The Mills County Sheriff’s Office says three people were arrested recently on separate charges. Today (Friday), 22-year old Christian Joseph Newman, of Pacific Junction, was arrested on Interstate 29 at around 2:25-a.m.. Newman was charged with OWI/2nd offense. His bond set at $2,000.

On Thursday, 39-year old James Lee McFerrin, of Glenwood, was arrested for violating the terms of his probation. His bond was set at $2,000 also. That same day, 35-year old Nicholas Mark Brule, of Malvern, was arrested in Malvern on a charge of OWI/1st Offense. His bond was set at $1,000.

The Harlan Community School District’s Board of Education approved 128 seniors as the graduating class of 2013-2014. In a board meeting Thursday, the board approved the final list presented by Superintendent Justin Wagner and High School Principal John Connell. The senior class will graduate at commencement ceremonies on Sunday afternoon.

In addition, the board heard from four seniors in regards to their Legacy Project. Every year, the senior class at Harlan Community has tried to leave a lasting impression on the school. This year a group of ten individuals from Mr. Swanson’s business class decided to undertake a legacy project. The class decided to create a portrait made up of all the communities representing the Harlan Community School District.

Legacy Project

The four seniors at the school board meeting were Taylor Leinen, Nate Gettys, Rhiana Chickering and Savanna Scheffler. The students hope the Legacy Project becomes an annual project by the graduating class. The class designed six different portraits that are hung up in various areas in the school district with three in the high school and one in each of the outlining school building.

The eight communities in the school district Corley, Defiance, Earling, Harlan, Jacksonville, Panama, Portsmouth and Westphalia are represented by different pictures in each portrait. The other students participating in the Legacy Project were Elizabeth Blum, Shelby Gettys, Broghan Kelly, Morgan Meyer, Sidney Mills and Jordan Schaben. Superintendent Justin Wagner said the students worked hard to make each design unique.

“That was the other thing that took a lot of time. That was good, attention to detail and taking the extra time to put in different pictures for each one. So if you have seen one, you haven’t seen them all. Great project and appreciate all the time you put into it and Mister Swanson as well.”

In other business, the board approved the 1 to 1 computer purchase of 170 laptops for the upcoming freshman class in the fall of 2014. Lisa Swanson said the purchase was under budget by $24,000 through Riverside Technologies. The purchase price for the new laptops was $157,096.40.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

An Anita man was arrested Thursday on a Cass County Sheriff’s warrant for Violation of a No Contact order. According to the Atlantic Police Dept., 29-year old Ehren Mardesen turned himself-in, and was booked into the Cass County Jail.

A coalition of state soybean associations is working with the Iowa D-O-T and Iowa State University on a project to improve technology used to inspect bridges. Mike Steenhoek, executive director of the Soy Transportation Coalition, says bridges are now visually inspected by trained engineers, but their decisions can sometimes be too conservative, leading to expensive repairs, or bridges being closed or load restricted. “The taxpayers, who actually paid for the roads and the bridges in their vicinity, no longer have full access to a system that they paid for,” Steenhoek says. “For a farmer, it can be a real cost. What would normally be a five-mile journey from the farm to the local elevator can easily become a 10- or 20- or 30-mile journey.”

Steenhoek says another problem with visual inspections is they can lead to wasting money for repairs and upkeep. “If you don’t have a clear understanding of the condition of your various bridges in your inventory, that can result in misallocation of scarce taxpayer dollars,” Steenhoek says. “This is a time when the federal government, the state government and the local government are really cash-strapped.” Steenhoek says that’s why the coalition, the Iowa Department of Transportation and Iowa State University are embarking on this project to find ways to do more detailed analysis of bridges using advanced science.

“To actually use technology that is available to evaluate bridges, that provides real data and allows engineers to make accurate decisions about their bridges,” Sheenhoek says. “We’re wanting to see this project replicated in other states like Minnesota and South Dakota and Nebraska.” Steenhoek says a recent bridge collapse in Guthrie County highlights the need for a new inspection system. A farmer driving a tractor pulling two tanks of anhydrous ammonia was on a bridge when it collapsed. He had only minor injuries.

