The Cass County Sheriff’s Office today (Tuesday), issued a report on arrests that have taken place over the past week. Officials say on Monday (Dec. 1st), 31-year old Trent Matthew Suhr, of Walnut, was arrested on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear. Suhr was brought to the Cass County Jail and held.

On Saturday, November 29th, 38-year old Joseph William Baker, of Griswold, was arrested on a District Court warrant for Failure to Appear. Baker was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was later released by a court order.

Last Wednesday (Nov. 26th) deputies in Cass County arrested 25-year old Alexander Paul Dvorak, of Atlantic, on a charge of Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Dvorak was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on $5,000 bond.

On November 25th, 45-year old Connie Jae Emgarten, of Casey, was arrested in Cass County on a charge of OWI 2nd Offense. Emgarten was taken to the Cass County Jail where she was released later that day on her own recognizance. That same day, 25-year old Heather Ann Bell, of Ames, was taken into custody on a charge of Driving Under Suspension. Bell was taken to the Cass County Jail where she was released the following day on $300 bond.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office has released additional details about an accident we first told you about during our news today (Tuesday) at 6:30-a.m.  Authorities say at 12:30 a.m. (Tuesday), the Cass County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a single vehicle accident on I-80 westbound at the 72 mile marker.

A 2009 Freightliner owned and driven by 28-year old Anatolie Enachii, of Romeoville, IL, was westbound on I-80 when the driver fell asleep and the vehicle struck a rail and bridge, left the roadway, and entered the ditch. No injuries were reported. Damage to the vehicle is estimated at $10,000; damage to the rail and bridge is estimated at $500.

Enachii was cited for Failure to Maintain Control.

The Atlantic Jaycees are requesting the names of individuals or families who could benefit from a delivery of food.

Hans Krengel, Atlantic Jaycees President, said food baskets will be delivered after they are put together on Wednesday, December 17th. He says the Jaycees will “Gather together at Hy Vee and…get some food bags put together with ham, or a half of a ham depending on the size of the family, and then they usually get a couple of canned goods, a loaf of bread and we’re hoping to throw a couple of extra treats in there this year as well.”

Nominations of families or person in need of food during the holiday season are being accepted at the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce or at West Central, Incorporated. . by December 10th. Krengel says families or persons who are nominated will receive their food basket between 7-and 9:30-p.m. Wed., Dec 17th.

He says they are also looking for volunteers to help deliver the food boxes.  If you are interested, contact Hans Krengel at 712-249-7817. Additional donations are also appreciated and can be sent to the Atlantic Jaycees, P.O. Box 522, Atlantic, IA, 50022.

The drivers of two vehicles were transported by Audubon Fire and Rescue to the Audubon County Memorial Hospital Monday night, following a high speed collision on Highway 71, south of Audubon. The Sheriff’s Department says 24-year old Andrew Roland Petersen, of Carroll, was traveling north on Highway 71, allegedly driving recklessly and at a high rate of speed. Petersen’s vehicle was traveling at an estimated 90-miles per hour, when it rear-ended a northbound vehicle driven by 47-year old Michael Dean Christensen, of Audubon.

Following the collision, Christensen’s vehicle ended-up in the east ditch. Peterson’s vehicle was immediately disabled and spun 180-degrees. Damage to the vehicles amounted to $16,000.

The accident remains under investigation, and charges are pending against Petersen.

Legendary Hollywood writer/producer Norman Lear will return to Greenfield on Saturday, Dec. 13, celebrating the 45th anniversary of the filming of his comedy “Cold Turkey” in the southwest Iowa town. Lear will be the guest of honor at the Celebrate Iowa Gala, to be held Friday evening, Dec. 12, at the State Historical Museum, presented by the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs.

“Welcome Back to Greenfield, Norman Lear” will be held at the Warren Cultural Center, the restored 1896 opera house located at 154 Public Square. Doors open at 9 am; Mr. Lear is scheduled to arrive and the program will begin at 10 a.m.

He will be reading excerpts from his new book and will take part in a Q&A session. Other elements of the program are being developed in conjunction with Produce Iowa- State Office of Media Production.

The event is free and open to the public. Attendees will be invited to write their Cold Turkey memories into a scrapbook for Lear. “Cold Turkey” movie props will also be on display in the lobby gallery of the Center.

The 92-year-old Lear has spoken fondly of his time in Iowa during the summer of 1969, including references in his recently released memoir, entitled “Even This I Get to Experience.” He was named an Honorary Iowan in 1999, when he returned to Greenfield with other stars, including Dick Van Dyke, Tom Poston, and Jean Stapleton, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the movie. Lear also produced many hit television shows, including “The Andy Williams Show”, “All in the Family,” and “The Jeffersons,” and other classic films, such as “The Princess Bride” and “Stand by Me.”

