The Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Wednesday) approved the appointment of Todd Argotsinger as Assistant County Attorney, and Jamie Arnold as a temporary Administrative Assistant in the Cass County Attorney’s Office, until Arnold he is licensed as an attorney in Iowa, at which time he will be appointed Assistant County Attorney. The recommendations came from Cass County Attorney Dave Wiederstein. Arnold will be paid through the end of the Fiscal Year a base wage of $20,000, or $40,000 annually.” Argotsinger, who is the Assistant County Attorney in Shelby County, will be serving on-call, as needed.

In other business, the Board approved 29 members to the Condemnation in Eminent Domain Board, and they heard a quarterly update from Cass County Conservation Director Micah Lee, who said gates had been installed at the south driveway at Cold Springs State Park near Lewis. In addition, there was some trim work completed on the office siding, the campground was winterized and closed for the season. He said they also started the first leg of 50-amp electrical hook-up upgrades at the Cold Springs State Park campground.

Lee says that will better serve those campers whose RV’s and trailers have air conditioning and other electrical devices that have a higher draw. General maintenance has been performed at other parks in the County, including the Nodaway Recreation Area, Pellett Memorial Woods, West Nodaway Area, T-Bone Trail, the Outdoor Classroom and Hitchock Recreation Area.

He said illegal dumping of furniture and other items continues to be a problem at Nodaway, but they try to keep up with taking care of the trash. He added the County Road crews are also keeping an eye out for trash dumped near the recreation areas. And finally, Micah reported Cass County Naturalist Lora Kanning presented 108 Environment Education programs to 2,132 people during the last quarter.

With Ric Hanson.

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(Updated 9:38-a.m).

A Red Oak man faces multiple felony Forgery charges following a recent investigation. Officials with the Red Oak Police Department say 39-year old Richard Henry Rapp, Jr., had faced 12 Class-D felony charges of forgery, but a friend of Rapp came forward Tuesday and told authorities she had checks that were forged by him as well. As a result of an investigation, Rapp now faces six additional charges of Class-D Forgery.

The investigation into his alleged activities began after information from a store implicated Rapp, Jr. in the crime. A search of Rapp’s residence resulted in evidence of several items allegedly obtained through the act of forgery.

Rapp had allegedly forged checks at several businesses in Red Oak. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $5,000 bond. Red Oak Police were assisted in their investigation by deputies with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.

The 7:07-a.m. Newscast with KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Hundreds of Nebraska and Iowa schools and some businesses have been closed or will open late because of the below-zero temperatures and bracing winds. A National Weather Service wind chill warning for northeast Nebraska and nearly all of Iowa says dangerously low wind chills could reach minus 35 on Wednesday morning.

In Mason City, Iowa, the air temperature of minus 6 combined with 30 mph winds to make it feel like 34 below zero. In Des Moines, the wind chill was minus 24. In South Sioux City, Nebraska, the temperature of minus 2 and the winds above 20 mph combined for a wind chill of minus 26.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An official says Des Moines Water Works likely will sue three counties that manage drainage districts with high concentrations of nitrates. Water Works officials say the nitrates flow into the Raccoon River and threaten the city’s water quality. Water with concentrations above a certain threshold can be deadly to children younger than 6 months because nitrates can reduce the amount of oxygen carried in their blood.

Water Works board chairman Graham Gillette told The Des Moines Register that the board will vote Thursday to move forward with the lawsuit.  The trustees’ vote would trigger a notice to the boards of supervisors in Buena Vista, Calhoun and Sac counties, notifying them of Water Works’ intention to sue.

Experts say most of the nitrates come from fertilizer applied to farm fields.

House Republicans hope to advance an alternative way for Iowans to file their state income taxes, but Republican Governor Terry Branstad says the reality is Democrats in the Iowa Senate won’t go for the idea. Nonetheless House Speaker Kraig Paulsen, the top Republican in the legislature, says Republicans in the House want to “have a conversation about income taxes.” “We’ve tried to have that conversation for several years now,” Paulsen says. “We’ve sent several proposals over to the senate and we have not had any success on landing on an idea that we can get to the governor’s desk.”

