w/ Ric Hanson

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The Audubon City Council will hold a final review of the City’s proposed Fiscal Year 2012-2013 Budget. The review, and action on a resolution setting March 12th, 7-p.m.,  as the date and time for a public hearing on the budget, will come during the Council’s meeting, which begins tonight at 7 o’clock.

The Council will also refine the definitions of a “Nuisance Lighting” ordinance, and discuss: An ordinance banning parking in yards; a Water/sewer maintenance contract; and, compensation practices.

A man formally of Perry, who authorities say was the driver behind a car that went out of control in Guthrie County and crashed in 2009, is set to stand trial, Tuesday. According to the Omaha World-Herald, and, online court records,  30-year old Thomas Dugan has been charged with vehicular homicide, reckless driving and drunken driving, in connection with the August 23rd, 2009 death of Adam Anderson, of Bagley.

Anderson was 28-years old at the time. As KJAN reported on August 24th, 2009, officials said a 2003 Ford Mustang the men were in, was traveling at a high rate of speed southbound on Wink Avenue in Guthrie County, when the road changed from hard surface, to gravel. The car began to fishtail out of control and entered a ditch before rolling end-over-end, and coming to rest on its top in a soybean field. Even though they were wearing seatbelts, both men were ejected during the crash, which happened at around 6:30-a.m.  Anderson died at the scene, while Dugan suffered critical injuries.

The newspaper says Dugan wasn’t charged until Feb. 2011, because it took authorities that long to determine who was driving. The answer came through the results of a DNA test. Dugan was arrested in March, 2011. He was released later that month on a $25,000 bond. According to Iowa Courts Online, the trial, which was supposed to have started January 24th, but was continued until 9:30-a.m. Tuesday in Guthrie County District Court,  is expected to last about four days.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

A program designed to involve the youth of area communities in agriculture has grown since its inception, and even sparked interest in forming similar programs in other counties around western Iowa.

Chuck Edwards, President/CEO of Rolling Hills Bank & Trust

Chuck Edwards, President and CEO of Rolling Hills Bank and Trust, which is headquartered in Atlantic, told a crowd of young people, their parents, and others in attendance at a banquet at the Cass County Community Center Sunday afternoon, that the “Heifer Project,” which began in 2001 with five heifers each given to two area youth, has grown to four sets of heifers given away this year.

And, he says, the Carroll County Farm Bureau joined in this year, and also gave away five heifers. That makes 25 head of bred heifers given out this year to area youth. So far, 220 head of heifers have given to 45 people. Carroll County, which is in the second year of the program, has given away 10 altogether.

Edwards said when he spoke recently before a gathering of the Shelby County Cattleman’s Association, he said he learned they’re interested in getting a similar program established in that area. Tim Greave, who attended Sunday’s meeting , said their satellite program began this year, with one of their board members placing five heifers.  He says during a recent auction, 70,000 was raised in 15-minutes, to put towards the heifer program, which is still in its infancy and being tweaked in that. He says in the future, there may be a “share-type program,” where a portable loan is paid back at the end, and one or two of the payments are forgiven.

Past and present recipients of heifers from the RHHP 2-26-12

The Rolling Hills heifers are purchased by the bank, to be given to two individuals for a 5 year period. Those persons must be either in 7th or 8th grade, and must be interested in agriculture and willing to accept total responsibility for the daily care of the heifers. The youth can do what they wish with the heifers for the 5 years, either by selling the offspring, building a herd, etc., but at the end of the 5-years, the current cash equivalent value of 5 heifers must be paid to the Rolling Hills Heifer Project. Those funds will be used to purchase heifers for the next year’s recipients. The participants must document the entire process involved with raising the animals, including income and expenditures, and be willing to promote the program to other youth.

This year’s heifer recipients in western Iowa included: Morgan Barkley, from Cumberland; Brooke Newell, from Anita; and Preslyn Grobe, of Hancock. The Carroll County Farm Bureau gave its five heifers to Kourtney Grimm. Chuck

In addition, rewards were given Sunday to those youth participating in the program, who kept the best records while raising their animals. First place, and a cash award of $750, went to Jonathan Triggs, of Mt. Ayr, who received his heifers in 2008. Second place, and a $500 award, went to Paige Kipp, of Yale, who received her heifers in 2008 also. Third place, and a $250 award, went to Delaney Carroll, of Avoca.

To apply for the Rolling Hills Heifer Project Program, individuals must fill out an application describing their interest in agriculture as well as have 3 letters of recommendation from such persons as teachers, club leaders, etc. For more information use this link:

www.rollinghillsbank.com/heifer_project.htm

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A Sac County woman has pleaded not guilty to 93 counts of animal neglect.  Sioux City television station KTIV reports that Mary Brodersen entered the plea during her initial appearance in court on Friday.

The charges stem from the rescue of 87 dogs and one cat from a farm in rural Kiron. The carcasses of five dead animals were found when officials searched the farm on Jan. 25th. 
Authorities say the dogs were kept in a wooden shack, up to five in 4-by-4 wire cages, which were stacked on top of each other.
 
Brodersen faces a maximum of 12 years in prison if convicted of all the charges. She has relinquished ownership of the animals, which have been turned over to various shelters.

PANORA, Iowa (AP) – Panora police are investigating the beating of an eighth-grade boy in the Panorama Middle School cafeteria that left him with injuries requiring surgery.  Des Moines television station KCCI reports that the beating happened Thursday, leaving Alex Kent with a titanium plate in his jaw and a broken leg that will require pins and screws to reset.
 
The boy’s mother, Yvonne Repp, questions whether there was adequate supervision of students. She also says school officials did not call an ambulance, but gave her son an ice pack and some Tylenol. The boy’s sister later drove him to a hospital.
 
School superintendent Kathy Elliot says school staff responded quickly to the incident. Police Chief Matt Reising says he expects a decision on whether to file charges in the case next week.

w/ Chris Parks

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