sellers have been increasingly cutting prices and offering incentives to attract cautious buyers.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors heard a presentation Tuesday morning (Today) from Cass County Extension Director Kate Olsen and Beth Olsen, Director of Public Health, with regard to the use of ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act/Covid Relief) funds, for a Wellness Coordinator position. The funds would used to expand the current hours per week that person works, from 20-to-40. Kate Olsen said the Wellness Coordinator serves to address the local public health priorities and assist in long-term pandemic relief efforts. Kate explained some of the tasks a Wellness Coordinator is responsible for.

She said they had been exploring the possibility of expanding the position prior to the departure of the previous Wellness Coordinator.

She said the person they’re looking for as a Wellness Coordinator doesn’t necessarily need to be someone who has public health service or providing skills. It’s someone who connects appropriate persons or organizations and coordinates their involvement in the wellness process.

Kate Olsen said they feel there’s enough work for the person selected to keep them busy at least a couple of years. They would work out of the Cass County Extension Office. The request was taken under consideration. It will be included as an action item for the Board at their next meeting on April 4th.

In other business, the Cass County Supervisors approved an updated Public Safety Commission Articles of Agreement between the City of Atlantic and Cass County, for the Dispatch Center. Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon said the agreement “Is a bargain for everybody involved.” It makes it “abundantly clear,” that this concerns the consolidation of communications in the County. It does not affect Public Safety or Law Enforcement. It does pave the road for future changes to the bylaws.

The Board also passed a Resolution regarding a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Supervisors and Zion Recovery Services, with regard to an Opiod Settlement Assignment Agreement. Board Chair Steve Baier said they began working last August to determine what the funds must be used for, and Zion fit the bill. Baier read from the Resolution…

The Board then received a report from Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken.

(Radio Iowa) – April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month and Iowa State Patrol Sergeant Alex Dinkla says law enforcement officials are hoping it will be the month Iowa law is changed — to forbid motorists from handling a smart phone while driving.  “People are drifting across the center line and they’re having head-on collisions. There’s a reason for that,” Dinkla says. “Vehicles just don’t — for a random reason — go across the center line on their own. Those drivers are doing something inappropriate.”

Iowa law currently bars texting while driving, but Dinkla says it’s not working to curb distracted driving. “In law enforcement we have those big marked nice pretty vehicles that have the lights and the stickers all over it. What do people do? It’s just like a lot of times when you see that officer and you’re speeding, you’re going to hit the brakes and slow down,” Dinkla says. “It works that way with the phones. The devices go down. It’s tough to see.”

Dinkla says investigations of recent fatality crashes in Iowa show drivers’ smart phone use was a factor. “We’ve got people watching how to install drywall on YouTube. They’re watching movies. A recent text showed a girlfriend was going to go buy some cupcake mix to bake her boyfriend some cupcakes when she crashed. That text was still on the device when the officers arrived,”Dinkla says. “This is out there. It’s way prevalent and we need it to stop.”

Dinkla made his comments on Iowa Public Radio. Last week the Senate voted 47 to three to approve a bill that would bar drivers from handling a smart phone. The bill must clear the House Transportation Committee this week or it’s no longer eligible for consideration this year.

(Clarinda, Iowa) – The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports eight arrests spanning from March 6th through the 23rd.

3/6/2023: James Thomas Hume (age 34) of Nebraska City Nebraska, was arrested at the Fremont County Jail on a valid Page County warrant for Violation of Probation. James was transported back to the Page County Jail, where his cash-only bond was set at $25,000; 39-year-old Paul Nathaniel Falk, of Shenandoah, was arrested at his residence on a valid Page County Iowa warrant for Violation of Probation. His cash or surety bond was set at $1,000.

3/10/2023: 26-year-old Dylan Joseph Hanson, of Omaha, Nebraska, was arrested at the Page County Jail for public intoxication. Bond $300 cash or surety.

3/13/2023: 42-year-old Kimberly Dawn Shepherd, of Clarinda, was arrested at the Page County Courthouse on an active Guthrie County warrant for Probation Violation. She was being held without bond until seen by a judge.

3/15/2023: 26-year-old Mackenzie Jade Farlin, of Clarinda, was arrested at the Page County Sheriff’s Office on a valid Page County Iowa warrant for Violation of Probation. Bond was set at $1,000.00 cash or surety.

3/22/2023: 20-year-old Jagger James Moad, of Clarinda, was arrested at the Page County Jail for Failure to Appear on a Disorderly Conduct charge. Bond is $300.00 with 10% allowed through the courts; 38-year-old Brandon Keith Stogdill, of Shenandoah, was arrested at the Douglas County, Nebraska Jail, a valid Page County warrant for Theft in the third degree. Bond is $5,000.00 cash or surety.

