WINTERSET, Iowa (AP) — Two people have been given probation for setting fire to a historic Madison County covered bridge featured on the cover of the novel “The Bridges of Madison County.”
Court records say 19-year-old Joel Davis and 20-year-old Alivia Bergmann were sentenced Monday to five years of probation and given deferred judgments. Both had pleaded guilty to arson charges stemming from the fire last April.

Under deferred judgments, the convictions can be wiped from their records if the two successfully complete their probation terms. A third person, Alexander Hoff also has pleaded guilty. He’s scheduled to be sentenced Monday. The bridge near Winterset also was featured in the 1995 movie adaptation of “The Bridges of Madison County.”

The Iowa Pork Producers begin their 16th annual search for Iowa’s Best Tenderloin Wednesday. Pork Producers spokesman, Ron Birkenholz says the tenderloin is an item many restaurants across the state have on the menu. “We’re hoping for another good turnout — we had over three-thousand nominations last year with 271 different establishments named in the contest,” Birkenholz says. “We know there’s a lot of good tenderloins out there and we hope people will nominate them,” Birkenholz says.

Nominations for the best tenderloin can be submitted at the I-P-P website www.iowapork.org Birkenholz said the deadline for all entries is June 5th. He says the contest generates good publicity for the eateries. “It’s good for the business, all of the past winners have told us that their business has increased exponentially after wining the contest. Even the runners up — we name a top five — and even those restaurants see a major increase in their business,” according to Birkenholz.

2017’s Best Pork Tenderloin in Iowa was from the Grid Iron Grill in Webster City.

The winning tenderloin is announced during “Pork Month” in October. It’s something he says the creators of the tenderloins anxiously await. “It puts them on the tenderloin map if you will,” Birkenholz says, “we have people all over the midwest that follow this contest and love tenderloins and want to go to the winner’s restaurant and try it. So, it’s a great deal for the entire industry.”  Last year’s winning restaurant was the “Grid Iron Grill” in Webster City.

(Radio Iowa)

Adair County Sheriffs Jeff Vandewater reports a man was arrested April 8th on drug charges, during a traffic stop on Interstate 80, about a mile west of Casey. 54-year old Ronald Gene Emgarten, of Casey, was a passenger in an SUV that was pulled over for a traffic infraction. The driver was cited, but Emgarten, who was a passenger in the vehicle, was taken into custody for Possession of a Controlled Substance – Methamphetamine/3rd or subsequent offense. During an inventory search of the vehicle, a bag of meth and two smoking devices were found in the air vents on the passenger side. Emgarten was transported to the Adair County Jail, where his cash or surety bond was set at $5,000. He was released two-days later, but arrested again Aprl 14th on an outstanding warrant out of Guthrie County. Emgarten was transferred to the authority of Guthrie County Deputies.

33-year old Steven William Thompson, of Woodbine, was arrested April 13th by a DOT Motor Vehicle Enforcement Officer, after a straight truck he was driving was pulled over in Stuart. Thompson was taken into custody for Driving While License Denied or Revoked/OWI-related. He was also given warnings for five equipment violations. Thompson was released the next day on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.

Sheriff Vandewater reports also, three people were cited last week for Driving Under Suspension, in Adair County. They were cited for the offense and released.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 2:55 a.m. CDT

An AMBER ALERT was issued 12:30-a.m. today (Tuesday) in Iowa, for two children who were allegedly abducted by their biological father. Authorities say 4-year old Bryson Michael Jason Milroy, and 2-year old Braxton Anthony James Milroy, both of Toronto, IA, were taken by 27-year old Taylor Jason Milroy, and were possibly enroute to the Calona, IL area. The trio was said to have been in a silver, 4-door 2006 Hyundai, with IL license plate V809407.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A former University of Iowa wrestler has pleaded guilty to a federal computer fraud charge for manipulating the school’s network so he could access its computers and change his and other students’ grades for classes. The U.S. attorney’s office says Trevor J. Graves pleaded guilty Monday. Graves admitted he manipulated the computer network and obtained professors’ usernames and passwords. He then changed grades for himself and five other students.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A former Iowa House lawmaker has been sworn in as a state senator. Annette Sweeney, of Alden, took an oath Monday at the state Capitol. The 60-year-old Sweeney is now the second female Republican in the chamber, where the party has a majority. She won a special election on April 10 to replace Bill Dix. Dix, a former majority leader who resigned last month.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a man was arrested after deputies found marijuana in his car after stopping it along Interstate 80 near Lincoln. The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office says a deputy pulled over the car Friday morning for a traffic violation near the U.S. Highway 77 exit. The deputy reported smelling marijuana in the car, and a subsequent search turned up 114 pounds of pot. Court records don’t show the man’s been formally charged. He lives in Sioux City, Iowa.

