The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest last week of 18-year old Christian Monreal Sempek, of Atlantic. Sempek was taken into custody on March 20th, on charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on his own recognizance. A juvenile female was also cited into Juvenile Court on the same charges.

A Cass County farmer selected as a winner in a seed company’s contest, has designated her winnings for two local organizations. Ruth Steffen, of Cumberland, was selected as a winner in America’s Farmers Grow Communities℠, sponsored by the Monsanto Fund. Grow Communities gives farmers the opportunity to win a $2,500 donation to direct to their favorite local nonprofit organizations. To further support counties that have been declared disaster areas due to drought by the U.S.D.A. winning farmers in these counties were able to direct double the donation, a total of $5,000 to further support the community. Cass County was declared a disaster area by the USDA, giving Steffen, the opportunity to place two $2,500 donations. She selected Atlantic Food Pantry and Cumberland Volunteer Fire Department.

A ceremonial presentation of the checks will take place 6-p.m. Saturday, March 30th, at the Cumberland Fire Department (216 Main St.).

A new report on the condition of Iowa’s roads, bridges and other infrastructure finds the state will have to spend billions in the next 20 years just to keep up with needed repairs. Gregory DiLoreto, president of the American Society of Civil Engineers, says investing in infrastructure is essential to support healthy, vibrant communities as well as long-term economic growth. “We grade 16 categories of infrastructure,” DeLoreto says. “That would include roads and bridges, transit and rail, drinking water, waste water, levees, dams, schools, parks and rec and so forth.”

He says spending on infrastructure is critical for categories from employment to exports. DeLoreto says the reverse is also true — without prioritizing infrastructure needs, deteriorating conditions can become a drag on the economy. “There is a direct link between our economic success in this country and our quality of life and our infrastructure,” DeLoreto says. “By making this investment, we can improve our economic conditions and we can retain and create jobs as well.”

He says Iowa’s infrastructure repair needs, when compared to other states, tend to be higher than many other states, even though our population is much lower. The report finds more than 52-hundred Iowa bridges are structurally deficient. “The state reports it has about $10-billion worth of needs in its drinking water and its waste water systems,” DeLoreto says. “About 46% of Iowa roads are in poor or mediocre condition and that costs your motorists about $380 a year in additional repair costs.”

That money could be better used to repair and maintain roads, he says, which would help to reduce congestion and improve conditions. While letter grades were not given for individual states, the report gave the nation’s infrastructure a D-plus, up slightly from a solid D in 2009.

(Radio Iowa)

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Longtime Council Bluffs Mayor Tom Hanafan has no plans to seek re-election in November.  Hanafan announced his intentions today (Tuesday). He says the long hours of dealing with the Missouri River flooding in 2011 made him think about leaving his post. He also says he’s looking forward to spending more time with his family.

The 65-year-old Hanafan has been mayor since his appointment in 1985. He won his first mayoral election in 1988.

Two separate accidents Sunday, in Mills County, resulted in both drivers being sent to the hospital. The Mills County Sheriff’s Office says one accident happened just after 7-a.m., when a 2003 Subaru driven by Robin Jo Patrick, of Glenwood, left 221st Street and hit an embankment before rolling over and coming to rest on the driver’s side. The accident happened about seven miles north of Glenwood. Patrick was extricated from the vehicle through a passenger side front window and transported to Mercy Hospital, by Glenwood Rescue.

The second accident happened at around 5-p.m. Sunday, about four-miles southwest of Pacific Junction. Officials say Debra Ann Wingerd, of Glenwood, was traveling east on Nims Road in a 2008 Ford,when she swerved to miss a deer. The vehicle rolled into the south ditch and came to rest on its top. Wingerd was transported to Jennie Edmundson Hospital by Pacific Junction Rescue.

No injuries were reported following a single-vehicle accident Sunday night, in Audubon County. The Sheriff’s Department says 54-year old Eunice Joan Mennenoh, of Audubon, was traveling north on Highway 71, at around 8:40-p.m., when she lost control of her 2004 Chrysler on the snow covered road. The car slid into a bridge guardrail and sustained $3,000 damage.

The accident happened near 180th Street. No citations were issued.

Authorities in Manning are investigating an incident involving an overturned vehicle, which occurred last Friday, March 22nd, in Audubon County. The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office says deputies were called to assist the Manning Police Dept. with a pursuit that began at around 11:30-p.m., Friday. The vehicle, a 2001 Chevy Silverado pickup, was traveling south on Dove Avenue, just south of 150th Street in Audubon County, when it rolled over after hitting a snow drift and came to rest on its top.

The driver, 21-year old Joel Matthew Musfeldt, of Manilla, was transported to the Carroll Hospital by Manning Ambulance. Damage to the truck was estimated at $6,000.

Authorities in Audubon County say an accident which occurred early last Thursday morning about seven-miles southeast of Exira remains under investigation, and charges are pending. The Sheriff’s Office reports 19-year old Ben Gerald Irlmeier, of Audubon, was traveling north on Quail Avenue at around 3-a.m., when he lost control of the 2005 Toyota he was driving. The vehicle entered the east ditch, through a fence and rolled several times before coming to rest on its right side.

Irlmeier, and his passengers, 21-year old Dilan Olesen, and 21-year old Molly Boylan, both of Exira, were transported by private vehicle to Audubon. Boylan was later brought to the Audubon County Memorial Hospital, also by private vehicle. The Toyota sustained $17,000 damage.

Officials with Diamond Vogel Paint and Keep Iowa Beautiful (KIB) have announced the recipients of grant awards for the 2012 “Paint Iowa Beautifiul” (PIB) program. The program provides free paint to a wide variety of public service projects throughout Iowa.

Among the 2013 award winners is: the City of Bedford, for it’s Hotel Garland balcony and lobby project; The Page County Fair Board in Clarinda, for County Fair buildings; The French Icarian Colony Foundation in Corning, for its Communal dining hall; The Guthrie Center Revitalization Corporation received an award for its homes project, and the Guthrie County Fair and Extension received a PIB award for its County Fair Arena. In addition:the Onawa Chamber of Commerce won an award for its Highway entrance sign project, and the City of Shelby won for a “Paint Shelby Beautiful” house project.

The PIB program is designed to improve the attractiveness of Iowa’s communities and countryside. Keep Iowa Beautiful is a non-profit organization affiliated with Keep America Beautiful. The program includes litter reduction, public nuisance abatement and beautification programs. Diamond Vogel is an Iowa-based company which has partnered with KIB for the past 10-years to help build pride in communities. The company has contributed over 6,500 gallons of paint for various and numerous projects.