A Nebraska man was sentenced today (Thursday) to 16 months in prison for escaping from a re-entry center in Pottawattamie County. According to the U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa, 28-year old Keith Wayne Page, of Omaha, will also be required to serve three years of supervised release following his imprisonment.

On January 19th, 2017, Page pleaded guilty to the charge. He admitted that he failed to return to CH, Inc., a residential reentry center in Council Bluffs in early September of 2016, after being granted a job-seeking pass. In December of 2016, Page was apprehended in Omaha on a federal arrest warrant.

The United States Marshals Service and the Metro Fugitive Task Force conducted the investigation. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says three accidents occurred over the past week. At around 3:30-a.m. Sunday, Deputies responded to a report of a single-vehicle accident on Interstate 80 at the 60 mile marker. Officials say a 2005 Chevy Impala owned and driven by 31-year old Tanner Andrew Peterson,  of Des Moines, was eastbound on I-80 when the car went out of control, crossed the median, crossed westbound traffic, and entered the north ditch. Peterson was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital by Medivac Ambulance. Damage to the vehicle was estimated at $3,500. Peterson was subsequently cited into court for Possession of Marijuana 1st Offense. The incident remains under investigation.

At around 4:15-a.m. Monday, Cass County Deputies responded to a report of an accident involving a car and a horse on Highway 48, in Cass County. Authorities say a 2003 Ford F150 owned and driven by 43-year old Christopher Michael Miller, of Griswold, was northbound on Highway 48 when the vehicle struck a large horse in the roadway. The Miller wasn’t hurt, but the horse died at the scene. Damage to the vehicle was estimated at $7,000.

And, on Tuesday, a two-vehicle accident happened at around 12:05-p.m. at the intersection of Main and Mills Streets, in Griswold. Officials say a 2010 Chevy Silverado owned and driven by 56-year old Gene Schmeling, of Atlantic, was westbound on Main Street when a 1995 Ford F150 pickup owned and driven by 51-year old Anita Marie Riley, of Griswold, pulled away from a stop sign on Mills Street and in front of Schmeling’s vehicle, causing a collision. No injuries were reported. Damage to Schmeling’s vehicle is estimated at $1,000; damage to Riley’s vehicle is estimated at $1,500. Riley was cited for Failure to Yield.

Officials with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office say an Atlantic man was arrested today (Thursday), on an Atlantic Police Department warrant for Sexual Abuse 3rd Degree. 29-year old Ryan Charles Juhl was brought to the jail from Clarinda Corrections, pending a hearing and will be taken back to Clarinda Corrections after the hearing. And, 25-year old Morgan Barbara Dvorak, of Atlantic, turned herself in at  the Cass County Jail Wednesday, on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Dvorak was booked and then released on $2,000 bond.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Drought conditions are getting worse in several states, and extreme heat and weeks with little rain have begun to stress corn, soybeans, wheat and livestock in some areas. The weekly U.S. Drought Monitor released Thursday by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln says nearly 11 percent of the continental United States is in moderate drought or worse. The most severe drought area is centered on portions of Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.

The United States Department of Agriculture has designated several counties in those states as areas of natural disaster, paving the way for emergency loans for producers.  Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas also are seeing stressed crops and farm animals. About half of U.S. spring wheat, 15 percent of corn and 14 percent of soybeans are in drought.

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office says a Defensive Tactics class open to women is set to take place August 7th, 2017 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Harlan High School Wrestling room. Any female over the age of 14 is invited to join in this event. Participants will be asked to sign a waiver prior to the start of the class, and any participants under the age of 18 will need a guardian to sign the waiver upon arrival. Pre-registration is not required.     

The 18th annual Iowa Sales Tax Holiday will be held Friday and Saturday, August 4 and 5, 2017. Qualifying clothing or footwear with a selling price of less than $100 will be exempt from sales and local option tax. Lists of taxable and exempt items are available on the Iowa Department of Revenue website: https://tax.iowa.gov/iowas-annual-sales-tax-holiday. Information on how to apply the tax to layaway and mail order items, rain checks, gift certificates, coupons, and exchanges is also available on our website.

Some tax exempt items include:
* Clothing and footwear for everyday wear such as shirts, pants, caps/hats, socks, shoes, sandals, underclothing
* Uniforms for work and school
* Coats
* Bathing suits
* Leotards and tights
* Costumes
* Diapers

Some items remain taxable on these two days, such as:
* Computers
* Backpacks
* School supplies
* Jewelry
* Fabric
* Special clothing or footwear designed primarily for athletic activity or protective use and not usually considered appropriate for everyday wear

Businesses that are open on these days and sell qualifying items are required to participate. The holiday does not include Sunday.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A report from a federal commerce bureau says the economies of Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota logged the worst performance in the U.S. in the beginning of 2017, with economic output declining in all three states. Data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis shows that from January through March this year, Nebraska’s economic output declined by 4 percent when compared to the final quarter of the previous year, making it the worst of any state. South Dakota ranked second-worst with a 3.8 percent decline, followed by Iowa with a 3.2 percent decline.

The Omaha World-Herald reports that the bureau is a federal agency from the U.S. Department of Commerce. It measures a state’s “real” gross domestic product, which is the market value of goods and services produced in-state.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – Iowa Congressman David Young has announced that the Second Annual Iowa Senior Wellness and Security Expo will take place this Saturday, July 29th at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs (2700 College Road). The Expo, which runs from 9-a.m. to 1-p.m.,  connects Iowa seniors, their families and caretakers with a variety of services and resources available to them. The event features a one-stop-shop with representatives from over 30 local, regional, state and federal organizations and agencies dedicated to serving seniors.

In addition to the representatives from agencies and organizations, attendees will also have access to programs and resources at each of the Expos, including:

• Free health screenings from health care professionals
• Free and safe disposal of unwanted or expired prescription drugs by pharmaceutical professionals
• Caseworkers with federal, state and local agencies and organizations to answer questions and help seniors and their loved ones cut through government agency and program red tape
• Presentations by professionals on how seniors can protect themselves and their savings from ever-growing identity and financial threats from scammers and frauds
• Presentations on steps seniors can take to ensure continued independent living in their homes and communities.

The event is free and open Iowa seniors and the public. Iowans with questions regarding the Expo should contact Congressman Young’s Council Bluffs Constituent Services Office at: (712) 325-1404.

Iowa State University’s Armstrong Research and Demonstration farm will feature a variety of agricultural topics at a field day August 17th. The field day will be held from 9:30 a.m. to noon, with lunch following. Registration begins at 9 a.m. There is no charge for attending the field day.

Mark Licht, ISU Extension assistant professor and cropping systems specialist, will begin the program speaking about yield response to delayed corn and soybean planting dates. Tim Youngquist, ISU STRIPS project farmer liaison, will feature the soil, water and wildlife benefits of row crops integrated with prairie strips. A high-tech cattle feed bunk that measures individual feed intake will be demonstrated by Garland Dahlke, ISU assistant scientist.    

The Armstrong Research Farm is located 13 miles southwest of Atlantic on Highway 6, one-half mile south on 525th Street, and three-quarters of a mile east on Hitchcock Avenue.

Atlantic Police Chief Dave Erickson reports 19-year old Jerry Carr, III, of Atlantic, was arrested Wednesday on a Cass County warrant. Carr was taken into custody for Probation Violation, and booked into the Cass County Jail.