(Radio Iowa) – State regulators are starting over on a study of the horse racing industry. Racing and Gaming Administrator Brian Ohorilko says they only received one response to their original request for a proposal to do a study, and are going to try again.”The commission staff will be working with the Department of Administrative services to to initiate another R-F-P to study the horse racing industry, and really to try to assist with promoting the health and sustainability of the industry,” he says. The Racing and Gaming Commission decided upon the study in September of last year, and Ohorilko says they are hoping to find more applicants to do the study.

“The commission will be reaching out to a number of prospective individuals, that may be interested in hopes that people will put in bids and we’ll have some good options to choose from later this summer, when the selections are made,” Ohorilko says. Ohorilko says they are looking for a comprehensive study. “A study like this does take time and requires a lot of interviews, a lot of data. And so it is quite possible that the work will take place over the course of 12 to 14 months,” Ohorilko says. “And so if the study is initiated right now, I think the commission will be looking for results in late summer, or fall of 2024.”

Ohorilko says there are a lot of different opinions now on the state of the horse racing industry in Iowa, and that’s why the Commission decided to conduct a study to get an outside view.

CRESTON, Iowa (May 8, 2023) – Senior Tristen Rice, Creston Schools, has been awarded the 2023 Special Education Teacher Scholarship of Iowa in recognition for her academic accomplishments and educational goals. By May of 2023, Rice will earn both her high school diploma and an associate degree. This required completing several college, winter and summer courses throughout the school year.

After graduation, Rice plans to study at Northwest Missouri State University where she will study elementary and special education. Ever since she was a little girl, Rice knew she wanted to be a teacher. “My goal is to not only teach these special minds the desired material, but mostly to help them gain enough confidence to know that they are just as capable as everyone else in the world,” she said.  Rice credits her grandmother as an inspiration for her hard work and resilience. “My grandmother is the most hardworking person I know and has never failed to put her family first,” Rice said.

About the Award: The Special Education Teacher Scholarship is awarded to a graduating senior who plans to study education, with a focus on special education. Co-sponsored by ClaimAid Consulting Corporation and the Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB), the scholarship is awarded based on a number of requirements, including educational goals and academic accomplishments.

ClaimAid is a leading provider of comprehensive Medicaid eligibility and enrollment services, school-based billing and claims resolution for schools, hospitals, patients, individuals and their families. IASB is a nonprofit organization representing Iowa’s 327 public school districts, nine area education agencies and 15 community colleges.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – Adair County Sheriff Jeff Vandewater, in his report issued today (May 8, 2023), said there were nine arrests over the past week.

There were three arrested last Saturday: At around 11:23-p.m., Police in Greenfield arrested 29-year-old Jeffrey Dewane Ott, of Greenfield, for Public Intoxication. Ott plead guilty to the offense, was sentenced to time served, and then released the following afternoon; 38-year-old Jasmine Ray Blaylock, of Greenfield, was arrested Saturday night in Fontanelle, for Violation of a No Contact Order. He was released today (May 8th), on a $300 cash-only bond; 29-year-old Jordanne Beardsley, of Fontanelle, was arrested at the same location and at about the same time, also for Violation of a No Contact Order. She was also released on a $300 cash-only bond.

There were also three arrests Friday, in Adair County: 43-year-old Justin Alan Robertson, of Greenfield, was arrested on an Adair County warrant for Violation of Probation, for Failure to Appear in Court April 28th. He was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $1,000cash-only bond; 33-year-old Chevy Van Sauer, of Greenfield, was arrested Friday afternoon by Greenfield Police, on Adair County warrant charging him with {Felony] Possession of a Controlled Substance (PCS)/3rd or subsequent offense (Marijuana), PCS/1st offense – Marijuana, and three Prescription Drug Violations/1st offense each. Van Sauer was being held in the Adair County Jail on a $10,000 bond. 33-year-old TleeJo Jones, of Greenfield, was arrested at the same location on the same charges. Her bond was set at $5,000.

Late Thursday morning, 31-year-old Dalton James Cormeny, of Fontanelle, was arrested by Deputies in Adair County, on an Adair County Felony warrant for Violation of Probation. Cormeny was being held without bond in the Adair County Jail, until making an appearance in District Court.

