A state audit of a financially-troubled rural water district finds that in the past two years, the district has paid off about six MILLION dollars of its debts. The Xenia  Rural Water District serves more than 94-hundred customers in 11 counties in central and north central Iowa. In 2009, the district was unable to repay 135-million dollars in debts. By 2013, the district had refinanced its debt.

The latest audit finds rate increases and growth in water connection fees boosted Xenia’s revenue by four-and-a-half percent last year. Auditors who reviewed records from 2015 and 2016 note the district has positive cash flow, has made full debt repayments and is in a financial position to repay new bonds that were issued last September.

The Xenia Rural Water District was established in 1977 for rural customers in Dallas and Boone Counties. It’s now been extended to customers in Polk, Story, Adair, Madison, Guthrie, Greene, Calhoun, Webster and Hamilton Counties. The district’s headquarters are in Bouton, a town in Dallas County that had 129 residents in the 2010 Census.

(Radio Iowa)

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office says a Deputy called to a location on Monument Road for a reported suspicious female, ended-up arresting 37-year old Kimberly M. Becerra, of Council Bluffs, on charges that include Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Unlawful Possession of Prescription Drugs. Becerra was taken into custody at around 10:15-a.m. Tuesday. Seized into evidence was two prescription bottles with an unknown substance, and a needle.

Authorities said also, 28-year old Brendan Ryan Clark, of Council Bluffs, turned himself-in to the Sheriff’s Office Tuesday on warrant for his arrest. Clark was wanted for Theft in the 4th Degree, two counts of Probation Violation, and four felony counts of Forgery. He was booked into the Pott. County Jail without incident.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Wednesday), tabled matters pertaining to a speed restriction along a road in and near Griswold, on the south side of the City, and the awarding of a mowing bid for the Southlawn Memory Gardens Cemetery. The latter was over possible confusion on the extent of ground to be mowed. A single bid was received for the project, but the bid price raised concerns the person who submitted the bid might not have been fully aware of how much mowing and how frequently, is needed.

The Board tabled action on a Resolution establishing a speed restriction or limit on a portion of Road #6 of 1880 (currently known as Troy Road in Griswold, and Cass Street in the County), until the Griswold City Council takes action on setting the rate of speed on their side, and then making the speed limit uniform for the County side.    The speed limit proposed by City leaders in Griswold is 35 miles per hour.

There are currently no signs indicating the speed limit. Supervisor Steve Baier setting the same speed limit said it would make it easier for law enforcement to enforce, and lessen the chances of an accident. Cass County Engineer Charles Bechtold was not opposed to the speed restriction, and said a traffic survey (counting the number of vehicles using the road) wouldn’t be needed or cost effective to make the change.

In other business, the Board passed a Resolution abating the taxes, penalties and interest on a parcel of land now owned by the City of Atlantic, on the southwest side of town. The move follows the Code of Iowa.

At least two more people died in traffic crashes in Iowa Tuesday, increasing the total for the year to more than 100. Dennis Kleen tracks crash data for the Iowa Department of Transportation. “Compared to the previous five years, we had three years where we weren’t at 100 yet, so we’re higher than we have been over those other years,” Kleen said.

There were 320 people killed in traffic crashes in Iowa in 2015. Last year, that number rose to just over 400. While there are likely several contributing factors, Kleen notes there’s been an increase in vehicles on Iowa’s roads. “Vehicle miles traveled was higher than it had been in previous years, gas prices were a little bit lower and a little more stable, so there’s more traffic out there,” Kleen says.

Another factor in the rise in traffic fatalities is unbelted drivers. Kleen says over 40-percent of the people killed this year in Iowa traffic crashes were NOT wearing a seat belt. “We’ve got a 93 or 94 percent (seat belt) compliance rate in the general public, so a lot of people who die in crashes aren’t belted,” Kleen says.

The relatively warm weather over the first four-and-a-half months of this year has also contributed to a rise in motorcycle fatalities. “We’re at 12 so far this year and last year, through April, we were only at three,” Kleen said.

At this time last year in Iowa, the traffic fatality count was 120 — 20 more than this year.

(Radio Iowa)