The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says deputies responded at around 4:18-p.m. Friday, to a report of a two-vehicle accident at Quincy and Lewis Roads. Officials say a 2005 Chevy Uplander driven by 31-year old Leslie Marie Karns, of Lewis, was northbound on Lewis Road when it struck a 2015 Chevy Silverado owned and driven by 22-year old Dwayne Robert McDaniel, of Elliott, as he attempted a south turn onto Lewis Road. McDaniel did not clear the intersection before the collision. No injuries were noted. Damage to Karns’ vehicle is estimated at $5,000; damage to McDaniel’s vehicle is estimated at $3,000.

At around 12:40-p.m. February 5th, deputies responded to a report of a two-vehicle accident on White Pole Road. A 2013 Chevy Cruze owned and driven by 49-year old Kelly Ann Stonehocker, of Adair, was following a slow-moving vehicle, when the Chevy was rear-ended by a 2003 Ford Focus owned and driven by 18-year old Katelynn Michelle Scar, of Adair.

A passenger in the Chevy was transported to CCMH by Anita Fire and Rescue, to treatment of unknown/possible injuries. Damage to Stonehocker’s vehicle is estimated at $500; damage to Scar’s vehicle is estimated at $2,000. Scar was cited for Following Too Close.

Officials with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office report five arrests: This past Sunday, 38-year old Justin Paul Parker, of Adair, was arrested on charges of Possession with Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine (a Class-B Felony) and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Parker was taken to the Cass County Jail and remains held on $25,000 bond.

Last Saturday, following a traffic stop, deputies arrested 77-year old Daniel Fredrick Compton, of Bridgewater, for OWI 1^st Offense, and 61-year old Dawn Marie Good, of Bridgewater, for Possession of Meth 1^st Offense. Both parties were taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on their own recognizance’s.

On Friday, 48-year old Jenny Rana Reese, of Clarinda, was arrested in Cass County for OWI 2^nd Offense. Reese was taken to the Cass County Jail and released the following day on her own recognizance.

And, on February 3rd, Cass County Sheriff’s deputies arrested 23-year old Blake Michael Zweck, of Madison, WI, on a District Court warrant for Violation of Probation. Zweck was taken to the Cass County Jail and later released upon sentencing.

Members of the CAM School District’s Board of Education met Monday evening and approved a resignations and contracts as their first order of business. Superintendent Paul Croghan said the Board approved the following resignations:

Heather Scar – Middle School Language Arts Teacher
Rachel Hill – North Elementary 3rd Grade Teacher
Para Educators Sarah Bartlett & Andy Kinzie resigned.

The Board also approved contracts for Marcus Dougherty as the Asst. Baseball Coach and Tianna Kinzie as a Paraeducator. In other business, the CAM School Board received an opening proposal from the CAM Education Association (CAMEA), with regard to contract negotiations. Superintendent Croghan said the proposal is just one step in the negotiating process.

Croghan said also, the Board approved the renewal of a five-year contract with Iowa Connections Academy, a homeschool alternative offering full-time virtual schooling to students anywhere in Iowa, grades K–12. The agreement maintains a 3.25-percent oversight, with a minimum administrative fee coming to the District in the amount of $125,000 per year, which is $25,000 more than last year.

He said the technology is proving itself to be successful.

In other business, the CAM School Board discussed the FY 2020-21 School Calendar and Budget. Mr. Croghan says proposals will be brought forward in March, and a Public Hearing for April. Their budget needs to be submitted to the County Auditor by no later than April 15th. Croghan said he spoke with the Board about the Early Retirement and Resignation Policies.

With regard to potential upgrades to District’s facilities, Croghan said there were 72 people in attendance at the first meeting held Sunday, and another 85 Monday night. He said they’ve been pleased with the turnout, which were live streamed via CAM Digital Media and KJAN.

The information gleaned from the meetings, the forms handed out to those in attendance, and input from the information posted online, will be used to help determine what improvements the public would like to see by order of priority.

Three people were arrested on separate charges over the past week, in Harlan. According to the Harlan Police Dept., 54-year old Michael Mario Morelli, of Harlan, was arrested Monday, on an assault charge. And, 39-year old Larry John Chambers, of Harlan, was arrested Monday, on a Shelby County warrant. Last Thursday, 58-year old Jeffrey Alan Schmidt, of Harlan, was arrested on an active Shelby County warrant. He was transported to the Shelby County Jail and charged with Attempted Burglary and Criminal Mischief.

DES MOINES, Iowa – Officials with the Iowa Dept. of Public Safety report that at around 7:30-p.m. Monday,  the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office and the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) began an investigation into the death of 35-year-old Osceola resident Kyle Wilson. A family member found Wilson dead in the 1900 block of Clover Street in rural Clarke County.

