OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Students at schools in Nebraska and Iowa are joining others around the nation in planting milkweed plants to help attract monarch butterflies.
About 30 students and 10 adults last week planted milkweed, a plant that provides the only food for newly emerged butterfly larvae, behind St. Margaret Mary School in Omaha, Nebraska.

The Omaha World-Herald reports that another group of students and volunteers also recently dug and planted milkweed at St. Albert School in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The two schools were among 10 Catholic schools in the Midwest that received grants to start butterfly-friendly gardens from the National Catholic Education Association.

A traffic stop early this (Wednesday) morning north of Stanton in Montgomery County, resulted in the arrest of a woman from Union County. Sheriff’s officials say at around 12:10-a.m., a vehicle driven by 46-year old Susan Rae Lemon, of Creston, was pulled over in the 2500 block of 210th Street. Lemon was subsequently charged with Driving While Barred and Open Container. She was brought to the Montgomery County Jail and held on $2,000 bond.

Two people were arrested recently in Mills County. The Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday, 28-year old Konner Matthew Tourek, of Arlington, NE., was arrested just after 2-a.m. Saturday on Interstate 29. Tourek was charged with OWI/1st offense. His bond was set at $1,000. And, at around 1:25-a.m. Tuesday, 27-year old Myles Dustin Longcor, of Malvern, was arrested for Disorderly Conduct. His bond was set at $300.

Two people were injured during a chain-reaction crash Friday afternoon, in Mills County. The Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday, at around 4:10-p.m., a 2002 Oldsmobile driven by Marilyn Krisinger, of Griswold, was turning right into the Emerson Cemetery from Highway 59, when her car was hit from behind by a 2006 Chevy, driven by Alexandra Sherman, of Shenandoah.Following the collision, Sherman’s car crossed into the opposite lane, forcing a 2014 Dodge driven by Dale Lauver, of Council Bluffs, to swerve right. When the Dodge made contact with Sherman’s vehicle, the impact caused the Lauver’s vehicle to spin around and end up in the north ditch. Sherman, and a passenger in the Krisinger vehicle, Judy Korytowski, of Omaha, were transported to Red Oak by Red Oak Rescue.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is responding to the PROBABLE CASE of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Adair County at the Rose Acres Stuart Egg Farm. According to Adair-Guthrie County Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Kempf, the Department has quarantined the premises and once the presence of the disease is confirmed, all birds on the property will be humanely euthanized to prevent the spread of the disease.

The Stuart Egg Farm is a commercial laying operation with an estimated 975,000 birds. Initial testing showed it positive for H5 avian influenza. Additional confirmatory testing is pending from the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames.

Because of the possible economic impact if the disease is confirmed both the Adair & Guthrie County Board of Supervisors have approved Emergency Disaster Declarations as of May 26th. Kempf asks residents to “Please avoid this area to help eliminate the spread of any potential HPAI Virus and to allow work to be done.”

350th Street from Pinewood Road (P20) to Riverside Avenue is closed to Thru Traffic and Riverside Avenue from 350th Street to 110th Street is closed to all traffic to help with this situation. If you have question about HPAI you can contact the Iowa Concern Hotline at 800-447-1985 or go  to www.iowaagriculture.gov/avianinfluenza.asp

Hundreds of mourners gathered in an Omaha church — with several thousand more and at an arena nearby — to pay their respects this morning (Tuesday) for Iowa native and Omaha Police Officer Karrie Orozco.The 29-year-old new mother was fatally shot in the line of duty last week in a shootout with a wanted man, who was also killed. Dozens of law officers were called to attention as Officer Orozco’s flag-draped casket was brought to St. John’s Catholic Church in the midst of a steady rain.

In a tradition that dates back centuries for a fallen comrade, a riderless horse was escorted to the steps of the church, as the rows of uniformed officers saluted. The church on the Creighton University campus holds about 700 people and it was packed for the service. Hundreds of law officers from Nebraska, Iowa and elsewhere were part of the overflow crowd that watched the funeral on the jumbotron T-Vs at the CenturyLink Center in downtown Omaha. The Reverend William Bond, of St. Joseph’s Parish, was among the speakers. Reverend Bond said the very large crowd was assembled for a series of reasons.

“Perhaps the reason so many people are here is respect,” Bond said. “All of you who are here to show your respect for Kerrie and for all of our law enforcement officials and other first responders who place their lives in danger every day to protect and promote the common good.” He called Orozco a servant of God who made prayer a part of her daily routines, including in her squad car.

