The Cass County Board of Supervisors are expected to pass a Resolution during their meeting Wednesday morning, in Atlantic, with regard to a 28-E agreement between Cass and Audubon Counties. The agreement pertains to shared responsibilities for a bridge replacement project on Akron Road (the county line road), on the North Line of section 2, in Grant Township. Similar agreements have taken place in the recent past, for other such projects, in Montgomery and Adams Counties.

In other business, the Supervisors will act on an appointment to fill a vacancy term on the Cass County Civil Service Commission. They’ll also receive a Collective Bargaining proposal from the Union (Public, Professional and Maintenance Employees) representing the Secondary Roads Department. And, the Board will receive a quarterly report from Cass County Conservation Director Micah Lee, along with other, regular reports from the County Engineer, Attorney and Mental Health/General Assistance Directors, as available.

The Cass County Supervisor’s meeting gets underway at 8:30-a.m., Wednesday.

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

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

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Police in Council Bluffs are investigating a robbery that occurred early this (Tuesday) morning. Authorities say at around 2:45-a.m., officers responded to an incident at Sapp Brothers Truck Stop (2608. S. 24th Street). Employees at the business reported a man was detained outside the truck stop after allegedly shoplifting items from inside the store. After being confronted about the theft, the suspect returned the items but refused to go back into the store. He then allegedly pulled a knife on the employee, before getting into a vehicle and leaving the scene.

No injuries were reported. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 712-328-7867.

Police in Council Bluffs are asking for the public’s help in solving an incident of arson/criminal mischief that took place late Monday night. Officials say Bluffs Police and Fire Department personnel were called to 1010 3rd Avenue at around 10:25-p.m., with regard to a dumpster on fire. The fire department was able to extinguish the flames quickly, resulting in minimal damage to the dumpster.

During the investigation, an unidentified suspect began throwing rocks at police and fire department vehicles and personnel working the scene. Despite an extensive search of the area by authorities, they were unable to locate or identify the suspect. No injuries were reported, but one civilian vehicle, one police vehicle and two fire department vehicles, sustained minor damage.

Anyone with information about the incident, should call Crime Stoppers at 712-328-7867.

Iowa egg and poultry producers are preparing for a possible return of avian influenza this fall as migrating wild waterfowl are again flying over. The bird flu wiped out 34-million chickens and turkeys on 77 Iowa farms this spring. Randy Olson, executive director of the Iowa Poultry and Egg Association, says experts’ predictions about the fall migration are varied. “Some scientists would argue that birds that travel north in the spring might linger more as they move north, and in the fall, birds really just want to get moving south,” Olson says. “We’re optimistic that will be helpful.”

The U-S-D-A is preparing to handle an outbreak on more than 500 farms this fall, which is twice the scale of the spring outbreak.  “The USDA is taking this seriously,” Olson says. “Clearly, as they’ve modeled out this, it’s important for them to plan resources to react to what they’re calling a ‘worst case’ scenario. It could also be the case that we’ll have very few, if any, infections this fall. The disease is very unpredictable.”

Last month, Ames-based Harris Vaccines received conditional federal approval for its avian influenza vaccine, which is reported to be up to 95-percent effective. The U-S-D-A has hired around 200 of a planned 350 additional veterinarians, animal health technicians and other workers should a bird flu emergency occur. Olson says those are very positive moves.

“While there hasn’t been a decision to utilize vaccine, those types of planning steps need to happen in advance of that need,” he says. “The USDA is trying to be proactive, coupled with the good work of our farmers, we’re in the best position possible, but, make no mistake about it, our industry is on pins and needles.” If there’s another avian influenza outbreak this fall on the scale of last spring, Olson says it would be devastating to the industry.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Red Oak arrested a man on drug charges late Monday night. 43-year old Brett Alan Rea, of Red Oak, was taken into custody following the execution of a search warrant at 211 N. 2nd Street, in Red Oak, at around 11:10-p.m.  Rea faces two counts of Delivery of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was being held at the Montgomery County Jail on a $50,000 cash bond. Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputies assisted Red Oak Police in conducting the search, and arrest.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A board that oversees a children’s health insurance program in Iowa says it’s waiting for more information from state officials over the board’s legal authority as the program’s services are switched to private care. Mary Mincer Hansen, chairwoman of the board that oversees the hawk-i program, told members she wants more information from the state Department of Human Services as Medicaid services are turned over to several national health providers.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Rep. John Kooiker, an Iowa lawmaker elected to fill a seat left open by the death of Rep. Dwayne Alons, will not seek re-election in 2016. Kooiker says in a statement released yesterday that he wants to spend more time with his nine grandchildren. Kooiker, a Republican from the northwest community of Boyden, was elected earlier this year in a special election following the November 2014 death of Alons.

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (AP) — A Rock Island man convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend wants a judge to reconsider his 45-year sentence. Attorneys for Timothy J. McVay filed a motion yesterday calling the sentence excessive. The 40-year-old McVay was convicted in July of first-degree murder and concealment in the death of 29-year-old Carrie Olson, 29, of Davenport, Iowa.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Two Iowa City artists have collaborated to produce a comic book that will be sold by one of the genre’s largest publishers in stores across the country.The Iowa City Press-Citizen reports the comic book “Saints” started its three-year, 36-issue run this month with Image Comics.

Governor Terry Branstad is defending the way his Department of Human Services estimated the amount of savings the state would get from hiring four private companies to manage the Medicaid program. The chairman of the Iowa Senate Oversight Committee has asked Branstad to turn over the documents used to make that estimate. Reporters asked the governor about that request during his weekly news conference.

First of all, I don’t have any,” Branstad says. “This is the information that the Department…of Human Services has done forever. Michael, I don’t know if you have any more on this.” Michael Bousselot is Branstad’s chief of staff and he says the department worked with actuaries “who have been under contract for many years” to come up with a “prudent” savings estimate.

“Our office does not administer or oversee the Medicaid projections,” Bousselot says. “Rather that is handled by the Department of Human Services.” Bousselot promised to “work with” legislators and reporters who’ve asked for any Department of Human Services documents used to make the savings estimate. Democrats in the legislature and advocates for the 560-thousand Medicaid patients in Iowa as well as Iowa hospitals and health care providers have been raising concerns about Branstad’s decision to hire managed care companies to run the state’s Medicaid program.

(Radio Iowa)

Governor Terry Branstad is not confirming he told a lawyer in “The Family Leader” organization to “call off your attack dogs.” The Christian conservative group has been criticizing Branstad for not fully “defunding” Planned Parenthood in Iowa. “I was leaving a restaurant and had a conversation with an old friend,” Branstad says. “And I’m not going to comment on a private conversation with an old friend.”

The Family Leader sent out an email last Friday to report on the conversation. The email said Branstad asked the group to stop criticizing him for not taking executive action to cancel Medicaid contracts that reimburse Planned Parenthood for cancer screenings and tests for Medicaid patients. Branstad says the courts have ruled against states that have tried to do that, including the ruling this weekend striking down Governor Bobby Jindal’s attempt to “defund” Planned Parenthood in Louisiana.

“Listen, I’m pro-life and I want to do what we realistically can do, but I also feel an obligation to act within the law,” Branstad says. As for what Branstad may have said to Chuck Hurley, who is The Family Leader’s chief counsel, the governor’s not talking. And he’s not revealing which Des Moines-area restaurant the conversation took place either.

“There are some things that are private, even in my life,” Branstad told reporters this morning. The Family Leader’s Friday afternoon email message encouraged supporters to call and email Branstad, to “keep up the pressure” until he “defunds” Planned Parenthood in Iowa.

(Radio Iowa)