On May 3rd, 59-year-old Johnny L. Sparks, of Chicago, IL, was arrested by Adair Police, following a traffic stop on I-80, in Adair County. Sparks was charged with a Felony Controlled Substance Violation, and Drug Tax Stamp violations. He was released the following day on a $5,000 bond. And, on April 30th, 20-year-old Gregory Donald Logemann, Jr., of Bridgewater, was arrested on a Pottawattamie County warrant for Failure To Appear on a Violation of Probation charge. He was released to Pottawattamie County Deputies on May 1st.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – The Council Bluffs Police Department reports at around 12:51-p.m. Sunday, an unknown male subject called the Madison Avenue Hy-Vee, in Council Bluffs, and issued a bomb threat. In speaking with the store manager, the subject said the bomb was in the back of the store. After 911 was notified of the call, officers responded and secured the store, after making a complete search of the building.

A secondary search determined no device was evident. Detectives are following-up on where the call may have been generated. Meanwhile, Police the store is safe, and open for business. Authorities says “Hy-Vee management worked well,” with “officers on the scene through [out] the incident, while still keeping everyone safe.”

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County Auditor Kathy Somers has released the agenda for Tuesday morning’s Board of Supervisors meeting. The session at the Cass County Courthouse begins at 9-a.m. Some agenda items that may be of public interest are highlighted. The order of agenda items may change based on when personnel are available and when time allows.

1. Call to order
2. Approve Agenda
3. Approve minutes from the May 2, 2023 meeting
4. Public Comments
5. Approve Resolution 2023-16, Establishing the 2023 Cass County Weed Control Program
6. Discuss/Approve Resolution 2023-17 setting date for public hearing on the sale of real estate in Cass County, Iowa for May 16, 2023 at 9:00 AM
7. Report from Cass County Engineer Trent Wolken
8. Approve Final Voucher Project LFM-HMAG61–7X-01/15, Adair-Cass County G61 Paving
9. Supervisor Committee Reports
10. Filed Reports: Clerk of Court
11. Approve claims
12. Adjournment
13. Next Meeting: Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Join Electronically at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2899195216?pwd=R0hSa2FOOTh0NUdra1ZSdVhVWHpMUT09
Meeting ID: 289 919 5216
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(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors will hold their regular, weekly session beginning at 8:30-a.m., Tuesday, May 9th, in their Boardroom at the Montgomery County Courthouse. The following is the tentative meeting agenda (with highlights added), courtesy Auditor Jill Ozuna…

1. Call meeting to order
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Roll call of members
4. Approval of Agenda – Order at discretion of Chairman
5. Read minutes as presented. Chairman to call for any additions/corrections to said minutes.
6. Board chairman will ask the audience for any comments, limited to two minutes per person.
7. Supervisors: Weekly committee/assignment updates
8. Secondary Roads Update
9. New Business
a. Approve Sheriff’s Report of Fees in the amount of $17,600.85.
b. Set hearing for Budget Amendment
c. Approve Recorder’s Report of Fees in the amount of $16,730.59.
d. Approve Red Oak Country Club Alcohol license renewal
e. Approve claims payable for Wednesday May 10, 2023
f. Handbook discussion
g. Approve Solution’s annual contract
h. Approve Conservation & Building projects with ARPA funding
i. Conservation
1. new Smartboard $3400
2. Side by Side- $15,525
3. Remodel Anderson Building – $31,000
ii. Building- courthouse
1. Attic windows (67) $84,500
2. Tuckpointing $200,000
i. Approve abatement of taxes for Montgomery County owned property, parcel# 250619400063000
10. Discuss and start agenda items for next meeting
11. Announcements – The next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 16, 2023 8:30 a.m.
12. Adjournment

*Please note, this is a public meeting; however, it may be conducted via ZOOM
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(RED OAK, Iowa) – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee, today (Monday) announced her Small Business of the Week for the week of May 8th: Ramsey’s Market of Taylor County. Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties.  Ernst said “The Ramsey family jumped into action to fill a critical need! As a veteran myself, I’m so grateful for their service to our nation and for stepping up to support their community. In our tight-knit, rural Iowa towns it’s just neighbors helping neighbors.”

