LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) – State climatologists say farmers in Nebraska and Iowa should prepare for persistent drought conditions this summer that could devastate their crops. Nebraska State Climatologist Harry Al Dutcher said Thursday that he expects that ranchers and farmers in the western part of his state will suffer crop damage, unless the weather suddenly becomes cooler and wetter. He says that’s unlikely, given the current conditions. 
 
Ranchers in western Nebraska and farmers in north-central Iowa say the weather conditions are the driest they’ve ever seen.  The situation is less dire in Iowa, but State Climatologist Harry Hillaker predicts that June will be warmer than usual. High winds are also causing water to evaporate faster.

LOGAN, Iowa (AP) – A former western Iowa school principal accused of pulling down the pants of a student has been found guilty of simple assault.  Online court records say 35-year-old Mike Loftin was given a year of unsupervised probation after his conviction on Wednesday. He also was given a deferred judgment, which means the conviction could be removed from his record if he successfully completes probation.
 
Loftin, who lives in Omaha, Neb., was principal for the West Harrison Community School district junior-senior high school in Mondamin.  Loftin also coached the girls’ basketball team. Authorities say he pulled down a girl’s warm-up pants before a game on Jan. 20. She wasn’t wearing uniform or gym shorts underneath.  He was fired in late January.

Five men, two from Adams County, two from Cass County and one from Adair County, were arrested Thursday night on warrants for Assault with Willful Injury. Taken into custody by Adams County Sheriff’s Deputies at around 9:45-p.m., was: 21-year old Zachary Bagshaw, of Cumberland; 33-year old Douglas Alan Stirek, of Massena; 31-year old Eric Michael Bradley, of Greenfield; and 35-year old Aaron Jon Greenwalt, along with 28-year old Shawn Michael Buffington, both of Corning. Eric Bradley’s cash only bond was set at $10,000, while the other suspect’s cash only bonds were set at $5,000, each.

Sheriff’s officials say the men were arrested following a fight at the local bar that resulted in one person being seriously injured. The fight was reported by the unidentified victim, who was treated for their injuries at the hospital, and released. Officials have declined to comment on what started the incident, and other details.

Authorities in Omaha have arrested the second suspect wanted in connection with last week’s brutal beating of a Council Bluffs woman. The Omaha-World Herald says the Metro Area Fugitive Task Force arrested 32-year old Travis Labno,  of Omaha, on a charge of first-degree kidnapping. The man was taken into custody without incident at around 2-p.m. Thursday, in a house near 132nd and Fort Streets, according to Deputy U.S. Marshal John Huggins, who the head of the task force.

The other suspect in the case, 38-year old Bryan Bey, of Crescent, Iowa, was arrested last Friday, also on a charge of first-degree kidnapping. Both men are accused of assaulting 29-year-old Tabitha Proplesch, who was found at around 2-p.m. Thursday, May 31st slumped over the wheel of a pickup truck located on the Mormon Bridge Road, near the Crescent exit off of Interstate 29. Her arms had been handcuffed behind her, and she had suffered blunt trauma to the head.

Officials with the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic said today (Thursday), patients in the CCMH Emergency Department will be seeing a familiar face when they visit the Cass County Memorial Hospital Emergency Department (ED).

Mark Johnson, M.D.

Dr. Mark Johnson, M.D., will be transitioning from his full-time position as a family medicine physician at Atlantic Medical Center (AMC) to working full-time in the CCMH Emergency Department. Dr. Johnson came to AMC in June 1987. His final day at AMC will be Friday, August 3rd, 2012.  Dr. Johnson has provided some ED care throughout his time at AMC, and officials say the change will expand his role in that department.

CCMH Administrator Pat Markham says some other changes are happening with Emergency Department staffing.  According to Markham, currently a staff of five medical providers, including two physicians, one nurse practitioner and two physician assistants, provide care in the Emergency Department 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.  And, since that sometimes that can involve a provider working some long shifts, the medical staff and hospital administration have decided to increase the number of providers to decrease the length of shifts worked, which will improve quality of patient care and patient safety.

