The chairwoman of the Iowa Democratic Party has publicly rebuked a liberal activist group that has gained media attention by confronting politicians of both parties. Martha Scarpellino, a member of the Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, described her group this way after they pestered presidential candidate Mitt Romney at the Iowa State Fair: “I’m with these guys: the loud, noisy question-askers.” The group also heckled the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee spoke at the Fair.

This past week Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement sent out a press release with details of how the group had “confronted” Republican Senator Chuck Grassley at a town-hall meeting in Carroll “for over an hour” and “demanded” that the senator not cut Social Security. A columnist for the newspaper in Carroll blasted the group’s “ambush tactics” during and after the event. Sue Dvorsky, chairwoman of the Iowa Democratic Party, issued a statement, calling the actions of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement members “unproductive and embarrassing.” She accused the group of being “less focused on results and more focused on creating chaos” that gets written about by the media.

Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement issued a statement in response, saying Dvorsky’s attack was “baseless” but it also quoted another C-C-I member as saying “sitting back quietly while career politicians debate cuts to our livelihood would be unacceptable.”

(O. Kay Henderson/Radio Iowa)

The Cass County Board of Supervisors have awarded contracts for two bridge and two road repair projects within the county. Cass County Engineer Charles Marker said the bids were received during a state letting on August 16^th. One of the bridges, number 306, is located on Olive Street (or 620^th), about two-miles south of Atlantic. The low bid of $725,996 was received from Murphy Heavy Contracting Corporation, out of Anita. The bid was slightly below the engineer’s estimate.

The other bridge, number 61, crosses Seven Mile Creek on Victoria Road, or south of Highway 92. There were also seven bids received, the lowest was from A-M Cohron, of Atlantic, in the amount of $644, 089, was also below the engineer’s estimate. The Supervisor’s approved both contracts, which will be forwarded back to the State for disposition. The Board also approved local letting Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) and Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) road maintenance or repair projects within the County.

Henningsen Construction of Atlantic was the lone bidder for the HMA patching project. Their bid amounted to $155,555. Marker says the project includes: 740^th Street, from Anita, west of the school, on north; Glendale Road (or, County G-27) from near Canby to Highway 148 south of Anita, and County Road G-43/Fletcher Chapel Road between Highway 71 and County Road N-28.

And, there were three bids for the PCC repair project. Marker says that includes: Atlantic Airport Road (G-30), west from the airport to the Pottawattamie County line; from the Airport south, on M-56 for a few miles. Gus Construction Company’s bid of $63,828 was the lowest of the three received. The Supervisors awarded the contract to the company, which is located in Casey.

And, the Supervisor’s approved the purchase of a John Deere excavator from Murphy Tractor, in the amount of $175,690. The machine will be used to clear away ditch debris.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Department reports two, minor injury accidents occurred Tuesday within the county. The first happened at around 4:30-p.m., at the intersection of Highways 71 and 44, in Hamlin. Officials say 58-year old Stephen Robert Miller, of Audubon, who was driving a 2011 Chevy, turned in front of a 2006 GMC, driven by 46-year old Norma Jean Weitzel, of Sac City, as Weitzel was traveling south on Highway 71, and Miller was traveling east on 44.

After the vehicles collided, Weitzel was transported to the Audubon County Memorial Hospital, for treatment of minor injuries. Damage from the crash, which remains under investigation, amounted to $8,000.

The second accident happened on Highway 44, just east of Hamlin, at around 6-p.m, Tuesday. Officials say 20-year old Tiffany Marie Ward, of Audubon, was traveling east when she fell asleep at the wheel. When her 1994 Oldsmobile e ran off onto the shoulder of the road, Ward overcorrected, sending the car sideways into the south ditch, where it hit a field drive. The impact knocked-off the back tire. Her vehicle continued over the field drive before coming to rest on its wheels.

Ward was also transported to the Audubon County Hospital and treated for minor injuries. She was later cited for Failure to Maintain Control. Damage from the crash amounted to $2,000.

Two Atlantic residents were arrested Tuesday on theft charges. 56-year old Sara Gustafson was arrested by Atlantic Police, on warrants for 1^st Degree Theft and Forgery. And, 18-year old Carey Klindt, of Atlantic, was arrested on a charge of shoplifting.

Both women were brought to the Cass County Jail and held pending a court appearance.