A man from Council Bluffs was transported to a hospital in Omaha in critical condition after he was struck by a vehicle this (Tuesday) morning. Bluffs Police say 60-year old Clifford Guild was struck by a vehicle driven by 25-year old Jessica Sawyer, of Council Bluffs, at around 8:30-a.m., in the 3800 block of Avenue G.

When officers arrived at the scene, Guild was unresponsive, and officers were unable to obtain a pulse. He was transported to Creighton University Medical Center. An initial investigation determined Guild was crossing the street, and for an unknown reason, crossed in front of the vehicle, driven by Sawyer.

Authorities say at this time, speed and/or alcohol do not appear to be factors in the accident. This case is currently under investigation by the Council Bluffs Police Traffic Unit.

Police in Harlan say four people involved in an accident April 26^th, and who initially reported no injuries, were later seen by a physician. The accident happened at the intersection of Highway 59 and Lincoln Avenue.

Officials say a 2006 Chevy driven by Roland Wegner, of Harlan, was traveling west on Lincoln Avenue and had stopped at the controlled intersection with Highway 59.  A 2014 Mercedes, driven by Rene Flores, of Denison, was traveling north on Highway 59. When Wegner pulled into the intersection, his vehicle was struck on the right side by the Mercedes.

Wegner was cited for Failure to Yield the Right Of Way. Flores, and three other people in the Mercedes, later sought medical treatment. Damage from the collision amounted to $9,000.

Officials with the Harlan Police Department report the arrest on Monday, of 30-year old Eugene Cardine, and 19-year old Jodie Cardine, both of Harlan. The pair were arrested after officers were called to the 1700 block of Lincoln Avenue for a domestic disturbance.  Both subjects were transported to the Shelby County Jail where they were charged with intoxication in public. Eugene Cardine was also charged with violation of a protective order.  Jodie Cardine was also charged with disorderly conduct.

On Sunday, Harlan Police cited 20-year old Zachary Gross, of Earling, for possession of alcohol by person under legal age. The citation was issued after officers found several containers of alcohol in Gross’ truck.  Gross also received a parking citation for parking too far from the curb.

Last Friday, 21-year old Dylan Jager, of Elk Horn, was arrested in Harlan, when officers were called to Veterans Memorial Auditorium where Jager allegedly struck Kendra Week, of Exira.  Jager was later located in Elk Horn and transported to the Shelby County Jail where he was charged with domestic abuse assault.

On April 27th, 23-year old Elmer Nathaniel Chavez Marroquin, of Omaha, was taken into custody in Harlan and charged with harassment in the 3^rd degree. The arrest followed an investigation into a complaint of harassment filed by Mandy Watson, of Harlan.  Marroquin was later located and arrested and transported to the Shelby County Jail.  Marroquin was also cited for failure to have a valid driver’s license. That same day, 26-year old Janice Massey, of Harlan, and 26-year old Charles Wilson, of Yuma, Arizona, were both taken into custody after officers responded to a reported verbal domestic incident in the 3000 block of 12^th Street.  Massey and Wilson were transported to the Shelby County Jail where they were both charged with intoxication in public.

Officials with Cenex & CHS Energy report Julie Williamson, of Wiota, has received a special thank you for paying it forward in her community. Williamson was selected to receive free fuel from Tanks of Thanks^®, a program that recognizes people who go the extra mile for others. Recently, Williamson was presented with a $50 Tanks of Thanks gift card, which is redeemable at any Cenex^® location, for donating her handmade quilts to a variety of causes throughout the community.

For years, Williamson has donated to the local school’s “Pink Out Night,” a silent auction. She has also spent time working with the local high school’s student council to make quilt blocks that created a quilt auctioned off for a student with a life-threatening illness.

The Tanks of Thanks program from CHS and Cenex retailers encourages people to nominate neighbors, family and friends for free fuel as a way to thank them for doing good deeds, both large and small. Each month, more than $5,000 in free fuel is given away through the Tanks of Thanks program.

Nominating someone for Tanks of Thanks is easy, and anyone can nominate or be nominated for any act of kindness. To make a nomination, visit TanksofThanks.com and briefly describe why someone deserves a Tank of Thanks.

Wet weather slowed the planting process last week. The U-S-D-A crop report shows 57 percent of the corn crop is now planted, which is just 17 percent ahead of the report from last week. Planting had been six days ahead of last year, but the slowdown last week now has farmers just one day ahead of last year at this time. The overall planting is still eight days ahead of the five-year average.

