VILLISCA, Iowa (AP) — An unknown amount of ammonia has entered a small unnamed tributary of the West Nodaway River in southwest Iowa. The state Department of Natural Resources says the anhydrous ammonia was released from the United Farmers Mercantile Co-op in Villisca between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning. It went into a city storm sewer before entering the tributary.

DNR officials detected high concentrations of ammonia throughout the tributary to the river, but no fish kill has been reported. Co-op employees are pumping contaminated water out of the tributary. They are also pumping contaminated water from an on-site pit.

The case remains under investigation.

The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) today (Wednesday) awarded $928,000 in Main Street Iowa Challenge Grants to 13 communities around the state. The grants will benefit local improvement projects such as façade upgrades and restoration, upper floor rehabilitation, and remodeled spaces for expanding downtown businesses.Among the grant recipients, was Manning, which received $75,000 toward the $157,492 cost of a Downtown Revitalization Project.

The announcement was made during a ceremony held at the Des Moines Botanical Center.  IEDA Director Debi Durham said “These challenge grants have proven to be catalysts for the revitalization of Iowa’s historic main streets. These projects represent the ongoing commitment the people of our state have to the revitalization of our historic downtown districts. Rehabilitated buildings create opportunities for new business in Iowa communities, and new businesses mean new jobs.”

The grants are administered through IEDA’s Iowa Downtown Resource Center and Main Street Iowa programs. The funding will be distributed in the form of matching grants to the selected Main Street programs. The estimated total project cost of the 13 projects is over $7.6 million. Main Street Iowa State Coordinator Michael Wagler explained “Each project must provide at least a dollar-for-dollar cash-match.  Overall, these projects will leverage almost nine times the state’s investment into bricks and mortar rehabilitation.”

The Challenge Grant program is funded through an appropriation from the Iowa Legislature.  Since the first appropriation in 2002, approximately $5 million in state and federal funds has leveraged over $34 million in private reinvestment in 97 projects in 42 Main Street Iowa commercial districts across the state.

Officials with the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce say their New Programs Director, Chelsea Amundson, recently moved to Griswold from Lincoln, Nebraska. While in Lincoln, Chelsea graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, was employed as the Marketing Specialist at Nebraska WeddingDay Magazine and served as the Twenty Somethings Women’s Ministry Director at Lincoln Berean Church. She has currently been serving as the Project Manager for Farmers Markets of Cass County supported by the USDA Rural Enterprise Grant, and partnered with Produce in the Park.

Originally from Arlington, Nebraska, Chelsea is passionate about people and community betterment. Her skills and past experiences will be a great addition to the Chamber and she looks forward to establishing roots in the Atlantic Area. Chamber Executive Director Ouida Wymer said “We are so excited to have Chelsea join the Chamber, she has an excellent background in marketing, promotions and volunteerism.”

Authorities in southwest Iowa are searching for an unidentified suspect this (Wednesday) morning following a failed traffic stop on Tuesday afternoon. Taylor County Sheriff Josh Weed reports deputies attempted to stop a charcoal-colored Dodge pickup at 4:45 p.m. Tuesday, but the attempted stop resulted in a 15-minute chase that ended when the truck crashed into a corn field at the intersection of Tennessee Avenue and 230th Street east of Bedford. The driver fled the wreckage on foot.

Deputies searched for the suspect until dark at 7 o’clock when the search was suspended. Sheriff Weed says shortly after ten o’clock a rural resident near the intersection of Highway 2 and Rockwood Avenue reported a man in their back yard. Weed says he believes the suspect may be looking for a vehicle to steal. The Taylor County Sheriff reminds residents to keep their vehicles locked and to be on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary. Weed asks anyone with information about suspicious activity to call the Taylor County Sheriff’s office at 712-523-2153.

(Radio Iowa)

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A 42-year-old Iowa man suspected in a hit-and-run accident has been fatally injured in a north Omaha crash. Police say Robert Robison, of Carter Lake, was pronounced dead at an Omaha hospital after Tuesday night’s accident.

Omaha police say officers were flagged down by someone who reported a hit-and-run on McKinley Street. A sport utility vehicle matching the description provided soon was spotted. Officers lost sight of the SUV but then found it after it had crashed. Investigators say SUV apparently had gone out of control. It clipped a tree and rolled, ejecting Robison.

