The Cass County Board of Supervisors met Friday morning at the courthouse here in Atlantic. During their session, the Board adopted a resolution calling for the County to enter into a loan agreement for the purposes of planning, undertaking and carrying out a project in the Amaizing Energy Urban Renewal Area. The $555,000 loan agreement will allow for the construction of water and sanitary sewer system improvements in the area. It’s hoped the improvements will draw industry to the area occupied by the defunct ethanol production facility.

The Supervisors also heard an annual report from Cass County Veteran’s Affair Executive Director Mitch Holmes. Holmes said during the past Fiscal year, 444 veterans and dependents were assisted, as compared to 383 in FY 2009-2010. Holmes said 107 veterans signed up for federal VA benefits for the first time. County financial assistance for veterans was also up, more than $3,550 from the previous fiscal year. The aid amounted to slightly more than $29,800.

In other business, the Board agreed to fund the homestead property tax credits for taxes collected July 1^st, 2011 through June 30^th 2012 Fiscal year, at 63-percent. The Cass County Supervisor’s next regular meeting is this Wednesday, August 3^rd, at 9-a.m.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Results from a July survey of business conditions in nine Midwestern and Plains states suggest a slowdown in growth. Creighton University economics professor Ernie Goss says uncertainty about the national economy is among the factors hampering business expansion in the region.

The overall index for the Mid-America Business Conditions dropped only slightly, to 54.1 in July from 54.9 in June. But it was the fourth time in the past five months that the index dropped.  The survey of supply managers and executives and the report use a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Any score above 50 suggests growth in an index while a score below 50 suggests that index will decline.

The nine states are Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

As you may have heard on KJAN Sunday night, the King and Queen for this year’s Cass County fair were announced. The ceremony marked the start of the fair Sunday evening.

Reigning over the fair this year as Queen, is newly crowned Erin Steele, the daughter of Lynette and Doug Steele. Robert Nichols, the son of Linda and Bill Nichols, was crowned Fair King.

Other royalty this year include: Tess Peck, daughter of Bob & Celeste Peck, who won the titles of Cass County Fair Princess and “Miss Congeniality,” and, Mark Jacobsen, the son of Mike and Darla Jacobsen, was named Prince. J.T. Baker was awarded the title of “Mr. Congeniality.”

A multi-vehicle crash closed Interstate 80 in Pottawattamie County for about 2-hours, Sunday night. Details are sketchy at this time, but according to the Iowa D-O-T, the crash happened at around 7-p.m. on I-80 westbound, near the Walnut exit.

The mess was cleaned-up and the road reopened to regular traffic flow just after 9-p.m.

DENISON, Iowa (AP) – Railroads crews are cleaning up after 22 cars of a coal train derailed near Denison Mark Davis, spokesman for Omaha, Neb.-based Union Pacific, says  he 136-car train was headed from Wyoming to Illinois when a section derailed about 6:40 a.m. Sunday. No injuries were reported.

Davis says crews will work into today (Monday) to clear debris and repair about 800 feet of damaged track that stretches over two rail lines. One of the lines was expected to reopen early today. The cause of the derailment is under investigation.

Police in Council Bluffs are asking for the public’s help in locating a missing female juvenile. 17-year old Michaela Renee Allan, of Council Bluffs, was last seen at the Council Bluffs Public Library, at around 4:30-p.m. Sunday.

Michaela stands about 5-feet 6-inches tall, and weighs about 130 pounds. She was last seen wearing a multi-colored hat with lettering on it, a pink shirt, and tight, skinny jeans with high heels.

A witness at the library said the teen left on foot from that location after making several calls on a cell phone. If you have come into contact with her, call the Council Bluffs Police Department at 712-328-4721.

DENISON, Iowa (AP) — Railroads crews are cleaning up after 22 cars of a coal train derailed in western Iowa.

Mark Davis, spokesman for Omaha, Neb.-based Union Pacific, says the 136-car train was headed from Wyoming to Illinois when a section derailed about 6:40 a.m. Sunday. No injuries were reported.

Davis says crews will work into Monday to clear debris and repair about 800 feet of damaged track that stretches over two rail lines. One of the lines is expected to reopen early Monday.

The cause of the derailment is under investigation.

The Post Office in Grant will be closing, soon. KJAN News has been notified officials at the facility will post a closure notice, on Monday. Last February, the citizens of Grant received a letter from the manager of Post Office Operations in Des Moines, indicating the agency was seriously considering closing the post office.

This past week, Rich Watkins, spokesman for the U-S Postal Services’ Hawkeye District, based in Kansas City, Kansas, said his office has been inundated with calls since the USPS announced 178 post office could be closed in Iowa. Last February, Watkins told KJAN News the Grant Post Office has been vacant since last Summer, when the Post Master there retired. An Officer in Charge has been managing operations since then.

Watkins said at the time, that if the Grant Post Office were to close, there would still be pickup and delivery of the mail, along with the sale of stamps and other, traditional services, at what are called “cluster box units,” which are served by a neighboring post office. Customers would still be able to use the Grant, Iowa zip code in their mailing addresses, and retail services will continue to be available 17-miles away, at the Villisca Post Office, or 10-miles away, in Elliott.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Department reports two people were arrested on separate charges, Saturday night. At around 9:20-p.m., 42-year old Lyle Kenneth Houtchens, of Malvern, was taken into custody on charges of Public Intoxication and Driving While Intoxicated.

Officials say Houtchens was allegedly driving a Ford truck, which went into a ditch. He walked to a nearby residence, where the occupants called the Sheriff’s Office. When deputies arrived on the scene, they found the man hiding in a ditch. After a witness claimed Houtchins was the driver of the vehicle, he was placed under arrest.

The second arrest occurred about one-half hour later. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office says 38-year old Jermey Bertochi, of Lenox, was arrested on an Adams County warrant for Probation Violation.

Both men were being held in the Adams County Jail.

Presidential candidate, and former Republican Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, will be in Atlantic Tuesday, for a Town Hall meeting. Santorum and his family’s stop in Atlantic, is part of his 18-day, 50 city tour of the state, leading up to the Ames Straw Poll.

The meeting will take place from 6-to 7-p.m., August 2nd, at the Allen House Assisted Living Activities Center, at 1406 East 19th Street.