A traffic stop on a vehicle in Pottawattamie County at around Noon, Wednesday, resulted in the arrest of a woman from Nebraska. Sheriff’s officials say a 2001 Accura was pulled over on Wabash Avenue by a Pott. County Deputy. Upon further investigation, a glass pipe used to smoke methamphetamine was discovered. The pipe had meth residue on it. The driver of the vehicle, 39-year old Nicole E. Anson, of Omaha, was arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and she was issued several traffic citations. And, an inmate at the Pottawattamie County Jail was served with a warrant for Violation of Probation, Wednesday afternoon. A Deputy read the warrant for 33-year old Michael Joseph Stone, of Council Bluffs. Afterward Stone was returned to the custody of Corrections Staff.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors have passed two resolutions pertaining to an Urban Renewal Project and the purchase of a new Sheriff’s Department K9 SUV. The action followed public hearings on both matters. There were no objections written or oral, for either of the matters. Auditor Dale Sunderman read the first resolution pertaining to the authorization of an Internal Loan, to fund Urban Renewal Project costs associated with the Elite Octane Ethanol plant. The motion was for non-recurring debt on an amount not to exceed $350,000, which would act as a compliment to the General Obligation funds, because of a change order and additional legal and retention fees. The loan would be repaid through Tax Increment Financing funds before June 1^st, 2035.

The second resolution was with regard to Cass County’s application for financial assistance with USDA Rural Development, for the partial funding of the costs associated with a Cass County Sheriff’s K9 vehicle. The Sheriff’s Department is making the application, with the County approving the purchase of a vehicle to replace an SUV that is aging-out. Supervisor Steve Green, the former Police Chief of Atlantic, explained the difference between a K9 transport vehicle and any other type of vehicle. He said they door poppers to get the dog out quickly in an emergency situation, vehicle interior temperature sensors to make sure the K9 doesn’t overheat, and other specialized equipment he said “Is expensive.” USDA Rural Development would pay 35-percent of the cost associated with the vehicle, which is expected to be a Chevy Tahoe.

In other business, the Board approved Crow River Construction’s application for partial payment amounting to slightly more than $68,067, for work on the ethanol plant gray water transmission line. Snyder Engineer’s Dave Sturm said the “project is essentially complete and has passed all the tests, with the exception of start-up pumping.” They’re still waiting for the ethanol plant to receive water. And, the Board approved Manatt’s application for partial payment amounting to $470,633 for work on the Glacier-to Buck Creek and Echo Road paving project. Dave Sturm said just over $2.5-million worth of work has been completed on the $2.77-million contract. That part of the project should wrap up, he said, in a couple of weeks. Sturm said the plant should be operational by mid-June.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — An eastern Iowa school nurse has pleaded not guilty to a charge that she had sex with a 16-year-old student. Linn County District Court records say 46-year-old Angela Beik, of Marion, entered the plea last week to a charge of sexual exploitation by a school employee. Her trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 24th.

Beik was the school nurse at Linn-Mar High School in Marion and also employed at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids. Police began an investigation of Beik in March. They’d learned that state officials were checking a report that Beik told fellow St. Luke’s nurses that she’d had consensual sex with the boy. They reported the conversation to officials.

Officials with the Creston Police Department report the drivers of two vehicles were injured during a collision, Tuesday afternoon. 59-year old Rhonda Lee Campbell,  and 30-year old Waymond Lee Foster, both of Creston, were transported by ambulance to the hospital in Creston, after their vehicles collided just before 1-p.m. Tuesday, at the intersection of Oak and Howard Streets. Authorities say Campbell was traveling west on Howard Street in a 2012 Chevy Equinox, while Foster was traveling north on Oak Street in a 2011 Ford E-350.

Foster claimed he stopped, and that Campbell was going too fast. Both vehicles collided in the middle of the intersection, Afterward, the Chevy continued northwest into the parking lot by an apartment complex and struck a boat/trailer before coming to rest after running into the north apartment building. The boat and building both sustained damage. The Ford continued northwest as well, and hit a large tree before coming to rest. The vehicles sustained a combined $11,000 damage. Damage to the boat and trailer was estimate at $2,100, while the apartment building sustained $1,000 damage.

