The Shelby County Area Solid Waste Agency is sponsoring a Free Cleanup Crew Event this weekend. Residents of Shelby County can dispose of household hazardous waste from their homes at the Shelby County Secondary Roads Department on Industrial Parkway in Harlan from 8am to 11 on Saturday. Dan Ahart, Director for the Solid Waste Agency says residents can bring a wide range of waste. “Things that are in your garage or basement, under your sink, even pesticides or herbicides. I do want to emphasize no latex paints.”

He says the reason why the Waste agency won’t take latex paint is because consumers can dispose of that at home. “Latex paint is something households can dispose of on their own. You can use kitty litter, floor dry by stirring it up in the paint and dispose of as regular waste. Another good way to do it is pour it on old carpet and then when it dries, dispose of the carpet.”

Other items which will not be accepted include ammunition, explosives, asbestos, radioactive materials and non-hazardous waste. Ahart says you don’t even need to sort the materials. “We take boxes that have household wastes and regular garbage and will sort it. It all goes into the proper containers and disposed of by Metro Waste who we have a contract with.”

If you have questions on this Saturday’s Free Cleanup Crew Event hosted by the Shelby County Area Waste Agency, contact Dan Ahart at 712-755-5954.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

A seed company reports it is awarding over $70,000 in grants to Iowa communities for the purchase of grain bin rescue equipment. Officials with DuPont-Pioneer say fire departments in 16 communities, including Harlan, Lewis and Malvern,  are receiving grants to purchase grain bin rescue equipment for use in their communities through the Pioneer community betterment program.

Bart Baudler, business director for DuPont Pioneer in Iowa, says the company is “Pleased to work with local fire departments across Iowa to provide this important, and sometimes life saving, equipment.” Baudler said also “Grain bins pose a significant safety risk on the farm, and we hope this equipment not only provides a functional use, but also increases awareness of these risks and leads people to think before entering.”

Iowa community fire departments and EMT’s were eligible to apply for the grants through their local Pioneer sales representatives.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Gov. Terry Branstad is appointing a former state Supreme Court justice to review the firing of a veteran criminal investigator who had complained about the governor’s speeding vehicle.  Branstad today (Friday) appointed former Chief Justice Louis Lavarato to independently examine the firing of Larry Hedlund, a special agent with the Division of Criminal Investigation. The move is a surprise since Branstad had defended Hedlund’s firing and denied retaliation.

Hedlund pursued the governor’s speeding SUV on a highway April 26 and called troopers, who clocked it traveling 84 mph in a 65-mph zone. They backed off after learning the vehicle was being driven by a fellow trooper transporting Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds.

Hedlund was fired last week for what the Department of Public Safety called unbecoming conduct.

A Red Oak man was arrested Thursday night on a warrant charging him with Simple Assault. According to the Red Oak Police Department, 29-year old David Allen Shuffler, of Red Oak, was arrested at around 9:50-p.m. in the 1000 block of North Miller Avenue, on a valid Red Oak warrant. Shuffler was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $300 cash bond.