BELLE PLAINE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have released the names of a woman and boy whose bodies were found at a railroad crossing in eastern Iowa. The bodies were found by police sent to a Belle Plaine crossing around 5 a.m. Friday. The Iowa Public Safety Department identified them in a news release Monday as 36-year-old Teresa Gerleman and her 8-year-old son, Henry Fields. They lived in Belle Plaine.

Autopsies have been scheduled for Thursday. The department says no more information will be released until autopsy results are available.

The City of Atlantic’s Planning and Zoning Commission will meet 5:30-p.m. Tuesday, in the Council’s Chambers at City Hall. On their agenda is the review of a site plan for a new commercial vehicle repair garage at 308 E. Elm Street. Brant Bonnesen will be on-hand to answer any questions or concerns with regard to the site plan. City Administrator John Lund says Bonnesen wants to purchase an empty lot on the site and build a commercial garage. Bonnesen has applied for and received a conditional use permit, and most of the requirements for the site plan have been satisfied. The next step is for the Commission to approve the site plans.

The Commission will also receive a request from Tommy Gaines, to review a portion of the Zoning Ordinance (Section 17.030), with regard to the maximum height of any accessory building, and with regard to a property abutting his, that he wishes to purchase from the City, for a post-frame garage. The current Ordinance has a typo, that states an accessory building shall not exceed 12-feet in height, yet shows 15 in parenthesis. Once a clarification is made on that matter, the P & Z will need to transit a recommendation to the City Council, to decide on an proposed amendments.

The final order of business, Tuesday evening, is a request to include R-2 Districts under Section 23.020 of the Zoning Ordinance. The issue arose when Patty Vavricek, at 1601 Linn Street, made it known she wants to replace her existing carport with a new garage. The carport, however, abuts the property line, which would not be a problem in an R-3 Zone, but her property is in an R-2 Zone, a low-density, single-family district. Lund says a review of her neighborhood shows a considerable number of properties where the house, carport or garage were built immediately abutting the property line. And, while Vavricek initially wanted to apply for a variance, Lund suggests that’s not advisable, at least where the law is concerned. A more appropriate path, he said, would be for the Commission to review the ordinance, and consider changes that would allow her to build the garage legally. That includes a compromise allowing dispensation from the neighbor, with a minimum distance between two structures, as opposed to distance from the property line.

The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency reports the grassland/field fire Danger Index will be in the “Moderate” category, this week. Persons wanting to conduct an open burn on their property should pay attention to the weather conditions (Including wind direction), and notify their local fire chief of your intentions.  The next update on the danger index will be Thursday morning.

Sheriff’s officials in Pottawattamie County say on Friday, Deputy Eric Shea was dispatched to a residence in Oakland, for a verbal disturbance. The caller stated her daughter was in a verbal argument with her husband, 30-year old Daniel Lambert, of Oakland. The Deputy spoke to both parties who stated nothing was physical, and they were arguing about Daniel’s sister. After running the names of both individuals through the criminal database, Daniel Lambert came up as having a warrant through the Council Bluffs Police Department. The warrant for operating a vehicle without the owner’s consent was verified, and Daniel Lambert was placed under arrest just before 9-p.m. without incident. He was transported to the Pottawattamie County Jail where he was booked-in on the warrant.

Two men were arrested on drug charges Friday night, in Walnut. Authorities say 23-year old Trey D. Anderson, of Exira, and 35-year old Matthew Carmichael, of Des Moines, were arrested at around 10:40-p.m. Anderson was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Carmichael was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance. In their vehicle, Deputies found 13.2 grams of a crystalline substance in a clear plastic container, 2.9 grams of a green leafy substance in a plastic bag, three glass pipes, and one water bong.

Pott. County Sheriff’s Deputies also arrested 23-year-old Jesse Brenneman, of Missouri Valley, Friday, after they were dispatched to 21859 York Road in Missouri Valley, to recover a jeep that was possibly stolen. A 2001 Jeep Cherokee, a 2007 Jeep Liberty, and a 36-inch television were recovered at the scene. Brenneman was taken into custody on two counts of Theft 2nd Degree. And finally, an inmate at the Pott. County Jail, 25-year old Tanner J. Dehaai,  of Omaha, was served with a warrant Friday afternoon, for Violation of Probation. He was then returned to the custody of jail staff.

