Iowa Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds and University of Northern Iowa President Ben Allen today (Wednesday) announced a series of community conversations featuring science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and economic development that will take place across the state in November and December. This series of community conversations is the second installment. The pair held 14 town hall meetings in September and October seeking feedback on the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council priorities as the STEM initiative continues to build across Iowa.

Locally, a Cass County Community Conversation on STEM will be held in Atlantic Tue., Dec. 11th, beginning at 11-a.m., at the Rock Island Depot at 102 Chestnut Street, and, later that afternoon at 2:30, in Council Bluffs, in the auditorium of Looft Hall at Iowa Western Community College.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports a Cumberland man was arrested last week on an assault charge. Officials said Wednesday, 53-year old Jerry Lee Edwards was taken into custody November 8th on a charge of Assault Causing Bodily Injury. Edwards was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on $5000 bond. That same day, 54-year old Timothy Dayle Meyer,  of Cumberland, was arrested on a charge of Public Intoxication. Meyer was released the following day on $300 bond.

This past Tuesday (November 13th), deputies in Cass County arrested 23-year old Andrew Gaston Nickum, of Atlantic, on a charge of Public Intoxication. Nickum pled guilty to the charge the following day. On Wednesday (Nov. 14th), 52-year old Mark David Carroll, of Griswold, was arrested for Driving While Revoked. Carroll was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was being held on $1000 bond.

The family of a southwest Iowa soldier who was killed in Afghanistan earlier this month has issued a statement, saying Brandon Buttry’s childhood dream was “to be a U.S. soldier.”

Pfc. Brandon Buttry, U-S Army (Photo courtesy Col. Greg Hapgood)

Private First Class Brandon Buttry of Shenandoah was 19 years old when he was killed on November 5th. He enlisted in the Army in 2011 and was deployed to Afghanistan this past July. Buttry had eight sisters and five brothers and his siblings, along with his mother and father. The family says Buttry had “an infectious smile” and enjoyed playing board games with his family. The family’s written statement says Buttry “had a big heart for others” and “was not afraid to stand up for what he believed in.” A visitation will be held this evening (Wednesday) at the First Baptist Church in Shenandoah. His family says “Brandon was a born-again Christian and loved the Lord.” His funeral will be held Thursday at the same church.   Governor Branstad has ordered all flags in Iowa to be flown at half-mast Thursday in honor of Buttry. Rows of American flags already line several streets in Shenandoah, as a tribute to the fallen soldier. People in the community also are bracing for the arrival of a family from a Kansas church who stage protests at military funerals. A group of motorcyclists called “The Patriot Guard Riders” have assembled at other military funerals in the state, to shield soldiers’ families from the protest.

w/ Jim Field

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The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office says a Colorado man was arrested Tuesday night, near Stanton. 56-year old Richard Miles Best, of Ft. Collins, was taken into custody at around 10:30-p.m., for Public Intoxication. His arrest followed an incident which occurred at M Avenue and Highway 34. Best was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $300 bond.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Former prosecutor Stephanie Rose is now the nation’s youngest federal judge and the first female federal judge in Iowa’s Southern District. The 39-year-old former U.S. attorney for Iowa’s Northern District took the oath of office at a Tuesday ceremony in Des Moines. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder attended the swearing-in at the federal courthouse.

Rose, of Center Point, received attention during her Senate confirmation hearing in September for her role in prosecutions stemming from a 2008 raid by federal immigration officials on Agriprocessors, Inc., in Postville. Critics alleged that hundreds of workers at the kosher meatpacking plant, many in the country illegally, were rushed through the court process. Despite that, she was overwhelmingly confirmed

Rose became the Northern District’s U.S. attorney in 2009.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

In an effort to ensure Iowa’s road are as safe as possible for motorists during the week leading up to Thanksgiving, law enforcement agencies across the State will be participating in another special Traffic Enforcement Program (sTEP). Officers with local police departments, deputy sheriffs, state troopers and DOT officers, will be encouraging everyone to buckle-up, and be watching out for impaired drivers. They’ll also be looking closely for other moving violations. It all takes place November 19th through the 25th.

