(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Transportation Commission today (Tuesday) discussed an expansion of a long-time economic development program to help communities hit by disasters. The D-O-T’s Deb Arp says the RISE program was created during the economic downturn in the 1980’s. “Iowa’s economy needed revitalization at that time, and through more diversification and more support for development in non metropolitan areas, and that became a driving force through some of the legislative achievements through that period. And in 1985 rise was one of those,” Arp says. RISE stands for Rebuild Iowa’s Sound Economy, and provides funding to extend roadways for potential new businesses or to help businesses which promise to create new jobs.

Arp says the Business Relocation and Job Retention program would meet the guidelines of RISE. “We feel that the impacts of this program and on revitalizing a community could be similar, and looked at similar as the University Research Park category,” she says, “where we may not have specific job commitments, we don’t have a specific company we are assisting, but we are approaching that level of impact, economic development wise, in a depressed area, that it’s worthy of a higher level of support.”
Arp says it would not be used to rebuild flooded roads — but would help businesses relocate to stay viable.

“A community should be in a county covered by a proclamation of disaster emergency by the governor and also a presidential disaster declaration,” Arp says. “There must be flooded businesses. In this case, we’re talking about a flood. Flooded businesses requesting permanent relocation outside of the Flood Hazard Area.” Arp says the applications would have to go through a scoring process to determine they met the guidelines.

“Documentation of business interest in relocation and the economic distress of the community would be required to be submitted with the application. Roadways are located outside of the flood hazard area, and rise participation would be held to 70 percent of eligible project costs,” she says. The D-O-T staff will now put together the language to create the program and bring it back to the Transportation Commission for a vote to approve it. Arp says Rock Valley is one community that could use the program if it is approved.

(Radio Iowa) – A former southeast Iowa middle school teacher is being sentenced after sending improper messages to a student six years ago. Forty-two-year-old Zachary Barr of Ottumwa will serve a pair of five-year concurrent prison sentences after pleading guilty to enticing a minor and sexual exploitation by a school employee. In 2018, Barr, then a sixth-grade teacher at Evans Middle School, sent illicit messages to a 13-year-old girl. As part of the investigation, officers took control of the girl’s social media accounts. Their conversations with Barr became overtly sexual, prompting his arrest.

In addition to his prison time, Barr will also have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday, received a weekly update from County Engineer Karen Albert. She mentioned the Secondary Roads Department has been hauling road rock and did some cold patchwork on certain roads over the past week. She said also, surveyors will be in the area next week (the weeks of Sept. 16^th). Surveying two bridges.

Montgomery County Engineer Karen Albert, 9-10-24

H-34/Nature Avenue to Q Avenue, she said is being widened, and work is progressing on that project before it is completed.

She said also her department continues to meet with FEMA on a bi-weekly basis with regard to damages from the May, 2024 severe storm event that caused damaged to some of the county road infrastructure. FEMA was out last week conducting a site inspection, according to Engineer Albert.

(Radio Iowa) – U-S Senator Chuck Grassley is renewing his criticism of the F-B-I after a new government report finds the agency failed to make promised changes following the nation’s largest-ever sports sex abuse scandal. Former U-S Olympic Gymnastics Doctor Larry Nassar was arrested in 2016 on allegations he sexually assaulted more than 260 girls and young women. Grassley says the F-B-I still hasn’t made key changes in how it investigates child sex abuse reports. “They aren’t giving proper attention to sexual abuse, and they just aren’t doing their job,” Grassley says. “They haven’t improved their technology and their reporting regulations.”

Grassley says a recent audit from the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General finds the F-B-I botched the Nassar investigation, and while the F-B-I committed to making meaningful reforms, hasn’t implemented most of them. “The FBI, going back maybe eight, nine, ten years, when Nassar was abusing these gymnasts, and some of this was reported to the FBI,” Grassley says, “and the Indianapolis office sat on it for months and maybe into a couple years.” Grassley says the audit found the F-B-I has not issued new policy guidelines directing employees to report child sex abuse to the authorities, and hasn’t fixed vulnerabilities that prevented law enforcement from swiftly bringing Nassar to justice. It also found the bureau still heavily relies on the outdated Sentinel system it used during the Nassar investigation, as opposed to the updated Guardian system that pushes alerts for timely reviews.

“But here we are seven, eight, nine years later,” Grassley says, “and we’re finding out that they aren’t following up on the mistakes they made in Indianapolis.” Grassley has sent a letter to the F-B-I’s director, demanding answers on the bureau’s failure to implement necessary changes to improve its practices regarding child sex cases. In 2017, Nassar was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison, and in 2018, was sentenced to several more decades in a Michigan state prison.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – On Thursday, September 12, from 4:00-7:00 PM the Cass County Democrats will hold a Grand Opening at their 2024 election headquarters at 704 Walnut St. Suite 2, in Atlantic. The Grand Opening will feature Iowa House Candidate Tripp Narup who is running for the Iowa House in District 18, the seat currently held by Tom Moore. In addition to Narup, Cass County District Five Supervisor Candidate Phyllis Stakey will also be attending the Democrats’ Grand Opening. Stakey is running for the seat currently held by Bernard Pettinger. District Five includes Wiota, Anita, Cumberland, and Massena.

