The Iowa Department of Transportation is hosting an on-line open house meeting as part of a study of passenger rail service. Amanda Martin of the D-O-T says the meeting begins today (February 13th).  Martin says the study will consist of five previously established passenger rail routes from Chicago, through Iowa to Omaha. “Each route is approximately 500 miles long, and as part of the midwest regional rail initiative that was the corridor that was established as a route for future study and future passenger rail service,” Martin says. The study is one of the steps in moving ahead to establish a new route. “It’s looking at the alternative routes and determining what route is most feasible based on the purpose and need of the route,” Martin says. “So it’s a tier one service level environmental impact statement is what we will end up with.” You can submit comments on the routes during the on-line meeting.

“People who have concerns about particular routes…or if they are supporting particular routes since it is looking at several. If there are concerns about any sort of impacts their state might be affected by if the route were to go through their community, those sorts of things,” Martin says. The on-line format provides lots of information for people who’re interested. “There is a video that will be on the website that they can review and it’ll talk about the project and will give more details about what we are doing, and there will be resources within the website, maps and information that will help the user understand the study a little bit better, and what sort of comments we are looking for,” Martin said. Go to:www.iowadot.gov/chicagotoomaha to participate in the meeting.

(Dar Danielson/Radio Iowa)

SAC CITY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say the owner of dozens of dogs rescued from a farm in rural Sac County has relinquished ownership of the animals, clearing the way for them to be made available for adoption. Eighty-seven dogs, mostly cocker spaniels, and one cat were rescued two weeks ago. Some of the dogs are pregnant.

Sac County Attorney Ben Smith says the owner gave up ownership to the sheriff’s office on Friday. The sheriff’s office, in turn, gave the animals to the rescue shelters caring for them. A court order says the owner will reimburse Sac County for expenses for the animals’ care since their removal on January 25th, which total over $25,000. Smith says he expects charges will be filed in the case sometime this week.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Some argue that a bill now in the Iowa Legislature could infringe on privacy rights.  The measure would let police attach a device to a suspect’s car that uses global positioning system technology to track its movement if a judge approves a warrant. The device could be used for 30 days.  Supporters say they want to apply new technology to traditional police work.
 
Des Moines legislator Rick Olson says the bill would let government intrude on private lives. Olson says tracking vehicles for a month could give officers plenty of information that would have nothing to do with an investigation. Representative Clel Baudler, of Greenfield, is pushing for the measure but thinks it might not be approved because lawmakers are eager to adjourn the session early this year.

Authorities in Page County report two people were arrested Saturday night on burglary charges, following the execution of a search warrant at a residence in Shenandoah. Sheriff Lyle Palmer says 30-year Sara Jeanine York, of Shenandoah, and 35-year old Christopher Lee Jones, of Essex,  were each arrested on charges of Burglary in the 3rd Degree (class “D” felony), Trespass (simple misdemeanor), and Theft 5th (simple misdemeanor). Both subjects are currently being held in the Page County Jail on $5,600 bond.   

Their arrests occurred at around 11:40-p.m., Saturday, after members from the Page County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at 407 1/2  West Lowell Avenue in Shenandoah. The charges against the pair stem from a year long, ongoing investigation, into the Burglaries of farm houses and buildings in rural Page County.  The Sheriff says additional charges are pending against York and Jones.  Charges against other suspects are also pending at this time.

Sheriff’s officials in Adams County report a Prescott woman was arrested Saturday night. 43-year old Julie Adsit was taken into custody following a traffic stop on a charge of Driving While Suspended, after authorities determined she was driving with a suspended license. Adsit was being held in the Adams County Jail.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A former Las Vegas body guard arrested on Interstate 29 in Iowa has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and fraudulent use of bank cards. Ken Siebert was sentenced Friday and ordered to pay more than $400,000 in restitution.  Siebert was stopped north of Council Bluffs last February, and more than $4,500 in cash and 209 bank cards in various names were found in his car. Siebert told authorities he was working for a tax return company that paid him to file federal income tax returns based on stolen identity information.  Authorities linked Siebert to a Las Vegas theft ring suspected of stealing at least $2.7 million from the U.S. government via improper tax returns.

w/ Brett Johnson

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Emergency Management Officials in Mills and Pottawattamie Counties have lifted their bans on open burning which were set in place a little more than a week ago. The Burn Ban in Mills County ended at 8-a.m. today (Friday). The Burn Ban in Pottawattamie County will no longer be in effect as of 6-p.m today (Friday).

Forecasted temperatures and precipitation chances have prompted Fire Chiefs tin both counties to lift the open burning ban that was issued on February 1st. Fire officials want to remind citizens to always have safety measures in place when burning, even when environmental conditions appear safe.

The lifting of the open burning ban does not apply within the corporate city limits of Council Bluffs and other communities within Pottawattamie County where city ordinances restrict open burning year-round. Please check with your local City Hall for more information regarding open burning within city limits.