(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports a man complained of pain following an accident Friday evening, but he was not transported to the hospital. Authorities say a 2003 Mack semi tractor-trailer driven by 41-year-old Jeffrey Painter, of Leland, IL, was backing out of a private drive at 3511 White Pole Road, when the trailer was struck by a westbound 2008 Lexus SUV. The driver of the SUV, 48-year-old Timothy Wells, of Menlo, told authorities he didn’t see the semi until the last minute, because he was blinded by the sun. He swerved, but his vehicle struck the rear dual tires/axle of the trailer, causing a total of $13,500 damage.

The accident happened at around 5:40-p.m.  No citations were issued.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports an Atlantic man was arrested Thursday. Deputies arrested 54-year-old Tony Mayo Sr.,  for OWI 1^st Offense.  Mayo was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on his own recognizance.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee, today (Monday) announced her second Small Business of the Week for 2023: Red Oak Fabrication located in Montgomery County. Throughout this Congress, Ranking Member Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties.

Red Oak Fabrication is a family business that is being honored for its continued growth and success. Ted Fort started at Red Oak Fabrication as one of three employees. Through hard work and persistence he purchased the entire company in 1948. Today, the business is still owned and operated by the Fort family.

“I think we can all agree that small businesses are the backbone of America, and families are the heart. It gives me great pleasure to see Ted Fort’s hard work transcend generations to provide vital manufacturing services in my home county and across Iowa,” said Ranking Member Ernst.

Since its establishment over 100 years ago, the company has grown to four locations in Montgomery County. The locations offer powder coating, plate rolling, manual and robotic welding, and a Carhartt store to meet the demand of customers across the state. The Fort family legacy lives on through Ted’s children, grandchildren, and even great-great-grandchildren who have continued on his path of entrepreneurship and innovation.

(Griswold, Iowa) – UPDATE – The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports two women were injured during a single-vehicle accident Sunday night, south of Griswold. First responders from Griswold and Elliott were requested at the scene, where at around 8:50-p.m., a 2020 Nissan Altima driven by Hannah Kelly, of Red Oak, had gone into the ditch off 540th Street, near Wichita Road. The accident happened when Kelly swerved to miss a deer and she lost control of the car.

Kelly and another woman were transported to a local hospital by Griswold EMS for what was considered to be minor injuries.  The vehicle sustained approximately $3,000 worth of damage.

(Radio Iowa) – From driving tractors to school to educating elementary students on the importance of feeding the world, F-F-A Week is underway nationwide. There are 18-thousand-606 Iowans involved in this program — including Hunter Hayes of Webster City who likes the interaction. “Big opportunity to get involved with the community, and high school, get your name out there be able to help out with a lot of different organizations. F-F-A does help out with food drives and different stuff like that and it does actually help make a difference within the community,” Haye says. Haye says F-F-A has helped him broaden his abilities.

“You become a really close group of friends you spend a lot of time together you do some traveling you learn practical skills for the real world going out talking to people for some donations lining up different events you really learn a lot of skills that help you out moving forward with your life,” he says. Hayes says the group used to be called Future Farmers of America, but became F-F-A to make everyone feel welcome to the group.

“And that is to really broaden that spectrum. F-F-A doesn’t look to just say this is only for farmers and farmers’ children, we really want this to be a community organization and bring everyone in to be a part of it,” Hayes says. F-F-A is 95 years old. Find out more information or find a chapter in your area at: www.ffa.org.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Pork Producers Association is hosting four regional conferences across Iowa this week. Dal Grooms, the organization’s spokeswoman, says the meetings will be focused on providing useful information for hog farmers. “In the morning, we’re going to have Pork Quality Assurance Plus training for people who need to get their certification in that,” Grooms says, “and that’s really a training that helps people understand how to take better care of pigs.” Grooms says the afternoon sessions will include a host of local and regional experts who will be discussing a range of issues.

“We’re going to talk about African Swine Fever and what’s going on in Europe with that and what kind of lessons can be learned,” Grooms says. “We’re also going to talk about economic issues for the livestock industry, for the swine industry, and probably talk a little bit about corn and soybean prices.” One session will zero in on how hot weather can quickly cause critical problems for pork producers during the Iowa summer.

