Sheriff’s officials in Audubon County report an arrest occurred late Monday night following a traffic stop. 28-year old Casey Seth Cose, of Brayton, was taken into custody at around 11-p.m., following a traffic stop on Highway 71, in Brayton.

Cose was charged with Operating While Intoxicated, 2^nd offense. He was brought to the Audubon County Jail, posted bond, and was later released.

A public hearing will be held in Atlantic Wednesday evening, with regard to proposed changes to the Ward boundaries for the City of Atlantic. The hearing takes place during a 5:30-p.m. session of the Atlantic City Council.

Following the hearing, the Council will hold the first reading of an ordinance establishing new ward boundaries, which became necessary once the 2010 census results were released. The required redistricting in Atlantic is the result of Ward 3 decreasing in population, and Ward 5 increasing significantly, as compared to the other three wards. In addition the City Clerk needs to meet the County’s requirement for supervisor districts.

City Administrator Doug Harris says the ideal population for each ward is 1,422, but that can vary, as long as the difference between the populations of the smallest and largest wards does not exceed 10-percent. State Code requires the City to adopt an ordinance describing the new ward map, by September 1^st. A second and third reading of the ordinance is expected to take place August 17^th.

The Council will also hold a public hearing on a resolution granting a sewer line easement to Andrew J. Knuth. Knuth has requested a 10-foot sewer easement on the north side of the city lot which abuts his law office building, to replace his sewer line. City Administrator Doug Harris says Knuth has offered to pay the City $50 for the easement.

In other business, the Council will act on authorizing Mayor Dave Jones to sign a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Housing Fund Contract between the City, and Iowa Department of Economic Development. The contract will likely be administered by SWIPCO. You may recall, the City last month, was awarded a $484,500 CDBG for a housing rehabilitation project.

And, the Atlantic City Council is expected to act on approving the August 28^th closure of Cedar Street, from 2^nd-to 3^rd Streets, for a community block party at Cedar Park, sponsored by the 1^st United Methodist Church. If approved, the closure would be from 5-until 7-pm that evening.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors are set to meet Wednesday morning, in Atlantic. The board will discuss and possibly act on a loan of up to $555,000 to fund the northwest sewer and water line extension project. That includes making a determination of where the loan should come from and the exact dollar amount of the loan.

During their meeting last Friday, the Supervisors adopted a resolution calling for the County to enter into a loan agreement for the purposes of planning, undertaking and carrying out the project, which is located in the Amaizing Energy Urban Renewal Area.

The board is also expected to approve a job classification change for a Secondary Roads employee, from Operator 1 to District Working Foreman, and, hear an annual report from the Veteran’s Affairs Department.

The meeting begins at 9-a.m.

Members of the Adair County Board of Supervisor’s will meet Wednesday morning, in Greenfield. During the session, the Board will receive and discuss correspondence from the DNR, with regard to an animal feeding operation complaint.

The Board will also discuss a manure management plan update and correction, and hear from Gary Stephenson, with regard to a 1934 lithograph. Sheriff Brad Newton will talk about new hires for his department, an old car, and the annual Federal Asset Forefeiture report.

During the 10 o’clock hour, Cass-Adair County Engineer Charles Marker will discuss a petition for road rock in a section of Jackson Township. The Board is then expected to act on a resolution to set public hearings for road closures at N-25 Jackson Township, and the reclassification to a “Class-C” road at N-18, Washington Township.

The meeting begins at 9-a.m., in the Supervisors Board Room at the Adair County Courthouse.

w/ Ric Hanson

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Members of the Adair County Temporary Redistricting Committee are set to meet this evening, in Greenfield. During their 6-p.m. session in the Adair County Boardroom at the courthouse, the redistricting committee will hold discussion on redistricting, along with the setting of the date, time and location of the next meeting.

Work on redistricting became necessary following the results of the 2010 census, which showed a population shift in Iowa.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The heat wave continues to take a toll on Iowa’s crops and livestock.