The DCI’s investigation into the death of Wilson will continue with an autopsy to be completed by the Office of the State Medical Examiner. No other information is currently available. Authorities say at this time, there is no threat to the public.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A proposal to build a $225 million casino and hotel at the Des Moines airport got nowhere at the airport board’s meeting Tuesday. Highview Development Group had presented the plan to the Des Moines Airport Authority board last month. The complex would include a 350-room hotel connected to the airport by a skywalk. There also would be a fountain, rock garden, restaurant and wedding and banquet facilities. Station KCCI reported that no board member made a motion at the meeting to vote on the plan, so no vote was held.

HAMBURG, IA — Iowa 3rd District Democrat Representative Cindy Axne today (Tuesday), announced two new Community Facility Disaster Grants totaling $100,000 for the Hamburg Fire Protection Agency, to purchase a new fire truck and outfit volunteer firefighters with new protective equipment. The grants approved by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development cover three-quarters of the total cost of Hamburg’s new fire truck and 14 new self-contained breathing apparatuses (SCBAs). The cost of the fire truck includes new equipment like hoses, radios, power saws, and vent fans.

Axne said “Getting this new lifesaving equipment to the brave volunteer firefighters of Hamburg is a critical step to reinforcing their ability to protect their community. I’m also glad to see Community Facility funding that we secured in the emergency disaster bill is making its way to the Iowa towns that need it most as they recover from last year’s floods.”

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office has issued a report on recent arrests. On Monday (Feb.10), as the result of a traffic stop on Highway M-47, Shelby County Deputies arrested 38-year-old Shaun Patrick Garner, of Harlan. Garner was charged with prohibited acts, possession of controlled substance (marijuana, 1st offense) possession of drug paraphernalia.   He was transported to the Shelby County jail without incident and held under $3,300 bond until being released on his Own Recognizance, this (Tuesday) morning.

As the result of a traffic stop on Sunday, deputies arrested 19-year-old Levi John Klenda, of Kimballton, for possession of marijuana 1st offense.  Klenda was held on bond until released the following morning on his own recognizance, and given a future court date for appearance on said charge. Last Saturday, 50-year-old Michael Allen Schuemann, of Harlan, turned himself in to authorities, based on an active warrant for violation of probation. Schuemann was released a short time later after posting the required $20,000 surety bond and given a future court date.

And, on Feb. 5th, Shelby County Deputies arrested 31-year-old David Robert Plagmann, of Harlan, on a warrant for charges filed from a pursuit that occurred through Shelby County on Feb. 2nd.  Charges filed against Plagmann include Eluding and reckless driving. He was later released from the Shelby Jail after posting a $2,300 surety bond.

(Radio Iowa) — Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says having President Trump tout his prescription drug bill during the State of the Union speech last Tuesday has been a boost. Now, Grassley’s hoping to meet with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and this is his message: “Maybe things between the White House and Pelosi are not lovable right now, but if you feel like you want to do something on prescription drugs, I’d like to negotiate with you.”

Grassley, a Republican, and the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee have been working on legislation that would limit prescription drug price hikes to the rate of inflation. The bill would lower out-of-pocket costs for seniors on Medicare, too. “It’s the only bipartisan bill that can get 60 votes in the United States Senate,” Grassley says. Bills need just 51 votes to pass the senate, but at least 60 senators must agree to allow debate. Grassley says he’s telling his Republican colleagues in the Senate the polls show voters consider prescription drug costs a top concern. “We’ve got 23 Republicans up for re-election and it’s an issue in every state and it’s an issue nationally,” Grassley says, “so I’ve got the only game in town that you can run on a platform that you’re really going to do something about prescription drugs.”

A dozen Republicans have signed on as co-sponsors of Grassley’s bill.

(Radio Iowa) — Residents of the eastern Iowa town of Waukon are now without a popular restaurant after fire destroyed it Monday.  Gus and Tony’s Pizza and Steakhouse burned throughout the day. Waukon resident and former city council member Rod Peterson told K-C-R-G T-V, it’s not easy to see. “It hurts, because in every small town, it’s just hard on everything,” Peterson said.

Fire Chief Dave Martin said that two children, their mother, and one pet were rescued by an onlooker from the apartment next door to the restaurant. Peterson said this has happened before in the downtown area. “We had a big fire years ago — down here there used to be a big mill,” Peterson says. “Everything burned down in another fire, but it’s just part of what happens. It’s never easy.”

Gus and Tony’s has been a family restaurant in town for 39 years. So while this particular loss is a shock for Waukon, Peterson tells K-C-R-G T-V the tiny town is strong enough to handle it. “We’ll survive. We always do. That’s what Iowans do,” Peterson says.  The cause of the fire is not yet known.