The sponsors of the Cass County Conservation Board’s Trumpeter Swan arrival contest have determined the official arrival of the swans was November 19th.  There was on that day, four Trumpeter Swans at the Schildberg Recreation Area. The birds stayed more than twenty-four hours. Therefor, the winner is Jane Kite.

She will receive a Trumpeter Swan 8×10 print from the Cass County Conservation Board. The school contest was won by Mrs. Haynes’s three year old Morning Preschool at Jack and Jill Preschool! The students will receive a trumpeter swan prize and Mrs. Haynes will receive a trumpeter swan t-shirt! Cass County Conservation thanks to all who participated!

The City Council in Griswold will hold a special meeting Tuesday night. Among the items of discussion, is the resignation last week of Griswold Rescue Department Captain, Julie Kline. Kline’s resignation was followed by at least nine other members of the Department that same day.

The meeting begins with a Rescue Department report, followed by Public Comments. New Business includes: A new Rescue Captain; Amended Rescue By-Laws; ISG Payment Schedule & approval of Pay Application #2; and, approval of an Annual Urban Renewal Report for FY 2016.

Afterward, will be messages and remarks from City Manager Laura Hansen, and Mayor Jeb Peck, followed by propositions and remarks from Council Members.

Linda Taulborg, an 18-plus year member of the Griswold Rescue Department, is encouraging all citizens served by their Department to attend the meeting as a show of support, and means of resolving the issues the Department has with City leaders.

The meeting begins 6-p.m., at the Griswold City Hall.

Outdated facilities and technology will result in the closure next Fall, of the Iowa State Patrol Communications Center, near Lewis. Thomas Lampe (Lamp-ee), with the Department of Public Safety’s Interoperability Communications Bureau, said the decision was made to move their operations out of Cass, to Buena Vista County.

(Lampee said the facility near Lewis was built in the 1950’s, and because it would be too costly to update, those operations are being moved to Storm Lake. Troopers will still be located in this area, the only difference is that they will be dispatched out of Storm Lake. The Storm Lake Communications facility – a hardened bomb shelter -will be remodeled to accommodate the added staff.

Six employees at “State Radio” (as it’s called) near Lewis, are being offered similar jobs at the Storm Lake Communications Center. The new, statewide communications system, according to Lampe, will make the move even more advantageous and efficient. Some have expressed concerns, however, that the dispatchers in Storm Lake will not be familiar with locations in southwest Iowa, some of which are referred to by names other than what’s on a map.

Lampe says there will be no difference in coverage or quality of service. He said also, since some, if not all of the dispatchers near Lewis may elect to move to Storm Lake, their familiarity with the area will be helpful in directing Troopers to where help or service is needed. He says they’ve given their personnel a year to make the decision.

The current building, he says, just doesn’t meet the standards, both in communications and technology. Lampe said the twin structure to the one located near Lewis, was closed near Fairfield, and those operations and positions were moved to Cedar Rapids and Des Moines. The old Fairfield coverage area, he says, is being dispatched out of Cedar Rapids. The changes, Lampe says, are a reflection of a request by the Iowa Legislature, to consolidate the PSAP’s (Public Safety Access Points) in the State.

For the past several years, state budget cuts have forced the Iowa State Patrol to cut the number of Troopers serving on the Patrol. Lampe says budget cuts were not behind the decision to close the facility near Lewis. The Patrol, in fact, is in the process of recruiting a new class of Public Safety candidates to replace the Troopers who have accepted early retirement.

Cass County 9-1-1 Director Rob Koppert says the eventual ceasing of operations at State Radio will NOT affect 9-1-1 services in Cass County or the surrounding area. 9-1-1 calls will continue to be answered locally.

An investigation into a single-vehicle, property damage accident Saturday in Adair, resulted in the arrest of a woman on alcohol charges. The Adair County Sheriff’s Office says 26-year old Libby Nicole Embree, of Adair, left the scene of the crash near Hillcrest and 2nd Streets. When authorities tracked her down, she admitted to consuming alcohol and operating a motor vehicle before the accident. A Preliminary Breath Test determined her level of intoxication at 0.175, or a little more than twice the legal limit.

