The Iowa Department of Transportation’s District 4 Office in Atlantic reports the overpass on U.S. 59 that spans Iowa Highway 92 near Carson, in Pottawattamie County, has been closed for repairs. The overpass was struck Monday afternoon by a truck hauling a backhoe on Iowa 92, which damaged the U.S. 59 overpass beams. Engineers have inspected the overpass and determined that the overpass must be closed until repairs can be made.

The Iowa DOT is expecting this to be a longer-term closure to allow for the contract bid process and repair work required. The Iowa DOT will provide information about the reopening of the overpass as soon as it is available.

An onsite detour is in place utilizing the U.S. 59 and Iowa 92 ramps. Motorists should be aware of signs directing traffic through this area. A 53-foot length limit is in place on this detour. The Iowa DOT reminds motorists to drive with caution, obey posted speed limit and other signs in the work area, and be aware that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones. As in all work zones, drivers should stay alert, allow ample space between vehicles and wear seat belts.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Wednesday, will discuss and possibly act on a Valuation exemption agreement for an Amaizing Energy Urban Renewal Area parcel or parcels. The move is likely a prelude to the possible creation of a 25-million gallon Cellulosic ethanol plant by Fagen, Incorporated, on the site of the defunct Amaizing Energy Ethanol plant.

The Board will also act on approving a Length of Service pay rate adjustment for a part-time assistant in the Recorder’s Office, and, the assignment of a County-held tax sale certificate of purchase, with a compromise on the total amount due, with regard to a property in Cumberland.

Their meeting begins at 9-a.m. in the Supervisors’ board room at the Cass County Courthouse, in Atlantic.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture is calling on the federal government to revise new standards for school meals.  North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring introduced the policy statement that was approved by the group during its annual meeting in Des Moines, Iowa, this week. It says the new standards are well-intentioned but won’t solve the problem of childhood obesity.

The standards approved by the federal Agriculture Department earlier this year set limits on calories and require schools to offer at least one vegetable or fruit per meal. Critics say the lunches are too light for some active teens and leave them hungry.  Goehring says children from low-income families might be affected most by the new standards because school lunches might be the most nutritious meals they get.

BLENCOE, Iowa (AP) – A state audit shows poor record-keeping at the western Iowa city of Blencoe has led to a loss of more than $71,000 in property taxes and unsupported spending of city money. Former city clerk Kym Harris served from January 2008 until she resigned last September after the city discovered financial reports hadn’t been filed. The city couldn’t collect property taxes for the fiscal year that ended in June. Harris told the Omaha World Herald in January she was going through cancer treatments and things were in turmoil.

The audit, released Tuesday by State Auditor David Vaudt, found just over $2,400 of unsupported expenditures and more than $300 of improper reimbursements to Harris.    Blencoe, population 225, is 45 miles south of Sioux City.

The CAM and Elk Horn-Kimballton Board of Education held regular, separate meetings Monday evening, in Anita and Elk Horn, respectively. In Anita, CAM Superintendent Steve Pelzer said while the enrollment numbers won’t be certified to the State of Iowa until October, it looks like they have seen an increase in the number of students attending the school district. He said early projections show a possible increase of 10-to 15 students over last year.

Pelzer said the Connections online Academy is doing well also, with an estimated 240 students taking courses through the program, which works in conjunction with the school district. In other business, Pelzer says the Board re-elected Gary Dinkla as its President, and Nick Kaufman as Vice President. And, they approved a request to the State for modified allowable growth for a negative Special Education deficit, but Pelzer said while they don’t anticipate actually having a deficit, the Board approved it just in case.

In Elk Horn, the EHK School Board Monday re-elected Mark Smith as President and Kevin Petersen as Vice President. Superintendent Dean Schnoes said the Board also approved a bid amounting to about $21,000, for the purchase of a new heat pumps from Rasmussen Mechanical Services, out of Council Bluffs. Schnoes said bearings on the heat pumps located in the Elementary/Superintendents/Commons area of the building were going out, and sounded like a “747 taking off.” The new heat pumps will be mounted on the ceiling to keep the vibrations to a minimum. They’ll replace the heat pumps which were more than 30-years old.

Schnoes said also, that while the enrollment numbers for the District won’t be certified until October, the latest numbers show an increase of “two-to three-bodies,” but the future appears to be looking bright, he says, because of the number of new births in the area. He says they’ve noticed a lot more children being born in the area, and perhaps more people will be moving back into the rural areas to raise their families, which would obviously be a benefit for future enrollment numbers.

w/ Ric Hanson

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This week, Troopers in central Iowa, along with members of the state legislature and officers from local law enforcement agencies, will pause to honor a Trooper who recently died in the line of duty.

Trooper Mark Toney

On Thursday, exactly one year after his death, the Highway 65/69 South River Bridge located south of Indianola will be dedicated in honor of Trooper Mark Toney. The dedication ceremony where take place at the Indianola Fire Station, at 110 North 1st Street, beginning at 2-p.m.

Trooper Toney was killed in an automobile accident on U.S. Highway 65/69, south of Indianola in September of 2011. He was serving the citizens of Iowa when his patrol car left the roadway, overturned several times, and burst into flames. Trooper Toney served the Iowa State Patrol for 24 years.

Members of the public are invited and welcome to attend the dedication ceremony as a show support for those who serve and protect Iowa communities.

A backhoe being hauled by a truck struck a bridge south of  Carson Monday afternoon, causing $250,000 damage to the bridge and $8,000 damage to the backhoe. Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Department spokesman, Sgt. Dwayne Riche told KJAN News 32-year old Travis Meyer, of Atlantic, was driving a 1990 Mack truck hauling a Caterpiller backhoe. The vehicle was traveling westbound on Highway 92 at around 3-p.m., when the boom of the backhoe, which was too high to pass under the bridge,  struck multiple supports for the Highway 59 overpass. Following the impact, the truck and its cargo came to rest about 70-yards west of Highway 59, on the north shoulder of Highway 92. The backhoe is owned by Bluffs Paving and Utility, in Crescent.

With KJAN News Director Ric Hanson…

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(Updates to add driver’s name)

A Sioux City truck driver escaped injury this (Tuesday) morning, when the 2003 Peterbilt semi he was driving crashed on Interstate 80, in northwestern Cass County.

Accident scene (I-80 EB, 50.5-mile marker) (Photo courtesy Cass Co. Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon)

The Iowa State Patrol reports 23-year old Blaze Anthony Gill was traveling east on I-80 near the Marne exit at around 6:35-a.m., when the Interstate Batteries of Sioux City-owned truck drifted onto the right shoulder and hit a guardrail. The impact caused the semi to roll onto its left side. The crash caused batteries being hauled by the semi to be scattered about on the roadway.  Both eastbound lanes being blocked for nearly two and one-half hours, while crews worked to clean up the hazardous material and remove the semi.  Emergency crews from Atlantic and Marne responded to the scene, along with the Iowa State Patrol and Cass County Sheriff’s deputies.