COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Council Bluffs park officials have decided to treat most of the city’s ash trees to protect them from the invading insect known as the emerald ash borer. Parks Director Larry Foster says the emerald ash borer is an inevitable threat to local ash trees and city crews will begin removing 29 of the unhealthiest trees next year. The city plans to spend nearly $59,000 on removing the unhealthy trees.

The Daily Nonpareil reports state officials say 29 counties in Iowa have reported seeing the insects. Foster says that while the city has plans for the trees on public ground, property owners will need to determine their own course of action to deal with the insect.

The holidays are supposed to be a time of cheer but certain seasonal items we have in our houses could lead to an accidental poisoning. Tammy Noble, a registered nurse and the education coordinator for the Iowa Poison Control Center, says alcohol poisoning is common in children year round, but the risk increases during the holidays, and not just because you stocked up on beer, wine and liquor for a party.

“Perfumes, colognes and aftershaves have alcohol in them and high concentrations of it,” Noble says. “It doesn’t take much for a child to drink for it to become toxic or be worried about alcohol poisoning.” Button-sized batteries found in toys, music-playing holiday cards and a host of other items could be hazardous if bitten or swallowed. Iowans who plan to decorate their windows using that spray-on snow should also be careful, especially if kids are nearby.

“If they happen to lick the window, it’s really not much of a problem,” Noble says. “We’re more concerned when you’re spraying it and breathing in the fumes, that can be harmful, but once it’s dried on the window, it’s essentially non-toxic.” The bright colors of lamp oils are very attractive to young children. Even if the oil bottles have child safety caps, most lamps that the oils are poured into do not. Lamp oil can get into a child’s lungs if swallowed and can be deadly. Noble says Christmas tree ornaments may also pose as a hazard for kids and pets.

“Some of them are glass or styrofoam or a thin plaster,” Nobel says. “They don’t pose much of a poison risk if you swallow them but they can pose a choking hazard, so be aware of that. If you have antique ornaments that have metalic paints on them, some of those could have high concentrations of lead-based paints in it.”

Eggnog containing raw or undercooked eggs can make you and your guests sick, she says, so use pasteurized egg products or buy ready-made pasteurized eggnog. The Sioux City-based Iowa Poison Control Center is available around-the-clock at 800-222-1222.

(Radio Iowa)

Cass County Engineer Charles Marker says a number of factors impacting his current budget will require him to amend his FY 2015-16 budget, and revise his FY 2016-17 budget. Speaking before the County Board of Supervisors Wednesday, Marker said one of the factors requiring him to make the change, he says, is the amount of funding from the Road Use Tax Fund (or, “Gas Tax”). He said one year ago at this time, he didn’t know what the status of the gas tax would be, so he couldn’t include it in his budget. The tax didn’t get passed until late Spring, 2015. Marker said that money is starting to come in now, and it’s being used by the County for various bridge and road projects.

Marker says it’s not unusual to amend the budget, but it’s usually not done until around April or May, and no later than June 1st. The County he says, will receive slightly less than One-half million dollars from the Road Use Tax Fund, some of which will be used to repair four or five bridges, and some of which will be replaced. He says they will have to amend not only his County budget, but the budget he submits to the Iowa Dept. of Transportation, when it comes time to do so.

Marker says there’s no need right now to publish for an amended budget. He simply wanted to make the Board aware of the need to expend more than what is budgeted. He prefers to wait until the April-May time frame to amend it, which is the same time other County budgets are submitted for amendment.

In other business, the Cass County Supervisors approved the leasing of a portion of the Walnut Street Courthouse Annex to the 4th Judicial District’s Department of Correctional Services. Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman spelled out the reasons and specifics behind the agreement, prior to its approval.

He said with the 4th Judicial District/DOC has been leasing office space in Atlantic, but that space will no longer be available after Jan. 31st, 2016. The agreement with the County stipulates the Annex office space will be leased for a period of two-years, at $600 per month.

The Executive Director of West Central Community Action (WCCA), based in Harlan, appeared before the Cass County Board of Supervisors this (Wed.) morning, to present his annual report and request for continued funding. Joel Dirks asked the Supervisors for $4,000 funding in the upcoming Fiscal Year, which is the same amount he asked for last year. The Supervisors took Dirks funding request under advisement. Funds provided by the County provide a local match for some of WCCA’s federal programs and assist in supporting the organizations’ efforts to maintain safe and affordable office space for local outreach centers.

WCCA provides services for Cass and nine other western Iowa Counties. Dirks said in Fiscal Year 2015, WCCA provided more than $1.57-million worth of services to residents in Cass County. Dirks said the report, which covers a period from Oct. 1st, 2014 to Sept. 30th, 2015, shows 516 client households comprised of 1,149 individuals, received services over the past Fiscal Year.

$1.32-million was provided to Cass County by WCCA in the form of direct client program services. And, the organization incurred $250,902 in administrative and program delivery costs, for Cass County.

