Four officers were elected during the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Guthrie County extension council organizational meeting on January 22, 2020. The nine-member county extension council annually elects officers to comply with Iowa law. Chad Sheley, of Casey, is the newly-elected chairperson. Sheley will preside at all meetings of the county extension council, have authority to call special meetings and perform duties as performed and exercised by a chairperson of a board of directors of a corporation. Dustin Clark, of Guthrie Center, was elected vice chairperson.

Anna Kastner, of Yale, was elected secretary and has the responsibility of keeping the minutes of all county extension council meetings and signing required papers for the council. The council elected Jim Calvert, of Guthrie Center, to the treasurer position. The treasurer has charge of all of the funds of the county extension council; receives, deposits, pays and disburses. The treasurer insures an accurate record of receipts and disbursements and submits reports to the county extension council.

As elected officials, the county extension council is the governing body of ISU Extension and Outreach. The county extension council hires county staff, manages the county extension budget and helps determine programming. The county extension office is located at 212 State Street in Guthrie Center. To learn more about ISU Extension and Outreach in Guthrie County, visit www.extension.iastate.edu/guthrie.

On a separate note, the Guthrie County Extension wants to extend a big thank you to everyone who has donated or assisted with fundraising efforts for a new 4-H Static Exhibit building! Officials report “At this time, we have raised $44,041.80! This total is the profit raised at the November Harvest Lunch, January Prime Rib Dinner, Yale Community Club Scholarship Supper Auction, Scratch Cupcake sales, Linda Leo Memorial and various donations.” If you would like to donate, your donation can be dropped off or mailed to:
Guthrie County 4-H Foundation, 212 State Street, Guthrie Center, IA 50115.  If you would like to make a 501C3 donation, please make your donation to the Guthrie County Foundation at Iowa 4-H Foundation. Visit iowa4hfoundation.org and click “Ways to Give” to donate online.

And, don’t forget to mark your calendars for the February 7th Crop Update, and March 6th, to discuss Farm Property Theft! All meetings will be held at the Guthrie County Extension office from 9:30 am-11:00 pm! If you have questions, contact Krista at the Extension office at 641-747-2276.

The driver of an SUV was cited following a collision this (Wednesday) morning, in Red Oak, but no one was injured. Red Oak Police cited 27-year old Aundrea T. Clay, of Red Oak, for having no Valid Driver’s license, following an accident at around 7:37-a.m. at N. 6th Street and Hillcrest Drive. Authorities say a 2016 Chevy pickup driven by 65-year old Kenneth W. Hamman, of Red Oak, was traveling west on Hillcrest Drive and approaching the intersection with N. 6th Street, when his vehicle was hit on the driver’s side by Clay’s 2009 Jeep Compass. Police say Clay was driving too fast for the snow/ice road conditions, but citations were not issued for the accident itself, because of the road conditions. The collision caused a total of $5,000 damage.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – Police have released the name of a man found fatally wounded in a northern Cedar Rapids apartment complex parking lot. Officers sent to the scene before 3:40 a.m. Tuesday found 22-year-old Jose Millan-Ramirez, who’d suffered several gunshot wounds. Police say he was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. No arrests have been reported in the homicide investigation.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – Police have released the name of a suspect in the armed robbery of a student at a Cedar Rapids high school. Cedar Rapids police said Wednesday that 18-year-old Jovon Ellis Jr. remained in custody and is charged with robbery. The robbery was reported a little after 3:30 p.m. Monday in a parking lot at Kennedy High School. The 18-year-old student was nearing her vehicle when confronted by the robber. Police say he displayed a handgun and took only her cellphone. She was not injured.

Three separate accidents took place over the past week in Union County, with a total of two injuries reported. The Union County Sheriff’s Office says 22-year old Madison Jane Selvy, of Creston, was transported to the Greater Regional Hospital in Creston, after the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee she was driving went off the edge off northbound Highway 25 at around 1:45-p.m., Tuesday. Selvy tried to bring the SUV back onto the pavement, but then lost control. The vehicle entered the east ditch, where it rolled over and landed on its top. Selvy had to be extricated from her vehicle before being transported by ambulance to the hospital. The Jeep sustained $5,000 damage

On Jan. 21st, 18-year old Jesse Daylon Vicker, of Creston, was transported by private vehicle to the hospital in Creston, after the 2004 Chevy 2500 pickup she was driving, went out of control after hitting a patch of ice on 205th Street, in Union County. The pickup entered the north ditch, rolled over and came to rest upright. A farm fence owned by Thayne Glynn, of Creston, sustained $300 damaged during the accident. The pickup truck – valued at $7,500 – was a total loss.

And, on Jan. 20th, 24-year old Alexis Ann Owens, of Red Oak, was traveling west on Highway 3 in Union County at around 8-a.m., when she looked down to see how fast she was going. When she looked up, she saw a 2019 Chevy Silverado pickup driven by 27-year old Myles Promes, of Urbandale, was slowing down for a vehicle in front of his, that was in the process of turning off of Highway 3. Owens’ 2011 Ford SUV hit Promes’ pickup in the rear, causing a total of $6,500 damage. No injuries were reported.

MINEOLA, Iowa (AP) – Neighboring residents and other people opposed to the construction of a chicken confinement facility in western Iowa filled a meeting at a church and roundly criticized the plan as better suited to an industrial park. Eight barns would be built on a property that sits about a mile north of Mineola, and plans are to raise 200,000 or more chickens there every eight weeks. Last week the Pottawattamie County supervisors voted to recommend that the state deny approval. The opponents’ concerns aired at Monday’s meeting in Mineola included the potential smell, the impact on the water table and extra road traffic.

The Iowa Caucuses are in four days and Radio Iowa’s O. Kay Henderson has this report on the closing message from one of the leading candidates. (click on the left side of the audio bar below, to listen)….

On Tuesday, your heard Joe Biden’s closing message to Iowans. Tomorrow (Thursday), Radio Iowa will bring you the latest on Amy Klobuchar’s campaign sprint.

More State and area news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (4.8MB)

Subscribe: RSS

(Radio Iowa) – Classes are canceled district-wide in Waterloo today (Wednesday) over safety concerns. Someone made a threat on social media Tuesday night, threatening to blow up four school buildings. The threat posted to Facebook, targeted East and West High Schools, George Washington Carver Academy and Central Middle School. Snap shots of the threat were shared multiple times on social media.

In a statement released early today, district officials said police and school staff worked throughout the night to investigate the threat as they try to identify the person or persons responsible for the post. District officials say while great progress was made in resolving the issue, more of the investigation needs to be completed before students can safely return to school.

Officials with the Creston Police Department report 30-year old Christopher Bird, of Creston, was arrested Tuesday afternoon. Bird was taken into custody on a Union County warrant for an original charge of Driving While Suspended or Revoked. He was booked into the Union County Jail and released on a $1,000 bond.

And, a woman residing in the 500 block of W. Spencer Street, in Creston, reported Monday morning, that someone broke into her vehicle parked outside of her residence, and took documents including the registration, and proof of insurance. Two children’s jackets were also taken. Entry to the vehicle was gained by prying the driver’s side door open. The damage and loss was estimated at $300.