The phones are working once again at the Cass County Courthouse. The system went down earlier this morning, but was repaired and functioning again just before noon. It was the second time in just under a week the phone system crashed at the courthouse.

Atlantic Police are looking for a vehicle involved this morning in a pedestrian hit and run accident at 10th and Plum Streets. The accident happened at around 11:15-a.m. The suspect vehicle is a silver, possibly 2009 4-door Chevy Malibu, registered to a subject out of Red Oak. The vehicle (with Iowa license plate # DEA 049) will have front end damage, as the victim of the hit-and-run was tossed over the hood. The driver appeared to have a been a young male. A partially full beer can was discarded at the scene of the accident.

Authorities in Montgomery County have been notified to be on the lookout for the vehicle and a possibly intoxicated driver. The suspect has a lengthy record in Montgomery County, according to dispatch reports. He also is known to have a residence in Bridgewater. Authorities in Adair County have also been notified.

A female victim of the hit-and-run was transported to the Cass County Memorial Hospital by ambulance. No other information is currently available.

The manager of an Iowa apprenticeship program says there’s more demand for skilled workers than his program that trains plumbers, welders and technicians who work on heating and air conditioning systems can supply. Jason Shanks, the training director for the Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 33 in Des Moines, says “Apprenticeship has been the best kept secret for a long time. If you have a conversation with people about apprenticeships, they know what the work is, but they don’t understand the true meaning of apprenticeship. I think that’s been the biggest problem.”

The apprenticeship program he runs lasts five years and the cost for the apprentice is only 200 dollars a year, plus a contractor hires that apprentice as a “helper” and they earn a paycheck. “Day one they get the same benefits that I receive, health care,” he says. “…They don’t have a huge student loan debt when they’re done. They have a career.” There are 753 apprenticeship programs registered with the State of Iowa today.

Duane Boswell of Iowa-based T-M-C Transportation says his employee-owned company started a “heavy truck” apprenticeship program in the early 1990s and today there are a thousand drivers enrolled. “One of our greatest challenges and frankly one of the greatest challenges in the over-the-road trucking industry is finding enough quality individuals to drive our trucks,” Boswell says. “It’s not everybody that wants to be out a week at a time or more.”

But the apprentices who go to work for his trucking firm can earn 50-thousand dollars in their first year of training, plus they get health benefits. Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds invited the two apprenticeship program managers to speak at a news conference at the statehouse this morning (Monday).

“There is a significant skills gap in Iowa and across this nation,” Reynolds says. “And as we continue to work every day to grow this economy, we need to make sure that we have that talent pipeline in place not only to meet the jobs of today, but to meet the jobs of the future.” A new state program started in 2013 provides three million dollars annually to cover the some of the costs of equipment, materials and other expenses for apprenticeship programs in Iowa.

(Radio Iowa)

Cass County Health System is hosting a free event on Wednesday, September 16 called, “Mommy’s Time Out.” The event begins at 5:30 in the atrium and includes informational booths and a guest speaker. Jeri Orstad, RN and co-chair of the Women’s Health Services committee, which is hosting the event, says “When you have young children, life can feel crazy all day, every day. It’s good for moms to take a time out, spend some time with other moms, learn more about caring for their kids, and have a good laugh.”

Danielle Herzog will be the guest speaker at the event. Danielle is a writer and her work has been featured in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, Parenting, The Omaha World Herald and more. Danielle also writes a popular blog titled Martinis & Minivans.

The booths feature a number of local resources and include information on medicine and kids, reference materials on illness, nutrition, immunizations, obstetrics, and more.

The event is free and open to all moms of young children. For more information, visit the Cass County Health System page on Facebook, casshealth.org, or call 712-243-7405.

Fall arrives next week, a dangerous time of year as it’s much more likely Iowa motorists may collide with deer. A new study shows the odds Iowa drivers will hit a deer are rising. Ann Avery is spokeswoman for State Farm Insurance, which compiled the numbers. “Iowa is ranked third this year among the states in terms of your likelihood to have a collision with a deer, according to the State Farm information,” Avery says. “For perspective, Iowa was 4th last year.”

