IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Former Iowa Governor Chet Culver says his program to support renewable energy research and development has been “wildly successful” even if only a fraction of the money has been spent. Culver pointed to a plant in Shenandoah that is growing algae as an example of a success story from the Iowa Power Fund. He says construction on a cellulosic ethanol plant is under way in Emmetsburg, and a second plant is moving forward. Culver says those three projects alone, if they come to fruition, would justify the state’s $71 million investment in the fund.  Culver reacted Friday to an investigation by The Associated Press that found a third of the fund’s money has been spent, five years after its creation. He says the fund has been careful with tax dollars.

The Guthrie County Board of Supervisors have unanimously approved a request by Sheriff Marty Arganbright, to hire a deputy to replace one of his men, who went to work for the Guthrie Center Police Department. The man Arganbright hired to replace Neil Lemke, was Audubon County Sheriff’s Deputy Kent Gries, who is scheduled to begin his duties with Guthrie County, on April 25th.

The 26-year old Gries is a K-9 officer, who served with the Carroll County Juvenile Detention Center and Coon Rapids Police Department, before becoming a deputy in Audubon County. According to the Guthrie Center Times, Sheriff Arganbright told the Board of Supervisors last Tuesday, that Gries is interested in training a dual purpose replacement dog for K-9 Raven, who retired from the force last year.

Gries, he said, would like the force to train a combination tracker/drug dog. In comparison, Raven was trained only as a drug dog. If a dog is purchased to replace Raven, Arganbright said it will be accomplished through private donations, and not taxpayer funds. He also noted that there was still nearly $2,500 in Raven’s account which could be applied to a new dog.

U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack is suggesting the Army Corps of Engineers should be more nimble in responding to weather events that impact the agency’s management of the Missouri River. “It would be well for the Army Corps to be more attentive to the needs and to listen more closely to the concerns along the river systems. I think there’s a tendency for the Army Corps to say, ‘Hey, we’ve got the answer,'” Vilsack says. “You know, you really have to have better dialogue and better communication with folks.”

Farmers and others along the Missouri River have complained about the way the Corps managed the release of water from upstream dams last year — leading to massive, long-term flooding along the river corridor. Vilsack says the Corps needs to build “more flexibility” into its management plan for the Missouri. “When they saw record snowfalls and snowpack, there should have been, ‘Hey, how does this fit into our overall strategy and does it still fit and does it still work?'” Vilsack says. “We’re seeing more extreme weather conditions and I think that put the emphasis and a requirement on all of us to constantly rethink whether or not our assumptions were correct in whatever plan we’ve developed.”

Vilsack says the Corps should “be more engaged” in an on-going review of its management plan for the Missouri or any other river. “Not just well, ‘Well, we’ve done this plan and we’ve put a lot of effort into it and we can park that plan and we can just work that plan because it’s the right plan,'” Vilsack says. “Well, maybe it was the right plan at the time. Who knows? But you now have changing weather conditions and you should be saying, ‘Does this plan still fit?'” Vilsack, a former Iowa governor, made his comments Friday, during and after taping of an appearance on Iowa Public Television’s “Iowa Press” program, which airs Sunday.

(O. Kay Henderson/Radio Iowa)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The post office in the Fremont County town of Randolph may be headed for closure after the Postal Regulatory Commission voted 2 to 2 on an appeal by the city’s mayor to keep it open. A tie vote means the appeal loses and the closing moves forward. The Postal Service, on track to lose $14 billion by year’s end, wants to close thousands of post offices. Many are small rural operations like Randolph, a town of 170 people in southwest Iowa. Closures are likely to begin in late May or early June unless Congress passes a bill to shore up postal finances. The Senate begins debate on a bill Tuesday. Despite Mayor Vance Trively’s appeal, a commission order posted Thursday affirmed the closing. The estimated annual savings by closing Randolph’s post office is about $45,000.

Congressman Steve King released the following statement today (Friday) after visiting the areas affected by the tornadoes in Thurman and Creston.

Congressman King inspects tornado damage at a house in Thurman, IA

“Today I am reminded of how adversity calls upon the resiliency of Iowans,” said King. “Volunteers from across the state rallied together to help those affected in Southwest Iowa this last week. Several colleges sent volunteers to help clean up the damage and many other Midwestern states pitched in as well. I am thankful that no lives were lost, and more than ever I am aware of the extraordinary efforts that Iowans will offer when a neighbor is in need.”

King toured homes in Thurman that were damaged and also visited Creston’s Hospital as well as Southwestern Community College, both of which sustained damage in the storm.

Sheriff’s officials in  Montgomery County say a Stanton man was arrested this (Friday) morning, on forgery charges. 31-year old Joshua Mastin faces a charge of Theft in the 2nd degree, a Class-D felony offense. Additional charges are possible.

Mastin’s arrest was the result of an investigation that began in Clarinda, and involves locations in Villisca and Red Oak. Mastin was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $5,000 bond.

Four area residents were arrested on drug charges Thursday, in Audubon County. The Sheriff’s Department says 43-year old Kevin Scott Lea and 28-year old Melody Lynn Orndorff, both of Audubon, along with 36-year old Karie Capel Palen and 44-year old Robert Lee Olwell, both of Atlantic, were taken into custody. The charges against those individuals were the result of an ongoing investigation and the execution of a search warrant at 203 Washington Street, in Audubon.

Lea was charges with Delivery of a Controlled Substance/Meth, Possession with the Intent to Deliver/Meth, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Gathering where drugs are used, and Possession with the intent to deliver/marijuana. He was being held in the Audubon County Jail on $50,000 bond.  Orndorff was charged with Possession of Marijuana/2nd offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Her bond was set at $1,000.

Palen was charged with gathering where drugs are used, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was being held on $5,000 bond. Olwell was charged with gathering where drugs are used, and possession with the intent to deliver/Meth. His bond was set at $50,000.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office was assisted in their investigation and in making the arrests, by the Cass County Sheriff’s Department, Audubon Police Dept., and Iowa State Patrol.