Embree was arrested for OWI/1st offense, Failure to Maintain Control, and Leaving the Scene of an accident. She was later released on a $1,000 cash bond or surety.

The Glenwood Police Department reports four arrests. On Sunday, 33-year old Jennifer Ballard, of Atlantic, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance. Her bond was set at $2,000. Also arrested Sunday, was 56-year old Henry Ahsam, of Glenwood, for shoplifting. His bond was set at $300.

Saturday, Glenwood Police arrested 50-year old Sherry Harvey, of Glenwood, for Domestic Abuse Assault. Her bond was set at $1,000. And, on Friday, 44-year old John Molnar, of Glenwood, was arrested for Public Intoxication. His bond was set at $300.

ORANGE CITY, Iowa (AP) – A January sentencing has been scheduled for a northwest Iowa day care operator convicted of injuring a toddler. A Sioux County news release says a jury found Dianna Winder guilty Friday of felony child endangerment causing injury and misdemeanor assault causing injury. Her sentencing is set for Jan. 9.

The incident leading to the charges occurred on Nov. 11, when the 15-month-old boy’s mother pick him up and noticed marks on his face. The mother says Winder said she didn’t hit the boy. Winder, who lived in Maurice, was arrested in late December.

The Union County Sheriff’s Office says a Creston resident reported Sunday (11/20/16), that sometime Saturday (11/19/16) a glass top electric range and microwave were stolen from his rental property on High & Dry Road. A refrigerator was also destroyed at the rental property. The damage and loss was estimated at $2,300.

The Shelby County “Fire Danger” index continues in the “Moderate” category, this week. Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Seivert says the participation they are receiving from the public, in calling-in and reporting their planned burns, is very valuable. It reduces the unneeded emergency responses, allows for local chiefs to be more aware of activities in their area. The “Moderate” rating will continue until at least Monday, Nov. 28th.

Officials with the Page County Extension service report they will be hosting an Agricultural Outlook Meeting on December 15th from 1 to 4:30 p.m. at Wibholm Hall in Clarinda. The address is 200 S. 6 St. The program is designed to provide participants a concise evaluation of crop, livestock, and land market conditions.

Presenters at the Agricultural Outlook Meeting are knowledgeable and experienced Iowa State University (ISU) Extension specialists. They will discuss expected crop and livestock income potential, as well as review elements that determined land values in 2016 and may affect the direction in 2017.

Wendong Zhang, ISU Extension Economist, will explain impacts of Chinese production, supply, and demand on U.S. corn, soybean, beef, and pork prices. On December 13, he will share the results of the 2016 Iowa Farmland Value Survey. Two days later in Clarinda, Zhang will identify critical factors that influence land value trends in southwest Iowa.

In light of the recent harvest, Chad Hart, ISU Grain Marketing Specialist, will focus on marketing tools that make sense for 2016 and 2017. He will help participants understand price projections using current market information and point to issues that could cause significant changes in 2017 prices.

Lee Schulz, ISU Livestock Marketing Specialist, will assess the strength of the cattle cycle and where producers are in that cycle. He will also demonstrate decision tools, e.g. Raising versus Buying Heifers for Beef Cow Replacement, so producers can determine which option is most practical and profitable for their operation.

Registration is $20 and includes refreshments and educational materials. For more information about the Agricultural Outlook Meeting and to register, call Page County Extension at 712-542-5171. Registration is appreciated by December 13th.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday morning, will hear a proposal with regard to an ethanol plant in the Amaizing Energy Urban Renewal Area. The Board will also schedule a hearing on a development agreement with Elite Octane for the proposed ethanol plant, and discuss an amendment of the Amaizing Energy Urban Renewal Area, by adding Elite Octane site parcels, and a possible resolution to set hearing dates for the amendment.

In other business, the Board will hear a Fiscal Year 2016 report, and FY 2017-18 budget request, from the Cass County Agriculture and Education Association, and act on a Resolution calling for the Abatement of tax on a property owned by a municipal or political subdivision of the State (i.e.: The City of Griswold).

They are also expected to take action on a request for Christmas lights on evergreen trees on the courthouse block property. The meeting begins at 8:30-a.m., Wednesday.