Officials at Cass County Memorial Hospital announced today (Tuesday), that the west entrance and parking lot (along 10th Street) will reopen Wednesday, May 8, 2013. The area had been closed for construction since early April.

CEO Pat Markham says they “Appreciate everyone’s cooperation and patience with this temporary closure.” The west entrance door will be open from 5:00 am – 6:00 pm Monday through Friday. Weekend and holiday hours will be 9:00 am – 6:00 pm. Patients and visitors coming to the hospital cafeteria, Rehabilitation Services, Human Resources, Educational Services, and Public Relations will find the west entrance especially convenient.

Governor Terry Branstad’s office has announced that retired Brig. Gen. Jodi Tymeson is resigning her post as head of Department of Veterans Affairs to assume her new role as the Chief Operating Officer of the Iowa Veterans Home. Tymeson’s first day will be May 28th.

Tymeson served in the Iowa Army National Guard from 1974-2007. While there, she graduated from officer candidate school and was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1982. She served as platoon leader, company commander, battalion commander and troop command commander – responsible for 3,450 soldiers.

Tymeson was selected to attend the Army War College as a national security fellow at Harvard University’s JFK School of Government, graduating in 1999. She is the first female promoted to brigadier general in the Iowa Army National Guard. She retired in 2007 with 33 years of service. Tymeson’s husband, John, is a retired brigadier general, following his 34 years of military service. He is a Vietnam veteran, and currently serves as chair of the board of directors at the Food Bank of Iowa.

Jodi Tymeson also served as a full-time 6th grade teacher at Cedar Heights Elementary in Cedar Falls from 1988-1992, and taught as a substitute teacher from 1993-1998. From 2001-2010, Tymeson served nearly 30,000 constituents as a state representative for Madison, Warren and Dallas Counties. She served as House Education Committee chair for four years, in addition to a number of other committee assignments.

Gov. Branstad will begin the search for Tymeson’s replacement immediately.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A bill that would require people convicted of certain aggravated misdemeanors to submit DNA samples now heads to the desk of Gov. Terry Branstad  for review. The Iowa House approved the Senate’s changes to the bill Tuesday on an 84 to 15 vote. The measure would require adults convicted of crimes like aggravated misdemeanor assault and theft to submit DNA samples to the federal DNA database.  Currently, only convicted felons and sexual offenders must submit samples.

The Senate changed the initial bill last week to exempt deferred judgment cases and misdemeanors related to hazardous waste, agricultural production and gambling. Traffic offenses are also exempt unless a person has three operating while intoxicated convictions in 12 years.  The Senate passed a similar bill last year, but it died in the House.

A ban on open burning in Mills County is scheduled to be lifted Wednesday afternoon. The Iowa Department of Public Safety reports the Burn Ban, which was initiated in Mills County on April 8th, will end 4-p.m. Wednesday, because conditions are less conducive to field and grassland controlled burns, getting out of control. Once the ban is lifted, there will be no counties in Iowa which remain under such a ban.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Public school districts would be required to conduct background checks on all employees under a bill approved by the Iowa House. The measure that unanimously passed Tuesday requires districts to pre-screen job applicants to see if they are listed on the state sex offender registry and registries for child abuse and dependent adult abuse. That includes part-time and substitute employees.  Current law requires federal and state criminal checks for licensed teachers and state checks on bus drivers.

Under the measure, districts would recheck employees every five years after their hiring date.  Republican Rep.  Megan Hess of Spencer amended the bill to require businesses to conduct criminal history and abuse registry checks on motorized food vendors, such as ice cream truck drivers.  The bill returns to the Senate for review.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says trumpeter swans will be released at four locations in southwest Iowa as part of the DNR’s trumpeter swan relocation efforts to restore a wild free flying population to Iowa.

Four swans will be released at 10-a.m., May 8th, at the Mt. Ayr Wildlife Area’s Walnut Creek Lake, with the help from the Ringgold County Conservation Board. Four swans will be released at 2 p.m., May 8th, at Summit Lake, near Creston. The swans will be released near the boat ramp on the south side of Hwy. 25. Four swans will be released as well, beginning 10:30 a.m., May 9th, at Viking Lake State Park, near Stanton, with the help from the Montgomery County Conservation Board. The swans will be released near the restaurant/beach area. And, four swans will be released at 2:30 p.m., May 9th, at Lake Anita State Park, near Anita, with the help from the Cass County Conservation Board. The releases will occur rain or shine.

The public is invited to the releases. There will be a 20 minute presentation including an opportunity to see the swans up close. Trumpeter swans are the largest waterfowl in North America. The all white birds can weigh up to 32 pounds and have an eight foot wingspan.

The Harlan Police Department reports the arrest on April 28th, of 28-year old Aaron McCutcheon. Officials say the Harlan man was taken into custody following an investigation into a domestic disturbance in the 1700 block of Lincoln Avenue. He was charged with Domestic Abuse Assault, and Criminal Mischief in the 5th degree.

The H-PD says also, no injuries were reported following an accident Monday in the 1900 block of College Place. Vehicles driven by Gretchen Scofield and Matthew Gubbels, both of Harlan, collided as Gubbels’ 2003 Chrysler was backing out of a parking space. The damage was estimated at $1,500 altogether.

The Mills County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests over the past few days. Early Friday morning, 18-year old Dominique James Schlup, of Hastings, was arrested for Driving While Revoked following a traffic stop near the intersection of Highway 34 and 350th Street. And, early Saturday morning, deputies arrested 25-year old William Joseph Seier, of Omaha, on a charge of OWI/1st Offense, following a traffic stop on Highway 59, about a mile north of Highway 34. Both men had their bonds set at $1,000.

Sheriff’s deputies also investigated reported incidents of: forgery, in Glenwood; a Theft in the 2nd degree, from a company in Council Bluffs, and, a report of Criminal Mischief in Malvern. There was also a non-injury accident which occurred Saturday.

Officials say Dru Little, of Glenwood, was traveling north on 220th Street about a mile south of Glenwood, when a deer ran onto the road. Little swerved to miss the animal, but ended-up striking the animal. The 1996 Saturn he was driving went out of control and rolled onto the passenger side into a ditch and came to rest on its wheels in a field.

Monday’s U-S-D-A crop report showed only eight-percent of the corn crop has been planted in Iowa, the slowest start to the planting season since 1995. The wet, cold weather has not only impacted the state’s major crop, but it is also hitting farmers who plant one of the state’s summer favorites — sweet corn. Dean Rebal  grows sweet corn on a farm in eastern Iowa between Solon and Iowa City.  He says he just got his sweet corn into the ground, while last year he had it planted on the 28th of March. Rebal likes to stagger the planting so he has sweet corn maturing throughout the season. The slow planting is causing trouble with the schedule.

“Usually I plant in every week to week and a half intervals…so I am gonna be cut a little short, I probably won’t get quite as many acres in as I normally do,” Rebal says. Last year’s early planting resulted in a longer season and more corn to sell. “Last year we were right at nine-thousand dozen here, right on Highway one,” Rebal says. He is not expecting the sweet corn season to last as long this year. “We’re going to be cut on this sweet corn season by, I would says two to three weeks,” according to Rebal.

The means sweet corn lovers will have less time to enjoy the golden ears compared to last year.

(Radio Iowa)

An investigation into an incident which allegedly occurred April 26th in Lenox, has resulted in an arrest.

Jeff Brown

According to the Lenox Police Department, 49-year old Jeff Brown, of Lenox, was taken into custody at around 6-p.m. Monday, on a warrant for Domestic Assault. Brown was transported to jail where he was being held pending an appearance in front of the magistrate.