The Cass County LEPC (Local Emergency Planning Committee) was presented with an award at the recent 2015 Region 7 LEPC/TERC (Tribal Emergency Response Commission) Conference held in Nebraska City, Nebraska. Region 7 is comprised of LEPCs from the states of Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, and TERC from Nine Tribal Nations. Awards were given to recognize LEPC’s/TERC’s that are actively involved in their community risk reduction, planning, and prevention activities involving hazardous materials and other hazards.

LEPC Chair Ric Hanson (Left) & Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon (right).

The Cass County LEPC was one of four award winners in the Small LEPC category. The other recipients were Anderson County, Kansas, Linn County, Missouri and Adair-Guthrie, Iowa. The Adair-Guthrie LEPC also received a Social Media award.

The Cass County LEPC was nominated by The Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The Chairperson of the Cass County LEPC is Ric Hanson of KJAN Radio.

Local Emergency Planning Committees develop hazardous materials response plans for their counties, review the plan at least annually, and provide information about chemicals in the community to citizens. LEPC membership includes elected officials, law enforcement, fire, public health, hospital, emergency management, facility representatives, community groups and the media.

The Atlantic Police Department reports an Anita woman was arrested Wednesday on robbery, theft and drug charges. 19-year old Sarah Jo Porter faces charges that include Robbery in the 2nd Degree, Possession of a Controlled Substance/Marijuana, Assault causing Injury, Theft in the 5th Degree (Shoplifting), and Criminal Mischief in the 5th Degree. Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green says the Robbery charge is with regard to the alleged assault of a Wal-Mart Loss Prevention Officer, who tried to stop Porter from allegedly stealing a pair of blue jeans.

Also arrested Wednesday, was 24-year old Chad Goodwin, of Atlantic. Goodwin was taken into custody for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and a Controlled Substance violation.

On Monday, Atlantic Police arrested 24-year old Mark Fredericksen, of Atlantic. Fredericksen was taken into custody on two warrants for Failure to Appear in court. And, this past Sunday, 35-year old Loye Krautter, of Atlantic, was arrested for allegedly Shoplifting general, various items of merchandise from the Atlantic Wal-Mart store. The woman was also charged with Simple Assault, after she allegedly shoved a Wal-Mart employee near a store entrance.

All four suspects were booked into the Cass County Jail.

(9-a.m. News)

Former Texas Governor Rick Perry will be in Kimballton and Greenfield next week, participating in a couple of events scheduled as part of his Republican presidential campaign. Perry will attend the West Central Iowa Counties’ “Boots and Barbeque Bash” fundraiser at the Cottonwood Barn in Kimballton, Monday, Aug. 17th. Doors for the event open at 5:30, with a meal served at 6-p.m. and speaker presentations at 6:30.

Then on Tuesday (Aug. 18th), Perry will hold a “Meet and Greet” event in Greenfield from Noon until 1-p.m., at The Corner, located at 284 Public Square. Afterward, Gov. Perry travels to Des Moines for an event at the Iowa State Fair.

Congressman Steve King intends to endorse one of the 17 Republican presidential candidates “sometime later in the fall” and Donald Trump seems to be at or near the top of his list. “I think it’s fascinating to the world how Donald Trump can continue being Donald Trump and instead of getting weaker, he’s getting stronger,” King says.

A new C-N-N poll of likely Iowa Caucus-goers shows Trump in first place, with 22 percent support, followed by Ben Carson with 14 percent. It shows how last Thursday’s debate has reshaped the race and how Trump continues to dominate. “He has a shown a confidence and leadership and he’s been able to step forward and say things that were true. He’s been attacked for these things and they’ve turned out to, many of them, be true.” King’s son is working from the “super” PAC that’s supporting Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz.

“He is his own man. I think he’s well-raised,” King says. “He’s a solid principled, natural, full-spectrum, constitutional conservative.” And King says that description applies to both his son, Jeff, and to Senator Cruz. In another corner, however, is King’s former chief of staff, Chuck Laudner. Laudner is Donald Trump’s state director.
“He mentioned to me just the other day that all of his experience working for me was just perfect preparation for the Trump campaign,” King says, laughing. “…Things get said that people don’t like the way they’re said, but they turn out to be true and we take the attitude that: ‘If you didn’t like that truth, here’s some more of it.”

King has sparked controversy in the past with some of his own comments, like a reference to people crossing into the U.S. along the southern border who had “calves the size of cantaloupes” because they were carrying drugs. King says Trump has “tapped into a reservoir” not only fed up Americans, but grassroots G-O-P activists who are upset with congressional leadership. However, King says some of Trump’s policy positions, including his stand on immigration, are “lacking in detail” and need to be fleshed out in the months to come.

