Officials in Iowa report the Farmer’s Electric Cooperative based in Greenfield, and serving parts of six southwest Iowa counties (Adair, Audubon, Cass, Guthrie, Madison and Union), has received funding for the retrofitting of 123.4-miles of overhead electrical lines. The project is valued at more than $3-million. 75-percent of the eligible costs is paid for by FEMA (The Federal Emergency Management Agency), 10-percent is paid by the State, and the remaining 15-percent is paid through the sub-applicant (local governments, communities, tribal governments and certain eligible non-profits).

The Hazard Mitigation Projects (HMP) are funded to reduce or prevent damage from future disasters. Federal funding is made available after each Presidential Disaster Declaration, through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP).

Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Managements serves as the coordination point between the entities applying for assistance and FEMA. IHSEM staff are involved from the beginning to end, from guiding applicants through the application process to completing the final paperwork.

A public hearing will take place Tuesday morning in Greenfield, with regard to the Southern Hills Mental Health Management Plan. The hearing kicks-off a regularly scheduled meeting of the Adair County Board of Supervisors.

The meeting will also feature discussion with regard to a watershed projects, from Alan Lange and Nancy Antisdel, and County Engineer Nick Kauffman will present documents for the Board to sign with regard to the DOT FY-2015 Budget Program, Right of Way contracts and, his normal report on Secondary Roads Department Maintenance and Activities.

The meeting begins at 9-a.m. in the Adair County Supervisor’s Board Room at the court house.

There will be a three-way race for the position of Cass County Recorder leading up to the June 3rd Primary. Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman, Monday, released the latest list of candidates who’ve filed nomination papers for election. The information shows three Republican women, all of whom are from Atlantic, are vying for the Recorder’s job being left open by the retirement of Joyce Jensen. As previously announced, Mary Ward and Jess Ehrman have filed papers to run. The latest candidate is Shelly Glynn, who filed her papers on Monday (3/24).

Also, as previously mentioned, Attorney Dave Wiederstein and incumbent Cass County Attorney Dan Feistner, both Republicans, will be featured in the June Primary, with Wiederstein looking to unseat Feistner from his job.

There are no challengers for the Cass County Treasurer, and Board of Supervisors seats in Districts 2 and 3. Those seats are held by incumbent Republicans Tracey J. Marshall, Gaylor Schelling and Mark Wedemeyer, respectively.

With the arrival of spring, hundreds of road construction projects are getting underway across Iowa, while another form of transportation is also gearing up for some major work. Mark Davis, spokesman for Union Pacific Railroad, says a big infrastructure project is about to launch. “We have started work on our track between downtown Omaha and on the line that goes through Council Bluffs and follows the highway up to Missouri Valley,” Davis says. “We’re starting to work on that. It’s a$4.5-million project.”

Davis says at least 29 road crossings will be resurfaced as part of the project so there -will- be an impact on motorists as the project progresses. “We’ll be replacing some ties along that line, around 32,000 concrete ties along with 16,600 tons of rock,” he says. The goals of the project include: improving train operating efficiency, reducing motorist wait time at crossings and enhancing safety. It should be complete by May.

He says it’s among some 15-hundred projects the Omaha-based railroad will undertake this year across its 30-thousand mile network. Between 2007 and 2013, Davis says the U-P has invested more than 21-billion dollars in its infrastructure.

(Radio Iowa)

An Atlantic man was taken to the hospital after the wheelchair he was in was struck by a car Saturday morning at 4th and Chestnut Streets. According to Atlantic Police, Mark A. Johnson was transported by private vehicle to the Cass County Memorial Hospital, after his wheelchair was hit while in a crosswalk. The accident happened at around 9-a.m. Saturday, after Donnis Christensen of Atlantic stopped at the traffic light and proceeded to turn right on red.

Johnson suffered cuts to his leg during the accident. His wheelchair sustained about $800 damage. Christensen’s car sustained about $100 damage. Police cited her for Failure to Yield to a pedestrian within an intersection.

Two men from Atlantic were arrested recently on alcohol and/or drug and other charges. On Sunday, 50-year old Milton Milligan was charged with OWI/2nd offense, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Interference with Official Acts and Driving While Revoked.

And on Friday, Atlantic Police arrested 23-year old Norrin Bishop, on 5 counts of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, and Supplying Alcohol to Minors. Both men were booked into the Cass County Jail.

A truck driver from Crawford County escaped serious injury after the semi he was driving dropped off onto the shoulder of Interstate 80 in Pottawattamie County, and rolled onto its side. The accident happened as 45-year old Michael Melvin Wilken, of Westside, was being pulled over by an Iowa DOT Enforcement Officer Sunday evening, on I-80 westbound, near the 45-mile marker. Wilken refused medical treatment at the scene. The trailer he was pulling was full of hogs. There was no word on injuries to the animals.