Officials with the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement (SWINE) Task Force, said today (Wednesday), members of the Task Force and Vice Unit conducted an undercover operation in regards to prostitution, at an undisclosed location. During the sting, 10 people, all of whom are from Nebraska, were arrested and charged with prostitution. The include a 63-year old former University of Nebraska at Omaha football coach.

Authorities say the effort is ongoing, and further checks will be conducted in the future,

The Cass County Board of Supervisors are not happy with whomever is using their vehicles to traverse County Level B (dirt/mud roads) when they are wet, and in the process destroying the road, making it difficult if not impossible for farmers to move their equipment, livestock and crops, when the road dries out. Engineer Charles Marker says his Secondary Road crews normally stay off Level B Roads because of a lack of manpower and equipment to maintain Rock, Level B, and C-type roads.

Marker says they often receive requests to smooth Level B roads which have been damaged by 4-wheel drive vehicles, but those requests are typically not filled until Spring, due to the current work load. He says the only way to stop the destructive activity is if someone calls in a license plate number of the vehicle doing the damage after it rains. He added that the signs marking roads as Level B, say “Enter at your own risk removes the County’s liability if the person responsible for tearing-up the road has an accident, or if ruts that have not been fixed caused damage to other vehicles once the road dries up.

Supervisor Charles Rieken said it’s too bad people feel the need to tear-up the roads used by farmers to haul hay and for other, legitimate purposes. On top of that, the mud from their vehicles is brought into town and messes up city streets. Rieken says it’s not just young people who are behind the destruction. Some older people are just as irresponsible, according to Rieken.

Rieken says when it rains, rural residents should watch for vehicles that are causing the damage, take down a license plate and report it to the Sheriff’s Department. If you are willing to prove who caused the damage, the person responsible, he says, can be assessed the cost of repairs to the road.

The cost for fixing those roads doesn’t come cheaply, according to Marker. He says it could take several hours to fix a damaged road, at a cost of about $30 and hour to operate a grader, plus an average of $20 for the employee’s salary to run the machine and conduct the work.

Rieken said he’s used the roads when he farms, and the ruts caused by 4-wheel drive vehicles “Shakes the tar out of” planters, grain carts and combines. Marker said they’ve seen vehicles in the cities covered in mud, and they know how they got that way, but unless citizens step forward and prove where those vehicles were and when, the damage will continue to occur.

In less than three weeks Downtown Atlantic will be lined with crafters, classic cars and families enjoying the celebration of “great people in a great place.” AtlanticFest committee Chair Liz Denney said food and activity vendors are still needed to accommodate the more than 5,000 attendees expected. “We always have plenty of people to feed, and our vendors are always pleasantly surprised by the crowd,” Denney said.

The deadline to apply has been extended and vendors can contact the Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce for applications and guidelines to participate. Activity booths are also being accepted, and organizations are encouraged to register games or carnival-like booths for attendees to enjoy.

For more information, contact the Chamber at 712-243-3017.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office reports two arrests on Tuesday, July 23rd.  27-year-old Joshua Doyle Madsen of Exira was arrested around 7:30pm Tuesday on an outstanding warrant and was charged with Reckless use of a Firearm.

The charge resulted from an investigation into a shooting incident on July 5th, 2013 in the 3100 Block of Quail Avenue.  Madsen was allegedly was shooting a high powered rifle and a round went into Littlefield Park campground and lodged in a fiberglass truck topper.  No injuries were reported and after the arrest Tuesday Madsen was transported to the Audubon County Jail and was released following an appearance before the magistrate.

The Audubon County Sheriff’s Office also on Tuesday (7/23) arrested 19-year-old Lacey Ann Malson of Vail around 11:00pm.  Malson was charged with driving while barred after a traffic stop on Highway 71 near 120th Street.  Malson was taken to the Audubon County Jail and later posed bond and was released.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – An analyst says Iowa will likely have to import corn to meet the demand of ethanol producers and livestock operations.   Iowa is the nation’s top corn-producing state, but The Des Moines Register reports economic policy analyst Ross Korves says a delay in spring planting due to flooding and last year’s reduced yields due to drought mean the state won’t have enough corn to meet demand.  Korves works for Michigan-based ProExporter Network and spoke Tuesday at an Iowa Farm Bureau Federation event in Ames.

Korves says forecasts call for 149 bushels an acre this year. That’s better than last year but far below the state’s normal output. The reduced yield comes as ethanol plants are resuming full production and poultry and pork operations see a small expansion in their operations.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) – A former University of Nebraska at Omaha football coach has been arrested in Iowa on suspicion of soliciting prostitution. Police in Council Bluffs, just across the Missouri River from Omaha, Neb., say former UNO head football coach Pat Behrns was one of 12 people arrested Tuesday during a sting operation at a Pottawattamie County hotel.

The 63-year-old Behrns served as the UNO Mavericks’ head coach from 1994 until the century-old program was shut down in March 2011. Before that, Behrns had been head coach of the University of North Dakota football team from 1980 to 1985.

Pottawattamie County Jail authorities say Behrns posted a $2,000 bond Tuesday evening to be released.

The Harlan Police Department today (Wednesday), released a report on several recent arrests. Officials say 24 year old Skyler Andrews, of Irwin, was arrested Sunday, when officers were called to a disturbance in the 1000th block of 6th Street. Andrews was charged with assault for allegedly threatening Brandon Buelt, of Exira, and also with public intoxication and interference with official acts. Andrews was transported to the Shelby County Jail.

On Saturday, 40 year old Curtis Baldwin, of Harlan, was arrested when police received reports of a male subject climbing the fire escape at 603 Court Street. Officers found Baldwin inside an apartment from which he had been previously evicted. He was charged with trespass and taken to the Shelby County Jail.

Last Thursday, July 18th, 38 year old Shawn Schechinger, of Harlan, was arrested on an active Shelby County warrant and taken to the Shelby County Jail. That same day, 21 year old Logan Ford, of Hattiesburg, MS, was arrested on an active Shelby County warrant stemming from an altercation with Daniel Cagle on July 12th. Ford was transported to the Shelby County Jail. 25 year old Derri Vohs, of Harlan, was arrested on Tuesday, July 16th following a traffic stop. Vohs was charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and carrying weapons. She was taken to the Shelby County Jail.

Police in Harlan also cited two individuals for varying offenses. 33-year old Ryan Polley, of Harlan, was cited July 14th for illegal use of fireworks, and on July 13th, 17-year old Alexander McLaughlin, of Harlan, was cited for being a Minor In Possession of tobacco, after he was observed allegedly smoking a cigarette while at the races. Both of the individuals received their citations and were released.

(8-a.m. News)

w/ Ric Hanson

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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Federal regulators will provide another update on the efforts to repair the troubled Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant.  The power plant, which sits across from Iowa on the Missouri River about 20 miles north of Omaha, has been offline for 27 months.  Fort Calhoun initially shut down for routine maintenance, but significant flooding in 2011, a small fire and a series of safety violations forced it to remain closed.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokeswoman Lara Uselding says Fort Calhoun is making progress, but the Omaha Public Power District still has to address 15 items on the restart checklist. Regulators must sign off before the plant can restart.

The meeting will be held from 6-9 p.m. on Wednesday at the Ramada Plaza Hotel near 72nd Street and Interstate 80 in Omaha.