(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Engineer and Secondary Roads Department reports Brown Avenue, between 250th St. & 260th St. in Adair County, will be closed to replace the existing bridge with a box culvert. The project is expected to take 3-to 4-weeks. A detour is in effect (shown in the map below – click to enlarge).

(Radio Iowa) – A published report now says the suspected gunman in the murders of a Cedar Falls couple and their six-year-old daughter last month used a so-called ghost gun. The Des Moines Register quotes the parents of the 23-year-old from Nebraska as saying he ordered the parts for the untraceable weapon online and built it himself at home. The Register says the parents wrote in a letter to the paper that their son wanted the gun as protection for his family from a rising threat of violent crime.

Investigators say he used the gun to kill Tyler and Sarah Schmidt and their girl, Lula, in their tent at Maquoketa Caves State Park, and later turned the gun on himself. No motive is known and there’s no known link between the alleged gunman and the Schmidts. Their nine-year-old boy, Arlo, survived the shootings.

(Creston, Iowa) – The Creston Police Department reports the arrest Friday night, of 18-year-old Jamieson Reed, from Creston. Reed was taken into custody at the Creston Fareway Store, for Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana – 1st offense. Reed was later released from the Union County Jail, on a $1,000 bond.

Saturday morning, Officers with the Creston P-D arrested 38-year-old Amanda Jones, of Creston, on charges that include Driving While Suspended, and Eluding. Jones was transported to the Adams County Jail, and later released on a $2,300 bond.

And, Sunday afternoon, 18-year-old Hunter Tullis, of Creston, was arrested for Driving While Suspended, as well as Failure to File SR-22 Insurance. He was transported to the Union County Jail.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Police in Des Moines are investigating the Capital City’s 11^th homicide of 2022. Police say the victim was an adult male who arrived at around 6:15-p.m., at a local hospital, suffering from a gunshot wound. He later died. His name was not immediately released.

Police said there was a potential crime scene near the 1300 block of 13th Place in Des Moines.

The investigation is ongoing.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic City Council is set to meet 5:30-p.m. Wednesday, in their chambers at City Hall. On their agenda is an Order to approve a change order for the Bull Creek Improvement project, which results in a net change in the amount of just under $6,100. ARPA funds will address the cost of the change order. The Council will also hold a Public Hearing on a proposed amendment to the Southeast Urban Renewal District. The proposed amendment would authorize the undertaking of new urban renewal projects in the Urban Renewal Area (URA), consisting of:

1. Providing Tax Increment Financing (TIF) support to Boose Building Construction, L.C., in connection with the construction of public infrastructure necessary for the development of housing in the Redwood Subdivision; and
2. Using TIF to pay the costs of acquiring property and constructing public infrastructure necessary for the development of the Prairie Hills Development.

Following the hearing the Council will act on passing a Resolution authorizing the amendment. City Administrator John Lund has stated “Passing this amendment does not bind the Council to any debt for the Prairie Hills Addition. The Redwood Subdivision is the same, the amendment is red tape (the Council] must go through,” before it can proceed with binding action. Lund says the Boose Development Agreement WILL bind the Council to the Redwood Subdivision Infrastructure extension, which is a separate Resolution.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will hold the second reading of an Ordinance pertaining to parking regulations. More specifically, if approved, the amendment would allow parking for two-hours Thursday’s on the west side of Palm Street, between 6th and 7th Streets, for drive-through food distribution from the Atlantic Food Pantry. The hours affected are 11:30-a.m. to 1:30-p.m.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Today is the last FULL day of events at the Cass County Fair. All that remains on Tuesday is the Livestock Sale, beginning at 8-a.m.  On tap for today, though, is the Beef Show, beginning at 8-a.m., followed by the Best of Iowa at 9-a.m., and the Rotary’s Watermelon Feed, at 11. Today’s featured dinner is Roast Beef. The 4-H/FFA Exhibits open at 8-a.m.

The Building Awards will be handed out today at 4 o’clock, followed at 5:45-p.m. by the Parade of Champions and the Bucket of Junk Fundraising Auction. The day concludes with the Grand Champion Beef Selection, at 6:30-p.m. Beautiful weather continues for the Cass County Fair in Atlantic.

Commercial Booths are open from Noon until 9-p.m.  KJAN will be broadcasting live from the Fair in our booth between the Commercial Buildings, from 4-until 7-p.m. (The full schedule can be seen below. Click on the image to enlarge)

(Linden, Iowa) – The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports Panora EMS was called into service to assist an individual that had been injured in a horse riding accident along the Middle Raccoon River, Sunday. The incident happened at around 9:47-a.m., when a woman fell off a horse and into a ravine, in rural Linden.

Authorities said “After a tremendous effort by our staff, Panora Fire Dept, Guthrie County Sheriff’s office, and our partners with Lifeflight, the patient was able to be extricated and made it to the hospital safely.”

Panora EMS Facebook photos

The woman’s name was not immediately released.

(Radio Iowa) – National party leaders will decide the fate of the Iowa DEMOCRATIC Party’s 2024 Caucuses AFTER the November election. A group of Democratic National Committee members were to meet this week and recommend which five states should get to host the early voting contests in the next presidential election. That decision is now delayed. Democrats from Iowa, along with 15 states and Puerto Rico are vying to host the opening voting in the party’s next presidential nominating process.

Iowa Democratic Party chairman Ross Wilburn says it’s important for small rural states like Iowa to have a voice in picking the party’s next nominee. Some national party leaders say Iowa lacks the kind of diversity and General Election competitiveness that early voting states should have. The complexity of figuring out which Democratic candidate has won past Iowa Caucuses is also an issue. Iowa Democrats have proposed dramatic changes to simplify their Caucus process.

The Republican National Committee has already decided the Iowa G-O-P’s Caucuses will remain first in 2024. Iowa Republicans take a straw poll at the start of their Caucus meetings. Democrats have required participants to openly declare which candidates they support, with a potential for two rounds of voting if certain candidates lack enough support in a precinct meeting.

(Kimballton, Iowa) – City officials in Kimballton are asking residents to boil the water before drinking it, or choose an alternate source. According to the City Clerk’s Office, the Kimballton Water Supply has a problem in the distribution system, and lost pressure on Sunday.  Due to the potential for bacterial contamination, it is being recommended that the water be boiled before using for drinking or cooking or that an alternative source is used. Bring all water to a boil, let it boil for one minute, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water.

Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, and food preparation until further notice. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water. The water may be used for bathing and other similar purposes. If the water is colored, use an alternative source such as bottled water.

For more information, please contact Ryan Billheimer, Water operator by affidavit at {641-740-1942}.

General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1(800) 426-4791. When water service is restored, there may be air in your water piping, and the water may be discolored.

It is recommended to run the first water from a faucet that does not have an aerator screen, such as a bathtub or hose bib. Open the tap slowly to allow the air to escape. Once the water is flowing, allow the faucet to run until it is clear. The water may be cloudy at first due to air in the water or particles that dislodged as the pipes filled with water. This should clear fairly quickly. If water is cloudy or colored throughout the house and it does not clear after allowing it to run for several minutes, use an alternative source such as bottled water and contact the person above. The system has been repaired, repressurized, and bacteria samples will be collected.

This advisory is a precaution until bacterial sample results are available. You will be notified when the results are available, and the advisory is lifted.

The system is working with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to resolve the situation.