The Cass County Board of Supervisors will hold their regular weekly meeting beginning at 8:30-a.m. Tuesday, this week, instead of Wednesday. On their agenda is continued discussion with regard to the operation of All-Terrain Vehicles (ATV’s) and Utility Terrain Vehicles (UTV’s) on county roadways and trails. Last week, the Board heard from representatives with Nishna Valley Cycle, in Atlantic, with regard to ordinances other counties have enacted for use of ATV’s and UTV’s on their county roads and trails. Their main concern was making sure those machines are registered and operated in a safe manner, and make it easier for law enforcement to intervene when they aren’t being operated safely. As it currently stands, ATV’s and UTV’s can only be operated for farm purposes, and may only cross highways at a certain angle. They are not allowed travel on the roads.

In other business, the Board of Supervisors will hear from Mitch Holmes, who will present his quarterly Veterans Affairs Department report. They’ll also act on approving applications for partial payment to two construction companies working on segments of the Elite Octane, LLC ethanol plant. Other, regularly scheduled reports, as available, may be presented by the County Attorney, Engineer, and Mental Health/General Assistance Departments.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A woman accused of leaving her children home alone, including one child covered in feces, is facing a new assault charge. Police say 25-year-old Destinee Miller stabbed her former boyfriend early Saturday morning at the home they had shared in Des Moines. He was treated at a hospital for an arm wound. Miller was arrested and charged with domestic abuse assault and display or use of a deadly weapon. Online court records don’t list the name of an attorney who can comment for Miller.

Earlier this month she was charged with child endangerment after officers found her three young children outside their filthy home. One child was covered with feces, another had a full diaper. Police say she left her 4-year-old boy in charge of his 2- and 1-year-old siblings.

The Creston Police Department reports three drug-related arrests. Officials say at around 6:45-p.m. Sunday, 38-year old Michael Waddingham, of Orient, was arrested in Creston on a Union County warrant for Failure to Appear in Court, on original charges that include a controlled substance violation and Introducing Intoxicants or Drugs in an Institution. Waddingham was being held in the Union County Jail while awaiting a bond hearing.

This past Friday night, 18-year old Keaton Wambold and 19-year old Taylor Giles, both of Creston, were arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance/1st offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. They were later released from the Union County Jail on $1,300 bond, each.

And, a man who lives in the 200 block of S. Lincoln Street, in Creston, reported to police Sunday afternoon, that sometime between 5-p.m. Saturday and 11-a.m. Sunday, someone entered two vehicles parked outside his residence. Taken from inside those vehicles, was two knives, medication, a gift certificate, and assorted coins. The loss was estimated at $50.

A social worker and advocate for foster children says human trafficking is more common in Iowa than most residents probably realize. Ruth Buckels of Story City has housed nearly 100 teenaged foster children, including some who were victims of human trafficking. Buckels spoke to a group last week at the Des Moines Area Community College campus in Carroll. “The most common trafficking we have in Iowa is family trafficking, which is a family member trading, selling, bartering their children – or their nieces or nephews, or their neighbors, or somebody they consider family to somebody else for sexual pleasure or sexual benefits,” Buckels said.

According to Buckels, traffickers look for a potential victim’s “vulnerability” and they exploit that to gain control over the person. Buckels said it’s not uncommon for a victim to maintain contact with their friends and family – who remain unaware of the situation. “Most of the people I know being trafficked, live at home with their parents or live in their college dorm rooms. They are in constant contact with their family,” Buckels said.

Human trafficking victims can come from all walks of life, according to Buckels. In her work, Buckels has been in contact with victims ranging from infants to people in their 70s. Teenagers are the most commonly targeted age group and Buckels challenged teachers at her presentation in Carroll to question their students.”Ask them who’s missing classes every single week. Ask them who’s late to school or super tired at school,” Buckels said. “I hear from students all over the place.”

Buckels said the best way to stop human trafficking is for people to notify police if they have a suspicion something wrong is happening. Earlier this year, the head of the Iowa Network Against Human Trafficking told state lawmakers that criminals working in Iowa are now making more money from HUMAN trafficking than they are from DRUG trafficking.

(Radio Iowa)