The Audubon County Sheriff’s Department reports an Exira man was arrested Thursday afternoon. 25-year old Brock Daniel Knapp was taken into custody on a charge of Domestic Abuse Assault, following an investigation into an incident that allegedly occurred at his home in Exira, early Thursday morning. Knapp was being held without bond in the Audubon County Jail, pending an appearance before a magistrate.

With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests on Thursday. At around 2-p.m., 22-year old Michael L. Chase, of Red Oak, was arrested on a Montgomery County warrant for Violation of Probation. Chase was being held in jail on $10,000 cash bond. And, just before 3-p.m., 51-year old David L. Howe, of Red Oak, was arrested on a charge of Public Intoxication. He was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 cash bond.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

The Water Emergency Declaration for the City of Elliott has been cancelled. Emergency Manager Brian Hamman said late Thursday afternoon, testing has concluded that the water is now safe to drink. City of Elliott officials would like to thank all citizens of the community for their understanding during this time and would also like to extend their appreciation to the local area businesses that assisted with donating and making potable water available.

Over 300 cases of water were distributed since early Tuesday afternoon, when a water main break disrupted the City’s municipal water infrastructure.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Woodbury County and its former sheriff have been dismissed from two federal lawsuits filed by women who claim their civil rights were violated at the county jail and they were given unlawful strip searches. U.S. District Judge Mark W. Bennett says in his recent rulings that the county did not have a policy in place that violated the rights of the women. He also ruled that they were not given strip searches because their bodies were not inspected.

The Sioux City Journal reports excessive force and retaliation claims against some jailers are essentially all that remain in the suits. The women claim officers assaulted and injured them by forcefully removing their clothing for jail-issued clothing.

The county says the women were disruptive and officers followed policy.

Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green reports that on December 21st, 2013 the Atlantic Police Reserves will sponsor the 6th annual Family Dream Christmas program. The program is for Cass County residents only. During the program we will furnish the officers and transportation to take the selected families shopping here within Atlantic. Families will be taken shopping in Atlantic for groceries for Christmas dinner, gifts for the kids from the parents and also gifts for the parents from their kids.

The police department will be accepting donations from now through the 20th of December. As with last year, they are asking for cash donations only, this year. Any donations can be brought to the Atlantic Police Department and received by an officer on duty or the secretary working.

Applications for families wishing to participate can be picked up at the Atlantic Police Department and are due on December 11th by 4:00 p.m. After all applications have been received, they will be reviewed and the chosen families will be contacted. There is no set limit on the number of families chosen; it will correspond to the amount of donations received. The P-D will try to help as many families as possible!

In 2012, the program sponsored nearly nine complete family units and gave other families toys as well as assistance, as available. Between 8-and 9-thousand dollars was spent through the program, the entire amount of which came through donations from the public. 

The Atlantic Police Reserves would like to thank everyone in the past that has helped and would also like to thank those of whom are anticipating on helping with our wonderful program. For questions or inquiries call the Atlantic Police Department at (712) 243-3512.

The Watershed Improvement Review Board (WIRB) recently approved ten applications totaling more than $2.3-million in grants to support projects that will improve water quality or reduce flooding in the state. Among the projects is the Adair Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) covering Adair and Cass Counties, which will receive $298, 562 for the West Fork Middle Nodaway River. And, the West Pottawattamie SWCD will receive $279,811 for the Mosquito Creek Project in Pottawattamie County.

The grant funds will be matched by recipients, who will provide over $6.5-million in funding from the local communities to support these projects. As a result, $8.8- million will be going to support conservation work in priority watersheds throughout the state.

The approved projects have already completed watershed assessments that identified critical water resource areas and will focus on implementing specific water quality or flood reduction improvements. The projects will start after a grant agreement is signed between the applicant and the Watershed Improvement Review Board. Soil and water conservation districts, public water supply utilities, counties, county conservation boards, cities, and local watershed improvement committees were eligible to apply. Individual projects could request up to $300,000.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey says “These projects are a partnership between federal, state and local organizations that are committed to improving Iowa’s water quality. By supporting projects that address runoff and drainage, sedimentation, urban stormwater, livestock runoff, streambed and bank stabilization and a number of other issues, these projects are focused on issues that directly impact the state’s waterways and water quality.”

WIRB received a total of $3 million this year and at least half of the funds must be used to support voluntary, science based water quality practices referenced in the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy.