Officials with the Cass County Health System (CCHS) say a Public Hearing will be held next month on the Fiscal Year 2016-17 budget. The hearing takes place 7:30-a.m. March 15th, in CCMH Conference Room 1.

The proposed $50.6-million dollar budget is about $2.1-million dollars more than the Re-estimated budget for Fiscal year ending June 30th 2016, and includes more than $2.1-million raised through taxation. The proposed taxation rate is $2.50 per thousand dollars valuation.

During the March 15th Public Hearing, and resident or taxpayer may present objections to, or arguments in favor of, any part of the proposed budget.

Deputies in Page County, Thursday night, arrested a man wanted on a Missouri warrant. 26-year old Nathan Andrew Wilcoxsen, of Coin, was taken into custody at around 8:20-p.m. on a Nodaway County, Missouri warrant for Felony Attempted Burglary in the 2nd Degree, and property Damage in the 2nd Degree, a Class B Misdemeanor.

Wilcoxson was taken to the Page County Jail. He was unable to post the $15,000 bond and was held pending court proceedings for extradition to Missouri.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office today (Friday) issued a report on recent arrests. Officials say 36-year old Joshua James Mullen, of Atlantic, was arrested this (Friday) morning on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Mullen was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $10,000 bond.

On Wednesday (2/24), deputies arrested 24-year old Alex Michael Garside, of Atlantic, on a charge of Driving While Revoked. Garside was taken to the Cass County Jail and was released the following day on his own recognizance.

And on February 19th, 32-year old Matthew Wayne Echternach, of Atlantic, was arrested on a Montgomery County warrant. Echternach was taken to the Cass County Jail and later transferred to Montgomery County.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Farm and construction equipment manufacturer Deere & Co. is cutting 100 manufacturing workers at two Iowa factories.  Layoffs effective April 1 include 80 workers in Davenport and 20 in Dubuque. Both factories are part of the company’s construction and forestry division. The Moline, Illinois-based company said Friday it is balancing the size of its workforce with market demand for some of its products.

Last week Deere cut its full-year earnings forecast citing weak sales of farm and construction equipment. Falling commodity prices have made farmers less likely to buy new equipment and declining oil prices have affected its construction equipment sales. In November the company announced that it would idle about 220 workers. For fiscal 2016, Deere anticipates equipment sales declining about 10 percent.

With unseasonably warm weather in the weekend forecast, Iowans might get out in their yards or toss a frizbee in the park, and they may notice one of the early signs of spring: higher gas prices. Gail Weinholzer, at Triple-A Iowa, explains why we’re seeing the bump. “We are starting the switchover from the winter to the summer grade of fuel,” Weinholzer says. “We’ll experience a little discomfort at the pump as we go through that but it is good news because we know spring and summer are closely approaching.”

If you got gas in the one-40s recently, savor that moment, as prices won’t likely be that low again anytime soon. “We have seen about a dime increase across the state of Iowa,” Weinholzer says. “The average today is about $1.69, which is still three-cents below the national average. We expect prices to climb gradually, perhaps as high as $2 a gallon but not necessarily.”

The motor club says Iowa’s cheapest gas is selling in Davenport at one-66, while the most expensive gas is in Des Moines, averaging one-78.

(Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Supreme Court is declining to address the merits of a lawsuit brought by a criminal investigator fired after complaining about Gov. Terry Branstad’s speeding state vehicle. The court dismissed an appeal Friday filed by former Division of Criminal Investigation supervisor Larry Hedlund. Justices say his appeal of a judge’s order wasn’t filed within a 30-day deadline and therefore it wasn’t timely.

The decision says other claims in Hedlund’s lawsuit can move forward and that he can appeal the ruling at the end of the case. At issue was whether Hedlund and other state officers can sue for wrongful discharge in violation of public policy. A judge dismissed that claim, saying it’s not recognized in Iowa and that state police officers can only challenge their firings through administrative proceedings.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – The University of Iowa has established an academy so top high school sophomores can attend the university. The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports that the Iowa Board of Regents approved the academy’s name Thursday at its meeting in Ames. The Martin and Melva Bucksbaum Early Entrance Academy for Science, Technology, Arts, Engineering and Math has been made possible through a $10 million donation from Mary Bucksbaum Scanlan and Patrick Scanlan. The center is being named in memory of Mary Scanlan’s parents, Martin and Melva Bucksbaum.

The teenagers will enroll for fall 2016 as first-year students after completing the equivalent of their sophomore years in high school. The university wants to admit 12 to 20 students from across the state and nation for the first batch of academy students.

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

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SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – The Catholic Diocese of Sioux City plans to consolidate parishes starting in summer 2017. The Rev. Brent Lingle directs the diocese’s office of worship, and he said Thursday the number would be reduced to 67 from 108. Lingle says the moves are necessitated by a growing shortage of priests and declining membership and church attendance.

Since 2008, only 16 of the 108 parishes have seen growth, while overall Mass attendance has dropped nearly 25 percent. Membership has fallen as the average age of churchgoers increases and family size decreases. None of the church buildings would close, but 40 no longer would have Masses celebrated there. They could continue to be the sites of weddings, funerals and the like.

Cass County Youth Coodinator Beth Irlbeck says “Cass County 4-H Clubs would like to invite the public to attend their annual 4-H Mardi Gras carnival on Sunday, March 6th.” Irlbeck says “Mardi Gras includes fun, food, & carnival-type games for kids of all ages. The event is scheduled from 2:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. at the Cass County Community Center in Atlantic.”

There will be many activities for families at this year’s event, including: Plinko; Ring Toss; Dessert Walk; Walking Taco Stand; Sponge Throw;,Youth Council Mardi Gras Jail; Bucket Pong, and much more.

The Youth Action Committee and Youth Council are sponsoring this county-wide event and would like to invite all Cass County families to come out and join the fun. It is intended to be a low cost, family-friendly event for everyone in the county. Irlbeck said “You don’t have to be in 4-H to attend.” Admission is 50-cents per person and tickets cost ten-cents each. Each 4-H club determines how many tickets to charge to
play their game. All proceeds from this event go to the 4-H clubs, Youth Council, and the Cass County 4-H Program.