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) — A Cerro Gordo County jury has convicted a Mason City man of injuring his infant daughter. Station KIMT reports that 28-year-old Jeremy Rose was found guilty Monday of child endangerment resulting in serious injury. Prosecutors say he violently shoot the tiny girl last June.

(UPDATE: Iowa authorities have cancelled an Amber Alert for two young boys who went missing from the Clinton County town of Toronto. The boys have been found safe. No other details have been released at this time.)

(Earlier story) An AMBER ALERT was issued 12:30-a.m. today (Tuesday) in Iowa, for two children who were allegedly abducted by their biological father. Authorities say 4-year old Bryson Michael Jason Milroy, and 2-year old Braxton Anthony James Milroy, both of Toronto, IA, were taken by 27-year old Taylor Jason Milroy, and were possibly enroute to the Calona, IL area.

Bryson Milroy

Braxton Milroy

Michael Milroy

The trio was said to have been in a silver, 4-door 2006 Hyundai, with IL license plate V809407. Bryson, Braxton and Michael Milroy, are Caucasian. Bryson is 3-feet 6-inches tall and weighs about 40-pound. He has blonde hair and blue eyes, and was wearing a yellow, Batman hoodie with black and gray sweat pants. Braxton is 2-feet six-inches tall, and weighs about 32-lbs. He also has blonde hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a black hoodie with gray skulls, and black jeans.

Michael Milroy is 5-feet 8-inches tall, weighs about 135-lbs, has brown hair and brown eyes. No clothing description was available. If you have seen any of the subjects, contact your local law enforcement agency.

Atlantic Parks and Recreation Department Director Seth Staashelm said Monday evening, that work on various projects have, as you might expect, been delayed by the weather. With regard to the Schildberg Recreation Area (SRA) west shelter, Staashelm said a pre-construction meeting with Precision Concrete Services will be held next month, with construction slated to begin around May 12th, weather permitting. Inspection should be completed by June 28th, with opening soon thereafter.

Staashelm said the City of Atlantic Street Department started the site work for the East playground at the SRA. Once that’s done, landscape fabric will be applied, as well as perforated pipes for drainage. Sidewalk work will follow. Seth said also, donations have started to arrive for memorial or dedicated sponsor benches. Those are being ordered.

On May 18th and 19th, construction will begin on the playground equipment. Several groups have stepped forward to help out on the 19th, to assemble the equipment. There will be hot dogs available for volunteers, who will begin work at around 8-a.m. and stay until it’s finished that same day. Tools will be made available, but you’re welcome to bring your own. Gloves are also necessary.

Staashelm said site work on the Lake #3 Trail at Schildbergs will begin as soon as weather permits. As for the Community Parks Projects, there was a meeting between Staashelm and ISU Extension representatives with regard to the layout and what needs to be planted at Mollett and Cedar Parks. With regard to the Sunnyside Park Entrance Sign, Staashelm said the old entrance pillars will be demolished and new footings established.

Once the supports are in-place, decorative pillars and rock landscaping will be accomplished, with the assistance of the Girl Scouts. Seth says when all is said and done, “It’s going to be quite a statement coming in off 10th Street into Sunnyside Park.” Weather has delayed the project, but it’s hoped things can get underway in May.

Earth Day was moved from this Saturday to April 28th, due to a conflict with the 100th Anniversary of ISU Extension. If there is rain or snow on that date, the event will be cancelled. Earth Day at the Schildberg Rec Area involves volunteers cleaning-up the park from 11-a.m. until 2. Hot dogs and chips will be made available. Volunteers should meet at the west end of the park.

Love Atlantic, according to Staashelm, will be held May 5th and 19th. The event is an initiative of community members who will be working May 5th on sprucing up the 7th Street Corridor through downtown Atlantic, and on May 19th groups will be working on parks projects at Schildberg and Cedar Park, the latter of which includes maintenance work and removing the old teeter-totter. Also, a High School Service Learning Day takes place April 25th, where students will be working a couple of hours on parks projects, pickup up debris, cleaning the pool and putting down mulch in the City Park, among other projects.

