(Davenport. Iowa) – The Department of Corrections reports Justin Antonio McGowan, who was convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter and Going Armed with Intent in Scott County, failed to report to the Davenport Facility as required, Tuesday.  Officials say McGowan is a 34-year-old Black male, height 5′ 8″, and weighs 245 pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on May 6, 2021. Persons with information on McGowan’s whereabouts should contact local police.

McGowan

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday, learned the County Fire Association had received a Department of Homeland Security grant for the purchase of mobile radios used for communication between departments and the Cass County Communications Center. Former Fire Chief and volunteer firefighter Mark McNees, is the project manager.

The project period and the budget period for the grant started August 23^rd and continues August 22, 2023. McNees said the radios will be distributed to most of the County Fire Departments.

Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon explained, it’ll bring more County emergency personnel and equipment into the 700-megahertz frequency band, so they can better facilitate communications.

Mark McNees was looking for 100-percent of the matching grant from the Board. It’s possible (American Rescue Plan (ARP) Funds could be used for the purpose. Board Chair Steve Baier said he would look into it. Action on the request for matching funds is expected to take place at a future Board’s meeting.

In other business, the Board set Sept. 14^th as the date for a Public Hearing on amending the Cass County FY22 Budget, which is necessary due to the inclusion of CARES ACT funding. And, the Board approved the appointments of James Stokley, from Anita, to the County Conservation Board, as well as Patricia Ostrus and Ray Ostrus as Franklin Township Clerk and Trustee, respectively, for the remainders of those office terms. Stokley will fill a seat on the Conservation Board until 12/31/2022.

Page County Sheriff’s Deputies, Tuesday, arrested a man at the Pottawattamie County Jail. Authorities say 30-year-old Thomas Jeffrey Engstrand, of Braddyville, was taken into custody on a Page County warrant for Controlled substance violation and Possession of a controlled substance – 3rd or subsequent offense.  He was transported to the Page county Jail and held on $10,000 bond, pending further court appearances.

Thomas Jeffrey Engstrand

In an update to our report Tuesday afternoon from Audubon County Emergency Management Coordinator Philip Mennenoh, officials with the City of Kimballton say the City is currently in a brown out situation. Not all residents are effected. There is an issue with the transformer at the substation, and repair means are being sourced. This issue was discovered Tuesday.

Officials say the city is working as hard as possible to alleviate the problem and get full power back, but it is unknown the duration this outage. There will be a cooling center located at the town hall and will be open 12pm to 8pm if residents are needing a place to go to cool off. As more information is known it will be passed on.

(Radio Iowa) – A challenge to California’s looming law on animal confinement is being thrown out by a federal judge in Iowa. What’s known as Proposition 12 will go into effect in January. It bans California businesses from selling pork from pigs that were confined in what it calls “a cruel manner,” or pens with less than 24 square feet of space for each breeding hog. Iowa pork producers argued compliance would sharply boost costs, but Judge C-J Williams ruled there was no proof California intended to harm Iowa producers when voters passed Prop 12. He sided with the motion from California officials and dismissed the case.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office today (Wednesday), reported three arrests. At around 10:30-p.m. Tuesday, 34-year-old Amber Lynn Pike, of Glenwood, was arrested for Driving Under Suspension ($300 bond). Monday afternoon, 20-year-old Alexia Dianna Alvarez, of Omaha, was arrested at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office, on a warrant for Violation of Probation ($1,000 bond). And, 70-year-old Jeffrey Kent Stark, of Eagle Grove, was arrested Monday afternoon at the Pottawattamie County Jail, on a Mills County warrant for Violation of Probation ($5,000 bond).

The broadcast News at 8:07-a.m., with Ric Hanson.

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The broadcast News at 7:08-a.m., from Ric Hanson.

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(Radio Iowa) – A survey finds Iowa had the highest cash rent average for cropland this year at 233-dollars an acre, three-dollars an acre higher than last year. Farmers across the country are paying an average of 141-dollars per acre to rent cropland. That’s up two-dollars from last year. Iowa State University Extension ag economist Wendong Zhang says cash rents closely follow farmland values. “Iowa has seen about 20% growth, evidenced by many of the auction prices as well as the expert opinion survey,” Zhang says. “Iowa land values have shown about 18% growth from last July to July 1st of this year.”

He says having cash rents follow farmland values is supported by their recent survey of farm managers and ag lenders. “Typically, the cash rent to land value ratio, regardless of the change over the past decade, people have all anticipated this to be around 3.1%,” Zhang says. “In general, when the land markets goes up, then land prices goes up, then the cash rent typically tracks that as well.” Zhang expects the farmland values and cash rents to remain high. “In the near future, we will likely see this level of high land value, high cash rent to stay because the interest rate is still fairly low,” Zhang says. “Even though we have seen some increase in supply, in general, it’s still limited due to COVID payments and other things.”

Of the top five states, Iowa had the highest cash rent average followed by Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska and Minnesota.

A garage fire in Atlantic remains under investigation. The blaze at 800 Olive Street was reported at around 2:50-a.m.  Atlantic Fire Chief Tom Cappel II told KJAN News the structure was fully engulfed in fire when the first crew arrived on the scene.

Photos submitted

The house sits on the corner of 8th and Olive, with the garage directly to the south. Chief Cappel says the garage was a complete loss.

A house to the south of the garage sustained heat damage to its vinyl siding. No injuries were reported. Fire crews were on the scene for about an hour.

There was a storm in the area at the time, but Cappel didn’t think lightning played a role in the fire. Atlantic Police and the Cass County Sheriff’s Office assisted the Fire Department at the scene.