Officials with the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office say the S/O will feature extended hours on Wednesdays, beginning February 5th.  It’s hoped the change will help facilitate the issuance of weapons permits for those who cannot make it to the Sheriff’s Office during normal business hours .On Wednesdays the Office doors will be locked at 5-pm. Anyone in the building prior to 5-pm will still receive their permit.

Here’s the schedule for normal business hours and when weapons permits will be issued:

BUSINESS OFFICE HOURS:

Monday & Tuesday: 8:00am to 4:30pm
Weapon permits issued between 8:30am to 4:00pm

Wednesday: 8:00am to 5:30pm
Weapon permits issued between 8:30 to 5:00pm

Thursday & Friday: 8:00am to 4:30pm
Weapon permits issued between 8:30am to 4:00pm

Firefighters from Griswold and Grant were called to the scene of a fire that spread to a small shed Wednesday afternoon, about 2.5-miles north of Grant. Griswold Fire Chief Andy Steffen told KJAN News the call from 62222 Yankton Road came in at around 2:13-p.m. Steffen said a telephone company repair or installation crew were the first to notice the blaze and notified the homes’ resident. They told her she needed to call 9-1-1.

Steffen said open burning and later wind conditions was the likely cause of the fire. He said a female resident at the home was burning boxes in the open earlier in the day. Embers from the fire were whipped up by the winds and caught some leaves on fire. The blaze spread to a nearby small shed containing wood. The fire then proceeded around the building before spreading to a grassy area. Steffen said if they had arrived any later then they did, the fire could have spread to a nearby machine shed. An area about 100-feet long and 40-feet wide was scorched by the flames.

Firefighters from Grant equipped with two tanker trucks and a grass unit helped Griswold crews get the flames under control within about an hour. Steffen says residents in the area need to be cautious with outdoor burning, because conditions are extremely dry. He says if you must burn outdoors, use a barrel with a cover on it. The dry conditions and a strong wind will cause fires to spread rapidly.

He didn’t rule out the possibility of a Burn Ban for Cass County, after speaking with Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon. He said Kennon has probably spoken with other area fire chiefs as well. Steffen said a ban may be needed to prevent any catastrophes.

There were no injuries reported during Wednesday’s firefighting efforts.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors will meet Friday morning in Atlantic. During their 8:30-a.m. session, the Board will act on approving the regulations for “Radon Control Methods” as passed by the County Board of Health on Monday. They’re also set to act on approving a contract with SWIPCO (the Southwest Iowa Planning Council), for services necessary to carry out the formal adoption of a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) for rural Cass County and the eight cities within the County. The Board had tabled the matter during their meeting last week, because the agreement was not ready.

In other business, the Supervisors will act on a Resolution appointing a person to serve a three-year term (beginning April 9^th) as Commissioner of the Southern Iowa Regional Housing Authority (SIRHA). And, at 10-a.m., the Board is set to hear from Solutions, Inc., with regard to quotes for new computer servers and backups, or intelligent business continuity. Action to purchase the hardware and/or services, will follow.   

The Atlantic Police Department reports two people were arrested Wednesday on theft charges. 21-year old Chelsea Rollins and 27-year old Joshua Batenhorst, both of Atlantic, were arrested on Cass County warrants for Theft in the 5th Degree. Batenhorst was also charged with Introducing contraband into a County Jail. Both subjects were being held in the Cass County Jail pending a court appearance.

An Atlantic man is in custody after allegedly attempting to rob the Casey’s east convenience store Wednesday night. Authorities say at around 8:50-p.m., Atlantic Police responded to a report of an armed robbery in progress at 1408 east 7th Street (The Caseys General Store). Officials say a man identified as 22-year old Brady Thomas Salberg, of Atlantic, had entered the store and demanded all of the money in the cash register.

Brady Salberg (Cass Co. S/O booking photo)

Off-duty Iowa DCI Agent Shelby McCreedy noticed the incident unfolding, and notified people in the parking lot not to enter the store and to call 9-1-1. As the call was going out to officers, the agent then entered the store with her firearm and confronted the suspect while commanding him to drop to the floor. The suspect complied and was on the ground when uniformed officers arrived moments later.

An investigation revealed Salberg did not actually have a firearm in his possession, but had his hand in his pocket to make it appear like was armed. Salberg was brought to the Cass County Jail and charged with felony Robbery in the 2nd Degree.