The report finds farmers in north-central and central Iowa making the most headway, with more than three-quarters of their corn crop in the ground. Soybean planting showed up on the report this week, with seven percent of that crop planted. That’s five days ahead of the five-year average.

(Radio Iowa)

A group called “The Well Armed Woman” is opening its first chapter in the Omaha-Council Bluffs area. Co-founder Patricia Harrold says the club will introduce women to shooting and gun safety skills while improving their marksmanship and confidence. “I definitely have worked with women who have tried and not been successful working with a male instructor,” she says, “especially those who are brand new to firearms.”

Harrold says for some women, it’s easier to learn from another woman. “I worked with one lady who was 73 years old and she had never fired a firearm before,” she says. “I spent several hours with her, working her through the basics because she just couldn’t get it from her husband. She felt uncomfortable and a bit intimidated. The approach I take obviously caters to women and what they need.”

Harrold says more women are buying guns and they want to learn and practice with other women. “Women ownership is increasing, up 47% in the past few years,” she says. “We’re beginning to dominate the industry. A lot of people are catering to us, creating their own brands. I just wanted to make a formal group that would advance the cause and pick up the connection between men and women who are interested in firearms.”

The group is teaming up with Cabela’s and the Omaha Gun Club. Harrold’s goal is 150 members.

(Radio Iowa)

Pella residents are preparing to host thousands of people for their annual Tulip Festival which begins Thursday. Pella Convention & Visitors Bureau director, Jill Vandevoort, says warm weather made the 200-thousand or so flowers bloom early, but there will still be plenty of them to see. “We do plant them over the course of four weeks here in Pella. So we have our early blooms as well as our later varieties,” Vandevoort explains. “Right now I would say we have still probably 60 percent of our tulips still in bloom.” The early blooms led to the unusual situation where Pella planners were happy to see things cool off a little bit.

“The dampness and rains last week, and the coolness were able to hold the tulips in place longer for us — and we are kind of grateful for that rain,” Vandevoort says. She says the rain is going out in time for people to attend all the festival events. “Each day our guests can enjoy a number of tours, including our city tour. They can climb aboard our open-air wagons and learn a bit about our community, as well as see a number of other tulip-blooming locations around the community,” Vandevoort says. “We also of course have our Pella Historical Village and Vermeer Windmill. The Vermeer Windmill is the largest working grain windmill in the United States. If you haven’t seen that, it’s a very interesting tour to enjoy.”

There are many other activities, including the street cleaning prior to the parades. This will be the 81st festival and Vandevoort says it’s a great celebration of the community’s heritage. She says many of the residents come out to celebrate in their Dutch costumes and she says it is alright to ask to take pictures. “I think it’s just a great way for us to come together as a community. All of us are volunteers, and obviously if we didn’t have all of that volunteer effort that we have in our community, we couldn’t continue to host this event.”

Vandevoort has a couple of things that are at the top of her list when it comes to the Tulip Festival. “Probably the first thing I like to do is eat all of those many things that are available at our curbside vendors,” she says. “There’s a number of Dutch specialties that we don’t get to enjoy year-round either. So, probably eating my way around town is the thing I enjoy most.” She also looks forward every year to greeting the visitors that come into town on tour buses.

“Some of them have been coming for over 30 years, every single year. So, we know that those guests who have come in the past actually very much look forward to coming back on a yearly basis. And a lot of those are from out-of-state,” Vandevoort says. There can be as many as 150-thousand people who visit the festival. For more information, go to www.visitpella.com.

(Radio Iowa)

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

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(Corrects to say the meeting is for the Griswold School Board only – The Lenox Board will NOT be in attendance. We apologize for the misunderstanding)

A little more than a week ago, members of the Griswold and Lenox School District Boards of Education held a joint meeting in Lenox, to discuss the subject of Superintendent sharing between the districts. The Griswold School Board will meet again Wednesday evening (May 4th), in Griswold, to revisit the matter.

During the 5-p.m. Special Meeting in the Central Office Board Room at the Griswold Middle School/High School building, the Griswold School Board will discuss and possibly make a decision on further exploring the possibility of sharing a Superintendent.

After the meeting adjourns, Board members will sit in on Superintendent-led interviews of Griswold Middle School/High School Principal candidates. No action or decision will be made on the matter.