In the weekly crop report on Monday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says 75 percent of the corn crop is in good to excellent shape, a decrease from 80 percent the week before. Seventy-three percent of the soybean crop is in good to excellent condition, a slide from 79 percent.

The report says along with livestock losses, the hot and humid weather is slowing weight gain and lowering milk production.

Reports of over 14 inches of rain in the Dubuque area last Wednesday and Thursday caused flash flooding that damaged property and crops.

State climatologist Harry Hillaker says preliminary data shows that July was Iowa’s warmest month since August 1983 and the warmest July since 1955.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A truck belonging to a missing Iowa couple whose home was destroyed by fire has been found in Kansas City, Mo.

A badly burned body was found inside couple’s home in Warren County. More tests are needed for identification.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety says the truck was found on Sunday at an apartment complex. Officials don’t know who took the truck to Kansas City, and are still trying to find people who may have seen it between noon on Saturday and noon on Sunday.

Authorities are searching for 79-year-old James “Bill” Wood and his 72-year-old wife, Kaidena. They were last seen at a local auction Saturday morning.

Fire destroyed their home late Saturday. The body was found in the debris.

The Original Press Release is below.…

Warren County, IOWA — Law enforcement officials in central Iowa are requesting the assistance of Iowans in locating the owners of a home that was destroyed by fire late Saturday night, and the whereabouts of a vehicle belonging to the residents.

The home of James “Bill” Wood and Kaidena “Kay” Wood was found engulfed in flames at 11:35 PM on Saturday, July 30, 2011.  The residents could not be located.  Police and fire officials were called immediately and got the fire under control during the night.  The Division of Criminal Investigation and the State Fire Marshal’s office were called to assist the Warren County Sheriff’s Office with the investigation.

Investigators found one body in the home, but the identity has not yet been confirmed.   They are seeking the public’s help in locating Kaidena “Kay” Lozelle Wood, age 72, and James “Bill” Wood, age 79.  They also are seeking information on a vehicle belonging to the Woods, a 2009 red Chevrolet Silverado pickup, with Iowa license plate number 426 SOC. Law Enforcement is attempting to locate anyone that may have seen this vehicle from Friday, July 29, 2011 through Sunday, July 31, 2011.

Anyone with information about Kaidena “Kay” Wood or James “Bill” Wood or the vehicle should call the Warren County Dispatch Center at 515-961-1122, or Iowa State Patrol Communications at 515-323-4360.

Kaidena Wood

James "Bill" Wood

Wood pickup side image

Wood pickup - front angle view

Two Neola residents and a woman from Council Bluffs were injured during a three-vehicle collision Sunday evening on Interstate 80, near Avoca. The Iowa State Patrol says 55-year old Debora Masker and 58-year old Robert Masker, both of Neola, and 53-year old Maureen Harvey, of Council Bluffs, suffered minor injuries during the collision, which happened at around 6:35-p.m. on I-80 westbound, at the 44-mile marker. The crash occurred as vehicles were merging into the right lane due at a bridge construction zone.

The patrol reports a 2008 Chevy Impala driven by Deborah Masker, was stopped in a line of traffic when the car was rear-ended by a 2004 Ford F-150 pickup, driven by Maureen Harvey. After the initial collision, the pickup rolled on its side, and the car was pushed forward during the impact, into the rear of a 2008Chevy truck, driven by 20-year old David Feuerhelm, of Cedar Rapids.

The Maskers were transported by Walnut Rescue to Myrtue Memorial Hospital in Harlan, while Maureen Harvey was transported to the same facility, by Avoca Rescue. The crash and subsequent investigation resulted in traffic being detoured around the site for a little more than two-hours.

Patrol Sgt. Bryan Michelsen told KJAN News accidents such as the one which occurred Sunday night are becoming more and more frequent, because motorists aren’t exercising common sense and courtesies. He says the Patrol has seen several incidents on eastbound I-80. Michelson says drivers need to heed the construction sign warnings about one-lane traffic ahead, and merge earlier, in order to avoid road rage incidents, or risk causing accidents.