In an update to a story we first posted on KJAN.com early this (Tuesday) morning, and broadcast on our news reports, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office says deputies and emergency crews responded just after 3:30-a.m., to a report of a two-vehicle accident on westbound I-80 east of mile marker 61. Officials say a 2007 Ford Edge driven by 33-year old Michael Paul Miller, of Glendale, AZ, was westbound on I-80 when it collided with the rear of a 2011 International semi driven by 41-year old Abdikarim Hamud,  of St. Paul, MN. Following the collision, the SUV slid into the median.

Miller and three passengers were transported to Cass County Memorial Hospital by Anita Rescue and Medivac Rescue with various injuries. Hamud was not injured. Damage to Miller’s vehicle is estimated at $10,000, while damage to the semi was estimated at $1000.

After Miller was checked at the hospital, he was arrested on charges of OWI 1^st Offense, Carrying a Concealed Weapon, and two counts of Child Endangerment Causing Bodily Injury. Miller was also cited for Failure to Maintain Control. In addition he received  citations for Failure to Secure a Child, Driving While Suspended, and having No Insurance. Miller remains at the Cass County Jail awaiting hearing before the magistrate. His bond was set at $5000.

A pickup traveling through a field in Shelby County Monday afternoon, started a grass and field fire that consumed the truck. Harlan Fire Chief Roger Bissen told KJAN News the incident, which took place about three-miles west of the Harlan Municipal Airport, was reported at around 3:30-p.m.

Bissen said the truck, registered to Boeck Construction, out of Manilla, was on the scene while terrace work was underway, when it became stuck in a grassy ditch. Bissen says the truck started the grass on fire, before the flames spread to a partially combined corn field. He says they were able to get the fire contained before it spread to any standing corn.

Bissen said the pickup truck was totaled destroyed by the fire. The loss was estimated at $10,000 to $12,000. Firefighters from Harlan and Shelby were on the scene near 630th and Ironwood Road for about two-hours. No injuries were reported.

Bissen reports also, fire fighters from Harlan were called out early this (Tuesday) morning, with regard to a fire alarm at the Elm Crest Retirement Community. Crews were cancelled en route, because it turned out to be just a faulty smoke detector in the kitchen of the nursing home.

Sheriff’s officials in Fremont County say foul play is not suspected in connection with the death of a Shenandoah man, whose body was found in a ditch Monday. Authorities received a report about a person lying in a ditch in the 39-hundred block of 180th Street. When deputies arrived, they found the body of 58-year old Ronald Gene Nelson, of rural Shenandoah. The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death. Deputies were assisted at the scene, by Shenandoah Rescue, and the Fremont County Coroner’s Office.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today (Tuesday), announced that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will be awarding $244,000 in grants to Iowa organizations to help enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops grown in Iowa. Among the recipients is: The Southern Iowa RC&D in Creston – which received $23,928 to gather economic and social impact data in rural southwest Iowa to support specialty crop production; and, the Golden Hills RC&D in Oakland –  which received $24,000 to support creating, marketing and promoting the Iowa Loess Hill AVA Wine Trail.

The IA Dept. of Ag and Land Stewardship received $271,296.81 through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service to support the program. Iowa agricultural non-profit organizations, cooperatives, specialty crop industry associations or organizations, and producer groups were eligible to apply for funding to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops.

“Specialty Crops”  eligible under the program are fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture.  The funds not passed through to Iowa organizations will be used by the Department to administer the grant. The maximum grant award from the Department to sub-grantees is $24,000 and administrative and indirect costs are not allowed. The Department received 29 proposals requesting assistance and the 11 chosen were selected by an independent review committee of nine industry stakeholders.

Iowa Ag Secretary Bill Northey said “Specialty crops are a very important part of Iowa agriculture as they allow farmers to diversify and give customers access to locally grown products. ” Northey says “These federal funds will support a variety of efforts that will make these Iowa grown crops more available and encourage Iowans to choose fruits, vegetables, nuts and flowers that are produced right here in our state.”

w/ Ric Hanson

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The Cass County Republican Party has announced the opening of the county Republican headquarters, located at 319 Chestnut St. in downtown Atlantic (formerly the U.S. Army Recruiting Office).  The headquarters will be open beginning on Wednesday, October 3rd.  Its hours of operation will be from noon to 4:30 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays, and from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays through Election Day.

Yard signs for the candidates will be available for pick-up at the headquarters, in addition to other materials that detail information about the candidates.  A grand opening event is pending.  Contact Party Chairman David Wiederstein at 712-249-8417 for inquiries about the headquarters and for other volunteer opportunities.  The County Party extends a special thanks to the former party chairman, Jim Field, for his assistance in securing the location of the headquarters.

Two people from Missouri Valley were injured early Monday morning during a rear-end collision on DeSoto Avenue, in Pottawattamie County. Pott. Co. Sheriff’s officials say the accident happened after an animal darted in front of a vehicle driven by 43-year old Teresa Powley, and she slowed to avoid a collision. In the process, her 2011 Chevy SUV was hit from behind by a 2008 Dodge pickup, driven by 57-year old Timothy Thares. The accident happened at around 4:45-a.m., near the bridge over Interstate 29, on DeSoto Avenue. Authorities say the impact spun Powley’s SUV around, and resulted in her being trapped inside the vehicle. The woman was flown by helicopter to the Nebraska Medical Center. A report on her condition is not available. Thares was treated at Mercy Hospital, and released.

Campaign officials say Democrat Vice President Joe Biden will make a campaign stop in Council Bluffs, Thursday. The Council Bluffs office of Obama for America (at 1851 Madison Ave., Suite 200) will make tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis for the event, beginning today (Tuesday), at 8-a.m. Only one ticket per person is allowed, and a ticket is necessary for the free event, which will be held at the Mid-America Center. Doors open at 11-a.m. Thursday.

w/ Ric Hanson

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Meetings are planned this month in more than 100 Iowa towns where the U.S. Postal Service plans to reduce hours at post offices. Peter Hass, a spokesperson for the U-S-P-S in Iowa, says window hours could be reduced to 2, 4 or 6 hours a day depending on the location. “We want to hear our customers’ feedback on what their preferences are and we’re going to be doing community meetings in every community where we have a proposed change in the retail hours for a post office,” Hass said.

The USPS originally proposed closing 3,700 rural post offices around the country to cut costs, but altered the plan to simply reduce retail hours. Hass notes access to a post office’s P.O. Boxes would remain the same under the plan – only access to a clerk to buy stamps or mail a package would be limited.

The meetings happening in Iowa begin next week. Hass said Iowans who can’t attend a meeting in their community can still provide feedback. “Prior to the meetings, we’re sending out notifications to our customers in those communities with a survey, so they can provide their input in that way as well,” Hass said. The USPS is searching for ways to cut costs in response to a 25% drop in mail volume in the past five years. The plan to reduce rural post office hours is projected to save the Postal Service $500 million a year.

Here is a partial schedule of the meetings set to occur at Post Offices or other locations in southwest Iowa:

Oct. 9^th: 6-p.m. at the Braddyville City Hall.

Oct. 15^th: Orient Post Office, 2:15-p.m.; Fontanelle Post Office, 4-p.m; Cumberland Post Office- 5:15-p.m.; Grant Post Office, 6:30-p.m.

Oct. 16^th: Prescott Post Office, 2-p.m.

Oct. 17^th: De Soto Post Office, 1-pm.; Macksburg Post Office, 2:30-p.m.

Other location and meeting times can be found here: http://about.usps.com/news/electronic-press-kits/our-future-network/post-plan.htm#toggle_oct2012

(Radio Iowa/Ric Hanson)