The Soy Transportation Coalition is comprised of the American Soybean Association, the United Soybean Board and 12 state soybean boards, including the Iowa Soybean Association. The 12 states account for 80% of all soybean production in the U-S.

(Radio Iowa)

w/ Ric Hanson

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The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau is reminding the motoring public, during May 19th – June 1st, Iowa law enforcement agencies will be participating in the National “Click or Ticket” campaign. In an attempt to save lives and reduce serious injury crashes, local, county and state enforcement officers will be out in force making sure everyone is buckled up.

Sergeant Scott Bright, Public Information Officer for the Iowa Department of Public Safety, advises that “The two seconds it takes to buckle up increases your odds by nearly 50% of surviving a crash. There is nothing so simple or easy that can make such a life saving difference. During 2013, there were 317 fatalities in Iowa, a record low but still too many needless deaths. We are continually looking for ways to make a difference,” says Noble.

Last year, during the Memorial Day holiday, Iowa had 3 traffic fatalities, two of which were alcohol related. During the sTEP enforcement wave, there were 31,480 total traffic violations, including 12,450 speed, 2630 seat belt and 530 OWI stops.

The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau continues to stress to the motoring public the importance of buckling up, slowing down and the need to drive sober to increase the odds of preventing or at least surviving a crash. Buckle up, be safe and enjoy your Memorial Day holiday.

The next sTEP enforcement event will be July 1st – 7th.

With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson.

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A traffic stop Wednesday night in Taylor County resulted in the arrest of two Union County residents. According to the Lenox Police Department, 25-year old Colleen Denton and a passenger in her car, 25-year old Benjamin Hoffman, both of Creston, were taken into custody on separate charges.

Denton was arrested for failure to hold a valid driver’s license. In addition, she was wanted on warrants out of Union County for Failure to Appear on original charges of Theft and Assault. Denton was released to authorities in Union County. Hoffman was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia, after a drug pipe was located under the passenger seat of the car. He was subsequently released on the citation.

The pair were taken into custody after police in Lenox investigated a report received at around 8:30-p.m., Wednesday, about a vehicle traversing the alleys, and individuals looking into peoples’ windows and around houses.

Authorities in Montgomery County say no injuries were reported following a rollover accident Thursday afternoon, near Red Oak. According to the Sheriff’s Department, William Linfor, of Shenandoah, was driving a 2009 Hyundai Accent northbound on Evergreen Avenue, when the car went out of control on the loose gravel and entered a ditch before rolling over.

The accident happened at around 4:12-p.m.. No citations were issued. Damage amounted to $8,000.

A little over a week ago, Polk County officials awarded $125,000 to the Central and Western Iowa Honor Flight organization to send a plane full of Korean War veterans to Washington, D.C. to see a memorial built in their honor. But, there’s not enough room on the plane for all of the veterans who want to go. Jeff Ballenger of Council Bluffs, who’s organizing the honor flight, says the initial plan called for giving 130 Korean War veterans a free trip to the nation’s capital on September 30. But, as of this Thursday, 318 Korean War veterans from Iowa have applied for the trip.

“One veteran even spent $21.95 to overnight his application to make sure we got it, so that tells you what this program means to our veterans,” Ballenger said. Roughly $250,000 more is needed to cover the expenses for all of the veterans who hope to see the Korean War Memorial. Iowa businesses and individuals, since 2007, have contributed enough money to send roughly 2,300 World War Two veterans to Washington, D.C.

“Iowans are very patriotic by nature and appreciate what our veterans have done for us and the sacrifices made. They’ve usually just stepped right up to the plate,” Ballenger said. He’s hoping they’ll do so again, so one or two more planes can be booked to accommodate the demand. Iowans can learn more about making a tax-deductible donation to the Korean War veterans’ honor flight by calling 712-322-6638 or by visiting the website www.centraliowahonorflight.org

(Radio Iowa)