The Iowa State Patrol has released the names of the victims who died in Monday afternoon’s fiery crash on Highway 20 near Holstein, in northwest Iowa’s Ida County. Officials say 55-year old Michael Hengel, of Milwaukee, WI, and 38-year old Cory Severson, of Pine River, WI died in the crash that took place at around 1:25-p.m.  Two other people, 45-year old Oscar Alonzo, of Miami, FL, and 55-year old Jeffrey MacGregor, of Spencer, IA, were injured.

Officials say a 2009 Pontiac G-6 driven by Michael Hengel, was stopped in a construction zone westbound on Highway 20 behind a 2007 Freightliner semi driver by MacGregor, while the drivers waited for a Pilot car. The Pontiac was rear-ended by a 2007 Freightliner semi, driven by Oscar Alonzo. The impact shoved the car into the rear of the first semi. The vehicle then rolled on the highway and burst into flames, trapping the occupants, who perished in the fire. Alonzo’s semi entered the north ditch and rolled over following the collision. He was  transported by Holstein Ambulance to Horn Memorial Hospital in Ida Grove. Officials say MacGregor did not require transport to the hospital.  

Authorities say no alcohol or drugs were involved. The crash remains under investigation, and anyone with information concerning the accident is asked to contact the Iowa State Patrol at 712-263-4621.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Department filed numerous charges against a Carroll man, following an investigation into a crash early Monday morning, north of Elk Horn. Officials say 21-year old Cody Lee Petersen was charged with Failure to Maintain Control, Open Container, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Authorities say Petersen was traveling north on Highway 173 at around 7-a.m., Monday, when the Chevy Cobalt he was driving went out of control.

The car went off the roadway to the right, crossed 280th Street and entered the right ditch before hitting a pine tree and a fence. Damage to the vehicle was estimated at $1,500. Petersen failed to report the accident and left the scene. He was later arrested and brought to the Audubon County Jail. Petersen appeared before the judge this (Tuesday) morning, pled guilty to the charges, and was fined.

The Atlantic Police Department reports no one was injured during an accident Monday morning, at the intersection of 7th and Olive Streets. Officials say vehicles driven by Michele McNabb, of Atlantic, and Daylan Kleen, of Marne, collided at around 8:30-a.m., after Kleen failed to obey a traffic control device. McNabb was traveling north on Olive Street as Kleen was heading west on 7th. Kleen failed to stop at the red light and hit McNabb’s vehicle on the right front corner, causing a total of $5,500 damage.

The Harlan Community School District will be making use of the new “Smart Board” technology in the Middle School for next year. In a regularly scheduled board meeting held Monday afternoon, the board of directors approved the slightly more than $12,500 project from CCS Presentation Systems out of Omaha, NE. CCS helped the Harlan community save over $5,000 from the 2nd lowest bid. The District will receive 11 Smart Boards for the Middle School. The normal price for each board is $1,500, however through a SMART Starter Grant, the district will receive six of the boards at half the cost. Superintendent Justin Wagner said it was another step in efforts to improve technology within the district.

The Smart Boards weren’t the only bids the Harlan School Board approved Monday. They also reviewed bids for a walk-in cooler intended for the elementary building. The current 5-by-7 cooler will be replaced with a larger 8-by-11 cooler, for additional storage. Wagner said it’s replacement was long overdue. The Board received two bids for the walk-in cooler. They ended-up accepting a bid from Kruse Refrigeration and Electric Inc. of Harlan. Their bid of $18,650, includes installation.

In other business, Harlan Board of Education hired a new girl’s head basketball coach. Zach Klaassen will replace Tony Vis next season. Vis left the district last month. The Board also hired Dan Hoch for High School Social Studies Teacher, and, Middle School Track Coach Jared Boysen, was hired for head girl’s soccer coach. In addition, Mike Bierl will become a full time bus driver at the start of the new school year.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors will hold the second and final public hearing concerning an Illegal Dumping Ordinance during their meeting Wednesday morning, in Atlantic. Following the hearing, the Board will hold a second reading of the ordinance and move to adopt it, after waiving the third reading, assuming their are no objections.

In other business, the Supervisors will act on an extension of tax credits for Fiscal Year 2012-2013 (Homestead, Edlerly & disabled, Ag Land and Family Farm),  Expense Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2013, including funding request appropriations if necessary, and, after receiving certifications from County officers for base salaries of their deputies and certifying those base salaries to Auditor Dale Sunderman, the Board will act on determining the compensation of “other employees” (meaning those not currently under a bargaining unit of other employment contracts).

The meeting begins at 9-a.m. in the Courthouse Board Room. Also getting underway at 9-a.m., in Greenfield, is a meeting of the Adair County Board of Supervisors. Members of the Board will act on: a Transfer Resolution; Notice of Vacancies and Intent to Appoint; and, an update to the Personnel Policy. They’ll also hear presentations from: Jack Reed, with Iowa Negotiations Services, LLC, with regard to services offered to the County; and, David Knapp, with ACES, with regard to a Backup Presentation and/or bid.