“Cold Turkey” tells the story of a small town – Eagle Rock, Iowa – that takes up the challenge for all its residents to quit smoking for one month to win a $25 million prize. Many scenes were filmed on the Greenfield square and throughout town, as well as locations in Winterset, Orient, and Des Moines.

Additional information on Mr. Lear’s return to Greenfield will be available on the Center’s website, www.warrenculturalcenter.com, and on its Facebook page.
The DCA’s ‘Celebrate Iowa’ Gala will be 7-11 p.m., Friday, Dec. 12, at the State Historical Building, 600 E. Locust Street, Des Moines. Visit www.culturalaffairs.org/gala or contact DCA at HistoricalGala@iowa.gov or 515-281-8352 for more information.

With Ric Hanson.

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With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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DES MOINES, Iowa – There are changing trends when it comes to the scourge of methamphetamine in Iowa, but the drug’s dangerous and deadly grip remains tight in communities across the state. Thanks to laws on psuedoephedrine and meth precursor ingredients, there has been a dramatic drop in the number of meth labs in Iowa, but Dale Woolery, associate director with the Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy, says the amount being smuggled in from Mexico is up – and it’s higher in purity.

“At 14.8 percent we’re at an all-time high in terms of the proportion of Iowans in substance abuse treatment saying meth is their number one drug of choice,” says Woolery.

According to Woolery, some 64,000 grams of meth have been seized by law enforcement this year, the most in nearly a decade. There’s also been a shift from traditional meth labs to what’s called the “one pot” method, where the drug can be made in a pop bottle with relatively common ingredients.

Meth’s powerful hook and devastating impact on users and families is especially stark when one looks at the courts and corrections. Woolery says more than half of Iowa’s drug-related prison admissions last year involved meth. There were also more than 1,300 cases of child abuse stemming from what’s called “drug endangerment.”

“Drug endangerment can be a child that’s in the presence of a meth lab,” he says. “You have all sorts of dangers with toxins, not to mention potential violent acts.”

This week marks Meth Awareness Week in Iowa.

(Iowa News Service)

The Atlantic City Council will meet Wednesday evening beginning at 5:30. During their session at City Hall, the Council will act on passing a Resolution approving the Fiscal Year 2015 Budget for the Atlantic Municipal Utilities. The City traditionally passes the AMU budget without issue, since AMU is accountable to the Utility Board of Trustees. The two principal executives of AMU, Steve Tjepkes and Jennifer Saathoff will be present to answer any questions the Council may have.

The Council will also act on approving the first reading of an Ordinance pertaining to the “Mowing of Properties”. Interim City Administrator John Lund has indicated habitual problems with lawn care have been a burden on the city’s financial and human resources, and the process outlined in the Iowa Code, which the City of Atlantic adopted wastes money on certified letters while allowing the problem to become a greater blight.

Mayor Dave Jones contacted officials with the City of Creston, and learned their Ordinance, which is legal, saves taxpayers’ money and aggressively deals with blighted lawns. The proposed Ordinance was reviewed by the Community Protection Committee on November 12th, 2014 and passed unanimously with the recommendation for approval by the City Council. City Attorney David Wiederstein has found everything to be in order and prepared the Ordinance as presented for the Council’s review and approval.

In other business, the Atlantic City Council will enter into a Closed Session for the purpose of strategizing over the Collective Bargaining process with regard to the Union representing Road and Wastewater employees.The current collective bargaining agreement for those employees is scheduled to expire on June 30th, 2015. Lund says he’s met with Union representatives who have already presented their proposed contract agreement to the City. He’s prepared the City’s response in a proposal is ready for the Union, but needs the Council’s input before it is submitted. Iowa Code allows for the City Council to convene in closed session for strategizing on collective bargaining agreements.

A new survey of the CEOs of 25 of Iowa’s largest businesses shows most are predicting an increase in sales over the first half of 2015. Elliott Smith, executive director of the Iowa Business Council (IBC), says the survey also shows little movement in terms of capital spending and employment. “That’s been the story for most of this year — just good, solid, positive performance,” Smith said. “We’re hoping that’s what the first five or six months of 2015 have in store.”

The IBC survey finds 35-percent of the state’s largest business leaders expect “no change” in employment levels between January and June, while 15-percent forecast cuts to their workforce. “Maybe that’s a little indicative of some of the uncertainties we’re seeing in the agriculture sector right now, with the impact of commodity prices on farms and how that might be rippling into the non-farm segment of the state’s economy,” Smith said.

Only five-percent of the CEOs surveyed anticipate a decline in sales over the coming six months, while 75-percent predict an increase in sales. “When sales either maintain or move up, as it did this particular quarter, that is promising,” Smith said. “When sales are good and steady for a number of quarters, that gives businesses the confidence to invest in more machinery, build more buildings, expand, and hire more people, hopefully.”

The IBC’s overall economic outlook survey index for the fourth quarter of 2014 is 65 — which is the same as the third quarter and up three points (62) from one year ago.

(Radio Iowa)