The Cass County Board of Supervisors have approved a Pre-construction Agreement with the Iowa Department of Transportation, for the replacement of a bridge deck over Interstate 80 at the Marne Exit. County Engineer Charles Marker explained the DOT had planned to begin the project last summer, but another project took priority. The Project on M-56 north of Marne was put on hold for a nearby project. The original agreement for that project was nullified. The DOT has now requested basically the same agreement be signed by the Board, with construction slated to begin this summer.

Marker said the County’s role in the agreement, is simply to establish detour routes. He said since M-56 is a numbered route, the detour must be on another numbered route that will enable traffic to reach the interstate. If some of the local residents use an alternate road, and that road is gravel, the DOT will pay for dust control if the traffic flow is heavy enough to warrant it.

Marker said the project involves the replacement of the bridge deck over I-80 and the temporary use of head-to-head traffic lanes underneath the bridge. He said they’ll break out the current concrete deck and place a new deck on the substructure. Traffic underneath will be routed to the north or south lanes depending on which side of the bridge is being worked on at the time.

The Board also passed a Resolution to Encourage the Implementation of the 2011 Citizen’s Advisory Council (CAC), with regard to a one-percent increase in the state fuel tax rate, from 5-to 6-percent. Marker said a proposal to raise the gas tax has been in the works for many years, beginning with a study commissioned by Governor Culver and most recently by Governor Branstad. Each time it was recommended the tax be raised to help pay for road repairs and maintenance.

Marker said the tax has not been increased since 1989. A poll shows a vast majority of the traveling public feel the State’s roads are inadequate. The Resolution calls for a phased-in 10-cent increase in the gas tax over a period of three-years, as well as an increase in vehicle registration fees. Based on the way the funds are allocated, it is distributed to cities, counties and the state, and is intended only for road repairs and maintenance.

Cass County Republican Party Chair David Wiederstein has announced his resignation from the position. Wiederstein who also serves as Attorney for the City of Atlantic and Interim City Attorney in Audubon, announced his decision at Thursday night’s Republican Party committee meeting. Wiederstein said in a press release, that he will be “Filing papers to run for Cass County Attorney,” on Monday. That position is currently held by Dan Feistner.

In making his announcement, Wiederstein said “The structure of the Republican Party in Cass County is strong and the Republicans in our county make Cass County a bright red compared to shades of red, purple, and blue found in other counties.”

Two people were arrested early this (Friday) morning on Public Intoxication charges, in Villisca. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department reports Jeremy A. Davis, and Jesse C. Fletcher, both of Villisca, were observed in the middle of the street at around 3:25-a.m., near the intersection of 4th Street and U Avenue, in Villisca.

Officials say both subjects admitted to drinking, and agreed to a Preliminary Breath Test (or, breathalyzer test), during which both blew in excess of the legal limit of .08 (point Oh-eight). Davis and Fletcher were brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 bond, each.

A spokesman for the State Fire Marshal’s office says they are making progress in getting smoke detectors in every home. The Fire Marshal has provided over 20-thousand smoke detectors to local fire departments since 2010 to be installed in homes. Special Agent, Dan Wood, says they’re keeping track of the number of lives saved. “What we’ve asked all fire departments in the state to do is, if you have a fire and people heard a detector going off and they get out, if it’s a family of two that’s two lives saved by a smoke detector,” Wood says. The saves by the devices hit triple digits last year.

Wood says, “In 2013 we had 112 saved by smoke detectors.” The numbers show smoke detectors have helped save over 600 lives across Iowa in the last four years.  “I feel like we’re making a dent, we are helping the people of the state of Iowa,” Wood says. “We’ll keep going as long as we can with this project — and hopefully we’ll do get to that goal of everybody having smoke detectors in the state.” Five people died in an Arlington home without smoke detectors during a fire in January. Burlington, Waterloo and Bondurant all had deadly house fires last year in which there was no working smoke detector.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Senate unanimously approved a measure yesterday lessening the penalties for people who unknowingly expose someone to HIV with no intention of infecting them. The bill heads to the House. The law now says anyone who exposes a partner to HIV without that person’s consent can be convicted of a felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison.

NEWTON, Iowa (AP) — Police say a Colorado man found dead in Iowa was beaten and stabbed to death. An autopsy on 61-year-old Grant Michael Frazier determined he died from blunt force trauma and multiple stab wounds. The death was ruled a homicide. Frazier was last seen February 16th and his body was found this week in Newton, Iowa.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — University of Iowa President Sally Mason discussed her own experience of being accosted by a stranger when she was a college student. Mason opened a campus forum on sexual assault issues yesterday as her job appeared to be on shaky footing. She has faced criticism for a remark she made about sexual assault.

SPENCER, Iowa (AP) — Small Iowa cities are having a harder time finding and keeping enough volunteers to staff their ambulances. In the northwest Iowa communities of Fostoria and Peterson it’s difficult to find people willing to attend the 100 hours of required training. Even in communities with willing volunteers, many must work out of town and aren’t available for calls during the work hours.