The Cass County Board of Supervisors will hold their regular weekly meeting 8:30-a.m. Wednesday in their Board Room at the Cass County Courthouse. During the session, they’ll discuss a Contribution to Cass County Agricultural and Education Association, an Amendment of Amaizing Energy Urban Renewal Area plan by adding Elite Octane property to area, and act on a Resolution setting date for public hearing on urban renewal plan amendment, as well as approving Professional Services Agreements with regard to the Gray Water Transmission Project, and the Glacier Road, Buck Creek Road and Echo Road Paving Projects.

During a special meeting Monday morning, the Board approved a Resolution providing for the initial authorization of an Agreement for Private Development with Elite Octane. The Resolution states that the board has adopted an ordinance providing for the division of taxes levied on taxable property in the Urban Renewal Area. The portion of taxes may be irrevocably pledged by the County for the payment of the principal and interest on indebtedness incurred to finance or refinance in whole or in part projects in the Urban Renewal Area.

The County would agree to provide incremental tax payments to the Developer in a total amount not exceeding $8.5-million, and the installation of certain public infrastructure improvements. Additional action on setting up the Urban Renewal Area and TIF agreement will not take place until a meeting in February, 2017.

More area and State news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The Iowa State Patrol, Monday afternoon, identified the victims of a fatal crash in eastern Iowa’s Jones County, as being from Monticello. The accident happened at around 2:10-p.m., Sunday. The dead and injured were all from the same family, who were in an SUV that  skidded through a stop sign and was struck by a semi.

Six-year old Donald Hunter and 8-year old Diamond Hunter died at the hospital. Injured in the crash was 13-year old Hope Hunter, 32-year old Brandon James Hunter, and 31-year old Molli J. Hunter, all of Monticello. The driver of the semi, 41-year old Ryan Daniel Powers, of Horicon, WI., was not hurt.

The Patrol says the 2016 Kenworth semi was traveling south on Highway 151. The 2007 Hyundai Veracruz driven by Brandon Hunter, was traveling east on 215^th Avenue, when it skidded on the slippery road and into the intersection with Highway 151, where the collision occurred.

The accident remains under investigation.

Two Adair County men were arrested early this (Tuesday) morning on drug charges, in Creston. Creston Police say 34-year old Jason Herbal and 23-year old Steven Patterson, Jr., both of Greenfield, were taken into custody at around 3:20-a.m. at 806 Laurel Street in Creston. Both men were charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance, with Patterson’s charge being a 2nd offense. Herbal and Patterson, Jr. were being held in the Union County on $1,000 bond, each.

And, 35-year old Christopher Bell, of Creston, was arrested Monday evening in Creston. Bell was taken into custody at the Union County Law Enforcement Center for Theft in the 5th Degree. He was subsequently released on a Promise to Appear later, in court.

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

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TYNDALL, S.D. (AP) – An Iowa man accused of intentionally injuring a South Dakota police officer in a hit-and-run incident has been arrested after more than four months on the run.

The Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan reports 35-year-old Travis McPeek, of Sioux City, Iowa, was arrested Thursday in Mesa, Arizona, by federal marshals.
McPeek had been wanted on a warrant for felony aggravated assault against law enforcement since the Aug. 6 traffic stop.

Authorities allege he struck Tyndall Police Officer Kelly Young with his truck in a convenience store parking lot and fled. Young was treated at a hospital for broken ribs, a cut on a leg, an injured ankle, and other cuts and bruises.

Join Cass County Conservation Staff at Atlantic’s  Schildberg Recreation Area- Lake 4 on Saturday, January 7th 2017.  Staff will be giving ten-minute presentations regarding the Trumpeter Swans every half-hour beginning at 11:00 a.m. with the last one being presented at 2:00 p.m.  There will also be time to view the swans through spotting scopes and witness random swan feeding sessions.

Hot chocolate, cookies, grilled hotdogs, and other snacks will be provided free of charge with donations being accepted (for swan care). The Schildberg Recreation Area is located on the northwest edge of Atlantic, Lake 4 is on the north side of Highway 83. 