“Oh, God, hear our prayers on behalf of your servant, Kerrie, whom you have called out of this world,” Bond said, “and because she put her hope and trust in you, command that she be carried safely home to heaven and come to enjoy your eternal reward.” Reverend Bond had performed the wedding service for Officer Orozco and her husband, Hector. Bond thanked the hundreds of law officers in attendance for their service.

“I do want all of our police and law enforcement officers and first responders to know, we respect each one of you,” Bond said. “We know that all of you, every day you go to work, show yourselves willing to make that ultimate sacrifice for us.” Orozco was laid to rest in a dark blue coffin, with burial at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Council Bluffs.

Orozco is the first female police officer to die in the line of duty in Omaha history. She was shot and killed Wednesday afternoon while serving an arrest warrant. Orozco was a Walnut, Iowa, native and a resident of Council Bluffs. She was married and had three children. Her daughter, Olivia, was born premature on February 17th and had been hospitalized since birth. The infant was due to be released from the hospital the day after the shooting, the same day Orozco was to begin her maternity leave.

Orozco was on the police force more than seven years. She coached baseball since 2009 in the North Omaha Boys and Girls Club, she volunteered with the Special Olympics, she was president of the Police Officers’ Ball to benefit the Special Olympics, she took in rescue dogs and she was a Girl Scout mentor. Omaha’s police chief called Orozco a treasured member of the department and her death is tragedy.

(Radio Iowa)

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship said Tuesday it was responding to two probable cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Adair and Webster counties. With the new announcements, Iowa now has 66 cases of the disease in the state. The Department has quarantined the premises and once the presence of the disease is confirmed, all birds on the property will be humanely euthanized to prevent the spread of the disease.

Adair 1 – Is a Commercial laying operation with an estimated 975,000 birds that has experienced increased mortality. Initial testing showed it positive for H5 avian influenza. Additional confirmatory testing is pending from the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames.

Webster 1 – Is a Commercial laying operation with an estimated 160,000 birds that has experienced increased mortality. Initial testing showed it positive for H5 avian influenza. Additional confirmatory testing is pending from the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames.

As the Department receives final confirmations of the disease updated information will be posted to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s website at www.iowaagriculture.gov/avianinfluenza.asp. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Iowa Department of Public Health considers the risk to people from these HPAI H5 infections in wild birds, backyard flocks and commercial poultry, to be low. No human infections with the virus have ever been detected and there is no food safety risk for consumers.

One Atlantic resident was arrested on drug charges, Monday, while another was arrested for burglary and theft. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office says 21-year old Leslie Kay Paulsen, of Atlantic, was arrested on a charge of Possession of Marijuana (Serious). Paulsen was taken to the Cass County Jail where she was released the following day on her own recognizance. And 20-year old Nicholas Wayne Renner, of Atlantic, was arrested on an Atlantic Police Department warrant for Burglary 3rd Degree and Theft 3rd Degree. Renner was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $7,000 bond.
The Cass County Sheriff’s Office said two people were arrested Saturday. 21-year old Rachael Victoria Christman, of Des Moines, was taken into custody on a charge of OWI 1st Offense. Christman was taken to the Cass County Jail where she was released later that day on her own recognizance. And, 58-year old Bruce Emanuel Petterson,  of Atlantic, was arrested on a charge of Interference with Official Acts (Simple). Petterson was taken to the Cass County Jail where he pled not guilty and was released the following day.
Last Friday, Cass County Deputies arrested 19-year old Emily Shelby Green, of Council Bluffs, on two District Court warrants for Failure to Appear. Green was taken to the Cass County Jail where she was released the following day on $1,500 bond. And, on May 21st, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested 54-year old Stefan Michael Greelis, of Omaha, NE, on a Cass County Sheriff’s Office warrant for Theft 2nd Degree (D Felony), Eluding (D Felony), and Driving While Revoked (Serious); and a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear. Greelis was taken to the Cass County Jail where he remains held on $17,000 bond.

A public hearing will be held at the Atlantic High School Wednesday evening, with regard to an amendment to the 2014-15 Atlantic School District Budget. During the hearing, which will take place in the High School Media Center at 7:30-p.m., the Board of Education will hear from district patrons who may speak for or against the amendment.

Following the hearing, the Board will enter into a work session, during which they will act on approving the 2014-15 Budget Amendment, along with: a reduction in the Force List for Non-Certified Staff, and the employment of a High School English teacher.

The Board will also discuss the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) vote for the Sept., 2015 ballot, and they’ll receive presentations with regard to the Iowa Assessments and Lindamood Bell learning processes program.