COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Several organizations have collaborated in replacing a handful of outdoor informational panels that detail a journey of Mormons in the mid-1800s across Iowa to settle in Utah. The Daily Nonpareil reports that the panels were installed by organizers at several eastern Iowa sites in 1996 during the 150th anniversary of the trek.

Bob Schulze with the Pottawattamie County Mormon Trails Association says the signs appeared worn due to age and weather. He and others, including representatives from the Pottawattamie County Conservation and the National Park Service, recently worked together to replace most of them with new ones.

Schulze says an Iowa Living Roadway Trust grant helped establish the native prairie that surrounds the panels. Organizers worked to make the area resemble what settlers encountered on their travels.

State and local officials are holding a news conference this morning (Monday) near Manson at the first turkey farm to get back into operation after the bird flu outbreak. A little more than one-point-one million turkeys were destroyed in Iowa after the outbreak. There has been a lot speculation about the impact of the bird flu on the availability of turkeys this Thanksgiving. Gretta Irwin with the Iowa Turkey Federation says she doesn’t expect any impact.

“Here in Iowa, all the turkeys we raise are further processed — meaning they go into deli meats for Subway or Jimmy Johns or into the deli cases at our grocery stores. So, these birds never would have gone into producing Thanksgiving birds anyway,” Irwin explains. So, I do not anticipate that there will be a shortage of turkeys.” Irwin says producers outside Iowa are working to get birds ready for the holiday.

“Turkeys for Thanksgiving are being raised right now, so they would not be impacted by the High Place A-I virus,” Irwin says. There will be no bird displays at the Iowa State Fair when it opens later this week. Irwin says the Turkey Federation doesn’t plan any special displays. “We are not doing anything specifically related to high path avian influenza, but we sure encourage people to stop by our turkey stand west of the Bill Riley stage and enjoy some wonderful Iowa turkey in supporting our turkey industry and our turkey farmers who have really had a tough year this year,” Irwin says. The state has some 130 turkey farms and 35 were infected with the avian flu.

(Radio Iowa)

Audubon Police Chief Matt Starmer reports two, recent arrests. Last Thursday, 16-year old Dakota Rain Toepfer, of Audubon, was arrested for Domestic Assault Causing Injury and Domestic Assault With Intent to Inflict Serious Injury. Toepfer was transferred to the Juvenile Detention Center.

And on Aug. 1st, 30-year old Benjamin Daniel Jobe, of Audubon, was arrested for Driving While Revoked, Failure to File SR-22 and No Interlock Ignition Device. Jobe was being held in the Audubon County Jail awaiting to appear before a magistrate.

Creston Police are investigating two incidents of vandalism and one incident of fraud. Officials say an Ellston resident reported fraudulent charges were made on his bank account between Aug. 6th and 7th, for nine purchases made online. The loss was estimated at $1,300.

On Sunday, Midwest Property Services in Creston reported that an abandoned property at 508 N. Elm Street, owned by the company, was vandalized at an unknown date and time. A door had been kicked-in and a window broken. The damage was estimated at $100. And, a Creston Police Officer noticed a Pepsi machine outside the Fareway Store in Creston, had been vandalized, Sunday. The inside of the machine was exposed. It’s not clear when the incident occurred. Damage was estimated at $200.