(Atlantic) — CARF International has announced that CASS Incorporated, in Atlantic, has been accredited for the maximum accreditation period of three years for its community services in supported living, enrichment and employment for persons with disabilities.  CASS Incorporated has been fully accredited with the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities since 1983. 

The accreditation decision represents the highest level of accreditation that can be awarded to an organization and shows the organization’s substantial conformance to over one thousand CARF standards across all areas of operations.  An organization receiving a three year accreditation has put itself through a rigorous peer review process and has demonstrated to a team of surveyors during an on-site visit that its programs and services are of the highest quality, measurable, and accountable. 

Founded in 1966, CARF is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, value, and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process that centers on enhancing the lives of persons served around the world. 

Three juveniles who allegedly vandalized a shelter house in the Bayard City Park last week reportedly posed for pictures following the incident. According to the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Department, the incident took place October 4^th.

Officials say the three juveniles were observed playing on top of the shelter house. When a witness demanded the youth get down from the roof, they refused to comply, and then posed for pictures. The youth claimed they had a right to be on the roof, because it was a public park.

The juveniles allegedly ripped newly installed shingles off the shelter house roof. Charges are currently pending.

Area farm operators who have sustained major forage/crop production, and/or physical losses due to the combined effects of severe storms, excessive rain, flash flooding or other weather events, may be eligible for an emergency loan from the Farm Service Agency. FSA State Director John Whitaker said Thursday, the loans will cover a period from April 1^st, 2011 to present day. Applications for assistance should be completed at the Cass/Pottawattamie County FSA office in Atlantic. The final date for making an application is June 12^th, 2012.

Whitaker says the FSA may make Emergency Loans to eligible family farmers, which will enable those persons to return to their normal operations, if they sustained qualifying losses resulting from natural disasters. Applicants must be unable to obtain credit from other, usual sources in order to qualify for FSA Farm Loan Program assistance.

For more information, contact your local FSA office.

(Denison) — Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann says the thwarted terror plot against Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to the United States shows terrorists are bold enough to think they can strike again on American soil.

“We have a very dangerous time in the United States that we’re looking at and part of that problem, unfortunately, is that President Obama has sent signals of weakness across the world and those signals have not been lost on foreign dictators like the dictator that’s in Iran and so now they’re so bold that they think they can have assassination plots in the United States,” Bachmann says. “That has to end.” Bachmann, who is in the midst of her third term in congress, is a member of the House Intelligence Committee.

“I know how to be tough on the terrorists. That’s exactly what we’ve got to do,” Bachmann said in Denison. “…I’ll tell the terrorists across the world that, ‘Not in our country, you don’t.'” Bachmann made stops in Denison and Sioux City Thursday. She is campaigning this afternoon (Friday) in Sioux Center, Rock Rapids and Estherville.

(Radio Iowa)

The Villisca Community School District’s Board of Education has put the State of Iowa on notice, that district officials intends to explore Whole Grade Sharing with the Stanton and Corning Community School Districts. The announcement, made during the board’s regular meeting Thursday evening, is required by State Code. Boards of Education are required to approve letters of intent to explore sharing with other districts, by no later than October 31^st. The State requires school districts considering wholegrade sharing to make a final decision on the matter, by February 1st.

Additional public meetings will be held with regard to Whole Grade Sharing, a joint meeting with the Stanton School Board at 7-p.m, Monday, in the Stanton High School gym, and with the Corning School Board at 7-p.m. Tuesday, in the Villisca High School gym.

Other, public input meetings will be held in Villisca on October 24th and November 17^th. Both meetings will take place in the Villisca High School gym, beginning at 7-p.m.

w/ Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (7.7MB)

Subscribe: RSS

w/ Ric Hanson

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.5MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Hwy 6/Keg Creek Project conceptual image (IA-DOT)

The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) is replacing the U.S. 6 bridge over Keg Creek in Pottawattamie County using a unique accelerated bridge construction (ABC) design – a first for Iowa. Officials say you can watch it all happen live, via the project webcam. 

To accelerate construction, the bridge is being completely prefabricated off-site. Once the bridge sections are delivered to the site, only a two-week road closure will be required for installation. If traditional construction methods had been used for this project, the road would have been partially or completely closed for several months, resulting in substantial traffic disruption.

The Iowa DOT has launched a new website so the public has easy access to detailed information about the project, complete with an animated video depicting the construction process. The website also includes a live web camera to follow the construction process and a brief user satisfaction survey. Access the website at www.iowadot.gov/us6kegcreek.

An altercation at the Harlan High School Wednesday resulted in one student being sent to the hospital, and another charged with assault. According to the Harlan Police Department, 15-year old Aaron Mikels, of Harlan, was charged with assault causing injury, following an altercation between the teen and Justin Dickinson, who is also from Harlan. Dickinson was transported to Myrtue Medical Center following the incident, where he was treated for a possible head injury. Mikels was cited for the alleged offense, and released to the custody of his father. The case was referred to Juvenile Court.

On October 6^th, three teens from Harlan and a fourth from Elk Horn, were cited for offenses which included assault, disorderly conduct, and false reporting to police, following an altercation at the Harlan Skate Park. Authorities say 17-year old Hannah Shackelford, of Harlan, was charged with Disorderly Conduct, Assault with Injury, and False Reporting to Police. Tabatha Wyatt, age 17, of Harlan, was charged with Criminal Mischief, Disorderly Conduct, and Assault with Injury. 16-year old Shantel Ayers, of Harlan, was charged with Disorderly Conduct, and, 17-year old Dylan Jager, of Elk Horn, was charged with Disorderly Conduct, Assault with injury, and False Reporting to Police. Each of the teens were cited and released to their parents or guardians. Their cases were referred to Juvenile Court.

In other news, Police in Harlan report a Harlan man was arrested October 5^th, after he allegedly struck an off-duty police officer in the chest. 21-year old Dane Dodge was charged with assault. Dodge posted a $300 cash bond on Tuesday. His trial was set for March 13^th, 2012 in Shelby County District Court. And, a Harlan teen was charged with assault on October 5^th, following an investigation into an incident which occurred September 24^th between 16-year old Haley Miller and another girl. The assault charge was filed by the alleged victim and her mother against Miller, who was cited for the alleged offense. Her case was referred to Juvenile Court.

Shelby County Emergency Coodinator Bob Sievert has increased the fire danger level in his county to “High,” due to a lack of moisture and anticipated strong winds. Sievert says the County has received less than one-quarter of an inch of moisture since Monday. The lack of moisture, coupled with forecasted strong winds over the next couple of days, mean conditions in the fields will be extremely dry, and result in an increased risk of field fires caused by machinery, or timber fires created by open burning. Sievert notes that Shelby County is not currently in a burn ban. Cass and Greene Counties have instititued Burn Bans here in western Iowa.

Seivert is asking residents of Shelby County to call 755-2124 to report any controlled burns. The caller will be instructed to notify their local Fire Chief. He says it’s hoped that by increasing public awareness and through public cooperation, officials can avoid placing the County in a burn ban.