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Keep up-to-date with Fox News Radio, Radio Iowa, Brownfield & the Iowa Agribusiness Networks!
Montgomery County Emergency Management Director Brian Hamman reports a ban on open burning went into effect 5-p.m. Monday (Sept. 28th). The BURN BAN means all open and controlled burning in Montgomery County is prohibited unless an official burn ban permit has been issued by the proper fire chief.
Hamman says the current drought conditions throughout the county in combination with unharvested crops present an increased risk for the potential of rapid fire spread. Controlled fires can quickly become uncontrollable and pose an immediate risk to the life and safety of our residents. Montgomery County is currently listed in Severe drought conditions (D2) in the northern part of the county and in Moderate Drought conditions(D1)throughout the rest.
More information on current drought conditions can be found at https://www.drought.gov/drought/states/iowa. Citizens are reminded to not throw out cigarettes from moving vehicles and to discontinue burning yard waste, piled tree debris, grass/agricultural ground and set-asides or other items during this ban.
Small recreational camp fires are permitted only if they are conducted in a fire place of brick, metal or heavy one-inch wire mesh. Any camp fire not in an outdoor fire place is prohibited.Violation of a burn ban can subject a person to citation or arrest for reckless use of fire or disobeying a burn ban.
(Atlantic) – With social distancing recommended and with full trust in the United States Postal System, Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman is encouraging all Cass County voters to take advantage of the right to vote early by mail for the 2020 General Election on November 3, 2020.
Several organizations have mailed official applications for an absentee ballot to Iowa voters and nearly 2,000 Cass County voters have already filed an application. Only one of those application forms needs to be sent to the County Auditor; all additional forms may be discarded or recycled. The first day the County Auditor may mail the actual ballot to the voter is October 5th. Last day to file an absentee ballot request form with the County Auditor and for him to mail you the ballot is October 24th.
The Auditor recommends requests be filed as soon as possible. If a voter still needs a request form, absentee ballot request forms are available on the website of the Iowa Secretary of State (https://sos.iowa.gov/elections/electioninfo/absenteeinfo.html); or you may contact the Cass County Auditor and have a form mailed or emailed to you. Phone: 712-243-4570 or Email: auditor@casscoia.us.
IN PERSON EARLY VOTING: Monday, October 5 is the first day absentee ballots may be voted at the county auditor’s office. The Cass County Auditor’s office has regular office hours of 8:00 A.M. thru 4:30 P.M., Monday thru Friday. The office will also be open for voting on Saturday, October 24 and Saturday, October 31. Last day to vote early in the auditor’s office is November 2.
VOTING IN VOTER’S VEHICLE: In accordance with Chapter 49.53 of the Iowa Code, any voter who is physically unable to enter the polling place, including the Cass County Auditor’s office, has the right to vote in the voter’s vehicle.
REGISTRATION / IDENTIFICATION: All voters are required to be registered in Cass County in order to vote in Cass County. All voters are required to provide an approved form of identification at the polling place before receiving and casting a ballot. Voters may register and vote on the same day. Persons registering and voting on the same day after October 24 will also be required to provide proof of residence.
The CDC also believes that people aged 65 years and older are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID- 19 and should stay home and avoid close contact. A majority of Iowa’s Precinct Election Officials (PEOs) are older than 65, and several PEOs, statewide, are declining to serve as PEOs for this General election. For this and other reasons, the majority of County Auditors in Iowa are combining precincts for the 2020 General Election.
The Cass County Auditor (Local Commissioner of Elections) has chosen to combine the regular 13 Cass County voting precincts into 9 combined precincts and has chosen voting locations which he believes will best serve the voters of Cass County.
Those combined precincts and voting locations are:
The Mills County Emergency Management Agency reports a BURN BAN will be placed into effect beginning today (Monday), at 4-p.m. The proclamation was issued after receiving reports from all fire districts within Mills County. Conditions within Mills County are such that open burning presents a danger to life or property. The burn ban will be in place until such time that the conditions dangerous to life or property no longer exists.
Residents wishing to conduct a prescribed burn must obtain written approval from their fire chief prior to conducting a burn. If the fire chief gives approval for a prescribed burn, residents must then contact the Mills County Communications Center at the start and completion of the burn. The Mills County Communication Center may be reached by calling (712) 527-4871.
Residents failing to obtain the proper authorization may be subject to a criminal charge under Iowa Code §100.40(2). This does not include the use of outdoor fireplaces, barbecue grills, properly supervised landfills or the burning of trash in incinerators or trash burners made of metal,concrete, masonry, or heavy one-inch wire mesh, with no openings greater than one square inch
The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports five arrests over the past week. Three of the arrests took place on Sept. 23rd:
On Sept. 21st, 35-year old Christopher Coy Edwin Chaney, of Fontanelle, was arrested by Adair County Deputies, for Domestic Assault, after he allegedly struck a woman in the face during an argument, leaving a bruise under her right eye. Chaney was released the following day on a $1,000 C/S bond.
And, on Sept. 20th, 56-year old Aleatha Sharon Yarrington, of Bridgewater, was arrested for simple Assault in connection with an incident involving her guardian/juvenile grandson. She was released on her Own Recognizance the following afternoon.
The Page County Sheriff’s Office reports one person was hurt during a single-vehicle accident Thursday, about six-miles northwest of Clarinda. Authorities say 31-year old Chasity Nichole Zaiger, of rural Essex, was driving a 2002 Jeep Liberty westbound on 190th Street near L Avenue, when the SUV went out of control and entered the south ditch. The vehicle then flipped end over end before coming to rest on its side. Zaiger managed to get out of the vehicle and call for help. She was transported to the Clarinda Regional Health Center by Clarinda Ambulance service for examination and treatment of undisclosed injuries..
