The findings of an energy audit conducted by Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities (IAMU) for the City of Harlan have been released. Officials with Harlan Municipal Utilities say included in the report are specific recommendations on how to decrease electric, gas and water use at City facilities. Street lights and traffic signals are the largest energy consumers followed by the swimming pool, the waste water treatment plant and Veteran’s Memorial Building.

HMU says the audit was a necessary and productive effort in order to save money to citizens in Harlan. The new street lights and traffic signals will have a big impact on the savings. The utility company converted the stop lights to LED lights and is in the process of changing all street lights over to LED lights as well. The savings is estimated around 50 percent and that will the savings will be passed on to the consumers.

HMU Additional buildings and facilities included in the audit were: City Hall/Police station, C.G. Therkildsen Activity Center, Waste Water Treatment Plan, Developsource Building, the Library, the fire station, Dog Pound, Parks and Rec building, and the street maintenance building.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County arrested a Villisca man late Wednesday night.  28-year-old Joshua Dean Cooney was arrested for possession of a controlled substance/marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was taken into custody following a traffic stop at the intersection of Highways 34 and 48.

Cooney was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond.

Three people have been arrested in connection with an investigation into thefts in Villisca. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports 40-year-old Joseph Lamoni of Villisca, 20-year-old Justin Wagner of Farragut and an unidentified female juvenile were arrested Wednesday. The trio was taken into custody after law enforcement received tips from the public.

Authorities were able to locate stolen property in the vicinity of where the suspects were taken into custody. Officials say Lamoni faces Accessory after the fact, 2nd degree theft, and 5th degree theft charges. Wagner was being held at the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center on a valid Montgomery County warrant, and on charges of being an Accessory after the fact, and 5th degree theft.

The female was released on a juvenile citation, and awaiting a court decision.

A state senator from southwest Iowa is formally set to announce her bid for the U-S Senate. Senator Joni Ernst announced on a Facebook page (www.facebook.com/joniforiowa) Wednesday, that she intends to kick-off her campaign next week. An official announcement is expected to come 9-a.m. Wednesday (July 17^th)   at the Montgomery County Courthouse, in Red Oak.

Afterward, the 43-year old Ernst will reportedly travel to Council Bluffs and Sioux City for similar announcements. Her official campaign page www.joniforiowa.com , says Ernst is seeking the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Democrat Tom Harkin, in 2014. Ernst filed the paperwork for her candidacy,Wednesday.

Ernst serves in the Iowa’s 12^th District, which covers Fremont, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Ringgold and Taylor Counties. Prior to being re-elected last November, Ernst served as Auditor in Montgomery County. She won a special election to fill a seat vacated by Kim Reynolds, who would go on to become Iowa’s Lieutenant Governor. For the past 21-years, Ernst has also served in the Iowa Army National Guard, and is a veteran of the second Iraq war.

Other Republicans seeking the GOP Senate nomination include Ames Lawyer Matt Whitaker, David Young, a former aide to U-S Senator Charles Grassley, Sioux City talk show host Sam Clovis, and attorney Paul Lunde. Congressman Bruce Braley is only Democrat to declare his Senate candidacy.

Officials at Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic, say the East Entrance to CCMH will be closed beginning 9-a.m. Saturday, July 13th, through approximately July 27th. The entrance will be closed to allow crews to replace the concrete parking pads used by mobile diagnostic imaging services, as well as some of the adjoining parking lot area.

The East Entrance enters into the Atrium area of the hospital, near the laboratory. Patients who normally use the East Entrance during the day and evening (6 am – 9 pm) should use the North Atrium Entrance near Atlantic Medical Center during this temporary closure.

All patients and visitors arriving at the hospital between 9 pm and 6 am will need to use the Emergency Department Entrance, and request entry over the intercom.