No injuries were reported following an accident this (Friday) morning, in Red Oak. According to Red Oak Police, vehicles driven by 73-year old Janis Nelson and 46-year old Amy Johnson, both of Red Oak, collided at the intersection of North 8th Street and Washington Avenue, just before 9-a.m.

Officials say an investigation determined Nelson observed another vehicle coming from the est on East Washington Avenue, as her 2008 Chevy was stopped at the intersection heading south. That vehicle subsequently proceeded to park on East Washington. Nelson continued into the intersection, but didn’t  see Johnson’s vehicle approaching. The resulting collision caused a total of $3,600 damage. Authorities cited Nelson for Failure to Obey a Stop Sign.

The number of cases of an intestinal illness that causes diarrhea lasting an average of nearly two months continues to increase, in Iowa. Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Health say as of today (Friday), 45 cases of cyclosporiasis have been identified in 15 counties. That’s six more counties and more than double the number of cases which was reported on Monday.Each of the cases were confirmed through tests conducted at the State Hygenic Lab.

Included among the counties where the illness has been reported, are: Dallas, Mills, Pottawattamie and Woodbury, here in western Iowa. Two cases were reported in Mills and Dallas Counties, with one case each being reported in Pott. and Woodbury Counties. Linn County has the most cases with 21, and that’s 11 more then was reported Monday.

People are infected by eating food or drinking water contaminated with infected human feces. Illness is caused by a parasite. Watery diarrhea, severe tiredness, and nausea are common symptoms and usually begin within a week. Most of those now ill began to notice symptoms in June.

Other Midwest states also have cases including Nebraska. Health officials recommend washing fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly although no specific source has been identified yet.

The public is invited to attend a free, “Movie in the Park,” later this month, here in Cass County. The movie “John Brown’s Holy War” will be shown at the Hitchcock Recreation Area, beginning at 9-p.m., Saturday, July 20th. It’s sponsored by the Cass County Conservation Board, and gives viewers a chance to learn about the historical figure’s involvement in the Civil War movement.

Persons planning on attending the movie should bring their lawn chairs or a blanket, to enjoy the movie under the stars. If it’s raining that night, the movie will be shown inside the barn. For more information, call Cass County Naturalist Lora Kanning, at 712-769-2372.

It was a night of honor and royalty at the 2013 Shelby County Fair on Thursday evening. During the 2013 Queen Ceremony, Chandler Mores was awarded the 2013 Shelby County Fair Queen. Mores is a member of the Center Comers 4-H group. Mores will move on to the Iowa State Fair Queen competition in August and represent Shelby County. First Runner-Up Princess was awarded to Courtney Buman, while Chantel Schmidt and Shiloh Carroll tied for 2nd place.

In other news from the Shelby County Fair, Al Wilwerding, Leona Graves and Mark and Phyllis Lytle were inducted by the Shelby County Fair Board into the Hall of Fame. Graves was on the state committee for Farm Bureau and had six children pass through the Shelby County Fair. Mark and Phyllis Lytle both work closely with the Shelby County Fair Board. Al Wilwerding called it a big surprise being inducted into the Hall of Fame. He said he continues to work hard at the fair as in year’s past he works the PA systems and gets all the security lights working in the other buildings.

The Shelby County Fair began Sunday and concludes Monday evening, with the 4-H & FFA Livestock Auction. For more information, go to www.shelbycountyfair.org.

w/ Ric Hanson

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SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors chairman doesn’t think on-duty sheriff’s deputies should be allowed to attend their children’s sporting events.     Board chairman Larry Clausen said in a memo Thursday that the policy constitutes “a blatant misuse” of tax dollars.

But Sheriff Dave Drew said four sheriffs have let deputies attend family events during their one-hour lunches and can, as part of community policing, attend their kids’ sporting events so long as the deputies leave if called away. The sheriff and Clausen have been arguing about Drew’s efforts to expand the department’s reserve deputies program.