King says his advice NEXT YEAR to Trump would be against running as an independent candidate, but King says “tactically” — at this phase in the campaign — it “is a good position” for Trump to refuse to promise to only run as a Republican. “Being where he is in the polls, I think it would be foolish for him to rule out a third-party run because of this: he’s at the top of the polls, so why should he be making decisions on what he might do if he doesn’t win the nomination from the Republican Party?” King ask. “Furthermore, some of the efforts on many in the party will be to try to marginalize Donald Trump. Well, if they push him…the fear that he might run as a third-party candidate tends to restrain those who might marginalize him.”

King made his comments Wednesday during taping of the Iowa Public Television program, “Iowa Press” that will air Friday night.

(Radio Iowa)

Police in Red Oak and Creston say no injuries were reported following separate accidents, Wednesday. In Red Oak, a pickup traveling east on E. Maple Street at around 9-p.m., approached the intersection with N. 4th Street, when the driver, 16-year old Mario Lepe-Garcia, of Red Oak, failed to stop or yield. When he continued through the intersection, the pickup hit a car driven by 23-year old Shane Adams, of Red Oak. Damage from the collision amounted to $7,000. Officers cited Lepe-Garcia for Failure to obey a stop or Yield sign.

And, an accident in Creston just after 1-p.m., Wednesday, caused $7,200 damage, but again, no one was injured. Officials say a pickup driven by 60-year old Michael Norman, of Afton, was backing out of parking stall and failed to yield the right of way to an SUV also parked in the lot. The owner of the SUV was not identified. No citations were issued.

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

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As tens of thousands of Iowa children prepare to go back to school, a study finds one in four of them has a vision problem. Urbandale optometrist Dr. Beth Triebel says kids may not be up-front about having a problem with their sight so parents need to be watchful for warning signs. “A lot of times you’ll notice the kids squinting to see things,” Dr. Triebel says. “If they’re reading, they may turn their head funny, close an eye or rub their eyes a lot after reading. They may get very close to the reading material or move it really far away.”

A comprehensive eye exam is required in most Iowa schools before a child starts kindergarten with a follow-up a few grades later. Triebel says there are simple vision tests that can be performed on children as young as infants which can spot potential problems very early. “There’s a free program called InfantSEE that you can get your child in to get that very basic, preliminary exam to look for any red flags that could be a problem later,” Triebel says. “After that, I typically recommend an exam before kindergarten, between ages 3 and 5, and then after that, every couple of years is a good idea.”

Since 80-percent of all learning is visual, she says good vision is important in the classroom. A study finds 60-percent of students who are identified as “problem learners” have undetected vision problems. “There could be some underlying vision problems that could either be the cause of it or certainly add to that type of behavior,” Triebel says. “It’s very important that if your child is having trouble in school or having trouble learning, that you get a comprehensive eye exam and make sure everything is working right.”

Triebel offers a few suggestions for things parents can do to protect their child’s vision, including:
-provide a well-lit, comfortable area for reading and homework
-a child watching TV should sit 6 to 8 feet away from the television set
-children should take frequent breaks to rest their eyes while reading, working on a computer or playing video games
-wear appropriate eye protection in activities where there is a risk of eye injury
-time away from school should allow for creative play time to help his or her vision develop properly.

(Radio Iowa)

Officials with the Creston Police Department said two people were arrested Wednesday, and one incident of theft was reported. Taken into custody at around 1:30-p.m., was 30-year old Lacey Dalton, of Murray. Dalton was arrested at the Union County Law Enforcement Center on a Union County warrant for Probation Violation, with regard to an original, Possession of a Controlled Substance charge. Dalton was being held in the Ringgold County Jail while awaiting a bond hearing.

38-year old Corey Mason, of Creston, was arrested Wednesday, on a charge of Disorderly Conduct. Mason was later released on $300 bond.

And, a man from Texas reported to Creston Police that someone had taken a wrist watch, necklace and silver hoop earrings from his room at the Super 8 Motel, in Creston. The theft happened sometime between 5:30-a.m. and 4:30-p.m., Wednesday. The loss was estimated at $500.

The area’s top news from KJAN News Director Ric Hanson

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SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – The Sioux City Community School District says it is investigating a sexual harassment claim against a school board member. The Sioux City Journal reports a school district spokeswoman, Alison Benson, confirmed the investigation Wednesday.

Benson declined to identify which of the board’s seven members is being investigated or the nature of the alleged incident, stating the details are a part of a “confidential personnel matter.”