Officials with the Council Bluffs Police Department report a man involved in a pursuit and officer involved shooting, was released from an Omaha hospital Sunday afternoon, and taken into custody. 28-year old Wade Clifton was being treated for injuries he suffered during the May 1st pursuit and subsequent officer-involved shooting. Upon his release, Wade was arrested by Omaha Police and booked into the Douglas County, NE. Jail, for being a Fugitive from Justice.

Clifton Wade

Authorities say proceedings will begin to have Wade extradited to Iowa, to face charges that include two-counts of Attempted Murder of Peace Officer, Aggravated Assault on a Peace Officer, and Felony Eluding. Additional charges are pending, and remain under investigation. Last week, Pottawattamie County Attorney Matt Wilber said no charges will be filed against Officer Jason Burleigh, who fired nine rounds at Wade, hitting him three times. The shots were fired after Wade intentionally rammed two police cruisers during the pursuit.

The CAM School District’s Board of Education met briefly this (Monday) morning at the high school in Anita, and approved an agreement with the CAM Education Association (CAMEA), representing the District’s teachers. Superintendent Dr. Casey Berlau said they came to an agreement on a 2.97% increase in salaries. That includes adding $415 to the base of the salary schedule, “aging” the salary schedule, meaning the teachers get to move a step on the wage scale, and the teachers who have “aged out” or “Maxed out” of the schedule (5 teachers in all), receive another 1.5% increase, to make their salary closer to what others on the salary schedule would have received.”

Berlau said everyone is still trying to navigate and understand changes made last year to collective bargaining rules, but they managed to hash out something both sides could feel comfortable with. He said they just have to move forward now with getting the contracts ready.” Berlau said also, the Board approved the Schedule B contracts with Coaches, sponsors and others, which increased the percentages for each of those positions by three-percent.

He said the CAM School Board approved the resignations of Joanie Ehm, Master Teacher/Instructional Coach, who is part of their Teacher Leadership Program (TLC), and Cindy Nichols, a veteran Music Teacher. The Board also approved contracts with Brittany Woods, Massena 2^nd Grade Teacher, and Amy Goldstein, who was offered the School Counselor’s position for 2018-19. Andy Kinzie was also approved as a para-educator at the north Elementary.

And, the Board approved a 1-to-1 laptop computer resolution. The obtained financing through Houghton State Bank in Griswold and Cumberland, to pay for the computers. That means just about every child will have new machines to work with next year, but not all will be on the 1-to-1 basis.

Iowa conservationists are concerned a rollback of federal rules could put migratory birds at risk. The Trump administration has announced it won’t prosecute the unintentional killing of species protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Iowa State University wildlife biologist Adam Janke says habitat loss poses the greatest risk to birds in the state, while loosening regulations could make the situation worse. Janke says, “On top of all those stresses related to habitat loss and habitat degradation, we may add on top of that an unnatural mortality source associated with transmission lines or wind turbines or things like that in some locations.”

The federal government plans to stop prosecuting companies that accidentally kill protected species. The law encourages oil, energy and telecommunications developers to work with conservationists to lower their impact on habitat. Janke says wind energy companies have done a good job of placing their turbines in the state, but now, that could change. “You could end up with a wind energy complex right next to a major migratory stopover location for birds,” he says, “because under this interpretation of the law, there may not be regulatory mechanism to discourage that.”

Conservationists worry developers won’t be pushed to work with them if there’s no punishment for killing the animals. An estimated 500 species of migratory birds spend part of their lives in the upper Midwest.

(By Kate Payne, Iowa Public Radio, via Radio Iowa)

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

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Melanie Petty, with the Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund, says the non-profit organization answered the call of the Nishna Valley Family YMCA, and donated $1,000.00 to their annual Partnership with Youth campaign.  Petty says they “Feel strongly that our local YMCA is changing lives by offering membership assistance to over 150 families in our community.  The YMCA offers a safe environment for our youth and also offers many programs to keep our youth active and social.” She adds, “If you want to pledge to assist the YMCA give them a call at 712-243-3934.  No dollar amount is too small.”

Pictured: Laena Sonntag, Bennett Sonntag and Grant Petty (Photo submitted)

The T-Fred Memorial golf tournament is coming up August 11th, and is their only fundraiser.  Petty says “It’s because of the generosity of our family, friends and community that we are able to donate to these wonderful organizations in Trevor’s name.  Please consider golfing this year or come out to Nishna Hills and check out our silent auction that goes on all day.”

The area’s latest and/or top news stories at 7:06-a.m., w/KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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