Although 92% of Iowa motorists are using safety belts during the daytime hours, there is plenty of those who aren’t especially in the rural communities.   Patrick Hoye, Bureau Chief of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau continues to stress the importance of buckling up during the daytime hours and especially at night. Hoye says “Seat belts save lives and that is the bottom line.”  As of November 1^st with over 37% of this year’s 299 fatalities having been determined not to have been wearing seat belts, the answer he says is clear, that buckling up increases your odds in surviving a major crash.

During the last August-September sTEP wave, Iowa officers confronted 2,358 seat belt violations, 847 impaired drivers, 13,443 speeding violations, and a total of over 34,335 contacts with traffic violators.  Vehicle assistance was given to 1,980 motorists and 419 arrest warrants were served.  The next sTEP wave is scheduled for March 14-17, 2013.

A program designed to make sure every child in Clarinda receives a gift on Christmas Day begins next week. According to Clarinda Police Chief Keith Brothers, next Monday, November 19th, the Clarinda Police Department and Clarinda E-911 Communications Center will begin “Operation Blessing 2012.”  Children may be signed up for involvement in the program by calling the Clarinda Police Department at 712-542-2194. A Clarinda E-911 Communications Center Operator will take the child’s name, age, sex, and address and request two gift requests per child. Names of children can be submitted beginning Monday, November 19, 2012 and will be accepted through Thursday, December 20th 2012. All information concerning the child is kept strictly confidential.

Persons wishing to make a charitable contribution to Operation Blessing 2012 may either donate cash or purchase a requested gift item. Gifts purchased can be dropped off at the Clarinda Police Department along with a note indicating the sex and age of the child the gift is for. Please leave the gift unwrapped. Cash contributions can be dropped off at the Clarinda Police Department or mailed to the Clarinda Police Department, 200 South 15th Street, Clarinda, Iowa 51632. Cash contributions will be used by the Clarinda Police Department to purchase gifts for the children.

Families will be contacted by the Clarinda Police Department when the gift items are ready to be picked up.

As Cow calf and feedlot operators continue to deal with issues related to the drought this past summer, ISU Extension and the Iowa Beef Center have been and will continue to offer a series of educational opportunities to address these issues. On Tuesday, November 27th, Cass County Extension will host the meeting “Drought – A Game Changer for Beef Operations- Strategies to Move Forward”. The meeting will be held at the Cass County Community Center from 6:30 to 9:00 PM.

Extension Beef Field Specialist Chris Clark says “These fall meetings will focus on managing feed costs and alternative feeds for winter feeding of the cow herd or feedlot. Developing feeding programs that utilize available feeds and keep feed costs in check is the goal.”  With corn costs relatively high, producers are searching for ways to reduce corn use but still maintain performance. Chemically treating lower quality forages and supplementing the forage or drought stressed corn silage will be a part of the discussion as well.

A situation update on beef outlook, current beef supply and demand, and feed price outlook will also be provided by Lee Schulz, ISU Extension Livestock Economist via a recorded presentation. A short update on precipitation outlook from Dr. Elwynn Taylor will be shared via a recorded presentation as well. The meetings will also give an introduction to planning for the next year and beyond for beef producers and highlight factors producers should be considering. Additional meetings are being considered for later in the winter.

Topics for the meetings will be determined as the weather and economic situation develop. There will be a $10 per person fee for this meeting to cover refreshments and other costs. Pre-registration is encouraged but not required. Contact the Cass County Extension office to register by calling (712) 243-1132 or emailing xcass@iastate.edu. Contact your local extension office, regional beef field specialist, or the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association for more information. Additional dates and locations are scheduled in Southwest Iowa earlier in November. More information on those can be found on the Iowa Beef Center website, www.iowabeefcenter.org, or by calling the Cass County Extension Office.