Cass County Treasurer Tracey J. Marshall reports the deadlines for property taxes, Driver Licenses and motor vehicle registration renewals, vehicle title registration and license plates, have been extended in response to COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds issued a proclamation Tuesday, that extends the deadlines to June 25^th for March 2020 property tax payments, Driver License, vehicle registration renewals, vehicle title registration and license plates.

Marshall says “While our office is open by appointment only for Cass County Citizens, we are encouraging citizens to use online, mail, email and our drop box if possible.” Online payments can be made at www.iowatreasurers.org. Mail in payments can be mailed: Cass County Treasurer, 5 W 7^th St, Atlantic, IA 50022

A drop box can be found at the courthouse main entrance door. Anyone with questions regarding property tax, Driver License or motor vehicle inquiries should contact Cass County Treasurers Office at 712-243-5503 or email cass.treasurer@casscoia.us

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The daughter of an Iowa nursing home resident who died suddenly in a coronavirus outbreak says the state could have done more to stop the spread and protect vulnerable citizens such as her father. Roger Coe, age 86, died Friday at the Crystal Heights Care Center in Oskaloosa after the virus quickly spread through the home. The center said Monday that 48 residents and 13 employees have tested positive over roughly the last two weeks.

Sherrie Coe of Fort Collins, Colorado, said her father was known for wheeling himself to the nurses’ station every day and playing his harmonica for anyone who would listen. She says his death is sad and tough to take because she believes it could have been prevented with stricter mitigation strategies.

Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope Reports that an arrest has been made in connection with vehicle burglaries and other incidents that took place in Farragut. 22-year old Max Mitchell, of Farragut, was taken into custody at around 1:25-a.m. Tuesday.

Max Mitchell (Fremont County Sheriff’s Office photo)

During the course of the investigation, the Fremont County K9 Roby was deployed and located a warm marijuana pipe with marijuana thrown on the ground by Mitchell, upon being contacted by law enforcement. Deputies and the K9 Unit executed a search warrant in the 800 block of New Orleans Ave, in Farragut, where they discovered stolen property connecting Mitchell the events that took place May 15th, and a home invasion on May 24th.

Mitchell is being held at the Fremont County Jail on the following charges:

• Burglary 2nd Degree, a Class C Felony
• Theft 3rd Degree, an Aggravated Misdemeanor
• 2 counts of Burglary 3rd Degree, a Aggravated Misdemeanors
• Theft 4th Degree, a Serious Misdemeanor
• Possession of A Controlled Substance 3rd Offense, a Class D Felony
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, a Simple Misdemeanor

More charges are pending. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office says Mitchell’s arrest stems from the following incident investigations: On May 15th, authorities received two reports of vehicle burglaries in Farragut. On May 24th, the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a home invasion that occurred in the 400 Block of Washington Street in Farragut.  The elderly homeowner reported she was sleeping in her bed when an intruder entered her residence.  She awoke to find several items missing, including items taken from around the bed she was sleeping in.  The female homeowner was not injured.

Later that morning deputies took a report that a vehicle and garage were entered on the same evening, in the 200 block of Clay Street, in Farragut. Deputies also received a report of a third vehicle that was burglarized around 05/22/2020.  Nothing was found missing from the vehicle.

Anyone with additional information concerning those or other crimes, is asked to call the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office at 712-374-2424.

Two young women in a Chevy Tahoe-type vehicle were injured during a single-vehicle accident this (Tuesday) afternoon, near 4th and Poplar Streets, in Atlantic. According to Atlantic Police Officer Caleb Smith, at around 3:05-p.m., the vehicle came off the road about 80-feet west of the intersection and struck a tree in front of 315 Poplar Street.

Officer Caleb Smith investigates the crash (Ric Hanson/photos)

The two, unidentified females were transported by Medivac Ambulance to the Cass County Memorial Hospital. The accident remained under investigation. Atlantic Police and Atlantic Fire and Rescue assisted at the scene, along with Richter Towing.

Audubon Community School District 5th-thru 12th grade Principal Quentin Stanerson posted a notice on social media this (Tuesday) afternoon, announcing the 2020 Prom “A Rustic Romance,” that was scheduled for June 13th is cancelled.

Stanerson says “Following the guidance of the Governor’s Office, the Department of Education and the Iowa Department of Public Health, it was determined that it would not be feasible to hold such an event.”

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Federal officials say BNSF railroad has agreed to clean up 2 million pounds of broken glass from televisions and computer monitors that contains lead at a property it bought in Sioux City, Iowa, several years ago. The Environmental Protection Agency says the glass from cathode ray tube monitors was left at the site by a recycling company that owned the land before BNSF bought it in 2014.

The EPA says the cleanup will take about four months to complete. The EPA says the Sioux City site is one of six locations in Iowa and Nebraska where Recycletronics left roughly 16.9 million pounds of glass from CRT monitors behind.

(Radio Iowa) – Officials in a southwest Iowa community are laying the groundwork for a “farm school.” The Essex City Council has given initial approval to an ordinance that would let the Essex School District keep livestock on school grounds. The council will review the proposal again at its June meeting. Essex Superintendent Dr. Mike Wells says the ordinance limits the number and type of animals.  “We agreed that lambs and goats and chickens and ducks would be year one of the program,” Wells says.

They hope to start this vocational program this fall. Wells says school officials have addressed concerns about odor and cleanliness. “We would not bring animals onto the grounds until after the Labor Day celebration each year and then we would sell the animals at the sale barn by the end of April, by May 1st,” Wells says, “and then we would clean that site before baseball starts to make sure everything looks nice for baseball season.”

Wells is also superintendent of the Hamburg School District, where a similar program is already operating. Wells says city and Essex school officials will review the program yearly and decide whether it should continue. The Essex school board has hired its first-ever ag instructor to conduct the farm school courses for vocational students, who would start by constructing the buildings for the animals.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Kim Reynolds says she will lift a moratorium on evictions and allow gatherings of more than 10 people to resume as she removes more restrictions meant to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Reynolds also said she would also allow casinos, amusement parks, speedways, arcades and bowling alleys to reopen in the coming days. Large gatherings for social functions and sports competitions will also be allowed to resume. The continued reopening comes as COVID-19 deaths in Iowa have increased to 471. Advocates for low-income tenants have warned that scores of tenants who have lost income due to the coronavirus pandemic could face eviction in coming months.

(12-p.m. News) – An investigation into a single-vehicle accident Saturday evening at Lake Anita State Park, resulted in an arrest. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports deputies responded to the scene a little after 8-p.m., Saturday. Officials say a 2020 Nissan Altima owned and driven by 55-year old Shon Lamont Young, of Atlantic, left the roadway on the north side of the park and struck a tree. No injuries were reported; damage to the vehicle is estimated at $30,000.

Deputies arrested Young for Operating While Intoxicated (a Serious Misdemeanor). He was taken to the Cass County Jail and was released the following day on his own recognizance.

JOHNSTON, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa DNR said Tuesday (today), that at approximately 4:45-p.m. on Monday, May 25th, DNR conservation officers responded to a boat explosion on Saylorville Lake.  Upon initial investigation, it was determined that an accumulation of gas fumes in the engine compartment of the boat ignited when the boat was started.

At the time of the explosion, there were eight passengers on board, including the operator and owner of the boat, Michael Jenkins, of Ames. Two passengers were treated and released at the scene with minor burns and one passenger was transported to UnityPoint’s Iowa Methodist Medical Center with more serious burns.  Investigators do not believe alcohol was a factor in this incident.

The DNR reminds boat operators with inboard motors to run the blower system before starting a boat to prevent this type of incident from happening.