The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa said today (Thursday), two rural Audubon County men have pled guilty to their role in  a conspiracy to manufacture marijuana.  44-year old Paul Joseph Irlmeier and his co-defendant, 62-year old Randy Frank Irlmeier, both pled guilty on May 30th, to charges they conspired to manufacture at least 100 marijuana plants.   Based upon their pleas of guilty, the Irlmeiers face a mandatory minimum of 5 years imprisonment up to a maximum of 40 years imprisonment, a fine not to exceed $2,000,000, at least 4 years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment.

In addition, Paul Irlmeier has agreed to forfeit $104,503. The forfeiture allegations against Randy Irlmeier will be resolved at a
later hearing. Both defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on September 28th, 2012, before Chief District Court Judge James E. Gritzner in Council Bluffs.

As part of their guilty pleas, the Irlmeiers admitted to conspiring to grow, harvest and distribute marijuana at their respective rural Audubon County residences between approximately 2005 and October 27th, 2010. On October 27th, 2010, law enforcement located evidence of a sizable marijuana growing operation, including a large quantity of mature marijuana plants at the
residence of Randy Irlmeier in Audubon County. Both men admitted responsibility for at least 100 marijuana plants during the conspiracy.

The investigation was conducted by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and the Audubon County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Mitt Romney is returning to Iowa with a visit to Council Bluffs.  Friday’s visit will be his second trip to the state since effectively locking up the Republican presidential nomination. Romney will hold a roundtable discussion at 10:30 a.m. followed by an event at Bayliss Park at 11:15 a.m.
 
Iowa is among roughly a-half dozen states where Romney and President Barack Obama are expected to campaign most aggressively for the November election.  Romney came to Des Moines on May 15, his first trip to Iowa since campaigning for the January caucuses.

More than a dozen students at the Riverside High School in Oakland have received recognition for their performance in a voluntary online, national test for financial literacy. According to Riverside Social Studies Teacher Mandie Reynolds, students at Riverside High School were among the over 80,000 students from across the country who participated in the 2012 National Financial Capability Challenge organized by the U.S. Departments of Treasury and Education. 

13 of the schools’ students were recognized as being in among the top 20% of all students taking exam nationally, which represents 40% of the students who took the exam at Riverside scoring in the top 20% of the nation. 

The high-achieving students included: Kevin Collins; Dannielle Easton; Jacie Feigenbutz; Brea Fender; RJ Griger; John Gunderson; Clay Harris; Mack Housman; Samantha Keast; Alexander McLaughlin; Joshua Mills; Marissa Rose, and Elisabeth Seifert.  In addition, students who scored in the top 10% of the nation were given special recognition, and two students from Riverside achieved the honor: Jacie Feigenbutz and Alexander McLaughlin. 

In addition, as part of the National Financial Capability Challenge, students as well as school districts were eligible for a drawing for scholarship money and prizes.  Riverside was fortunate enough to receive a $1,000 cash prize from Iowa Student Loan, in coordination with the Iowa Department of Education, Iowa Jump$tart, Junior Achievement of Central Iowa, and the Iowa College Access Network.

Reynolds said in the Riverside Community School District, they know that financial education is important, as often times, too few students graduate with the knowledge and skills they need to make basic financial decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities.

For more information on the NFC Challenge, go to http://www.challenge.treas.gov/

The City of Atlantic’s Community Protection Committee will meet next Wednesday afternoon (June 13^th) at City Hall, to discuss regulating cats. KJAN News Director Ric Hanson asked City Administrator Doug Harris if there was a big cat problem in town. Harris said no, but one of the Council members received a complaint from a woman who operates a wild bird sanctuary.

The matter was referred to the CPC to see if there is a problem with cats on the loose. Harris said he’d be surprised if the committee puts forth any recommendations to the City Council. He said “It’s pretty hard to regulate cats.”

The City doesn’t have a license requirement for cats. Harris said that could be one option, but it doesn’t mean it would solve the problem, if indeed one exists. He questioned how cats could be caught, and how likely it would be that they could be kept on a leash.

The CPC’s meeting begins at 4:30-p.m., Wednesday.

The CDC will also discuss the cost estimates for needed repairs to the Bull Creek Storm Drain at 2^nd and Poplar, and, the upcoming (June 12^th) Downtown Revitalization meeting.