3/23/2023: 50-year-old Edward John Beaman, of Council Bluffs, was arrested at the Mills County Iowa Jail on a valid Page County warrant for Failure to Appear. Bond is $5,000.00 cash or surety.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is joining the chorus of Republicans who are working to dismantle President Biden’s proposal to eliminate student loan debt. Grassley says the plan would unfairly transfer the burden of payment from the original borrowers onto the backs of all taxpayers nationwide. Grassley says, “Hardworking Americans, including those who chose not to attend college, or who already paid off their own student loans, would be on the hook for an estimated $400-billion in unpaid student loans.”

Grassley says the nation’s budget and fiscal health have been in decline since Biden took office, and he says members of Congress took action Monday which they hope can put a stop to the “lunacy.” “I joined nearly 40 Republicans in the Senate to introduce a Congressional Review Act resolution. If passed, the resolution would overturn the Biden administration student loan forgiveness plan,” Grassley says. “It would also end the pandemic era pause on student loan repayments.”

The Biden plan would allow for up to 10-thousand dollars in college loans to be wiped out for those who make less than 125-thousand dollars a year, and the forgiveness of up to 20-thousand dollars for Pell Grant recipients. Grassley says the president’s “budgetary incompetence” needs to come to an end. “The student loan cancellation proposal is yet another example of poor financial decision making,” Grassley says. “It’s also an act of serious federal overreach, maybe violating the Constitution and separation of powers.”

He says he’ll work to win passage of bipartisan bills that would better inform students about the true costs of going to college. The administration says more than 400-thousand Iowa borrowers are eligible for student loan forgiveness, and 61-percent of them are Pell Grant recipients.

8-a.m. News (Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Police Department reports three recent, separate arrests. Authorities say 23-year-old Tarek Bunan, of Atlantic, was arrested this (Tuesday) morning, for Public Intoxication. He was booked into the Cass County Jail.

On Monday, 23-year-old Justin Rollins, of Atlantic, was arrested for Interference with Official Acts, and Disarming a Peace Officer. He was booked into the Cass County Jail. And, on Friday, 31-year-old Chanson Hans, of Atlantic, was arrested on two-counts of Burglary in the 3rd Degree-Motor vehicle/2nd or subsequent offense, Interference with Official Acts, and Public Intoxication. He was also booked into the Cass County Jail.

8-a.m. News (Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Police Department reports a man from California was cited for Failure to Obey or Yield to a Stop light, following a collision at around 8-a.m. Monday, at 7th and Olive Streets. Authorities say a vehicle driven by Jess Caudill, of Atlantic, was traveling south on Olive Street at the same time a vehicle driven by Clarence Lynch, of Willits, CA, was traveling east on Highway 6/7th Street.  Lynch told police because of significant sun glare, he could not see, and proceeded into the intersection, failing to yield, and struck the vehicle driven by Caudill. Lynch and a passenger were transported to Cass Health for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. Damage from the crash amounted to $40,000.

(Griswold, Iowa) – The Griswold School Board held a very brief, Special Meeting Monday evening. The only action item on their agenda was to consider approving Category 2 E-Rate Bids. There are two categories of E-Rate Funding for governmental agencies to get electronic services or equipment at a reduced rate. Superintendent Dave Henrichs says the Griswold District has already completed its application for Category1. The application deadline for category 2, is due today (Tuesday).

He said based upon a couple of priorities: Cybersecurity and improving the efficiency or speed or services or equipment within the building, the School Board was asked to approve category 2 improvements.

Part of the process, he said, was soliciting bids, and that took a lot of time. The last one was received late last week. The winning bid came from Rick’s Computers out of Danbury, Iowa.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department says a man residing at an apartment in the 200 block of N. Maple Street, reported Monday night, that someone had broken into his apartment. Missing from the apartment was a keyboard with an estimated value of $100.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – Council Bluffs Police Captain Todd Weddum reports just before 4-a.m. today (Tuesday), Council Bluffs police officers were dispatched to a disturbance, possibly involving a gun being fired, in the 500 block of South 7th Street. A preliminary investigation indicates that 31-year-old Justin Juhl, of Council Bluffs, was shot, one time in the leg, during
the disturbance. He was taken, by a citizen’s vehicle, to a Council Bluffs hospital for treatment prior to officers getting to the scene. His injury is not life threatening.

Detectives and CSI staff are currently working the scene and are interviewing potential witnesses. Anyone with any information regarding this incident are encouraged to contact detectives at 712‐328‐4728 or can remain anonymous by calling CrimeStoppers at 712‐328‐STOP (7867).