WCCA operates three Head Start classrooms in Cass County, located in Anita and Atlantic, serving 57 children. And, they coordinate with Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R), to help people who care for and about children, as well. Other services they provide include the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). 410 households in Cass County received LIHEAP assistance in FY2015, for a total of $184,100. Assistance was also provided in the form of the Weatherization Assistance Program, which helps low income households increase the energy efficiency of their homes. Eight households in Cass County received nearly $69,670 worth of help in that area from WCCA.

The Harlan Police Department reports a woman from Harlan was arrested Monday on an active Shelby County warrant for 5th Degree Theft. 19-year old Cassie Swensen was transported to the Shelby County Jail.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – A western Iowa prosecutor says a police officer who shot at a fleeing suspect will not face charges and that attempted murder and assault charges levied against the suspect have been dropped. Pottawattamie County Attorney Matthew Wilber tells the Daily Nonpareil that Council Bluffs Officer Ben Lake will face no charges in the case.

Wilber says Lake had arrested Adam Thomas on Oct. 14 at a farm supply store. Wilber says Thomas managed to free himself, them bumped Lake with his truck while trying to flee. Lake fired six shots into the truck, missing Thomas.

Wilber says he dropped the most serious charges against Thomas after seeing surveillance video of the incident. But Thomas still faces a slew of charges, including fraud, fleeing police and possessing stolen items.

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

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Police in Creston are investigating more incidents of vandalism and theft. On Tuesday, a woman residing in the 500 block of N. Division Street, reported to police items she purchased at the Creston Wal-Mart were stolen from her cart by an unknown female. The incident happened Monday, sometime between 2:50-and 3-p.m.  The loss was estimated at nearly $76.

A resident in the 200 block of N. Maple Street in Creston reported Tuesday, that sometime between Saturday and Tuesday, someone damaged the steering column on his 1998 Chevy Blazer parked behind 304 S. Vine Street. The damage was estimated at $300.

Also on Tuesday, a resident in the 700 block of N. Elm Street in Creston, told police sometime between 9-p.m. and 11:15-p.m. Tuesday, someone threw a brick through the window of her vehicle and stole her purse. The incident happened while the vehicle was parked at 403 E. Townline. The loss was estimated at $15. A brick was also thrown through the window of a vehicle parked in front of a residence in the 1000 block of Birch Street in Creston, Tuesday night. A cup of change was taken from the vehicle, also. The loss was estimated at $150.

Also late Tuesday night, a resident in the 1500 block of W. Townline Road reported someone threw a rock through her car window and took a Vape Pen while the vehicle was parked at 301 W. Taylor. The incident, which took place during the evening hours, Tuesday, resulted in a loss estimated at $130.

And, 17-year old Natalie Eslinger, of Creston, was referred Monday by the Union County Law Enforcement Center to Juvenile Authorities, with regard to a 5th Degree Theft charge. The teen was then released to the custody of her grandmother.

Almost one in every three Iowans is expected to take a trip for the year-end holidays, according to a survey. Gail Weinholzer, spokeswoman for Triple-A Iowa, says if the weather isn’t too frightful, a record number of people will be on the nation’s roads and bustling through airports, train stations and bus depots. “We are expected to top 100-million people traveling for the Christmas/New Year’s holiday for the first time ever,” Weinholzer says. “We expect just over 100.5-million Americans to travel at least 50 miles from home between Wednesday, December 23rd and Sunday, January 3rd.”

She says the boost in holiday travel is being driven by continued improvement in the labor market, rising incomes and low prices, including gasoline prices, which remain well below last year’s levels.  “In part, it is due to gas prices, this is however, the 7th consecutive year that we’ve seen growth in Christmas/New Year’s travel over the previous year,” Weinholzer says. “It’s not entirely due to gas prices but certainly in large part due to gas prices as we’re seeing record low prices for the Christmas/New Year’s holiday season. This is the lowest people have paid since 2009.”

Gasoline prices in Iowa have been steadily dropping for several weeks and now are averaging just under two-dollars a gallon statewide. While many Iowans will be taking buses, boats or planes to their holiday destinations, she says most of us will be on the road. “The overwhelming majority are traveling by personal automobile,” Weinholzer says. “Ninety-percent of all travelers, which equates to just over 91-million people. We encourage people to drive safely and that includes slowing down, paying attention, driving sober and buckling up.”

Triple-A says airfares for the top flight routes are six-percent lower this holiday season, car rental rates are up three-percent from a year ago, while lodging at most of the nicer hotels is up between four and 11-percent.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Red Oak are asking for your help in locating a pickup that was reported stolen early this (Wednesday) morning. A grey, 2010 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab was stolen from in front of the United Farmers Mercantile Cooperative, in Red Oak, at around 5:30-a.m. The vehicle has clearance lights on the roof, chrome rocker panels down the sides, and black racing-style rims and tires. A Ruger, Single Six .22-caliber firearm and ammunition were inside the vehicle.

The incident took place while the owner, Daniel Phelps, of rural Red Oak, stopped at the store and parked his pickup on the east side of the business. A person or persons unknown entered the pickup and took off heading northbound on N. Broadway Street.

Anyone with information about the theft or location of the pickup, should call your local law enforcement agency.