With KJAN News Director, Ric Hanson….

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The Iowa West Foundation, headquartered in Council Bluffs, has announced the recipients of a shared $5.3 million in grants for the second quarter of 2013. The grants will be used to assist 30 non-profit organizations and governmental entities with funding for area projects.Of the $5.3 million in grants announced today (Friday), $3.5 million was previously announced as a co-lead gift for a new YMCA in Council Bluffs. Philanthropist Charles E. Lakin also gave $3.5 million toward the project. The $16 million wellness facility is scheduled to open in the fall of 2015.

The Iowa West Foundation also awarded second quarter grants to these area groups or organizations. They include, but are not limited to:

• American Red Cross Loess Hills Chapter, general operating support for Council Bluffs site, $40,000

• Cass County (IA) Conservation, equipment for snowshoeing activities in local parks, $1,250

• City of Clarinda, construction of mile-long/multi-use community trail, $25,000

• City of Griswold, new community welcome signs, $8,000

• City of Lewis, playground equipment for city park, $7,400

• Golden Hills Resource Conservation & Development, Mormon Trail-related inventory of historic sites in southwest Iowa, $14,500

• Iowa Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health, “Embrace Iowa – Mental Health First Aid” training in southwest Iowa, $8,000

• Pottawattamie County Veterans Affairs, mediation services to address Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms, $29,000

• Southwest Iowa Families, Inc., family/parent education programs in Fremont and Page counties, $10,000

• The Danish Immigrant Museum, exterior restoration of historic house in Elk Horn, $10,000

• Visiting Nurse Association of Pottawattamie County, services for low-income first-time mothers, $29,000

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Des Moines police say a detective shot a man after intervening in an apparent assault. Sergeant Jason Halifax says Detective Yanira Scarlett was driving yesterday morning when she noticed a man and woman fighting inside a car and confronted a male suspect. Thirty-seven-year-old Tyjuan Tucker is hospitalized and is facing charges of domestic assault and assault on a police officer.

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) — Waterloo police say a woman whose body was found in the Cedar River was the victim of an accidental drowning. The body of 35-year-old Shanda Werkmeister of Waterloo was recovered from the river Tuesday. Captain Tim Pillack said yesterday that her death was ruled an accidental drowning after an autopsy was completed.

OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) — Authorities in Davis and Wapello counties are investigating fliers promoting the Ku Klux Klan. The Ottumwa Courier reports police found numerous fliers outside homes and businesses yesterday morning in Agency and Eldon in Wapello County and in the Davis County city of Bloomfield. The fliers were in plastic bags weighted with rocks. Authorities say they may be been thrown from a vehicle.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A Cedar Rapids man has pleaded guilty to wire fraud after admitting he defrauded investors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in a Ponzi scheme. Jeffrey Kinseth entered the guilty plea yesterday afternoon during an appearance in federal court in Cedar Rapids. He was released on bond. Kinseth’s attorney didn’t return a phone message seeking comment.

No injuries were reported following an accident involving three trucks Thursday afternoon, in Cass County.

Photo courtesy Greg & Sally Richter.

(Photo courtesy Sammy Scheuermann-Wehmeyer, of Perry)

The Iowa State Patrol says two 2009 Sterling Acterra truck’s were on the shoulder of Interstate 80 westbound about a mile and three-quarters east of the Elk Horn (Highway 173) exit, because one of the trucks had broken down. A 2013 Freightliner semi pulling tandem Fed-Ex trailers and driven by 58-year old Stevan Stojanovic, of Rockford, IL, was traveling west at around 3:30-p.m., when Stojanovic lost control and struck the other two, parked trucks.

Following the collision, the semi crossed both westbound lanes of traffic and entered the median before it tipped over onto its right side in the right, eastbound lane. The front trailer came to rest on its top in the median, while the rear trailer came to rest on its side, also in the median.

No citations were issued.