Rescue crews were called to the scene of an injury accident at around 1:30-this afternoon. The accident happened on Interstate 80 westbound near Exit 75. Pictures from the scene show a semi tractor-trailer that looked like it may have rolled over, in the grassy area between the interstate and exit ramp. No other details are currently available.

Photo courtesy Becky Christensen, of Atlantic

The Atlantic Police Department reports two people were arrested on drug charges, recently. On Saturday, 26-year old Daniel Jones, of Atlantic, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Child Endangerment. And, on April 19th, 51-year old Charles Dejong, of Atlantic, was arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Theft in the 5th Degree, and on a Cass County warrant for Theft in the 5th. Both men were booked into the Cass County Jail.

On April 18th, 39-year old Michael Trotter, of Atlantic, was cited by Police for Harassment in the 3rd Degree. He was released with the citation to appear in court.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – April 24, 2019 – The schedule for interstate closures in Council Bluffs this week has been updated. All closures are weather permitting and may be rescheduled if weather impacts construction.

Wednesday, April 24:

The right lane of the westbound I-80 Express, just east of the South Expressway, will be closed for repairs beginning at 9 a.m. The closure will be taken down for the afternoon rush hour by 3 p.m.

Northbound I-29 between Nebraska and Ninth avenues will be closed overnight from 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 24 to 5:30 a.m. Thursday April 25. The northbound I-29 on-ramp at Nebraska Avenue will also be closed.

Friday, April 26

The right lane of the westbound I-80 Express, just east of the South Expressway, will be closed for repairs beginning at 9 a.m. The closure will be taken down for the afternoon rush hour by 2 p.m.

Iowa DOT anticipates significant delays could occur during the westbound I-80 Express lane closure. Motorists are encouraged to use northbound I-29/westbound I-80 local lanes as an alternate route. Please allow for extra travel time while this interstate repair takes place.

NORTHWOOD, Iowa (AP) — The owner of a northern Iowa dog breeding operation has pleaded not guilty to 17 counts of animal neglect. Worth County court records say the written pleas were submitted Tuesday for 66-year-old Barbara Kavars, of Manly. A nonjury trial start is scheduled for July 23. Court records say Kavars was holding Samoyed dogs in inhumane conditions when officials raided her operation on Nov. 12 and visited at other times. The records say the 17 dogs had fur matted by feces, skin conditions leading to fur loss, painful wounds, intestinal parasites and other maladies.

The records also say the dogs’ kennels lacked food and had water containers that were filled with ice. Kavars denied any wrongdoing and told officials she didn’t think the dogs needed additional care.

Cass County is the latest County to partner with the state of Iowa and the Home Base Iowa (HBI) initiative to become a Home Base Iowa Community. At an event held today (Wednesday) morning in Atlantic, Jason Kemp, a retired Air Force Veteran and Program Manager for Iowa Workforce Development/Home Base Iowa, said Cass County is the 91st Home Base Iowa Community .(Click on the left side of the sound bars below to listen)

Home Base Iowa is a statewide program designed to assist veterans transitioning back into civilian life. It helps Veterans and transitioning Service Members find positions at Iowa companies, pursue continued education, continue their service through the Guard or Reserves or any combination of those.

Cass County, in partnership with Home Base Iowa, will provide veterans countless resources and opportunities in Iowa.

Kemp said there are 130 Veterans published on Home Base Iowa. 36 of them are interested in opportunities in Cass County or Statewide. 17 have wage expectations of $55,000/year or less. He said they average 45 new Veterans per month. He said as the program continues to grow and be used by more veterans, it’ll be easier to share both statewide and local resources, opportunities and assistance. Cass County Veteran’s Affairs Director Mitch Holmes said during the event, said the transition from active military-to civilian life can be a big challenge.

HBI Program Manager Jason Kemp

Their training and discipline, he said, makes them a perfect fit for employers needing a consistent, dependable employee.

With Iowa’s current unemployment rate at 2.4 percent, businesses are looking to hire skilled workers. The Home Base Iowa program helps connect Iowa businesses with qualified veterans looking for career opportunities. Home Base Iowa’s private-public partnership provides a high level of commitment for veterans, transitioning service members and their families.

For more information go to homebaseiowa.gov.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Officials say late-winter moisture, flooding and low temperatures have delayed corn and other plantings in Nebraska and in some parts of Iowa. A U.S. Department of Agriculture report for the week ending Sunday says just 2% of the expected corn crop has been planted in Nebraska, compared with the five-year average of 8% by the date. Officials say 4% of the Iowa crop has been planted, compared with the 10% averaged over the past five years.

Nebraska oats planted was 30%, well short of the 72% average. The USDA says 48% of the expected Iowa oat crop has been planted, six days ahead of last year’s pace but five days behind the average pace over the past five years. Associate Nebraska climatologist Al Dutcher told The Grand Island Independent that the spring flooding is still affecting ag producers.

