The Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors have set Nov. 5th as the date for a public hearing on the issuance of $1.7-million in General Obligation bonds, which if approved, would be used mostly for renovations at the Pott. County Courthouse. The Omaha World-Herald reports the action came Tuesday during the Board’s meeting in Council Bluffs.

The bonds would help to pay for more than $1.2-million in renovations, that include the installation of fire sprinklers on three levels of the courthouse, new lights, and an air conditioning system. The funds will also be used to make the restrooms ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant. One-half million dollars would be set aside for upgrades to election counting machines, pending Board approval.

Other projects include the replacement of control mechanisms in four elevators, the installation of electronic card readers for access to the rooms throughout the courthouse and a building that houses election materials, and, the resurfacing of four parking lots and an alley between 5th and 6th Avenues.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Farmers should begin getting payments soon for land set aside in the Conservation Reserve Program. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it is sending out checks several weeks late because of the partial government shutdown. About 390,000 farms nationwide have enrolled land in the CRP program covering nearly 27 million acres.

In exchange for an annual rental payment farmers take environmentally sensitive land out of production and plant grass or trees on it to improve water quality, wildlife habitat and prevent erosion. Payments to corn and soybean farmers enrolled in the Average Crop Revenue Election program will begin going out Thursday. The USDA says 1.7 million farms are enrolled in the program, which provides farmers a revenue guarantee based on market prices and average yields for certain commodities.

Authorities in Page County say three people were transported to the hospital following a crash that occurred at around 2:45-p.m. Tuesday near the intersection of Highway 48 and B Avenue, about a mile north of Shenandoah. Officials say 24-year-old Meaghan Baker, of Red Oak, was traveling south on Highway 48 and attempting to pass another vehicle, when Baker failed to yield to oncoming traffic. The van she was driving collided head-on with a car driven by 19-year-old Douglas Clark, of Sidney.  The impact caused Clark’s vehicle to be pushed into the southbound lane of traffic, where it collided with another car.

Two passengers in Baker’s van, 34-year-old Michael Irvine, of Red Oak, and 19-year-old Shannon Barnard, of Shenandoah, suffered unknown injuries and were flown by Mercy One-Clarinda to a hospital in Omaha. Baker was taken by Shenandoah EMS to the Shenandoah Medical Center.

The accident remains under investigation.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An overnight freeze warning is in effect for central, south central and southeast Iowa and weather officials say minor snow could fall in the northwest part of the state. The system early Wednesday is expected to produce light rain across the southwest half of the state and possibly a dusting of snow to the northwest.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Mason City man convicted in connection with his son’s death has had his request for a new trial rejected. The Globe Gazette reports that 30-year-old Kenneth L. Adams was convicted of child endangerment in the October 2012 death of his 18-month-old son. Prosecutors say Adams put the boy face down in a pillow, cutting off his breathing.

JEFFERSON, Iowa (AP) — Suspicious fires in a school bus and building in the central Iowa city of Jefferson are being investigated by the State Fire Marshal’s office. KCCI-TV reports that the bus that burned was in a school district parking lot where it had been locked. The other fire was in a 3½-story building being used to store tools. That structure was heavily damaged.

CARTER LAKE, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa official says there’s no easy solution or quick fix to a persistent algae problem at a lake in western Iowa. Chris Larson with the state Department of Natural Resources told the Carter Lake City Council that unusual weather conditions over the last three years have made it difficult to clean up Carter Lake. Larson said routine maintenance from the city’s mechanical harvesters may be the best long-term solution for the lake.

CARTER LAKE, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa official says there’s no easy solution or quick fix to a persistent algae problem at a lake in western Iowa. Chris Larson with the state Department of Natural Resources told the Carter Lake City Council that unusual weather over the last three years have made it difficult to clean up Carter Lake.

Larson said routine maintenance from the city’s mechanical harvesters may be the best long-term solution for the lake. The Council Bluffs Nonpareil reports that DNR recommended the city begin using harvesters in mid-April or early May. Priority areas for algae removal will be discussed at a later date.