And, finally, Seth Staashelm said the campground at the SRA is “still pretty full,” with employees of the ethanol plant and others. People are anxious to fill vacancies as quickly as they are made available. Seth said the campground has generated $48,000 in revenue as of the end of March, with $56,000 expected by the end of April. Expenses, such as more water and electricity, but the revenue has outpaced the expenses, and Staashelm said some of those campsites will be occupied until June. Better signage is expected to be in place within the next couple of weeks.

Emily Krengel and Jerry Putnam were recognized for their service to the Cass County Local Food Policy Council with a reception and certificates of appreciation at the Council’s regular meeting on April 9. Both Krengel and Putnam were founding members of the Council when it was established in 2009. Both were very active in the Council’s work and served terms as chair and vice-chair.

Pictured in the presentation of certificates are (from left to right) Jan Steffen (Council Secretary), Emily Krengel, Jerry Putnam and Gil Gillespie (Council Chair)] Photo submitted

The Cass County Local Food Policy Council is an advisory body appointed by the County Board of Supervisors. It fosters the health and well-being of Cass County residents through gathering information about formal and informal food policies, cultivating food-related networks, and promoting  a vibrant and diverse local agriculture. For information about the Council, visit http://www.atlanticiowa.com/county/county-departments/food-council-policy/ or contact Gil Gillespie at gg1localfood@gmail.com or 712-243-3310.

The 2018 PRIMARY ELECTION will be Tuesday, June 5, 2018.  The polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. In Cass County, a voter must be registered at their current residential address in order to cast a ballot in an Iowa election.  The Cass County Auditor recommends that eligible voters in Cass County who are planning to vote June 5, 2018 and who have not yet registered to vote, or have moved since last registering, pre-register.  For the 2018 Primary, the close of pre-registration date is May 25, 2018.

EARLY VOTING: If a person chooses to vote prior to June 5, that person may request and vote a ballot prior to election day (called ABSENTEE VOTING).  A signed absentee ballot request form may be mailed or delivered to the county auditor and an absentee ballot will be mailed to the prospective voter.  The first day the county auditor may mail ballots for this election is May 7, 2018.  Or beginning May 7, 2018 an absentee ballot may be requested in person at the office of the county auditor and voted at the auditor’s office immediately on any day the office is open up through June 4, 2018.  Ballots may not be picked up and taken to a voter.  Absentee ballots must either be mailed to the requestor or the requester may personally appear at the auditor’s office and vote the ballot there.

IF VOTING BY MAIL: A written request on the State required form may be mailed or hand delivered to the county auditor’s office now.  Deadline to request that an absentee ballot be mailed is May 25, 2018 at 5 p.m.  (Absentee request forms are available at the auditor’s office and on the Secretary of State’s web site: sos.iowa.gov).  Beginning May 7, a ballot along with instructions on how to complete the ballot and a return postage paid envelope will be mailed to the requester.  For the ballot to be counted, the voted ballot sealed in the return envelope must be returned either by personal carrier to the office of county auditor before the close of polls on June 5, 2018 or returned by mail postmarked no later than June 4.  EVERY ABSENTEE BALLOT MUST BE RETURNED even if the voter chooses not to vote it.

IF VOTING AT THE COUNTY AUDITOR’S OFFICE: Beginning Monday, May 7 an absentee voter may go to the CASS COUNTY COURTHOUSE during the regular office hours of 8 AM and 4:30 PM, Monday thru Friday, up through the day before the election and cast a ballot.  In addition to regular office hours, the office of Cass County Auditor will be open Friday, May 25, 2018 and Friday, June 1 from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Saturday, June 2, 2018 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A former University of Iowa wrestler has pleaded guilty to a federal computer fraud charge related to actions he took that let him access university computers and change course grades. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Trevor J. Graves pleaded guilty Monday to transmission of a command to damage a protected computer.

In a plea agreement, Graves admitted that from March 7, 2015, to Nov. 15, 2016, he manipulated the university’s computer network and obtained professors’ user names and passwords. He then changed course grades for himself and five other students.
Graves, who will be sentenced Aug. 23, last participated on the Iowa wrestling team in the 2015-2016 season.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a man from Iowa was arrested after deputies found marijuana in his car after stopping it along Interstate 80 near Lincoln, NE. The Lancaster County (NE) Sheriff’s Office says a deputy pulled over the car around 11 a.m. Friday after seeing the driver fail to signal a lane change near the U.S. Highway 77 exit.

The deputy reported smelling marijuana in the car, and a subsequent search turned up 114 pounds of pot and some cannabis edibles. The man, who lives in Sioux City, Iowa, was arrested on suspicion of possession for sale and suspicion of other crimes. His name was not immediately released.