The Atlantic Police Department today (Wednesday) issued a clarification with regard to the arrest of a Cumberland woman on a charge of 2nd Degree Theft.

Tiffany Lillard (Booking photo)

Police Chief Steve Green said “As a result of an internal investigation conducted by Hy-Vee loss prevention personnel, and in collaboration with an investigator with the Atlantic Police Department, Tiffany Lillard, of Cumberland, was arrested for Theft in excess of $9,800 that she allegedly perpetrated over a period of several months.”

Green said “The charge alleges that Lillard falsely showed that she was charging prescriptions to nursing homes, when in actuality, she was simply diverting Hy-Vee store funds to gift cards for her own use.”

Green concluded by saying that “No patient accounts or nursing homes were ever falsely charged, and that only internal funds belonging to Hy-Vee were diverted.”

The Cass County Board of Supervisors have passed a Resolution calling for the securing of a loan to refinance the purchase of a County-owned building across the street from the Courthouse. Their action today (Wednesday) will save the County about 2.5-percent in interest and approximately $8,000 over the course of the initial loan. The move followed a public hearing during which there were no written comments or members of the public in attendance.

Supervisors Gaylord Schelling and Mark Wedemeyer mentioned most the persons who asked questions about the loan were in favor of refinancing once they learned it would be saving the County some money.

In other business, Cass County Engineer Charles Marker updated the Board on current projects, which include the lining of some rusted out pipes located under paved roads. One of the pipes is located under County Road G-30 [Airport Road], by Indian Creek. Another is located under G-43 just west of N-28, or west of Cumberland. The third is the Canby Road south of Anita, toward the Adair County line.

Denco Construction out Mingo worked on those projects with assistance from the Secondary Roads Department. Work is currently underway putting bags under the liners in preparation for the pouring of concrete, or flowable mortar, between the liner and old pipe. Afterward, it’s a simple matter of grading the inlets and outlets for the pipe. Marker said lining the pipes is much more cost effective than tearing up the road to replace the pipe and long lasting.

Marker says Cunningham-Reis, out of Van Meter, is working on installing the components for a new bridge on the Cass County Landfill road. And, a pre-construction meeting with A-M Cohron is slated to take place next Tuesday week with regard to the Griswold Golf Course Bridge project. The anticipated start date for the project is August 3rd.

Immediately after that meeting, a pre-construction meeting will be held with PCI, out of Minnesota. They’re the contractor responsible for work on the Troublesome Creek Bridge northeast of Atlantic. Marker says they are tentatively expected to begin work on the project at the end of this month.

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

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The 7:06-a.m. report w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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PLATTSMOUTH, Neb. (AP) – Authorities in Nebraska say two people, including a woman from Pottawattamie County, have died in a rollover accident near Beaver Lake in Cass County, NE.  22-year-old Jeremiah Ferguson, of Omaha and 21-year-old Kelsey Leclaire, of Council Bluffs, died Tuesday.

Authorities say a 2006 Volkswagen GTI Hatchback went through a stop sign at a Highway 75 intersection and struck an embankment. According to the Cass County Sheriff’s Department, the vehicle went over a fence before it landed upside down in a bean field.

Cass County (NE) Sheriff William Brueggemann said a local lawn care service noticed tracks and debris and found the vehicle, which was not visible from the highway. Brueggemann said speed was likely a factor in the crash.

A man wanted on an Iowa Dept. Of Corrections warrant for Escape From Custody, was arrested Tuesday night, in Red Oak. Authorities say 33-year old George Allen Alfred Westbrook III was taken into custody at around 10:35-p.m. in the 300 block of 8th Street, in Red Oak. Westbrook, who was also wanted on a Pottawattamie County warrant for Escape From Custody, was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $20,000 cash bond.

Tips from the public led to the arrest early this (Wednesday) morning, of a man wanted on numerous felony and other charges, in Red Oak. According to Red Oak Police, 33-year old Jacob Allen Cochran, of Red Oak, was taken into custody without incident, thanks to assistance of Deputies with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department. He was arrested at around 12:15-a.m. at a residence in the 500 block of S. 6th Street. Cochran was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $100,000 cash bond.

He faces felony charges that include:  Assault on a Peace Office and Eluding, associated with a vehicle pursuit on June 22nd; Theft in the 2nd Degree and Possession of Methamphetamine with the Intent to Deliver, in connection with the theft of an ATV from Stanton, on July 5th; and a felony Delivery of a Controlled Substance/Methamphetamine charge, associated with a raid at two houses in Red Oak early Tuesday morning, during which two other people were arrested, but Cochran managed to escape.

In addition to the felony charges, Cochran was charged with Interference with Official Acts (in connection with the pursuit), and Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana (with regard to the ATV theft incident).

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — Jeb Bush is criticizing fellow Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump for his “rhetoric of divisiveness.” During a campaign stop in Council Bluffs Tuesday, the former Florida governor and 2016 candidate said that the Republican party cannot win elections as a “grievance party” and must focus on giving people hope for a better life.

The reality television star has been critical of Bush recently. Last week Trump called Bush “a joke” for suggesting that Mexican immigrants cross the border illegally as “an act of love.” Bush said that Republicans must focus on hope and optimism. He said that Trump has a right to hold his beliefs, but said he does not want to be associated with the “vitriol that he’s spewing out these days.”

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — A judge has dismissed harassment charges that were filed against a Burlington woman after she admitted sending cow manure to a neighbor. Des Moines County Attorney Amy Beavers filed a motion to dismiss criminal harassment charges against Kim Capdevilia. The charges were filed after Capdevilia acknowledged to Burlington police that she paid a company to send the manure to her neighbor in December. The action was prompted by a dispute over a barking dog.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A state audit shows an Iowa correctional district linked to improper spending has misspent nearly $1.2 million in additional money. State Auditor Mary Mosiman says the improper disbursements from the Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services had a significant financial impact on the district over the years. The report says the bulk of improper disbursements came from payroll costs. More than $170,000 was spent on excess vacation and sick leave for some employees.

SIBLEY, Iowa (AP) — Investigators have identified the person killed in an apparent fall from a train in northwest Iowa as a 29-year-old man. The Department of Public Safety says a pedestrian found the body of Brandon Joseph Sage Gould on Monday near Sibley, just south of the Minnesota border. Investigators believe Gould fell and then was run over by the train. It’s unclear how or why he fell. Authorities haven’t determined Gould’s hometown.

WAVERLY, Iowa (AP) — A re-trial has begun for the former mayor of Oelwein, who is charged with second-degree sexual abuse of a girl. The trial of Jason Manus got underway Tuesday in Bremer County District Court. In May, a Chickasaw County jury found Manus not guilty of one count of third-degree sexual abuse involving a 14-year-old girl, but the jury deadlocked on a charge involving a younger girl. Judge Richard Stochl declared a mistrial and later agreed to move the trial to Bremer County.