(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors (this) Tuesday morning, passed a Resolution with regard to ARPA funding for the Cumberland Youth Fitness Program. The Board during their meeting on August 16^th, approved a request to equip the facility with a cross-fit training machine, at a cost of $4,919. In other business, the Board continued their discussion from last week, with regard to the potential sale of County-Owned farmland, in the area of Willow Heights. Cass County resident Cary Short commented on the value of the land, and the financial loss the County would take by selling it, instead of continuing to lease it.

He said the taxpayers would lose $29,522 this year alone, if the property is put back on the tax rolls.

He even suggested that if the County wanted to save taxpayers money, it should pass a Resolution to eliminate one of the Supervisor’s jobs and go to a three-member Board, like other Counties have done, and as authorized by the Code of Iowa. That suggestion didn’t sit well with Vice-Chair Mark O’Brien.

Supervisor Bernard Pettinger and O’Brien mentioned going to a three member board could pose a problem as far as transparency is concerned.

Supervisor Steve Green said a good portion of the land is above average in the CSR, which will bring the price up. Land is always an investment, he said, and…

Supervisor John Hartkopf said without the proper guidance, the County could be looking at a “Huge Capital Gains Tax,” if it decides to sell the land. The Board took no action on the sale during their meeting, while they continue to gather information. Certified letters were mailed on August 22, 2022 to the current tenants.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Police Chief Devin Hogue reports as part of an ongoing investigation, the Atlantic Police Department executed three search warrants on Monday, August 22nd. The warrants were served on residences at 405 Peach Street, 511 Walnut Street, and 706 Palm Street. As a result of the investigation two men were arrested: 19-year-old William Freemark, of Atlantic, was arrested for: Possession of a controlled substance/1st offense – marijuana, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia; 19-year-old Tanner Glines, of Atlantic, was arrested for PCS/2nd offense – marijuana, and poss. of paraphernalia.

The investigation is ongoing and additional charges are pending. Atlantic Police were assisted in their investigation by the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol Tactical Team, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the Cass County Drone Team.

No other details are being released at this time. If you have information regarding the incident, please call the Atlantic Police Department at 712-243-3512.

(Radio Iowa) – Many thousands of refugees from Afghanistan have found new homes in the U-S in recent months, with several hundred settling in Iowa, and now Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says there’s new evidence several dozen of them should never have been allowed into the country. Grassley says, “At least 70 of these people have been identified as maybe possible national security threats and does the FBI know where they are?” F-B-I Director Chris Wray appeared before a senate panel earlier this month and Grassley asked him where those Afghans who are possible security threats were located. Grassley says Wray didn’t know, but promised to find out and get back to them. Grassley says the security screenings were insufficient.

“We’re also concerned the extent to which their proper vetting of everybody that came to the country and everybody should be properly vetted,” Grassley says, “but we think that 70 had been either vetted or had other suspicions of them being possible national security threats, and that’s what we’re trying to find out.” Grassley says there needs to be more transparency about the Afghan refugees who were flagged by the National Ground Intelligence Center as potential security threats. Grassley says there’s no way to know if any of the Afghans who now live in Iowa are among those who are potential security threats. Still, he says he’s confident the vast majority of the refugees are “hard working” people and will contribute to Iowa’s economy.

“A little bit like we have learned, maybe at the time the Vietnamese boat people came to Iowa 40-50 years ago,” Grassley says. “We probably had some doubt about whether we should be doing that, but for the most part, they’ve turned out to be very contributing people to the economy of Iowa and really good Iowans.” At least 700 Afghan refugees have settled in Iowa in the past year, according to the Refugee Alliance of Central Iowa.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Montgomery County, Tuesday morning, unanimously passed a motion to hire Snyder and Associates Engineers for inspection services, with regard to the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions carbon dioxide pipeline. The proposed pipeline would run 18-miles through the western portion of Montgomery County, to Green Plains Renewable Energy, LLC.

As of the last report, Summit had received nearly 40% of the required land for the project through voluntary easements in Iowa, but building permits have yet to be submitted in Montgomery County. Supervisor Donna Robinson said she preferred Snyders as the Inspecting Engineer because of the completeness of their presentation and past experience the County has had with the company.

Board member Charla Schmid says she too, was impressed with the company. The Board had discussed waiting until next week to act on approving an inspection service, because some members wanted to get additional input from Supervisors attending the upcoming ISAC (Iowa State Association of Counties) meeting.

Proposed Summit Pipeline

But in the end, they didn’t want to wait much longer to get the ball rolling, but that doesn’t mean they can’t continue to get more information and opinions.
Donna Robinson…

The next step is for the County’s Letter of Intent to be updated by the County Attorney and submitted to Snyder’s for their approval.

Police in Red Oak have arrested a man from Red Oak, for Child Endangerment/Bodily Injury – a Class D Felony. Officers took 23-year-old Andrew Michael Nagunst into custody at around 7:40-p.m., Monday. He was arrested in the 100 block of N. 5th Street and transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where bond for Nagunst was set at $5,000.

(Creston, Iowa) – Two men were arrested on separate drug charges, in Union County. According to Creston Police, 18-year-old Anthony David Hopkins, of Osceola, was arrested Monday night and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance 1st Offense/Marijuana. He was later released from the Union County Jail on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

And, early today (Tuesday), 40-year-old Joseph Mark Christman, of Creston, was arrested for Poss. of Drug Paraphernalia. He was cited and released from the scene.