IF THE WEATHER IS “BAD” OR THE SWANS ARE NOT AT THE PARK…the program will be held at the Atlantic Public Library from 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. with a light lunch available. This event is being sponsored by the Cass County Conservation Board, Atlantic Parks and Recreation, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and the Atlantic Public Library.

(Cass Co. Conservation Dept. News Release)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Two Iowa men will serve shorter prison terms after President Barack Obama commuted their sentences. The names of Anthony Dodd, of Davenport, and Aaron Rees, of Pleasantville, were on a list of those who received the commutations Monday. Both men’s life sentences were shortened to 20 years.

The Des Moines Register reports Rees was sentenced in 2005 following his convictions on conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and using a minor to manufacture meth. Dodd was convicted of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and received his sentence in 2006.

White House officials say Obama has shortened the sentences of 1,176 people during his presidency, including 395 serving life sentences.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:12 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Two women held each other and wept as Iowa’s six electors cast their Electoral College ballots for Republican Donald Trump. Mary Barrett and her daughter Rebecca Barrett drove from Iowa City to the state Capitol to see the Monday afternoon balloting, which took only minutes. They say given the importance of a Trump presidency, they wanted to see the Electoral College vote in person. Mary Barrett expressed “surprise how sad it made me feel.”.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A man charged with killing his mother and grandmother in Council Bluffs will be sent to a mental health facility after being found mentally incompetent to stand trial. The Des Moines Register reports a judge signed an order Friday that will send Michael Dieckmann to treatment at a state prison mental health facility in Oakdale. Staff at the Oakdale facility will try to restore Dieckmann’s mental health to the point where he can understand the charges against him and participate in his defense.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A lawsuit from two Sioux tribes seeking to stop the Dakota Access oil pipeline is on hold while a related court battle over the project plays out. Pipeline developer Energy Transfer Partners is asking a judge rule that it has federal permission to lay pipe under the Missouri River in North Dakota. The judge in the meantime has put aside the tribes’ legal challenge over permits at numerous water crossings.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The insurance industry and its regulators are asking a judge to allow documents that detail “shadow insurance” subsidiaries created by Iowa-based life insurers to remain secret. The Iowa Insurance Division and the Federation of Iowa Insurers are opposing the lawsuit filed by Indiana University professor emeritus Joseph Belth. Belth argues that the “shadow insurance” instruments threaten the solvency of insurers.

The ice skating rink being prepared at Sunnyside Park will have its Grand Opening sometime during the first week in January. The exact date will be announced later. Parks and Rec Director Seth Staashelm told the Atlantic Parks and Rec Board during their meeting Monday evening, that the heavy duty liner covering the basketball court was installed Friday thanks to volunteer help, and fits like a glove.

They’ve put in two-inches of water and will need to make sure the ice is at least four-inches thick before it can be used. That’s also the reason he hasn’t set a specific grand opening date. Staashelm said they want to make sure the ice is smooth and ready for use. The 90-by-120 foot rink will likely be open he said, before the Grand Opening event.

Staashelm said there is a lot of excitement about the skating rink. He said ice skates are not being made available to users, so you’ll have to bring your own. Staashelm said also, he has e-mailed the Aksarben Curling Club (www.curlaksarben.com) to see if they have any interest in using the facility once its open. He hopes to eventually have a night designated specifically for curling.

LED rope lights are installed on three of the four sides. Additional electrical and illumination issues are currently being addressed. A snow fence will enclose the area, with one designated entrance. Patio heaters are also planned for the area so people can warm up once they’ve been on the ice for a while.

In other business, Staashelm confirmed the streets in Sunnyside Park are closed for the season for safety reasons (they don’t want to have vehicles sliding off the roads and hitting buildings, property or pedestrians). The park itself is still open for foot traffic and events.

Seth said also, reservations for the shelter houses at Sunnyside Park will not be accepted until January 1^st. He says he will be updating the Parks and Rec website to reflect reservation dates for 2017.