(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Board of Supervisors will hear two presentations during their meeting Tuesday morning (Sept. 19th). Suzanne Watson, with Southwest Iowa Mental Health, will provide updates to the 28-E agreement, along with other information. And, County Auditor Kathy Somers will discuss the impacts of HF-718 (relating to local government property taxes, budgets, information to be provided to property owners, and modifying bond procedures). Those impacts will be in effect beginning with the budget year for FY 2025.

In other business, the Supervisors will discuss and act on approving a request by the McLaren family to replace a memorial tree in the courthouse yard, and location in the front lawn. The Board will also discuss and act on approving employment for John Johnson as Equipment Operator II, District 4, at a probationary wage of $25.75 per hour.

A regular, weekly report is expected from County Engineer Trent Wolken, along Supervisor Committee reports. The Cass County Board of Supervisors meeting begins at 9-a.m. Tuesday, in their Board Room at the Cass County Courthouse, in Atlantic.

Abortion policy was a key discussion point as a group of G-O-P presidential candidates addressed 12-hundred conservative Iowa Republicans this weekend in Des Moines.

All 10 candidates were interviewed on stage at the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition’s fall fundraiser. The group’s national chairman asked Florida Governor Ron DeSantis if he’d support federal legislation that would ban abortions nationwide after the 15th week of a pregnancy. “I think the states have done the better job thus far…Congress has really struggled to make a meaningful impact over the years,” DeSantis said. “As president, I’m going to welcome pro-life policies across the board, at both levels.” Former South Carolina Nikki Haley says passing any federal law requires 60 votes in the U-S Senate and it’s been 100 years since Republicans occupied 60 Senate seats, so she’d focus on things like promoting adoption and a ban on late term abortions. “I’m going to fight on the side of life every chance I get,” Haley said, “but I’m not going to demonize people in the process.” Former President Donald Trump, who did not attend the event, said in an interview that aired on N-B-C’s “Meet the Press” that he’d negotiate something that’s acceptable to both sides on the abortion issue. Former Vice President Mike Pence offered this rebuttal Saturday night. “The right to life has been the core of our movement in the last 50 years…but my former running mate and other candidates in this issue want to relegate that issue to the states only,” Pence said, “but I won’t have it.” Pence backs a national 15 week abortion ban. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird interviewed businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, but she did not ask either about a national abortion ban. Scott like several of the candidates, suggested ways to support pregnant women.

Ramaswamy has previously expressed support for state abortion restrictions, including six week abortion bans, but opposes a federal law. Two of the leading candidates were asked about Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville’s hold on military promotions, to pressure the Pentagon over its coverage of expenses for servicemembers who travel across state lines for an abortion. Haley, who’s husband recently deployed to Afghanistan, says as president she’d never allow tax dollars to be used for anything related to an abortion, but she says blocking more than 300 military promotions is wrong.

DeSantis says the Pentagon’s policy belongs in the trash can and he supports Tuberville’s effort.

DeSantis held a God Above Government Rally at a Des Moines church Saturday afternoon and announced a group of Iowa pastors had endorsed his presidential bid. On Saturday morning, DeSantis campaigned in Red Oak alongside Senator Joni Ernst. DeSantis pledged to more effectively deal with illegal immigration.

DeSantis, who is 45, told the crowd that ages of President Biden and former President Trump are a concern.

DeSantis says the founding fathers established 35 as the minimum age for the presidency and, if they were to witness American politics today, DeSantis predicts they’d travel back in time to the 1787 Constitutional Convention and set a maximum age limit as well.

Iowa ranks first in the country for tractor rollover deaths, and a rebate being offered through a University of Iowa program aims to make farmers safer. Brandi Janssen is director of the U-I-based I-CASH, the Iowa Center for Agricultural Safety and Health. A properly-maintained tractor can be a workhorse across several generations of farmers, and Janssen says the older machines are more deadly in rollovers as they lack ROPS, or rollover protection systems.