Authorities say her SUV sustained about $5,000 damage. Zaiger was cited for No valid driver’s license. The Page County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Clarinda Fire Department and the Clarinda Ambulance service.
The Cass County Sheriff’s Office has released information on an accident and a recent arrest. Officials say at around 2:47-a.m., Saturday, Deputies responded to a single-vehicle accident on I-80 in Cass County. A 2021 Freightliner driven by 24-year old Hassan Abdirahman Yahye, of St. Paul, MN, was westbound on I-80 in a construction zone, when the vehicle took evasive action to avoid a motorcycle and ended up in the median. The rig came to rest against the steel cable barrier. No injuries were reported. Damage to the vehicle is estimated at $14,000; damage to the steel barrier is estimated at $1,000. No citations were issued.
And, on Friday, 53-year old Rex Dean McDermott, of Atlantic, was arrested on a charge of Public Intoxication. McDermott was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on $300 bond.
Officials with the City of Atlantic, today (Monday), issued a statement with regard to nuisance properties: “In an effort to continue cleaning up Atlantic and creating a safe, healthy community, the Atlantic Police Department will be working in conjunction with Atlantic Code Enforcement Officers, in locating and eradicating nuisances. These nuisances can include dilapidated buildings, compounding trash piles, unmowed grass, junk vehicles, improperly parked vehicles, and more.”
The City says “Officers may be seen in residential areas viewing “nuisances” [mentioned]. Over-parked vehicles, junk/broken down vehicles being stored in the yard, vehicles being stored on non-approved or not-hard surfaces, tall grass and piling trash, are examples of the nuisances that will be addressed by either Atlantic Police Officers of Code Enforcement Officers.”
The City encourages residents to “Please take a moment to survey your property and check for items that may be of concern. Officers investigating potential violations will give ample notice through abatement procedures of what the concern(s) is/are, how to resolve the issue(s) and how soon the problem area(s) must be resolved. Officials say “Officers may write municipal infraction citations if the owners continue to disregard the opportunities to fix and abatable issues.
Anyone with questions or concerns should contact the Atlantic Police Department at 712-243-3512.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A judge is refusing to block a Republican-backed Iowa law that makes it harder for county officials to process absentee ballot applications and more likely that incomplete requests won’t be fulfilled. In an opinion released Monday, Judge Lars Anderson rejects arguments by a Latino civil rights organization and a Democratic Party group that the law is an undue burden on the fundamental right to vote.
The ruling is another victory for Republicans who want to limit absentee voting, which begins next week in Iowa. Republicans have already invalidated tens of thousands of absentee ballot applications in three counties.
Des Moines, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa Insurance Division report 60-year old Dwight Jay Roberts, of Indianola, faces one count of Insurance Fraud – Presenting False Information, and one count of Theft 2nd Degree. Both are Class-D Felony offenses. The charges are the results of an investigation by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau that began in July, 2019.
According to criminal complaints filed by the Insurance Fraud Bureau, Roberts made false statements in connection with a disability insurance claim and received insurance benefits due to these false statements. On September 23, 2020, Roberts was charged and released with a promise to appear in court.
Iowans with information about insurance fraud are encouraged to contact the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau at 515-654-6556.
(Atlantic) – The recent rains and the more moderate temperatures make this fall a great time for gardening projects. And, if you’re looking for late-season additions to your yard and garden, the Cass County Master Gardeners have just the event for you! Their second annual Fall Plant Sale will be held Saturday, October 10th, at the Cass County Community Center, (805 W 10th Street, on the Cass County Fairgrounds). The sale begins at 8 AM, and will be held in the front parking lot of the Community Center. Interested gardeners are encouraged to arrive early for best plant selection, as the annual spring and fall sales occasionally sell out before 10 AM.
The sale will be open to the public to purchase divided perennials suitable for fall planting. Plants already confirmed to be on the sale include hosta, spring-flowering bulbs, daylilies, perennial geranium, sedum, ornamental grasses, and Naked Lady bulbs. Additional plants will continue to be added to the sale, as well as possibly some garden tools and decor.
The Master Gardeners were unable to hold their annual Spring Plant Sale this year due to the COVID pandemic, so a large selection is anticipated as this will be the only opportunity to purchase from the group this year. Due to the pandemic, several safety measures will be in place for this sale, including recommending the use of masks, spreading out sale items to allow for social distancing, a one-way traffic flow for shoppers and, if necessary, limiting the number of people shopping at any given time. Hand sanitizer stations and options for drive-through pickup will also be available.
The Master Gardeners appreciate the great response to the group’s Bulb Sale, consisting of pre-orders for tulip and narcissus (daffodil) bulbs. As of the latest report, all of the tulip bulbs have been sold, while roughly half of the narcissus (daffodil) bulbs are still available. Order forms and photos of the variety colors can be found at the Cass County Extension Office or on the Extension website at http://www.extension.iastate.edu/cass. All pre-ordered bulbs will be available for pickup at the plant sale, and any remaining bulbs will be available for purchase that day. Bulbs will be sold in bags of 5 mixed colors for $5/bag. Pre-orders are still being taken, and are encouraged to guarantee availability of bulbs.
Cass County Master Gardeners will be bringing a variety of plants from their own gardens, as well as plants dug from gardens around the community, for this sale. Community members are also welcome to donate plants to this event, and members may even help you dig! Please call in advance and make arrangements to drop off donated plants before the date of the plant sale.
For more information about these events and about Master Gardener activities in Cass County, please call the Cass County Extension Office at 712-243-1132, or email Cass County Extension Director and Master Gardener Coordinator Kate Olson at keolson@iastate.edu. In addition, you are invited to follow the Cass County Master Gardeners at their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CassCoMG to keep up with local events and tips for gardening!