Narup,currently serving on the Villisca City Council, believes the following issues are central to creating opportunity in Southwest Iowa: reproductive rights, public education, highway and road infrastructure, and the state tax code. “Iowans are friendly and sensible people,” he said. “They know it is the time to get back to basics, to get back to doing the job state government is meant to do: educate our kids, maintain our roads and bridges, and protect individual rights. We’ve had enough of political bickering and make-believe culture clash issues. Let’s get back to work.”

Stakey is running for County Supervisor because she believes it is important to manage people’s money well, and she wants to promote and further develop communities in Cass County. Stakey is a lifelong resident of Cass County who worked as a realtor for 23 years and spent 18 years serving on the Cass County Hospital Board of Trustees. Stakey understands how important it is to people that their money be managed well. She has been active in the Cass County Tourism Committee, the Massena Historical Society, the Massena Chamber of Commerce, and the Cass County Board of Review, among other community organizations. Stakey believes all County Supervisors should be actively engaged in supporting and promoting their communities.

Everyone interested in meeting Narup or Stakey is welcome to attend the Cass County Democrats’ Headquarters Grand Opening on September 12, regardless of party affiliation. For more information on the Cass County Democrats or to join the Cass County Democrats email newsletter, contact casscountyiadems@gmail.com or follow the Cass County Democrats on Facebook @CassCountyIADems or on Instagram @CassCountyDemocrats.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Montgomery County Emergency Management Director Brian Hamman, today (Tuesday), updated the Board of Supervisors on reimbursement for damages sustained to County infrastructure stemming from the May 21st tornado. He reported on damage to the Conservation Department/Hacklebarney Woods County Park near Villisca, and Communications equipment (More specifically, the tower that was destroyed near Villisca).

Beginning with the Conservation Department damage report, Hamman said Hacklebarney sustained roughly $304,000 worth of damages from the tornado.

Hamman wanted to point out and send a “Thank you” to all those who volunteered to clean-up the park after the tornado tore through the area. He specifically mentioned Team Rubicon.

Brian Hamman said the loss to the Communications infrastructure amounted to over $1.2-million dollars, the majority of which was related to the Communications Tower.

Montgomery County Emergency Management Director Brian Hamman address the BOS 9-10-24

The Board approved a bid from Motorola in the amount of $1,082, 980, for replacement of the communication tower. A Resolution establishing a County Compensation Board failed to pass after there was no second and discussion on parliamentary procedure. The Board set Tuesday, Oct. 1st, at 8:45-a.m., as the date and time for a public hearing on the Vacating of all of the unimproved Walnut Street as described in the Amended plat of the unincorporated Town of Hawthorne.

They also discussed establishing a policy with regard to Public Comments during Board meetings. There currently is no, written policy in-place for the placement of comments on the agenda. Those comments presently follow the reading of previous meeting minutes, and are limited to two-minutes for any item not already on the agenda. The Board agreed to put the matter on next week’s agenda for discussion and possible approval.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Police Department says there were 12 arrests that took place between August 28th and Sept. 7th (Some of which we have previously reported). Most recently…

There were two arrests last Saturday (Sept. 7th), in Atlantic: 20-year-old Sabastian Hernandez, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication; and, 40-year-old Jesse Borden, of Atlantic, was arrested for Going Armed with Intent.

There were also two arrests on Sept. 5th, in Atlantic: 36-year-old Jesica Mayo, of Atlantic, was arrested on a warrant for Violation of Probation; and, 62-year-old Craig Lang, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication.

Atlantic Police arrested three-people on Sept. 1st: 28-year-old G Love Kovac, of Atlantic, was arrested for Public Intoxication, Disorderly Conduct and Interference with Official Acts.; 27-year-old Weneity Seker, of Atlantic, was arrested for OWI/1st offense; and, 33-year-old Samantha Werhli, of Atlantic, was arrested for False Report of an Indictable Offense, & Public Intox.

On Aug. 30th, APD Officers arrested 43-year-old Nicole Anaya, of Atlantic, for Driving while license denied or revoked. On the 29th, 53-year-old Thomas Strathman, of Atchison, KS, was arrested for OWI/1st offense, and 19-year-old Efrain Sandiego, of Atlantic, was arrested for Violation of a No Contact Order.

And, on August 28th, 57-year-old Rex McDermott, of Elk Horn, was arrested on a Montgomery County warrant for Theft in the 2nd Degree. Each of the aforementioned individuals were taken into custody, transported to the Cass County Jail, and booked-in. As of Sept. 9th, only G Love Kovac remained in the Cass County Jail.

The Atlantic Police Department reports also, three people were cited for Shoplifting (Theft in the 5th Degree), between August 28th & Sept. 6th: 35-yearold Trevor Boyer, of Cumberland; 41-year-old Amy Carman, of Atlantic; and 23-year-old Tyler Julich, of Atlantic. In addition, 34-year-old Alyssa Nash, of Atlantic, was cited for Assault causing bodily injury.