Police say one of his passengers was hospitalized for minor injuries, and another wasn’t hurt.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – Neighbors in an area near Lake Manawa in Council Bluffs are concerned about camping and other issues near the lake.

About 80 people gathered at Bass Pro Shops to learn about two renovation projects by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources on Lake Manawa State Park. Under the proposed plan, 51 full hookup campsites would be made and dedicated spaces for tent camping would be eliminated, though tent camping would still be allowed.

Mike McGhee, the department’s project manager for lake restoration, says the two projects are expected to total more than $10 million. The Daily Nonpareil reports residents who live in Lake Manawa neighborhoods were concerned about overall park and lake safety. Some wanted to reduce camping numbers or prohibit the recreational activity all together while some supported the department’s plans.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors, today (Wednesday), approved a recommendation from Chief Deputy Sheriff John Westering, for the hiring of two full-time jailers. The Board approved the employment of Maria Agboglo at a starting union scale wage of $14.06/per hour, effective Oct. 15th. The second Jailer hired, effective this past Monday, was Linda Marxen. Since Marxon had worked for the County previously, Westeringg recommended her union scale wage be paid at $14.50 per hour.

In other business, Auditor Dale Sunderman reported there has been a good deal of interest in the upcoming General Election, as demonstrated by the number of Absentee ballots requested and turned in. He said 960 persons have requested ballots, with a little over half having already been returned. Overall he says, it’s going pretty well.

With Monday being a holiday, nearly 60 ballots came into the Auditor’s Office on Tuesday. Sunderman says they’re averaging about 30 and 50 ballots requests per day. The last day to submit an Absentee ballot to the Auditor’s Office, is Nov. 3rd.

Cass Co. Auditor Dale Sunderman demonstrates a new voting machine for the blind/visually impaired.

He demonstrated to the Board the new vote tabulation machines, including one for persons who are blind or visually and/or hearing impaired.

Sunderman says it has an audio ballot. The difference between the new machine and the old AutoMark machine, is that the old style required an 8-by 14 ballot to be fed into it. The new machine generates a heavier, paper receipt similar to what you would get from a grocery store or other business. The receipt is about four-inches wide. Each precinct will have one of the special, touch-screen machines for blind/hearing impaired voters.

Sheriff’s officials in Montgomery County say an investigation that led to a search warrant on Sept. 3rd, also resulted in the arrest of a man on theft and weapon charges. 48-year old Thayne Kinnison, of Stanton, was arrested Wednesday (Today) on a warrant for Theft in the 2nd degree/Possession of Stolen Property, and for being a Felon in Possession of an Offensive Weapon. Kinnison was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $5,000 cash bond.

Also on Wednesday (today), deputies in Montgomery County arrested 20-year old Travis Brightbill, of Council Bluffs, on a warrant for Probation Violation related to an original narcotic violation offense. Brightbill was being held in the jail on $2,500 bond.

In a follow-up to our story Tuesday about a fatality accident near Avoca, the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office today (Wednesday) identified the victim as 60-year old Garry Johnk, of Atlantic. Sheriff Jeff Danker says the cause of death is pending the results of an autopsy.

Johnk was driving a Ford F-150 pickup on westbound Highway 83 at around 7:35-a.m., Tuesday, when the vehicle left the road and came to rest in a harvest cornfield. Iowa Department of Transportation workers were on location erecting a construction zone sign,  when they saw the pickup pass by. The driver appeared to be slumped over, leaning toward the driver’s door.

Two people were injured during a head-on crash Tuesday afternoon, in Shelby County. The Iowa State Patrol reports 39-year old Amy Malloy, of Walnut, who was not wearing a seat belt, suffered severe injuries and was flown by LifeNet helicopter to the UNMC in Omaha, while the driver of the other vehicle, 31-year old Jason Leinen, of Adel, who was wearing his seat belt, suffered non-life threatening injuries, was transported to Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan by Elk Horn Rescue.

The accident happened at around 12:50-p.m. on 400th Street, about one-quarter of a mile east of Umbrella Road, in Shelby County. Officials say a 2006 Toyota Camry driven by Malloy, was traveling west on the wrong side of 400th Street, at the same time a 2014 Chevy Silverado pickup driven by Leinen, was traveling east.

The vehicles collided at the crest of a hill, causing major damage to both vehicles.