Des Moines, IOWA — The State Fire Marshal reminds Iowans two-thirds of the state remains under a burn ban.  (A chart of the affected counties can be found at http://www.dps.state.ia.us/fm/main/burnbans/index.shtml) In the KJAN listening area, that includes Cass, Audubon, Pottawattamie, Mills, Montgomery, Madison, Carroll, Crawford, Fremont, Page and Taylor Counties. Shelby County is not included in a burn ban, but the County is under a HIGH FIRE DANGER alert.

With this in mind, State Fire Marshal Ray Reynolds is offering more information on the most common questions submitted to his office on camp fires, community fireworks shows, and issuing citations for violations of a burn ban.

Law enforcement and fire officials have issued citations throughout Iowa for violations of Iowa code 100.40.  Violating a state issued burn ban is a simple misdemeanor requiring an appearance in court.  Reynolds says they have received “Several calls from fire and police agencies asking about issuing citations to violators of the burn ban.” He says it’s his goal to warn Iowans that this is not the time to burn, so they aren’t faced with a citation.  Reynolds said however, that “We haven’t seen such lengthy burn bans or such dry conditions for some time,”  so he anticipates more citations in the coming weeks.

He offered some common sense advice during burn bans:
1) In many places, camp fires are permitted if supervised and contained in an enclosed area with brick, metal, or grate lining to prevent fires from escaping the confines of the fire pit.  Again, direct supervision is the key!  Even if you think the fire is extinguished when done, add water or sand to be sure. Be sure to check with your local fire department as some cities or counties may not permit open recreational fires during a burn ban.
2) Community fireworks are permitted with added safety precautions.  Things like wetting a hillside or establishing a fire watch with extinguishers are good preventative steps.  However, cities and fireworks blasters hold 100% of the liability for fires.
3) The fact a person wants to burn brush and has years of experience burning brush doesn’t necessitate open burning.  Very few controlled fires are necessary or required.  If a permit has been issued by the local fire chief, all fire prevention precautions should be implemented to prevent a controlled fire from becoming uncontrolled.

State Fire Inspector Dan Wood said “We are asking for people to use a little common sense when striking the match. “he adage, ‘Only you can prevent forest fires.’ holds true especially with these dangerously dry conditions, ” according to Wood.

The number of vegetation fires in the first six months of 2012 has exceeded all of the grass fires for 2010 and has nearly reached the 2011 year end total.  You can learn more about vegetative fires from Iowa’s fire reporting data.

If citizens have questions on the issuance of a burn ban in a region of the state, they can visit the State Fire Marshal Website to identify the local authority requesting the burn ban in that area.

The Atlantic Police Department reports the arrest this (Wednesday) morning, of 22-year old Justin Jacobs, of Atlantic. Jacobs was taken into custody on a charge of Public Intoxication/2nd offense. He was booked into the Cass County Jail and held, pending a court appearance.

Police in Clarinda report one person was arrested following an altercation Tuesday night at an apartment complex. 37-year old Robert Jeffrey Stevens, of Clarinda, faces a misdemeanor charge of Disorderly conduct, after authorities were called to the Parkview Apartments at around 11:15-p.m. following a reported “Fight in Progress.” Stevens was brought to the Page County Jail and held on $325 bond, pending an appearance before the magistrate.

The Clarinda P.D. reports also, 71-year old Ray Emerson Hoffman, of Blanchard, was arrested Tuesday afternoon on a misdemeanor charge of 5th degree theft, after he was caught allegedly stealing an item from the Hy-Vee Food Store in Clarinda. Hoffman was detained by employees until police arrived. He was later released on a Personal Recognizance bond, pending a court appearance that was set for August 29th.

OKOBOJI, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say a Colorado woman has drowned in West Okoboji Lake in northwest Iowa. The Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office says officers responded to a report of a drowning a little after noon on Tuesday.  The victim has been identified as 46-year-old Jennifer Galagher, of Denver.  She’d been swimming the night before and went missing Tuesday morning. The sheriff’s office says a family member found Galagher under a dock. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Wednesday) voted unanimously to include on the ballot for the November General Election, a Public Measure that would, if approved by the voters, allow for the appointment of township officers (namely the Township Clerk and Trustees) by the Supervisors, rather than by election. A Victoria Township official asked the Board to consider placing the Measure on the ballot. Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman said Iowa Code allows the Supervisors to place the Public Measure on the ballot. The last time it came up for a vote in some of the townships, was two-years ago.

Currently, only four townships have their officers chosen by election. They include Benton, Edna, Union and Victoria. If, during the election, any of those individual townships fail to approve the measure, the procedure for electing their officers would remain unchanged. The Measure must be approved by a majority of voters in each township. 12 townships within the county have their officers selected by appointment, through the Board. A template for the Resolution approved by the Supervisors was put together by ISAC (The Iowa State Association of Counties).

The Supervisors also voted to award a tuckpointing contract for the courthouse and jail, to Karr Tuckpointing, LLC, in Vinton. Karr’s bid for tuckpointing the courthouse was $70,972, with the correctional facility an additional $13,171, for a total of $83,268. The contract will not include a sealing treatment, until more research can be conducted by the board, on the need for the substance. The use of water repellent/sealer was bid separately by both Karr and Schoonover Tuckpointing. The contract will also stipulate that work will not begin on the project until the Spring of 2013.

The Harlan City Council held their first meeting of the month Tuesday afternoon, in the Council Chambers. During the meeting, City Administrator Terry Cox reported to the board, that the “Today in America” TV show hosted by Terry Bradshaw, is interested in highlighting the City of Harlan during a segment called “Best Place to Raise a Family”. Cox said there’s been good discussion between the producers of the show and himself. He said he expects a phone call next Tuesday, August 14^th, to further discuss the segment.

Cox said the city of Harlan would have to pay $19,000 for the 5 minute video to play 20 times. Mayor Gene Gettys said in the last ten days, conversations have “moved very quickly” and that Harlan “clearly fits the mold” of a place to raise a family.

In other business, the Harlan City Council approved the extension of the downtown upper story/façade grant program to include an extension of one-block off the square perimeter and to allow the merchants to apply for both the upper story and façade grants. The matter was discussed last week during a Personnel and Finance meeting. The Committee opted to bring the subject to the Council for a decision.

Also during the Committee meeting, City Administrator Terry Cox requested a motion to extend the $1,000 purchase price of the lots located in the G.H. Christiansen subdivision to expire on June 30^th, 2013. The Harlan City Council on Tuesday approved the extension.

Mayor Gettys read an Ordinance was to add no parking signs on the north side of Victoria Street from the west side of the driveway at 1632 Victoria Street west to 19^th Street, in Harlan. The council finalized the ordinance. A second ordinance pertained to an amendment to the usage charge in chapter 99, with regard to water usage.

The addition states monthly user charges will be based on water usage for the previous month. Also to be in effect, an annual operational maintenance rate increase of 3% each year thereafter, both changes to be effective January 1^st, 2013. It was only the 1^st reading only of the ordinance, and has not been finalized.