Iowa’s top income tax rate today is just under nine percent. One plan Paulsen and other Republicans have favored would allow Iowans to file under the present system or to opt pay a “flat tax” of four-and-a-half percent on their income. “We think that makes the state more inviting to employers and to individuals to come and invest in the state of Iowa and invest in our workforce,” Paulsen says. Branstad will lay out his priorities for the 2015 legislative session next Tuesday, but income tax reform won’t be on his list.

“I believe in recommending things that have a realistic chance of getting bipartisan approval and I don’t see that as something that’s going to happen this session,” Branstad says. While Branstad supports the idea of a flat tax that would lower Iowa’s top income tax rate, the governor says key Democrats like the long-time chairman of the Senate’s tax-writing committee will not even consider it. Democrats say a “flat” state income tax of four-and-a-half percent would be a big tax break for upper income Iowans.

Senate Democratic Leader Mike Gronstal says Democrats are interested in making the tax system fairer, to help more Iowans move into the middle class. “We have always been open to discussions about targeted tax relief that will help grow Iowa’s economy,” Gronstal says. The 2015 legislative session begins Monday.

(Radio Iowa)

The waiting rooms in many of Iowa’s hospitals are packed with people suffering from the flu. Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) medical director Dr. Patricia Quinlisk says it’s critical for those who are at high risk for complications and those who are suffering from more severe symptoms — such as trouble breathing — to contact their health care provider. “This year, it’s especially important that you contact your health care provider quickly because we know the strain of the flu that’s going around right now can be quite serious. It’s causing some people to be hospitalized and even some deaths,” Quinlisk says.

The IDPH has confirmed two recent influenza-related deaths of children in Iowa, while a third is under investigation. The two confirmed victims, a 14-year-old girl from Redfield and a 3-year-old girl from Elk Horn, were both said to be healthy and had flu shots. Quinlisk is urging parents to contact their doctor right away if their child shows symptoms of the flu. “The antiviral medication that can be given to people to help them combat the flu has to be given within 24 to 48 hours within the onset of illness for it to be effective,” Quinlisk says.

Nationally, the flu outbreak has been declared an epidemic by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Quinlisk says it’s not too late for Iowans to get the flu shot, even though the vaccine it’s not entirely effective in treating the strain known as influenza A. “While the flu shot is not 100-percent effective, it’s one of the best tools we have to provide you protection from getting seriously ill or dying of the flu,” Quinlisk says. In addition to vaccination, Quinlisk recommends following the “three Cs” for preventing flu illness: clean your hands frequently, cover coughs and sneezes, and confine germs by staying home when ill.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Public health officials are investigating the death of a 7-year-old Iowa boy who was diagnosed with influenza. The Iowa Department of Public Health says it’s investigating three pediatric deaths that they believe resulted from flu-related complications. The family of 7-year-old Travon Epps says the boy was taken to Blank Children’s Hospital on New Year’s Day. He was diagnosed with the flu and later died.

BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say they’re investigating a shooting in southeast Iowa that left one person dead and an officer injured. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation says the Burlington Police Department responded to a domestic dispute Tuesday morning. Authorities say the response resulted in a shooting that left one person dead and an officer receiving treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.

MOUNT PLEASANT, Iowa (AP) — A Houston, Texas-based company has agreed to pay a $59,000 penalty as part of a settlement over alleged clean air and emergency planning violations at its facilities in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri. Inhance Technologies LLC, formerly known as Fluoro-Seal International LP, will spend at least $180,000 on systems to recycle hazardous hydrogen fluoride gas. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency inspected the company’s Mount Pleasant, Iowa, facility in November 2010. Federal officials say the facility did not follow rules for using or storing certain types of hazardous or potentially hazardous chemicals beyond specified threshold amounts.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Iowa Pharmacy Board recommends that state lawmakers reclassify a marijuana extract that is used to treat people with epilepsy. But the board has declined to make any broader changes supported by medical marijuana advocates.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa’s newly sworn-in Sen. Joni Ernst says she is thrilled to be getting down to business. Ernst was officially sworn in Tuesday morning in Washington. The Republican from Red Oak says she is excited to be working for Iowans and pledged to protect the state’s farmers and push for government efficiency.