Members of the CAM School Board and the CAM School District’s Facilities Committee will hold a special meeting available by ZOOM, on Monday, April 5th. The meeting begins at 6:30-p.m.  On the agenda, is discussion with regard to:

• A review of current facility information
• Financial options to fund capital projects
• Next steps/meetings.

(Radio Iowa) – President Biden is unveiling a two-trillion dollar infrastructure proposal which the administration says will create jobs as it builds new roads and bridges, and improves broadband, water quality, schools and more. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley, who’s traveling in Iowa during the Easter Recess, says he’s only read about some of the basics of what’s being called the American Jobs Plan. “I only have a broad outline of it,” Grassley says. “It’s going to, according to the Post, it’s going to take until July to finally pass the legislation so there’s a lot of details that I’m going to have to see through.”

Early reports show the proposal includes 115-billion dollars to repair and rebuild roads and bridges, 100-billion to improve and build new schools, 100-billion for expanding high-speed internet connections, and another 100-billion to improve our power infrastructure. Grassley, a Republican, wants to know where the two-trillion dollars will come from in the budget.  “Paying for it is very, very important,” Grassley says. “The tax policy probably isn’t as important to me as the spending policy.”

The Biden administration says the massive measure includes a series of elements for infrastructure overhauls which are desirable to both Democrats and Republicans. “It really needs to be bipartisan,” Grassley says. “I think that we’ll see how seriously they take bipartisanship. They sure didn’t take it very seriously in regard to the 1.9 (trillion dollar) COVID package that they put together.”

Democrats control the U-S Senate only thanks to the tie-breaking vote of the vice president, while that same party holds a narrow majority in the House.

(Radio Iowa) – The grass is starting to turn green and a turfgrass specialist with the Iowa State University Extension says it’s time to begin working on our lawns. I-S-U horticulture professor Adam Thoms says the first thing he does is to pick up all of those twigs, sticks and other debris that gathered during the winter so it won’t get stuck in the mower or dull its blade. “Now’s a great time to go ahead and fertilize your yard and start to get that grass up and growing for the year,” Thoms says. “We typically say to put out three-quarters of a pound of nitrogen per a thousand square feet for a rate.”

The stores are full of heavy fertilizer bags and they can be pricey. What ingredients should we be looking for in a fertilizer for the yard? “Really, the big thing is to try to find a slow-release nitrogen source,” Thoms says, “something that’s going to release over time so you don’t have a quick flush of growth, so that you’re not mowing-mowing-mowing like crazy in the spring because it all grew out at once.” Some Iowans may be finding large grey spots in their yards, which he says can be fixed without too much trouble. “Grey snow mold is a pretty common thing over Iowa this past winter,” Thoms says. “It’s from extended periods of snow cover which we had in the state. The best thing right now is to get out some fertilizer to recover out of it. Rake your yard to stand the grass up and let’s hope for warm weather to help it grow out of it.”

Now is also the time to hit those pesky weeds that seem to creep back every year. “One of the most common problem weeds is crabgrass,” Thoms says. “That’s going to be controlled with a pre-emergent herbicide. As long as you get that on April15th through May 1st throughout the state, that will prevent the crabgrass from coming up.” If you’re planting grass this spring, he warns do -not- use any crabgrass prevention products as they’ll keep your grass seeds from germinating.

The news at 8:11-a.m. w/ND Ric Hanson.

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Police in Creston arrested a man early this (Wednesday) morning for theft of a motor vehicle. 18-year-old Hunter Patterson, of Creston, was arrested at around 6:15-a.m. in the 300 block of N Vine, for Theft in the 2nd Degree. He was being held in the Union County Jail on a $5000 bond.

And, at around 12:30-p.m. Tuesday, 61-year old Kathy Irene Beemer, of Greenfield, was arrested in Taylor County, on a Union County warrant for Operating [a vehicle] without Owners Consent.  Beemer was transported to Union County Jail, posted a $2,000 cash bond, and was released.

The 7:06-a.m. newscast with News Director Ric Hanson.

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Updated: Police in Newton have charged a man with first-degree murder, following a stabbing that took place Tuesday night at an apartment in Newton. Authorities today (Wednesday) said 33-year old Shane Romine Borrego, of Newton, allegedly stabbed 41-year old Randall Clark Mikesell, Jr., of Newton, after the men got into an altercation over property. Newton Police responded to the incident at around 7:19 p.m., Tuesday, in the 900 block of North 6th Avenue East.

Upon arrival, they found Mikesell Jr. unresponsive, laying on the ground and bleeding from his torso. He died at the scene.

Police in Red Oak early this (Wednesday) morning arrested a man wanted on a warrant for Theft in the 4th Degree. 36-year-old Joshua Andrew Fink, of Stanton was arrested at around 1:22-a.m. and transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where his bond was set at $1,000.

Red Oak Police report also, a two-vehicle, non-injury accident occurred Tuesday, in the 1300 block of N. 1st Street. Authorities say a 2014 Dodge van owned by Nishna Productions and driven by Katherine Biggs, was backing out of a parking spot at the Nishna Productions House at 100 E. Oak, when Biggs failed to see a legally parked 2018 Ford Fusion, owned by Randy Meek. When the van struck the car, the Fusion sustained $2,900 damage. No citations were issued.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa lawmakers are close to giving legal recognition in Iowa to the so-called “smart contracts” used for digital currency, like Bitcoin. Representative Jeff Shipley of Fairfield says a Des Moines-based software company and some Iowa real estate agents are interested in conducting financial transactions using these computer-generated agreements.

“Iowans who are on the cutting edge of, I guess, cryptofinance or the emerging technological implications of this,” Shipley says. “…This bill ensures Iowans have access to world-leading contracting technologies and making sure that Iowa Code reflects the reality of 2021.” Representative Liz Bennett of Cedar Rapids says other states have passed similar legislation about cryptocurrency or virtual money that is being used to buy things.

“The way a smart contract works is basically like a soda machine,” Bennett says. “You put your coin in — or your Bitcoin. It drops down. It hits a lever. It causes other things to happen within the machine and boop! The arm goes up and gives you your Dr. Pepper. And what’s really important to note is that without any of those mechanical conditions being fulfilled, we’re not able to reach the end of the contract or the point where you get your Dr. Pepper.” Representative Steven Hansen of Sioux City says it is cutting edge stuff — but he notes there are concerns about fraud and tax avoidance.

“There’s going to come a time when the state treasurer and others are going to raise the red flag on companies like Bitcoin,” Hansen says, “and we’re going to have to step in and start regulating them more aggressively.” The House had a 15 minute debate of the concepts behind the bill before passing it unanimously. Earlier this month, the Senate approved the proposal without any debate. Senators will have to accept a minor change the House made in the bill before it can be sent to the governor.

Police in Shenandoah say no injuries were reported after an SUV struck a building housing the Page County Veterans Affairs Office. The Page West Building at 615 Northwest Road was hit Tuesday afternoon, when the vehicles’ brakes failed on the vehicle, causing it to crash in a wall of the building, and pushing the wall in.

Additional information is currently not available.