Three people were arrested early this (Thursday) morning, in Creston. At around 12:15-a.m., 24-year old Jeffrey D. Ott, of Orient, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center, on a charge of Operating a motor vehicle without consent. His bond was set at $2,000. And, just before 4-a.m., 45-year old Walter Hall, Jr. was arrested at a residence on N. Vine Street in Creston, for Violating a Protective Order, and Assault with Injury. At the same time and place, 43-year old Michelle Marie Snyder, was arrested for Violating a Protection Order. Hall and Snyder were being held in the Union County Jail while awaiting a bond hearing.

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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CLIVE, Iowa (AP) — Mercy Medical Center officials say the hospital would partner with a national health care company in building a 100-bed psychiatric hospital in Clive. The Des Moines Register reports that Pennsylvania-based Universal Health Services would be its partner. Universal Health has more than 350 hospitals and other facilities across the country and in Great Britain. The Clive hospital would be its first Iowa project.

Mercy’s plans for building the hospital were initially reported earlier this month, but the location wasn’t disclosed. Mercy filed a detailed application Wednesday with state regulators. The $31 million facility could open by 2020, if the state were to approve it.

Supporters say the Mercy project would address a critical shortage of treatment services in central Iowa. It would be the only free-standing mental hospital in central Iowa.

Motorists traveling across Iowa are at a greater risk for hitting a deer right now. Mick Klemesrud, with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says late May into the early part of June is the second-worst time of the year for deer running into traffic. “It’s primarily due to the birthing season,” Klemesrud says. “Our does are running off last year’s fawns, telling them it’s time to be on their own. Then, she’s going to be looking for a secluded area, maybe a nontraditional area, where she feels comfortable and can deliver this year’s fawn.”

Only November ranks higher than June for vehicle-deer collisions. And the animals aren’t just darting into traffic early in the morning or late at night. “They can be on the move at any time,” Klemesrud says. According to the Iowa Department of Transportation, 12 people were killed in vehicle crashes with deer in Iowa over the last four years. Hundreds of other people were injured, while thousands more have at least dealt with deer-related damage to their cars or trucks. The DNR has a deer advisory board, which has agreed to a statewide deer population that supports an annual hunting harvest of 100,000 to 120,000 deer. “Last year, we harvested 105,000 – so our herd is on the lower end of that harvest goal,” Klemesrud says. “I think we’re in that range of where we find (the deer population) socially acceptable.”

Another reason for the rise in vehicle-deer crashes this time of year involves the increase in cars on Iowa roads due to the start of the summer travel season.

(Radio Iowa)

Authorities are releasing the name of the man who’s been missing since a kayak accident in Fort Dodge on Monday afternoon. The missing boater is 26-year-old Alex Dencklau, of Clare. Dencklau and his wife were kayaking on the Des Moines River when the kayak Alex Dencklau was in capsized below a hydroelectric dam. Dencklau’s wife was able to swim to shore. A kayak paddle belonging to Decklau was discovered Wednesday near the Fort Dodge Wastewater Treatment Plant. Rescue efforts will continue today (Thursday).

(Radio Iowa)

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska is joining Iowa and the city of Council Bluffs in a lawsuit to challenge the federal government’s approval of a tribal casino near Omaha.
Attorney General Doug Peterson announced the effort Wednesday to prevent the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska from building the casino in Carter Lake, Iowa.

The National Indian Gaming Commission ruled last year that the tribe can put a casino on trust land in the city. Carter Lake is the only city in Iowa located west of the Missouri River, and the only way to access it by land is through Nebraska, where casino gambling is illegal. Neighboring Council Bluffs, Iowa, has three casinos.

Tribal Chairman Larry Wright Jr. says he’s confident the court will rule that the tribe can offer gaming on its sovereign land.