The Audubon City Council has passed a resolution authorizing an amendment to a loan and disbursement agreement between the City and the Iowa Finance Authority. City Clerk Lora Hansen told KJAN News the agreement allows the City to reissue more than 2-million dollars in Sewer Revenue Capital Loan Notes (Series 2002), and take advantage of a lower interest rate from the IFA.

The Council also heard from Peggy Toft, with the Exira Community Club, with regard to a proposal for a Community Development Plan that would incorporate all the communities in Audubon County. The idea is for the County and its communities to contribute financially to the plan. No action was taken on the proposal during Monday evening’s meeting.

The Council did however, approve requests from the Audubon Chamber of Commerce pertaining to the T-Bone Celebration that takes place during the first Saturday in August. The request included moving picnic tables from the various city parks to the main City Park, approval of the parade route and related street closings, and the use of folding tables, sandbags and trash cans, as needed.

In other business, Tyler Thygesen provided the Council with a report on the flushing of the City’s water mains, and fire hydrants that are in need of repair or replacement.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – An Omaha man who aimed a laser point at a jetliner and police helicopter has been given two years in federal prison. 30-year-old Michael Smith was sentenced on Monday.

Prosecutors say a Southwest Airlines pilot reported that a laser pointer was aimed into his cockpit as the airliner was landing at Omaha’s Eppley Airfield on the morning of July 11, 2012. A police helicopter responded, and it, too, was targeted several times by a laser pointer. The pilot of the helicopter reported that he was temporarily blinded by the laser beam.

A Douglas County sheriff’s deputy testified that he found Smith in his backyard, pointing the laser at aircraft.

Sheriff’s officials in Page County say a Nebraska man was injured during a two-vehicle crash late Monday morning, southeast of Shenandoah.  Douglas E. Metcalf, of Waverly, NE, suffered incapacitating injuries, and was flown by helicopter to Creighton University Medical Center in Omaha, following the crash, which happened at around 11:30-a.m., near the intersection of Highway 2 and E Avenue. The driver of the other vehicle, 43-year old Steve Allen Harris, of Shenandoah, was not injured.

Officials say Harris was northbound on E Avenue at the intersection of Highway 2, and failed to notice an eastbound motorcycle driven by  Metcalf. When Harris’ vehicle pulled into the path of the cycle, the bike clipped the left front bumper of Harris’ vehicle. The motorcycle went out of control across Highway 2 and tipped over, tossing Metcalf off. The bike came to rest on it’s left side, on the north shoulder of Highway 2.

The accident remains under investigation.