Sheriff’s officials in Mills County say a man from Henderson was arrested today (Tuesday), on a warrant for Failure to Appear (FTA) in Court. 32-year old Nicholas John Horgdal was taken into custody at around 8:30-a.m. at the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and held on $5,000 bond.

Two people were arrested Monday at the Mills County Sheriff’s Office, for FTA. 31-year old Kim Michael Britt, Jr., of Glenwood, was arrested on a warrant out of Pottawattamie County. His bond was set at $10,000. 21-year old Kayla Shae Richardson, of Glenwood, was arrested on a warrant for FTA as well. Her bond was set at $2,000.

A solar car created by 120 ISU students will be making a stop in Atlantic this Saturday. Students from Iowa State University have been working hard, putting the finishing touches on the world’s first Solar Utility Vehicle. Named “Penumbra,” this solar-assisted electric vehicle has been made to change the paradigm of transportation.

During the month of June, members from PrISUm (the ISU student organization that manufactured the car) are traveling to all 99 counties in the state of Iowa to showcase the vehicle. The trip is called #SunRun99, and the car will be making a local stop in Cass County on Saturday afternoon at the Nishna Valley YMCA, in Atlantic.

Smeet Mistry, Team PrISUm’s tour contact, says “During this time, everyone is welcome to check out this vehicle and even go for a quick spin!” Mistry said also, that “Like most vehicles found in dealerships across the state, Penumbra contains four seats and features Bluetooth audio and wireless charging for cell phones.”

P14 PrISUM Solar car

Where the differences begin is how Penumbra is powered. Instead of having a gas or diesel tank, Penumbra receives its energy from the sun. As the vehicle drives across the state, the sun recharges the onboard batteries. Fully charged, Penumbra has a “best in class” 200-mile range. On a sunny day, a constant speed of 40 mph can be achieved without any energy from the batteries. Once Penumbra completes the #SunRun99 tour around Iowa, the vehicle will be flown to Australia to compete in the 2017 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge.

Local residents are encouraged to come out and learn more about the vehicle, team, and renewable energy as the car makes a local stop at the Nishna Valley Family YMCA in Atlantic on Saturday afternoon, June 10, from 4-6 PM. In addition to the solar car, local event hosts Cass County ISU Extension will be on hand with snacks and hands-on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) activities for participants to enjoy. A few opportunities will also be available for attendees to “hitch a ride” and go for a short spin in the car- for a $50 donation per person. All proceeds will help offset transport costs to get the car to the competition in Australia.

Kate Olson, Cass County Extension Program Coordinator, said “Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is excited to partner with the #SunRun99 tour across Iowa. We hope to have a great turnout for this unique open house, and hope many local families will take advantage of this chance to see the PrISUm solar car before it heads to competition!”

For more information: https://www.prisum.org/

Two western Iowa men were charged late last month with felony 2nd Degree Theft associated with the cutting down and selling of Walnut trees from a state-owned park. Officials with the Iowa DNR said Tuesday (today), that 38-year old Bradley Lynn Hagerman, of Pisgah, and 30-year old Eric Robert Freihage, of Council Bluffs, each face one count of 2nd Degree Theft, a Class-D felony, and Timber Buyer – Bond or Accounting Violation, a serious misdemeanor.

Hagerman and Freihage admitted to a DNR Conservation Officer they transported and sold nine Walnut trees between January 24, 2017 and January 30, 2017.  The live trees were cut down by Freihage and Hagerman at Loess Hills State Forest, a state owned and DNR managed park. The pair were officially charged May 25th.

Hagerman and Freihage sold the Walnut trees to Midwest Walnut in Council Bluffs and received compensation of $4,713. The nine Walnut trees have an appraised value of over $7500. Both Hagerman and Freihage turned themselves into authorities after the arrest warrants were issued and have since bonded out.

A man from Missouri who was wanted on a warrant out of eastern Iowa for Probation Violation, was taken into custody in Fremont County at around 6:40-a.m. today (Tuesday).  The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office says 45-year old Donald Scott Baker, of Osceola, MO., was arrested after authorities received a call about a man talking to himself and waving his arms.

Deputies found Baker parked on private property located off of Waubonsie Avenue in Bartlett, and after checking his record, took him into custody on the Tama County warrant. The Iowa State Patrol assisted at the scene.

Baker was being held on a $5,000 bond in the Fremont County Jail pending transport back to Tama County.

Donald Scott Baker

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley is accusing the Department of Veterans Affairs of lying about the length of time veterans wait for medical appointments at Iowa’s VA hospitals.

The Iowa Republican says detailed data provided by a whistleblower shows the VA wasn’t truthful in February when it told the committee he chairs that no patients waited longer than 90 days at Iowa City and Des Moines hospitals during January and February. He says in reality thousands of veterans at the hospitals wait longer than 90 days.

