The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports three accidents over the past week resulted in only two injuries. The most recent occurred Tuesday evening, in Anita. Officials say at around 7:15-p.m., deputies responded to a report of a two-vehicle accident on Main Street at the intersection of 2nd Street in Anita. Authorities say a 2012 Chevy Impala owned and driven by 82-year old Mildred Rosie Klemish, of Anita, was traveling east on Main Street passing the Casey’s parking lot, when a 2011 Ford F350 pickup owned and driven by 48-year old Scot Lyle Bailey, of Anita, exited the Casey’s parking lot and struck the left front of Klemish’s car. Two passengers in Klemish’s car were transported by Anita Rescue to the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic. One of those passengers was later transferred to Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines. Damage to the vehicles was estimated at $5000 each.

On October 6th, at 5:42 a.m., the Cass County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of an accident on Main Street in Griswold. A 2009 Chevy Silverado pickup owned and driven by 68-year old Gary Lee Jacobson, of Griswold, was westbound on Main Street when Jacobsen fell asleep at the wheel. The truck struck a parked a 2009 Chevy Impala owned by Stanley Oral Rossell, of Lewis. The force of the collision  pushed Rossell’s vehicle into a parked 2007 Chevy Aveo owned by Kathryn Stevens of Omaha, NE. No injuries were reported. Damage from the crash amounted to $17,500.

And, on Oct. 4th, a two-vehicle accident on eastbound Interstate 80 in Cass County resulted in $11,000 damage, but no injuries. The Sheriff’s Office says a 2012 Freightliner Cascadia driven by 45-year old Eric Allan Andersen, of Harlan, was eastbound on I-80 in the left lane when it was sideswiped by a 2004 Dodge Springer driven by 42-year old Irvin David Weaver,  of Lincoln, NE. Heavy rain played a part in the accident. No citations were issued.

Three juveniles who were reported missing from the Quakerdale Youth Center in Manning were apprehended Tuesday following a pursuit in Fremont County. Sheriff’s officials say the 16-year old driver of the vehicle and his passengers, a 16-year old male and 13-year old female, were being held on charges of Theft in the 2nd degree, Theft in the 5th degree, Interference with official acts, eluding, reckless driving and a variety of traffic offenses. Additional charges are pending, in other jurisdictions.

Authorities say Fremont County deputies received a call at around 10:40-a.m. Tuesday, about a pursuit involving Otoe County, Nebraska deputies entering Fremont county on Highway 2. During the chase of the stolen, 2012 Dodge Ram pickup, speeds topped 110-miles per hour near the intersection of Highway 2 and Interstate 29, as well as in the City limits of Riverton.

Fremont County deputies joined in on the pursuit at the intersection of Highways 2 & 275, but the pickup was lost in Riverton. A citizen later informed officials a vehicle matching the pickup was observed in Sidney. A vehicle matching the stolen pickup was found in the parking lot of the Sidney Elementary School. An investigation determined the teens had entered the Sidney Community Library to access the internet. When deputies arrived, the teens fled on foot and were apprehended a short time later.

The teens are being investigated as suspects in the theft of a vehicle from Manning, a pursuit in Atchison County, MO, thefts in Nemaha County, NE, and vehicle theft and vehicle arson cases in Cass County, NE.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Otoe and Cass County, NE Sheriff’s Offices, the Iowa State Patrol, and Nebraska Fire Marshall’s Office. An investigation into the teens’ activities continues.

Passage of a property tax relief package will not alter Iowa’s overall tax “climate” for businesses in 2014 according to a national group that issues a yearly ranking. For the second straight year the Tax Foundation — a conservative Washington, D.C. “think tank” — ranks Iowa 40th out of the 50 states in terms of how taxes in the state will impact businesses. That’s the “11th worst business tax climate” according to the Tax Foundation.

The group evaluates over a hundred different kinds of taxes states collect and ranks Wyoming as having the most positive tax climate for business, followed by South Dakota in the number two slot. An economist for the Tax Foundation says some states improved in the rankings because governors and legislators made their state tax codes simpler, so businesses aren’t forced to navigate “complex” tax laws.

(Radio Iowa)

The Cass County Board of Supervisors Wednesday, approved the employment of a jailer, and the appointment of two persons to the County Compensation Board. Dorothy Bartlett was hired as jailer, retroactive to September 30^th, with a union scale wage of $13.65/hour. And, Maynard Hansen and Phyllis Nichols were appointed to the Compensation Board, with their 4-year terms retroactive to July 1^st, 2013.

In other business, the Supervisors authorized Chair Mark Wedemeyer to sign the release of mortgage for properties in Glenwood, Council Bluffs, Essex and Anita, whose owners have satisfied the conditions of their 5-year forgivable loans with the “Jumpstart Disaster Recovery Program,” which is administered by SWIPCO (the Southwest Iowa Planning Council), and the funds for which flow through the County.

Cass County Engineer Charles Marker also updated the Board on current road and bridge projects. Marker said a couple of paving projects on the secondary roads are nearing completion by Henningsen Construction. He said G-43 (Lewis to Hwy 71) needs to have the shoulder rock and centerline painting finished. County Road M-56 from a feedlot to the airport road has one lane which remains to have surface work completed, but that is expected to be finished yet this week.

The road will also need centerline striping and shoulder rock. And, as far as bridge projects are concerned,  Murphy’s Bridge over the Nishnabotna River by the ISU Research Farm, some paving has to be done on the east side of the bridge, and concrete poured for the concrete. That work is also expected to be completed this week.

Crews have worked to reopen on a Pony Truss-style wood-deck bridge from the Highway 92/71 intersection east to near Schuler Manufacturing and a mile south. Marker said they removed the wood deck and welded in steel corrugated metal decking. Dirt and rock was then placed on the decking.

Work is expected to get underway by October 15th on the Boston Road bridge (located about a mile east of Highway 71), where a box culvert will be installed under the bridge. Gus Construction is in charge of the project. In other business, the Board of Supervisors approved an intergovernmental Federal Aid agreement between the County and Iowa Department of Transportation, for County highway bridge program projects that will cost an estimated $360,000. The County’s share of the cost from the Farm to Market Fund is 20-percent. Work on the #83 bridge on 560^th Street, located near the Griswold Golf Course, is expected to begin next Spring.

The State Fire Marshal Division, along with the Woodbine Police Department, has been investigating the cause for the fire that occurred on Thursday, September 26th, at Ellen’s Flower Shop located at 413 Walker Street, in Woodbine. The fire was reported at approximately 3:29 p.m. The fire completely destroyed the building housing the flower shop and caused structural damage to an adjoining building to the north and water and smoke damage to two or three other buildings located along Walker Street.

The investigation has revealed that the fire may have been intentionally set to the west wall of the flower shop adjacent to the alley that runs north and south behind the building. The exact manner of how the fire was set is being withheld to preserve the ongoing investigation. Information has been obtained that indicates a white male subject was in the alley approximately two minutes prior to the first smoke being observed.

Investigators are requesting the public’s help with the investigation. Anyone who was around the south end of the alley near the flower shop at approximately 3:25 p.m., who may have observed someone walking out of the valley, is asked to contact investigators. Witnesses may contact the Iowa State Fire Marshal Division at 712-308-3977, the Arson Hotline at 800-532-1459, or the Woodbine Police Department at 712-647-2345.