Officials with Shelby County DevelopSource have announced three finalists for the 2012 Shelby County Business Plan Competition. The competition began in May and applicants had until July 20^th to submit an application. This was the 2^nd year the DevelopSource offered the business plan competition. Bob Broomfield, co-director of Shelby County DevelopSource says the businesses will compete on Thursday.  According to Broomfield “This Thursday at noon at the Therkildsen Center will be the 2^nd business plan competition. The presentations start at 1 o’clock.”

A panel of 4 judges will be on hand to judge the 3 business plans. The winning business will receive $30,000. Broomfield says “I See Products from Shelby will present and that’s a new manufacturing devices to assist ice cream shops. At 1:30pm Leah Marie Photography down on the square, a new business starting up will be presenting. And then at 2 o’clock Panama Diesel will present their plan to expand their retail parts operation.”

The winner will be announced after the judges deliberate. Shelby County DevelopSource is also looking to fill their position as director. Bob and M.J. Broomfield are stepping down as co-directors at the end of October. Broomfield says there has been interest in the job already.  Broomfield says “We are getting a few applicants already. It’s online and so forth. We are hoping to get somebody that is eager to take on the task.”

You can find more information online at www.developsource.com or contact the Shelby County DevelopSource at 712-755-3569.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

The Cass County Board of Supervisors have a light agenda for their meeting Wednesday morning, in Atlantic. The only action item on the agenda is establishing an hourly rate of pay and/or daily rate, for those township trustees who are engaged in official township business. That includes the rate of pay for when the trustees act as fence viewers. The Board of Supervisors meeting begins at 9-a.m.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports a Glenwood man was arrested this (Tuesday) morning, on a theft charge. 25-year old Miles Ryan Pein was taken into custody at around 8:20-a.m., for Theft in the 2nd degree. Pein was being held in the Mills County Jail on $5,000 bond.

Authorities also reported 38-year old Jason Gerriets, of Glenwood, was injured during a motorcycle accident Friday morning. Gerriets was traveling north on 221st Street at around 7-a.m., Friday, when he drove off the edge of the road as he was approaching a curve. His 2009 Kawasaki ended up in a ditch on its side. Gerriets was transported by Glenwood Rescue to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, for treatment of his injuries.

The Adair County Board of Supervisors will hold their regular weekly session Wednesday morning, in their boardroom at the courthouse, in Greenfield. During the session, which begins at 9-a.m., the Board will discuss decorations on the square, with Carol Miller. They’ll also: Hear from V-A Administrator Rick Schaecher, with regard to a VA Commission appointment, and Mike Ladd, with regard to a courtyard use permit application; act on an agreement with the Southern Iowa Council of Governments (SICOG), for the housing trust fund; and discuss and/or act on window contracts, a liquor license, and EMS Grant application, and a resolution pertaining to participation in the Mental Health Regionalization plan.

At 10-a.m., the Board will hear from County Engineer Nick Kaufmann, with regard to: A Mid-American Road Use agreement for the Morning Light Wind Farm; Valuation of Shared pick-up of Cass and Adair Counties; and a Collective Bargaining agreement, in addition to his regular maintenance and activities’ report.

Sheriff’s officials in Audubon County report one person was transported to the Audubon County Memorial Hospital following a crash Monday evening between a car and a semi at the intersection of Highway 71 and Littlefield Drive. 24-year old Brittney Ann Henriksen, of Audubon was taken to the hospital by Exira Fire and Rescue, after she ran a stop sign at the intersection at around 4:25-p.m., and hit the side of a trailer being pulled by a 2007 Kenworth semi. The driver of the semi, 38-year old Brent Curtis Madsen, of Elk Horn, was not injured. Damage from the crash amounted to $7,000. The accident remains under investigation.

(updated 11:30-a.m.) — The Iowa Transportation Commission today (Tuesday) approved more than $3.1 million in funding to support 45 public transit projects included in the fiscal year (FY) 2013 Transit Program. The projects are funded under the state Public Transit Infrastructure Grant Fund, federal Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) program, and federal New Freedom program.

The New Freedom federal formula grant program seeks to reduce barriers to transportation services and expand the transportation mobility options available to people with disabilities, beyond the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Transit agencies in larger communities receive a direct allocation of funding from FTA. The Commission is responsible for programming projects in smaller communities. Under the NF grants, in Region 13, the Atlantic Voucher program received $7,027,  and $4,459 for expansion of the Harlan taxi service hours.

And, under the JARC Program for Region 13 (based in Atlantic), the Commission approved a $4,334 request for the Red Oak Taxi service, $5,335 for CDS Global, Incorporated’s vanpool service, and $27,047 for Menard’s commuter service.

A listing of the individual projects and funding amounts is available www.iowadot.gov/transit/archive_files/COFY13_TransitProgramattachmentaugust2012.pdf.