COUNTIES: DALLAS-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-

331 PM CDT TUE OCT 22 2013

…FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 8 AM CDT WEDNESDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MONIES HAS ISSUED A FREEZE WARNING…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 8 AM CDT WEDNESDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL FALL BELOW FREEZING WITH LOWS IN THE UPPER 20S AND LOW 30S.

SUB FREEZING TEMPERATURES WILL LIKELY END THE GROWING SEASON FOR OUTDOOR VEGETATION.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A FREEZE WARNING MEANS SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARE IMMINENT OR HIGHLY LIKELY. THESE CONDITIONS WILL KILL CROPS AND OTHER SENSITIVE VEGETATION.

The Harlan Police Department reports three people were taken into custody last Friday, Oct. 18th, after a loud explosion was heard in the city. Officers were called to investigate the noise and a search warrant was issued for 1807 5th Street. Following the investigation, 25 year old Michael Hall, 47 year old Thomas Carney and 41 year old Pamela Frieze, all of Harlan, were arrested on numerous charges.

All three suspects were charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, prohibited act penalties and possession of drug paraphernalia. Hall faces additional charges of possession of stolen property and reckless use of fire or explosives. Carney was also charged with possession of stolen property.

Also last Friday, 27 year old Steven Riley of Harlan was arrested following a traffic stop. Riley was arrested on an active Shelby County warrant stemming from an incident in July where he was charged with possession of a controlled substance and paraphernalia. As a result of the traffic stop, Riley was charged with driving while revoked, carrying weapons, prohibited acts, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was taken to the Shelby County Jail.

The Harlan Police Department is investigating two separate thefts that took place over the past week. On Tuesday, October 15th, Jeron Henschied of Harlan reported his 1998 Buick Park Avenue was stolen from a parking lot at 6th and Hill. This past Monday, Randy Davis of Harlan reported a cement deer lawn ornament was taken from his residence in the 500 block of 5th Street. Both cases remain under investigation.

Sheriff’s officials in Audubon County say no injuries were reported following a two vehicle accident that took place about seven-miles southeast of Audubon Tuesday afternoon. Authorities say an SUV driven by 64 year old Gary Lee Borkowski of Carroll was traveling north on County Road N-36 at the same time a car driven by 30 year old Nicholas Brooks Peck of Audubon, was traveling westbound on 220th Street.

The vehicles collided when at the intersection when Peck failed to yield from the stop sign.  The accident took place around 12:50pm. Damage from the crash amounted to $4,000. Peck was charged with failure to yield.

Two fires that took place Monday night in Jefferson are being investigated as cases of arson. Authorities told Raccoon Valley Radio, a fire destroyed a Greene County School bus parked at the bus barn on the fairgrounds in Jefferson, at around 8:45pm. Three-hours later, a structure fire damaged a four-story concrete storage building in the 700 block of North Elm Street, in Jefferson.

There were no injuries reported. An investigator with the State Fire Marshall’s Office was expected to in Jefferson to determine how both fires started, but officials say the preliminary causes are suspected to be arson-related.

The Griswold School Board met Monday evening and received an update on various district capital improvement projects. Superintendent Dana Kunze told KJAN News the track project is nearly complete. All that’s left is seeding around the area, and the board is trying to decide whether to take care of that yet this fall, or next spring. There’s been no new developments on the boiler project. The board is waiting for design specifics before any decision is made.

Kunze said the Board also authorized a project which was added to the agenda, for asphalt work on the parking areas at the Lewis School building. He said they also received and approved a bid from Landon Preston, of Griswold, for snow removal. And, the Griswold Board authorized Kunze to assemble a package for the offering of an early retirement package for district staff.

Kunze said also, he briefed the Board on the district’s Certified Enrollment numbers. The numbers showed a loss of about 17 students from last year, for a total enrollment this fall of 576. He says the general population continues to drop, and while they’d like to see open enrollment numbers turn around, there is no consistent reason for a decline that he can pin-down.