For several years, ISU Extension in Cass County and surrounding counties has served as a host site for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program. Now, organizers are looking for local volunteers to keep the program going strong. VITA is an IRS-sponsored program that certifies community volunteers to prepare and e-file basic tax returns at no cost for low to moderate income individuals and families. Approximately 70 individuals benefitted from the program for the 2012 tax year, bringing over $150,000 in tax refunds back into the county.

Volunteers are needed in Cass County, as well as other locations across southwest Iowa, to prepare 2013 taxes. Volunteers can work weekdays, weekends or evenings, giving as much time as their schedule allows, and would be needed in late winter/early spring 2014. Interested individuals do not need to be full-time tax preparers to qualify, but should have a basic understanding of income tax laws, an interest in helping others and basic computer skills.

VITA volunteers are provided free training, self study materials, and software necessary to prepare basic income tax returns including Forms 1040EZ, 1040A, and 1040. Volunteers must complete a certification exam and the IRS waives liability for volunteers if they prepare returns within the scope of their certification.

For more information on volunteering with the VITA program, contact the Cass County Extension Office at 712-243-1132 , or Mary Beth Kaufman, Extension Family Program Specialist at 712-755-3104 (or e-mail: mbkaufma@iastate.edu.) Interested persons will need to complete a one page application.

The VITA program provides free tax preparation to low and moderate income families so they can claim the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Care Tax Credits. In Southwest Iowa, the program is coordinated by Iowa State University Extension with funding and support from the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Human Services, and Iowans for Social and Economic Development (ISED).

The season’s first snowfall in the KJAN listening area has brought some quick reminders to motorists that they need to slow down and allow extra time for traveling. Early this (Monday) afternoon, there have been several reports of accidents along Interstate 80 in Cass County, none of which have resulted in injuries (as of 3-p.m.).

According to scanner traffic, semi’s were jackknifed into the median and/or partially blocking the road between the 60 and 72 mile markers. And a pickup truck rolled into the median at around 2:50-p.m. just east of the Olive Street exit, but no injuries were reported.

Remember, when driving in winter weather conditions, slow down, turn off your cruise control, turn on your headlights and know that road conditions can change very quickly.

PERU, Neb. (AP) – Authorities in southeast Nebraska have identified the body of a man found on a bank of the Missouri River.  The Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office says the body was that of 43-year-old Mark Miller, of Omaha. People fishing by the river north of Peru found the body Oct. 27.

Miller was presumed missing Oct. 2 after a boat he’d borrowed was found unoccupied floating down the river. Miller had been camping near the river in Fremont County, Iowa. A crime is not suspected.

You could pay a little more for steak or hamburger this winter. Iowa State University livestock economist, Lee Schulz, says the cattle market is rebounding from years of drought, and along with lower grain prices and better forage, the conditions are good for producers. ” We’ve seen the cost of production decrease substantially and we’re looking at break-even levels and above for beef producers,” Schulz says. He says producers sell fewer animals to build up their herds to take advantage of the market situation.

“Beef supplies are historically tight, but to build that herd they’re going to become even tighter because we have to retain more of those heifers,” Schulz explains. Keeping those animals out of the marketplace means beef will cost more. “There is quite a bit of uncertainty, but I think we do know that prices are likely to increase in the rather short to medium term,” Schulz says. Schulz adds, while consumers may see higher prices, retailers are likely to cushion some of the impact.

(Radio Iowa)

The Cass and Adair County Boards of Supervisors will hold separate meetings Tuesday in Atlantic and Greenfield, respectively. Both sessions begin at 9-a.m.  In Atlantic, the Cass County Supervisors are scheduled to receive a report at 10:30 from the Child Abuse Prevention Council’s Kristen Templeton, with regard to ‘The Scary Guy” program being brought to all schools in the County, next fall. The CAPC will request funding from the Board to help make the program possible.

In Greenfield, the Adair County Supervisors will canvass the results of the Nov. 5th City Election, and hold public hearings on the authorization of loan agreements and issuing of General Obligation Capital Loan Notes amounting to $11-million, and resolutions to take addition action on those matters.

The Board will also act on the signing of an agreement with Pictometry, and a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) agreement.