(Radio Iowa) — Republican lawmakers are setting new financing requirements for construction on the public university campuses in Ames, Cedar Falls and Iowa City. Under the plan, the state will provide just 60 percent of the cost for building projects at the University of Iowa and Iowa State University. Officials at those universities will have to raise the remaining 40 percent of the cost from federal grants or private sources. Republican Representative Gary Mohr, of Bettendorf, a retired college administrator, says the universities can ask their 50-thousand graduates for more money. “I’ve done this for 40 years,” Mohr said. “In this economy and in this world, you can raise 40 percent.”

The University of Northern Iowa would be required to raise 20 percent of the construction costs from sources other than state tax dollars. Representative Mary Mascher, a Democrat from Iowa City, says it’ll be hard to raise private donations for some vital projects, like power plants and steam tunnels. “This has enormous ramifications to our universities in Iowa and I don’t understand why you would spring this on us at the last minute,” Mascher said.

Lawmakers are hoping to complete the work of the 2019 legislative session by this weekend. The proposal on private fundraising for construction at the public universities is included in a budget bill that’s been approved by the Senate AND the House, but senators must vote again on some adjustments House members made.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors met Tuesday morning, in Atlantic. According to Auditor Dale Sunderman, during their session, the Board discussed a request from Montgomery County, to share the services of Cass County Engineer Charles Bechtold on an interim basis. Montgomery County Engineer Brad Skinner submitted his resignation to his Board of Supervisors during a special meeting on April 11th. Bechtold would serve in the interim position until a new Engineer is hired in Montgomery County, if the agreement were approved.

Since Bechtold was away from the County, Tuesday, and could not address the matter, it was tabled until the Board’s next meeting, April 30th. In other business, CABEDA/Valley Business Park Corporation members Don Sonntag and Keith Harlan requested the board not dispose of the Valley Business Park site.  They believe the site continues to have development potential. The request was taken under advisement.

A report was received from Cass County Conservation Director Micah Lee, who presented his 3rd quarter FY19 report of activity at county recreational sites (maintenance at Cold Springs, West Nodaway Area, T-Bone Trail, Pellett Memorial Woods and Outdoor Classroom) and the naturalist’s environmental education activities (143 programs were presented to 2,612 persons). And Cass County Veteran Affairs Executive Director Mitch Holmes gave report of 3rd quarter FY19 activity.  He said during the quarter 152 veterans received assistance for Federal VA benefits and/or local general assistance.

(Radio Iowa) — The start of Pella’s annual tulip festival is still more than a week away and thanks to warm spring weather, about two-thirds of the southeast Iowa community’s famous flowers are already in bloom. Jeanette Vaughan, community services director for the City of Pella, says they’re putting the word out in hopes some people might make an early “tulip trek.” “We do have some folks who are more interested in the tulips than a festival atmosphere,” Vaughan says, “so we do like to let them know when tulips are blooming if that’s their primary purpose for a visit.”

Pella plants between a quarter-million and 300-thousand tulip bulbs in some 180 beds every year and Vaughan estimates 60-to-70-percent of them are now in full bloom.  “It’s going to be perfect for Tulip Time this year,” Vaughan says. “Once our tulips start to bloom, if weather conditions are right, the blooms will stay good anywhere from one to three weeks, so, even our tulips that are blooming right now, many of them will still be around for Tulip Time.”

Pella celebrates its Dutch heritage May 2nd through 4th. The 84th annual Tulip Time Festival will feature two parades daily, food, costumes, dancing, displays, demonstrations and tours. The festival typically draws 175-thousand visitors over its three-day run. Later in May, once the hundreds of thousands of tulips have run their course, Round Two of the color show will begin. “We do dig all the tulips up after they’re done blooming in the spring and we replace all of them with annual flowers so we have a secondary season of our annual flowers that goes through the fall,” Vaughan says. “When the annual flowers are done blooming at the end of September or early October, we remove all of those and plant new bulbs.”

There will be a free tulip dig day announced later in May where anyone is welcome to dig up bulbs from the city beds, under specific guidelines, for their own gardens. Some bulbs produce flowers three or four years in a row while others will continue to bloom for much longer.
www.visitpella.com

(Radio Iowa) — A Nebraska man is jailed in central Iowa on charges he tried to kill a police officer during a chase on Tuesday afternoon. Dayton Police Officer Nick Dunbar was notified by the Webster County Sheriff’s Department of a vehicle driving erratically and traveling at a high rate of speed on Highway 175 near Dayton. Dunbar attempted to stop the vehicle at which time the driver refused to stop and a vehicle pursuit began. The vehicle was described as a 2003 Ford F-250 with Nebraska plates.

The pickup continued to exit the city limits of Dayton traveling northeast where it entered a bean field near the intersection of 350th Street and Skillet Creek Avenue. Chief Dunbar followed the suspect vehicle into the bean field at which time the driver turned around and attempted to strike the chief’s patrol vehicle head on. The driver then circled around and attempted to strike the chief’s drivers door. In response, Chief Dunbar fired his duty weapon striking the suspect’s vehicle. The suspect continue to flee on foot from the car into a nearby field where he was caught and taken into custody.

The suspect is identified as 37-year-old Anthony Spinharney, of Omaha. Spinharney faces charges of attempted murder of a peace officer, felony eluding and interference with official acts. Additional charges are pending.