Iowa drivers are more than 13-percent more likely to collide with a deer than they were last year, according to the study. It says the odds drivers will hit a deer in Iowa are 1-in-68, compared to the national odds of 1-in-169. If you should emerge from hitting a deer unhurt, your car won’t likely be as lucky and neither will your savings account. “The national cost per claim average for a deer-vehicle collision is more than $4,100 and that’s up 6% from last year when the average was about $3,800,” Avery says. “So, it is expensive and we do want to help people not have that happen to them.”

Mostly due to mating and hunting seasons, the months a driver is most likely to collide with a deer in Iowa, are — in order — November, October and December. In 2013, there were 191 deaths reported nationwide as the result of collisions with animals, with deer being the animal most often struck, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Some tips to avoid deer include: use your high beams when possible at night, don’t rely on devices like deer whistles and should a deer jump into your path, don’t veer, as you could end up in the ditch or oncoming traffic.

“Keep in mind, deer generally travel in herds,” Avery says. “If you see one, others may be nearby. Be aware of posted ‘Deer Crossing’ signs. We see them often but they’re there for a reason. They’re placed there because those are active areas. Remember that deer are most active between dusk and dawn and the fall months are very active months for deer, which is when you can most reasonably expect this will happen.”

For the ninth year in a row, West Virginia tops the list of states where a collision is most likely with 1-in-44 odds. The rest of the top five are: Montana, Iowa, Pennsylvania and South Dakota. Hawaii is last, also for the ninth year in a row, with 1-in-8,765 odds.

(Radio Iowa)

(update 11:50-a.m.: Phone system is functioning again)

Cass County Courthouse phone system is once again not not working. Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman issued the notice of problems with the phone system at around 8:50-a.m.  The same system experienced problems early last week.

Notice will be sent when it has been repaired.

A man from northwest Iowa’s Ida County was seriously injured during a motorcycle crash Saturday evening, in Shelby County. The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office reports 60-year old Brent Lindgren, of Arthur, IA, was traveling south on Highway 59 at around 5-p.m., and in the process of passing a semi tractor-trailer, when the motorcycle Lindgren was driving went out of control. The cycle crossed the northbound lane of the highway and traveled onto the east shoulder before flipping end-over, ejecting Lindgren.

He was transported to Myrtue Memorial Hospital in Harlan by Medivac Ambulance prior to being flown by LifeNet helicopter to Creighton Medical Center in Omaha for treatment of serious injuries. The accident remains under investigation.

An investigation into a sexual assault that allegedly occurred Sunday in Stuart, has resulted in the arrest of a man in Des Moines. According to the Stuart Police Department’s social media page, Officers from Stuart went to Lutheran Hospital in Des Moines Sunday night. to follow-up on an assault that allegedly took place earlier in the day, Sunday.

Corey Drake was subsequently arrested in the 3000 block of Garfield Street in Des Moines, on felony 1st Degree Kidnapping and 1st Degree Sexual Abuse charges. Drake was being held in the Adair County Jail pending an appearance before a magistrate.

No other details are currently available.

More area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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Police in Creston arrested a woman from Afton, Saturday morning. Officials say 40-year old Robbin Creveling was taken into custody at around 4:30-a.m. for Domestic Abuse Assault. She was later released from the Ringgold County Jail on $1,000 bond.

Also arrested early Saturday morning, was 22-year old Marshall Keate, of Creston. Keate was charged with Public Intoxication – 2nd offense. And, 20-year old Clinton Bird, of Creston, was arrested Friday morning for Public Intoxication. Both men were later released on bond.

Creston Police report also, 17-year old Kane Farlow, of Creston, was referred to Juvenile Authorities at the Creston Alternative School, Friday, on charges of Interference With Official Acts, Criminal Mischief in the 3rd Degree, and Probation Violation. Farlow was released to the custody of Juvenile Services.