“We’re going to talk about some research that’s been done at Iowa State in terms of heat stress as it relates to barn ventilation,” she says, “and then finally, we’re going to talk about the value of manure. Iowa State’s done a lot of research there as well and can help people determine what is that value that they put on their crop fields.”

The meetings will be held in Orange City today (Monday), Webster City on Tuesday, Nashua on Wednesday and in Washington on Thursday. Learn more at: iowapork.org.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – A traffic stop at around 2:20-a.m. today (Monday, Feb. 20) in Red Oak, resulted in the arrest of a man from Taylor County. According to Red Oak Police, 65-year-old Kenneth Earl Huber, of Lenox, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled Substance/2nd offense-marijuana, and a Felony PCS/3rd or subsequent offense charge (Class-D felony). Huber was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – Two of Governor Kim Reynolds’ priorities for the 2023 Iowa legislature have already become law, but her plan to streamline state government remains under review. Reynolds says Iowa is way out of line with surrounding states.

“When we’re spending $2100 more on a per capita basis than Illinois…our neighboring state who’s not really known for being fiscally responsible, a state that’s four times the State of Iowa, then we’re not providing efficient and effective services,” Reynolds says. Reynolds has submitted a bill that’s nearly 16-hundred pages long to outline her plan to shrink the number of state agencies from 37 to 16. Critics of some of the proposals in the bill say Reynolds is trying to centralize more power in the governor’s office.

“This isn’t about building a fiefdom for Kim Reynolds. This about reducing the size of government, which we should all be about,” Reynolds says. “It’s about bringing technologies and efficiencies and collaboration and coordination.” Reynolds says no staff will be laid off if her plan to approved as is, but more than 500 full time positions in state government that aren’t currently filled would be eliminated — saving about 200 million dollars over the next four years. Lawmakers have begun holding subcommittee hearings on sections of the plan.

One area that’s being scrutinized would make it clear in state law that the attorney general may file criminal charges on behalf of the state even if a county attorney does not ask the attorney general’s office to pursue the case. Kelly Meyers, a lobbyist for the Iowa County Attorneys Association, says the group is asking for that passage to be removed from the bill.

“Because county attorneys are elected officials,” Meyers says. “They answer to their voters and their constituents.” It was the policy of long time Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller to provide state lawyers to prosecute criminal cases when county attorneys made a request and the county attorneys association says that policy should remain intact. Republican Brenna Bird defeated Miller. She has said one of her priorities as Iowa attorney general is to hire more prosecutors.

(Audubon County, Iowa) – A single vehicle accident south of Exira Sunday night claimed the life of a man from Dallas County. The Iowa State Patrol reports 52-year-old Stephen Joseph Smith, of Adel, was driving a 2006 Hyundai Tiburon north on Lark Avenue, just north of 335th Street, when the car went out of control at around 6-p.m.

The vehicle entered the west ditch and rolled over, coming to rest on its roof facing south. Smith died at the scene. he was wearing a seat belt. The crash remains under investigation. The Patrol was assisted by the Audubon County Sheriff’s Office and Exira Rescue.

(Audubon, Iowa) – Members of the Audubon School District’s Board of Education will gather at 7-p.m. Monday, for a Work Session covering their Board Goals, 3 & 4. The meeting and regular meeting that follows, takes place in the Boardroom at the Audubon High School. The agenda for the Regular meeting includes:

4.0 Public Comments – Please contact the Supt. or Board President (Board Policy #213)

5.0 Action Items

5.01 Set Time and Date for Calendar Hearing

5.02 Approve Change Orders

5.03 Approve Add-Service Agreement – Auditorium Ceiling

5.04 Approve Surplus Property – Auditorium Seating, Locker Room Lockers

5.05 Approve Moving Funds to District Flexibility Account

5.06 Approve Seeking Quotes for Greenhouse Construction

5.07 Approve Seeking Quotes for Track Resurfacing

5.08 Possible Approval of Electric Bus Bid

5.08 Personnel

6.0 Communication & Updates

6.01 Superintendent Report

6.01.1 – Building Project Updates

6.01.2 – Legislative Update

6.01.3 – FY24 Bargaining

6.01.4 – Possible Phone System Upgrade

6.01.5 – Therapy Dog

6.02 Principal’s Reports

7.0 Adjournment

Next Regular Meeting: Monday, March 20, 2023, 7:00 PM