The Carroll Airport Commission is going to court to try to resolve a long-running dispute with a local farmer. Airport officials say the grain handling tower Loren Danner built on his farm south of the Carroll airport is a flight hazard. It’s called a “grain leg” and it’s a permanent, upright tower that funnels corn and soybeans into a bin. Commission member Greg Siemann said “We were not notified and were not aware of its planned construction or construction until after the grain leg was fully constructed,” Siemann says. “That was done in a matter of days.”

The lack of notification is a violation of local ordinances, according to Siemann. Kevin Wittrock, who is also a member of the Carroll Airport Commission, says the structure is obscured under a plane’s left wing as it comes in to land on two of the runways. “If you fly a standard flight pattern to land on the runway, oddly enough you’ll go right over that grain leg,” Wittrock says. “…We feel it’s going to be a hazard.” A trial date has been set for June 28th.

Commission members say they’re not necessarily looking for complete removal of the structure and reducing its height by at least 61 feet would answer their concerns. Danner says the grain leg cost about 300-thousand dollars to build and lowering the system by just 40 feet would cost him 200-thousand dollars because of the conveyors he’d have to install to handle his grain.

Danner obtained a special permit from Carroll County officials for construction of the grain handling tower. In 2013, a county official said the F-A-A had determined the tower could remain if it was properly lit at night.

(Radio Iowa)

More than one-third of Iowa’s population is either diabetic or prediabetic and a new campaign is being launched here in hopes of reversing a dangerous trend. Dr. David Grayson Marrero, past-president of the American Diabetes Association, says they’re focusing on the several hundred-thousand Iowans who are prediabetic with the goal of getting them to make a few key changes that could mean saving their lives.

“Risk factors would be: excess weight or obesity; it would be family history of type 2 diabetes, a first-degree relative, mother, father, sister, brother,” Dr. Marrero says. “It could be age. Older people are more likely to have prediabetes. It can be a woman who’s had gestational diabetes or diabetes during pregnancy.”

The website, Do I Have Prediabetes-dot-org (doihaveprediabetes.org), features a simple test people can take to determine if they might have the condition. He says prediabetes can be headed off before it worsens. “Very modest changes in your lifestyle,” Marrero says. “Losing five to ten-percent of your body weight and increasing your physical activity to the equivalent of 150 minutes a week of walking, that’s 30 minutes a day. It can really make a huge difference and reduce your risk between 60 to 70-percent.”

Studies find about 300-thousand Iowans, or about 12-percent of the population, has diabetes and perhaps 20-percent of them don’t know it as they haven’t been diagnosed. There are several long-term risks of prediabetes, including stroke, heart attacks, blindness and amputation. Research suggests once people are aware of their condition, they’re more likely to make the lifestyle changes necessary to prevent or delay progression to type 2 diabetes. Marrero is director of the Diabetes Translational Research Center at the Indiana University School of Medicine.

(Radio Iowa)

The Union County Sheriff’s Office reports an Adair County man was arrested Thursday night. 53-year old James Kermit Cook, of Greenfield, was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center on a Union County warrant for violation of probation. Cook was being held in the Union County Jail on $2,000 bond.

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

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The Creston Police Department reports a man was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center Thursday morning on a Union County warrant for Failure to Appear on an original Possession of a Controlled Substance, charge. 48-year old Roger Steadman, of Creston, was arrested at around 9:30-a.m., and later released on a $1,000 bond.

The 7:06-a.m. report from News Director Ric Hanson.

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The Chairpersons for the Cass and Audubon County Community Foundations are reminding nonprofit groups and organizations, that the deadline for submitting applications for the CCCF and ACCF spring grant program is February 1, 2016.

Detailed application procedures, fact sheets, and a link to the application form can be obtained online at http://omahafoundation.org/swiowa. Applications will only be accepted through the online system. Contact any CCCF or ACCF board member for additional information. You may contact Dennis Nissen at 800-794-3458 or dennis@omahafoundation.org or Denise Cardos at denise@omahafoundation.org with grant application-specific questions. All completed applications will be considered at the March board meeting with notification of results in early April.

Only organizations providing charitable services in Cass and Audubon County respectively, are eligible in their separate counties. They must be able to demonstrate broad community/county support and supply a copy of their 501(c)(3) IRS determination letter. Requests for general operational funds will not be considered.

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Board members of the Cass County Community Foundation are Chair, Nicholas Hunt of rural Atlantic, 243-5485; Vice Chair, Gary Maas of Anita, 762-3434; Secretary/Treasurer, Roland K. Landsness, Esq. of Atlantic, 243-4154; Royal Bierbaum of Griswold, 778-2586; Beulah Follmann of Massena, 779-3457; and Mark D. Kyhnn, CPA of Atlantic, 243-1800.

Board members of the Audubon County Community Foundation are Chair, Brett Irlmeier of Audubon, 712-563-2644; Vice Chair, Jonnie Meislahn of Audubon, 712-563-2009 Secretary/Treasurer, Barbara Johnson of Audubon, 712-773-5732; Genelle Deist of Audubon, 712-563-4288; Jay Nelson of rural Brayton, 712-549-2277; Daryl Olsen, DVM of Audubon, 712-563-2080; and Joseph T. Rasmussen of Exira, 712-268-6357.

A Council Bluffs man faces 25 years in prison after being accused of sexually abusing a 7-year-old girl. The Daily NonPareil reports 50-year old Manuel Corrales-Rabago was arrested Wednesday, on suspicion of sexual abuse. He was charged with two counts of second-degree sexual abuse on Thursday. Fourth Judicial District Associate Judge Charles Fagan set Corrales-Rabago’s bail at $50,000 and appointed him a public defender. The Judge also filed a no-contact order, which prohibits Corrales-Rabago from contacting the victim.

A man who was trying to figure out why his pickup was making strange noises Thursday night, ended up hitting a road sign, and being cited for Careless Driving. Red Oak Police say 58-year old John Richard Mullenix, of Red Oak, was cited for the offense after officers investigated an accident at 8th Street and Chautauqa Drive, where a Yield sign had been struck.

After officers followed-up on information provided by a witness to the incident, they located the suspect vehicle and questioned the driver, identified as Mullenix, who admitted he had been traveling west on Chautauqa, when he leaned down to try and figure out where strange noises in his truck were coming from, and hit the sign. Mullenix said at the time of the accident, he didn’t know what he hit, so he drove away from the scene.

Damage to Mullenix’ 2003 Chevy Silverado pickup was estimated at $200.

A traffic stop at the intersection of Highway 34 and Dogwood Avenue in Montgomery County late Thursday night, resulted in the arrest of a Nebraska man on drug charges. 57-year old Steve Henry Russell, of Omaha, faces charges that include Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and OWI/Drugged- 1st offense. Russell was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $1,000 bond.