The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency reports 900th Street, between Maple and Oak Roads, will be closed from now (July 3rd), through July 7th, for utility work. Persons and emergency crews who normally traverse that section of road should plan to take an alternate route.

The Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office has released additional details about a fatal motorcycle accident that occurred Tuesday evening, north of Council Bluffs. Sheriff Jeff Danker reports at around 8:12-p.m., deputies were dispatched to 19885 Old Lincoln Highway in reference an Injury Accident involving multiple vehicles.

Upon arrival witnesses advised that a black 2009 Buel motorcycle was north bound on Old Lincoln Highway. While passing another north bound vehicle, the operator of the Buel lost control of the motorcycle resulting in both the operator and passenger being ejected from the bike. The operator of the Buel was identified as 18-year old John Harter.The passenger was identified as 18-year old Joseph Goodwin. Goodwin was pronounced dead at the scene. Harter was taken to University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) by ambulance.

After the driver and passenger were ejected from the motorcycle, the Buel continued into the path of a south bound 2005 Harley Davidson operated by 67-year old Kathryn Kennon. The Buel struck Kennon’s Harley Davidson causing Kennon to crash. The woman was transported to UNMC by ambulance. A third party who was said to have been in shock, was transported by ambulance to the hospital.  An investigation into the accident continues.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors this (Wednesday) morning voted to table action on a request from the CountyHistoricalMuseum for $20,000 in funding. Supervisor Chuck Rieken motioned for the move, so that museum representatives could appear before the Board during next week’s meeting, to make a case for the funding. If approved, the County would make the payment in two installments of $10,000 each, with the money likely to come from the Local Option Sales Tax fund. 

In other business, the Board approved two requests for fireworks display permits. Both events would be held this Saturday (July 6^th). The first came from the Lyle Marsh family, which is holding a reunion this weekend. The event will be held south of Atlantic, with 40 people in attendance, 30 adults and 10 under the age of 12. The other fireworks display is for the Abild/Alexander family reunion. The event will take place just west of the Highway 71 and 92 east intersections. 

The requests were approved based on the requirements of the Iowa Code. Auditor Dale Sunderman reminds families who wish to hold fireworks displays next year, that they must receive the approval of the Board of Supervisors, if the event is being held outside the city limits of communities within the County. Receiving approval of your local fire chief is not sufficient to receive a permit for fireworks. 

The Supervisors also tabled action on appointing two members to the County Compensation Board, because they feel not enough notice was given to the public as to gather both male and female applicants that would gender balance the board. The Supervisors instead approved placing an advertisement in local newspapers to inform the public about the current Compensation Board and other, future CountyBoard positions that will become available for applicants.

A pursuit early this (Wednesday) morning in Mills County resulted in a non-injury accident. The Iowa State Patrol reports a Mills County deputy was engaged in the pursuit of an unplated 2000 Chevy Malibu at around 4:25-a.m., southbound on County Road L-55. During the pursuit, the driver of the car, identified as 27-year old Billy George Cates, of Council Bluffs, lost control of the vehicle, which then entered the east ditch and hit a culvert/field drive, before coming to rest upright in the east ditch.

Cates was arrested without further incident, and cited for Failure to Maintain Control and Violation of Financial Liability Coverage.

w/ Chris Parks

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Police in Red Oak report two people have been arrested. Officials sayJoe Lewis Welch, of Omaha, was arrested Tuesday, on a warrant. After he was taken into custody, Welch was allegedly found to be in possession of marijuana. He was brought to the Montgomery County Law Enforcement Center and held on a total of $11,000 bond. 

And early this (Wednesday) morning, 43-year old Shelby Joann Olivares was arrested in Red Oak on a charge of  5^th degree theft. Olivares was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $300 cash bond.

The Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund recently contributed donations to three local groups or causes, in CassCounty. According to Fund spokesperson Melanie Petty, the fund, in conjunction with the Kiwanis Club, Atlantic PTO and Friends of Lake Anita, was able to donate money towards the bike helmet program, purchase an IPad for the 3rd grade class, and help out with the annual fishing clinic held at LakeAnita.  

Petty says they enjoy helping in whatever way they can.  She says “It gives us great joy to know that we can help out so many projects in our community all because of the wonderful support we receive at our annual golf tournament.” The 5th Annual T-Fred Memorial Golf Tournament will be held on August 10th.  

Petty says they’re projecting another great turnout, and look forward to another amazing year of donations back to the community that Trevor loved.

w/ Ric Hanson

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State Ag Secretary Bill Northey has been touring the state to survey crop conditions and on Tuesday he made stops in the southwest Iowa communities of Council Bluffs, Hamburg, Shenandoah and Nodaway. “It’s easier to see the good stuff between the wet spots now, whereas two weeks ago we were just seeing the wet spots,” Northey says.

Northey reports corn in southwest Iowa is waist- to shoulder-high. That’s in contrast to fields in northeastern and north central Iowa where corn was planted very late and it’s still quite short. Northey notes the weather has taken a turn for the better.

“It’s great to be getting to real summer weather and seeing those crops grow,” Northey says. “We’ve got a long ways to go, but all the farmers I’ve talked to are optimistic that even with the struggles they’ve had, the rest of the year is going to be good and we’re going to have big crops and hopefully prices as well are comfortable for livestock producers.”

Congressman Tom Latham, who represents the southwest quadrant of the state, joined Northey on the two-day southwest Iowa tour. The latest Iowa crop and weather report from the U-S-D-A indicates the 2013 Iowa corn crop is about three weeks behind normal; soybeans are about two weeks behind. Warmer, drier weather has improved the condition of both crops. About 72 percent of the pastures in Iowa are rated good or excellent and the first cutting of alfalfa is about 89 percent complete.

(Julie Harker/The Brownfield Network)