A group of basketball ambassadors will come to Harlan this (Monday) evening to take on some local celebrities. The Harlem Ambassadors are an organization similar to the Harlem Globetrotters and will bring high flying slam dunks and family comedy to the Harlan Community High School Gymnasium starting at 7pm. Dawn Gardner from the Harlan Community High School says the Ambassadors will play against the Harlan Community Hoopsters.

The Hoopsters will be coached by the Harlan Mayor Gene Gettys and Izzy Clark and the team is made up of current Harlan Community staff members such as Superintendent Justin Wagner, teacher Dan Hoch and former Harlan Community graduates including Randy Bissen, Paul Bruck and Kevin Osborn.

The entire event is sponsored by the Harlan Community Teammates Mentoring Program. Gardner says “The Teammates Program was started by Doctor Tom Osborne and Nancy Osborn in Nebraska as a school based mentoring program. Students meet once a week for an hour during the school year. It gives students an extra adult to look up to other than family members.”

No ticket is needed to get into the family show this evening at the high school gym but seating is limited. A free-will donation will be taken at the door with proceeds going to the Teammates program. Along with the basketball fun, the concession stand will be open as well as a merchandise stand from the Harlem Ambassadors. A signed basketball from the Ambassadors will be auctioned off to coach Izzy Clark, too.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

A Veteran from Kimballton has written a fictional novel based on the life of a Vietnam veteran. Steve Heuton is the author of “Back in the Day” about two young men growing up in the 1960’s. Heuton says “It starts about the end of their junior year of high school, goes on to their senior year as they chase girls, hot rod around and play football. They do pretty good at everything and they are on top of the world. Then they are drafted and end up going to Vietnam. It’s a long fall from top of the world to the bottom and they crawl back out again.”

He says parts of the book are true and happened to him or friends of his. Heuton says the book was inspired by an English professor in college.  “I graduated from college about two weeks before my 30th high school reunion and had an engineer’s degree. My English Professor told me I had a gift and I should get out of engineering and into journalism. The rest kind of came to me as the years went by and I figured I better do it before I forget everything.”

The story inside “Back in the Day” is quite moving from the highs of being rock stars in high school to the lows of the war. Heuton, a high school graduate from Elk Horn and Vietnam Veteran, says he is dedicating the book to Veterans. “The book is dedicated to the men and women who served in Vietnam and we need to be thankful for all those men and women.”

“Back in the Day” will hit bookstores set to be released in stores and online December 31st, 2013.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

Firefighters in Harlan responded to a silo fire south of Harlan, twice Saturday, the third time in two days they had been called to the same location. According to Harlan Fire Chief Roger Bissen, the first call about a silo fire at 1610 Maple Street, came around 9:30-am, Friday. Bissen said at the time, it was a lost cause. “There wasn’t anything we could do about it because we had silage burning on the inside of the silo and I couldn’t send anyone in because it was too dangerous. It was contained at the time. We determined the silo structure was deteriorating and needed to come down with an excavator.”

Firefighters doused the flames but were called back at around 3-a.m. Saturday. Chief Bissen said “We had some embers that left the silo and caught a hog house on fire. We had to go extinguish that. That shed was burnt to the ground.”

The Department returned around mid-morning on Saturday to assist as an excavator was brought to the farm and tore the silo down. No injuries were reported and no dollar amount was given.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

Assisting the H-FD were firefighters from Elk Horn, Kimballton, Walnut, Avoca and Shelby. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

A disturbance that brought Police in Lenox to a residence Sunday afternoon resulted in the arrest of a 27-year old female.

Ruth Graham

Officers dispatched to a 601 South Walnut at around 2:30-p.m., and determined Ruth L Graham, of Lenox, had allegedly assaulted two other females at that residence. Graham was arrested for 2 counts of assault simple and transported to the Taylor County Sheriffs office.

An 18-year old from Lenox was arrested Sunday evening in Lenox, after police responded to a complaint of threats being made against the resident of a home. Officials say officers went to the home at 601 S. Walnut Street in Lenox, at around 5:15-p.m.

Dustin Clayton

They determined that Dustin Clayton, of Lenox, had illegally entered the residence of another person and allegedly threatened to kill him. After officers located Clayton as he was driving a few hours later, was stopped and arrested on charges of Trespass and 1st degree Harassment, an aggravated misdemeanor. Clayton was transported to the Taylor County Sheriffs office for processing.