A ROPS is a metal bar or frame that attaches to the tractor. In a rollover, the ROPS — when used with a seatbelt — prevents the operator from being crushed under the machine. Sadly, many Iowa farmers don’t shell out the money to retrofit their tractors.

Adding ROPS to a tractor may cost between 15- and 25-hundred dollars, but Janssen says a rebate is being offered that erases a large portion of that cost.

There is a waiting list for the ROPS rebates in Iowa, but Janssen encourages every owner of large farm equipment to sign up, as it’s a life-saver.

This is National Farm Safety week. For information about the rebate, visit “ROPSr4u.org” or call (877) 767-7748.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Democratic Party’s 2024 Caucuses will be on the same day Iowa Republicans plan to hold their Caucuses. The Democratic Party’s state central committee voted this weekend to hold their in-person caucuses on January 15th, but there’s no decision yet on when the results of the party’s mail-in presidential preference balloting will be announced. Gregory Christensen, vice chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party, is leading the party’s caucus planning.

Both major parties have to find precinct-level sites to hold gatherings where party business will be discussed. However, Republicans will also take a straw poll that night to determine which G-O-P presidential candidates have the most support in Iowa. National Democrats have decided South Carolina’s Primary rather than the Iowa Caucuses should be the first event in their party’s 2024 presidential nominating process. Christensen says Iowa Democrats’ 2024 Caucuses will focus on party building.

Iowa Democrats announced last year they did not intend to conduct caucus night attendance counts to determine which presidential candidate wins their 2024 caucuses and will use a mail-in system instead — but party officials haven’t revealed how or when results will be tabulated and released. In July, the Iowa G-O-P’s leadership voted to hold their party’s Caucuses on January 15th.

(Hamburg, Iowa) – Deputies with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office were responded at around 9:30-a.m. Sunday, to an address in Hamburg for a report of shots fired and a vehicle was struck by gunfire. Deputies, with the assistance of the Iowa State Patrol and Mills County Sheriff’s Office, took 37-year-old Sonya Holmes, of Hamburg, into custody at her residence.

It is alleged that Holmes fired a shot during an argument, striking an occupied vehicle. She is being charged with:

Attempted murder, a Class B Felony
Going Armed with Intent, a Class D Felony
Domestic Abuse, Use of a Weapon, an Aggravated Misdemeanor
Reckless Use of a Firearm, causing Property Damage, an Aggravated Misdemeanor

Holmes is being held without bond pending initial appearance with a Fremont County Magistrate.

(Sidney, Iowa) – The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, Sunday afternoon, reported that at around 8:10-p.m. Saturday, authorities received a 911 call about a juvenile who had been injured by fireworks at a rural residence near Farragut.

The 11-year-old male was transported with critical injuries to Shenandoah Memorial Hospital and then air lifted to a trauma center in Omaha.

Farragut Fire and Rescue, Shenandoah Fire and Rescue, and the Iowa State Patrol were assisted by the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office at the scene.

The incident is under investigation.

(Creston, Iowa) – A woman from Creston was arrested at around 9:30-a.m., Saturday. Creston Police report 44-year-old Lela Ann Churchwell, was arrested at her residence. Churchwell was charged with Disorderly Conduct-Loud Raucous Noise. She was cited and released from the scene with her citation.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Firefighters in Atlantic were dispatched to a residential fire at 11:49-p.m., Saturday. The incident occurred at 304 Hazel Street. Firefighters on scene reported the fire knocked down by 12:02-a.m., Sunday. Atlantic Fire Chief Tom Cappel said when they arrived on the scene, flames were observed coming out the front door of the house.

No one was in the home at the time. When they returned home, they noticed the fire and called it in.

A short time before that fire was reported, Atlantic Fire was called to a reported kitchen fire at 1202 Birch Street. It turns out there was no fire. A pan that was heavily smoking was removed from the home, though, and the residence ventilated.

Atlantic Police, Cass EMS, Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon and the Cass County Sheriff’s Office responded to both scenes. Additional details are currently not available.

304 Haze Street Fire (Photo’s courtesy Cass County EMC Mike Kennon)