In 2015, the company was founded by Air Force veterans, Theo and Bonnie Ramsey, after learning that the local grocery store was up for sale. Over the years, Ramsey’s Market has expanded to include a food locker delivery service, an adjoining Ace Hardware store with a bar inside, and even a second location in Manning, Iowa.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa no longer has a mandatory retirement age for reserve police officers and volunteer fire fighters. Full and part-time police and fire fighters in Iowa must retire at the age of 65. The governor has signed a bill into law that eliminates that age restriction for volunteer fire fighters and trained reserve police officers who are volunteers, but can make arrests and investigate crimes. Senator Mike Bousselot, of Ankeny, spoke about the bill before it passed the Senate unanimously.

“We’ve all heard from Iowans the importance of good jobs and safe communities,” Bousslot says. “This bill serves both of those goals. Many communities are already using reserve police officers and volunteer fire fighters to keep those communities safe.”

The bill passed the House on an 86-to-12 vote last month and was signed into law by the governor last week. According to the Iowa League of Cities, there are over 12-hundred active reserve police officers in the state. Data from the Iowa Department of Public Safety indicates 90 percent of firefighters in Iowa are volunteers. About a thousand quit every year due to several factors, including the retirement age.

(Omaha, NE) – An investigation by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) has confirmed that Viki Teacup Maltese, a website that claims to sell puppies from an Omaha residential address, is a scam. The confirmation came after BBB received a complaint and built a business profile for the company on January 9, 2023. The company has received three inquiries as of March 28, 2023. Research revealed that the domain vikimaltesehome.com was privately registered by NameCheap, Inc. on December 10, 2022, and expires on December 10, 2023. The website is currently down. The website contained text and photos of puppies for sale, but the text had grammar errors and misspelled words.

The website listed an Omaha physical address. BBB received a phone call from the actual property owner of the address, who confirmed he is not running a dog-breeding business from his home. The person also said that this was the third puppy website that had used his personal residence address as a business location.

A consumer reported to BBB that she paid for a puppy with Zelle, and it was to be shipped to her. When she did not receive the puppy, she contacted the business owner, and he said he would work something out with her and would get back to her. The consumer, who provided text messages of the exchange, said the business then blocked her number and never returned her phone call. The business did not respond to this complaint.

Per the Nebraska Secretary of State, there is no registration for Viki Teacup Maltese. The phone number (402) 382-1663 was found on several puppy scam websites, including Terry Teacup Maltese Home and Ichika Shiba Inu. The email address and website for Viki Teacup Maltese were also found on many puppy scam websites. BBB checked with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture’s licensing department and confirmed there is no licensed dog breeder registered by the name of Viki Teacup Maltese or one located at the address listed on the website.

BBB advises consumers to be cautious when buying pets online. Consumers should research the seller and the website, and they should also ask for references and documentation of health screenings for the pet. BBB recommendations for buying pets online:

• See the pet in person before paying any money. Consider a video call with the seller if there are concerns about meeting in person because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This way, you are able to see the seller and the actual pet for sale.
• Conduct a reverse image search of the photo of the pet and search for a distinctive phrase in the description.
• Research the breed to get a sense of a fair price you are considering. Think twice if someone advertises a purebred dog for free or at a deeply discounted price–it could be a fraudulent offer.
• Check out a local animal shelter for pets to meet in person before adopting.

(Harlan, Iowa) – A tornado siren malfunction may have rattled a few nerves Sunday night, as severe storms were passing through the Shelby County. According to social media post by Shelby County Emergency Management Coordinator Alex Londo, several residents in Harlan heard a tornado siren [sound] Sunday due to a malfunction. Londo said “The siren located at Dr Joseph Spearing park went off on its own at 11:15pm. After crews responded and deactivated the siren the battery backup system kicked on at that siren and started sounding it again shorty after midnight.”

According to Londo, that was the reason the siren went off twice Sunday night, “for extended periods of time.” Repairs were being made to the siren Monday morning.