In a letter to VA Secretary David Shulkin Grassley said he was extremely disturbed by the misinformation. Shulkin responded in a letter May 26 that it was a misunderstanding and not a deliberate attempt to mislead.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports three recent arrests. On Monday, 25-year old Chanel Quintana, of Northlake, IL, was arrested on a  felony charge of Forgery, and an aggravated misdemeanor charge of Unauthorized Use of Credit Card. Quintana was taken to the Cass County Jail where she remains held on $7,000 bond.

Sunday, Cass County Deputies arrested 58-year old Terry Lee Ranney, of Massena, on a charge of Violating a No Contact Order. Ranney was taken to the Cass County Jail and released Monday on $300 bond.

STORM LAKE, Iowa (AP) – Authorities say around 230 workers were evacuated because of an ammonia leak at a Tyson pork plant in Storm Lake. Firefighters and police were dispatched around 3:10 a.m. Tuesday to the plant, which had already been emptied. Tyson staffers told firefighters the ammonia flow had been shut off but plenty of gas vapor remained in the plant. The plant air eventually cleared up.

No injuries have been reported. Storm Lake authorities say a fan on a refrigeration unit had broken. It struck a condenser coil in the refrigeration unit, causing the ammonia leak.

Early June is the second busiest month in Iowa behind the November rut for deer-vehicle collisions, as does are moving to more secluded areas prior to giving birth. Jim Coffey, forest wildlife research biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says “The same cautions for drivers that apply during the November rut apply today – drive defensively and slow down. Watch for does going to nontraditional areas, like alfalfa fields, pastures, smaller secluded patches of habitat to have fawns. We’ve even seen does have fawns in flower beds. It’s wherever she feels safe when the contractions hit.”

This increased deer movement spans the first two weeks of June. The fawning period coincides with hay cutting operations which can reduce cover and move deer as well. Drivers are encouraged to not swerve to avoid hitting a deer as that can result in more serious consequences. Coffey said “Does are active any time of day right now. If a collision is unavoidable, drivers should break and try to control the collision.”

I found this “abandoned” fawn…The calls, emails are personal messages have already begun. “I rescued this abandoned fawn, brought it home, now what do I do with it?” Early June is a productive time of year for wildlife having babies, and for fawns to get “rescued” from their mother. “The fawn may appear to be abandoned, when, in fact, it is under the watchful eye of its mother and should not be picked up or moved from the area. This is the mother’s way of protecting the fawn,” Coffey said. “She will return to nurse the fawn once or twice a day and start moving it when the fawn has the strength and agility to follow her effectively, usually after a week to 10 days.”

In addition to fawns showing up, pheasant chicks and turkey poults are hatching.

Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) invite you to attend the 33rd Annual Lewis and Clark Festival, where you can see what life was like in the time of buckskinners and exploration. The celebration takes place Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 9th through 11th, at Lewis and Clark State Park outside of Onawa.

The buckskinners’ rendezvous recreates the time period when explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark traveled the Missouri River on their expedition west. The park, named for the explorers, is site of their August 10th, 1804 encampment. The festival, hosted by the Friends of Lewis and Clark State Park, features buckskinners in frontier dress, historic demonstrations and activities, music and food.

The full-sized reproduction of Lewis and Clark’s keelboat, Discovery, constructed by local volunteers and park staff, will be on display. Keelboat rides will be given twice on Saturday, on a first-come first-served basis at 9:00 and 11:00 a.m., depending on weather.

The park’s visitors center, with its historical displays and replica boats, will be open to the public throughout the weekend. The Lewis and Clark festival is open to the public and activities are free. Food is available to purchase throughout the weekend, including a pancake feed on Sunday morning from 7:30-10:00 a.m.

For a full schedule of events and more information visit http://www.onawachamber.com/lewis–clark-festival.html

A dedication ceremony will be held at the Loess Hills State Forest Visitors’ Center this Thursday, June 8th, from 3-until 5-p.m. The center will be officially named the Brent S. Olson Memorial Visitor Center in recognition of Olson, forester for the area who died last December following a long battle with cancer.

The center is the gateway to the Loess Hills State Forest which was managed by Olson since 1991. Under Olson’s leadership, the forest area doubled in size to 11,600 acres. Paul Tauke, state forester for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, says
“Brent took great pride in his work and loved this unique Loess Hills area. The success he had in growing the state forest is directly related not just to his dedication to the resource but also his involvement with our forestry partners and the western Iowa community.”

Olson served on both the state and national boards of the National Society of American Foresters and received the President’s Award Outstanding Field Forester in 2012. Olson also served on the West Harrison School Board for many years, most recently as the board president.

The visitors’ center is located at 206 Polk St. in Pisgah. The dedication ceremony is open to the public.